Moddin' Snobery or More show than go???

[litchy]

Bit of strange one I know, but this is in response to a previous thread. Q. would you put a mod on your car if was more "show than go" ? For example general fake carbon fibre...or plastic brembo brake calipers covers.....or build a lookie likie by using the base model and then fitting it with the parts of the performance one (including badges)....

Does it matter or would moddin' snobery or fakin it stop you from doing it....??

[phat///M3]

I personally wouldnt put fake brembo calipers on my car, but then I again I am running Brembo's so that coupled to the look "too" fake is why I wouldnt run those.

I also wouldnt do fake carbon fiber, would much rather have it in a black finish or whatnot.

Somethings I personally dont mind, but they cant be too obvious.

Anything in particular you are looking at?

[felstmiester]

In my view, this is a question i would have to answer totally honestly and say No!!! There's no way i could have anything fake on any of my cars. I E, if i had to put a bumper on the M5 due to a bit of damage then i would rather pay a bit extra for a second hand oem bumper that needs painting than a copy brand new one that might be the right colour. Even if you could not tell the difference it wouldn't matter, i would know it was fake and that would burn me every time i looked at it. Very shallow i agree but that's the way i am.

Also i suppose it depends on the people your showing it off to. If you buy a set of fake brembo caliper covers and some fake carbon bits, and your car is reasonably clean, then take it down to the local Mcdonalds meet where the young boys are screeching there saxo's n corsa's round the car park, they're gonna look at it and probably not even know its all fake and think ur the don lol. Pull up at a meet with you lot n your gonna laugh!! :D

Saying all the above does not mean i'm a snobby twat that would frown up on someone who for example takes the cheap route to mod there car. I read PBMW sometimes and its been said that some cars are open cheque book cars. The way i look at it is if your into cars in a big way and you got the money then your gonna spend it on ya car.

I can remember a time when i would look at cars equivalent to the car i have now and dream of having the money to own that car one day. Now i am lucky enough to be in the situation to have that car and now and again do a few choice mods.

At the end of the day car modding is like fashion, everyone has there own taste. But also it has a lot more to do with money.

There are people on this forum that i know look at my car and hope one day they could own the same car. I know this because i have done exactly that in the past. When i had my 330 i used to look at Lee's supercharged one and think, yeah one day!!! And i still do it now with the likes of Doc matt with his Porsche and Speedtrap with the new M5.

If you got the money flaunt it!!! If you aint got the money, mod the best way you can!! If it's in ya blood there's nothing you can do lol.

[felstmiester]

Lol Speedtrap with the new m3 i ment.

[litchy]

[QUOTE=felstmiester]
At the end of the day car modding is like fashion, everyone has there own taste. But also it has a lot more to do with money.

Great response. Moddin' for me used to be about making right the wrongs of car manufacturers, who generally use to stay safe to appeal to middle england. Only time they didn't was when they 'farmed' cars out to create 'partnerships' (e.g. cosworth) or used their motorsport divisons, which were often more about having to produce a limited amount of cars to enter touring races. Now I think they are getting it more right than wrong and now realised that people want the option to 'tick' options that previous they would have had to sort from aftermarket companies. Take Vauxhall or Renault (rather not :rolleyes:), you can order 18' rims and race suspenison kits, race recaros and brembos for your Corsa!!!!! Even BM now have gone done the same route. Its becoming harder and harder to be original. Think the likes of Alpina have focused more on selling 'complete cars' and less on aftermarket accessories. How many times do you now see newer cars with say a set of Alpinas ot AC's on?

Can imagine that the new M3 owners will do anything like what E46 owners did to their cars. Plus can you imagine how much its gonna cost to mod a new M3. Bet Vorsteiner alone would be asking 2 grand+ for a bonnet :eek:

[felstmiester]

Exactly!!

At the end of the day, hat off if you can afford a new M3 or m5 or a nice Porsche in the same price bracket.

The point i want to make in this area is as follows.

1. Even if i could afford a new M3, M5 etc, unless i had enough money to then put a few personal mods on and make it a little different to the rest i wouldn't want one. Don't get me wrong, i envy you fellas that have the new M3.

2.Mods are like we say.....Personal, and in a way should be down to the individual, I think nowadays people follow what is rated the best for the money and not personal preference.

3. Lets face facts now, A big brake kit is not needed at all on the road, Thats not saying you cant kill a set of brakes by driving extra hard on the road, but!!! But bbk's are certainly very over engineered for road use only. Please dont think i'm a hyporcrit as i do have a bbk on my car, but then as we was saying earlier, i'm one of them show offs lol.

4. There are members on this forum that have made wrong choices on what mods and products they have put on there cars. But this is only my opinion and my taste.

