Can I afford a Ferrari?
Discussion
Hi guys,
I normally reside in the Porsche forum, but am fancying a change and am wondering if I can afford Ferrari ownership.
I'm looking for a weekend car mainly, and would expect to keep it for a year and put c. 12,000 miles on it. My purchase budget is up to mid £30k's with some flexibility, but I'd like 80% of that back when I come to sell. And I'd find it painful to justify spending more than £1k - £2k a year on maintenance and servicing. No particular need for practicality.
Do I need to stick to my Porsche's for a few more years and look again when my budget's increased, or could I realistically consider a 348 or 456 for example?
Edited to add: Perhaps I'm thinking that if I have to ask, the answer is that I can't!
I normally reside in the Porsche forum, but am fancying a change and am wondering if I can afford Ferrari ownership.
I'm looking for a weekend car mainly, and would expect to keep it for a year and put c. 12,000 miles on it. My purchase budget is up to mid £30k's with some flexibility, but I'd like 80% of that back when I come to sell. And I'd find it painful to justify spending more than £1k - £2k a year on maintenance and servicing. No particular need for practicality.
Do I need to stick to my Porsche's for a few more years and look again when my budget's increased, or could I realistically consider a 348 or 456 for example?
Edited to add: Perhaps I'm thinking that if I have to ask, the answer is that I can't!
Edited by willdew on Tuesday 17th October 13:37
willdew said:
Hi guys,
I normally reside in the Porsche forum, but am fancying a change and am wondering if I can afford Ferrari ownership.
I'm looking for a weekend car mainly, and would expect to keep it for a year and put c. 12,000 miles on it. My purchase budget is up to mid £30k's with some flexibility, but I'd like 80% of that back when I come to sell. And I'd find it painful to justify spending more than £1k - £2k a year on maintenance and servicing. No particular need for practicality.
Do I need to stick to my Porsche's for a few more years and look again when my budget's increased, or could I realistically consider a 348 or 456 for example?
Edited to add: Perhaps I'm thinking that if I have to ask, the answer is that I can't!
I normally reside in the Porsche forum, but am fancying a change and am wondering if I can afford Ferrari ownership.
I'm looking for a weekend car mainly, and would expect to keep it for a year and put c. 12,000 miles on it. My purchase budget is up to mid £30k's with some flexibility, but I'd like 80% of that back when I come to sell. And I'd find it painful to justify spending more than £1k - £2k a year on maintenance and servicing. No particular need for practicality.
Do I need to stick to my Porsche's for a few more years and look again when my budget's increased, or could I realistically consider a 348 or 456 for example?
Edited to add: Perhaps I'm thinking that if I have to ask, the answer is that I can't!
Edited by willdew on Tuesday 17th October 13:37
Same thing for me. I can afford to buy and service a 355, assuming nothing goes wrong and nothing breaks. Which means I can't afford one.
Of course you speak common sense. It's not that I couldn't afford to address a big bill, but that it would ruin the ownership experience for me, and mean I'd end up feeling I had to sell. Guess what I'm saying is I can pay the bill, but can't justify incurring it.
Although to quantify it and "value the risk", is there a 50% chance of a £5k bill and a 30% chance of a £10k bill?
Either way, it brings us to the same conclusion. I'm better with a 964RS.
Although to quantify it and "value the risk", is there a 50% chance of a £5k bill and a 30% chance of a £10k bill?
Either way, it brings us to the same conclusion. I'm better with a 964RS.
The fact that you can't 'justify' the extra monies (if they should arise) pretty much says to me that you don't really want a Ferrari.
I ain't slating you, I'm just saying if you really really wanted one then this wouldn't stop you.
Porsche is the easy/sensible choice, not necessarily the right one, but definately the easy one.
I ain't slating you, I'm just saying if you really really wanted one then this wouldn't stop you.
Porsche is the easy/sensible choice, not necessarily the right one, but definately the easy one.
hobo said:
The fact that you can't 'justify' the extra monies (if they should arise) pretty much says to me that you don't really want a Ferrari.
I ain't slating you, I'm just saying if you really really wanted one then this wouldn't stop you.
Porsche is the easy/sensible choice, not necessarily the right one, but definately the easy one.
I ain't slating you, I'm just saying if you really really wanted one then this wouldn't stop you.
Porsche is the easy/sensible choice, not necessarily the right one, but definately the easy one.
And afer writing that last statement I questioning if that's what I really think. As many people who are posting on here will relate to, they have been my dream marque since I can remember, but the cars now in my price bracket are not the same models I drempt of owning.
I'm at the point in my life that my girlfriend and I both earn good livings and we've no kids (yet) and if I don't own a Ferrari before marrage and family it'll be 20 years before kids are througth university and I can actually afford one. And that thought is dreadful!
And when I stop and think that I can buy a v12 5.5l mid '90's Ferrari GT car with 400bhp +, but I'm being sensible and wondering if I should. I'm wondering what I go to work every day for and is it really me typing this?!
