Modifications That Will And Will Not Devalue Your 205....

[driversdomainuk 8]

Hi

 

I am just thinking, as I venture along the restoration route of my 205GTI what modifications will not devalue the car? and which ones will?

 

Here is my list so far. The car is not 100% original so I have thought doing some mods is fine, and will not have any negative effect on the value or more importantly the desirability of it..

 

I am not that concerned about the actual value, although in a few years, I want to own a car which is considered a well sorted, desirable example.

 

Bad Mods:

 

Body kits

Aftermarket alloys

Different colour resprays

Turbos/nitros etc

Different engines

Lowered suspension

new interior

 

OK Mods:

 

Uprated non visible stuff (like bigger ARBs, LSD's, quick ratio racks etc...)

Uprated service items (such as braided brake hoses, performance pads etc)

(maybe a respray) in original colour

Uprated dampers/springs (but at original ride height)

 

What do you think?

 

Cheers

Rob

 

 

[nick205 12 5 Cars]

Been considering the same myself as I'm rebuilding a car from scratch. I have a list of mods I'd like to implement to improve the standard car without devaluing it (I hope)...

 

1. Uprated gear linkages

2. Uprated lower rear engine mount

3. Solid mounted rear beam

4. Braided brake hoses

5. Hydraulic clutch

 

Engine wise I plan to run on throttle bodies and aftermarket ECU, keeping the original setup stored for refitting if necessary.

 

To me it's about the balance between improving and modifying. A well thought out and executed improvement wouldn't put me off buying a car.

Edited February 2, 2014 by nick205

[hoodygoodwood 70 3 Cars]

Bad Mods

 

Lexus lights

Those modified bonnets that cover a corner of the headlamp - Max Power stylee !

 

Good mods

 

Its a personal preference but I always feel a 205/309 GTI needs the front end lowered an inch or so , they just look too high and the tyre fills the arch better .

[driversdomainuk 8]

That all sounds ok....

 

I guess you will get people out there who will only ever look at an original with one owner, 10,000 miles, original paint etc etc..and they would consider the smallest change "non original" but I guess with mods vs standard it is far from a black and white situation.

 

But your car will still be "of value" if you make some well thought out changes. There will always be a market for this and if you can put your case across what you have done any way then its fine.

 

Personally I don't want to sell my car, but I want to know that my time and effort has been wisely invested in building and looking after a car that is not only sort after and desirable and is appreciating in value.

 

I am keeping a keen eye on eBay for cars for sale. When I bought my 205 in 2004 there were around 45 to 50 cars for sale at anyone time. This figure is around 20-30 now...Once all the tatty ones start to get scrapped, and there are just a few well preserved ones, surely the values will start to increase...

[welshpug 1,657]

Tatty ones wont get scrapped any more, those days are slowly disappearing thankfully, with people realising they really dont take much work to fix up, not like bl or blue oval, or bmw & mercedes!

[driversdomainuk 8]

I am planning to have a bare metal respray/acid dip and rebuild - and a full engine and gearbox rebuild....

 

Thats my target in the next 5 years anyway...

 

I will budget around £10,000 for the lot...Hope it's bloody worth it..!!!

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

Dimma kits are fine but im bias

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Any mod will devalue a car, unless you're selling it to someone who likes mods.

The old story goes don't buy a car that's been modified.

[jackherer 543]

Any mod will devalue a car, unless you're selling it to someone who likes mods.

The old story goes don't buy a car that's been modified.

 

Unless it's an original Mini or an Escort mk 1/ mk 2 or hopefully a 205 GTI...

[driversdomainuk 8]

Any mod will devalue a car, unless you're selling it to someone who likes mods.

The old story goes don't buy a car that's been modified.

 

I think although that thinking is totally valid, it tends to be more for people wanting to avoid buying some chaved up mess where the engine is about eat itself...which they intend to use as an everyday car...

 

However, with something like a 205GTI where buyers are now more enthusiasts and not boyracers there should be a distinction drawn between "mods" and "improvements" as the latter wont effect price or desirability (that much, if at all), but "mods" will....

[Miles 331 1 Cars]

Nothing wrong with the old TT conversion, Quite sort after

[dch1950 37 1 Cars]

The more diluted the model becomes the less it's worth (IMHO). Equally you have to make practical decisions as parts become less and less available.

These great little cars are such fun to drive and are quite forgiving.

Dave

my 5p

[lightflow 59 1 Cars]

Driversdomainuk, (sorry don't know your name) -

 

I think it's fantastic you are going to the lengths to consider an acid dip bare metal restoration - and to consider the future value in that and to balance up all the options. In my opinion, the best value is always to be found in originality (or back to factory restored equivalent OEM). History shows this time and time again across any marque. It's the misty eyed return to our youth which sets this value....

 

Original engine/gearbox - albeit rebuilt is appropriate for increased value - unless it's a museum piece. I think that any modification which is within the spirit of the integrity of the factory will be appropriate and especially any easily reversible mod is no problem at all.

 

Gear linkages and braided hoses are simply ancillaries/consumables which are almost irrelevant to overall value if the the car is fully restored to factory. In fact they make it more fun and update a little to modern engineering.

