That last part is not entirely true. There are many people, instructors and racers included, that either don't have the funds, work space, time, you-name-it to build a track car and would like a turn-key solution. You can find good deals. Having gone down the 'build your own' road a few times now, I can tell you it's always cheaper to buy speed than to build it.

240, if the car is well sorted and places well in your local STX, you may have a good market from fellow racers which would help the value bar or no. Granted racers are a... let's go with frugal bunch, but there is a market. The other end of it could be like Ace said, any 'dude-bro's' that want something to show off at the local meets. You could even get a decent trade-in value at a dealership that has a following of performance minded clients. There's a mod friendly Audi dealer nearby that has such a contingent.

What it will ultimately come down to is your market. While the roll bar may hurt the value for someone looking for a cheap, fun, daily driver, there are people out there who will not discount the price simply for a mod or two.

Also, not to throw a wrench in the works, but I assume you're talking about installing something with only 4 mounting points correct? Not sure if it's still in the books but I believe SCCA rules required more than 4 points to be bolted in not welded.

This is not true at all...I have built and bought many track / race cars...i will never build a car from scratch again...you want to talk about an epic waste of money and time...don't get me started, lol

buying a well built race / track car will get you out on the race track for pennies on the dollar versus doing it yourself and i beg anyone that wants to go racing to always buy someone elses race car ...there is no shortage of well sorted, ready to use race cars on the market and it is always a buyers market... just be patient and know what you are looking for and your car will become available for 50% or more less than the cost of building from scratch.

ps.... I have a weld in 4 point weld-in roll bar in my street/track BRZ..i don't care what it does to resell...i did it because i want to be safe on track and that trumps any money i may lose down the road if i ever decided to sell. my stock seat works just fine with the stock seat belt still when installed..my head and body are no where near it when the car is setup for street use and i can bolt in my fixed back seat, 6 point harness and use my hans when at the track.

Only worth something (as a mod) if the buyer(s) want a cage as well. Otherwise, it's a supreme waste of money from an investment perspective.

-alex

Ya, not looking at it as an investment/increase in value. But more of a de-investment.


$2k for a roll bar that makes the car worth 14k instead of 20k, thats what I'm looking at.

[quote=Uplink;2494330]That last part is not entirely true. There are many people, instructors and racers included, that either don't have the funds, work space, time, you-name-it to build a track car and would like a turn-key solution. You can find good deals. Having gone down the 'build your own' road a few times now, I can tell you it's always cheaper to buy speed than to build it.

QUOTE]


Agreed I buy and part out modded cars after I am dont with them. I ussually make money on them in the end too.


My friend just picked up an 05 SRT 4 track car for 5k. The car is fully built(Wheels/Slicks, suspension, wilwoods, gutted with race seats/harnesses, tuned, exhaust, stupid low miles, CF all over, lexan windows). He paid less for this than most stock ones sell for. It needs new tires and needed rotors. No big deal as you would have to upgrade/replace both parts if you bought a stock one.





My car has been dominating the local SCCA world in STX, overall Pax, and ussually top 5 in raw. I took home raw/pax wins 4 times in the last year.

Unless someone comes out with an acceptable 4 point bolt in, it will be a customer welded piece.

Now THAT was a find! Wish I could pick up something like that.


Nice driving! :thumbsup:
So yes, anyone looking to get into STX with a well sorted car in your area isn't going to balk at pricing because of the bar.

You should be fine, found the rule. The definitions are basically Roll Bar or Roll Cage with cage being specified as more than 4 mounting points or bracing fore and aft of the main hoop. Bars are good to go for welding, Cages need to be bolted. Not sure why that is. Posted below in case anyone is curious.

13.2
G. Roll Bars and Roll Cages

1. Roll bars may be added. Roll bars may be welded in. Standard roll-over hoops and covers may be removed if the resulting installation meets Appendix C.A, Basic Design Considerations. The total weight of components added must not be less than that of components removed.

2. Roll cages may be added. It is strongly recommended that roll cages be constructed according to the Club Racing GCR, though they must be bolted (not welded) into the automobile and be contained within the driver/passenger compartment. A roll cage has more than four attachment points to the body or frame or has bracing both fore and aft of the main hoop.

Tell me again how buying my car already modded and saving over 20k just in parts makes me a dude-bro that doesn't know what he is doing? I'd like to know your train of thought that makes you assume so much about people.
I bought mine already modded(it's a street/DD car but add roll bar and harness and it would pretty much be a track only car) not because I couldn't have modded it myself but because I had a limited budget and paying my house is a priority vs the car. Had to make a choice and I made the most logical one I could with my resources. Tell me again how that makes me not know what I'm doing or just wanting street cred.


That being said, yes most people like to build their own from salvage if they are going all out track car

From that aspect, you're probably not going to see a financial loss in vehicle value per se. The most likely scenario is this: You won't recoup the money invested in the bar and you will limit your market demographic to people who want or are willing to live with the permanent modification.

I doubt the bar will lower the car's value by a substantial amount. however, the way you drive the car and beat on it will. the roll bar will just be another flag that a potential buyer will see and ask about. someone might even like it, who knows. it definitely won't lower the car's price by 6k unless you strip the interior and sell it like that or something similar.

Just do it. If you try to sell the car, maybe it won't have as much of a negative effect as you might think. But then if it does, take it out. Taking it out would be a pain, but you'd only be taking it out if it was worth it, in which case, it would be worth it because it would be worth it.

I like grinders.

I come from the world of STis, 90% of those have been abused, and IMO a more risky desicion then a BRZ that has been ubused. Not having to worry about buying one that needs HG and # 4 replaced the week after you buy it, and that whole mess.