Tired of Modifying

[stealth]

Do any of you feel old and tired from modifying vehicles? More specifically jap imports.

I have had this feeling for the past 2 years... My MR2 is in pieces, and I do not have the drive anymore to finish it off. I haven't driven it in 2.5 years...

I feel like these imports just give the image of a stupid young kid...

I am not flaming or anything, but I feel I reached a point in my life where I do not want a "ricer" car anymore. I would rather just get a nice Euro car that is newer, slam it, and put some nice rims on it, and call it a day...

Maybe I am getting old at 22 :S

[max_boost]

Yep. That's exactly what I did but I still kept my ricer car though lol

[sxtasy]

yeah I think you reach a point where you need something more practical. A truck was much more practical for me, and it even has a turbo, best of both worlds :burnout:

[stealth]

What car did you keep? I am thinking of doing the same.

My main issue here is I just can't up and sell it. Tried selling the motor but no market for it now... I also will lose tons of money.

Lately I have really been wanting to get into a CLS55. It is nice, has some power, and respectable. It doesn't give that young ricer image.

The thing is I have a practical vehicle, a newer SUV, but it is boring...

[black300]

Well theres never enough mods, especially if you haven't driven the car in 2.5 years your just dumping loads of money into it without knowing what it's actually capable of. Mod it keep them to a limit I guess and atleast drive your car maybe once a week if you want to keep it nice and clean or just drive everywhere in summers atleast you are making your money's worth by driving it.

[stealth]

That is what I have been thinking of doing. And you are right, I have no idea what it is capable of... I have a brand new motor and turbo kit, and they are just sitting their collecting dust...

[2EFNFAST]

I'm bored of modding production cars - every time you turn around, doesn't matter if it's a lambo or viper or z06 or whatever, there's always something to be done - rims, exhaust, intake, tune, blower, etc..... - to make it better in my eyes.

That's one of the reasons I got in, and have stayed with, kit cars - build the damn thing the way YOU want to, the very first time. Not cheap, but when you're finished, you know you won't be adding on to it, because you built it as you wanted. If you want a 2000lb, 700hp death rocket, do it! If you want a 2500lb, 300hp daily driver with all sorts of creature comforts (stereo, navigation, heated seats, power seated, HUD, etc...), do it!

[GQBalla]

i got bored of it mighty damn fast.

lol my civic i had for less than a year, i had some jdm shiet, a b16a2 but got rid of it all.

now i think OEM is the best, maybe some rims but yeah

lol

[freshprince1]

OP, I remember when that happened. I just lost interest in it. I think it's normal though, you have a obby that you're into for a few years and then you move on as life changes. Doesn't mean you don't care about cars anymore though. Mostly it happened for me when I got married and started trying to pay off debts - it was worth it because we paid pff both students loans, and bought a house with a nice downpayment. Then the kids came along and we went practical with our vehicles, they may not be the coolest cars in the world but they're practical for our needs.

Life changes you, just go with the flow.

[NickGT]

I have had my current car for just over 3yrs. I am not bored of it and will mod it more in the future. But right now I'm taking a break from it. Mainly due to the fact that all my money is tied up in my new house I'm building.. Once things settle down again and I've got some free time I'll buy a few more things to make it a little more unique.. No rush. You gotta have some balance in your life..

[BigWill]

Originally posted by freshprince1
OP, I remember when that happened. I just lost interest in it. I think it's normal though, you have a obby that you're into for a few years and then you move on as life changes. Doesn't mean you don't care about cars anymore though. Mostly it happened for me when I got married and started trying to pay off debts - it was worth it because we paid pff both students loans, and bought a house with a nice downpayment. Then the kids came along and we went practical with our vehicles, they may not be the coolest cars in the world but they're practical for our needs.

Life changes you, just go with the flow.

:werd: as you get older your needs change, i dont have kids but i know where your coming from. just get a car that has everything you want from factory, then slam some rims and tint on it!

just try not to be that guy in the grand caravan with dubs jks

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by stealth

I feel like these imports just give the image of a stupid young kid...

I would rather just get a nice Euro car that is newer, slam it, and put some nice rims on it, and call it a day...

