Playing with the big boys?

[IceBoy]

Hi All,

So....I've been thinking about climbing the ladder in the automotive world, Ferrari in particular (458)...but want real world examples of cost of ownership.

Currently I run:

Porsche 996 Turbo S - coupe/manual
Porsche 996 C2 - coupe/manual
Mercedes S Class - Daily driver
Mk2 Golf GTI - 8v big bumper
Brand New - BMW 320d Msport Plus - Auto - Mrs Ice's car

Now all these cars are taxed, insured and kept in tip top, want for nothing condition...it is expensive!

I don't do more than 10,000 miles per year, across all of them and I guess 8000 of those are on the S-class, which mainly gets driven to the train station car park and the shopping runs at the weekend.

So I'm thinking of selling the S-Class, using the 996 C2 as my daily and getting something exotic, possibly 458.

Will I be in for a shock, in terms of running costs? Would something exotic (2000 miles pa) be out of my league?

Help and advice sought, thanks in advance!
IceBoy

[johnnyreggae]

Don't rule out a McLaren with warranty - its quite possible your combined Porsche cost as much to run as 458 especially if the latter still has its 7 year service pack

[IceBoy]

johnnyreggae said:

Don't rule out a McLaren with warranty - its quite possible your combined Porsche cost as much to run as 458 especially if the latter still has its 7 year service pack

...

Johnny, that was my thinking. If the cost is the same as my combined Porsche costs...it would be doable!
IceBoy

PS. McLaren is on the list also.

[_Leg_]

I've had no problems whatsoever with my 458 Spider over 20,000 miles most of which has been done round Europe at pace. It's a 2014 that I've had from new. 7 years servicing is free and whilst the warranty expires in April if Warranty Direct ever pick the phone up (I'm on hold now - 10 minutes in) extended full warranty is £2000 a year.

Same goes for my F12 and Speciale. This generation is, by personal experience and from what I read on here and other forums, a pretty reliable set of cars.

I do a set of rear tyres per year on the Spider and F12, a set of fronts every 2 years. Speciale longer as I don't do as many miles in it.

Err, just insurance and fuel on top which is what it is.

Oh, I had a new windscreen on the Spider after a motorbike flicked a stone up (I wasn't chasing him officer). £3500 but sorted under insurance.

[The Surveyor]

IceBoy said:

Hi All,

So....I've been thinking about climbing the ladder in the automotive world, Ferrari in particular (458)...but want real world examples of cost of ownership.

Currently I run:

Porsche 996 Turbo S - coupe/manual
Porsche 996 C2 - coupe/manual
Mercedes S Class - Daily driver
Mk2 Golf GTI - 8v big bumper
Brand New - BMW 320d Msport Plus - Auto - Mrs Ice's car

Now all these cars are taxed, insured and kept in tip top, want for nothing condition...it is expensive!

I don't do more than 10,000 miles per year, across all of them and I guess 8000 of those are on the S-class, which mainly gets driven to the train station car park and the shopping runs at the weekend.

So I'm thinking of selling the S-Class, using the 996 C2 as my daily and getting something exotic, possibly 458.

Will I be in for a shock, in terms of running costs? Would something exotic (2000 miles pa) be out of my league?

Help and advice sought, thanks in advance!
IceBoy

I think you are looking at this the wrong way around. Rather than looking at whether you can afford to run a 458, look at how to make it happen.

You have a lovely collection of cars and only you know which ones you have that emotional attachment too, and which can be sacrificed for the greater joy. It would be a shame to use a good C2 as a station car park hack, but otherwise go for it

Edited by The Surveyor on Wednesday 7th March 11:18

[IceBoy]

The Surveyor said:

I think you are looking at this the wrong way around. Rather than looking at whether you can afford to run a 458, look at how to make it happen.

You have a lovely collection of cars and only you know which ones you have that emotional attachment too, and which can be sacrificed for the greater joy. It would be a shame to use a good C2 as a station car park hack, but otherwise go for it

Edited by The Surveyor on Wednesday 7th March 11:18

I'm emotionally attached to the them all LOL !!!

The Mercedes is a diesel but probably the best old shape (w220) Mercedes S class in the UK! (30k on the clock, like new).....To be honest I could just let it go....not really that emotional..... being a Diesel!!

I've had the golf 20 years!

The 996 Turbo S, again museum quality show car (27k on the clock) and the 996 C2 is now a strong 7/10 car with 79k on the clock.....it would be a shame to use it as a daily hack but one car will have to go, as having 5 on my personal fleet would just be crazy, plus Mrs Ice would get the hump!

Iceboy

FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS AND ALL !! LOL

[The Surveyor]

IceBoy said:

......
FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS AND ALL !! LOL

Indeed...

Ask yourself when would you use the Turbo S if you bought a 458? If the answer is 'never' then get it sold.

[Yipper]

You can do various checks to mitigate risk, but cost of ownership almost always comes down to luck.

Go 2 years without a problem, and a supercar can be run for free (excluding servicing and normal wear and tear). Get a V12 engine go pop, and you'll be ~£60k poorer in a nanosecond.

[IceBoy]

The Surveyor said:

Indeed...

Ask yourself when would you use the Turbo S if you bought a 458? If the answer is 'never' then get it sold.

The Turbo S is here to stay, forever.

My Poster cars were 959 and F40, both got away but as soon as I could I jumped on the Turbo S, lots of design similarities and engineering history....and it was my dream car...once I had a driving licence.

I may be able to let go of the Carrera and Mercedes.....the Golf is part of the family LOL!

Arrrggghhh!

I will start looking seriously in the summer but please keep the real life running cost coming.

£60k engine build is a lot, no matter which way you look at it LOL

IceBoy

[The Surveyor]

IceBoy said:

The Turbo S is here to stay, forever.

My Poster cars were 959 and F40, both got away but as soon as I could I jumped on the Turbo S, lots of design similarities and engineering history....and it was my dream car...once I had a driving licence.

I may be able to let go of the Carrera and Mercedes.....the Golf is part of the family LOL!

Arrrggghhh!

I will start looking seriously in the summer but please keep the real life running cost coming.

£60k engine build is a lot, no matter which way you look at it LOL

IceBoy

Too many toys and not enough time, the age-old problem lol.

A £60k engine re-build would be a worry, but I've not read many reports of any of the recent Ferraris being particularly mechanically fragile, certainly not of any engine failures, certainly no worse than anything else.

[_Leg_]

Yipper said:

You can do various checks to mitigate risk, but cost of ownership almost always comes down to luck.

Go 2 years without a problem, and a supercar can be run for free (excluding servicing and normal wear and tear). Get a V12 engine go pop, and you'll be ~£60k poorer in a nanosecond.

Rubbish. Luck is for the unprepared. That's like posting "Oh you're fine driving around until you smash your £200,000 supercar up and then, you're £200,000 poorer in a nanosecond" and ignoring the fact that the owner has insurance.

£2000 warranty, covers everything bar consumables, paid quarterly. Warranty Direct. Between factory warranty, extended warranty, 7 year servicing packs and some really good quality independents around these days, plus the 458/F12/FF generation are the most reliable F cars ever, owning a Ferrari has never been so easy or risk free.

Edited by _Leg_ on Thursday 8th March 09:56

Edited by _Leg_ on Friday 9th March 07:52