Quote:
Originally Posted by mr.fabulous
It's not the parts, it's the installer.
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I also think it's the owner/driver, at least in my opinion. A modded car, as I see things, almost always means a car that's lived a harder than average life, and you've got to be prepared to deal with that - especially if you are considering something with higher miles (a longer life) than others. Most enthusiasts don't modify their cars unenthusiastically (not a word), and then drive them like granny going to church. These cars we are discussing, many of them are purpose-built, and their owners used them for their intended purpose. That said, I'd feel twice as confident purchasing a previously owned something purpose-built by the Germans versus another market.
I paid a premium for my car; the buyer's full asking price. When I showed up to see and test drive it, it was bone-stock with the exception of the short antenna and new tires. The owner had the car in his spotless garage, it was IMMACULATELY clean, he had about 50,000 different auto cleaning products in the garage, a spare set of wheels in covers, his lawn and home looked impeccably well-kept. This guy was fastidious in every aspect of his life, well-organized, and that inspired me with the confidence I needed to pull the trigger on the purchase.
I guess my point is that any used car, even one that's 100% stock can have a history of being beaten to shit and neglected by the previous owner (especially an Asian woman).