£100-150k Pension Pot car: 10-15yrs High Risk!

[roca1976]

Following a recent inheritance, I am interested in a ‘pension pot’ car.

I am 50 with a decent pension, house paid off and enough rainy day savings. I think I am happy to take a high-risk approach and punt on a high value car with an idea to sell when I am 60-65 and release the capital.

I would like something useable for fair weather use (circa 2k p.a) and I think it needs to be £100 - 150k to maximise the strongest return.

Thoughts so far based on potential desirability due to end of era features whether it is NA, manual, limited numbers, brand image:

2018 991 GT3 4.0 Manual £120k

2021 992 GT3 4.0 Manual £150k

F430 coupe Manual £90k

Gallardo coupe Manual £?

Gallardo Valentino Balboni E Gear £100k

BMW M4 DTM / GTS £80k

Jag Project 8 £120k

Interested to hear your thoughts and suggestions (no E46 M3’s please!) and older classics.

[Nicetobenice]

What would you class as as "strong return"

Getting your original purchase price back or more than that?


Fwiw I reckon a manual ferrari will probably hold up best, but I'd be hesitant to call it an investment.

[roca1976]

I guess track inflation and maybe start to double inflation rate from year 6 onwards? It's man maths so running costs can come out of normal earnings and assuming there are no major catastrophic failures while I own it...

[RandomCarChat]

Sensible head:

Terrible idea, running a car for 15 years and putting 30k on it, especially something exotic will incur large costs and you'll drive the value out of it. Stick it into gold, ISAs whatever traditional investment offers the best return and ignore this idea.

Pistonhead:

You want something thats very limited numbers, an unrepeatable car that we never saw the likes of again. A CLK 63 Black, Jag Project 8, Ferrari F430 Manual, Lamborghini Gallardo Manual something like that.

[Phil.]

TGE and Carl Hartley recently discussed how they chose ‘investment’ cars on the video below. The key decision points were number produced and something that appealed to 35 to 50 year olds now. TGE has a 430 manual and rates its likelihood of increasing in value substantially. Similarly, (not discussed on this video) a £100k Gallardo is considered a similar proposition and Mark McCann has just bought one.

They all say buy something you like otherwise you’ll get out too early and miss the opportunity.

Also check out if you can find a respected independent to service it.

https://youtu.be/Rqpn_z4Fi9E?si=equGDXN00Pp6AYjM

[Peterpetrole]

RandomCarChat said:

Sensible head:

Terrible idea, running a car for 15 years and putting 30k on it, especially something exotic will incur large costs and you'll drive the value out of it. Stick it into gold, ISAs whatever traditional investment offers the best return and ignore this idea.

Pistonhead:

You want something thats very limited numbers, an unrepeatable car that we never saw the likes of again. A CLK 63 Black, Jag Project 8, Ferrari F430 Manual, Lamborghini Gallardo Manual something like that.

Fair enough. Even with the asset boom over the past decade (and price softening now) there can't be many routinely used cars that have remotely kept up with inflation once all running cost are included.

90s Porsche clubsport etc. would be my guess, although finding ones that offer decent value right now is tricky.

[maz8062]

I think the 991.2 GT3 is a good shout, especially if it is pre-OPF. It's a good car as well.

Others, not included in your list, will be either of the long tail McLarens. 600 LT might be within budget.

[JPC63]

My problem is if I was to buy something I like in this price bracket it would be a Mercedes GTR Pro, the car last likely to appreciate!

[moktabe]

15 to 20 years of insuring, general maintenance and servicing a high end car isn't going to be cheap and will take a huge chunk out of any profit you might be lucky enough to make from any future sale.

Bought a car once with an eye to investment. After 2 years I'd had enough of looking at it in the garage and rarely daring to use it in case its value was affected so sold it on.

[LRDefender]

What a nice problem to have!!

I would be tempted by the 991.2 GT3 or the Ferrari but I'd also have a think about something a little less exotic. Inflation would be the thing to (comfortably) beat here IMO. When we look at today's older cars that command high prices things like the Lancia Integrale, Nissan GTR, any Ford Cosworth, Subaru Impreza etc. all spring to mind. With a lower original purchase price I think you have more of a chance of making a gain rather than breaking even, also maintenance could be potentially less financially ruinous.

I'd think something like a Lotus Exige might be a good shout but possibly a bit hardcore for some, a mint GR Yaris might be worth a look or any of the cars I mention above. Heck, even a nice Honda S2000 would tick the 10/15 year ownership/investment box for me.

Please update us when you make your purchase and good luck.

[ATG]

If you in any way rely on getting this money back, let alone getting a return on this "investment", for god's sake don't do it. Buying any car as an investment is crazy, particularly as a long term investment. You are gambling on future fashions, tastes and attitudes, and there is no way of predicting how those will evolve.

[CloudStuff]

YOLO the .2 GT3, but don’t expect a return. For all we know, they may be taxed off the road.

[roca1976]

I have a decent public sector pension and lump sum however I would certainly be mighty annoyed at myself if it deprecated like a stone (hopefully I would have the sense to bail out if it was obviously doomed)

[Nicetobenice]

roca1976 said:

I have a decent public sector pension and lump sum however I would certainly be mighty annoyed at myself if it deprecated like a stone (hopefully I would have the sense to bail out if it was obviously doomed)

In that case I wouldn't do it. I'd say all the cars with potential have the chance of throwing up a big bill that could mess up the maths.
Buy something with an amount you are more or less happy to write off.

[roca1976]

Do we expect bona fide classics like a 1955 Aston DB2/4 or a pre A 356 bomb out as the age profile of the loaded 35-55 year olds in 2040 couldn't give a damn about them?

It's so pretty...https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1994077

[Nicetobenice]

roca1976 said:

Do we expect bona fide classics like a 1955 Aston DB2/4 or a pre A 356 bomb out as the age profile of the loaded 35-55 year olds in 2040 couldn't give a damn about them?

It's so pretty...https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1994077

I think these have already fallen from the top of the market.
Who knows how far they fall?

I'd rather have that then any in your original list if I was only planning on doing a few miles a year.

But then, I am an old fart.

[MDL111]

I think over the next decade poster cars built between c. 2000 and 2012 will have the best upside potential. Can you still get a Murcielago in the UK at the upper end of your budget (I am too lazy to check)?

[MDL111]

just to add: I would not buy a GT3 after 997 because of production numbers if appreciation is a key consideration - imo they built too many of those, but others disagree on that point. If anything look at an RS (albeit also huge inflation in build numbers after 997)

[alscar]

roca1976 said:

Following a recent inheritance, I am interested in a pension pot car.

I am 50 with a decent pension, house paid off and enough rainy day savings. I think I am happy to take a high-risk approach and punt on a high value car with an idea to sell when I am 60-65 and release the capital.

I would like something useable for fair weather use (circa 2k p.a) and I think it needs to be £100 - 150k to maximise the strongest return.

Tbh sounds like your Finances seem in decent order so maybe look at the car as more to enjoy than worry about whether its the right one for an investment or not.
If you are going to do some maths rather than man maths then you also need to think about 10-15 years of ownership costs plus whatever "opportunity cost " your budget would have achieved elsewhere, along with the investment upside.
Whether the "strongest return " is from anything within your desired price bracket is anyone's guess.
The other alternative is to buy a couple of cars within that bracket.

[ZX10R NIN]

I feel the Mclaren 650S is pretty much at the bottom of it's curve & a nicely spec'd one of these will see you right without being to exposed.

The GT3's I'd be looking at would be the 9973/RS, they're rarer highly regarded as well as being a great steer.

Every now & then you'll even get a sensibly priced 997 GT2.