November Sales Disaster, Myth?

like most chat rooms, schadenfreude is Fchat's primary reason for existence.

 

As Sharon Stone said: "Anyone with 7 bucks knows I don't wear underwear."

People say a lot of things but IMO when Dale can point you to a "new" 599 for 300K in the US and even though he's said when 599 prices break 300K he's going to buy one he doesn't, when Marcel is offered a NEW 599 in Switzerland for 40K under msrp.from an authorized dealer, when Ross reports of a used 599 breaking 200K in Switzerland and Ferrari says they're happy that the economic situation will enable them to manage the wait list I think it's prudent not to pay up. Add Ferrari's 4K? California's to the market next year and I think the Perfect Storm will blow for a while.

People are buying cars. Last week three people who PM'd me for advise on pricing bought cars from an FCHAT sponsor. Not everyone is trying to let people know what's happening pricewise out of schadenfreude. Some are simply helping people pay a realistic price in a volatile market and as FCHATTERS and FCHAT sponsors are able to get together and cars are changing hands
it's a good thing.

 

There are some people more obsessed with owning something visibly valuable than in the merits of the car (speed, beauty, history, etc.)

If price = ego, times are hard.

If the car was never about the money to start with, who cares. Drive on.

 

Ferrari needs to do whatever it needs to do to weather the storm. There need not be any apologies about it. A dramatic change in the economy has to affect us all in one way or another. Sales will probably dip next year as well. They will live to fight another day. I too am tired of every thread talking about the losing value of this or that. The news provides me with enough of that info to last me. I come here to have some relaxation and talk about guy stuff. No offense intended to the female members. Most of us are still better off than we were 5 years ago we just lost a little ground.

 

Ah, man, I just love it when you talk dirty!

To be perfectly frank, with two kids in college and my stocks down 17%, I'm in no position to spend $300k on a car. Moreover, I have made the decision to head to the track. Driving high-dollar sports cars on the street doesn't make sense anymore. (Actually, I'm not sure that it ever did!)

That said, I sure miss my Ferraris. So maybe I'll go down and take a test drive just to, you know, see what the fuss is all about, not that I would buy anything; but, damn, I miss that big ol' V12 motor, my chick car is fun, but there is no substitute for the real thing when you are a major torque slut like me; but buy one, hell no, not until the price gets down to, say, $87,500; hmm... I wonder, can you shoe horn a small block Chevy into a Miata; damn, damn, damn, I miss my car.

Dale

 

I forgot to mention that they are marketing geniuses. Sales of 430's slow make the Scuderia. Need to sell 400 more spiders make the Scuderia spider. There are 1200 or more cars sold. They will come up with other options on sagging sales I'm sure.

 

How does it feel to out do Warren Buffet?

 

A lot of doom and gloom here. However, I did ask if I could get on the list for the Scurderia Spider. Was told maybe. We'll see. If you saw this coming, you wouldn't been down 17%, you would have sold the stocks and bought rental property (residential) and be earning 7 - 8%, which isn't bad in today's market. There are deals to be had.

Life is good, and probably is going to get better, but there is no way I'm getting a V12, too big, too heavy. I always liked the V8s, they seemed the best combination of speed and agility.

Art

 

Oh, and one mo thang. When I said a few months ago that I was a buyer at $300k, I never dreamed that a 599 would fall so low. Indeed, I'm still stunned. A 599 is a world class super car. Yeah, some of you don't like the looks, but I doubt you would be paying much attention to how the car looks when you get behind the wheel.

Bottom line (accountant speak for you) the economy sucks right now. It will probably continue to suck for a while, who knows? If you don't have to sell your cars, don't. If you do, you gotta do what you gotta do.

Personally, it saddens me to see people get beat up. It doesn't matter whether they deserved it or not. Trust me, I have hit a wall before, a couple of times actually. It is no fun. So the best to all of you. If you find yourself on the floor, jump up and get back in the race. If you're okay, what's your excuse? Get out and drive!

