Brand New to Exotics and thinking about purchasing... Don't know where to begin

Thank you! I understand the Porsches are amazing to drive and in the same category as Ferrari. But ... the Ferrari just looks so special. So unique. So I think if I were going to splurge it would be Ferrari or Lambo. Re convertible - definitely convertible but from what I read the California seems like a nice car but not "really" a Ferrari and from what I read here some people with a California feel like it's not exactly what they were expecting and so then get a 458 or similar. So my thought is if I buy, having read a lot, probably 458 Spider. Of course I need to test drive etc. because maybe the California really is what I want. But from reading and watching youtube 458 Spider seems like the best choice.

 

I read Bogleheads almost every day! They are a little preachy... fiscally conservative, socially liberal, and critical of any extravagant purchase ... but "live below your means" and "invest you must" and emphasizing low cost index funds is a game changer. Everyone should read Bogle's book of investing (or whatever it's called) and enjoy the site!

 

Hi. P n R? What is that? I'm a newbie!

 

HA! Another member of the tribe?
I thought of the LC500C and looked into it but ... the 350C is fast, or at least fast enough for a daily driver, but man it drives like a little old lady's car. So boring. I had a BMW that broke down all the time prior to the Lexus and swore I would not buy another BMW because it was in the shop all the time and it drove me crazy. "Fool me once shame on you..." and if I bought another BMW and it was in the shop all the time I'd feel like such a dummy. So I wanted something completely reliable (ie Japanese) and something convertible and the IC was the only choice at that time. I've been happy with it - it's reliable and fast. But man is it boring to drive. The BMW was so much more fun. So I think I'm done with Lexus for now. At least if I spent that much money on the LC500C I would think "you know, I could have bought a used Ferrari for just a little more" and feel like a dope. On the other hand... if the Ferrari is in the shop every month I'm going to say "DUMMY! What were you thinking buying Italian when you could have bought the LC!?!"
Re Aliyahs - yeah! Actually I opened a charitable foundation to be able to address my particular charitable priorities instead of just giving to an organization. I have been funding it pretty aggressively (about 20% of my net income goes to charity) so as a lot of my drive in life is charity you can see how this might be a traumatic decision for me!

 

Yeah. I need to get over the guilt of spending so much money on a car. Then it's the 458 Spider I think...

 

Thank you.

 

True. I speak with friends with Tesla and they LOVE I mean LOOOOOOVE the autopilot on the 101. It speeds them up and slows them down without their having to pay attention at 5-10 mph so they can pay attention to other things. Autopilot on the 101 seems like a dream!

 

So funny. I don't know what I was thinking. I could have sworn I saw 458 Spiders under 200K. I just went to auto trader ... there is a single one for like 179K and otherwise everything is 200K and up...

 

Ommmmmmmmmm....
Ommmmmmm....

 

Ha!
Actually I posted before I knew much about Ferraris to see what should I consider, if I should consider, buying one. The insights from the members were valuable. I read a lot all over this website and I know I want a convertible and it seems a CA may not scratch the itch but a 458 would. A CA would be like I scratched the itch but IT'S STILL THERE! In retrospect I would have wished I bought a 458 Spider.

My main hesitation in executing is not really P & R as much as at the end of my life looking back would I regret not buying and living the experience? Or would I regret that I spent the money on a car where I could have fed a lot of people? Well now that I think about it that is pretty much exactly P&R. But I suspect not what the mod's had in mind so I think it would clear the regulators.

Anyhoo for some reason I thought I could get into a 458 Spider under 200K. 200 seemed an extravagant number so I wanted to stay below that. Plus the forbidden Tesla Roadster is 200 so at that price I would probably more consider the Tesla a) to get into electric, b) in the far future electric is probably the future (not near future), and c) maintenance and repair costs will probably be substantially less. I don't know what I was thinking ... now convinced the 458S is the way to go I relooked up prices and ... I don't know what I was thinking - I must have been looking at some other F-car at under 200K - because there is like ONE for a little under 200 and everything else is way over!

