While I realize that you wrote this post a bit tongue-in-cheek, if someone takes your post literally, then they could be heading for trouble.

It is equally naive to believe that mods will automatically boost resale value.

Fact is, while the 4R community is a bit different, on most cars, mods will actually reduce the resale value because your mod might not be everyone's taste and there is no guarantee that it was installed properly.

Of course. What saddens me is those people that jump into modding their cars with both feet and then are caught off-guard when they're facing a big repair bill.

While most here are smart enough to consider the possible pitfalls, we've all seen the first time poster that has owned their car for days and have this long list of mods that they've already started - and many of them just seem ridiculous.

Coming from driving a Nissan Frontier for the last 13 years which had major factory defects (Cross Contamination & Timing Chain Tensioner Failuer) not covered by warranties and having to pay out of pocket...

My mods on the 4Runner started day one.

Very good point and there certainly are companies out there that do a better job than others is meeting the requirements.

While I see what ARB is saying (I hadn't looked at that earlier - thanks for the link) I find it difficult to believe that they crash tested their bumpers but we have to take them at their word.

Crash testing costs hundreds of thousands of dollars and major vehicle manufacturers don't import some versions of their cars because the crash testing costs exceed the possible profits from sales.

EDIT: By reviewing their site it doesn't appear that they actually crash test anything (they can/should correct me if I'm wrong) but that they "analyze" the data carefully.

These are some of the pitfalls of adding some of these mods as they clearly change the performance characteristics of the car and may actually may make the car fail inspection - if that part would be tested.

Does that mean "don't add bumpers"? Of course not. What it means is "do your research and realize that some mods may make your vehicle less safe"

Some manufacturers believe that they ca get around the regs by saying that a certain mod is for "off-road-use-only", but the fact is, the regs do not recognize that term - if a part can fit on a street legal vehicle then it must meet all of requirements.

A Frontier and a VW - a glutton for punishment

the original post was way more complicated than it needs to be

it's pretty simple: you can use aftermarket parts but modifications that are different from the original equipment aren't covered under your warranty. if your modification causes damage to another part, that part is also not covered under warranty from the damage.

OP and all: thanks for all of this information.
Some of the advice was to regularly bring in your vehicle for maintenance and get to personally know the Toyota service department.
Herein lies the problem. After I bought my new ‘18 4R I took it in every 5K miles for regular service. And every single time they messed something up.
The service manager eventually corrected each problem but it took an extra trip for me to complain and get resolution. He apologized but said to realize that for regular maintenance items they put the less experienced techs on the job. It only makes business sense, that’s the way they have to do it. Train the new guy, get familiar with the vehicles, give them simpler tasks to start. Unfortunately your $40K vehicle is their training platform. And if it’s true that the service techs pay is heavily weighted on commission, then speed is to their benefit not yours.

So now after 25K miles, and after my two free oil changes, I’m doing my own oil/lube service and using my trusty old independent mechanic for the hard stuff.

That is a good point and presents an issue for many owners (myself included) - the lack of care by some dealerships.

You have, inadvertently created a pretty decent relationship with the dealership because they screwed up, realized it and you didn't go all nuclear on them.

What I did, after my run-in with the dealership, is to tell the service manager exactly why I wouldn't be servicing my car regularly with them. When I need a part, I make a point of having the service manager see me.He usually comes out and talks with me.

When I had a warranty issue (battery), they fell all over themselves to get it fixed right away even though the battery was slightly (by about 1k miles) out of warranty. Tat got them $10 worth of sodas (Safeway had a sale of 5 cases for $10).

If I'm buying used I RUN from modded vehicles. Mods (or evidence that they were once there) are an absolute deal breaker. A modded vehicle is also likely to have been exposed to situations far more extreme than the usual mall crawler, take my 5th gen. I wouldn't dare sell it to a private party, when it's done being beat to shit it's going to a dealer auction in the sky, or to a junkyard--depending on what shape it's in by then.

Finally, unless it's exquisitely documented, I don't know if an OCD 4x4 shop with a penchant for perfection, some underpaid dealer tech on his first day on the job, or Cousin Cletus with two gallons of Natty Light in his gut did your install.

I'm not sure where that old wive's tale came from that modded cars bring more money.

Fact is, the real value will be the value minus whatever it costs to return to stock.

There are a few exceptions - legal tint (in a high sun state) and the like - they won't increase the value but they might just help the car sell a bit faster.

Guys trying to justify to their wives why they dropped 15k on mods to make their new truck worth LESS than stock.

Yep

No guarantees a stock vehicle wasn't trashed. I see it as more invested and clean installs most likely means the owner took pride in it. We aren't talking dirt bikes


Again if mods are done right and favorable to your market they will hands down bring more value than a stock vehicle.

I agree completely but ridiculous anything isn't fetching a premium

Serious mods you can tell quality and abuse. I'll pay stock prices for anyone who has stock condition equivalent with 15k in extras

Want a jacket and shoes with that tie?

Fact is, the real value will be the value minus whatever it costs to return to stock

Or

Stock value + discount on crap you have on the list

Not being a dick it may just be I'm in a city where jku Rubicons on 35s with 5k in suspension have not seen a lick of mud and will sit on a used lot for way more than stock

Everything I've done is to make life better for camping and the wheeling I do - there is value there that may not show up in the form of cash