Maybe I am getting old at 22 :S

Get a Euro as a daily driver, but keep your MR2, and just have it as a hobby car.

I went from a 05 Mustang GT to an Audi, and didn't look back, I was happier then a pig in shit BUT my eye was always on something smaller and lightweight. For 3 years I kept looking around NEEDING something small and nimble.

Finally I bought my 91 MR2 3 months ago and now I'm truly set. I have my classic muscle (72 GTO), a Audi, and my MR2. I have a car for whatever mood I'm in, and the Audi is our year round daily driver.

I do know how you feel about imports giving the impression of a "stupid young kid", but at 31, I don't give a shit what other people think of me. I always have a chuckle when a cop passes me with a strange look on his face, because he was probably expecting some 16 year old to be driving lol.

[Ntense_SpecV]

Originally posted by freshprince1
OP, I remember when that happened. I just lost interest in it. I think it's normal though, you have a obby that you're into for a few years and then you move on as life changes. Doesn't mean you don't care about cars anymore though. Mostly it happened for me when I got married and started trying to pay off debts - it was worth it because we paid pff both students loans, and bought a house with a nice downpayment. Then the kids came along and we went practical with our vehicles, they may not be the coolest cars in the world but they're practical for our needs.

Life changes you, just go with the flow.

This is very true. My Spec-V is not our baby mobile. I bought a forester for the wife because my car is loud, stiff, and just can't accomodate a car seat in it. I too am getting tired of my car but can't justify parting with it because it's paid off, I'm the original owner, and don't beat on it. Hell it's a 2002 with barely 89,000km on it. Plus it's a quick enough car for some fun around town and still get's decent mileage out of it. I sure would like something nicer, newer and faster for my own daily driver but I don't want another payment since I want to put those funds into things like a new kitchen and hardwood flooring, and redo the backyard next spring. Guess I have grown up from my younger days.

[Redlyne_mr2]

OEM sucks...regardless of what car I own or will ever own it will be modified. Why be normal?

[Sorath]

exactly what i feel right now, i want a c63!

[CivicTunr]

i went from going fast to looking nice. Just waiting for my new vehicle to come legal.

Fast cars impress guys, nice cars impress girls.:D

[realazy]

I got tired of inferior parts and the amount of replicas there are nowadays, especially body/lip kits. It's just horrible how some of the parts out there fit. I only buy OEM exterior accessories now, and they still make your car special but doesn't have that ricer look.

[JordanEG6]

Did a K20 in my EG, very hard to maintain for me. Plus the motor hung so low, I shattered my oilpan twice in 3 weeks, then I called it quits. I just decided I didnt wanna spend countless hours in my garage anymore.

Alot of people grow out of it, but when I see some sick set ups, like 88CRX's, shadowz or EK 2.0s, I start to miss it. Haha but I don't think I'll go back.

[euro_racer]

Haha I was at that point once too... But right after I sold my project off (after being frustrated with things always going wrong and losing motivation) and got into a stock euro car (even that had rims and lowered), I got bored quick and frustrated that I could not keep up with some of my friends... Now I'm getting back into the fun of modifying with a Subaru wrx and I already have a couple grand of parts in my garage waiting to get installed and there is still more on the list that I need to buy :p

so I say you should maybe give the stock cars a try and "hopefully" the tuner bug comes back and bites u again

[stealth]

The thing is I already have a nice daily driver which is respectable.

I am seriously thinking of getting the CLS55 or C63. Both of those I do not mind modding. :D

The thing is I won't buy one until I unload my project, which is hard to do, as no one wants to buy my engine or parts!

Maybe it is just the jap car that doesn't spark my interest, or maybe the fact that I am settling down, and married.

[Skyline_Addict]

The whole purpose in modifying a car often transcends functionality, for the typical street car. People do it, for the most part, to be different from others. Within that reason, you could easily say that certain people base "different" on a certain criteria. That's why there are different cultures and fads associated with modifying cars. JDM, VIP, Euro, Ricers, etc.

