The Student Room Group

Has anyone else noticed the lack of modded cars lately?

around 10 years ago, car modding was in full force in the uk, 5 years ago you would still see modded cars but now you rarely see any save for the odd modded corsa belonging to questionable people.

Its not just in the UK however, in japan the car culture there has been disappearing as well and you dont see as much modded cars anymore (based on info from car sites + friends who live and been to japan).

so yh, feel free to discuss about it, why you think its happened, whether you mod cars, own one, etc.

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Original post by quasa
around 10 years ago, car modding was in full force in the uk, 5 years ago you would still see modded cars but now you rarely see any save for the odd modded corsa belonging to questionable people.

Its not just in the UK however, in japan the car culture there has been disappearing as well and you dont see as much modded cars anymore (based on info from car sites + friends who live and been to japan).

so yh, feel free to discuss about it, why you think its happened, whether you mod cars, own one, etc.


That's because insurance will rip you to shreds once they find out you have mods (obviously the good mods might give you a discount). The people which have mods on their car are either paying a hefty insurance premium or have lied to their insurers about modifying their car.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by RoyalSheepy
That's because insurance will rip you to shreds once they find out you have mods (obviously the good mods might give you a discount). The people which have mods on their car are either paying a hefty insurance premium or have lied to their insurers about modifying their car.


I have a friend who drives a standard 1.6 2001 Honda Civic, completely converted to look like a Type R (and I mean completely - stance, decals, wheels, exhaust every detail). However he's 19, and hasnt declared any such details to his insurers and his insurance is cheaper than mine (and I drive a diesel 1.6 focus lol).

My point is that insurance really doesnt matter when it comes to modifications, nobody cares to declare any mods, and unless theyre involved in a huge accident then insurers wont even know anything anyway - and thats a gamble people dont mind taking. I think that modded car culture is just becoming a dying trend, people are more interested in snobby German badges than little Seat's modded to hell. Young people would rather drive a snazzy E92 320d than a pimped out Astra. At the same time, in this economy perhaps car modding is probably too expensive to be popular, i know that sounds contradictory but it's a lot easier getting a lease/finance on a 17 plate BMW 1 series than blowing £6-7k on Vauxhall mods.
Original post by quasa
around 10 years ago, car modding was in full force in the uk, 5 years ago you would still see modded cars but now you rarely see any save for the odd modded corsa belonging to questionable people.

Its not just in the UK however, in japan the car culture there has been disappearing as well and you dont see as much modded cars anymore (based on info from car sites + friends who live and been to japan).

so yh, feel free to discuss about it, why you think its happened, whether you mod cars, own one, etc.


I swear I thought it was just me who noticed this, all I see is stock cars on the road and the occasional modded one, but like you said, I think it just might be a dying trend now, but I'm going to be fully committed to modding my car. I've not got one just yet but I'd like to have a car to work on as a project and take it from something below standard into something really exceptional. I rarely see one that sparks my interest anymore which is ashame cause I'm always looking for new ideas.
Original post by BullViagra
I have a friend who drives a standard 1.6 2001 Honda Civic, completely converted to look like a Type R (and I mean completely - stance, decals, wheels, exhaust every detail). However he's 19, and hasnt declared any such details to his insurers and his insurance is cheaper than mine (and I drive a diesel 1.6 focus lol).

My point is that insurance really doesnt matter when it comes to modifications, nobody cares to declare any mods, and unless theyre involved in a huge accident then insurers wont even know anything anyway - and thats a gamble people dont mind taking. I think that modded car culture is just becoming a dying trend, people are more interested in snobby German badges than little Seat's modded to hell. Young people would rather drive a snazzy E92 320d than a pimped out Astra. At the same time, in this economy perhaps car modding is probably too expensive to be popular, i know that sounds contradictory but it's a lot easier getting a lease/finance on a 17 plate BMW 1 series than blowing £6-7k on Vauxhall mods.


I wouldn't go that far based on one example. People generally don't make a habit out of lying to their insurers (it's directly lying as all insurers ask whether any modifications have been made when you're setting up your policy), because unless they're short-sighted, most people know that should you need to claim, and your insurers find out that you've modified the car and not told them, your insurance will be invalidated and won't pay out, then you're up s*** creak since you'll be liable for any damages.

Insurers clamping down on modified cars and people stopping modding, is no coincidence.
Original post by BullViagra
I have a friend who drives a standard 1.6 2001 Honda Civic, completely converted to look like a Type R (and I mean completely - stance, decals, wheels, exhaust every detail). However he's 19, and hasnt declared any such details to his insurers and his insurance is cheaper than mine (and I drive a diesel 1.6 focus lol).

My point is that insurance really doesnt matter when it comes to modifications, nobody cares to declare any mods, and unless theyre involved in a huge accident then insurers wont even know anything anyway - and thats a gamble people dont mind taking. I think that modded car culture is just becoming a dying trend, people are more interested in snobby German badges than little Seat's modded to hell. Young people would rather drive a snazzy E92 320d than a pimped out Astra. At the same time, in this economy perhaps car modding is probably too expensive to be popular, i know that sounds contradictory but it's a lot easier getting a lease/finance on a 17 plate BMW 1 series than blowing £6-7k on Vauxhall mods.


