Selling truck, leave modified or return to stock?

[Gommer]

Got a question, hopefully for folks who have been in the same or similar situation.

I have a 2020 Ram 1500 -- and like many I've made some aftermarket bolt-on changes. One of those changes includes long-tube headers and true dual exhaust with Stainlessworks redline mufflers (which is to say basically straight piped over 3k RPM).

Technically -- the truck is not street legal. There are a lot of other bolt ons, typical stuff, ram air cold air intake, MOE's 87mm ported throttle body, bilstein lift with zone off-road upper control arms, 35's, 18" bullet hole rims, diablo tuner and hemifever tune, probably some other stuff I've forgot about.

So, the question is -- sell it as it sits, and how much value (if any) does he mods add or take - or restore it to factory (I have all the OEM parts, so that's no issue aside from the day or two it'd take to do the work, schedules permitting, plus I have a heated shop so that's not an issue either)?

Ideally, I'd prefer not have to deal with selling it personally -- I'm a-ok with give me the vin or carmax type deals -- but my guess is they won't deal with the car. In that regard, I tend to think just putting it back to stock and selling the aftermarket parts is likely the route with less hassle. Again, any insight is appreciated.

 

[Docwagon1776]

If you want maximum value, return to stock and sell aftermarket parts separate. Generally speaking, unless you have the buyer who would do the exact same thing to a vehicle modifications tend to be a negative value proposal. Some things are more universal than others. A spray in bedliner on a work oriented truck has a lot bigger pool of potential customers that place some value on it then a loud exhaust.

 

[mikeru]

^^Agreed. Doc took the words right outta my mouth.

 

[dhay13]

Agreed. But here is a story....back around 1990 my buddy had a 1983-ish Bronco with tires, wheels, etc. He went to trade it in and the dealer low-balled him. He mentioned all of the upgrades and the dealer said it doesn't matter. So he went home and took all that stuff off and returned it to stock and went back to the dealer and they wanted to drop their offer by about $2000 then....lol

But if it isn't legal that may be an issue. Might want to put it back to legal cause that will make it harder for the dealer to sell, if they can even sell it at all not being legal

 

[NJMOPAR]

I used the mods to my 2010 as an asset when I traded it for a 2013 Charger R/T Max. Left the Vararam, Bedrug, exhaust, tune, etc and got $15k for it last July.
They offered 10 if it was put back to stock.

 

[randyr6]

Return to stock-your dealer is going to.--TRUCK FOR SALE at Dealer, SOMEONE BUYS IT, GETS IN AN ACCIDENT AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER TELLS THEM IT WAS NOT STREET LEGAL SO IT NOT COVERED. Try taking take scenario back to the dealer, ensure you bring your lawyer because it was an as is used truck sale! Besides that, you are obligated to advise someone who purchases your vehicle it its not street legal just as they are to you.

 

[Southern Ram]

Return to stock, you are probably going to get a little more for it.

 

[PTL294]

Return to stock (sell me the Zone uca’s..haha) but I know my buddy with an f-150 got more from Carmax(or one of those online ones, might have been carvana or something). It was a $2500 difference from the as is trade to the dealer with the mods, then sold the mods. Dealer was only going to take it as a trade if they had a buyer lined up so it wouldn’t sit on the lot. The only thing he didn’t put back to stock was the intake because he didn’t have the stock one. Even had to take the tint off. But it doesn’t hurt to get a quote, or put the feelers out first. But if it’s not street legal you are kind of in a bind. Lemon law and all if it won’t pass inspection.

 

[Dinky]

Return to stock-your dealer is going to.--TRUCK FOR SALE at Dealer, SOMEONE BUYS IT, GETS IN AN ACCIDENT AND INSURANCE ADJUSTER TELLS THEM IT WAS NOT STREET LEGAL SO IT NOT COVERED. Try taking take scenario back to the dealer, ensure you bring your lawyer because it was an as is used truck sale! Besides that, you are obligated to advise someone who purchases your vehicle it its not street legal just as they are to you.

