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anyone increasingly interested in leaving there car stock?

17K views 149 replies 95 participants last post by  Air and water do mix 
#1 ·
i have one car, that basically only the monocoque and the sheet metal is stock, and one car that has been tweaked pretty heavily. and i think im "over it" and by that i mean the aftermarket. im just kinda tired of dealing with issues with aftermarket parts, not even necessarily reliability, but almost an ignorance is bliss kind of thing. everything you make adjustable has to be adjusted, everything you change opens up a new thing to think about ... its kinda exhausting after a while. id even go so far as to say on some level, i feel like i've ruined my mr2 in the pursuit of performance. idk.

i think my next car will simply be whatever is the best used 911 i can afford, and i'll leave it stock.

pics for clicks:





mr2 spyder:

2zz-ge engine swap
celica GTS (JDM) ECU
PPE intake
PPE full catless exhaust
megan coilovers
addco 1" front bar
no rear bar
949 6uls in 15x8 with hankook RS3s (225)
crazy autocross alignment (kills tires lols)







944 turbo:

koni yellows
autothority stage 2 chips
Lindsey boost enhancer
full 3 inch exhaust with cat bypass pipe
16x8 dials all around (love dials!)


the second i have the spyder paid off, i think im just gonna go buy a 997 C2S and leave it stock. im pretty tired of dealing with aftermarket cludges.

anyone else kinda feel the same? there is just a simple argument for leaving a car stock, and that is sanity.
 
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#83 ·
Only OEM+, or easily reversible things for me.

I got an accessport, tint, auxiliary input, and a shortshifter for my Legacy 2.5GT. AP got uninstalled before trade-in, you'd have to be pretty familiar with the car to notice the shortshifter, and I got MD legal tint, so that wasn't an issue.

My TL will be getting tint and...maybe some dynamat?

When I eventually get another fun weekend car, I might do intake/exhaust, because racecar.

I had an aftermarket system in my 2.5RS, but that got to be a hassle, partially because I installed it. When I was 17. Without any prior experience. I had to go back and re-do grounding points, battery connections, and subwoofer mounting.
 
#85 ·
Unsure. Although I am glad that I modified my car, it has been complicated and with complications.

Among positives is that I saved a bunch of money (15-20K$) by not going "plan A" and I probably enjoyed my car more.
 
#87 ·
I worked in the performance aftermarket for 5 years (and recently accepted a job to jump back into it) so I've seen more lightly and heavily modified cars than most. I've never done big modifications to my own cars (aside from some stereo work), but I understand both sides.

I think how happy you are with a modified car comes down to what your expectations are vs the reality of what living with a modified car is like.

Some people like the idea of a really low car or one with a performance exhaust system but have no idea what the day to day experience will be.

I've helped customers with a brand new $60k performance car insist they want the lowest possible spring option because of how it looks, but don't take into account that they'll have to be more careful on the road or could very well rub with a full load. They came back 2 weeks later and were pissed. If they went with a more mild option with a very slight drop, they would have been much happier long term and wouldn't have had to change anything about the way they drive/their lifestyle.

Other individuals are ok with the tradeoffs that come with custom one-off projects and are ready/willing to deal with it.

Personally, for my daily driver I want something that I can get in, start and drive away without ever having to think about it. Life has so many more important things to consider than if your car will start to get you to work.
 
#90 ·
I modded my cars when I was younger, and my desire to do so seemed to decrease with age and income. I probably wanted my car to be more than I could afford, and mods apparently gave me that sensation, but now that I can buy new cars I really don't care about mods at all now.
 
#105 ·
Age isn't really a factor, if you didn't care about cars to start with, you only did it as a fad, and are now getting back out of it. Guys like myself are long time hot rodders and build customs and hot rods until we die. My '63 Comet will be non-stock by a fairly wide margin. it wont' be a daily driver. I'm 51 and building this:



I think part of the probelm is non-car-guys think only in terms of having just one car, and thus when they mod their only car and they don't do it well, or don't do it with it's daily driver role in mind, then they get soured on it. But us car guys with multiple cars for multiple roles, we have no problem continuing modding cars until we are too old to drive. And as you get older, it's actually easier to own multiple cars for multiple roles.
 
#106 ·
I don't think it's strictly age. In Miami, you see a lot of older guys with modded cars.

First GT3 I ever saw, in the early 2000s was so low it made sparks on a dip in the highway. Dude was at least mid 50s. And awesome, if you ask me.

Age doesn't make you old. Acting old makes you old.
 
#95 ·
i used to mod cars when i was 18, go on nice dates and what not. basically a punk.

now that im 35 and more mature, i dont mod cars anymore. i judge people based on what they wear at car shows(monster apparel, hats and what not:banghead:) and come to TCL to find fellow 'car enthusiasts' who hate the car culture to make myself feel great:thumbup:

so to answer your question, im more mature now, i have a strong financial understanding and enjoy my hyundai sonata stock
 
#96 ·
It's all about pace, IMO. It took me months to install a rear fog on my Jetta. Another year to do springs. And wear replacement parts like brakes and tires, I'd be stupid not to consider upgrading while it's apart (within reason, no 50 treadwear/squealing brakes BS on a DD)
 
#97 ·
After years of buying cars and modifying them right off the bat...

This is the only one I've done absolutely NOTHING to within the first month of ownership. Aside from drive it, hard. It's been awesome.

I'll do wheels and tires, and maybe a drop-in filter. It doesn't need anything.