Dale

 

Totally agree just saying as things happen plans change and that affects things.

Best

 

There is no way their sales are not down significantly, the fast money poseur crowd is mostly blown, and a flashy car aint exactly fitting in with the current mood. So that leaves true enthusiasts.

The good news is being able to buy at list or less and cars for true entusiasts. I think the image of ferrari over the last decade means the brand will be so yesterday for a long time. Given the behaviour of the dealers I for one feel little for them and ferrari, they abandoned their core and chased glitter, now the glitter is gone.

Funny thing is 20 years from now people will be lamenting they did not buy that used 430 for 80k when they were practicaly for free.

 

I think used Ferrari sales are way up......

Dale, you only lost the 17% in VALUE, go long brudda, go long. Hold the Fannie, Freddy and AIG.

Make my 599GTB a six speed with steel discs, and give me the skid plates off the Tour Car....'dem roads to the Ranch are getting ROUGH, now that it's tight with the County..that black one at Tonkin would be SO hard to keep clean though.....

"God Bless us, every one...."
Tim

 

"true entusiasts"

This is it, in a nutshell. On of the things I rarely miss on my schedule is my appearace at the Brewery Tour.

WITHOUT fail, even the lowly, well used, scratched and dented 308GTB brings dozens out for photo ops, kids in the car, and if she's really cute, and tall, a quick blast around the block thru the gears.

So the flame may flicker, but it's still there!

 

You can fit a 5.0 V8 from Ford,still a bit complicated but a lot of people did it with terrific results....

 

Like everything else in life, it woll once again be all about the timing. Would have, could have, should have, bought that Fcar in the late 90's when my tech stock was up and the price of classics was down...... maybe I will catch the next wave.

 

Needs an RX7 rear end. And it will fly!

 

I agree 100%

 

You can, indeed. The Ford 5.0 was the staple of "Monster" Miata conversions for a decade, but in the past year or so there have been several Chevrolet LSx kits developed (including one from www.FlyinMiata.com ). Here's a Youtube video of a stock LS1, 314 rear wheel hp, 2400 lb weight, Miata in a 2nd gear roll against an F430:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1OO8GGgwZs

Now imagine an aluminum block LS3 at 420 hp or LS7 at 500+ in a Miata... Just the thing to tide you through the tough times!

 

I could not agree more it appears that every news forum needs to tell us in some way that they just noticed that we have some financial issues the market and economy will eventually correct itself I dont need a thousand analysis vies per day life is too short for that.

 

+1

 

Well said Dale! I personally have a signed plaque hanging on that wall.

The most accurate judge of ones character is when things are at their worst. Historically the folks of this country all pull together and at this time and help pick one another up and move forward with a common goal. Our parents taught us what to do, they lived through worse and raised the bar while brushing themselves off.

We can either dwell on how bad it is and might get, or pull together and move forward and try to fix it. Personally I have decided to learn lessons from this and focus on finding solutions, it is my way of coping with the troubles of today. It will get better quicker if everyone helps the person next to them, dwelling on how bad it is helps nothing.

 

In life many times what you focus on become reality...

those who focus on negative events seem to endure ever increasing amounts of negativity...

those who focus on solutions, find a way forward to a better place...

your thoughts come from a fixed percentage...the percentage of time you spend worrying and dwelling on negative events is the EXACT same percentage of time longer it will take you to find a better way forward to the light...

Frank

 

!!!

In one of the (5) ICU's I spent time in waiting for the word on a family member there was a single hand written note pinned to the bulletin board that said only "I relied on the kindness of strangers....", a moment later a nurse handed me a cup of coffee without a word said, smiled and walked away.

I will never forget that moment and consider everything after that day simply a challenge. Its the right time to help a stranger. Nothing is impossible if you put your mind to it.

 

AutoNews says Ferrari sold 128 cars in Nov 08 vs 147 Nov 07. Also sold 1482 for 11 months in 08 vs 1602 for the same 11 months 07. These are US sales only.