Anyone sold an M400...

[washy]

Just curious. The only private one I've seen is £46K and the dealer demos aren't moving at £55K odd. I'm seriously considering buying one this summer but not very confident the car will be very easy to shift when I want to move it on. I kind of expected such a low volume car to hang on to it's cash but dropping £14K+ in under a year for such a new model is pretty scary.

Please no flaming, I know new cars loose money, just trying to gauge the market on this pretty unique car.

[Marlon]

If you like the car, bite the bullet and go for it! It's a much better drive than a Sagaris or Tuscan and a used M400 (e.g. ex-demo at 55k) is unlikely IMO to lose more than 10k in your first 12 months. But, I imagine it will be harder to sell on than a TVR (especially if Noble decide to introduce a longitudinal engine revision of the M12/400 - which is purely my own speculation and should be ignored!)

Go on, you know it makes sense...

[silversix]

i bought an Ex Demo one. Only intend keeping it for a year (agreed with wife that i could have one until we have kids), and hoping not to lose too much money. Just buy the cheapest one you can find, and you won't be disapointed.

[washy]

It's a fantastic drive without a doubt. Noble do have a habit of rapidly developing the product though and it worries me that this habit may continue.

[DanH]

I'd consider a 996 GT3 then if residuals are that much of a worry. They are likely to be firmer, but again you can still take big baths on any car costing 50k+.

Failing that, just get a 2nd hand GT03 which someone else has taken the battering on.

[washy]

DanH - It'd have to be an M400. Thought/thinking about GT3 but I'd possibly go the whole hog and get a GT2 if I was going the Porsche route. I respect Porsche but they don't excite me in the way TVR's and Noble's do. I clearly like pain with my car ownership!

[stuh]

washy said:

DanH - It'd have to be an M400. Thought/thinking about GT3 but I'd possibly go the whole hog and get a GT2 if I was going the Porsche route. I respect Porsche but they don't excite me in the way TVR's and Noble's do. I clearly like pain with my car ownership!

Washy - I'm on the look out myself. I'm also wary on the residuals front after my M12 2.5 experiences. Hoping to pick up a car for £40k by the end of the year, so if you see any cheap ones..........

As regards the comments about kids. I have a 4 month old and the easy solution is to leave the wife at home

[DanH]

washy said:

DanH - It'd have to be an M400. Thought/thinking about GT3 but I'd possibly go the whole hog and get a GT2 if I was going the Porsche route. I respect Porsche but they don't excite me in the way TVR's and Noble's do. I clearly like pain with my car ownership!

The problem with that is that a GT2 will without a doubt cost more to run than GT3. Its heavier, has a more complex engine installation & etc.

The standard discs on GT3s which are lighter only last a few track days as it is, although aftermarket non drilled ones seem to be holding up better.

[washy]

DanH - Indeed!

[Marlon]

stuh said:

washy said: DanH - It'd have to be an M400. Thought/thinking about GT3 but I'd possibly go the whole hog and get a GT2 if I was going the Porsche route. I respect Porsche but they don't excite me in the way TVR's and Noble's do. I clearly like pain with my car ownership! Washy - I'm on the look out myself. I'm also wary on the residuals front after my M12 2.5 experiences. Hoping to pick up a car for £40k by the end of the year, so if you see any cheap ones.......... As regards the comments about kids. I have a 4 month old and the easy solution is to leave the wife at home

Got bored with the Fezza, or adding to the collection?

[stuh]

Marlon said:

stuh said: washy said: DanH - It'd have to be an M400. Thought/thinking about GT3 but I'd possibly go the whole hog and get a GT2 if I was going the Porsche route. I respect Porsche but they don't excite me in the way TVR's and Noble's do. I clearly like pain with my car ownership! Washy - I'm on the look out myself. I'm also wary on the residuals front after my M12 2.5 experiences. Hoping to pick up a car for £40k by the end of the year, so if you see any cheap ones.......... As regards the comments about kids. I have a 4 month old and the easy solution is to leave the wife at home Got bored with the Fezza, or adding to the collection?

