Dumb rich kid tries modding for the first time

[Hexi]

Hey everyone! Im so grateful to be apart of this community and ill do my best to be apart of this.

Firstly, i'm not disclosing my real name due to in real life circumstances surrounding my privacy and public image (sorry lol)

Secondly, The only thing personal I am willing to share is that I'm from Sydney and a descendant of one of Sydneys largest mortgage firms.

I got gifted my first ever car, a 2022 Porsche Cayenne and I love it to death. Ive been driving it for about 5 or 6 months now and honestly Im so grateful for my parents for gifting me this vehicle. However recently I've been working my ass off to afford my second car (which I need help deciding soooooo community help me out please?). Once decided, im planning to try modify it myself.

Recent I've been thinking about getting a Skyline, particularly a 25GT or GT-V, yes I know overrated as hell, but I'm also considering a Chaser which I recently came to love. However my dream is to one day own a 180SX (So hard to find clean versions and im not really into importing). 

Lastly before I send this off, I want to apologize if I sound tacky or pretentious. I try not to and want to genuinely learn from everyone and anyone. (Im no expert in this area)

Thanks for reading!

[Murray_Calavera]

Welcome mate. 

No point in over thinking it, buying any one of those cars you mentioned is not a smart or logical choice with the availability of many "better" (re price to performance) cars available to you. 

The heart wants what the heart wants, buy whatever it leads you too.

[Dose Pipe Sutututu]

If you are keen, have a look at my build thread.

Car is for sale for the right money or straight swap for a F80 M3 LCI.

[Duncan]

If you like more modern stuff than the R series, you should check out a V37 400R, they are pretty mod friendly

[Hexi]

Haha thanks everyone, I'll take everyone's suggestions into consideration. If I do eventually choose a car ill post it here update on the mods I do.

[MBS206]

I think modifying any car, has to be because you like it, OR, you have an end goal to do XYZ. EG, build the fastest VW Golf in the country etc.

So, if you're not setting out to do crazy things like break a specific record, or replicate some certain car, then as mentioned above, find the car that you really like, and modify it.

Why? Well, modifying any car isn't a sound logical thing to do it. You do it for the fun of it. And if you want it to be fun, you need to start with something you really like. For some, that would be something like an R34 because they saw one in The Fast and The Furious franchise, for others it'll be something entirely different for some other reason. For me personally, why am I here, nearly 20 years later? I loved cars, all cars, and I wanted a car that drove a certain way, I was about to drop the coin on modifying a VR Commodore (Because I grew up in a family that taught me Commodores were the only cars worth owning). And just before I did that, a friend handed me the keys to an R33 GTST he'd just bought that was pretty much bone stock, it drove EXACTLY how I wanted a car to. Nice handling, the right amount of straight line zoom zooms, and hell, I loved the way it looked. I looked at the R32, it wasn't for me, I looked at the R34, it wasn't quite for me either, mainly because they were too expensive  Price is also why I never bought a GTR back in the day. But I loved the curves of the R33 GTST, interior suited me over the R32, and wambam, thank you ma'am! I bought one. And in the essence of "return on investment" and "Sound financial planning", I've been making the dumbest mistakes ever since.

Also, I know of a specific mortgage broker on these forums who has a very well modified R33 GTST making great power for the street and track... Then you could modify it with adding a Samsonas gearbox, Bosch motorsport ABS system, and go have some sick fun!

Oh, and then you'll be able to help him get me my next mortgage, because that, like modifying a car, is probably a stupid financial decision for me at this moment the property I want...

[Hexi]

54 minutes ago, MBS206 said:

I think modifying any car, has to be because you like it, OR, you have an end goal to do XYZ. EG, build the fastest VW Golf in the country etc.

So, if you're not setting out to do crazy things like break a specific record, or replicate some certain car, then as mentioned above, find the car that you really like, and modify it.

Why? Well, modifying any car isn't a sound logical thing to do it. You do it for the fun of it. And if you want it to be fun, you need to start with something you really like. For some, that would be something like an R34 because they saw one in The Fast and The Furious franchise, for others it'll be something entirely different for some other reason. For me personally, why am I here, nearly 20 years later? I loved cars, all cars, and I wanted a car that drove a certain way, I was about to drop the coin on modifying a VR Commodore (Because I grew up in a family that taught me Commodores were the only cars worth owning). And just before I did that, a friend handed me the keys to an R33 GTST he'd just bought that was pretty much bone stock, it drove EXACTLY how I wanted a car to. Nice handling, the right amount of straight line zoom zooms, and hell, I loved the way it looked. I looked at the R32, it wasn't for me, I looked at the R34, it wasn't quite for me either, mainly because they were too expensive  Price is also why I never bought a GTR back in the day. But I loved the curves of the R33 GTST, interior suited me over the R32, and wambam, thank you ma'am! I bought one. And in the essence of "return on investment" and "Sound financial planning", I've been making the dumbest mistakes ever since.

