Car modifications - yes or no?

[pottery beige]

I don't like molesting them

[Taily]

With the later model stuff "Less is More" on the outside. I bought an FG XR50T for Mrs Taily to bang around in/pick-up Taily Jr from daycare in etc. All it has copped on the outside was a slight drop (in actual fact it was a new set of springs and struts/shocks - more about this later), and a lip spoiler to replace the (IMHO) oversized standard XR one. I have the standard XR50 19 inch wheels (OK, through which you can see the upgraded brake package) fitted with upper-end performance tyres (originally Invos, now gone to Hankooks).

So all you see on the outside is a clean, standard looking car (well as quiet as sunburst orange looks) sitting nice with a bit of tint on the windows. What you don't see is the almost $7K that was spent with FPV (instrument cluster, engine/exhaust work and tune, brakes, suspension etc etc) before the car was delivered new so that we keep the factory (and extended) warranty on everything done to the car.

And I do the work commute in my white '99 AU1 Forte' wagon, resplendant in its 40mm all round drop and 17 inch BA/F XR rims with not a hint of tint in sight.... Now just who got the better deal? Yeah, I know.... I'm waiting to see the new XR8 in the flesh before I decide which one goes first...

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by f6_benito

Im not a big fan of wholesale changes to the outside.

tasteful wheels, maybe slightly lowered (half an inch) and a few subtle highlights

Altezzas and autobarn style mods aren't my thing. I feel embarrassed when i see a like model car modded poorly.

i know of a vs commodore, body graphics, huge chrome rims, lowered to the floor at the back and near stock at front, big blaring exhaust. The guy loves it like a showcar but i see others giggle everytime they see it. Go figure.

That's pretty much my view too.

I should have made it clear in the OP that of course owners can do whatever they want to their cars! That's all good. It was rather more to get a feel of does it affect your own view of your car when you see a few bad ones around.

Now so cheap I think BA/BF Xr models are starting to head down the Skyline track, where good taste is not something all owners have!

[XP6]

i love custom work cant stand bolt on bling... dont realy like plastic shoppin trolleys you could say.
Dont realy care for stupid amounts of killawasps either... no point if you cant use it(streetcars not racers that is)

[MercuryT]

Originally Posted by Taily

So all you see on the outside is a clean, standard looking car (well as quiet as sunburst orange looks) sitting nice with a bit of tint on the windows. What you don't see is the almost $7K that was spent with FPV (instrument cluster, engine/exhaust work and tune, brakes, suspension etc etc) before the car was delivered new so that we keep the factory (and extended) warranty on everything done to the car.

Yep, to me that is how you mod a car. Better than standard, still keeps its integrity and so on - great work.

Facts is the BA/BF and FG are already a great shape/look IMHO - engine has potential, but no need to butcher the outside!

[noflac52]

I'm big on modifying. That is to say full on modifying not just bolting on blingy bits and big wheels but it all has to be done in sympathy of what you have to begin with.

When I see a car similar to mine with mods that I think are baaaaad I don't get embarrassed I just have a bit of a laugh and think that we all had to start somewhere and it reminds me of some of the dumb mods I did to some poor cars years ago and I think that maybe my car was embarrassed when it had to hit the streets, lol!, but I loved them all otherwise I wouldn't have done them. Times change and tastes change and I like to think that what I do now is more tasteful but gee even if its not I'm still having fun and isn't that why we do what we do ?

[AndyXR6T]

Need to see more of this on our roads!

[Bushbasher]

WTF is that monstrosity?

It looks like a Dame Edna Transformer that got stuck half way through the transformation

[superfly]

Each to their own I say. If we all liked the same thing, the world would be a boring place. i.e. nothing to laugh at or admire.

[blackf6]

Just get a stockish GT and be done with it, Upgrade the driveline if need be. I like stock GT.

[jpblue1000]

I have never liked factory wheels, only one that came close was the volvo T5R flat faced 5 spokes.
Too conservative for me. In saying that I dont like chrome but I do like big wheels and rubber bands, more room for big brakes and no gap between tyre and wheel.
I dont like aftermarket body kits but fitting matching parts from different spec levels is my thing. I dont like boot wings/spoliers, factory or aftermarket unless its a mid mounted JTCC type on a supra
But thats me.

