Stock vs Modified purchase - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

lawrencecar · 02-15-2017, 06:58 AM

Hi Friends,

I am ready to pull the trigger on a 2011 2SS. Looking at two both with 30k miles, both manual and both same cost. Differences are one is a stock one owner and the other is modified (LT headers, CAI, exhaust, short shifter, 4.10 gears, tune etc) and is a 4 owner car. Mods done by owner one. Although i like the mods and would plan to do some of them the uncertainty of how the modified version was driven concerns me a bit. Thoughts ??

SlingShot · 02-15-2017, 07:03 AM

Stock ... IMO never buy a modded car.

Neoclasiccl · 02-15-2017, 07:03 AM

Always take the virgin car less chance of headaches yeah you have to pay more to modify. But with 4 owners it's probably ragged out and beaten on. Just my opinion. You don't want to buy someone else's headache

14Black1LESS · 02-15-2017, 07:06 AM

I would buy the stock one. As mentioned above, with 4 owners it could be ragged out by now.

Backspin9 · 02-15-2017, 07:18 AM

Four owners on a 2011 has to tell you something.

flipstyledsm22 · 02-15-2017, 08:09 AM

Depends on what you plan on doing to it.

If you are planning to modify it and beat on it a little, get the modified one. If it runs strong and everything checks out, then you'll have a head start on the parts buying.

If you want longevity and reliability, get the virgin. This car could've been ragged on just as much as the modified one, but at least you get piece-of-mind by thinking the last owner treated it like a princess.

Welker2 · 02-15-2017, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SlingShot

Stock ... IMO never buy a modded car.

Agree ... I have only bought one modified vehicle over the years and that was my first car. This was in 1976 and it was '71 Monte Carlo SS, the previous owner worked for GM and had all the document professionally done and it was documented (receipts for all parts & labor).

pyroguy · 02-15-2017, 10:32 AM

In this case, 100% go with the stock one. I'll admit mine was 2 prior owners and had a few mods, but they were shorty headers, crap mufflers, and a cold air intake. IMO, mine was worth the risk. However, 4 previous owners and the extent of mods that this one has, I'd steer clear of the modded one.

JLSuperfly · 02-15-2017, 10:39 AM

Get the unmolested one. Less chance of STDs.

lawrencecar · 02-15-2017, 10:45 AM

thanks for input..

partlowr · 02-15-2017, 10:46 AM

Stock....that being said the 4-owner part of the equation is more scary than the modifications IMO.

JerTM · 02-15-2017, 11:36 AM

I am the 4th owner of my 11 2SS at 24k miles. Number of owners can be an indication of abuse or issues, but lets face it for the majority of the owners out there the Camaro was a fad car. It was a blast to buy and drive but it quickly wore out every time the monthly payments came due and they only drove it a few months a year. Mine had original tires on it, when I put it on the lift not a single bolt had been removed aside from the bolts where the Corsa cat-back was installed. Having said that, I would easily pass on the modified one and buy the stock one. GM did a bang up job of making the car handle any abuse the stock systems could dish out without issue, start modifying it and the abuse is much more severe.

Outlaw77 · 02-15-2017, 11:37 AM

Poor camaro has been passed around more than a doobie at a Led Zeppelin concert!

MrChrisLS3 · 02-15-2017, 11:42 AM

I don't know, yes there are some drawbacks to buying a modified car. However, in this case, if the mods have been on there since the first owner, the work done was good, and that would be my biggest concern about buying a modified car. As far as being beaten on, gimme a break, this just means it has been driven the way you're gonna drive it, big deal.

Also add the probability, that people who mod cars are usually enthusiast, and are usually more OCD about things like maintenance than the 'average' car owner. In other words, the modified car may have had it's oil changed every 3000 miles, while that stock car may have the oil changed every 10K miles, or maybe never at all.

I would say if the mods on the car are what you were going to do anyway, you're probably saving some money. If the current owner has had the car for any amount of time, and seems like a sane reasonable mature person, it's probably in good shape. So what if it's done a few burnouts, or been down the track a few times, that's what they're built to do. A 'pampered' SS Camaro is a contradiction in terms. Lol

02-15-2017, 06:58 AM	#1
lawrencecar Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 63	Stock vs Modified purchase Hi Friends, I am ready to pull the trigger on a 2011 2SS. Looking at two both with 30k miles, both manual and both same cost. Differences are one is a stock one owner and the other is modified (LT headers, CAI, exhaust, short shifter, 4.10 gears, tune etc) and is a 4 owner car. Mods done by owner one. Although i like the mods and would plan to do some of them the uncertainty of how the modified version was driven concerns me a bit. Thoughts ??

