Effect of modifications on resale value?

shekaar · Jun 15, 2018

Hi everyone!

I come from the modified car world, where pricey aftermarket components generally do little to increase the resale value of a vehicle, and often detracts from its worth.

Is the same true in the firearm world? Would things like quality trigger kits, sights, etc. increase the value of a handgun, whether that be real or perceived value?

I assume that value may differ depending on the buyer, being either private or a business being the buyer?

rseymorejr · Jun 15, 2018

I don't think they'd really add to the value much if any. Not for me anyway.

Mr. Ed · Jun 15, 2018

rseymorejr said:
I don't think they'd really add to the value much if any. Not for me anyway.

I agree. Depending on the mod, at best it might not hinder the sale. It would be surprising if anyone ever got their full investment back on the upgrades.

Fonzy · Jun 15, 2018

Any thoughts on purchasing a rifle, then trying to exchange it 23 hrs later, without ever taking a shot? I can elaborate, but maybe I don't understand gun store policies? I was given the incorrect color/shade rifle. Tried to exchange, store wouldn't, and couldn't give me a quote of a trade in price! Really??? Am I missing something? Thanks for any insight.

danb · Jun 15, 2018

Fonzy said:
Any thoughts on purchasing a rifle, then trying to exchange it 23 hrs later, without ever taking a shot? I can elaborate, but maybe I don't understand gun store policies? I was given the incorrect color/shade rifle. Tried to exchange, store wouldn't, and couldn't give me a quote of a trade in price! Really??? Am I missing something? Thanks for any insight.

did you seriously not look at the rifle before you did the background check?? What is the wrong shade of black?

yeah, generally guns are no-returns.

Mr. Ed · Jun 15, 2018

Fonzy said:
Any thoughts on purchasing a rifle, then trying to exchange it 23 hrs later, without ever taking a shot? I can elaborate, but maybe I don't understand gun store policies? I was given the incorrect color/shade rifle. Tried to exchange, store wouldn't, and couldn't give me a quote of a trade in price! Really??? Am I missing something? Thanks for any insight.

Was the rifle sold to you sight unseen? Not to be a dick, but I find it hard to imagine that the rifle changed color from the time it was picked up at the store and 23 hours later. Firearms aren't exchangeable like most other purchases... they have serial numbers that are recorded by the FFL at the store, and logged in their hard bound book. You may know that you're a stand-up guy and you never fired it, and that you didn't modify or damage it overnight. But the store would have no way of knowing (or proving) what was done with the rifle in those 23 hours, whether it might have a swapped out part, broken internal, used in a crime, etc. Huge liability issue. Some stores might sell it on consignment for a significant percentage of the price, but it would be sold as a used gun.

So yeah, firearms are usually final sales.

StantonCree · Jun 15, 2018

Fonzy said:
Any thoughts on purchasing a rifle, then trying to exchange it 23 hrs later, without ever taking a shot? I can elaborate, but maybe I don't understand gun store policies? I was given the incorrect color/shade rifle. Tried to exchange, store wouldn't, and couldn't give me a quote of a trade in price! Really??? Am I missing something? Thanks for any insight.

No bud that’s kinda your fault. You should have known before you left the store.

I once bought a gun i didn’t realize was rebarreled from a private seller. Problem was now mine.

iH8DemLibz · Jun 15, 2018

The problem with modifications these days, is that everyone thinks they're a GD gunsmith. Because they have some hand tools. And a kitchen table.

We have countless threads of people who go all newfangled gadget on their new and perfectly functioning firearm. Then then come on here asking how to put everything back together. Left over parts are a bonus. That can be used on the next "Modification".

No.....Thank.....You.

When I buy a firearm, I want it stock. Or at the very least worked on by someone who really knows their way around what they're working on.

Fonzy · Jun 15, 2018

All understood, and I will own up to it. Yes the rifle was sold sight un seen. It was supposed to be FDE, but wound up being "coyote tan". The fella at the store showed me a pic online on a very small laptop saying it was FDE. At the glance I took, it appeared to be FDE to me. Plus, my receipt says FDE. I couldn't tell by the pic online, especially since it wasn't next to another FDE to compare.
I reached out to the manufacture to see if that was their idea of FDE, they said no! They have/sell FDE, and the CT was a limited shade. So, I was a bit upset, and attempted to exchange. I'm fairly new to everything, and never had to return/exchange anything, ever. Wasn't sure how it worked. But, I totally understand the stores stance. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone.

StantonCree · Jun 15, 2018

Fonzy said:
All understood, and I will own up to it. Yes the rifle was sold sight un seen. It was supposed to be FDE, but wound up being "coyote tan". The fella at the store showed me a pic online on a very small laptop saying it was FDE. At the glance I took, it appeared to be FDE to me. Plus, my receipt says FDE. I couldn't tell by the pic online, especially since it wasn't next to another FDE to compare.
I reached out to the manufacture to see if that was their idea of FDE, they said no! They have/sell FDE, and the CT was a limited shade. So, I was a bit upset, and attempted to exchange. I'm fairly new to everything, and never had to return/exchange anything, ever. Wasn't sure how it worked. But, I totally understand the stores stance. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone.

