Interesting questions, especially for swapped personnel Options

[snapshotgt]

Just throwing this out there for people to think about.

It is an interesting question . . . especially for swapped personnel!

Why do you modify you car to such extents? Many people might not realize, but people who swap their Celicas often end up spending good amount of money on their ride.

Usually, from what I see people who swap have also made large changes to the exterior (i.e. st205 conversions etc) -- thus spending even more money.

Why would you do this if you knew you'd be spending the amount of money equal to a mid to late 90's BMW M3 etc? Or even a mid to late 90's Porsche Boxster .. both V6's and RWD, fully loaded leather etc... Are you conscious of the amount you'll end up spend?

Now, you not only buy into the performance of these cars, but you buy into the name --> you no longer are in the class of the Civics and Integras, you're in the class of luxury named cars.

Just a few examples:

'95 BMW M3 -> 8k

'98 LOW MILES PORSCHE BOXSTER -> 15k

Now, I know there are people out there who have spent 25k+, but I personally think that is a little too much for a mid 90's import.

This is just for some interesting conversation; post up if you have an opinion on this subject.

EDIT: To be clear, I am not trying to criticize anyone in anyway. I am in fact one of these people -- and I have my own answers, but was wondering what the general consensus was.

This post has been edited by snapshotgt: Apr 10, 2007 - 4:06 PM

[Kwanza26]

It's about sentimental value... not just plain ole value.

[j0e_p3t]

its their money, their car, their values... they can do whatever they want with them.

[x_itchy_b_x]

mostly because i fell in love with the style of the 6th gen.
rare car. and i hate Jermon enjonearing.

[snapshotgt]

It's about sentimental value... not just plain ole value.

Very true - but at some point, people need to be rational about it. Would you not agree?

its their money, their car, their values... they can do whatever they want with them.

This is also true. I was in no way criticizing. I am in fact one of these people...and I have my own answers, but was wondering what the general consensus was.

[Toyoca]

id rather get a different car (like the m3) then spend a ridiculous amount of money on making my car fast

[tomazws]

Love is irrational.

[BloodyStupidDave...]

For me, it is mainly about a sense of achievement. It is the same sense one gets completing a DIY house job, particularly something custom or unique. It is also about learning something new, a new skill or trade. The way I look at the money side of things is that it is a way of budgeting and it is a hobby.

Regarding other cars, I particularly like the look of the front of the Celica. The three things that would most likely persuade me to change cars is something with a convertible tin-top such as the SLK (i'd very much like an SLK), something with a similar overall shape to the Celica (such as the Vanquish) or something else with similar lights. Right now, there isn't anything I want that I can afford. I'd never get a 7th gen. Celica. So I am happy to play with my 6th gen.

This post has been edited by BloodyStupidDavey: Apr 10, 2007 - 4:45 PM

[shin]

it's not bout the money. it's but how much passion and love ya have towards the celi. it's like a baby. it's always beautiful, although it may throw some tantrums every now and then, but ya know it'll be good if ya treat it good. and it'll only get better if ya give in alil patience and time.

[99GT]

How you feel when your done with it. Pride and Joy. Your own creation.

Insurance is cheaper in some cases, parts are not as expensive.

[jcaron9gt4]

For me, it is mainly about a sense of achievement. It is the same sense one gets completing a DIY house job, particularly something custom or unique. It is also about learning something new, a new skill or trade. The way I look at the money side of things is that it is a way of budgeting and it is a hobby.

perfectly put

[Defgeph]

I find more enjoyment driving something I built with friends, then something I bought myself.
My next car is most likely going to be a k20 swapped eg hatch. Rather than a something I could just buy.(unless I need to own a pick up truck for some strange reason)


If you dont want to learn about swaps and working on cars, buy a fast car. If you do want to learn, build one.
When a WRX pulls up somewhere they say "nice scooby". If any of us GTFour look alikes pull up somewhere, they ask "hey what kinda car is that?"

Different cars will work for different people. Its what makes you happy that counts.

[macavely]

I was on of THOSE people with my first car.. I spent Almost equal to what the cars cost on mods .. 28K ... (car was a gift ) .. But I was addicted to it, I was younger had the money to spend and wanted to driver in a car that made me feel like I could do what ever i wanted when ever i wanted , That gave me that feeling .. I have since grown up have bills and Think about other things in my almost 26 years of life.. But if i had the extra cash to do so i would do it again with both my cars.. and the reason this time would be simply to put a smile on my face every time i walk towards my car(s) and while driving in them . Life is short and if something as simple as a car can put a smile on someone ones face at least once a day, why not ?

maybe my post doesn't express the reason why I did the mods Tunning i did in my younger days .. but it just made me happy .. and first car was 1998 Audi A4 ...

