Can You Afford to Drive a Ferrari?
12-12-06, 10:14 AM
#16
Lexus Test Driver
Porsche - Good
Lamborghini - Good
Bentley - Good
Aston Martin - Hopefully good
Ferrari - Horrible
Interesting to see how Lambo / Bentley are doing since the Deutsch took them over (VW) ... now soon with Porsche to take over VW ... probably even better quality.
Oh well sticking with Lexus, cant really go wrong with them hehe
Lamborghini - Good
Bentley - Good
Aston Martin - Hopefully good
Ferrari - Horrible
Interesting to see how Lambo / Bentley are doing since the Deutsch took them over (VW) ... now soon with Porsche to take over VW ... probably even better quality.
Oh well sticking with Lexus, cant really go wrong with them hehe
12-12-06, 10:14 AM
#17
Lexus Fanatic
Very interesting thread topic. I think this raises another important question: At what point during a person's car ownership is it not worth the time and repairs to go through the fixes and service work on a vehicle? I find this hard to answer since obviously all cars are designed and engineered differently, different materials, blah blah blah. Take, for example, a Japanese vehicle like a Toyota Camry. With its long history of reliability, durability and affordability, this car is without question worth the purchase and lifetime possession for the owner, even after the typical wear-and-tear.
On other other hand, with an exotic car like the Ferrari 550 as the example in this thread, the dollars out of pocket can certainly add up in the long run, and accumulate much much more when least expected. Generally exotic car owners regard their rides as their prized possessions, so when their vehicles suddenly go into the shop because of this thing and that thing, I can't imagine how much tension and aggravation they have to go through..
On other other hand, with an exotic car like the Ferrari 550 as the example in this thread, the dollars out of pocket can certainly add up in the long run, and accumulate much much more when least expected. Generally exotic car owners regard their rides as their prized possessions, so when their vehicles suddenly go into the shop because of this thing and that thing, I can't imagine how much tension and aggravation they have to go through..
12-12-06, 10:42 AM
#18
I can't speak for Aston Martin but the Continental GT is really really good. It has a 3yr unlimited mile warranty and is very reliable. I started doing the blue on on our site over a year ago, and we have taken that car to Florida, Virginia, DC, Boston and all up and down NY, NJ with nary one hiccup. And the best part is this car is putting down close to 700hp after the engine software, custom intakes, and exhaust, so imagine how good a bone stock one must be.
The fact that the car can withstand the NYC potholes with 22" wheels and such a slammed stance and never give a issue makes it a great proposition (much better than these older Ferraris)
The fact that the car can withstand the NYC potholes with 22" wheels and such a slammed stance and never give a issue makes it a great proposition (much better than these older Ferraris)
12-12-06, 10:49 AM
#19
As much as I love Ferrari's and exotics in general, I would have to be a multi-millionaire to buy one. Just a millionaire wouldn't do. You need the kind of money where lighting cigars with 100 dollar bills means nothing. When I get there, I'll target cars like Viper, Vette, M6 or M5. A stable of daily drivable rockets. That's the ticket.
12-12-06, 11:03 AM
#20
Lexus Test Driver
As much as I love Ferrari's and exotics in general, I would have to be a multi-millionaire to buy one. Just a millionaire wouldn't do. You need the kind of money where lighting cigars with 100 dollar bills means nothing. When I get there, I'll target cars like Viper, Vette, M6 or M5. A stable of daily drivable rockets. That's the ticket.
Let see if you make let say about $150,000 / year, you could get a car like that with financing and stuff.
True, being a multi-millionaire would make life easier, even better is being a billionaire, man thats to many zero's.
To drive exotics like ... Ferrari, Lamborghini, Koenigsegg and others you for sure have to be a multi-millionaire.
One thing does Porsche and Bentley count as an exotic car?
12-12-06, 11:06 AM
#22
Lexus Test Driver
I know one guy, he bought a new F430 and went bankrupt within a coupe of months. Which is insane, it was a family run business and he but it into the ground 50 years after it was founded.
One thing I hope the Lexus supercar will change alot of the market.
Like someone said, a reliable supercar will be a first. Plus with the warranty that you usually get from Lexus, it will be insane.
One thing I would rather compare Lexus to Aston Martin and Bentley than ... BMW and Mercedes, also Audi.
Oh yah this thread got me thinking of the Maybach ... I wonder if it has a decent warranty seeing its part of MB.
One thing I hope the Lexus supercar will change alot of the market.
Like someone said, a reliable supercar will be a first. Plus with the warranty that you usually get from Lexus, it will be insane.
