LF-A for $350-400K?
11-13-2009, 02:32 PM
#22
Originally Posted by PedalFaster,Nov 13 2009, 11:20 AM
I imagine that most of the people in the market for $350k cars aren't stretching to buy them, but rather spending money they've set aside for play.
Consider going to the Gap to buy a T-shirt, then being told by someone that you could get a comparable shirt for less at Walmart and invest the rest. That might be true, but if (a) you wanted a Gap shirt, not a Walmart shirt, and (b) investing the difference isn't going to make a meaningful difference in your life, that argument's not going to be very compelling.
Consider going to the Gap to buy a T-shirt, then being told by someone that you could get a comparable shirt for less at Walmart and invest the rest. That might be true, but if (a) you wanted a Gap shirt, not a Walmart shirt, and (b) investing the difference isn't going to make a meaningful difference in your life, that argument's not going to be very compelling.
11-13-2009, 02:46 PM
#23
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,480
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by [DT
,Nov 13 2009, 01:56 PM] That's interesting. I wonder what the lease values look like? How do figure the residual on something like _this_?
I wonder if they'll have a special deal like $499/month, $2500 down?
I wonder if they'll have a special deal like $499/month, $2500 down?
11-13-2009, 02:47 PM
#24
Registered User
The failure already started when people try to logically analyze whether the price tag is worth it or not. There are plenty of emotional purchases, and this is one of them for those who can afford.
11-13-2009, 02:56 PM
#25
Registered User
Originally Posted by TheDonEffect,Nov 13 2009, 04:32 PM
One example is a difference of 10-20 bucks, other one is 100s of thousands. So unless buying this Lexus for these folk is like me buying a 20 dollar shirt, then your logic will apply.
Originally Posted by TheDonEffect,Nov 13 2009, 04:32 PM
Plus investing 20 bucks over any period of years won't really net you much of a return whereas 300K could eventually pay for another trust fund baby.
Apologies if I'm being a bit blunt, but are you not aware that there are people out there who don't agonize over spending a few hundred grand here and there, and already have enough money to pay for another trust fund baby fifty times over? You and I are not the target market for this car, so criticizing the LFA's price based on our monetary value system is analogous to a mother criticizing the LFA's inability to carry her kids and stroller.
11-13-2009, 05:25 PM
#26
Registered User
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 1,309
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by PedalFaster,Nov 13 2009, 03:56 PM
That's exactly my point -- you're trying to apply everyman rules to a rich person's purchase. If you need to carefully weigh the effects of a given car purchase on your finances, then it's a pretty bad idea for that purchase to be an extremely rare car that will be exceptionally expensive to insure, and which can only be serviced by special facilities. Consequently, LFA buyers (and new Ferrari buyers, etc.) will self-select only if they're well-off enough to shrug off the cost, potential need for the car to travel for weeks for servicing, etc.
Percentage-wise they'll yield the same return, modulo brokerage fees.
Apologies if I'm being a bit blunt, but are you not aware that there are people out there who don't agonize over spending a few hundred grand here and there, and already have enough money to pay for another trust fund baby fifty times over? You and I are not the target market for this car, so criticizing the LFA's price based on our monetary value system is analogous to a mother criticizing the LFA's inability to carry her kids and stroller.
Percentage-wise they'll yield the same return, modulo brokerage fees.
Apologies if I'm being a bit blunt, but are you not aware that there are people out there who don't agonize over spending a few hundred grand here and there, and already have enough money to pay for another trust fund baby fifty times over? You and I are not the target market for this car, so criticizing the LFA's price based on our monetary value system is analogous to a mother criticizing the LFA's inability to carry her kids and stroller.
11-13-2009, 05:50 PM
#27
Thread Starter
From what I read above, the best defense is something like "rich people will buy this because they can, you don't understand rich people." I think you guys would be surprised how rich some of the members on this board are. And I guess you'd also be surprised to learn that rich people didn't get that way by buying stupid things. Why would a guy with a bunch of Ferarris, Lambos, Veyrons and Mercedes/Mclarens decide he needs one of these things? They look like nothing special, and they go no better than a Z06 or GTR. The new 911 turbo will spank it. I don't think the super rich want a "super car" with drab looks made by a sedan company. Especially one that will get its doors blown off by the production sports cars driven by their lawyers and accountants. Rich people have egos too you know.
Will Lexus find 500 people throughout the entire world to buy them? Probably. But after 10 years of development, is that what Lexus was shooting for? The Halo car is supposed to show the world how remarkable the company's technology, engineering and styling are. This doesn't do it! I think Toyota should have dumped this project and focussed on something in the Porsche Turbo price range the way Nissan did. If they were going for super car, it should have been beyond Ferrari. The LFA proves that Toyota isn't there yet. I think it is a failure on every level
Will Lexus find 500 people throughout the entire world to buy them? Probably. But after 10 years of development, is that what Lexus was shooting for? The Halo car is supposed to show the world how remarkable the company's technology, engineering and styling are. This doesn't do it! I think Toyota should have dumped this project and focussed on something in the Porsche Turbo price range the way Nissan did. If they were going for super car, it should have been beyond Ferrari. The LFA proves that Toyota isn't there yet. I think it is a failure on every level
11-13-2009, 08:23 PM
#28
Registered User
[QUOTE=Legal Bill,Nov 13 2009, 07:50 PM]And I guess you'd also be surprised to learn that rich people didn't get that way by buying stupid things. Why would a guy with a bunch of Ferarris, Lambos, Veyrons and Mercedes/Mclarens decide he needs one of these things?
11-13-2009, 09:28 PM
#29
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by PedalFaster,Nov 14 2009, 12:23 AM
All six figure sports cars are "stupid" purchases by any objective measure. You're trying to evaluate the car by your arbitrary criteria -- we get that you don't like it, but that doesn't mean no one else in the world will either.
Again, that's your opinion. The LFA's already generated an enormous amount of buzz: it made the covers of this month's Car and Driver and Automobile magazines, and LFA videos have been viewed more than a million times on YouTube (Autocar's LFA first drive video has been viewed more often than its 458 Italia first drive video, although the latter is admittedly newer). Even the thread here on how the car's A-pillars are made was viewed almost a thousand times. If those people aren't impressed by "how remarkable the company's technology, engineering and styling are", why exactly do you think they're paying so much attention?
Again, that's your opinion. The LFA's already generated an enormous amount of buzz: it made the covers of this month's Car and Driver and Automobile magazines, and LFA videos have been viewed more than a million times on YouTube (Autocar's LFA first drive video has been viewed more often than its 458 Italia first drive video, although the latter is admittedly newer). Even the thread here on how the car's A-pillars are made was viewed almost a thousand times. If those people aren't impressed by "how remarkable the company's technology, engineering and styling are", why exactly do you think they're paying so much attention?
I don't think all six figure cars are stupid. Some six figure cars actually increase in value over the years. Others deliver incredible performance above that provided by cars that cost even more. Others are pure works of art. Some are all of these things. The LFA...not so much.
Of course there is buzz around this car's release and of course everyone is paying attention. The car mags all leaked every scrap of info Toyota gave them over the years. And this car has been coming for years and years. It was a great PR build up and so of course all the car fans of the world were waiting to see it. This was supposed to be the great super car from the worlds largest car manufacturer.
Remarkable construction methods are all well and good if the end product is impressive. But what good are remarkable and expensive construction methods that yeild a car that is no better than one costing 1/4 as much. If there is something tangible to justify the price and the hype, I have not read it in the car mags or seen it on here. Let's stick to the car and not attack eachother for having opinions.