A prone example is Styler with his unbelievably brave and prob utterly down right expensive choice of mods. I could sit there all day with thoughts of two toning my car because lets face it two toning a corsa is funny but two toning an m3 is down right fucking brave!!! Now i just wouldn't have the bottle to do that!!
But, bottom line is it looks fucking awesome, and although something i would never take on board i humbly take my hat of to.......well in a way, the trend setters of car modding.

This is what its all about, just because it dont rock your boat don't mean to say it aint :cool:

[330ci_vert]

modding is rubbish imo unless it makes the car better to drive/quicker. If i had the choice between running a modded 330 with loads of tat stuck to it or a totally stock M3 I would have the M3 all day long...

but as has already been said its down to personal preference

[MEGA]

modding is rubbish imo unless it makes the car better to drive/quicker. If i had the choice between running a modded 330 with loads of tat stuck to it or a totally stock M3 I would have the M3 all day long...

but as has already been said its down to personal preference


And look like just another M driver?

Personalising a car is what makes it your car. If you own a car just to drive then why own a nice car. Surely its a hobby for you, in which case mod it.

If not, why the hell are you on a modders forum

[felstmiester]

modding is rubbish imo unless it makes the car better to drive/quicker. If i had the choice between running a modded 330 with loads of tat stuck to it or a totally stock M3 I would have the M3 all day long...

but as has already been said its down to personal preference
Ah!! But moddin isn't about just performance is it????

[330ci_vert]

And look like just another M driver?

Personalising a car is what makes it your car. If you own a car just to drive then why own a nice car. Surely its a hobby for you, in which case mod it.

If not, why the hell are you on a modders forum

yes because I don't care what I look like!!!! lol. I own a 'nice' car to enjoy driving it, which is what a car is for.... The hobby for me is driving it when I don't actually need to go anywhere, or track days etc



Ah!! But moddin isn't about just performance is it????

no your right, but for me I would only 'mod' or change parts if it made the car better to drive/quicker. For example, £2000 on bling alloys?? not my bag, can't see them when im driving so whats the point? however, lightweight wheels that reduce unsprung weight, improve handling and ride then i would be interesed.

Like I say each to thier own, but for me I don't care too much about making the car look nicer (a bmw convertible looks pretty good as it is to me!!)

[330ci_vert]

oh and i came to this forum to see what info I could find about performance mods for 330's etc.... but stopped short of the usual 'how do i make a 330 as quick as an m3 post'

:)

[Gary]

There's a 6 series BMW in the station car park i use with an M6 badge on the back and on the grills, but i think the owner must have modded it to do away with the carbon fibre roof and has also gone back to a standard exhaust rather than a quad!
Can't see the point of sticking badges on to pretend that something is an M car when it isn't, but do like tasteful mods that change the overall appearance of the car and make it individual.

[330ci_vert]

i love reverse modding......

best Ive seen was an impreza WRX STi, dressed up as a standard 2.0 non turbo sport.... classic

[Gary]

Anyone for a Toyota MR2 Ferrari...

[phat///M3]

Anyone for a Toyota MR2 Ferrari...

Are they on offer? In that case I'll take 2 thank you very much.

[litchy]

The more I'm on the forum, the more I believe that there is a snobery around moddin' which seems to revolve more around BM drivers. Really not the same on other scenes.

The funny thing is that 3 series BM's are generally more popular than ford mondeo's now, and have you seen the price lately of the M3's. Still a superb bit of engineering but for me who's really enjoyed moddin' my 330, I've never thought of the 330sc has a M3 alternative, just wanted to see where moddin' it would take me, which is something which is a reflection of me. Every lie I told my wife about the costs of parts, every part that I couldn't wait to arrive, every daft thread I posted, every time I stared out the window proudly, every ramp I couldn't get on, everytime nothing is simple to fix, every question I get from 15 year old lads (is it an M3) or smerk from M3 drivers (m3 wannabee)....all me.

People often say "you could have bought an M3 with the money I've spent" but who's to say I would of bought a M3 and left it standard anyway? They would be then saying "you could have bought a porsche with what you spent on that M3..."

[330ci_vert]

the snobery is the same with every marque I think. On a VW forum, try explaining to some one that you don't want an under powered, understeering VR6 - that you went for a GTI through choice and they just won't get it lol

horses for courses. I like looking at modified cars, and appreciate what goes into them. I just get more excited about an uprated anti roll bar lol than a set of mirrors etc.

Some of the BMW forums I have been on whilst trying to research etc have shocked me - the attitude of some owners is quite shocking tbh

[litchy]

the snobery is the same with every marque I think. On a VW forum, try explaining to some one that you don't want an under powered, understeering VR6 - that you went for a GTI through choice and they just won't get it lol

horses for courses. I like looking at modified cars, and appreciate what goes into them. I just get more excited about an uprated anti roll bar lol than a set of mirrors etc.