JP

[Alan D Segal]

Yes to performance mods. No to visual mods for me.

I much prefer a basically stock looking car than one with a lot of modifications. Window tint is OK and so is slightly lowered suspension (please note that SSLs are not 'slightly lowered' and actually look rubbish).

Headlight covers/window deflectors/bonnet protectors are also OK because they're semi-functional. Anything else I don't really like.

One of my pet peeves is actually XR8 bonnets on 6 cylinders. I equate it to a Chev badge on a 6 cylinder Commodore. Means the same thing to me.

I'll probably get flamed for saying that, but if you do respond just bear in mind I care about your opinion less than you care about mine

[tweeked]

I wouldn't ever modify my car

.... - Apart from fitting a Darton Sleeved iron 5.4 block, Manly Pro Series I beam rods and Manly pistons with Ceramic top and Teflon skirt, Billet Oil pump, Comp Cams 106400 street/race cams, ported heads flowing 300cfm on the intake, Yella Terra plenum, Whipple Mono throttle body, redrilled injectors, BPR cold air intake, Herrod baffled sump and catch cans, PWR header tank, DiFillipo Big Boy long tube headers, cats and full twin 3 inch system through to dual outlets, Rip shifter, NPC stage 3 clutch, CAT 600 bushes, Trutrac 3.7 diff, XYZ coilovers, BBS 8.5 and 9.5 wide 19 inch Challenge wheels with Nitto NT05 rubber, 6 Piston VTR front 355 mm two piece brakes with 6 piston 330 mm ventilated rears, GTP seat foams finished with Italian leather, Pole position 3 guage tripod, black leather headlining and a Super Roo sticker on the bonnet.

Otherwise it is completely stock.

[Taily]

Originally Posted by tweeked

I wouldn't ever modify my car

.... - Apart from fitting a Darton Sleeved iron 5.4 block, Manly Pro Series I beam rods and Manly pistons with Ceramic top and Teflon skirt, Billet Oil pump, Comp Cams 106400 street/race cams, ported heads flowing 300cfm on the intake, Yella Terra plenum, Whipple Mono throttle body, redrilled injectors, BPR cold air intake, Herrod baffled sump and catch cans, PWR header tank, DiFillipo Big Boy long tube headers, cats and full twin 3 inch system through to dual outlets, Rip shifter, NPC stage 3 clutch, CAT 600 bushes, Trutrac 3.7 diff, XYZ coilovers, BBS 8.5 and 9.5 wide 19 inch Challenge wheels with Nitto NT05 rubber, 6 Piston VTR front 355 mm two piece brakes with 6 piston 330 mm ventilated rears, GTP seat foams finished with Italian leather, Pole position 3 guage tripod, black leather headlining and a Super Roo sticker on the bonnet.

Otherwise it is completely stock.

So, just some minor two minute fixes to tidy up the factory intake design flaws...?

[coupedup]

I am happy with a mod to increase the life of the car and also give warnings.

I have a Magnefine power steering oil filter, an extra fuel filter, a low level screamer that has a box in the vehicle that flashes a light and makes a noise if the level of the coolant drops more than 3 cm from the top of the radiator.

These type of low level alarms should be standard on vehicles. If you lose your coolant, the motor is cooked by the time the temperature gauge goes up, as the temperature sensor end is just sitting in air while the motor continues to increase in temperature.

[KAM120]

I quite like to see what artistic mods people can do to cars. Most don't come out great but every now and then something comes along and it looks great. It's a big experiment to try to get something to look right.
I'm not sure why people quite often don't like the factory rear spoiler on the ba-fg's. Without them i think the rear looks kinda boring particularly on the xt's and fairmont's.
I luv dark window tint. Gives a nice contrast against the paint

[Rodp]

Tastefully done, mods can enhance the look of a car. Untastefully done, they look horrible. I took a snap of a Taurus (which isn't a good looking car to begin with...) that was insanely hideous and could probably be found with a search here.

Sadly, the only compliments I've had on my new car have been at McDonalds drive thrus. End of the day, I like it.

FWIW, the first reply in this thread is the consummate example of a tastefully modded car.

