original GN value vs. Modded

[boatn70]

Let me start by saying I know its only worth what someone is willing to pay for it, and that will depend on the buyer.

in general, what have you GN owners seen? does an unmolested 50-70k mile car in excellent condition bring more than a modded car in the same condition?
is the original more desirable to a buyer? If you have a nice clean original and you mod it, do you loose value instantly?

looking for some input from the buyers and sellers out there, i know many of you have been through many cars. i also read, KEEP any original parts to go with a car when its sold. good advice?

thanks:biggrin:

 

[LOLGN]

An original car is always going to bring more money, how much depends on the specific mods and how well they were installed etc. That said I'd always prefer a stock car because many people take a car in a direction I wouldn't neccesarily have chosen or was treated as just a hot rod and torn up because of it. Light mods that are easily reversible usually don't hurt value much, but it would make someone like me take a much closer look at it than if it were a bone stock car. Having said all that, do what you like with the car, it IS your car.

 

[waddell87]

I had mine appraised through Nelson Bender in Edmonton who does a comprehensive market evaluation,(his words not mine) through united states and canada My car only having 30000km at the time was appraised at 29000 canadian. I have been offered 28 to 40 thousand from various car nut enthusiust again and again. I've had mine for 19yrs and HAVE EVERY nut,bolt and you name it original part from it and could restore it to that state too, since then with the mods I've done and TLC I have put into it The value has gone up.. especially with the dollar the way it is, this is from canadian local people mind you. If I were to sell...I still have offers in the 30 + range. If I was in The United states ..NO Way. They are are far more rare in the northern east hemisphere and some people may be ignorant but thats my story and i'm stickin to it...Of course I will be buried in KITT when I die so noone is getting her so just my O2. HTH

 

[YouLikeThat]

I'm my opinion a nicely modded car will bring a little more than the exact one in original condition but if you look at the older muscle/classic cars (in most cases) an original, #'s matching, slow, boring big block car is worth more than something souped up and fun.
So I can see the original #s matching stock TRs bringing some big bucks in the future. But screw that life is to short for 14 second time slips.
Scott

 

[hiballin]

does an unmolested 50-70k mile car in excellent condition bring more than a modded car in the same condition?

i also read, KEEP any original parts to go with a car when its sold. good advice?

thanks:biggrin:

When you get to the mileage you are talking about, there won't be as big a hit in value as there would with a lower mileage car. Serious collectors are looking for low mileage cars.

At 50-70K you are in the nice driver catagory. Mod the car as you like and drive the wheels off it. Again, collectors aren't buying mid to high mileage cars to put away and make money on.

I would save the stock parts though. That way you can put the car back to stock if you part with it sooner than planned. People are less weary of these cars when they are stock (other than fuel pump and hotwire, those are common sense upgrades).

 

[WLDWST]

I like my car. I like my mods. I do it for me, not the next guy. I did however keep all the stock stuff just in case the new owner wants them. I wouldn't be afraid to purchase a car with mods if they were done well. The stockers are too slow in my book. Modding is what hot rodding is all about. I have always thought that if I was to sell my car I might put it back to stock for better resale. Then again, someone may like what I have done and pay a bit more. I would love to have a stage car, which is the ultimate modded Buick.

 

[GNRick]

Last year I bought an 86 GN with just under 25,000 miles on it. Now it has about 25,300. I removed and kept the original spark plug wires, spark plugs, fuel filter, and fan belt. I will also remove and keep the MAF sensor and install the LT1/translator. Soon I will remove the original tires :wink: and will keep them too. I think even the coil/ignition module are original. I added a hotwire to the fuel pump. Now I need to add an anti theft device without cutting wires. I already have that in the works. Oh, and the paint is original. I don't plan on removing that for a long time, as I keep the car garaged. I did add cross braces in the trunk, which required drilling. And I used POR-15 on the underside. The motor gets Royal Purple and ZDDP. The car has T-tops and no posi. I'm the second owner. So far the power antenna works but I'm afraid to use it...it will probably break from using it or not using it, though.

