7998

iTrader: (1)

I going to write this for the people like me who are ADD,lol.

I am an older dude that uses the T/A for occasional rides with the wife and as a third fun car.

Right now it is 100% stock down to the paper filter, except SFC's

I want more power but how I use the car is 90% cruising country roads slow and quiet, 10% fun.

Its the 10% part that I want full bolt-ons H/C/I, etc.

Have guys that modded lost that cruisability?
I miss my 98Z with a LM2 and stall but it really wasn't fun to cruise around after that. It was fun everywhere else though.

My other thought is buying something fartsy like a SL500 or keeping the T/A stock and buying a hard top F-body for fun.

Thanks in advance.

408sharkmaro

maybe some diffrent rims, lowering, headers and exhaust, full bolt ons.

NC01TA

I think your last sentence is the way to go.
So few stock 'verts are left and to mod it does nothing for the value or your 90% cruising mode. Get that hardtop and mod it any way you like if that is what you want to do. The higher mileage examples are going for cheap right now (under $10,000) and you will lose very little in the long haul except your mod money. That would be your fun car. Either way, good luck!

FastrDamnit!

iTrader: (7)

Modded mine with a variety of mild mods (in sig), with the goal of a little more kick and better handling with no daily driver penalties. While I could have gone with more aggressive stuff, I'm pretty happy with it.

HASTINGSRJ

iTrader: (18)

start with bolt on's and a tune to pick up a little more power and see how you like it. If you want more, Heads/cam etc. Most important, set a goal and stick to it.

BOBS99SS

iTrader: (2)

agree with post above, get a good game plan, i think it will be sometime before these cars are worth anything,they might go up in price a lil but they will never be classic value,honest you can do whatever you want and still keep the drive feel the same, if i could start over i would have just got a procharger ,cam,exhaust,ccw wheels and a few lil other odds and ends. it depends on what you want out of the car , its pretty easy to go over board

7998

iTrader: (1)

I'm not as concerned with affecting the value as I am with noise and driveability. What NC01TA said makes the most sense but I was thinking of another alternative. Full headers, catted Y, stock cat-back with a E-cutout for when I want to make noise.
Do the e-cut outs hold tight or is there exhaust leakage?

MUSTANGBRKR02

iTrader: (91)

You won't affect the value if you mod the car. You bought the car to enjoy it so mod away and as stated, get a goal and find the best way to obtain it.

fastmatt98

iTrader: (27)

My vert is really a one of two car and it's modded to the hilt. It's a garage queen but does get taken out on weekends when nice. I have no regrets modding it. Love the 460 ponies to the tires.

Thizizkai

iTrader: (3)

I went with Lid, full exhaust, LS6 H/C/I, 3.73 gears and it kept the Cruise-ability...the magnaflow bullets help keep the car quiet as to not arouse un-needed attention. (stall optional but it does make it a little more fun on an A4)

Suspension was stiffened with Bilstien Shocks and Hypercoil 2" drop but I might have gone 1.5 to save me the scrapes up the driveway. Panhard, LCA's kept it to a nice stiff ride but didn't get too stiff that I threw out my back each time. its more comfortable with the 16x8 50 series wheel/tires but looks nicer with 17's+ wheels/tires

just a simple basic layout that I've stolen from other members over the years..works for me...and possibly others but your goal is what you set and will make you happy.

