Modding vs leaving stock possible collector car

[Skrilla]

I recently finished my Dyna build and now have been really looking into modding my 7up 5.0 mustang but something has been stopping me. The car currently has around 51k kms, all of which come from myself or my mother (she bought it new and handed it down) and is bone stock. I know it is not a super rare car, or worth a pile of money, but it seems foxbody 5.0s are becoming harder to find, especially not beat to shit/miled out. I don't plan on selling the car, but the thought has crossed my mind about future collectability.

I usually put on maybe 500 to 1k kms a year on it, as I don't even keep it at my house, its stored on an acreage in climate storage. Do you think 5.0 foxes will shoot way up in 15-20 years, or with the new 5.0 being released, will it drive down future pricing on fox body cars?

My thoughts on mods are not crazy, just full bolts and rear end goodies. Maybe wheels and a taller deck hood.

[Tik-Tok]

I would do the bolt on, but keep all the original parts. That way if it does gain in value, you can sell as original.

[mr2mike]

I'm not sure where the car market is headed.
Usually it's supply and demand even with auctions and collector cars. The older muscle cars are rare because there was very few that made it past that era as they were mostly crashed or bagged. Thus all the old guys wanting to relive their teens drive the price up.
Now you have to decide will there be a maddening demand for this car in 30 years? Also think fewer and fewer people will be driving with the advent of self driving cars, less kids getting licenses, etc.

[HiTempguy1]

I don't think a 51k kms foxbody will be worth a princely sum.

Will its value increase? Absolutely, look at late 2nd gen and 3rd gen Camaros. Garbage cars with zero intrinsic value, good luck finding one in ok shape below $10k.

There were on average ~60k foxbody's made per year, with a majority of those v8's. If you want a clean one, they are available. Look at RX7 and Supras as an example. The 3rd gen rx7 turbo isnt bad, Supra turbo prices are high but they always have been. And they aren't CRAZY money (like say 911 porsches are now).

But focusing on the modding, its almost guaranteed a value drop unless the purchaser wanted to do them anyways. So your niche vehicle sale just became more niche. Anything "collector" value is based on originality. That's why a chunk of firewall with a VIN is worth so much.

[heavyD]

Modding a car pretty well kills any collector value. 100% bone stock cars are what collectors want.

[Skrilla]

Yea I feel like on one hand it wouldn't go up enough to not enjoy it now and do what I want to it. And then a part of me is like just leave it and don't drive it.

I didn't look on ebay US, but there is one for sale in Quebec modded auto with 72k asking 16k. They probably wont go much over 20k I wouldn't think.

[JustinL]

If you want an investment, sell the car and invest the money in some kind of financial instrument. Picking the next e30 M3 is almost impossible... and it's not likely to be a fox body mustang. Keeping a car as an investment also includes a cost in maintenance and storage, where a stock portfolio generally doesn't. If you like the car and want it because it's a cool car, then enjoy it. Drive it, mod it, and don't pray to the car gods that it goes up in value. I see four possibilities, 1. You store the car to keep the miles off it and it goes up in value more than the cost of maintenance and storage. 2. You store the car and value stays the same or is eroded by inflation and costs. 3. You enjoy the car and it goes up in value so you don't make as much money off it, but have 20 years of great driving. 4. You enjoy the car and the value plateaus or erodes and you at least haven't stored a car for 20 years that isn't worth anything.

[Abeo]

Rust killed these cars in the east 15 years ago, and dumb kids are eating them up by bad mods and crashing everywhere else. They will get more sparse and harder to find, especially stock, rust-free, low km, and unmolested. The unknown is whether Gen-xers will lust after childhood cars like the boomers did.

[Hallowed_point]

Tough call, do you look at cars as investments? If you do, don't. If you don't, go for it.

That said, stick to bolt ons and avoid paint or internal engine work. Keep all stock parts.