That only works if sold at place that sell new cars and some used. If sold at a used car only lot it's sold as is. At least that's how oregon works.

 

[Dinky]

I would take off as much as you can. They won't give you more for it. When I went to trade in my 2014 they didn't give me exactly what I wanted for trade in. So in the dealers back lot I took out aftermarket headlights, cold air intake, custom foglights and few others to make up the difference more.

 

[Gommer]

Appreciate all the feedback, folks. Guess I'll have a weekend project either starting tomorrow or maybe next weekend.

 

[PTL294]

Appreciate all the feedback, folks. Guess I'll have a weekend project either starting tomorrow or maybe next weekend.

Just remember you already have a buyer lined up for at least the UCA’s. Haha.
When I traded in my truck I took off the tonneau, wheels and they made me remove the tint. I sold the tonneau for $600. They weren’t going to give me anything for it.

 

[retroboomin]

I got more for my Jeep jku back in July. Carmax upped their offer due to me having catskinz, wheels/tires, bumpers, etc..

 

[TommyTwoRams]

I would have to agree with Dinky, take off as much as you can. It opens you buying market to a broader spectrum of potential buyers. Not everyone wants a tweaked truck and if it’s stock it leaves a black slate for the next owner to make it their own. Aftermarket parts sell easy too. I’m always looking for stuff for my truck. Good luck on selling it, it’s definitely a sellers market right now. At least in Maine anyway. My 17 is worth more now than when I got it in 2019

 

[turkeybird56]

Return to stock.

 

[zogg]

My son sells Chrysler vehicles. He said that a trade in is worth the value of the vehicle by itself. Any add ins do not increase the trade in value and are rarely considered. Some exceptions might be a tonneau cover or step bars. But even then $600 worth of parts might gain $100 on trade.

We I bought my 2019 Ram Classic I walked away from any truck that had a lot of mods including even a cold air intake….it says that the owner probably ran the heck out of it.

I agree with others…return to stock and sell the parts separately.

In addition, if your truck is not legal then it is not under warranty…..another turn off for buyers. The first thing I bought for my Ram was an extended warranty because I didn’t know how it had been used/driven. I hate for a dealership to tell me that my $2000 warranty was not valid.

Good luck!!!

 

[mikeru]

My son sells Chrysler vehicles. He said that a trade in is worth the value of the vehicle by itself. Any add ins do not increase the trade in value and are rarely considered. Some exceptions might be a tonneau cover or step bars. But even then $600 worth of parts might gain $100 on trade.

We I bought my 2019 Ram Classic I walked away from any truck that had a lot of mods including even a cold air intake….it says that the owner probably ran the heck out of it.

I agree with others…return to stock and sell the parts separately.

In addition, if your truck is not legal then it is not under warranty…..another turn off for buyers. The first thing I bought for my Ram was an extended warranty because I didn’t know how it had been used/driven. I hate for a dealership to tell me that my $2000 warranty was not valid.

Good luck!!!

Absolutely true. Trade-in values generally aren't helped by having aftermarket parts. I believe the OP was talking about a private party sale, not trading it in though.

 

[Dean2]

As if it was needed, on more for selling it stock.

 

[NJMOPAR]

New car dealers won't pay extra for mods. However, used car lots love eye candy on the front row. As I said, they gave me an extra 5 grand for leaving the mods intact.
There were two stock Rams on their lot when I traded. Within 2 hours my truck was on their website, and sold in 3 days.
Four months later the two other Rams were still sitting.

 

[Jrico98x]

I would take off as much as I could aswell. I went and took my 2021 bighorn base model, with $1700 worth of leds (headlamps, fog lights, taillights) dude said it doesn’t matter, the customer won’t like the leds. Who the hell don’t like leds on their vehicles. I would go around and ask every single place for an appraisal some places gave me 30k and some would give me 38k for my truck. (V6 etorque 4x2,bighorn 2021… yes I know I effed up getting a v6)