My own take on it is different from others, but similar to some, I'm sure. I've never been huge on significant engine modifications (i.e turbo a NA car) as there is just too much work involved, and I am not extremely knowledeable or DIY with that kind of stuff (which that kind of work is better suited for, IMO). I stick to suspension and tire modifications, and will (for my current setup) be focusing alot on chassis, driver-feel/response, etc. In simple terms, I just want the car to "feel the way I want it to feel". I added a few things here and there to portray a certain image of the car to my liking, with a (current) emphasis on a stock/streetable look.

That's how I think right now, and this is always subject to change. Perhaps in my next phase, I might be willing to put that turbo in, or strip my interior, or put a roll cage in. Or maybe, I'll just give up on modifying completely, for whatever reason. Either way, just go with your gut feeling at the time. If you feel this is no longer the thing for you, move on. Perhaps you'll get back into it, perhaps you won't.

[rage2]

Originally posted by stealth
I am not flaming or anything, but I feel I reached a point in my life where I do not want a "ricer" car anymore. I would rather just get a nice Euro car that is newer, slam it, and put some nice rims on it, and call it a day...
I got sick of driving a daily driver that broke down or had something wrong daily. Quit modding for a little while and did what you wanna do... just swapping rims and minor body stuff, but I can't stand cars with less than 500hp, which was a huge problem.

Took some time, research and investment (well not really an investment lol) but now I finally have a car that I can daily drive without problems, drives like stock, quiet like stock (when I'm easy on it) and goes like shit. Everyday is an adventure in the car haha.

Everyone thinks they can quit modding cars, but that never happens. It's an addiction that never goes away. Thats why we still see 60 year old guys in their crazy modded old school cars.

[403Gemini]

Originally posted by Skyline_Addict
Or maybe, I'll just give up on modifying completely, for whatever reason. ...

We've heard you say that before ;)

[Skyline_Addict]

Originally posted by 403Gemini


We've heard you say that before ;)

by maybe, i meant probably not...and by probably not i meant.....;)

[kevie88]

refer to my sig haha

I realised after my 240sx debacle that if you mod a POS you just end up with a modded POS.. it sucks and it's a great way to throw away thousands of dollars.

I'll still do mild mods like exhaust and tune on the Subaru's, but that's pretty much it.

[JordanAndrew]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
OEM sucks...regardless of what car I own or will ever own it will be modified. Why be normal?

Depends what car you're talking about. If you have an awesome OEM car to begin with there would be nothing wrong with being normal. I wouldn't mind a brand new IS-F and I probably won't mod it if I ever have one mainly because it has most if not all the mods I will ever need.

I guess the bottom line is, it's always up to the person if he/she will ever be satisfied and be happy with their vehicle. Some need more than others.

[civic_stylez]

After spending more money than I care to count on my civic, i started modding SUV's... I work around cars all day and after a while the last thing I wanted to do was think about cars... I was comepletely done with modding anything until I bought a bike....I could care less about cars, the only "mod" i do is winter tires and oil changes.... but the bike is different. It took on a whole new form of ricer for me! Had to have the exhaust, tires, HID's, flush mounts etc.... still love modding it.:D

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by JordanAndrew


Depends what car you're talking about. If you have an awesome OEM car to begin with there would be nothing wrong with being normal. I wouldn't mind a brand new IS-F and I probably won't mod it if I ever have one mainly because it has most if not all the mods I will ever need.

I guess the bottom line is, it's always up to the person if he/she will ever be satisfied and be happy with their vehicle. Some need more than others.
I still find the ISF, C63, M3 boring, they're isnt anything special about them because they're stock and there are hundreds of them out there like that. Theyre great cars but people modify their car to be unique and its the uniqueness that I like. A modded ISF would be awesome just like a modded Ferrari is awesome. The only oem I like are the super rare special editions like the Porsche RS's, the Scuderia's, the Blacks,

And Kevie dont talk like you dont mod, your bike is nuts:eek:

[FiveFreshFish]

The last two cars I bought have already been modded by the previous owners to the extent beyond what I have done.