Bored, definitely not! The fezza is a long term keeper.

Missing the Noble though and wanting something i can track. I reckon the M400 will make a cracking 2nd hand buy.

[UFO 2 NOB]

IMO if Noble don't get a grip on their residual values they wont be selling new cars for long.There are new 3r's and M400's in showrooms but who's going to bother buying new with the ridicuously cheap used bargains around.I was going to trade up from 3r to M400.Instead i bought an XTR2 for the track for around the same cost of the trade up.Now i have two competent machines but i dont see the XTR loosing any money.Unlike the trade to the M400 which i have no doubt would cost me a minimum of 15 grand for twelve months use,in reality probably nearer 20 grand.

>> Edited by UFO 2 NOB on Friday 6th May 00:13

>> Edited by UFO 2 NOB on Friday 6th May 00:14

[washy]

UFO - That's exactly what I'm thinking.

[kentviking]

Come on guys...the residuals on most new cars are pretty dire...if the depreciation worries you then buy a classic for 27/28k and see how much you lose over a 4/5 year period (not much I'll venture...a recent article in one of the car mags was speculating just a few grand)

...and most of joe public don't know the differences in the models...they are equally jaw dropping (and not MUCH difference in performance!)

[DanH]

Yep there does seem to be a distinct lack of realism here!

Its the exception rather than the rule, when buying a 50k+ car to not lose huge chunks of cash on it. Even things with firm residuals like GT3s loose a big chunk of cash (although will probably find price support earlier depending on various factors).

[joust]

DanH said:

Yep there does seem to be a distinct lack of realism here! Its the exception rather than the rule, when buying a 50k+ car to not lose huge chunks of cash on it. Even things with firm residuals like GT3s loose a big chunk of cash (although will probably find price support earlier depending on various factors).

Exactly

GT2 lost over 50% in 3-4 years it seems - £130k down to £60k according to the guy I met at Bedford....

[m12_nathan]

M3 CSLs doen to 40k from 60k in 1 year too. Make an awesome second hand buy though

[washy]

Guys - I agree with the last few comments, GT2 and CSL are classic examples. As I said I appreciate that new cars drop in the first few years. I was just trying to gauge by how much in this case (M400). I understand the market in TVR's but have no idea about Noble in this respect. I'd be a fool not to try and gain a little insight in the market place I'm looking to buy into.

Like everything an awful lot rests on how you move the car on. Joust seems to have done well trading, in the marque, up to an M400. I look to be able to do OK with the Cerb. I think it hits hardest if you look to shift the car private or without moving on in the marque.

The GT2 and CSL do look like cracking buys at the moment.

[joust]

washy said:

Like everything an awful lot rests on how you move the car on. Joust seems to have done well trading, in the marque, up to an M400. I look to be able to do OK with the Cerb. I think it hits hardest if you look to shift the car private or without moving on in the marque. The GT2 and CSL do look like cracking buys at the moment.

I "lost" 40% after 2.5 years of ownership on my M12 by trading in/up via the dealer network which I think is pretty good given the marque. I know people that have lost much more on new Ferrari's.

I have to say that my dealer was very "proactive" in sorting out a good deal. Most dealers I've ever met seem to be very "derogatory" when you present a car of the same marque to trade in.

I think most people have come unstuck because they expect there to be little difference between dealers and private sales. With a "good feeling" car like the Noble, I'm guessing most people will need a serious differential to hand over cash to a private buyer for such a car.

The M400, current plan, is only going to stay for a year-ish before it goes back for the M14. I wouldn't do that if I didn't think that residuals on the M400 would be bad - I have no desire to loose 20k in a year!

J

[washy]

Thanks J. I'd probably keep it a good two years anyway. I tend not to jump about from car to car (3 Cerbs in the last 7 years!)

Anyway, the dealer's been on the phone with a good package so all being well I'm on for July!

Cheers