One thing I would rather compare Lexus to Aston Martin and Bentley than ... BMW and Mercedes, also Audi.
Oh yah this thread got me thinking of the Maybach ... I wonder if it has a decent warranty seeing its part of MB.
12-12-06, 11:10 AM
#23
Super Moderator
If you make a certain amount you could drive around with an M5 / M6 easilly, you dont really have to be a millionaire or multi-millionaire to have one, but I could be wrong.
Let see if you make let say about $150,000 / year, you could get a car like that with financing and stuff.
Let see if you make let say about $150,000 / year, you could get a car like that with financing and stuff.
That's about the income level that cars in that class are supposed to be targeting I think . . .
12-12-06, 11:18 AM
#24
Lexus Test Driver
I was going with an old figure ... I got this figure a couple years back i think 4 years ago, cant remember the source anymore.
Salary: $48,000+ (yearly)
Car Value: $72,000 (leased or financed)
Actually I missed calculated.
Salary: $125,000+
Car Value: $150,000
12-12-06, 11:30 AM
#25
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with $150,000 in annual salary, you still live in a small 1 bedroom apartment in Manhattan.
And you still work 6 days a week, from 8 am to midnight.
Thats what most, if not all of my bankers friends in wall street are doing.
However, the bonuses kick in, and they suddenly get an extra 100 grand in the pocket at the end of the year.
Seriously, if I want to own a ferrari, I would need to be making at least 500k each year, tax free. Any less than that, and you are living beyond your means, and living paycheck to paycheck to the bank.
And you still work 6 days a week, from 8 am to midnight.
Thats what most, if not all of my bankers friends in wall street are doing.
However, the bonuses kick in, and they suddenly get an extra 100 grand in the pocket at the end of the year.
Seriously, if I want to own a ferrari, I would need to be making at least 500k each year, tax free. Any less than that, and you are living beyond your means, and living paycheck to paycheck to the bank.
12-12-06, 11:43 AM
#26
Lexus Champion
From the article:
$125 for a damn license plate frame. Let's put that in perspective. A license plate frame costs 5-10 bucks at the store and they still make a profit off of that. Even my nice shiny chrome metal OEM lexus plate frame was only $20, IIRC. For $125 I hope that frame is gold plated or something. Sheesh
In March, at 22,956 miles, the license plate frame was replaced for $124.99
12-12-06, 02:50 PM
#27
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i just saw exact same one somewhere in glendale towards downtown (LA) this morning - in SAN FERNANDO ROAD!!! GOING THROUGH RAILROAD TRAX AND BIG UNFORGIVABLE POT HOLES!!! (near home depot) ...when i'm running late at work i use my 4runner coz that's the only route i know to get there faster!!! ...i just could'nt beleive this guy, i was just amazed that he's driving this car like just any ordinary car.
maybe this the car i saw this morning
...shocks being replaced no wonder (if he is the one).
maybe this the car i saw this morning
...shocks being replaced no wonder (if he is the one).
12-12-06, 03:26 PM
#28
If you make a certain amount you could drive around with an M5 / M6 easilly, you dont really have to be a millionaire or multi-millionaire to have one, but I could be wrong.
Let see if you make let say about $150,000 / year, you could get a car like that with financing and stuff.
True, being a multi-millionaire would make life easier, even better is being a billionaire, man thats to many zero's.
To drive exotics like ... Ferrari, Lamborghini, Koenigsegg and others you for sure have to be a multi-millionaire.
One thing does Porsche and Bentley count as an exotic car?
Let see if you make let say about $150,000 / year, you could get a car like that with financing and stuff.
True, being a multi-millionaire would make life easier, even better is being a billionaire, man thats to many zero's.
To drive exotics like ... Ferrari, Lamborghini, Koenigsegg and others you for sure have to be a multi-millionaire.
One thing does Porsche and Bentley count as an exotic car?
Now if I'm in the Bill Gates territory, it's Exotics R Us baby.
12-12-06, 03:31 PM
#29
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12-12-06, 03:33 PM
#30
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That's really interesting, I can't belive these guys are paying this amount for maintenance. I find it even harder to believe that they are taking their cars to the dealer when they are so far out of warranty. I'm positive there are reputable independent specialists that can perform this type of work for a mere fraction of this amount.
I'm not suggesting they take a Ferrari to "oil can harry" on the corner but I know our partner RPM Racing does a lot of maintenence work on exotics, as an example.
I'm not suggesting they take a Ferrari to "oil can harry" on the corner but I know our partner RPM Racing does a lot of maintenence work on exotics, as an example.