[rage2]

Originally posted by Redlyne_mr2
I still find the ISF, C63, M3 boring
You find the C63 boring? Have you floored one with ESP off? haha

I'm picking one up because it's one of the most fun and useful cars I can find right from the factory floor.

[Redlyne_mr2]

Originally posted by rage2

You find the C63 boring? Have you floored one with ESP off? haha

I'm picking one up because it's one of the most fun and useful cars I can find right from the factory floor.
Yah 1/2 of the excitement is owning something that no one else has. Sure the power is fun but whats exciting about having the exact same car pull up to you at a stop light? Everyone knows you and your car because of it's accomplishments, where will you find another 750hp m3 in Alberta? (or even western canada for that matter)

Also I should add that when I refer to modding I'm talking about modding a non daily driver. Modding a daily driver sucks haha.

[heavyD]

I'm going to probably leave the EVO fairly stock with the exception of exhaust, a tune, intercooler pipes and some other small mods. The car could use more power which can be had easily with intake/exhaust and tune but I can't imagine the handling being any better than it is stock so I'm just going to leave that alone until the stock springs and shocks die. I've already got a second set of wheels/tires but really this car doesn't need much else IMO. Probably because I'm getting older but I just can't get into the ricey mods like carbon fiber, body kits that the kids on the EVO forums are doing.

Plus I'm getting lazy as this is the only modding I've done to the car so far;
http://forums.beyond.ca/st/273908/lancer-evolution-x-install-sony-xav-w1-w-jdm-dash-kit-steering-wheel-controls/

[Graham_A_M]

^http://forums.beyond.ca/st/116815/2nd-gen-mx6-gallery-/

Yeah, same here. I just got tired of that scene, I was 22 or 23 when I sold it,
no regrets there.:dunno:
But that car was boring as hell, and a wrong choice to mod anyway. That engines ceiling is 500hp, built with a decent turbo kit. (For reliability I meant)

Looking back it was fairly ricey though, even with the full suspension, tranny mods and light engine build.

[guessboi]

all i am going to do in the near future is light rims, coilovers, mazdaspeed front bumper and call it a day. no engine mods. :D
turned 27 this yr. lol. :rofl:

[g-m]

some people like to mod because they enjoy the process... I enjoy turning wrenches and I almost can't wait for shit to break. It just happens that the end result is faster or handles better or is more reliable. I'm not a mechanic but I'm a mechanical engineer and I enjoy teaching myself how to repair cars and build engines because I think its interesting and tangible.
I wouldn't want to be a mechanic either because it would ruin it for me and it doesn't pay well enough.

[Destinova403]

thats the nice thing about having cars as a hobby.. you never really have to grow out of it because there is always something that can be done.

as someone already mentioned... why do you see all the 60 year old guys in their modded or restored old-school muscle... everyone can find something that they enjoy in cars even the 16 year old ricers.

i dont suspect that ill ever out-grow cars, im just hoping to grow up into exotics eventually :D

[Mr_ET]

I modify cars because I like doing something different and I do it for me not for others.

I also do it because the car has to have a purpose and it has to be usable/useful for that purpose.

I have found that the best way to keep enjoying this desease we all have is to have a normal stock daily driver for day to day use and a project on the side.

For me though this is more than just throwing wheels and tires on a car, I need to understand how everything works because I am trying to create a better package for my needs than what the factory came out with and every single piece has to be highly functional.

I enjoy looking at parts, articles, build threads and various other geeky car things as much as modifying it so I can understand what the parts are doing to the car and with some fine tuning how I can change their behaviour.

My civic is hell to drive on anything other than a track but everytime I have it on there, which is what I am building it for, it feels brilliant and everything makes sense.

If you're like some of us, wheels and a drop will never be enough. You just need to find something that you really enjoy working on and persevere.

[03ozwhip]

ive gone from a lancer, to an mr2 to a Monte SS lowrider in 3 years and i suspect i might get out of the lowrider soon too. i just get bored of car easily, even after dumping thousands of dollars into them. i still love modded cars, but i think the next car i buy, might be bought modded. i might change certain things about it, but for the most part i wont mod it.

[03ozwhip]

however, what civic_stylez said, im gonna mod the shit out of my bike because there are so many body mods that can make it look so much better.

