Would a lift kit devalue a Brat

[iluvdrt]

  I have an 82 Brat DL that is almost mint. Original shiny paint, a few small dings, perfect dash (with a few dealer stickers still), and not 1 spec of rust with a reupholstered interior. The mileage is unknown since it has outlasted 2 odometers, but estimates are in the high 300's to low 400's.

 

  I have done a weber conversion to it and the dual range 5 speed conversion (with a Jerry's kit), and am in the process of doing rear disc brakes. Everything on it that has a replaceable part that can be purchased new has been replaced. It also has a spray in bed liner, the front "loop" style brush guard, and a GL gauge cluster with fully functional gauges. The engine has been compression tested (almost perfect) and completely

 

 It lives in my garage and is only driven on sunny SoCal weekends. 

 

  I purchased a 4" lift kit from ADF, but have become a little timid about installing it since some of the changes are permanent. I never take it off road and probably never will. With that being said, what's everyone's opinion on whether or not I should install the lift? If you were in the market for an almost perfect Brat would you prefer it to be lifted with supporting tires and wheels or stock? I don't plan on selling it ever since it took me so long to find one like this, but you never know when in 20 years Barrett Jackson is looking for Brats lol.

 

Thanks for the opinions.

[ihscout54]

My opinion 4" is too tall. I like the look of the stock wheels. I want a 2" for mine. I find myself asking this same question. Really who cares its your car. Lift it, and enjoy it. Does it really matter what its worth to someoneit else? Im not a big fan of the collector car boom, takes the fun out of old cars.

[joe5]

It depends on who your selling it to. If its someone who is going to use it then its just a gamble as to whether it suits their personal preference. To some who value a car in its original state, any non stock modification could potentially reduce its perceived value, whether it enhances performance or not. But you've already made non-stock improvements (dual range, weber, rear disc). So it sounds like you have already gone down that road. If your into the lift, just do it. 

 

What changes are permanent? Couldn't you just take the lift off if it was a deal breaker to our hypothetical future buyer?

[wallaby]

why did you get the lift if you are not going off road?

you can run slightly bigger tyres with out it if thats the concern

but as stated above there are few "permanent" changes even with the lift

maybe a few holes drilled or such

if you want to drive it - do what you want and worry about value when/if you sell it

if you want an investment - put you money in the bank or a sock under the bed.

[iluvdrt]

Well I want to lift it for several reasons.

 

1. It opens up options for nicer wheels and better tires once the hubs are done.

2. I got the lift for the same reason a lot of people do, to make it look cooler and having larger tires will improve the ride quality. Had this one been a beater that would be a different story, but I don't want to tear it up. Plus I already have a lifted 2005 OBS that sees off road regularly and a 2015 Crosstrek that does occasionally when camping.

3. The permanent changes are both things that are hard to replace. The shifters and the steering shaft.

4. No car is ever an investment, but that doesn't mean something shouldn't be done to decrease its value either.

 

Well it doesn't sound as if it's a terrible thing to do, so maybe I'll just go ahead and do it. My title above my avatar doesn't say "to lift or not to lift" for a reason LOL. Thanks for the replies!

Edited July 30, 2015 by iluvdrt

[TomRhere]

Just get hold of some period correct replacements for the things that need modified, such as shifter and steering components. Then you'll have "stock parts" to go with the vehicle should you decide to sell it.

 

You've already moded the shifter linkage doing the 5-speed swap, even with using Jerry's kit.

[thornleyjacob]

If your buyer wants a slammed or stock Brat then yes; it can potentially decrease the value since they will have to work on the car to make it what they want.

 

You are in Oceanside; I think you see more slammed/stock cars in that region than Lifted. Now if you were up in Ramona, it would be a different story.

 

What the hell are you doing with the car anyways? Daily Driver? Hunter? Offroad?

 

Me, I use my Brat for everything. I want it lifted so I can toss some larger tires under it, make it work better out in the muddy woods during Deer/Elk season.

Edited July 30, 2015 by thornleyjacob

[djellum]

even a super valuable brat isn't going to be much of an investment, unless your talking some 40k original tires survivor.  brats are a novelty vehicle, those that love them will pay for them, and will likely pay just as much with a small lift or not.  its already modified, and the "permanent" changes aren't really permanent.  the actual lift should just bolt in, and the shifters and such are replaceable.

[Scott in Bellingham]

You can lift a car and later remove the lift, just don't cut the body anywhere

[Flowmastered87GL]

Just lift it... its a DL and will NEVER be worth what a GL brat is worth.  Keep all the parts you take out in a bucket or something though and you can always revert to stock as was mentioned earlier.

[iluvdrt]

If your buyer wants a slammed or stock Brat then yes; it can potentially decrease the value since they will have to work on the car to make it what they want.

 

You are in Oceanside; I think you see more slammed/stock cars in that region than Lifted. Now if you were up in Ramona, it would be a different story.

 

What the hell are you doing with the car anyways? Daily Driver? Hunter? Offroad?

 

Me, I use my Brat for everything. I want it lifted so I can toss some larger tires under it, make it work better out in the muddy woods during Deer/Elk season.