Also, I know of a specific mortgage broker on these forums who has a very well modified R33 GTST making great power for the street and track... Then you could modify it with adding a Samsonas gearbox, Bosch motorsport ABS system, and go have some sick fun!

Oh, and then you'll be able to help him get me my next mortgage, because that, like modifying a car, is probably a stupid financial decision for me at this moment the property I want...

Ohhh I see lol

To be honest the main reason why I wanted to start modding is because of a business trip to Japan and Indonesia. I saw many cool and modded cars all throughout in these countries, especially Japan. I myself am of Chinese+Japanese nationality and when living in china (never lived in Japan js my dad side lol) I remember staring at these cars pass by with their loud tacky exhausts and insane wide body kits. And when I went back to Japan, I got even more invested even asking people about their cars and why they modded. Most gave similar answers to what you said but funny enough one guy just said that he saw the need for speed movie being filmed once in Tokyo I think near Shibuya Crossing and got inspired to tune and mod. After that I just started to fantasize on owning a car like that.

Also tbh I prefer the R32 over the R34 it's just the R34 is more iconic lol (also apparently better aftermarket support than the R32) and my only goal really is just to make the car mine and make it fun to drive. As much as I love my Cayenne it's pretty bland to drive. Sure the interior is nice and pretty, gives you attention yada yada but I've wanted to experience what it is like to have a car that is truly yours. I suppose thats the goal so far.

Haha if you find where I'm from, then sure. Ill help you out on your next "financial decision"

[niZmO_Man]

New [400]Z, they're available in manual and you don't have to worry about parts scarcity. 

[joshuaho96]

16 hours ago, Hexi said:

Ohhh I see lol

To be honest the main reason why I wanted to start modding is because of a business trip to Japan and Indonesia. I saw many cool and modded cars all throughout in these countries, especially Japan. I myself am of Chinese+Japanese nationality and when living in china (never lived in Japan js my dad side lol) I remember staring at these cars pass by with their loud tacky exhausts and insane wide body kits. And when I went back to Japan, I got even more invested even asking people about their cars and why they modded. Most gave similar answers to what you said but funny enough one guy just said that he saw the need for speed movie being filmed once in Tokyo I think near Shibuya Crossing and got inspired to tune and mod. After that I just started to fantasize on owning a car like that.

Also tbh I prefer the R32 over the R34 it's just the R34 is more iconic lol (also apparently better aftermarket support than the R32) and my only goal really is just to make the car mine and make it fun to drive. As much as I love my Cayenne it's pretty bland to drive. Sure the interior is nice and pretty, gives you attention yada yada but I've wanted to experience what it is like to have a car that is truly yours. I suppose thats the goal so far.

Haha if you find where I'm from, then sure. Ill help you out on your next "financial decision"

My recommendation is start with maintenance. Find a ~15 year old car that is cheap for a reason and fix it up. For example, in my area F30 328i with N20/N26 are dirt cheap because everyone knows that the timing chain loves to stretch and take out the cylinder head around 80k miles. Buy one, do all the maintenance on it, if you're still motivated after that an N20/N26 can be easily modified for more power.

[Kinkstaah]

1 hour ago, joshuaho96 said:

My recommendation is start with maintenance. Find a ~15 year old car that is cheap for a reason and fix it up. For example, in my area F30 328i with N20/N26 are dirt cheap because everyone knows that the timing chain loves to stretch and take out the cylinder head around 80k miles. Buy one, do all the maintenance on it, if you're still motivated after that an N20/N26 can be easily modified for more power.

This is actually great advice.

Lets be honest. Most of car modification is fixing up broken things. If you can find joy in fixing up something that is cheap for a reason (anything) then you will enjoy car mods. If you don't enjoy and get satisifaction fixing up things that are broken (even minor, trivial things like brackets, and plugs, and wiring, and seals, etc), then this is not the hobby for you.

[MBS206]

1 hour ago, joshuaho96 said:

My recommendation is start with maintenance. Find a ~15 year old car that is cheap for a reason and fix it up. For example, in my area F30 328i with N20/N26 are dirt cheap because everyone knows that the timing chain loves to stretch and take out the cylinder head around 80k miles. Buy one, do all the maintenance on it, if you're still motivated after that an N20/N26 can be easily modified for more power.

While doing the timing chain, fix the indicators too...

[MBS206]

17 minutes ago, Kinkstaah said:

This is actually great advice.