[2EFNFAST]

Originally posted by Graham_A_M
^http://forums.beyond.ca/st/116815/2nd-gen-mx6-gallery-/

Yeah, same here. I just got tired of that scene, I was 22 or 23 when I sold it,
no regrets there.:dunno:
But that car was boring as hell, and a wrong choice to mod anyway. That engines ceiling is 500hp, built with a decent turbo kit. (For reliability I meant)

Looking back it was fairly ricey though, even with the full suspension, tranny mods and light engine build.


MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

http://www.geocities.com/ysr80cc/girls1.jpg

[texasnick]

For me, the addiction is more about the learning process. As long as there is still stuff to learn (which will never stop), I will be working on cars. Looks I could care less about.

[JC522]

Everytime I look at my integra in the garage I wanna sell it, when I get behind the wheel I realize how fun it is and wanna keep it. Not like it's my daily driver anyways but I wish I had extra out of my budget to paint the jdm front end to be one color

[cjay^]

Sometimes I want to sell my Silvia but then I realise how increasingly hard it is to find a clean s13, let alone a clean two tone coupe :D

[CTSV]

I realized a while ago that the more you mod your car the less reliable it becomes. Thus, I left my CTS-V stock except for shifter and CAGS. I can fill it with gas, drive to where ever. Already put 23,000km since April mostly highway. Many people are cranking out 450rwhp but they only drive them around town so when little things happen it isn't so bad.
To keep things interesting, I bought a 1995 BMW 318IS with a bad motor. (was going to say blown but people would get wrong idea) So now I'm boring it and rebuilding suspension and all. Got to make it bulletproof for my daughter when I get it back together. Unfortunately, now I know the BMW weak points. (cooling system/head gaskets) Have to try to work around that. If that would have been on a domestic car the whole world would be panning the car. I'm interested to see how it will handle when I get it running. (I have never driven a BMW!) My plan is to do another when I finish this one. I'll see how it works out.
And, by the way I'm not 60 YET. Not for another week.

[FiveFreshFish]

Originally posted by CTSV
Unfortunately, now I know the BMW weak points.

Don't forget the rear shock mounts and shitty headlights.

[2000impreza]

I called it quits a few years ago. Modded cars take up too much time to maintain, fix, and whatever else that goes with it. Its better to buy something that is nice and OEM. haha.

[CTSV]

Originally posted by FiveFreshFish


Don't forget the rear shock mounts and shitty headlights.

Whoops, forgot about the shock mounts. However, with the big power from the M42 engine all 138 horses shouldn't be able to do much damage. Currently the shock mounts look perfect. I polished the headlight lenses so now light passes through!
I'd really want to put in an LSX engine in one of these. BUT, NOT the one I'm giving to my daughter.

[mo_money2supe]

As someone mentioned before, I personally like to mod my car because I just love turning wrenches. Not that I'd do it for a living either (I'd much rather enjoy my passion on my days off than to make a career out of it), but the engineer inside me just makes me curious as to how all things come together and work. It just so happens that whenever I "discover" how something works on the car, that component gets replaced with something that's faster and better. :D

I am, however, getting tired of being a 26 year old driving "only" a Civic. But as some of you know, my car's been in the family since new and I've done all the maintenance work on it since new (I took possession of it in '02). It just seems like it's been too much a part of my life that I'm not willing to let her go. Besides, the car was originally bought for $13k, add on top of that about $10k that I've put into it, that even if the vehicle was worth anywhere close to how much money has been put into it, there's still no OEM cars that can outperform it for the ~$23k price tag (well, maybe for a little more, the Hyundai Genesis). Now if only I could stop dumping so much money into a 16 y/o car just so I can "discover" how things work...

[speedog]

When I was younger, modding my car was a hobby although not to the extent that many do in these forums. Through the years and after getting married, having kids, buying and selling a couple of homes, finishing a 25+ year career and then buying a small business, it seems that modding my cars has dropped by the way side.