 

Did you ever see the GasMonkey F40? The same but better - brought into the next century.... I don't think you should go that far. Unneccesary mods will narrow the appeal for those willing to pay top market value.

 

10K for everything, are you doing some yourself, if not and it's is a top job,it will be more..... Gulp.

[driversdomainuk 8]

Driversdomainuk, (sorry don't know your name) -

 

I think it's fantastic you are going to the lengths to consider an acid dip bare metal restoration - and to consider the future value in that and to balance up all the options. In my opinion, the best value is always to be found in originality (or back to factory restored equivalent OEM). History shows this time and time again across any marque. It's the misty eyed return to our youth which sets this value....

 

Original engine/gearbox - albeit rebuilt is appropriate for increased value - unless it's a museum piece. I think that any modification which is within the spirit of the integrity of the factory will be appropriate and especially any easily reversible mod is no problem at all.

 

Gear linkages and braided hoses are simply ancillaries/consumables which are almost irrelevant to overall value if the the car is fully restored to factory. In fact they make it more fun and update a little to modern engineering.

 

Did you ever see the GasMonkey F40? The same but better - brought into the next century.... I don't think you should go that far. Unneccesary mods will narrow the appeal for those willing to pay top market value.

 

10K for everything, are you doing some yourself, if not and it's is a top job,it will be more..... Gulp.

 

Yep - It will certainly be a project and a half. Until then, I am changing bit and bobs here and there, such as new brake servo, new dizzy (both of which I need) and then when the time comes, I will strip all the bits out, replace a few more bits, but keep all the good stuff, acid/respray and rebuild..

 

This has been inspired by a friend who had a Escort Mk1 shell for 10 years in his garage, he has done the acid dip, and all ready for a respray - the car is a work of art considering it was a rusty shell before...he has it on a car spit in his garage, carefully doing bits to it - and has done this, by hand over 12 months. All ready to accomodate his 250bhp normally aspirated cosworth engine.

 

I doubt I will get the £10k back, I estimate after a full rebuild (body and engine) it will be work £8k maybe at todays prices? but if the prices increase like Mk1 Escorts we could be seeing modest £2,000 cars with 100,000 miles on clock going for £6,000+ in few years....maybe.

[Juttie205 123 2 Cars]

I thinking the same my dimma going to have about 10k spent on it but I will never get that back but then I dont plan on selling.

[GLPoomobile 958]

IMO the only modifications that would devalue a car are those that are non-reversible (i.e turreting the rear arches) or will remove some element of originality (i.e. respraying, even in the OE colour instantly removes the kudos of original paintwork, and perhaps the patina of the car). Stuff like aftermarket alloys are irrelevant as the only affect the image and value of the car once fitted, and can be swapped over in a heart beat. If you were to keep all the original parts to swap back at a later date, you can go to town with the modifications.

 

But as far as modifications go, whilst 100% OE cars will certainly be the most valuable, certain modifications won't necessarily devalue a car IMO. I think proper period, tried-and-tested (ergo, respected) mods have their place too. For example, I wouldn't devalue a 205 GTI for having Bilstein B6 dampers and Eibach 2001 springs, but I would steer clear of one that had a very cheap eBay coilover kit. The reflective tailgate panels aren't to everyone's taste (I hate them), but they are retro and as an original Peugeot part it may not devalue the car if one were to be fitted.

 

Then you have modifications that positively enhance the experience such as the Xsara "quick" rack, bronze bushed shifters and balljointed shift rods, swapping from Jetronic to Motronic (4.1?) management.

 

And as for Turbos........a properly done 1.9 8v like the Turbo Technics, but for the modern day, couldn't possibly be a bad thing. Could it?

[mowflow 67]

I've been thinking about this myself. I'm not thinking so much about value but the fact that I'm one of those people that bought the car in a cringe worthy nostalgia trip as I had one when I was 18. The one I had then had 1 modification, a Clio rear wiper. I desperately wanted to mod the hell out of it but I couldn't afford the parts or the potential insurance hikes as it was already costing 1/10th of my annual income to insure.

 

I want to recapture what I loved so much about that car, I want the same character but it's hard to ignore potential areas for improvement. I can't see me doing an engine conversion as "fast" isn't the point for me. I will make certain "enhancements" though. I am however very wary of getting carried away and essentially building a much more modern car with a 205 body on top.

 

I think a lot about the Eagle e type that was featured on top gear a few years ago.

 

Edited to add. Factory Dimmas, TTs etc aren't modified cars to me. I don't really care if my thinking is right or wrong on that.

Edited February 2, 2014 by mowflow

[2-Pugs 57]

In the classic car world, you often see mention made of 'period upgrades' which for something from the 50s or 60s for example, would mean fitting an overdrive, changing the points to an electronic system, changing the dynamo to an alternator, changing cross-ply's to Radials, etc. If I were in the market for something like that to actually use, I would consider anything like that an enhancement, not a detraction. Its just an improvement in some specific area thanks to technology moving on. I'd say the same for a 205 GTI although the improvements are less obvious, but some of the things mentioned imho would be ok.

[allye 530 3 Cars]

^^ good answer! things like gear rods, braided flexis, LSD are a benefit.