To Mod or not to Mod... that is the question?

[karnov]

I see tons of posts on here about builds, mods, aftermarket "add-on" etc., but I don't see much about people keeping their cars in the stock, or mostly stock form. For the record I plan on keeping my 1LE completely stock, aside from possibly a high-flow drop-in air filter.

I am just wondering what some other people opinions are with regards to doing mods and why they decide to go that route... and what are some opinions of people of keeping their cars stock?

My previous car I went the route of doing some mods and for the most part everything went trouble-free. I had a few issues with the O2 sensors throwing codes due the high-flow cats, but I got that sorted out. I still don't know if it ever would pass emissions because I sold it before I had to get tested.

I am wondering what some other thoughts are about doing mods... IMO they are fine if you can do the work yourself or have a reputable shop close by where you can go to for work and maintenance. IMO I think they are ok if your car is also not a daily driver and more of a toy or weekend track car. I think people can get themselves into trouble, have warranty issues, or end up spending endless amount of money which they will never see in return otherwise.

[toesuf94]

You will mod...that is the answer!

I will be 100% honest here...there are days I wish my car was bone stock. The exhaust hits the tunnel on rough roads, the supercharger makes a lot of heat, and since I started modded...I just want to keep going and improve/change more. I bet I would be happy just having the Camaro as it was with just a few paint mods I have made and left everything else alone.

[Dizzy82]

If you plan on selling it mod little, keeping it mod away.

[45thAnniversary2SS]

Mod. A car is not an investment anyways, so not looking to get the money back out of the mods I've made. I want something that is unique and excites me. I now have that.

[Ambush]

no plans on modding here. i prefer the "girl next door" look.

[slick rick]

You definitely need a skip shift eliminator on a 1LE

[rdsesq]

I have modded my cars (to various degrees) for 30+ years. It is fun, can be money pit, and as the saying goes, its either in your blood or it ain't. Body mods and stereo mods can be just as obsessive as performance-type (Engine/suspension/exhaust/etc) mods. Modding does not void your warranty (see the Magnuson-Moss Act of 1975, something many dealers seem to blissfully forget exists, until they are reminded that you know the law.) If you install a stereo and you headlights eventually fry. But the stereo never touched to sections of the wiring harness that control the headlights, the dealer can't just tell you "Well..you touched the electrical system of the car so that voided your warranty" You put a supercharger on and blow a head gasket, they can likely show that you increased the compression of the motor by forcing more air into the motor, so that head gasket is not covered.
Here is a good write-up of the act: http://www.impalasuperstore.com/naisso/magmoss.htm

Mods are a great way to make the car truly yours and a reflection of your personality.

I don't plan on doing much modding to my 2SS/RS, a few easily reversible cosmetic changes, and intake & exhaust. Maybe a chip. Maybe a Hurst shifter package when they come out with something for the '13 autos with paddle shifters. (Of course I say that now..in a couple of years I might be building a daily driver show car like I did with my 2002 BMW 330i sedan.)
That is the thing about modding...you never quite know where you will end up. Sometimes you have a modest (pardon the pun) plan, and sometimes it just ends up in a situation of "Yep, that's it, the car is done. No more mods......Well.....except for maybe this one other thing."

The other thing I will add is that there is no right or wrong way to mod, with the exception of safety. Different things are important to different people, and everybody has their own sense of aesthetics. While something person "A" does might not appeal to person "B", that doesn't make the mod "bad", just different. The modding community has much to offer within their own areas and to those in other areas.

You want to know about paint...go talk to folks in the lowrider community.
You want to know about metal fab....the leadsleders have a wealth of knowledge.
Forced induction...have a conversation with the import tuners.
Setting up cars for the track, headlights, and halos...go talk to the "eurosnobs"

We all have things to give, we all have knowledge to glean. I used a number of "old-school" type techniques and styles in my show car that I gleaned from others in different modding communities over the years. I also imparted some of that knowledge to my body and paint guy who was good but 15 years younger than I was. It was quite rewarding to "pay it forward" and keep some of that knowledge alive to a younger generation.

OK...I'll get off my soapbox now. (Can't help it...modding is in my blood. )

[HarryNW]

Originally Posted by 45thAnniversary2SS

Mod. A car is not an investment anyways, so not looking to get the money back out of the mods I've made. I want something that is unique and excites me. I now have that.

Great comments from sd as well.

The only thing I would add is to try to get a sense of where you want to (initially) do and lay down an upgrade path. Is it to add HP? Then research and decide on preferred path (Turbo, Supercharger, or other) and lay out the progression. Too many time folks begin modding and find out later that a larger purchase invalidates or requires removal of a prior mod. I did this with a CAI, when I later found that it gets replaced with the AGP Twin Turbo Kit. I have heard other stories where they have had to roll back to a stock component to install a certain upgrade.

Good luck!

[ABMLS3]

atleast put an exhaust and make it sound like a muscle car

[blk13SS]

If you plan on keeping your warranty intact, dont mod it. I have no plans on doing any performance mods, but I can't hold back from modding the suspension a bit

[Renee@SCP]

I personally know with all of the goodies available it is hard not to do some kind of mod! I think it depends on your personal preference though. Mods or no mods, as long as you enjoy your Camaro life is good!

[SPCBA]

High flow drop in air filter? What is that?

[tohper]

In the end its what u want. I mapped out my mods before i even bought my car. I opted for the appearance mods first. Got the expensive one's done for the most part. I went this route first because of the warranty. I wanted to make my car my own.
They look great stock also. If i would suggest anything it would be an exhaust in my opinion they are just to quiet stock.
But that's just me. I say do what ever makes u happy in the end thats all that matters.


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[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by karnov

I see tons of posts on here about builds, mods, aftermarket "add-on" etc., but I don't see much about people keeping their cars in the stock, or mostly stock form. For the record I plan on keeping my 1LE completely stock, aside from possibly a high-flow drop-in air filter.

For best results and least risk, a tune should normally be done with any high flow air filter.

I am just wondering what some other people opinions are with regards to doing mods and why they decide to go that route... and what are some opinions of people of keeping their cars stock?

Any car I've bought has had the potential to be modified in some way. It's just turned out that some cars got modded more and/or sooner than others.

I am wondering what some other thoughts are about doing mods... IMO they are fine if you can do the work yourself

So far, I haven't had to farm out very much.

I think they are ok if your car is also not a daily driver and more of a toy or weekend track car.

That's never mattered. My wife and I went grocery shopping on the motorcycle a couple of times while waiting for parts to come in to build or rebuild engines with broken timing belts and spun bearings. It was our only car. Sure, it's easier when you don't have to fall back on that sort of solution, but where there's a will there's a way. It is kind of nice now at my age to have two "spare cars" in addition to the wife having her daily and me having mine.

I think people can get themselves into trouble, have warranty issues, or end up spending endless amount of money which they will never see in return otherwise.

Non-issue. We've kept all of our cars more than enough years to amortize the mod costs against whatever any new car payments would have amounted to.


Norm