It appears that 550's and TR's are priced about the same in today's used F-car market. I don't understand this. The 550 is a helluva lot more car than the TR --- not to mention the huge leap in technical design and build quality. Why has a $275K (new) car plummeted so quickly to the 65-85K range ? Also, is the TR starting to be regarded as "collectible" --- is that why its prices are holding so high ? Any thoughts about why these vastly disparate cars are converging at the same price point now ?
Based on your logic, the 550 should be more valuable than any pre 70's Ferrari. None of the early ones were technologically advanced nor did they have the highest build quality. Quite frankly I find the 550 styling quite boring, only to be surpased by the even more mundane styling of a 456. The TR is a fantastic car and has a presence that very few other Ferraris comand. It truly stands out in a crowd. The performance of the TR is equally as impressive even today(especially a 512tr which has the same or even better build quality as a 550) I don't think TR prices are on the rise, but someday they may be viewed upon as collectibile-who knows.
The 550 is far superior , but drives very much like an overpowered modern BMW.... it is a stunning car, and a shame of this price point. As for the TR, good cars are hard to find...so the junk is around the 35K mark (and by junk i mean a car that needs alot too much work to make right, so it belongs in the rain, the snow, and in parking lots) So a decent TR is still i beleive 70K plus, and at 70 i think your getting a decent, not perfect 550...i think a 550 in fantanstic condition is higher priced....One is raw, the other modern...either way, you cant go wrong with either....they are both 12s...and what ferrari is about.
The 550 has been growing on me and at these prices one might find its way into my stable. The 550 is a beauty but the TR is more like a Vegas Showgirl
One is an icon and the later is just a modern Ferrari, probably more massively produced. Really 2 different cars with different engine configurations. I can't imagine a TR owner going to the 550, I know I have no interest in doing that.
Could the 550 price just on its way down and TR idle for the moment after taking a plunge during recession?
lots of cars do that. the 550 is following the same trajectory that almost every other new car follows (way down) and the testarossa has been wallowing around the bottom for a while now. it doesn't seem surprising that the 550 is where it is price wise. sure it's a whole lotta car for the money, but unless it has limited production (rarity, like the barchetta), it will continue sliding until it becomes classic or collectible. i think 550 prices are more than testarossas, and near 512TRs.
Currently there are a lot of 550's and (non-512) TR's on the the market with asking prices right at $70-75K. The 512's are asking closer to $80-90K --- to be sure, there are "cherry" 550's in that asking range, too. I say "asking" because I have no idea what any of these cars are actually transacting for... One could argue that many sellers may be tempted by a buyer with $60-65K cash-in-hand, given their particular economic situation
i have no idea what these cars transact for either. best to make your offer and see what happens. although, i doubt an $85k 550 will go for $65k.
Bawhahahahahaha! A 550 is a um.....corvette....a Testarossa is 80's icon...the most extravagant, over the top Ferrari ever made....it COMMANDS presence on the road. Well said JayF....a big "Freeze....Miami Vice" out to you. My TR is a daily driver....in the rain and found in parking lots....what's snow? ...oh and I win concours too....well, not always win but always in the top. .....naw....a 550 is a boring girl next door while the TR is a stripper.....the Lamborghini is the porn star. ....appliance ? Buy a Testarossa....you won't regret it! Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice !
I disagree 100%!!..Sorry bro..but the 550 is one hell of a machine. And for the price, damn its one hell of a car. The styling was never meant to be in your face like the TR. It's more of a modern Daytona, the gentleman's Ferrari. The power and the way it delivers it is nothing short of astounding. The 6 spd is a joy, and the handling is very impressive for a car of its weight and class. 180mph with one hand on the wheel. The engine is just an absolute engineering wonder, what a smooth power plant, and reliable as hell. I honestly can't think of another car that does everything you ask it to do so well. A calm cruiser one minute and a roaring beast the next.
I agree 100%. I really can't add to what you say. Gobs of torque! A person can't compare a 550 to a TR. Apples to oranges. Both cars have a different mission. I remember what cherry 550s were going for 2 years ago. Nothing nice under 100k. Great bang for the buck these days. I would love to have one, not for how it is perceived by others but for ME and the driving experience it delivers. I could care less if it looks "boring" to many. All they would see are my tail lights anyway.
Is this the point in the thread where one of us Boxer people jumps in and says yer all nuts? OK, kidding aside. The 456, 550, and 575 aren't old enough and rare enough to command premium pricing yet. They are great cars and perform better and more reliably than their predecessors. Give 'em about 10 years. It seems that the midengine 12 layout may be gone for good, though, with the exception of halo machines like the Enzo. That might also contribute to the premium on the flat 12s. By this logic, however, my Mondi t cab, which is the last series of the only 4 seater midengine convertible exotic ever produced, should command a premium. And it really doesn't.
550's look abit like a big Toyota but they are a very fast GT. Its all about looks - thats why a 246 Dino is £100k. A Testarossa is obviously a Ferrari to look at. A 550 isn't.
Dear Ferraristi, If it's not in your face....what's the point? ...a gentleman's Ferrari? Well OK....just add a paddle shift and I'll never chip my nail polish. Spasso....say it ain't so....!! I will say, the interior is nice....in a wife pleasing kind of way. Shamile Freeze....Miami Vice !
And a 599 makes a 550 look like a girls car and whatever replaces the 599 makes the 599 look.......... So what.
David- Same post in two forums? Shame on you. Especially since everyone, including you, already knows what they think. Shamile- I seriously worry about you. At least no references to underage girls this time. Thanks. Taz Terry Phillips
A boxer is expensive to keep. a TR no less so, from what I hear the 550 eats like no other horse, this will greatly affect price. Never tried a 550 DROVE A 456 Fairly extensively, it was just a car, and from what my freind who owns it tells me very expensive to keep. How different is a 550 to a 456? A prerusal of the 550 forum would indicate new heights to maintanance costs. What we have in a 550 is a fantastic GT car in a country and enviroment where rolling down the road at 85 is considdered fast. The 550 is a continent crusher with no continents to crush, big $$$ to maintain and ity lacks the catchet of being new or classic.