My two newest vehicles, not much for mods although the V8 Trailblazer has seen and will see a few more minor performance mods. For the most part now, we're enjoying having very reliable rides that suit our purposes along with numerous nice features - auto dimmers, auto wipers, heated seats, memory almost this and that everything.

Modding - I'm most likely gonna leave that to my 17 and 15 year olds when they get their first cars. There is, however, that 80 El Camino project that has now been sitting in the garage for 17 years (our decision to let it rest quietly as opposed to selling it when the first kid came along) waiting for either a 327 or 383 stroker, new paint, new stereo, new wheels, etc. Guess my modding years might not be done yet.

[KrisYYC]

Sometimes I wish I got into cars earlier (I'm 29) but I just couldn't afford it.

I love driving, but I'm not going to go out and rice up some civic or something. As much respect as I have for guys who really increase the performance of small cheap cars like that, the fact of the matter is it's seen as total high school boy stuff. Still, I'm really intrigued by tuners who can get a little 1.6L well above 200hp.

I'll be buying a car I actually enjoy for the first time in my life soon. It'll be German and the mods (if any) will be strictly performance. I HATE aftermarket rims etc. on German cars unless it's a VW or it's already 10 years old.

A new Merc or BMW with aftermarket rims cheapens the look in my opinion.

[rc2002]

I went through this exact same phase over three years ago and made a poll:

http://forums.beyond.ca/st/131857/is-modifying-your-car-really-worth-it/

Seems that about half the people on this site find that modifying is worth it. Makes sense, considering this is a car enthusiast site.

It's cliche, but you're picking between fast, reliable, and cheap. You'll always be disappointed if you have to pick two. The best compromise and best value between the three is to go OEM.

[scat19]

Originally posted by KrisYYC
A new Merc or BMW with aftermarket rims cheapens the look in my opinion.

lol :facepalm:

[Sugarphreak]

....

[KrisYYC]

Originally posted by scat19


lol :facepalm:

There are some exceptions, like an M3 or M5 with black rims. That looks good.

But the vast majority of people that get aftermarket rims put gaudy shiny rims that belong in a rap video. Looks like shit.

[Wrinkly]

Originally posted by KrisYYC
But the vast majority of people that get aftermarket rims put gaudy shiny rims that belong in a rap video. Looks like shit. [/B]
:werd:

[FraserB]

I getting tired of it. Mind you I drive a lifted Jeep so I have a lot more maintenance to do that cars that only see pavement. After the tranny blew out its been sitting on jacks in the garage gradually getting taken apart to swap all the mods. After only two years in the sport this is probably the last time ill mod one for 3 or 4 years.

[stealth]

Originally posted by Sugarphreak


You are not that old!!

Modifiying your car is fun for a few years, but the novelty of looks alone wears off. Big wings, body kits, engines, exhuast and suspension systems don't do you a lot of good driving to work and back... if anything they end up catching more attention by the police and you end up with a few more speeding tickets then you would like.

If you really want to get more out of your experience, build it for a specific application. Drag racing, road racing, autocross, mud pits or rock climbing.

There are all kinds of clubs you can get involved with and learn about the sports, it also adds a real edge of competition to it and gives you an outlet to actually use the modifications on your car rather than just have somebody else admire them for 10 seconds at a show.

That is the thing. I am building mine for drag racing, and I have all the parts to get it into the 400-500 RWHP range. I just have no motivation to finish it off, and still feel I am driving a young punks vehicle...

[KempForest]

I went from a 05 Mustang GT to an Audi and did not look back,i was happier then a pig in shit but my eye was always on something smaller and lightweight.

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by 2EFNFAST



MOARRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

http://www.geocities.com/ysr80cc/girls1.jpg

LOL, actually my buddy got both of their numbers that day :bigpimp: ... even though his GF was standing right there the whole time.
:clap: Yeah I forget their names but both of them were incredibly nice down to earth girls. :)

I think I may have a few more pics laying around, I'll have to check.




To the "gawdy rims on a BMW or MB" comment, I agree... It drives me nuts when people put these ultra-cheezy (budget) chrome rims on these cars.
:facepalm:

[guessboi]

^ +1 with respect to cheap chrome rims. :facepalm: