Is Magneride essential for R8 resale?

[Debaser]

Thinking about getting an R8, and would be happy with one without Magneride. However it's been suggested that I need to get one with it because it'll be way easier to sell on when the time comes.

If anyone has an R8, was Magneride an essential option when you bought yours? I'm trying to work out exactly how much a car without would be harder to sell a few years down the line.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Ha ha! The dealers will always tell you about the expensive options you need in order to render the car capable of resale. Don't fall for it. You'll always pay a lot more for the option than you'll ever get back in resale value. Similarly there's always the pub bore owners who want to "big up" the shiny toys they have fitted to their cars.

Put simply, options depreciate more quickly than the car to which they are fitted.

You should see the l-o-n-g list of essential options my Porsche doesn't have. Yet strangely the car seems to work just fine and I am confident of successful sale when the time comes.

[Puddenchucker]

Buy the specification that you want and will enjoy driving.

Don't try and second guess what someone else may or may not want in 3 or 4 years time when you sell it.

[TooMany2cvs]

Debaser said:

Thinking about getting an R8, and would be happy with one without Magneride. However it's been suggested that I need to get one with it because it'll be way easier to sell on when the time comes.

If anyone has an R8, was Magneride an essential option when you bought yours? I'm trying to work out exactly how much a car without would be harder to sell a few years down the line.

Will the car be unsellable without the optional suspension?
Or will the car just sell for a bit less? If so, how much less?

If the reduction in resale value is less than the price of the option, then it doesn't make sense to order it unless you want it.

<goes off to play with config>
Only £1,600 option? Or £3,500 with the "dynamic" steering (£1,200) and sport exhaust (£1,800)? It's not exactly a big-cost option, relatively to the price of the car.

Edited by TooMany2cvs on Thursday 24th March 08:29

[Jim AK]

Have a look in the classifieds here & Autotrader for a couple of months

Do the non Mag cars have a lower price or stay on the market longer, is there an R8 owners forum you could join to get real feedback from real owners, past & present?

[Debaser]

Thanks all - to clarify I'm looking at a second hand R8 (V8 - Magneride was standard on the V10). From what I've seen, cars without Magneride are rather rare so it's hard to tell whether they sell for less, or hang around on the market for longer. Some good advice above though, it makes sense to simply get what I want.

I'm sure evo did a buyer's guide but my google skills are letting me down and I can't find it anywhere.

[will_]

Debaser said:

Thanks all - to clarify I'm looking at a second hand R8 (V8 - Magneride was standard on the V10). From what I've seen, cars without Magneride are rather rare so it's hard to tell whether they sell for less, or hang around on the market for longer. Some good advice above though, it makes sense to simply get what I want.

I'm sure evo did a buyer's guide but my google skills are letting me down and I can't find it anywhere.

It's not essential but it is a great option to have. Whilst buying a year or so ago cars without it had to be significantly cheaper and did tend to hang around for longer if it wasn't fitted. Another thread mentioned that when selling an R8 the first question was whether it had mag-ride or not, and not having it fitted put people off.

Provided a car is suitably cheap to buy then you can price it cheaper when you come to sell. a car without mag ride will find a buyer at the right price.

Spec is a very personal thing, but for me on the R8 it had to have b&o, mag ride and sat nav. I also really wanted parking sensors, heated seats and the carbon side blades, all of which I eventually found on the colour I wanted.

[Debaser]

Thanks Will - the main reason I'm thinking about getting a non-Magneride car is the risk of Magneride dampers leaking and not being covered by AUC warranty. I've read it's £800 a corner to replace.

I need to balance this against the risk of it being more difficult to sell in a few years.

[MitchT]

The older the car gets the more cost-sensitive its next owner is likely to be, so non-Magneride seems like the sensible choice for easy resale if it's so expensive to repair when it goes wrong.

[CS Garth]

It depends how long you intend to keep it. If long term would not be bothered, use it to get price down and then watch as they become more desirable longer term as magnatec becomes a costly burden

[V8LM]

If you are happy with one without, then so you will find someone else who is when you come to sell. Never buy a car thinking what the next person will or will not want. It's your car, not their's (yet).

[Byker28i]

If you're thinking about how well it will sell, is it really a car you want to buy? I've never bought a car thinking anything at all about when selling it, just about the driving experience.

So do you want option X - dunno will it enhance your pleasure whilst owning the car. Fullstop - nothing else matters...

[will_]

Debaser said:

Thanks Will - the main reason I'm thinking about getting a non-Magneride car is the risk of Magneride dampers leaking and not being covered by AUC warranty. I've read it's £800 a corner to replace.

I need to balance this against the risk of it being more difficult to sell in a few years.

I think the mag ride failure suffers from Internet scaremongering, like Porsche engine failures. It's not guaranteed to go wrong, and it is a great option. If you can find a car which has already had the parts replaced then I think you could be fairly confident they won't need doing again in the medium term.

I would certainly be arguing that premature failure should be covered by a warranty. Audi have been known to replace them but it might be hit and miss, so best be friends with your local dealer!

Finally I hear rumours of specialists now being able to rebuild the original shocks, which should be a fair bit cheaper.

At present their is a fairly clear gulf between mag ride and non mag ride cars in tempers of price and saleability. I would expect the trade to bid in the balls for a non mag ride car. However, provided that you buy right, you should be able to sell right, if you can find a car without it fitted!

Good luck, they are great cars.

[will_]

Byker28i said:

If you're thinking about how well it will sell, is it really a car you want to buy? I've never bought a car thinking anything at all about when selling it, just about the driving experience.

So do you want option X - dunno will it enhance your pleasure whilst owning the car. Fullstop - nothing else matters...

It will definitely affect the price though - in the current market, paying the same price for a car without mag ride as one with it fitted would mean that you have overpaid, which you will find out when you come to sell.

Some spec is more important that others, but everything will sell at the right price. But best to buy at the right price too, irrespective as to whether you want the option or not!

[MitchT]

will_ said:

I think the mag ride failure suffers from Internet scaremongering, like Porsche engine failures.

There are many issues with many cars that are regarded as overblown, but it's worth being aware of them and considering what the financial impact will be if you do happen to be one of the unlucky few. No point throwing caution to the wind because people say an issue is overblown and then ending up with a car that doesn't work and you can't afford to repair.

[will_]

MitchT said:

will_ said:

I think the mag ride failure suffers from Internet scaremongering, like Porsche engine failures.

There are many issues with many cars that are regarded as overblown, but it's worth being aware of them and considering what the financial impact will be if you do happen to be one of the unlucky few. No point throwing caution to the wind because people say an issue is overblown and then ending up with a car that doesn't work and you can't afford to repair.

Absolutely, but often there is an imbalance of information because few people post when everything is fine.

Every car has its share of issues, it often comes down to luck whether they arise or not. Only the OP can determine where he draws the line in terms of risk. These are not everyday cars and can be expensive to run. Equally they can be considerably cheaper to run than cars of equivalent performance.

[911F]

I dont think it matters..

My V10+ doesnt have Magnetic ride, and it rides lovely

People may use it as a bargaining tool, but I hear that 10 year old Magnetic Suspension can be costly if it goes wrong