Ok here's my story: I have a 95 SE, fully loaded. Bought it in Oct '98 when it had 36,000 miles. It has/is: automatic, leather seats, moonroof/sunroof, Bose CD. Mods: tinted windows, FSTB, RSTB, JWT cone intake, Greddy catback, H&R, Tokico struts. Plus, two minor rear end accidents, both fixed.

It now has 85,000 miles and in the past two months I spent $1500 on repairs: alternator, CV boot, bad O2 sensor, and bad knock sensor. $1500 in two month makes me UNBELEIVEABLY angry. This is money I should have saved for a down payment.

I'm thinking of getting a new car sometime next spring, maybe an Altima or even a C-Class coupe.


QUESTION:
With these mods, should I trade it in to the dealer or would I be better off selling it to an individual? How do dealers work with modded cars?

 

you should probably sell to an individual who wants a modded max and can appreciate the mods....Dealers usually frown upon modded vehicles b/c you limit the amount of potential buyers because you are catering to a very specific audience. You would be better off, if you want to trade/sell with the dealer, is to remove the mods and replace with the stock parts(if still available). Or if modded vehicles are in high demand, in the case in my hometown, because of the high number of "import racers" you might get a good trade...

 

Dealers don't like modded cars becuase most of their customers don't trust cars that have been modified even though in your case it's just some basic stuff that is NOT going to affect the realibility of the vehicle.

You've had the car since '98, is these repairs the only major stuff that you've had done sine you got the car?? If so then $1500 in repairs for 4 years of ownership is not bad at all.

My advice if you really want to get rid of the car and get your money's worth is remove your intake, exhuast, strut braces..etc. and sell them seperately and put the stockers back on (if you still have them). If not, try to find someone on the .org who is local and would be willing to swap exhausts with you so you can have stock and they can have aftermarket.

 

Dealer won't care. He's probably already screwing you on trade-in value. If he cannot sell the car himself (ie mods scare him) then it'll go to auction and he'll never hear from it again. If they do a good inspection then they'll notice mods, but unless it's a crappy looking ghetto job they won't mention it.

The Taurus I traded in for my Maxima had an engine swap/CAI/MSD6a/custom guage panel and all kinds of other stuff and they didn't bat an eye.

 

IF you have the OEM parts, swap them back in. Sell the car. Sell the used mods.
Drink a beer.

 

I took my car to the dealer to pick up a part, and the salesmen crowded around it, asking me "how much do you want for it"....Its nice to say "its not for sale"

 

lol...similar thing happened to me too. I went to dealer to buy some parts, as I got out, a salesman approached me and asked if I'm trading the car in. I laughed at him and said, "hell no!". That was before the 350Z came out. Now, I probably have to think twice.

 

BriGuyMax:

I have only spent $1500 in repairs this year. The other years I have had major problems with ignition systems, starter, spark plugs.

The problem is, I don't have the stock suspension and exhaust parts. I do know that other folks with stock parts would be willing to trade their stock parts for my upgrades, but that seems like a hassle.

If I trade it in to the original dealer where I bought it, I have a slight feeling that they might give me a better trade in deal, if I tell them I plan to buy a new Altima/Maxima from them.

 

Stay away from trading in modded cars....biggest hit you will ever take...personal experience...

 

you should try selling it privately...you'll get more money out of it and someone who can appreciate the mods will get it. most dealers will give you significantly less than you can make from selling to private buyer. however, why don't you bring it to the dealer and have them inspect and ask how much they'll give you, then atleast you know...

 

Too bad you don't have a Y pipe , I would buy that off you

 

i guarrantee you they are people on this board with their stock exhausts and struts in their attic like me. That stuff is in NJ so not much use to you, but find someone local or post in your regional forum to find stuff.. you can always make money selling parts.

dealerships will fock you on modded cars..

 

Seem's like A LOT of problems for a max....I've had mine since 36K and it now has 106K on it...and besides the stuff that I've broke myself (trans). I've had no major repairs at all....biggest minor repair was the oil sender...like $50 bucks.


I doubt they'll give you a good deal...but it's worth a try.

 

If they put your modded Max on their lot, in comparison to a full stock Max, same year, same color, same everything. Your modded Max will be sold at a lot cheaper price. Dealers don't like modded cars. Yeah, the salesmen might crowd over your car and woooooo-ahhhh about it, but when it comes to his manager giving you a trade-in value, you are going to get jack for it. Like everyone said, just put your OEM stuff back on then trade it in, or sell it privately.

Tifosi

 

As a used car mgr,(sorry), try to sell it on own 1st, most people who want to buy a sedan and see mods, will think it has had a real hard life, (which in my case it has). Body kits and interior mods dont hurt,but I even tell people who try to trade in cars w/mods to take a couple days get the stock stuff back on and I will give them the same $$. To get the most for your car, spend the time/$ and have it portered. Can't tell you how 1st impressions matter, and the less loud/obvious mods, the better.

Hope this helps
Tony

 

When I traded in an old Dodge Shadow, I had a $800 head unit in it. They asked me if I would put the original back in even though they knew how much better the aftermarket HU was. They said that they could sell the car for more if it had original equiptment.