Does this increase resale value of a wrangler?

[erickdiaz019]

Are there any mods that you have found to increase the resale value of your Jeep? I know obviously dealerships usually don’t care about paying more for lifts, but what about those other mods that tend to be OEM options such as:

- hitch and wiring harness
- sound-deadening headliners
- rock sliders

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[Maverick909]

sadly just having a rubicon get you quite a bit of extra cash on the resale side

 

[GATORB8]

They'll probably pull VIN options then knock it down for modifications.

Unless your wife is asking. Then "of course you'll get all the money back."

 

[Beachcomber72]

There are no mods you could ever add that would increase the resale value of the wrangler. You could spend $15,000 on wheels and tires 45 minutes before you drive it to the dealership to trade it in and even show them the receipt and bam you’ll get zero.

Heavily modded wranglers tend to go to a wholesaler instead of the used lot sometimes.

 

[MayThe4x4BWU]

Wouldn't count on it for aftermarket stuff for sure.

Mind you, some dealers will have no problem turning around and reselling it for a "perceived" value bump, because there are some fools out there who are willing to buy them at WAY over their actual value ?

 

[NChap89]

No. You’re usually better off parting out your mods & returning to stock.

 

[flyer92]

All depends on the buyer...from those who prefer mall crawlers to those who prefer monster rock crawlers. As we all know, the breadth and diversity of the Jeep market is vast and clearly reflected in what people choose to buy on the used/pre-owned market. After several decades of buying and selling Jeeps, I've learned that bone stock models typically sell better because they can be left as-is or serve as a blank canvas upon which owners can modify to their specific taste.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

Resale to a dealer, no. Resale to a private party, perhaps a little depending on the mod. but typically never at the full or even 1/2 value of the cost of the mod.

 

[GATORB8]

After several decades of buying and selling Jeeps, I've learned that bone stock models typically sell better because they can be left as-is or serve as a blank canvas on which owners can modify to their specific taste.

I did my best to be on the receiving end of that transaction before lightly used prices got so close to new that it didn't make sense. Let someone burn out the warranty and get all the bugs out before I went crazy with it.

Now I live by the sports car mantra: "Not driving your car to keep miles low for resale is like not banging your girlfriend to keep it tight for the next guy."

 

[somedayMoab]

If you added OEM half-doors to your Jeep, that's probably the only thing that would raise the value at the dealer. And even then, they'd give you a fraction of what you would buy them for off Craiglist or FB marketplace. You'd be better off selling those separately, even if the Jeep came from the factory with them.

 

[Heimkehr]

Are there any mods that you have found to increase the resale value of your Jeep?
...what about those other mods that tend to be OEM options such as:

- hitch and wiring harness
- sound-deadening headliners
- rock sliders

The informed buyer may in fact reduce the perceived value of a vehicle with a receiver hitch and harness in situ. He may reasonably conclude that the vehicle was used for towing, with the implied wear (over time) on the powertrain. Similar may occur, re: rock sliders and off-road work. Either or both could be talking points and/or inform his counteroffer to the Jeep's listed price.

Before selling or trading a vehicle, I'll return it to stock to the extent possible. When cleaned and photographed well, anything that is as close to factory stock as possible gives potential buyers peace of mind. This is borne out by years of personal experience on both sides of the table.

Those parts & accessories that I remove, which remain functional and sellable, are cleaned and advertised online for ~50 cents on the dollar. Leaving them installed might net me .10 on the dollar, or perhaps nothing at all.

The only thing that has ever affected the resale value of a vehicle, in a positive sense (and when I'm the seller) is the relative rarity, or not, of the brand & model itself.

E.g., the price I paid for a new Ural, relative to its technology and presence in the motorcycle market, will inform my asking price if or when I sell it. Said differently, it's a niche vehicle with niche pricing. The overall dearth of dealers provides an additional edge to sellers, also.

The same isn't true for my Wrangler. While they do retain their resale value quite well, objectively there is nothing rare or special about them. That's just the way it is.

 

[AFD]

Maybe the sun visor reinforcement mod?

Certain vehicles I just wouldn't want to buy used if not 99% stock and the Wrangler is one of those. Even with low mileage, it's a bit of a gamble if those mods were purely aesthetic choices, things I would've purchased myself (unlikely) or purposely installed to be wheeled hard.

My last vehicle was kept relatively stock and was a model known for it's insane amount of easy to bolt on aftermarket parts and untapped performance potential. Finding an unmolested example was a bit rare and the buyer appreciated that and agreed that most mods were more of a warning flag than an enticement to purchase.

 

[aldo98229]

They'll probably pull VIN options then knock it down for modifications.

Unless your wife is asking. Then "of course you'll get all the money back."

This ^^^

Dealers go by VIN to determine if a trade is a genuine Sport, Willys, Sahara or Rubicon, and then adjust for factory options such as engine, automatic transmission, leather seats, hardtop, navigation, etc. Mopar accessories might or might not get credit, depending on the dealer, and whether or not they look “factory.” Aftermarket mods do not get any credit at all.

For the record, there’s NO evidence that Rubicon gets you higher resale than other trims, after you take into account that you had to pay through the nose for a Rubicon when you first go it. In fact, I have seen reports that Sport hold their value slightly better than other trims, due to their lower original purchase price.

 

[2nd 392]

The informed buyer may in fact reduce the perceived value of a vehicle with a receiver hitch and harness in situ. He may reasonably conclude that the vehicle was used for towing, with the implied wear (over time) on the powertrain. Similar may occur, re: rock sliders and off-road work. Either or both could be talking points and/or inform his counteroffer to the Jeep's listed price.

Before selling or trading a vehicle, I'll return it to stock to the extent possible. When cleaned and photographed well, anything that is as close to factory stock as possible gives potential buyers peace of mind. This is borne out by years of personal experience on both sides of the table.

Those parts & accessories that I remove, which remain functional and sellable, are cleaned and advertised online for ~50 cents on the dollar. Leaving them installed might net me .10 on the dollar, or perhaps nothing at all.

The only thing that has ever affected the resale value of a vehicle, in a positive sense (and when I'm the seller) is the relative rarity, or not, of the brand & model itself.

E.g., the price I paid for a new Ural, relative to its technology and presence in the motorcycle market, will inform my asking price if or when I sell it. Said differently, it's a niche vehicle with niche pricing. The overall dearth of dealers provides an additional edge to sellers, also.

The same isn't true for my Wrangler. While they do retain their resale value quite well, objectively there is nothing rare or special about them. That's just the way it is.

Exactly— perceived use/ Abuse, whether the vehicle is heavily modified to boonie crash, haul heavy loads, get it’s mileage 1/4 mile at a time, or on a road course. Unless you know the vehicle or judge that it was built for show, not go— Avoid it or take the risk. BTW— MC’s are the worst, I have ~1/2 again more than cost in extensive detailing, soup up, on and on and couldn’t get much more than a stock one, but would be selling points.

 

[Jiggs1960]

They'll probably pull VIN options then knock it down for modifications.

Unless your wife is asking. Then "of course you'll get all the money back."

If I have my wife D.M. you, can you please repeat that, and maybe be even more convincing. Tell her if she puts 285/75 R17's on her Willy's, it'll be worth $3000 more. ?

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