[94boosted]

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If you want an investment, sell the car and invest the money in some kind of financial instrument. Picking the next e30 M3 is almost impossible... and it's not likely to be a fox body mustang. Keeping a car as an investment also includes a cost in maintenance and storage, where a stock portfolio generally doesn't. If you like the car and want it because it's a cool car, then enjoy it. Drive it, mod it, and don't pray to the car gods that it goes up in value.

This! Say the car is worth 5K now, 5K invested for 30 years is just shy of 30K (at a not unreasonable 6% interest) compare that to keeping the car for 30 years, the sale price less the insurance, storage and maintenance costs would have to be over $30K for it to make financial sense. If you want to have fun, mod it & drive it, if you care about the money sell the car and invest the money.

[JustinL]

I should also mention that I have a pretty rare care that would be worth something if I hadn't modded the snot out of it and miled it out! I'm trying to justify my own decision to have 15 years of fun with my old car.

[spikerS]

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modding a car pretty well kills any collector value. 100% bone stock cars are what collectors want.

qft

[Skrilla]

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Tough call, do you look at cars as investments? If you do, don't. If you don't, go for it.

That said, stick to bolt ons and avoid paint or internal engine work. Keep all stock parts.

No I don't see it as a key investment. Maybe it's silly to compare this to classic cars. You heard older folks say they sold their 65 stang, charger etc and now they are worth tons.

Not specific on my car just my own example. Is this going to happen to these types of cars in 30 years? Storage cost is zero, and just regular inspections every year to monitor wear parts is all I do. I've put more into my bikes in parts on the last 5 year than this since new.

Edit: prices are ridiculous cheap for 5k you can get a fox deep into 12's. Which sounds crazy to me haha

[Shlade]

Meh keep the old parts that came off the car if you're really concerned. I don't think a vehicle should sit and not be enjoyed. What the fuck is the point of that? If somebody really wants to buy it down the road they will.... if not oh well what's it costing you? My lightning is next to impossible to find in good shape these days, or even for sale for that matter in Canada... I'm not going to not drive it, or not mod it just because it'll be worth something in the future... that's just retarded.

[Skrilla]

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I'm not going to not drive it, or not mod it just because it'll be worth something in the future... that's just retarded.

Lol....riight

[e31]

Make sure you keep the Vanilla Ice cassette somewhere in the car... That way the museum curator will have some context as to how boss pimp our transportation methods were in the late 20th century AD.

Actually, F the time capsule and drive it.

[Shlade]

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Lol....riight

?

[bjstare]

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Meh keep the old parts that came off the car if you're really concerned. I don't think a vehicle should sit and not be enjoyed. What the fuck is the point of that? If somebody really wants to buy it down the road they will.... if not oh well what's it costing you? My lightning is next to impossible to find in good shape these days, or even for sale for that matter in Canada... I'm not going to not drive it, or not mod it just because it'll be worth something in the future... that's just retarded.

Gonna use hyperbole here to make my point, but pick any limited production Ferrari for example. If you mod it and drive it it absolutely demolishes the resale value in comparison to one that has been driven a limited amount and not modded. You're right, if someone wants to buy it down the road, they will... but for some cars, the price you can get for it will be substantially less if it's been modded and/or miled out.

FYI, just cause you don't agree with something doesn't make it retarded.

[Shlade]

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Gonna use hyperbole here to make my point, but pick any limited production Ferrari for example. If you mod it and drive it it absolutely demolishes the resale value in comparison to one that has been driven a limited amount and not modded. You're right, if someone wants to buy it down the road, they will... but for some cars, the price you can get for it will be substantially less if it's been modded and/or miled out.

FYI, just cause you don't agree with something doesn't make it retarded.

I'm a diehard Ford guy... but let's be honest, It's a foxbody mustang at the end of the day... if it was something more special like a SVT Cobra fox that's almost impossible to find these days there may be an argument here.... but to think a 7up fox will be worth big money some day is silly. I don't see the point of a car like that sitting around and never getting driven. If the thought is there to enjoy it and mod it I say do it.

[Rat Fink]

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