NC01TA

Completely inaccurate and I hope that 7998 ignores your statement. He mentioned he wasn't worried about value but it still must be considered in the BIG picture. Modded cars are very difficult to sell for decent money and are bringing just low to average price guide book values when, and if, they do sell. They appeal to a very limited young male market in most cases and selling them is quite a task. This young market usually has no money to pay top dollar for a modded car. On the other hand, 'stock' examples appeal to many, including women, middle aged buyers, and also that same young male market, either to keep stock or to mod as one wishes. They also have the perception that these stock examples are not abused, whether true or not. This is the true 'value', including absolute top retail prices for low mileage examples, in keeping a car stock. Don't believe me?? Read a few pages of the 'What's It Worth' section to read the heartbreak that owners have in trying to sell clean, low mileage, heavily modded cars. Their cars are worth so much yet the offers are not even in the ballpark. Very few are getting anything back on their mods original cost. Not even the old notion about getting back 25-33% of the cost. It rarely happens. Not in these times. Just a complete 'money pit' or 'black hole' right now. Modding a car indeed hurts the value and severely limits the buyer's market when the time comes to sell. When you mod, you do it for yourself and your own enjoyment ONLY! To think otherwise is a mistake.

MUSTANGBRKR02

iTrader: (91)

Very damn accurate. He is talking about exhaust and bolt ons. Not a 25.2 cage and a 2900lb race car!!

Anything you will do you can undue in the opposite manner that you put it on. Please don't not mod the car for fear Of value. I bought my car to enjoy it and drive it. Not a investment that may or may not be worth the 35k it cost new in 50 years from now.

To think that you bought a car for a investment opportunity shOuld prove that you have some of the worst investment ideas out there.

Zlow28

iTrader: (11)

i agree with nc01ta, any mod will make a car loose value. If you dont mind though, i say do bolt ons. It will be a lot more fun to drive.

7998

iTrader: (1)

I agree it does effect the value somewhat but like I stated that isn't a main concern of mine. I took a nice long ride yesterday with the top down with the wife and decided to hold off on the mods for now. I like being quiet when I'm doing my parade route like ride.

Taphee6

iTrader: (2)

I am 42 and I built the crap out of my ws6 convert over the last 10 years. Now, I really regret it. I have over $30K in it and I dont drive it all that much. I know I will never get my money back and I decided my son can have it when I am dead. For what its worth, when you start to mod its hard to stop. Then the thing will thousand dollar you to death.

MuscleCarNut711

iTrader: (1)

Gave up on switching it for a vette?

7998

iTrader: (1)

I know, I've been down that road before.

I gave up on everything until after the holidays. But my current Autotrader/Classified fantasies have been leaning towards a Jaguar XKR, SL500/55, C6 Vert, 911 Cab, or keep the T/A and buy a nice luxury SUV.
I still love the way my T/A looks, but I want a new toy, I'm sure 99% of us can relate to that.

2001WS6Vert

I'd put a Procharger on it and tune it for about 500 rwhp. Completely stock driving feel until you get into it some (No converter or headers neccessary). Don't do WOT kickdowns, don't force traction by drag racing with sticky tires and the drivetrain will probably hold up. You will love the car and it will outperform those other cars your looking at.

My e-cutouts fell apart so I made metal caps and they are manual now. I have seen newer versions that look a lot stouter.

7998

iTrader: (1)

One of the last times I had the car out I described to my wife in great detail the benefits of FI, she didn't buy it.
Also 90% of my driving is "parade" route cruising on crappy back roads which I think would create a lot of heat with a FI set-up. That is also one of the reasons why in all likelyhood I wouldn't buy the XKR, that and it's British and was owned by Ford.

metalmilitia606

iTrader: (8)

You just have to pick your poison. A modded car will not be worth nearly as much as a stock car like other have said. A modded car will be appealing to a bunch of 20 somethings fresh out of college who will give you 5k for your car that you spent 40k on. On the flip a stock car probably won't be worth much more. F-bodies aren't exactly rare cars. All the options and collectability don't mean anything to joe blow. Joe blow will just see it as a 10 year old car that isn't worth anything. Selling it to people who understand what it is will get you good money, but those people are hard to find. I have seen cars sit in the classifieds here for at least 9 months before anything even happens with them. In the end just do what makes you happy. Listening to a bunch of guys that troll around on the internet shouldn't influence your decision Yes, I am including myself as one of those guys that trolls around on the web ha ha.