Some of the BMW forums I have been on whilst trying to research etc have shocked me - the attitude of some owners is quite shocking tbh

I kind of get what you mean, but to be honest, if I was really serious about more go than show, my interests would be to build a good track day car (thats my next project). After all there aren't many 'stigs' on this forum I guess, and not many of us can drive our cars on British roads to the speed that you can really appreciate 'a good set up'. Lets be honest, a set of Eibach springs and we are getting excited....My front brembo's are worse than the standard set for generally day to day driving. Got to get them warm properly before you notice the difference....

[330ci_vert]

I have a track day car.. only a mk3 16v golf, been building it over the past two years. Just need a set of seats and its finished really

[phat///M3]

The snobery exists with every marque like was said already.

But Litchy you hit the nail on the head, its all about what you want, and you shouldnt care what others think.

Prime example of your question of would you put an intercooler on without it being tubed in, truth is its your choice, you have a SC'd car so hardly anyone would notice it was not tubed in, and one thing is for sure it would look great.

Pay less attention to what others say, and just do as you like.

My car has clubsport kick plates and CS on the back, why? Cos I felt like it and anyone who doesnt like it can look the other way, couldnt care less.

[felstmiester]

I've never thought of the 330sc has a M3 alternative





Have you ever driven an e46 m3?? If not, try one out and then say you wouldn't see yours as an alternative. When i was looking to buy an m3 after my supercharged 330 i was very unimpressed when i took an m3 out for a test drive. My 330 was miles more torquey.

And you are 100% right there is a lot of snobbery wen it comes to modding. I wouldnt say it on this forum only and wouldn't narrow it down to bm or bm 3 series drivers. This snobbery is in all of us really. Do you know why??? Because we can afford the upper market mods.

Hence my answer to the original question, hence why i never frown up on what other people do to there car. So ok someone may have brembo covers on there calipers, they like the look but maybe cant afford to shell out that kind of cash.

Good luck to em i say. After all they're modding and they're happy with what they do.

[peppernick]

Modding is a hobby. You don't need to convince the world what you do is how things should be done. As long as you can justify your purchase, emotionally and financially, just do what you like.

I have used replica parts, and will continue to use them, as long as the quality is good enough to convince me that the price difference is worth the purchase. Afterall, genuine or replica parts, when it comes time to part out, they are worth a fraction of the original cost, if anything at all.

I will not use dress up parts just to make a component on my car look like the real thing, ie. fake exhaust tips, plastic caliper covers, show intercoolers etc. However, I will have no hesitation in using body parts of a superior model to dress up my car, as long as I like the looks.

As far as snobery goes, there is a snob in every modder. He wants to be different, and to stand out. So what's the big deal?

[jurka]

Litchy, your car look great, if I were you I would get that intercooler under the front bumper and wouldnt even ask anyone. Love that metal look :)

The brake covers too cheap mod for BMW, unless it look as real thing 100%

mod it, dont stop ;)


And personally I think skirts you got looks better then stock M3. Just because its different.
You were quicker as I wanted to get those from M3 Thug.

[mr sideways]

When i go to shows i allways have people saying "you should of done this/that"
or " you should of done it like mine"
my response is "then it would look like yours!"
I am allways looking at the current trends and try to do the exact opposite so people will allways say WOW or I DONT LIKE THAT, but its my car and i wanna be different and you dont like it then suck my junk!
My car is going in for a major transformation soon and it will be very marmite,
but i like going to shows and you dont pull in crowds by driving stock.
My point is you can be individual without braking the bank but there is a fine line between making you car different and tacky.

[SYE]

then suck my junk!


i would be worried if my miss/me started calling it junk:p .

[SpeedTrap]

Lol Speedtrap with the new m3 i ment.

Lol:) downgraded...:)

[SpeedTrap]

Could it be that us men uses cars to make us feel good - a high like woman do with makeup and clothes? as far as i know, more often than none, your character goes into what you do to your car, and a sense of fullfillment when someone comments on the car - the feel good and the satisfaction when someone looks at your car on the road.:)

[Saqib]

Lol:) downgraded...:)

I would NOT call going from an E60 M5 to an E92 M3 a downgrade!

[arkenphel]

Could it be that us men uses cars to make us feel good - a high like woman do with makeup and clothes? as far as i know, more often than none, your character goes into what you do to your car, and a sense of fullfillment when someone comments on the car - the feel good and the satisfaction when someone looks at your car on the road.:)

That is very true. I still get that feeling when people compliment the 330. Don't get it as much in the M3 though:confused: I feel some wallet bashing's a-comin':D