[ebv8]

I like to make my cars different buy doing my own thing but now i have a BA GT its staying 99% stock looking, i think if putting chrome chinese 20's on a BA GT is wrong but each to their own
i modded my old EB to a stage i was happy and when i sold it the new owner had his own ideas and i thought they were terrible and ruined the car but he liked the mods and it was his car after all.
now i think if the mod doesn't add value, performance or reliablity its not worth doing but i'm getting older now so maybe its just my age showing
i tried to take the starcorp 18's off my commodore to put stock 17in SS wheels on but the wife said now way, i also tried to raise it but the sport low springs i bought to replace the ultralows were exactly the same height

[max_torq]

The factory never options the cars properly. I like mods but generally ones that are close to OEM, from higher spec cars.

My BA futura wagon has 19" G6et wheels, FPV seats and door trims, 6CD colour screen ICC with MP3 amplifier, leather steering wheel and console lid, twin inlet cold air intake, black seat belts and airbag pad, external oil cooler: Mostly stuff the factory could have done... but didn't.

[Streets]

Originally Posted by Rodp

Tastefully done, mods can enhance the look of a car. Untastefully done, they look horrible. I took a snap of a Taurus (which isn't a good looking car to begin with...) that was insanely hideous and could probably be found with a search here.

was it a gold coloured one? I think someone ended up buying it just to set fire to it

[The Yeti]

Originally Posted by Streets

was it a gold coloured one? I think someone ended up buying it just to set fire to it

You mean this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cr2VhZ0FLL0

[fordfreak]

some may be interested to know...

almost 50% of my annual budget is counted towards vehicle expenses. something to keep in mind esp. for young people.

(i am only 18 living at home with not many regular expenses..)

[fordfreak]

some may be interested to know...

almost 50% of my annual budget is counted towards vehicle expenses. something to keep in mind esp. for young people.

(i am only 18 living at home with not many regular expenses..)
Those expenses aren't including any mods...

I don't see anything wrong with mods as long as you 'mod within your means'.

So if you're not too well off, or trying to save. Just stick to exhaust and stuff.
my ute is pretty stock (expt exhaust + intake) but have a MGW short shifter on order. Thats not a common mod, so hopefully it can make it interesting.

[UberKnee]

Personally the stock look is boring at batshit to me. In a world of mental AMG's, Aston Martins, Lamborghini, etc. a stock Ford Falcon is duller than dull to me. Falcadores have to be lowered with a nice set of (preferably stanced) wheels at least to pique my interest. The OEM look just doesn't interest me. Tail lights are tricky though, OEM tail lights are ugly plastic pieces of junk, but the aftermarket for them in Aus is limited.

End of the day the absolute most retarded thing you can do is mod your car to what others want. All that matters is if you like it, there's no point having a car you dont like but the masses do when you can just have a car that you like, and to hell with the haters.

[data_mine]

Originally Posted by Bucknaked

Once Warranty has expired.

lol

I had the first mods waiting at home before I took delivery.

[SLO AU XR8]

I'm of the opinion that one should have a car to their own tastes. My own car is a near on 20yr old Suzuki Baleno, that has been lowered, has a set of wheels (shod in Semi slicks) and faded paint with peeling clear coat. What cannot be seen on the high compression, monster cammed engine, the fuel system or the Aftermarket ECU and E85 conversion. My brother has a similar opinion, with his ute being lowered, and currently on standard wheels (which will need to be changed when it gets a set of brakes to suit the new power plant) unfortunately it looks like the bonnet will need some fabrication to keep the very stout 5L Modular under it, which will give the game away that it isn't stock. And that's before the key is turned.

[strik9]

rule number one= its got to go before you make it looks like it go,s

[Road Games]

Currently the most highly modified car i have ever had and it looks bone stock from a distance

Well at least when the parachute isn't fitted

[jimt3te50]

I've had the odd tinker

[UberKnee]

Originally Posted by strik9

rule number one= its got to go before you make it looks like it go,s

If its just a daily/shopping cart though whats the point in having a bajillion killerwasps? Better off modding it for looks rather than upping the wasps because once or twice a year you might go on a track and use the wasps.