I'm only in Oceanside because of work. Eventually Ill relocate. Personally, I'm not a fan of SoCal. The car really serves no purpose other than to make me happy. Like I said, I have 2 other vehicles that are new. Its a Sunday driver, and a conversation piece at car shows and such. Occasionally Ill use the bed of it to help me move a few things I don't want to put into my Crosstrek, or if I am junk yarding. Ill take it to the beach or into the mountains sometimes, but it doesn't see mud and rain if I can help it.

 

You can lift a car and later remove the lift, just don't cut the body anywhere

OK, cool.

 

Just lift it... its a DL and will NEVER be worth what a GL brat is worth.  Keep all the parts you take out in a bucket or something though and you can always revert to stock as was mentioned earlier.

 

Yeah, its a pretty basic car that's for sure. No PS, no power windows, no T tops, no AC, etc. Its about as simple of a car as one could build. BUT it is pretty complete and in great shape. Given how rare these things are becoming, maybe in 10-15 more years it "might" be a little more valuable considering the novelty of it. I think most of the people that want one of these aren't just Subaru people, and the majority of them don't know or remember the differences between the trim levels. They just know it's a BRAT and it has seats in the back, and that alone is enough to spark memories of when they were younger.

 

The market for these is increasing. It is one of the most searched cars on autotrader, and I have already some pretty good offers thrown at me. So far all of the mods I have done are unnoticeable and either look stock, or are generally accepted mods either to aid in performance, or to frankly just keep it going.

 

I'm going to finish the install of the lift, I already bought it, it as stated it will help with the ride quality. I more or less was just curious about what to possibly expect before I installed it, should I decide to resell it.

 

Thanks for the replies!

 

[bratman2]

I think you are correct on 10-15 years it's worth being a lot more. Good, solid, non rust buckets are a lot rarer in 80's Subarus. I have about relished my 87 to the same duties as yours. Occasional run to the dump, solo occasional trip to town, light duty so to speak. And of course a ride to work if we get the rare but seems more common last two years snow! My own thoughts were a nice 2" lift. Not rich and it isn't much money in the total scheme of things. Owned this little baby since 1997. I finally decided I would leave her be. I have possessed 14" Peugeot steel rims for years. Even ran a set of 195/75-14 all terrains with minor scrap on full lock if a sharp bump was hit. Currently running 185/75-14 tires and think they are the best choice yet for something that will rarely see offroad duty. I know 195/70-14 tires would be zero fit problems stock too. With no more horsepower than they have, I have at this point in ownership no desire to run anything bigger. Good luck on your lift and I would definitely source stock replacement parts on the rare chance you may decide to part with her.

[iluvdrt]

I'm probably not going to do the 4" I bought and sell the lift in place of a 2". I have been thinking the idea over, and think something more modest would be better and easier to install. Plus, with only 78 hp, turning big tires would be hard to do for it.

 

Its funny, on this thread everyone says do it, it will never gain value, but on others people say to leave them stock lol. In the end I know it is mine. Maybe one day ill be able to post pictures, but in the mean time if any of you are on the Facebook Brat page you can see it there. My real name is Jason Osborne.

 

I think once people see it, the tone will change to keeping it modest. DL or not, not too many people know the difference, and as stated could really care less.

[turbosubarubrat]

My 85 brat has a 4" ADF kit, a carb's ej, rx trans, lsd rear, rear disks, factory winch bumper, all of which need to be installed after the body work is done(a lot of work). Welding in 3rd eye radiator support, dual step sides, rear wheel wells, sand the whole thing, prime, paint bright red again. When i put the lift on i plan on no cutting unlike what i did to my wheeler/daily driver hatch. My point is do what you want to it. In the end it's your car so you know what you want to do with it not somebody else. I would put the 4" on since you already have it. The 2" lift to me isn't really worth putting on since you can't really tell if it's lifted or not without being parked next to another stock brat. I also know the difference between gl's and dl's.

Edited August 12, 2015 by turbosubarubrat

[iluvdrt]

I wish I could see a side by side comparison or a 2" and 4".

I guess I could always install it without doing anything else and if I don't like it, remove it. Just bolting everything on isn't too hard of a job.

 

Honestly, with the 4" I really just don't want to deal with the shifter issues. I don't like paying fabricators money to do something I could do IF I had a welder. I also don't like doing things half assed either. I like things to look and feel as if it came that way. Im a bit of a perfectionist if you will.

[Hsoj]

The pic in my avatar is a 2" lift on 14s. I would make sure you use fully welded blocks for the lift and through bolts because you wont get a wrench in the 2" blocks. I'd do a 3" if I had to do it over. Though the 2" lift is about perfect. Id also sell off the 14" rims and find 15"s just for tire availability or get 5 lug adapters and have a truck load of options. With a 2" lift there is almost nothing to do to the shifter if you've already gone to the 5 speed and get some lego steering linkages to make the difference up. I tore the plastic out of a lego extended unit and bolted it back up with some grade 8 bolts and have had no issues.