So now I have to do some thinking again. But if I purchase - after test driving a lot - I suspect it would be 458 Spider.

 

Hi. TBH I don't remember ever bringing up being Jewish. Somehow it got in the discussion but I really don't recall bringing it up. Login name? I would think most people would not recognize it...

Anyhoo...

I am a Torah-observant Jew. This is really going to get into P&R so hopefully directly answering a question does not lock the thread. I'm just responding to your question...

We are all G-d's children. He placed us here in this existence because he is absolutely good and for us to experience and enjoy the greatest good. There are different levels of pleasure, each higher level incomparably greater than the level below. The lowest level of pleasure is of course material pleasure. Ice cream for a child, a Ferrari for an adult (eg). Incomparably higher levels include say loving relationships. No amount of pleasure from a lower level - material pleasure - can compare to even the smallest pleasure from a higher level (loving relationship, eg). Higher levels may include integrity and working for a higher cause. The greatest pleasure would be knowing G-d (to the extent possible) and developing a closer and closer relationship with Him. How can we attach ourselves to the Infinite, if G-d is a "consuming flame?" As He is kind we should be kind. As He forgives so we forgive.

In this day and age in most places a car is a necessity (maybe not Manhattan but in most places). Yes we could each get by with a 20 year old Corolla. And there are truly holy people who live in a shack eating a crust of bread for sustenance who give all of their material assets to others. But that is not expected and in fact in Judaism we are commanded to give 10% of our income to tzedakah and a righteous person should give 20% but we are forbidden from giving greater than 20% because that might result in our becoming impoverished and find ourselves in need of charity. We are not allowed to depend on the charity of others unless it is truly necessary. There are exceptions however, such as one can give more if on his deathbed as he will soon have need more of spiritual merit than of material sustenance. Another exception is someone wealthy enough that giving more than 20% will have no possibility of his becoming impoverished and dependent on the goodwill of others.

So putting all that together - and again I am ONLY writing this in direct response to your question - otherwise I would not have written something so personal -

G-d has blessed me with material success. I would love the pleasure of owning and driving a Ferrari. I currently drive a 10 or 11- year old Lexus. It's fine. There's nothing wrong with it. But if He gave me an extra $150K that I could give to tzedakah, or invest (and probably at some time in the future it goes to tzedakah), or buy a Ferrari ... I would love the Ferrari! What a pleasure! But the economy has been rough on a lot of people. And surely I would wonder is it G-d's plan for me to have a blast in a Ferrari or feed the poor? Or support a poor family with housing?

By no means am I trying to portray myself as a saint. The above is what I have been considering the last few weeks and months. As you can see from my other questions above I had no intention of inserting this into the discussion. I am only answering your question.

So that is where I am hesitant to pull the trigger.

I am sure I am coming off as preachy and holier-than-thou and it's not meant that way. I really am just answering the question to clarify the debate in my head (which is probably a debate between the yetzer hara and yetzer tov!).

Be well!

 

You are a MOT? A Fellow red sea pedestrian? I would not have guessed from the name but from the "G-d" I would guess yes!
Hope you are great. I responded (lengthily!) a few minutes ago... I daven in LA in the Valley...

 

I get it but ... I do 20% now it's just that if I've been blessed with more is that to help more people or drive a Ferrari? I'm wrestling with that question.

 

Hello again! Well there's never NO possibility of becoming impoverished. I don't spend a lot on extravagances and until recently I did not take a lot of vacation. I find my work extremely fulfilling and get as much joy at work (most of the time) as on vacation. I have a perfectly fine (not extravagant) home and save and invest and donate most of my income rather than spend it. So I would not say I'm so wealthy so as it's impossible to become impoverished. But I'm not generally a big spender. The spending that gives me the most pleasure is on tzedakah and on equipment I use (eg mountain biking). So I'm not a Warren Buffett, but I don't spend a lot and I save a lot and have saved over the years so between living below my means and saving and investing the rest, I think I can donate >20%. It's really a question of "what is G-d's will" in the extra money. Surely most of it is to help others. All? Most? How much? I don't know...