Edited by willdew on Tuesday 17th October 14:20
Edited by willdew on Tuesday 17th October 14:20
willdew said:
I'm looking for a weekend car mainly, and would expect to keep it for a year and put c. 12,000 miles on it. My purchase budget is up to mid £30k's with some flexibility, but I'd like 80% of that back when I come to sell. And I'd find it painful to justify spending more than £1k - £2k a year on maintenance and servicing. No particular need for practicality.
Do I need to stick to my Porsche's for a few more years and look again when my budget's increased, or could I realistically consider a 348 or 456 for example?
Do I need to stick to my Porsche's for a few more years and look again when my budget's increased, or could I realistically consider a 348 or 456 for example?
You'll probably get 80% back, but there's no guarantee.
Runnin costs over a year could be anywhere from £550 (6,000 mile service) to £12,000 for an engine rebuild. Then there's the cost of tyres. My rears only last me 5,000 miles.
The 348 is between 12 and 17 years old, so there's always something to be done to them.
However, the biggest problem you'll find is finding a good one.
Personally, I'd always hget a Ferarri over a Porsche ......as long as I could afford the maintenance.
As a current Porsche owner and an ex Ferrari owner, it's got to be a Ferrari, no brainer.
get a GOOD 348 and you will have a blast. A decent RHD is within your grasp and a superb LHD for the money. Make sure it has full service history, a recent cam belt change (that'll save you £1500-£2000) and a absolute must, is make sure it has a Tubi exhaust fitted ... I'm not joking, get one without and when you go out with someone that has one fitted you will be gutted!
As a guide, a new clutch on a 348 is £750 fitted.
A 6000 mile service about £500, a 12000 mile service about £700 from respected indies.
If you buy a RHD 348TS now for say £27k, you should be able to get £25-26 back in a year or so, maybe even your money back. Oh, get red aswell, easier to sell on.
get a GOOD 348 and you will have a blast. A decent RHD is within your grasp and a superb LHD for the money. Make sure it has full service history, a recent cam belt change (that'll save you £1500-£2000) and a absolute must, is make sure it has a Tubi exhaust fitted ... I'm not joking, get one without and when you go out with someone that has one fitted you will be gutted!
As a guide, a new clutch on a 348 is £750 fitted.
A 6000 mile service about £500, a 12000 mile service about £700 from respected indies.
If you buy a RHD 348TS now for say £27k, you should be able to get £25-26 back in a year or so, maybe even your money back. Oh, get red aswell, easier to sell on.
You can afford one by the sounds of things but I think it is more down to whether you want to afford one.
I would recommend a 348 and a good example is well within your reach.
I love the 964 RS, but nothing will sound or feel like driving your 1st Ferrari if that is what you really want.
I would recommend a 348 and a good example is well within your reach.
I love the 964 RS, but nothing will sound or feel like driving your 1st Ferrari if that is what you really want.
tony h said:
i have to disagree with my learned 348 owners ; the 964rs is an icon , ultra rare and dare i suggest a better drivers car 
Agreed.
Although I will own both in due course (one at a time
). My thought is that my squanderable income is only going to increase for the next 2 years, before it drops significantly for 20 years. So I better squander it while I have the chance!
tony h said:
i have to disagree with my learned 348 owners ; the 964rs is an icon , ultra rare and dare i suggest a better drivers car
Rare as mine???
Have'nt driven a 964rs, so can't really say. Does look nice though www.pistonheads.com/sales/71143.htm
I'd still prefer a 348 though.
pdavison said:
Not as rare as mine either!
angelis said:
tony h said:
i have to disagree with my learned 348 owners ; the 964rs is an icon , ultra rare and dare i suggest a better drivers car
Rare as mine???
Have'nt driven a 964rs, so can't really say. Does look nice though www.pistonheads.com/sales/71143.htm
I'd still prefer a 348 though.
LOL! i knew you 2 would be back so i'm prepared . Of 19,731 964s produced worldwide between 89-94, 2398 were rs' . I've driven the rs but not a 348 so between us we're covered.
Hi willdew here are my thoughts. First of all a 348 is no quicker than the 80's 3.2 carrera. (a wonderful car). You have stated that you are mr sensible so you have two options. Go and lease yourself a modern day boring box so you are guaranteed no suprises or buy yourself what your heart really wants. whether it be a 355 or a 964 rs you can still find yourself stuck with a rather large bill if an unforseen catastrophe happens.
But remember unless someone can emphatically prove to me otherwise, this life is the only one you have got and it is not a dress rehearsel so bloody well make the most of it. If you really want a fezza then go and get one.
But remember unless someone can emphatically prove to me otherwise, this life is the only one you have got and it is not a dress rehearsel so bloody well make the most of it. If you really want a fezza then go and get one.
Jonny5 said:
Would recommend a 355 over a 348, and with the winter months here there'll be a pick of decent cars circa 35k
The 355 is a better car than a 348. Just like a 430 is better than a 360 and a Murci is better than a Diablo.
However, for £35K, you'll get a crap 355. Better to get a good 348 than a bad 355.
Jonny5 said:
avoid a 348 like the plague
Why? What's so bad about a 348? Have you owned one?
Edited by angelis on Tuesday 17th October 23:55
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