Discussion
I've got a budget, that I feel comfortable with, of £60k for a new (to me) fun car.
My obvious choice is a new Boxster S - a great sports car with no hassle ownership. However I keep seeing F430 Spiders at around £80k - a choice to tick that "life is too short" box.
I'd be pushing my budget and taking a risk (I like the reliability and lower cost of ownership of the Porsche) with the Ferrari but its a bit of automotive magic.
What to do?
My obvious choice is a new Boxster S - a great sports car with no hassle ownership. However I keep seeing F430 Spiders at around £80k - a choice to tick that "life is too short" box.
I'd be pushing my budget and taking a risk (I like the reliability and lower cost of ownership of the Porsche) with the Ferrari but its a bit of automotive magic.
What to do?
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 27th April 20:29
If I had the opportunity to stretch a given budget to a dream car I would give it serious consideration as it may not happen again.
However, my wife's ex boss has a 430 spyder and the running costs are eye watering to me. Servicing is several grand a year (he does use the car on track days
) and a little while ago he heard a rattle from the engine bay that led to a new exhaust at c£3500 
He had no choice about what one to fit as his dealer (official Ferrari one) told him that only the OEM part would allow him to keep the warranty intact - Porsche do the same thing with "wear and tear" parts. He is also expecting a caning when he trades it in against a 430 Scud (when his dealer finds one they can do a deal on) unless he can sell it privately; and that will most likely involve getting the car serviced for the new owner or dropping the price accordingly.
All in all if I had your opportunity I would visit a couple of official Ferrari dealers and have a chat about purchase costs, servicing costs and what the car may be worth when you look to trade out of it. If the numbers add up I would do it and enjoy the car as the chance may not happen again.
However, my wife's ex boss has a 430 spyder and the running costs are eye watering to me. Servicing is several grand a year (he does use the car on track days
) and a little while ago he heard a rattle from the engine bay that led to a new exhaust at c£3500 He had no choice about what one to fit as his dealer (official Ferrari one) told him that only the OEM part would allow him to keep the warranty intact - Porsche do the same thing with "wear and tear" parts. He is also expecting a caning when he trades it in against a 430 Scud (when his dealer finds one they can do a deal on) unless he can sell it privately; and that will most likely involve getting the car serviced for the new owner or dropping the price accordingly.All in all if I had your opportunity I would visit a couple of official Ferrari dealers and have a chat about purchase costs, servicing costs and what the car may be worth when you look to trade out of it. If the numbers add up I would do it and enjoy the car as the chance may not happen again.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I suggest you DO drive one then come back with your thoughts. I remember my jaw being on the floor when I realised my fairly new girlfriends (and now wife of almost 13 years) dad had a new F355 AND was going to let me drive it. I gawped at it, I sat in it for far too long, I drove it. All pretty amazing. Then the "quirks" began to reveal themselves. It had the build quality of a low rent Fiat. It had Fiat switchgear. It had a boot and bonnet that flexed so badly, you needed to shut them exactly right or they wouldn't work. It tramlined dangerously. It broke down a few times. It had a nice gearbox temp gauge - great until you realise why it's there. The gearbox hardly works until it's warm and that takes ages.I'll always like Ferraris (my Dad also had one) but my rose tinted specs were made clear.
For £60k, I'd get a lightly used 911 "interesting edition"
Edited by Vladimir on Friday 27th April 21:26
Codswallop said:
Why not get a F360 Spider, AM V8 Roadster, Porsche GT3 996 etc etc. Basically, anything under £60k except a brand new Boxster which will plummet in value.
The first two by many are seen as a disappointment.It really does depend on how much you want to spend and the age..
I'll suggest an R8.. Although I think its a bit too 'clinical'
I personally would go with as you say a 430 or a gt3 of some sort
Thanks guys for the ideas.
I had an R8 so trying to steer away from that as I fancy something different, even though I loved it.
Has anyone else suffered from a complete inability to make a decision? I do not know what it is but I keep looking at every conceivable option and just cannot make up my mind what to do. Maybe at this very point in time nothing specifically floats my boat in my budget that I feel comfortable with (£60K) as opposed to the budget that just starts to make my bum cheeks clench a little (£80K+).
Or maybe the thought of a brand new car is nagging at me from a depreciation point of view even though it's always a wonderful feeling to spec a car and then wait for delivery. Whenever I've bought cars in the past I've done it very quickly, almost without thinking because I've been absolutely sure what I wanted (did this with a brand new Boxster and Boxster S many years back and the R8 which was used). This time I seem to have paralysis through analysis.
I do not like the thought of a car that could throw me some unexpected (and possibly large) bills - Ferrari seems to fall into this category in my eyes (maybe I'm being unfair); nor do I want something that I could not have faith in to get me to the end of a long European drive.
I loved the R8 because it was a fabulous car to drive, totally reliable and pretty inexpensive to run and Porsche obviously fits into the category (my Boxsters never missed a beat). I loved the drive I took in the 991, and I've never owned a 911, but that's a near £90K car and will potentially lose a fair chunk of value in the next few years. However that's the only 911 I would want as I love the new luxury interior and just would not be happy in a 997.
At the same time I keep thinking if I don't do something crazy now I may never.
I'm a disgrace to PH and obviously need some therapy,
I had an R8 so trying to steer away from that as I fancy something different, even though I loved it.
Has anyone else suffered from a complete inability to make a decision? I do not know what it is but I keep looking at every conceivable option and just cannot make up my mind what to do. Maybe at this very point in time nothing specifically floats my boat in my budget that I feel comfortable with (£60K) as opposed to the budget that just starts to make my bum cheeks clench a little (£80K+).
Or maybe the thought of a brand new car is nagging at me from a depreciation point of view even though it's always a wonderful feeling to spec a car and then wait for delivery. Whenever I've bought cars in the past I've done it very quickly, almost without thinking because I've been absolutely sure what I wanted (did this with a brand new Boxster and Boxster S many years back and the R8 which was used). This time I seem to have paralysis through analysis.
I do not like the thought of a car that could throw me some unexpected (and possibly large) bills - Ferrari seems to fall into this category in my eyes (maybe I'm being unfair); nor do I want something that I could not have faith in to get me to the end of a long European drive.
I loved the R8 because it was a fabulous car to drive, totally reliable and pretty inexpensive to run and Porsche obviously fits into the category (my Boxsters never missed a beat). I loved the drive I took in the 991, and I've never owned a 911, but that's a near £90K car and will potentially lose a fair chunk of value in the next few years. However that's the only 911 I would want as I love the new luxury interior and just would not be happy in a 997.
At the same time I keep thinking if I don't do something crazy now I may never.
I'm a disgrace to PH and obviously need some therapy,
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