I8 values in free fall....Why?

I8 values in free fall....Why?

Author
Discussion

Truffles

577 posts

184 months

Tuesday 17th January 2017
quotequote all
well, I bought one last week, and loving it so far. One surprise was insurance. I was braced for a significant increase over my old XKR due to the carbon tub, but all my insurer wanted was an extra £36 for the next 8 months.

iain123

51 posts

104 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
Trade-in values for the i8 appear to be around only £52K these days which I guess is why there’s a lot of private sellers hoping for a bite around £62K.

I’m doing my man maths at the mo to guesstimate where they will go. I’m hoping they will follow the other German, the Audi R8 model for depreciation which debatably looks blander and appears a more common car by comparison. (but is only marginally more common – on autotrader there are 66 (3 private) cars from 2014 – much the same as i8’s 51). However, you’d think the i8 would be a way slower depreciator (good mpg, no tax, 2+2, rare green moral high ground, etc, etc).

Going by the cheapest available of autotrader website (ignoring catD stuff) the R8 depreciation really starts to slow after the initial collapse during the first 3years, to just losing an incredible 2-4K GBP per annum.

R8 (list £120K) _______ i8 (list £104K)
2015 – £75K___________ £67K
2014 – £66K___________ £62K
2013 - £61K
2012 – £60K
2011 - £55K
2010 – £53K
…..
2007 – £38K


The i8 has 51 cars for sale with double the fraction of private sellers at 12% - dunno what that means? (More people getting stung with the initial price premium excitement and wanting a better deal? Or more people thinking it should be holding its price better – like me!)

What ya reckon are flappy doors too exotic for the UK or is it going to follow the R8?

bertie

8,550 posts

284 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
Don't you think there will come a point where uncertainty about battery replacement costs will strike?

MarshPhantom

9,658 posts

137 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
iain123 said:
Trade-in values for the i8 appear to be around only £52K these days which I guess is why there’s a lot of private sellers hoping for a bite around £62K.

I’m doing my man maths at the mo to guesstimate where they will go. I’m hoping they will follow the other German, the Audi R8 model for depreciation which debatably looks blander and appears a more common car by comparison. (but is only marginally more common – on autotrader there are 66 (3 private) cars from 2014 – much the same as i8’s 51). However, you’d think the i8 would be a way slower depreciator (good mpg, no tax, 2+2, rare green moral high ground, etc, etc).

Going by the cheapest available of autotrader website (ignoring catD stuff) the R8 depreciation really starts to slow after the initial collapse during the first 3years, to just losing an incredible 2-4K GBP per annum.

R8 (list £120K) _______ i8 (list £104K)
2015 – £75K___________ £67K
2014 – £66K___________ £62K
2013 - £61K
2012 – £60K
2011 - £55K
2010 – £53K
…..
2007 – £38K


The i8 has 51 cars for sale with double the fraction of private sellers at 12% - dunno what that means? (More people getting stung with the initial price premium excitement and wanting a better deal? Or more people thinking it should be holding its price better – like me!)

What ya reckon are flappy doors too exotic for the UK or is it going to follow the R8?
confused

The cheapest R8 V10 on AT is £58k, and that's for a seven year old car.

Doesn't seem too shabby.

Helicopter123

8,831 posts

156 months

Friday 27th January 2017
quotequote all
iain123 said:
Trade-in values for the i8 appear to be around only £52K these days which I guess is why there’s a lot of private sellers hoping for a bite around £62K.

I’m doing my man maths at the mo to guesstimate where they will go. I’m hoping they will follow the other German, the Audi R8 model for depreciation which debatably looks blander and appears a more common car by comparison. (but is only marginally more common – on autotrader there are 66 (3 private) cars from 2014 – much the same as i8’s 51). However, you’d think the i8 would be a way slower depreciator (good mpg, no tax, 2+2, rare green moral high ground, etc, etc).

Going by the cheapest available of autotrader website (ignoring catD stuff) the R8 depreciation really starts to slow after the initial collapse during the first 3years, to just losing an incredible 2-4K GBP per annum.

R8 (list £120K) _______ i8 (list £104K)
2015 – £75K___________ £67K
2014 – £66K___________ £62K
2013 - £61K
2012 – £60K
2011 - £55K
2010 – £53K
…..
2007 – £38K


The i8 has 51 cars for sale with double the fraction of private sellers at 12% - dunno what that means? (More people getting stung with the initial price premium excitement and wanting a better deal? Or more people thinking it should be holding its price better – like me!)

What ya reckon are flappy doors too exotic for the UK or is it going to follow the R8?
But the £120k list you quote is for an R8 v10, and thh £75k cars are v8s. Cheapest 2015 V10 is £117k.

i8 is falling because used buyers wary of the battery tech IMO.

culminator

Original Poster:

576 posts

209 months

Friday 27th January 2017
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As a potential buyer and the originator of this thread, that is spot on....

erics

2,663 posts

211 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
People worry about rms failures on Porsches and other bore scoring. They still buy the cars after a generation of chocolate engines.

The i8 has issues like fuel tank sensors or windscreen cracks. Batteries is not one of them. It's all about perceptions. Sometimes solely founded on internet / forum 'truths'.