[uberschall]

any tom, dick or harry with enough money can BUY any car he wants.

when you MAKE something (even if it's not necessarily from the ground up), it's almost priceless. people tend to have a hard time selling swapped, customized cars because market value is always less than what they have personally invested in them.

i would much rather have a unique (within reason) car that costs as much as one that isn't.

i owned a mercedes, i owned a muscle car (69 javelin amx), they just didn't suit me well.

edit: just occurred to me too---i just don't like having the same thing as anyone else. it's like wearing the same outfit to a party. if i could afford an m3, i'd customize that, too....just because i'd never want to pull up to an identical one at a stoplight.

This post has been edited by uberschall: Apr 10, 2007 - 7:22 PM

[trdproven]

When people get into cars, they won't think rational but only what they want to do with their car. I'm sure they think about the money spent on a newer car, but then what? Its not only sentimental but its a pride feeling that yours is one of a kind. In order to balance this idea, another stock car is bought as a daily driver sometimes. I really think that setting up a celica is truly a love for it. If I had a common car like a civic or an integra- who cares after a few months.

ONE BIG THING THAT KEEPS ME GOING IS THAT THE COMPLIMENTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE OR CAR ENTHUSIASTS KEEP CONTINUING..MAKING ME FEEL THAT MY CAR IS MORE SPECIAL THAN OTHER CARS THAT ARE EVEN FASTER, NEWER, POPULAR, OR EVEN BETTER. GETTING NOTICED OUT OF EVERYONE ELSE MAKES ME FEEL DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS, AND THAT IS THANKS TO MY CELI.

If I had an ST205 however, would be worse, cus I probably would be bragging and not be humble anymore. Cus I'd be the baddest muth** just joking. But I believe if I had the ST205, people would start bow down especially those EVOs and STIs. Honestly, since Honda and Acura started becoming the popular brand, I always dreamed about going to the track and be a Honda Killer. No hate against them just competitive to the mainstream. I love being the underdog.

[yarik83]

Firstly I believe that there should be a rule. Any person who publically announces on these forums that he or she would rather buy something else needs to be permanently banned. It is like coming to a tatoo shop with not a single tatoo and saying.. you know what screw you my skin is clean and i am going to a competitor to get my hair done. Either conform to celica club expectations or sell your celica to someone who cares about it the way we do.. (Mind that this comment is not addressed to original poster but for all those who randomly post in various threads about how celicas are not worth diddly.)

Secondly let me explain the way the cookie crumbles.

It is my car.. it is my car.. it is my car.. no no you dont understand it is my car. I dont want a new one with fancy shmancy 2007 technology gadgets.. it is my car that I feel safe in.. it is my car that makes me a happy camper when i look at it.. it is my car because when i slide tips of my finges across its voluptious curves i feel connected with car on a level that can not be described in words. It is my car and I would not trade if for another.. Yes I would like to own a supra one day.. yes i do want a lamborhini some day but HELLLLLLL NO I am not going to replace my celica with another car and 5 celicas proves it.

Thirdly. Take $50,000 and spend it.. surely you can buy a german engineered vehicle that drives faster than a comanche helicopter and has heated floormats as well as heated steering wheeel and being able to park itself. Every time you climb out of that car you do not get the respect no appreciation from others. YEs you do climb out of what ta ma call it.. german engineering in da house ya,, but every time you do people look at you and say,, there goes another guy with a stinking mercedes/any other 25-50k vehicle. On the other hand you can buy a celica and modify it with so much stuff that everywhere you go you will need a freaking secretary to answer all the "ZOMG you car rocks comments" With my old celi i could not step a single foot without being bombarded by jealous Rutgers uiversity students. heck my dragon decal made such a big impression that I was asked on several ocasions to decal their car as well as started a trend of exterior modification in my area.

No my old celi is not something to brag about.. there are far nicer cars on this site.. but it was my car.. my celica that made me a better man. my celica that made me get up every morning and spy on the car at random intervals just because it makes me happy looking at it.

Over and Out.

[djestylez401]

When people get into cars, they won't think rational but only what they want to do with their car. I'm sure they think about the money spent on a newer car, but then what? Its not only sentimental but its a pride feeling that yours is one of a kind. In order to balance this idea, another stock car is bought as a daily driver sometimes. I really think that setting up a celica is truly a love for it. If I had a common car like a civic or an integra- who cares after a few months.

ONE BIG THING THAT KEEPS ME GOING IS THAT THE COMPLIMENTS FROM OTHER PEOPLE OR CAR ENTHUSIASTS KEEP CONTINUING..MAKING ME FEEL THAT MY CAR IS MORE SPECIAL THAN OTHER CARS THAT ARE EVEN FASTER, NEWER, POPULAR, OR EVEN BETTER. GETTING NOTICED OUT OF EVERYONE ELSE MAKES ME FEEL DIFFERENT THAN OTHERS, AND THAT IS THANKS TO MY CELI.