 
#103 ·
I wear my sandals with socks, too, you hooligan. Don't ever forget it! ;)

To be honest, the JCW comes equipped with all the things I'd want to do. Coilovers, camber, sticky tires, sport exhaust, rear seat delete, and massive brakes. It's ducking awesome, and puts a smile on my face everyday.

I know I won't be able to resist modding it eventually, but right now, just focusing on getting my down payment paid off, and getting a set of snow tires ready for this winter. 180 treadwear Neovas aren't going to get me very far in the snow. :laugh:
 
#99 ·
No interest anymore, it's money down the toilet.
These are the only changes I'm interested in:
-tint
-upgraded brakes
-better shocks

I plan on buying a new STI as a toy and even that will be completely stock.
I find it sad that it's becoming more and more difficult to find a clean unmolested example of any sports car.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#100 ·


The only thing I'm doing to this is a set of Koni Yellow's that have been sitting in my garage for the last few months. Anyone want to help me install them? I'll buy the beer. Also, at some point, some lightweight wheels. The PO put the car on H&R Sport springs and put these massive 20" wheels on the car. Looks good... suspension is the ****. I've already put the original wheels (with craptasic runflats back on the car) and that was a huge improvement.

I bought another house... so all of my modding money has gone POOF. Ba Bye. I do love this little car though and I haven't fallen into the trap of even looking at other cars to buy (so that's pretty amazing in itself).
 
#101 ·
I think I'll always have some kind of itch to mod SOMETHING on whatever car I purchase, but I'm at the point where if it will negatively affect reliability and driveability and take-it-anywhere-ability, then I probably won't do it. At least for a beater DD. Such is the reasoning for not doing anything suspension-wise to my MK6 GTI - it's already "low-enough" even with the wheelgap and I don't really have to worry about occasionally driving on dirt or rock roads on whatever adventures I may be on. There is something to be said for not stressing out about your car all the time and just banging it about.
 
#109 ·
I'm not "over" modding but my wallet is. This isn't the 90s anymore. Essentials cost too much now for luxuries like mods.


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#111 ·
No not at all, ever. The factory cannot produce a car I wouldn't want to mod, that's just how it is. Not doing something to my car because some other idiot doesn't have the taste or know-how to do it well doesn't mean I should suffer, and what's even better is that I don't care about what other people think, why is it so hard for people to believe that sometimes a person will do something simply because it satisfies them?
 
#119 ·
yes and no.
i have 3 cars and a bike.
the only one not modded is my wifes brand new (in Nov) daily.

everything else is modded.
the last 4 cars i got rid of were all modded.

i have been thinking of getting a larger family hauler (me, mom, grandma, 2 kids and 2 dogs)...
first thing i did was see if i could lower an MDX. turbo a mazda5 (w/o going complete diy). make an MPV a little bit quicker, lower. etc. :laugh:

really the only thing about car modding is that as i have gotten older i have less desire and time to go all out.

also. since i barely drive... 4-6k miles/year. i have really gone away from wanting to have a very expensive car since it is just going to sit in the home garage or at the local transit station garage.
 
#120 ·
I'm in that phase in life, you know, the one between the reckless financial abandon of a single kid and the satisfying stability of maturity. I have two kids and a wife who is a stay-at-home mom. I work side jobs just so we can afford to stay afloat and occasionally do something fun as a family. It sucks in a way that I can't go blow half my paycheck on tarting up my cars anymore, but for me the family is a much more satisfying venture.

I sold the NA some weeks back. It was hard, being the last project my dad and I worked on before he died. I loved that car, but I had to prioritize: keep sinking money into a 24 year old daily driver that I had "big plans" for, or sell it and drive something that required less attention and money. My 5 year old son was heartbroken as well, but I promised him we'd have another fast car (his words, not mine) someday to work on together.

And I intend to keep that promise. Hopefully, it won't be too long. This time though, I'll be able to go into it with a proper head on my shoulders and choose the right car, and the right mods. Have a game plan. No more half-assed forethought, no more willy-nilly spending.

Go maturity!
 
#130 · (Edited)
From observation, I think a lot of guys who feel this way fall under a few categories:

1 - Having a kid. Being a dad changes things in many ways, but mostly money. Many people simply can't justify spending money on modifying a car anymore with daycare and related expenses with having a kid.

2 - You modded in the past and the project didn't turn out right, and thus the feeling that nothing seemed to go right in the end, that it's now just stupid and a bad idea.

3 - You can't afford it.

4 - Not having the knowledge or foresight to go about it the right away, or can't get over your own biases to get the correct car in the first place.

5 - Or, you don't fall under any of those categories and are truly just over it, but I really think majority of people fall under 1 - 4.

Many times though it comes down to money in one way or other other.
 
#139 · (Edited)
i don't fit into 1-4.

closest to ruined my car (#2), but its not so much ruined, as i now know too much about it. like i love the way it performs, the way it drives, and i love dailying the **** out of a MR sports car, even in winter. but i know way to much about the function of every single part on it now. like i realigned it for the 4th time in 6 weeks today. you know, small tweaks, try and kill a little of the ridiculous oversteer it has ... idk, ignorance can be bliss. but i can't just set it up and forget about it, i made everything on the whole damn car adjustable, now i have to dial it in you know? and that is just mentally, exhausting. that process can never truly be over. every-time i drive it, there is a new vibration, or a new tweak i can think of.

ignorance truly is bliss. hear something new? replace the right bushing with the OEM one. you know? simple. easy.
 
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