02-15-2017, 07:03 AM	#2
SlingShot Drives: 2012 ZL1 - #670 Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Seminole, Fl. Posts: 8,009	Stock ... IMO never buy a modded car. __________________

02-15-2017, 07:06 AM	#4
14Black1LESS Drives: 2014 2SS/RS/1LE Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Hurricane Alley Posts: 698	I would buy the stock one. As mentioned above, with 4 owners it could be ragged out by now. __________________

02-15-2017, 08:09 AM	#6
flipstyledsm22 Let's go fishing! Drives: a car with 8 cylinders Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Seabrook, Texas Posts: 1,129 View My Garage	Depends on what you plan on doing to it. If you are planning to modify it and beat on it a little, get the modified one. If it runs strong and everything checks out, then you'll have a head start on the parts buying. If you want longevity and reliability, get the virgin. This car could've been ragged on just as much as the modified one, but at least you get piece-of-mind by thinking the last owner treated it like a princess. __________________ "When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I’ve never tried before." Mae West 1892-1980

02-15-2017, 10:32 AM	#8
pyroguy Started#gottalovethatblue Drives: ABM #831 Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: TN Posts: 6,941 View My Garage	In this case, 100% go with the stock one. I'll admit mine was 2 prior owners and had a few mods, but they were shorty headers, crap mufflers, and a cold air intake. IMO, mine was worth the risk. However, 4 previous owners and the extent of mods that this one has, I'd steer clear of the modded one. __________________ '10 Camaro 2SS/RS \| Aqua Blue #831 of 3,903 \| Silver Stripes Check out my build thread

02-15-2017, 07:03 AM	#3
Neoclasiccl Drives: 2012 Camaro SS L99 Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Jacksonville Fl Posts: 232	Always take the virgin car less chance of headaches yeah you have to pay more to modify. But with 4 owners it's probably ragged out and beaten on. Just my opinion. You don't want to buy someone else's headache

02-15-2017, 07:18 AM	#5
Backspin9 Drives: The red one Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Henderson, NV Posts: 317	Four owners on a 2011 has to tell you something.

02-15-2017, 10:39 AM	#9
JLSuperfly Drives: 2014 Red Hot LS3 Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Posts: 4,266	Get the unmolested one. Less chance of STDs.

02-15-2017, 10:45 AM	#10
lawrencecar Drives: 2014 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Feb 2017 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 63	thanks for input..

02-15-2017, 10:46 AM	#11
partlowr Drives: 2011 2SS/RS Convertible Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Naperville, IL Posts: 256	Stock....that being said the 4-owner part of the equation is more scary than the modifications IMO. __________________ Richard Partlow

02-15-2017, 11:36 AM	#12
JerTM Drives: 2011 2SS/RS M6 Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 1,940	I am the 4th owner of my 11 2SS at 24k miles. Number of owners can be an indication of abuse or issues, but lets face it for the majority of the owners out there the Camaro was a fad car. It was a blast to buy and drive but it quickly wore out every time the monthly payments came due and they only drove it a few months a year. Mine had original tires on it, when I put it on the lift not a single bolt had been removed aside from the bolts where the Corsa cat-back was installed. Having said that, I would easily pass on the modified one and buy the stock one. GM did a bang up job of making the car handle any abuse the stock systems could dish out without issue, start modifying it and the abuse is much more severe.

02-15-2017, 11:37 AM	#13
Outlaw77 Drives: 2018 Charger SRT 392 F8 Green Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Oakville Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,910	Poor camaro has been passed around more than a doobie at a Led Zeppelin concert!

02-15-2017, 11:42 AM	#14
MrChrisLS3 Drives: 2018 1SS M6 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Houston Posts: 2,617	I don't know, yes there are some drawbacks to buying a modified car. However, in this case, if the mods have been on there since the first owner, the work done was good, and that would be my biggest concern about buying a modified car. As far as being beaten on, gimme a break, this just means it has been driven the way you're gonna drive it, big deal. Also add the probability, that people who mod cars are usually enthusiast, and are usually more OCD about things like maintenance than the 'average' car owner. In other words, the modified car may have had it's oil changed every 3000 miles, while that stock car may have the oil changed every 10K miles, or maybe never at all. I would say if the mods on the car are what you were going to do anyway, you're probably saving some money. If the current owner has had the car for any amount of time, and seems like a sane reasonable mature person, it's probably in good shape. So what if it's done a few burnouts, or been down the track a few times, that's what they're built to do. A 'pampered' SS Camaro is a contradiction in terms. Lol