If I had an ST205 however, would be worse, cus I probably would be bragging and not be humble anymore. Cus I'd be the baddest muth** just joking. But I believe if I had the ST205, people would start bow down especially those EVOs and STIs. Honestly, since Honda and Acura started becoming the popular brand, I always dreamed about going to the track and be a Honda Killer. No hate against them just competitive to the mainstream. I love being the underdog.

i feel you man. its almost like what i wanted to say. But its like for example when i bring my car to the RI local racing scene people look at me zooming by and thier like "wait what kinda car was that." The looks one thier faces are PRICELESS!!Yeah u see and integras and civics, but come on a celica!

WE ARE ONE OF A KIND AND PERSONALLY I RATHER HAVE MY CELI THAN JUST ANOTHER OLD CIVIC OR INTEGRA...dont get me wrong i do like integra because I own one (wanna race? lol) but i lik my celi better

This post has been edited by djestylez401: Apr 10, 2007 - 9:52 PM

[Toyoca]

i think if i was actually knowledgeable on car engines and what not would i would put money into it but since im not...like i said..id rather get the m3 which is faster and do some visual mods

[96bluevert]

[quote name='djestylez401' date='Apr 11, 2007 - 2:48 AM' post='545424']
[quote name='trdproven' post='545404' date='Apr 10, 2007 - 8:24 PM']


WE ARE ONE OF A KIND
[/quote]

Very True, it's about being unique and putting your own personality into your car.

[brianforster]

you guys forgot the most important part, the money is spent over time... you all are smoking rocks if you say that if you had the 20k or whatever you have put into your cars up front that you would have still gone with a 6th gen

[BBoYRuGGeD]

When a WRX pulls up somewhere they say "nice scooby". If any of us GTFour look alikes pull up somewhere, they ask "hey what kinda car is that?"

^ absolutely, except in my case its not a gt4 lookalike . then afterwards they say in amazement "nice car!" always makes me smile whenever it happens to me.

for me, i absolutely love the car (stylish and curvy exterior, beautiful and comfortable interior, and the 3sgte is FUN ) and the fact that i dont have to pay out the butthole by the crackload for insurance

bboy

[tin_foil]

It's all about being unique. There's so many corvettes, porshes, bmws, and mustangs on the street I don't even take a second glance when I see one. Sure they're fast, but so many people have them and drive them like any other sedan, they're just boring. But when I see ANY customized car, (i.e. a full body kit and maybe an engine swap) even if its a civic, I at least notice it and appraise it's quality and owner. So I want a car that people will notice. Like a number of other people on the this site have said, sure if I had the money I'd customize something a little easier to make fast, like an S2K, RX7, 300zx...or supra. =] Because I like how all those cars look and perform. But for right now, the Celica is the best looking car (by far) in my price range. =] I would really, really, really like an RWD car though....I'm seriously thinking about getting a 240sx and making it a drifter...

[goferris]

my personal opinion, i could haave bought a car that was allready modded and done up, faster, and more well known for less money than i bought mine for. i love the 6GC! end of story. i don't want to be another civic or integra or eclipse. i wanted to be driving something that stands out. now don't get me wrong, i am not the type to do all sorts of mods like the 2jz rwd mods or anything like that. that is just too much money for a mod. you would be better off getting a supra. but on the other hand i have seen more custom supras than i have our car so i would still stand out. i am willing to spend more money on something i truly love and to not be another run of the mill car drivers.
i will not be a sell out!!!

[DSToyo]

i bought my celica because it wasn't a lot of money, and especially because i wanted a car that i could learn on, ex. i wanted to learn some body work and try to do as much of the mechanical work as possible, i had never moded a car before, and i am very interested in it. like many others on here, i also bought my celica because i like haveing a car that not many people know about or have. but i would like to eventually get an s2000, and sup that up , but right now the celica is all i can afford and i like it...im learning a lot and i still have a lot to learn.

[stephen_lee]

Why do I spend the money on modding a celica? when i could just buy a stock fast car? bc the adrenaline rush i get from flooring my car is exponentially enhanced by the fact that i MADE IT LIKE THAT. to bring it into prospective, when you see a young child playing in the park, you might think "cute kid..." and go on. but if that was a child that was the offspring of you and the love of your life, you would NOT be able to just glance, and continue on. you would watch and admire what a beautiful thing you created. all the love you put into him/her.. its basically the same thing. Or if you go buy a mainstream phone(like the razor) and ppl will be like "cool..." but if you go buy something exotic and unpopular people would be like "wow! whats that?!"... your car is just that... YOUR CAR. you make it exactly how you want it, become attached, and just cant get away from it, even if it will cause some problems. I personally think the 6gc is the most beautiful car i've seen, minus the supra.

we spend money on it bc we have attachments to it. it has memories. it has sentimental value far above money.