So if I was to mod a standard car, most likely a VW polo or something along the lines of that, do I tell the insurance or not, and does it affect the price I need to pay?
Ive noticed modded cars in decline too. I still see a few but its rare. I think its the price and whats trending in todays society. 10-20 years ago it wouldve trended but now people want the latest models, not a pimped out everyday car. Some people want the genuine sports car than to modd an older model.so it comes down to a lot of factors.
Plus times are hard, young ppl can barely get on the housing market in the uk so priorities are elsewhere. And theres the cost of a car in general. For some people it wouldnt make sense to spend that money when it can be useful elsewhere.
A friend of mine who is 18 has modded is Vauxhall Corsa spent £1000-2000 on improvements, looks nice compared to cars of age group but if he gets hit his insurance is void.
Original post by Mrsavage98
So if I was to mod a standard car, most likely a VW polo or something along the lines of that, do I tell the insurance or not, and does it affect the price I need to pay?


Will it increase the price? Yes. Do you need to tell them? Well, they'll ask. Whether or not you tell them depends on whether or not you want your insurance policy to actually be worth a penny - if you don't declare it, and they find out, good luck getting them to pay out in case of an accident.
Reply 9
Original post by WoodyMKC
Will it increase the price? Yes. Do you need to tell them? Well, they'll ask. Whether or not you tell them depends on whether or not you want your insurance policy to actually be worth a penny - if you don't declare it, and they find out, good luck getting them to pay out in case of an accident.


Not only will they not pay out, but it's also a criminal offence - insurers have been known to report people for fraud, and wreck their credit history.
Original post by IWMTom
Not only will they not pay out, but it's also a criminal offence - insurers have been known to report people for fraud, and wreck their credit history.


As much as I love wanting to drive and actually driving itself, sometimes I feel like stuff like that just takes the fun right out of it. Might aswell stick to a finance car and a black box and drive like a woman until I'm 70.
Reply 11
Original post by Mrsavage98
As much as I love wanting to drive and actually driving itself, sometimes I feel like stuff like that just takes the fun right out of it. Might aswell stick to a finance car and a black box and drive like a woman until I'm 70.


Why? Pay the additional cost for declaring modifications and be happy with it if they really mean that much to you?
Original post by IWMTom
Why? Pay the additional cost for declaring modifications and be happy with it if they really mean that much to you?

Man don't have the £ for that yet
Reply 13
Original post by Mrsavage98
Man don't have the £ for that yet


Additional insurance costs are just another expense to account for with a hobby like modifying cars - I will never understand how having an unmodified car could reduce the pleasure gained from the act of driving.
I think generally there's a lack of older cars on the road. More and more new cars are sold and it's rare where I live to even see a car 15 years or older. I guess since it can be so affordable to lease/PCP a new car.

In fact I am probably quite a good example. I just got rid of my 2002 plate Mazda MX-5 that had quite a few mods on it. And I now have a brand new 17-plate car as it was cheaper for me to maintain.

Like said above, I never declared my mods to the insurance company. Why would I? They'll only ever find out if you had a serious crash, which is unlikely to happen.
Original post by quasa
around 10 years ago, car modding was in full force in the uk, 5 years ago you would still see modded cars but now you rarely see any save for the odd modded corsa belonging to questionable people.

Its not just in the UK however, in japan the car culture there has been disappearing as well and you dont see as much modded cars anymore (based on info from car sites + friends who live and been to japan).

so yh, feel free to discuss about it, why you think its happened, whether you mod cars, own one, etc.


Why would you want to modify your car anyway???
Original post by Bob Ferris
Why would you want to modify your car anyway???


To make it faster / sharper handling / look better / sound better?
Reply 17
Original post by Treeroy
I think generally there's a lack of older cars on the road. More and more new cars are sold and it's rare where I live to even see a car 15 years or older. I guess since it can be so affordable to lease/PCP a new car.

In fact I am probably quite a good example. I just got rid of my 2002 plate Mazda MX-5 that had quite a few mods on it. And I now have a brand new 17-plate car as it was cheaper for me to maintain.

Like said above, I never declared my mods to the insurance company. Why would I? They'll only ever find out if you had a serious crash, which is unlikely to happen.


Or if you get pulled for a "random check" and a nosey officer checks it out.
Original post by IWMTom
Or if you get pulled for a "random check" and a nosey officer checks it out.

except the police don't have access to your insurance policy?
Reply 19
I think it's due to most new cars already look good from factory so there isn't much to modify other than few subtle mods such as wheels, lows, exhaust, engine tweaks etc. Take the new Focus RS or Civic Type-R for example. Also I personally feel Japan stopped making decent cars after 2000s.

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