Hey all, just curious about schools of thought here. I'm a city dweller with limited storage space, and a reasonably modified car. I have the following parts jammed into a closet:

Stock R50 Shocks and Springs
Stock Lower Control Arms
Stock Airbox w/ new filter
Stock rear sway bar
Stock "slat" grill (with mostly broken tabs, could be glued/taped.)

I am not a mechanically inclined guy, and if I was to go "back to stock" to sell the car, I'd have to pay someone to install all of this stuff. The only reason I'd do so would be to sell the car. Do you think I'd recoup close to installation cost when I sold the car, compare? I imagine it would be about $500 to have my suspension downgraded, and then of course I could sell off the coilovers, etc.

Do you think the mods I have would deter a buyer? The car is in very good shape, and I have all receipts for professional installation. I'm not looking to sell immediately, just trying to keep all possibilities in mind.

If you were me, would you hang onto this gear "just in case," or sell it off to go towards a new set of wheels, or a few extra days on holiday? Would anyone even WANT this stuff?

Thanks for any points of view

 

That is indeed a tough one....I think the mods you have on your car are very tasteful and will ultimately attract MORE buyers, but the trouble is to have potential buyers see the value and time it takes to make said upgrades. They always say never to expect to regain much money you put into custom work when selling, because ultimately, it's "used". I think you would get more money in the long run if you put back on the stock parts and sold your upgrades individually, BUT I don't think you will make THAT much more. I guess it all comes down to how much time and effort you wanna spend on selling it.

 

I've always kept my stock parts in the event of trading the car in. I'm also a DIY person (even though I struggle with most installs ). Some people may want your stock parts but dont expect to get alot for them as the only people who typically want them are the people who sell their stock parts and then need them back when they go to trade the car in haha. Plus if u do trade the car in the dealership will give you less for trade in and lose a lil bit of negotiation power IMO. Really its all with what Ur comfortable doing.

 

X2 I always hang on to any stock parts. You're never gonna get "extra" for your mods. Best is to put the car back to stock and sell the aftermarkrt parts individually when the time comes

 

If I were running out of space (small apt, no storage room at a friend's place or parents, dusty parts getting my closet stuff dirty, or don't wanna pay for storage, etc...), I'd sell the extra parts and use the money towards other mods.

 

I seldom see anyone willing to spend the time to

1. Remove the aftermarket stuff and put original back

and

2. Resell the aftermarket stuff


When I install after market stuff for folks and they want to save the original parts I usually roll my eyes. Do YOU buy used after market parts??? or used OEM parts????

I'm sure you'd get a post or two that says YES I DID

.....

but in the BIG picture? I doubt it.

Let's do a test:

I have for a 'classic' a brand new ignition coil (BOSCH), and a set of spark plug wires.

Anyone wanna buy 'em?

I removed the OEM pads from my 07S fronts within 5,000 miles (replaced with EBC for dust) .... anyone want a set of OEM front pads????

 

I am keeping mine for now... I just regretted last time I sold my OEM front bumper from previous 08 Clubman S. I had to return the car with Aero JCW bumper, only to buy another one (with the whole kit) for the new Clubman... Sooooo, I learned my lesson and all OEM parts are staying with me for now. First of all, I can not get any $$ for it (especially considering they are few Ks old only, practically new!). I also know from the experience of other members of the local club, that here in Toronto "stock" MINI is far more sellable than modified.... Main reason: how do you "price up" your time and $$ for mods? If you do, you make your car less sellable on the market for that model and year. Second: being moded it just put off part of the buying crowd who consider any mods "read between the lines, this is a raced car"...
If eventually (long time from ow) I decide to sell my Clubman S, I will definitely put it back to stock (and pay for labor for what ever I am not able to do on my own) simply to make the car more sellable in the used car market. Not that I care for used aftermarket parts I will have after. Selling those ultimately will cover the cost of removal. Brake even and sell the car. Simple math...

 

It's money in the bank while it's sitting in your attic....additionally if the MINI ends up in an auto crash ( God forbid totalled ) you can remove some of those mods, and just toss the OEM stuff in and just close the bonnet. As long as the parts are there, Insurance co. will take the car...seen this before.

 

Thanks for the input everyone! I think I'll just hang onto this stuff. When I test drove a Ralliart earlier this year, the dealer said they'd want the stock stuff to put back on if they took my car in trade, because it's hard to move cars with aftermarket parts. Perhaps if I do sell/trade the car, it'll come in handy to have them one way or another.

And Capt. BJ, I bought my Borla cat-back used! No way I'd have paid the $900+ for a new one, but $200 (I think.) in the marketplace? Sure, why not! I see your point though, I'd never buy used suspension, etc.

 

There you go. People keep this stuff if they're DIYers that can take the car back to stock cheaply and recoup some of the money spent on the mods. You can't do that, so sell the parts for whatever you can get and free up the space.

 

I have sold 1 vehicle in Feb '07 ('96 GMC Sonoma) privately and put it back to stock (old guy bought it to use on weekends and when he was down for the winter). Took stereo and sub out, rest was stock.

Bought '03 Ranger Feb '07...

I traded in:
Oct '08
'03 Ford Ranger, left LEDs in dome light and the toolbox (wouldn't fit next truck and not worth a ton used to worry about it); Swapped my HID retrofit headlights, took out my train horns, took out stereo and sub, replaced rear jump seat that I took out, swap rear window (slider rattle when the sub hit so I put in a solid rear window but never tinted to match the sides).

Aug '10
Ranger for...'04 Ford F-150 FX4, left on the: level kit and 35" tires with black painted King Ranch wheels (dealership said it would sell better that way), left the DEI auto up and down window relay kit; Sold stock FX4 wheels with nearly worn tire on CL, removed switch-bank, alarm/remote start, removed compressor and trainhorns, removed strobe kit and swap original head and tail lights, removed dvd player and 7" screen for oem stereo, removed subs and amp, removed programmer

Aug '12
F-150 for...09' MCSa, left on the black beltline and PDed taillight trim rings; swaped with '10 MCCSa the HID retrofited headlights and painted black vs halogen, PDed headlight rings, PDed scuttles and side LEDs, hardwired radar detector, hot side boost tube, JCW grill surround, hood scoop insert, tires and wheel as well as sensors

Now (Aug '12+) I have a 2010 MCCSa that I plan to keep longer than 2 years. Swaping, and installing, removing, selling etc takes lots of effort and is hard to justify if you do it too frequently.


So basically I have swapped or removed most mods as it will get more on trade-in and attract more buyers for the dealer reselling it. I only left the level kit on the F-150 because it presented better with the 35s on it and to put the OEM stuff back on would look too small, tires were worn, and to removed the kit the truck would need an alignment.