Ehhh I’ll give you the BOTD on this one. You bought it from online pics and the gun wasn’t as described. That’s not fair to you!

d33rhunt3r · Jun 15, 2018

mpdc4511 said:
Ehhh I’ll give you the BOTD on this one. You bought it from online pics and the gun wasn’t as described. That’s not fair to you!

I'd also add that since the receipt says FDE and the gun is not FDE, that's grounds for exchange also.

BradMacc82 · Jun 15, 2018

Rarely do modifications net any increase in resale terms. Exceptions do exist, but in general, no.

Best you can do is hope to break even, or minimize the loss. (Also valid when selling the majority of firearms in general.)

d33rhunt3r · Jun 15, 2018

shekaar said:
Hi everyone!

I come from the modified car world, where pricey aftermarket components generally do little to increase the resale value of a vehicle, and often detracts from its worth.

Is the same true in the firearm world? Would things like quality trigger kits, sights, etc. increase the value of a handgun, whether that be real or perceived value?

I assume that value may differ depending on the buyer, being either private or a business being the buyer?

From what I've seen, the only thing that really "adds" value is if you include an optic with the gun, whether it's a red dot or holo or magnified, but it's more like you're just including the optic as part of a package deal, not so much increasing the value of the gun.

I'm familiar with the car mod world you speak of, it's amazing the "value" that people think they have added to their cars with mods, almost comical.

Fonzy · Jun 15, 2018

mpdc4511 said:
Ehhh I’ll give you the BOTD on this one. You bought it from online pics and the gun wasn’t as described. That’s not fair to you!

I was hoping they would be able to work with me, under the circumstances of misinformation, but nope! He just said, "you looked at the pic"!! Yes, I sure did. It certainly could have been handled more professionally. The store is very close to my home, and I was hoping this was going to be the beginning of a great relationship. Doesn't appear so. Oh well.

StantonCree · Jun 15, 2018

Fonzy said:
I was hoping they would be able to work with me, under the circumstances of misinformation, but nope! He just said, "you looked at the pic"!! Yes, I sure did. It certainly could have been handled more professionally. The store is very close to my home, and I was hoping this was going to be the beginning of a great relationship. Doesn't appear so. Oh well.

What did you buy out of curiosity?

AlanInSilverSpring · Jun 15, 2018

Fonzy said:
All understood, and I will own up to it. Yes the rifle was sold sight un seen. It was supposed to be FDE, but wound up being "coyote tan". The fella at the store showed me a pic online on a very small laptop saying it was FDE. At the glance I took, it appeared to be FDE to me. Plus, my receipt says FDE. I couldn't tell by the pic online, especially since it wasn't next to another FDE to compare.
I reached out to the manufacture to see if that was their idea of FDE, they said no! They have/sell FDE, and the CT was a limited shade. So, I was a bit upset, and attempted to exchange. I'm fairly new to everything, and never had to return/exchange anything, ever. Wasn't sure how it worked. But, I totally understand the stores stance. Lesson learned. Thanks everyone.

mpdc4511 said:
Ehhh I’ll give you the BOTD on this one. You bought it from online pics and the gun wasn’t as described. That’s not fair to you!

d33rhunt3r said:
I'd also add that since the receipt says FDE and the gun is not FDE, that's grounds for exchange also.

No BOTD from me. I can understand buying a gun without seeing it but once the gun arrives and you go pick it up and walk out the door the gun belongs to you, case closed. Forget about checking functionality, but to not even open the box to make sure there's a gun in there ? And to be sure the receipt matches the gun ? Things like caliber, color, serial #, you know, all those pesky little "details". That's just plain stupid ! It's not like we're talking about snatching a boxed toaster off the shelf at Target.

Blacksmith101 · Jun 15, 2018

Fonzy said:
I was hoping they would be able to work with me, under the circumstances of misinformation, but nope! He just said, "you looked at the pic"!! Yes, I sure did. It certainly could have been handled more professionally. The store is very close to my home, and I was hoping this was going to be the beginning of a great relationship. Doesn't appear so. Oh well.

Would you care to name the store so if we want to buy we can be extra careful?

Fonzy · Jun 15, 2018

mpdc4511 said:
What did you buy out of curiosity?

LWRC DI M-LOK 5.56
I was hoping with this purchase, they would know I'm a serious buyer. I already had plans to return for additional rifles. The way this was handled, my money will go to someone else.

d33rhunt3r · Jun 15, 2018

AlanInSilverSpring said:
No BOTD from me. I can understand buying a gun without seeing it but once the gun arrives and you go pick it up and walk out the door the gun belongs to you, case closed. Forget about checking functionality, but to not even open the box to make sure there's a gun in there ? And to be sure the receipt matches the gun ? Things like caliber, color, serial #, you know, all those pesky little "details". That's just plain stupid ! It's not like we're talking about snatching a boxed toaster off the shelf at Target.

Very true

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

Fonzy · Jun 15, 2018

AlanInSilverSpring said:
No BOTD from me. I can understand buying a gun without seeing it but once the gun arrives and you go pick it up and walk out the door the gun belongs to you, case closed. Forget about checking functionality, but to not even open the box to make sure there's a gun in there ? And to be sure the receipt matches the gun ? Things like caliber, color, serial #, you know, all those pesky little "details". That's just plain stupid ! It's not like we're talking about snatching a boxed toaster off the shelf at Target.

You had all this knowledge when you first started buying guns? Guess I'm not as smart as you.

Effect of modifications on resale value?

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