I am on my 2nd i8 after years of porsches, astons etc. Best car i ever owned by a country mile.

It is an absolutely superb car built around a carbon fibre tube. Extremely useable with tiny running cost and no Tesla-battery anxiety.

People will wake up to it.

comrie

287 posts

199 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
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I totally agree......the i8 is also the best car i have owned to date and have also had Porsche,Mercedes,Audi,and Jaguar.In my opinion its a very underestimated car....its a car that takes a few weeks to get accustomed to.....but once you gel with it,it does everything i need from a car superbly with the additional great mpg

Jimbo.

3,948 posts

189 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
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With the initial hype over, is it just A. N. Other expensive German coupe that isn't a Porsche, and is therefore suffering the same depreciation fate?

Original 8-Series
R8
Mercedes CLs
...etc?

Not that ANY of them are less than wonderful cars of course, it's just, well...markets and perceptions?

CRA1G

6,538 posts

195 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
Yes i'll also go along with the above...i think it is a underestimated and misunderstood car..

But the wife's had to buy a few more pairs of jeans for getting in and out of it.. hehe

bertie

8,550 posts

284 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
How long is the battery lifespan and how much is replacement?

CRA1G

6,538 posts

195 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
Jimbo. said:
Original 8-Series
I loved my original E31 8 series that much I kept it..


My pampered low mileage 840Ci Sport "individual" that's now part of the family..driving

wilwak

759 posts

170 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
bertie said:
How long is the battery lifespan and how much is replacement?
The battery has a full 8 year guarantee on it so I'd like to think it will last far longer than that.

The battery is tiny compared to the one in the all-electric Tesla's so I can't imagine the replacement cost will be too bad.

The petrol engine is based on the mini so that should last ok.

They should go on and on hopefully.

bertie

8,550 posts

284 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
wilwak said:
bertie said:
How long is the battery lifespan and how much is replacement?
The battery has a full 8 year guarantee on it so I'd like to think it will last far longer than that.

The battery is tiny compared to the one in the all-electric Tesla's so I can't imagine the replacement cost will be too bad.

The petrol engine is based on the mini so that should last ok.

They should go on and on hopefully.
Just looked, $14k for the replacement battery, plus fitting.

Given it's a long life consumable, you'd have to factor that into the car value when they're getting towards the 8 year old time surely?


Trabi601

4,865 posts

95 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
bertie said:
Just looked, $14k for the replacement battery, plus fitting.

Given it's a long life consumable, you'd have to factor that into the car value when they're getting towards the 8 year old time surely?
Google for Toyota Prius battery replacement specialists. You won't find many, because it has proven to be a non-issue over the 12 years and many hundreds of thousands of miles people have covered in the Mk2 and later Prius. (ie. since they hit the mass-market).

erics

2,663 posts

211 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
Trabi601 said:
bertie said:
Just looked, $14k for the replacement battery, plus fitting.

Given it's a long life consumable, you'd have to factor that into the car value when they're getting towards the 8 year old time surely?
Google for Toyota Prius battery replacement specialists. You won't find many, because it has proven to be a non-issue over the 12 years and many hundreds of thousands of miles people have covered in the Mk2 and later Prius. (ie. since they hit the mass-market).
Exactly.

bertie

8,550 posts

284 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
Trabi601 said:
bertie said:
Just looked, $14k for the replacement battery, plus fitting.

Given it's a long life consumable, you'd have to factor that into the car value when they're getting towards the 8 year old time surely?
Google for Toyota Prius battery replacement specialists. You won't find many, because it has proven to be a non-issue over the 12 years and many hundreds of thousands of miles people have covered in the Mk2 and later Prius. (ie. since they hit the mass-market).
I'm not saying it's a real issue, I'm just saying the perception of complexity and fear of unknown might cause values to be effected when they drop out of warranty.

steve-5snwi

8,666 posts

93 months

Sunday 29th January 2017
quotequote all
What are the known issues with the i8, what's the useable range and how do you charge yours ?

I should get the drive my first one tomorrow.

MarshPhantom

9,658 posts

137 months

Monday 30th January 2017
quotequote all
erics said:
People worry about rms failures on Porsches and other bore scoring. They still buy the cars after a generation of chocolate engines.

The i8 has issues like fuel tank sensors or windscreen cracks. Batteries is not one of them. It's all about perceptions. Sometimes solely founded on internet / forum 'truths'.

I am on my 2nd i8 after years of porsches, astons etc. Best car i ever owned by a country mile.

It is an absolutely superb car built around a carbon fibre tube. Extremely useable with tiny running cost and no Tesla-battery anxiety.

People will wake up to it.
The problem with EVs is very few people want them.

MrOrange

2,035 posts

253 months

Monday 30th January 2017
quotequote all
MarshPhantom said:
The problem with EVs is very few people want them.
at the moment.

5 years ago I never considered one. 3 years ago I had a quick (sic) drive of a Tesla MS. 1 year ago I ordered an i8.

Times do change. 20 years ago no petrolhead wanted a diesel; smelly, slow & unrefined. (although that trend might have gone full circle)