e30 values vs modificaitons

[Julien]

It's starting to look to me like there is a sweet spot in aftermarket modifications which yield the most for an e30. It seems that people shy away from examples that have been too modified (turbo kits/5 lug/off the wall swaps). This seems to be slowly changing as these cars are entering classic status.

The way I break down e30s:

Stock:
Clean/everything works/Reasonable Mileage

Stage 1:
Springs/Shocks
Euro smilies
Sport Seats
Exhaust

Stage 2:
Cam
Coilovers with modified strut housings
Rollbar
tried and true swaps (s52)

Stage 3:
5 lug swaps
turbos
v8 swaps
aftermarket engine management
lightweight or other extreme modifications

Of course this all varies with the starting car. To give you an idea, here is where I see Value from greatest to lowest per variant:

e30 M3:
Stock
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3

e30 325is/325ix/318is
Stage 2
Stage 1
Stock
Stage 3

e30 318i/325e
Stage 2/3?


I've been thinking about this in light of my 325ix build. Just enough aftermarket to be tasteful (oem+) but not so much that a future purchaser would be overwhelmed by the car.

I attribute the shift in value vs modifications as the purchasing pool shifts form hard core enthusiasts to casual enthusiasts and eventually collectors.

Thoughts?

[reelizmpro]

It's simple. Stock cars and slightly modded appeal to the majority vs super highly modded which narrow down the market both in interest and cost. Highly modded swaps/turbo/track car builds can be pretty intensive so I tend to shy away from them as they are someone else's project. Having bought a turbo car, I found a few things I didn't like but I expected that and it was priced accordingly. Good thing we only have to find that one buyer who loves the car.

iX has always had a niche of it's own. I would lean towards stock/slightly modded for the iX. It's not something that people typically race out, cruise, etc. Not in my region at least. The iX specific parts can be problematic as well.

[Hooffenstein HD]

Proper built cars will typically sell for more. The more mods, the higher the price. With that said, nobody wants to buy a janky half assed project. If it isn't done properly, expect to be offered less or on par with a clean stock example.

Smileys and sports seats aren't exactly a mod either.

[James]

Nobody wants to buy a "build" - stock to slightly modified will always hold the most value over the long term.

[Julien]

Proper built cars will typically sell for more. The more mods, the higher the price. With that said, nobody wants to buy a janky half assed project. If it isn't done properly, expect to be offered less or on par with a clean stock example.

Smileys and sports seats aren't exactly a mod either.

ah, so where is this sport seat and smiley headlight tree you shake to get free ones?

[ahrensNW]

I think he's saying that they're Oem parts, and not an aftermarket mod. I don't think they're a "mod", just cool parts.

[Hooffenstein HD]

ah, so where is this sport seat and smiley headlight tree you shake to get free ones?

Smileys were factory fitted to my car. Sports Seats were an option.

[e30onBBSs]

What about a 2.7i?

[KIRIEIW]

I personally would always choose a car with a full suspension overhaul, using high quality parts compared to stock e30 assuming both are in similar shape and price range. Notice how I underline full, people seem to think adding springs is a suspension overhaul these days. Full OEM is nice yes, but buying something already done is usually cheaper.

[Julien]

I think he's saying that they're Oem parts, and not an aftermarket mod. I don't think they're a "mod", just cool parts.

yeah I know, they are nice touches that imho increase the value of an e30. it's pretty much step 1 for me when i pick up an e30.

Smileys were factory fitted to my car. Sports Seats were an option.

same can be said about an mtech 2 kit. A set of clean sport seats and smileys do set a car apart from one doesn't have either. anyways, I was mostly trying to be douchey with my original reply :)

What about a 2.7i?

I figure that with the stage 2/well documented swaps. I did lose my ass on a 5 lug seta/i swap car though. ugh.

[Wschnitz]

Im gonna disagree with you and say non swapped E30s sell for more. So 1>2>Stock/3

No one wants someone elses project, if you buy someones project good for you, but I and almost everyone i know doesnt want someones ghetto wired m50 swapped pos e30. They will buy a lowered stock E30 100 times before they buy anything swapped.

[flyboyx]

there will always be a market for a clean low miles well kept examples.

however, i agree with hoofinstein. it really depends on the quality of the mod. factory alpina/hartge/dinan parts will make the car more valuable. i believe a well done 5 lug swap will add value. i believe a well done engine swap will add value as well.

i think the problem plaguing the e30 is that too many >20 year olds own these cars and do really shitty, half assed work/mods to them which cheapens the brand/the car/and the hobby. unfortunately, this is somewhat akin to little honda assholes.

[ahrensNW]

i think the problem plaguing the e30 is that too many >20 year olds own these cars and do really shitty, half assed work/mods to them which cheapens the brand/the car/and the hobby. unfortunately, this is somewhat akin to little honda assholes.

Preach

[Das Delfin]

You wanna think about your buying audience. The kind of guy who wants to buy your car. You're gonna see: kids who just want to go fast and don't care much about the condition of the car; guys who want something original with nothing weird and a full service history; a track junkie; and someone who wants a weekend toy or daily driver with a few mods here and there but maybe doesn't want to commit the time or money on anything serious.

So then think: the young guy won't be able to afford your car so forget about him. The track guy is really going to want to start out with a blank slate car because he's not going to trust the quality of someone else's work at 100+ mph. I would go with stage 1 mods like an interior redo, nice headlights, H&R suspension upgrade, maybe a stereo because it's just enough into a modded category to catch the attention of the last two groups without excluding guy who wants a stock car. The bigger your net, the better your catch. Fishing reference

So I would say for resale value and livability if you DD the car, you can't go wrong with stage 1, then stock, then stage 2 etc

With that said, for the future of the car's value, I would say forget about it and just drive the car. None of our cars are ever gonna be a 1970 barracuda so it's not like you'll be able to sell your 325ix and buy a house.

But I believe the car's collector value as a result of its condition depends on the type of car. My convertible would best be kept stock. Same with a 325ix, 325is, or 325es because they were all special versions of the stock 325i.

If you watch the barrett jackson auctions, the cars which net the highest sales are always the original matching number cars. Then restored cars, and then resto-mods. So in that case, I would have to say like the m3, you're best keeping it stock or doing something which would have been an oem upgrade like bilstein shocks or smiley headlights. And keep up on maintanence etc

[djjerme]

This is also the huge divide in the car culture in general.

There's the people who look at it purely from an investment standpoint. These are the same people driving the hell out of the 911 bubble. They want Original, numbers matching, factory colors, low miles complete service records..blah, blah. And they are willing to pay the highest dollar to get what they want. Any mod not factory or authorized by the factory is a point against the car value.

Then there is everyone else. Yes, I know it's lumping a lot of people together, but everyone has their comfort level of mods and updates that they are willing to accept on a car. As has been beat to death before - most people don't want someone else's project.

But that being said, I think most people are willing to accept superficial mods (exterior mods/additions, after market seats, euro bumpers..etc. ) over hard changes like drivetrain swaps, rolled fenders, color changes to the exterior..etc.

Luckily, there is still enough E30's out there to satisfy most types of people, including the OEM ONLY purist.