 

[turbo nasty]

The motor gets Royal Purple and ZDDP. [/QUOTE

Sounds like a sweet car.
FWIW the RP is still a SL grade oil.

 

[GNRick]

Yes, that's why the ZDDP goes in it.:biggrin:

 

["Turbo-T"]

I think it all depends on what kinds of mods we are talking.

Rim swaps, an exhaust upgrade with good mufflers and mandrel bent pipes, etc. I could see maybe paying a little more than a stock unmolested car.

But if "distasteful" mods such as a tub job, or a wiring hack job, or a bondo over rust job, or a shoddy paint job or even someone painting the car pink with a purple shag carpet interior.....yeah I'll stay away from and spend my money on an unmolested car.

As mentioned unmolested and original is more for the collector, you know the ones who usually sit on the car for XX amount of time and then put on eBay or Barrett-Jackson to flip for enough of a profit to retire off of.

In a nut shell a car I could easily put back original I'll take over a stock unmodded car, but I'll take a stock unmodded car over something that's going to take me hundreds if not thousands of dollars and man hours to "correct" all of the god-awful mods.

Now you know why I won't ever buy a donk car.

 

[FORREST]

Fun or money

When I was looking for a G/N,I wanted a low mile stock 1987. After 2yrs. I

needed some more power. I asked the same question,and was asked by
many, why did I buy the car as an investment or fun.So I saved all stock

parts

and I am having some expensive fun. A smart person would have bought a
modified car to start with!

 

[t3intercooled]

In my opinion, I know some people look for a bone stock unmolested GN and you see them never drive it except once in a while and it stays on thier showroom or garage floor. Me personally as a buyer, I bought one in all original condition, however the reason I did so was becasue I came across an excellent deal form a friend in the family. These cars were made to drive, not sit, IMO. I also know how much a bigger turbo costs, bigger injectors, programmable chip, etc. Now if I was looking to buy another, I would look for one with mods but I would make sure they are done clean and neat and not chopped up and thrown together. Some people would share my opinion, in the case that as long as they have all reciepts and as long as they had the modifiactions done clean, someone would be willing to pay more. But the keeping all original parts is a good tip. I have modded my car to everything except the rearend, and I have every not and bolt, every original piece. If the time came when These cars are like the Hemi Cudas and I wanted it back to original or when the time came that someone wanted to buy it I would have the parts available. Hope that helps.

 

[ccognetta]

Newbie

Since I just got my GN less than 30 days ago, I'll give you my list...

1) I agree on the collectors looking at low mileage cars. Average guys will
look at cars with more miles because they WANT to drive them. My car has
60k miles.

2) The next thing is absolutely NO ACCIDENT History on a carfax! PERIOD. Repaints are ok because the paint used on these cars was not great quality. Look at some low mileage cars and you can see the factory flaws.

3) NO RUST! Whatever car you want, try to find something with no rust. This doesn't mean no surface rust underneath, or on the exhaust. We are talking about body issues, holes in the doors or floors etc. While this can all be replaced, its very costly, and NOT original.

4) After that it will depend on you. My car was all original, but was previously modded (found the airbags in the rear suspension, and of course the ECM was
not correctly replaced back after the chip removal, all kinds of missing or broken items.

To date, less than 30 days I have spent probably $1000, which seems like alot, but you almost need new injectors immediately ($289 w/chip), fuel pump and hot wire kit ($150), scanmaster ($249), boost gauge ($100 w pillar) just to tell you what's going on with the car, then plugs, wires, fuel pressure regulator, oil, ZDDP etc..

This is all before modding.. LOL then let the mods begin. I also agree that
you can keep all the original parts if you decide to turn it back to more original in the future.

Goodluck!

 

[GNVYUS 1]

All depends on the mods, if you have a decent amount I would still side with the all original GN. Paint and under hood shiny mods go a long way with how people perceive the condition.

I have about $25K+ in my GN and just got a $26k appraisal, I don't think a 76k mile GN will bring that value unless you put some $$ in it.