i dream of owning a nsx or f430 from time to time, but i wonder if it is more the concept of it rather than the reality. with an expensive (to me $50k or higher) car usually comes maintainance, insurance, worry about car getting hurt, etc. people commonly dream that it would be extremely enjoyable to drive, rewarding prestige/attention from others (usually female), maybe even a high level of self pride. the easy answer is if i was rich, i wouldn't care about those things.

bottomline, being someone who never owned or probably won't ever own an expensive car, what's it like?

 

if you got the cash you get the flash...

 

If you have the money to buy an F430, I think you should have the money for the insurance, insane maintenance and eventual repairs, etc. My main concern about owning an F430 is the attention it can create, especially the unwanted kind, like jealous haters and random people coming up and touching your car. I would have to hire an armed security entourage to guard the car while its parked on the street.

 

Traded my MY00 S in last year for a C6. I love to dirve it and am still some what parinoid about parking, dings, dirt, etc. In the long run it is a car that is meant to be enjoyed. You get the usual number of questions about speed on high end and 0-60. The mpg question comes up and when you tell them you are getting 28 on the road they are amazed (just the gear ratio).
Best was pulling into a parking slot at Target when a 16 year old hops out of his moms mini van comes up to me and states "That is a beautiful car. Let me shake your hand as I want to own one some time"

Also got the same comments on the S back in 1999 and 2000


http://forums.corvetteforum.com/photopost/...0&ppuser=202237

 

I think it all depends on why the person bought the car.

For most, buying a car is buying an appliance. They mostly want value and reliability. Past that, a car's a car and it gets you from point A to point B.

For many that buy a nice car (nice being a relative term), the intent is to impress others. I know so many people that own BMWs just because it's a BMW, not because they want the amenities that it offers or even the performance that some models offer. It's a status symbol. (i.e., I have a neighbor down the road that has a 330i coupe with the sport suspension and the ///M wheels. It drives me nuts that when she got a flat tire in the rear, she had it replaced with the wrong size, so that the back tires don't match. It's obvious she has the car ONLY as a symbol of her status.)

For far fewer people who buy a nice car (again, relative) for their own personal enjoyment, with the features/performance/characteristics that most suits their personalities.
______________________________

I find that those that buy cars as a status symbol have less pride of ownership and do not care for their cars as well as those that buy the car for their own enjoyment. They don't mind driving it places and they don't worry nearly as much about damage to the car. The dings don't matter to them, just as long as people know it's their's.

I find that those that buy cars for their own enjoyment have a far greater pride of ownership. They may not drive their nice car everywhere because part of the enjoyment is keeping the car in great condition.

Of course there is an entire spectrum of people in between.
________________________________

So is it worth it? It must be for those that own "nice" cars. Whether one owns it for status or for personal enjoyment, it must be worth it.

So what's it like? Well, for someone like me that owns an S2000 for my own personal enjoyment (and one that keeps it nice and worries about where I park it, etc.), I don't think it's much different. Meaning, if I had more money to spend on a car, I think I'd own a relatively "nicer" car. The reasons for ownership and the amount of care for the car wouldn't change much. My pride of ownership might be higher, but probably because I would consider it a greater personal accomplishment to be able to treat myself to such a luxury through my own hard work.

 

Not in the same league as an F430.....I have a 2005 NSX. I have had it for 3 months or so.....

I drive it every day. it gets rained on, I park in a dirt parking lot at work sometimes, I have to drive through puddles in the dirt parking lot when it rains....car care is not my thing......I do park on the end spot most of the time though.

Most of the time the people who talk to me about the car at least have some idea what it is and ask if I like it, how fast did I have it going, etc..... I am not big on the # of people who lean out their windows and take cell phone pictures of it.... what the hell i am supposed to do... I usually just try to give them a polite smile then when the picture is done I speed off so they can enjoy the sound.


I have been asked "HOW MUCH DID YOU PAY" by a bunch of idiots. And I have taken it into some of the 'not so nice' parts of town to stop at tenents houses for various reasons. Young teenagers are usually funny...."i'm gonna get me one of them"....

 

Hopefully they're not talking about yours...

As far as owning an exotic, as Ferris Bueller once said "If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up"

 

I talked to a business associate who had a 360 Modena. He sold the car after a year. He reasoning was as follows

1. He really liked the car, but it created the wrong kind of attention

2. Even though the car was affordable to him, he couldn't stop from thinking about the maint costs ($6000 every 7,500 miles) minimum. It kept him from enjoying the car so he got rid of it

 

I think it's all a matter of what "worth it." is your income 45k/yr and you are blowing a load on an "exotic"?

since buying an s2k, I've shifted my view on cars and expenditures. Although I would really like to have an M5 as a grocery getter/family car... it realistically isn't worth it from the maintenance/comfort level unless it's either my 4th or 5th car, or I have 3-5 pieces of property in CA as well.

Does that make sense?

 

Well I can tell you owning an expensive and exotic car is great. You get tons of chicks and feel superior to everyon.....


what?
















the S2K isn't an exotic? Its expensive though right?





huh?