Lets be honest. Most of car modification is fixing up broken things. If you can find joy in fixing up something that is cheap for a reason (anything) then you will enjoy car mods. If you don't enjoy and get satisifaction fixing up things that are broken (even minor, trivial things like brackets, and plugs, and wiring, and seals, etc), then this is not the hobby for you.

Woah woah woah, don't forget the crowd that hate doing this shit, but love modified cars AND paying others to modify them.

At which point, go buy Dose's R33

[GTSBoy]

26 minutes ago, MBS206 said:

AND paying others to modify them.

At which point, go buy Dose's R33

But lowball him so you're not paying him too much for the work done!

[Kinkstaah]

31 minutes ago, MBS206 said:

Woah woah woah, don't forget the crowd that hate doing this shit, but love modified cars AND paying others to modify them.

At which point, go buy Dose's R33

Yeah see, I didn't want to gatekeep but there's a difference in enjoying fixing seals and making things 'right' versus throwing money at a 1000HP R33. Most don't have the option, maybe the OP does. But this well into built, not bought category and I don't think I'm alone in saying people who do this get a bit of an asterisk as to their "Car guy" status.

Yes it's a slippery slope - Someone may say "Well if you don't do 100% of the labor rebuilding your own engine, are you really a car guy?" but I think it'd be a lie to say we don't all feel that way to a degree when it comes to 'built not bought'.

[MBS206]

56 minutes ago, GTSBoy said:

But lowball him so you're not paying him too much for the work done!

Low ball him cause it doesn't have a Samsonas in it...

[MBS206]

53 minutes ago, Kinkstaah said:

Yeah see, I didn't want to gatekeep but there's a difference in enjoying fixing seals and making things 'right' versus throwing money at a 1000HP R33. Most don't have the option, maybe the OP does. But this well into built, not bought category and I don't think I'm alone in saying people who do this get a bit of an asterisk as to their "Car guy" status.

Yes it's a slippery slope - Someone may say "Well if you don't do 100% of the labor rebuilding your own engine, are you really a car guy?" but I think it'd be a lie to say we don't all feel that way to a degree when it comes to 'built not bought'.

Some people love to enjoy the car, and that's the love. Others prefer being covered in dirt, oil, grease, sweat, and cuts and scratches instead of getting to drive the car. 😛

[Hexi]

2 hours ago, Kinkstaah said:

This is actually great advice.

Lets be honest. Most of car modification is fixing up broken things. If you can find joy in fixing up something that is cheap for a reason (anything) then you will enjoy car mods. If you don't enjoy and get satisifaction fixing up things that are broken (even minor, trivial things like brackets, and plugs, and wiring, and seals, etc), then this is not the hobby for you.

Yeah I get the appeal of trying to fix up a broken car and seeing it run once again. Honestly might follow that advice since I know someone who has a broken down m328i and isn't bothered to fix it lol. Its probably a good idea to get a slighter newer car such as like a 400r since my parents are worried ill crash and die lmao (I probably won't but hey I understand why)

[joshuaho96]

1 minute ago, Hexi said:

Yeah I get the appeal of trying to fix up a broken car and seeing it run once again. Honestly might follow that advice since I know someone who has a broken down m328i and isn't bothered to fix it lol. Its probably a good idea to get a slighter newer car such as like a 400r since my parents are worried ill crash and die lmao (I probably won't but hey I understand why)

The other reason why I say this is because if you lose the motivation to mess with this stuff, at least if you can get the car back together and fixed up better than it came to you usually you can sell it for more than you paid. Skylines in that regard it's pretty rare for anyone to actually come out ahead.

[Hexi]

2 minutes ago, joshuaho96 said:

The other reason why I say this is because if you lose the motivation to mess with this stuff, at least if you can get the car back together and fixed up better than it came to you usually you can sell it for more than you paid. Skylines in that regard it's pretty rare for anyone to actually come out ahead.

Ooohhh I see. I guess that makes sense also. Hey also just a like opinion based question, I've been recently considering getting a SL500 R230 bc my younger sister wants me to drive one (she rlly wants me to flex on her high schooler friends lmfao). However to be honest ive been kind of against the idea is the SL500 for one reason - not very fuel efficient. I understand I probably have the funds to be able to drive this car daily but it kind of pains me that id still have to spend more money on gas compared to like a 25GT or smth. Idk if I should get an SL500 or whether to js go all in on the JDM lifestyle. If I do buy an SL500 I'll probably modify it to a minor degree. (idk slap a turbo/supercharger and a ecu revamp).

[The Bogan]

I love the early SL500's, they look sleek

Give it a good service, throw on a exhaust, and roll like a boss

I'd get a nice old SL500 before a 25GT