Stay Positive: Keep Your Passion & Drive

From someone who aspires as you did, thank you. The greatest thing for me to hear is someone who was in my position once telling me that I can own one someday, regardless of the cost.

Edit: you need to post pics of yours!

 

I think if you have the passion for exotic cars -- enough to accept the risks and costs -- it will stay with you. (I had a $3200 used Fiat X1/9 in high school. Everyone else drove Hondas and VWs.) There are far more people who view a car strictly as a cost to be minimized. In the face of that, you'll find yourself justifying the purchase of an 8- or 10- or 17-year old car that is too loud, too expensive, drips oil, yada yada yada.

You'll get all kinds of rational advice -- from investments, to Consumer Reports, to JD Power -- telling you that your enthusiasm is misplaced.

You'll see endless 'Corvette or 355?' and '348 vs. NSX' posts here from people who don't get it.

But it takes a special brand of owner -- i.e., YOU -- to appreciate, enjoy and (OK...) put up with a Ferrari. I can say this, because the guys I've met who own Ferrari's are the kind of guys you just want to talk to about cars, business, life. They do stuff, they create, they take the cool trips, etc. The people sweating over the warranty end date on their joyless Camrys and Lexuses, IMO, are approaching driving with a mindset of risk avoidance.

Of course I'm generalizing, and there are many fascinating people who don't have much use for cars, but I'd say if you are one of those who genuinely appreciates Ferrari's for their mechanical and aesthetic splendor, and not merely as a status trinket, definitely embrace that. You'll enjoy the car infinitely more than those crunching the numbers in the '300ZX versus 328' threads.

 

While there are many who own Japanese sports cars just to get the reliable bang for the buck there are also a large group of real gear heads that are thrilled with the absolute precision with which cars like the NSX are built. A company the size of Honda puts as much engineering effort into a car that they only produce 9,000 of over 10 years as they do the civic which sells 300,000 per year (or more, I'm guessing). I recall looking over exvery aspect of the Japanese car I had in high school and being amazed at the order and precision all of the 'out of sight' engineered elements had. But the OP is right. Keep your sights on your goals, and if you are fortunate enough to have someone tell you that you cannot achieve them you will likely achieve them to prove yourself capable. I feel very fortunate to now be in the position of being able to afford not only very high performance cars, but also the sculptural beauty that is Ferrari.

BT

 

All of it nicely said. And it can be used for other makes as well. It's all about the passion of the marque.

 

Yeah, I have 3 Jap cars next to my Ferrari. I feel very fortunate to have driven Japanese cars on track as well as Porsches. You have to start somewhere. It's all about talent & determination.

 

ASFJr, this is a great thread and as a future Ferrari owner, I thank you very much.


Jon, excellent post. Excellent.

 

Quite a few years ago I met a guy who had a new red NSX sports car. I complimented him on his choice, saying it was "the smart choice, all the style of a Ferrari but the reliability of a Honda". I said I was saving up to make the same smart choice.

He took me aside and said "if you have your heart set on a car like a Ferrari, don't settle for less. I'll let you in on a secret, I'm thinking of selling my NSX soon to buy a used Ferrari. If I were you, I'd save up for a Ferrari instead".

Turns out I test drove an NSX but never ended up buying one. Over the years, I've owned a 328, 360, and 430. I think a car purchase can be over-rationalized. No car is perfect. At least get one that you truly enjoy.