Retrofitted options

kcdedric · 08-22-2019, 01:40 PM

As the owner of a more heavily-optioned (nav + sunroof) 6MT E90 M3, I can't help but notice an increasing number of people searching for "stripper" models. My question for you all is: what effect does retrofitting things like a no-nav dash, speed cloth, slicktop, ZCP wheels on a non-ZCP car, etc. have on the potential resale value and overall desirability?

In my opinion, if a car has very low miles (<20K) it would be best suited to remain in its original spec. Buyers will likely prefer everything to be completely original and unmodified. In the middle range (20-50K miles) it seems like adding ZCP wheels, doing a nav delete, and a carbon/OEM slicktop would increase the buyer pool, but I'm not sure there would actually be a real effect on value (certainly not equal to the cost of the retrofit). Beyond 50K miles it seems as though buyers are less picky about individual options and are more concerned with color (exterior followed by interior).

What do you all think?

MJBO · 08-22-2019, 09:01 PM

I think you'd be mad to tear your car apart in the futile pursuit of improved resale value.

cjm41 · 08-22-2019, 09:58 PM

The car will always be worth more when the options match the window sticker, especially if it's low miles.

Don't get hung up on what you see people looking for. You couldn't pay me to drive a car without a sunroof or navigation or leather. Literally. Couldn't pay me to sit on someone else's cloth fart pillow and stare at a 328i dashboard.

dparm · 08-23-2019, 09:36 AM

I would never buy a car that has been extensively retrofitted -- how do I know it was done right?

How much time and expense is involved with a slicktop swap? Or a dashboard swap? These are not simple jobs that people can do in their garage after work. Way too much room for error. I doubt you'd break even.

kcdedric · 08-23-2019, 09:59 AM

Thanks for the input, guys!

I'm not necessarily saying I would do any of it but I was curious to see how others would perceive such modifications. I could probably live without my moonroof since I never use it, but I definitely enjoy having nav and leather. Nav is particularly useful when I'm out in the middle of nowhere having fun on a backroad and I want to see visually where/how far my next turn is. Cell service still isn't available everywhere so nav is a convenient backup to have.

CHE///MIST3 · 08-23-2019, 12:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjm41

Couldn't pay me to sit on someone else's cloth fart pillow and stare at a 328i dashboard.

....are you referring to speedcloth?!

GM

cjm41 · 08-23-2019, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CHE///MIST3

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjm41

Couldn't pay me to sit on someone else's cloth fart pillow and stare at a 328i dashboard.

....are you referring to speedcloth?!

GM

Haha. Yes. I hate HATE non-leather interior. If someone came to my house in a time machine and said "let's go wherever you want to go in space and time" and that shit had cloth interior, I wouldn't get in it.

CHE///MIST3 · 08-23-2019, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjm41

Haha. Yes. I hate HATE non-leather interior. If someone came to my house in a time machine and said "let's go wherever you want to go in space and time" and that shit had cloth interior, I wouldn't get in it.

Bahhah...I can appreciate the passion in really really not wanting something, lol. All novillo here,too. It looks sharp !

GM

View Poll Results: What effect will retrofitted options have on a car's value?
The value will increase	0	0%
The value will stay the same, but the number of potential buyers will increase	4	100.00%
No effect	0	0%
The value will decrease	0	0%
Voters: 4. You may not vote on this poll

08-22-2019, 01:40 PM	#1
kcdedric Captain 743 Rep 647 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Norcal iTrader: (7)	Retrofitted options - opinion on values? As the owner of a more heavily-optioned (nav + sunroof) 6MT E90 M3, I can't help but notice an increasing number of people searching for "stripper" models. My question for you all is: what effect does retrofitting things like a no-nav dash, speed cloth, slicktop, ZCP wheels on a non-ZCP car, etc. have on the potential resale value and overall desirability? In my opinion, if a car has very low miles (<20K) it would be best suited to remain in its original spec. Buyers will likely prefer everything to be completely original and unmodified. In the middle range (20-50K miles) it seems like adding ZCP wheels, doing a nav delete, and a carbon/OEM slicktop would increase the buyer pool, but I'm not sure there would actually be a real effect on value (certainly not equal to the cost of the retrofit). Beyond 50K miles it seems as though buyers are less picky about individual options and are more concerned with color (exterior followed by interior). What do you all think? __________________ Le Mans Blue '09 BMW M3 Sedan - Current Polar Silver '04 Porsche GT3 - Gone Persian Blue '08 Lotus Exige S240 - Gone Space Gray/Imola '08 BMW M Coupe - Gone
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08-22-2019, 09:01 PM	#2
MJBO Major 2610 Rep 1,458 Posts Drives: 2023 G81 M3 Touring Join Date: May 2012 Location: Melbourne, Australia iTrader: (0) Garage List 23 BMW M3 Touring [0.00] 22 Toyota LC 300 [0.00]	I think you'd be mad to tear your car apart in the futile pursuit of improved resale value.
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08-22-2019, 09:58 PM	#3
cjm41 Lieutenant 753 Rep 498 Posts Drives: 2010 E92 M3 Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Southern California iTrader: (0) Garage List 2010 BMW M3 [0.00] 2014 Land Rover LR4 [0.00]	The car will always be worth more when the options match the window sticker, especially if it's low miles. Don't get hung up on what you see people looking for. You couldn't pay me to drive a car without a sunroof or navigation or leather. Literally. Couldn't pay me to sit on someone else's cloth fart pillow and stare at a 328i dashboard. __________________ 2010 E92 M3 // IG: @commuter_blue
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08-23-2019, 09:36 AM	#4
dparm Stop the hate, get a V8 3850 Rep 8,625 Posts Drives: C7 Corvette GS, AMG C63 S Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Frisco, TX iTrader: (1)	I would never buy a car that has been extensively retrofitted -- how do I know it was done right? How much time and expense is involved with a slicktop swap? Or a dashboard swap? These are not simple jobs that people can do in their garage after work. Way too much room for error. I doubt you'd break even. __________________ Now: 2017 Corvette Grand Sport, 2021 AMG C63 S sedan Past: 2011.5 M3 sedan ZCP
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08-23-2019, 09:59 AM	#5
kcdedric Captain 743 Rep 647 Posts Drives: E90 M3 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Norcal iTrader: (7)	Thanks for the input, guys! I'm not necessarily saying I would do any of it but I was curious to see how others would perceive such modifications. I could probably live without my moonroof since I never use it, but I definitely enjoy having nav and leather. Nav is particularly useful when I'm out in the middle of nowhere having fun on a backroad and I want to see visually where/how far my next turn is. Cell service still isn't available everywhere so nav is a convenient backup to have. __________________ Le Mans Blue '09 BMW M3 Sedan - Current Polar Silver '04 Porsche GT3 - Gone Persian Blue '08 Lotus Exige S240 - Gone Space Gray/Imola '08 BMW M Coupe - Gone
	Appreciate 0 Quote