Pirateslife4me

Was just looking at all the C5 guys that either already have installed or ordered extremely expensive (to me anyway) $3000-$5000 and up mods like super chargers, suspension systems, turbos, even some with $2000 seats, and $4000 wheels and I was just thinking about the $1500 I put into exhaust and another $1000 into navigation, bluetooth, back up camera head unit. The $3000 wheels I'm trying to talk myself out of going and getting and I was wondering what am I thinking?

I mean Yes my 98 is really low miles (60k) is damn near perfect in every way always been garaged, has every factory option that could have been ordered just about, Is torch red and so bright and shiny everybody has to come look at it and talk to me about it but still whats is worth? I mean honestly what was I thinking putting $2500-$3000 into a 16 year old car that is is worth maybe $15 grand??? how could I possible consider buying that $3000 set of wheels or a $5000 plus supercharger or the cool coil overs i want so bad? I mean I easily am eye balling and planning on ordering mods that will cost as much my baby is worth. I see guys like sfc Rick and think good lord almighty the money he must have at least 4 times what the car stock would be worth invested in that beautiful C5.

Well, then I think about all the cars I've owned and all the money I've put into them and how much fun I have had doing it and how much pleasure I have gotten out of the finished product that as we all know is never "finished" this brings to mind a bone stock 71 Camaro with a 307 v8 turbo 350 that I actually bought from a little old lady that bought it new. I paid I think $2500 for it and probably put another $20,000 minimum into it but I had one beautifully redone High 10 sec 1/4mile street car with a small block 383 stroker motor and a NOS system and It was my daily driver non the less. Every time I sat in it with and heard that huge cam chopping away while at a stop light and take off with the 3800 rpm torque convertor laying shame to crotch rockets I would just grin from ear to ear even though it had no A/C no power steering, no power windows, no power locks, nothing. But it was mean, fast, and FUN!

Of course I at least try to get smarter as I get older so now I question when 15 years ago I just acted. I guess when I question if its worth it or not I should be asking myself If I'm in it for the love of the car or the love of the investment. If its the investment than no by all means keep it running and in tip top shape but do not spend anything on fun stuff. If its for the car than I should accept that I am not going to get my money back but what that money buys for happiness to a car guy like me is a feeling that really can't be described. Cars have been in my blood since I was born. I grew up in the car business and car customizing business and I still am in the business to this day. Sure a $6000 supercharger might be a little hard for me to justify but when I think about my Camaro or any of my older hot rods I get it. When I look at my gorgeous bright red C5 I get it. Is it smart when I could take the mod money and just go get a C6 or hell even a C7 depending on how mod crazy I want to go. No not really but it's my thing that I love, I love older cars and making something I see in my mind out of the stock mold. I also love passing down my car love to my kids and how my kids have it in their blood how they get as excited as i do when a new box comes in the mail for the corvette. How even though they are little (well one is almost a teenager) they can pick out the make and model and damn near year of just about every car they see. I got the bug from my dad and it tickles me pink to see that in my kids eyes and know that I am passing it down to them. SO SCREW IT, LETS MOD!!!!!!

sfc rick

Don't over think it...you risk burning more brain cells. Just mod it! You are a DIRECT descendant of Cave men, so ACT LIKE IT!!

srayney

You are a DIRECT descendant of Cave men, so ACT LIKE IT!!

That's AWESOME!! LOL

Paul 75 L82

If spending more money will make you feel better, I could use some new seat covers.

Pirateslife4me

You sir I salute!

66dts-v

I have a solid list of things for my '01, but nothing too crazy like a supercharger or anything. 75% of my mods are around handling and braking improvements. As is, my car has enough power to put a smile on my face on my daily commute (for those who know Portland, my commute takes either Skyline or Germantown or a little of both). But my mods also contain a lot of OE parts like C6Z shocks/brakes so they are easy to service.

Truth be told I could drive my car as is (minus stereo) and be quite happy. Adding a little more spirit only adds to my joy.

<edit> IMO no car should ever be looked at as an investment (they are poor investments). They should be built and driven.

Corvette_Ed

Anything that increases your enjoyment of the car is justifiable. As Nike said:

Just do it!

Phanni

As a cave man, make sure your cave and everything in it is paid for, then go for it.

Pirateslife4me

High Five!

f6john

The one thing than many of us seem to do, is dwell on what our cars are worth in dollars and cents. We see people pull relics out of the woods, sometimes paying way too much for a shell, and then spend 10's of thousands to turn them in to rolling works of art. My advise for anyone reading this is to buy the best car you can afford and then spend what makes you happy to make it yours.

I bought my car with no thought of it's eventual worth other than the idea it would depreciate less than any of $15,000 car that I could buy and enjoy driving. I have spent approximately $1,000 on interior mods, and another $3,000.00 in performance upgrades (some of which are still waiting to be installed) over the past 3 years. Funny thing is, if I had found this same car with all these mods for $19,000.00 I would have probably passed as being too expensive for a 99 and kept on looking.

85corvettec4

ive seen people pour $xx,xxx in cars they picked up for $300 bucks you sir have an already beautiful car so just put about $xxx,xxx into it and have fun

Magnum_Steel

You know i was thinking the exact same thing today to be exact. It was actually making me wonder to do a search on the forum to see if anyone else was beating themselves up over it and I found your post.

I've got an 05 I bought almost two years ago and I would have to sell it today for top dollar that I probably would not get just to almost break even on all the money I've already spent. I too was just pricing some wheels and tires today that would run me about $3,000. I just ordered $500 dollars worth of stuff last night, brake pads, weatherstrips, etc so I can start getting it ready for warmer weather.

What bothers me just a little is that I've always wanted a Z. The money I've spent on this car and for the money I paid for it I could have just saved all that money and probably could have bought a Z.

But, the only thing to do is enjoy it and be happy. I'm just happy I got a corvette. So, yeah, I'm glad someone else feels the same way as me and I'm not off my rocker!

oldschoolvette

true statement

Vetteman Jack

Nothing at all wrong with making a car reflect who your are and increasing your enjoyment of it. As long as you don't screw up your financial situation, do whatever makes you happy. That's what I have done with my cars.

rob-cyn

I have learned that we all have different ways of enjoying life. I really enjoy my car and I don't see any mod as a waste of money if I like the outcome.

PeteZ06

I've owned my '01 Z06 for about 7 years now.. It has gone from a cam/headers car to a supercharged car and now a big cube car. Between the power and cosmetic mods and labor costs.... I'm around $35K on top of what I paid for the car.....

Its one of my hobbies and something that makes working worthwhile

Camjamsdad

What killed it for me was the list of parts no longer supported by gm.

Choreo

Just think how many dollars worth of food you have consumed over the years and where all that ended up! After all that investment of time and money you still look older and run worse every year.

85corvettec4

now if only i could slap a blower on my back, wed be good

Chilliwack vettes

The way I look at it is with all the money I save from all the repair/fix help I get here on CF, it's pretty easy to spend some of that 'surplus' on something that improves my enjoyment of my ride versus just trying to get it running again. Plus I can recoup a good percentage of mod money by selling them separately and returning the car to stock.