430 Spider is already...um....

Definitely agreed. I learned early on after one scary year, that it's more important (at least for me) to first eradicate debt and get a healthy stockpile of liquid assets to cushion a downturn before playing with expensive toys.

 

Work hard, Play hard....for those that are fortunate to own ferraris...enjoy them.... i am! In fact...im going to drive mine today!

 

+1

 

True -- as much as I hate to admit it, when I see a 360 with the F430 wheels, it often fools me.

 

US F-market is such different from German. We have plenty of used F430 both Berlinettas and Spiders for sale well below dealer list-price. And they are staying for sale months long, especially in winter and being sold only when season starts. In Germany premiums were paid for used F430 only few months after first used ones appeared on the market. Now slight premiums (+ EUR 10.000,00 - 15.000,00) are paid only for new F430 Spiders with delivery miles. F430 Berlinettas, even new ones, are going for list-price and not higher. Such great difference with US F-market. Best.

 

I was in the Ferrari of Newport Beach showroom a couple weeks back and there were 12 F430 Spiders on the floor.

G

 

If added to this, China and India serious miss there expected expansion rates of 11-12% per year, watch for Global economic death spiral

 

Made a little research just for interest and found that in US there are very many F430 Spiders for sale at Ferrari Newport Beach and Wynn Ferrari Las Vegas, Siliconvalley Ferrari Auto Group and many sellers even reduce prices for F430 Spiders.
In Germany I never saw such a big F430 Spider inventory at one dealer as at Wynn Ferrari or Ferrari Newport Beach.
Something is going wrong with the economy guys, my friends from US always told me that F430 Spiders and 599s are such big demand cars and now I see such big collection of unsold F430 Spiders and 599s for sale in US. Best.

 

Bob, you're stone cold, 100% correct.

 

Perhaps you need to get your eyes checked...I can refer you to a good ophthalmologist in the LA area............

 

I always think it is amusing that someone tries to make owning a Ferrari look like a rational and conservative decision. Anyone can suffer a financial reversal. If you are married, your wife or husband comes home and wants a divorice. Almost no one is bullet proof.


I own a Ferrari because I want one and at least in my mind it is not a financial disaster. And yes, I paid cash for mine and I was fortunate enough to buy a new 430 at sticker. I could set fire to it and it wouldn't matter that much. It still doesn't make any sense to own one.

 

Come to think of it, how rational is it to spend time on a Ferrari chat web site???? The bottom line is that all of us here are a little wacky, so lets just accept this and continue to enjoy the pleasure that cars and Ferraris, specifically , give us...

 

Truer words have never been spoken!

 

I realize this sounds kinda cheesey.....but from this thread you can really see that we have some sharp minds and class people on this forum. The discussions, arguements and even "heated disagreements" are all handled masterfully....good reading!!!!

We've seen some pretty compelling arguements to suggest that the economy as we know it is due for some serious changes and, based on that, it stands to reason we may have many fewer people standing in line to buy F-cars. But you have to remember, Ferrari's are quite a unique commodity and I don't think it's fair to equate them with the housing market or other typical markets.

Yes, the economic forecast is calling for some changes that certainly will result in many thousands of people not being able to stand in line for these cars, but we're a nation of millions and with change will spawn other people with the money to buy. Beyond that, I'd figure many Ferrari owners are relatively unaffected by these impending changes. To a guy who has to work a whole year to pay for the car, it's a major factor....but to a guy who makes enough interest on his money to afford this car...he's gonna own a Ferrari like my kids ask for an ice-cream cone.

Ya know, it's sorta like as summer draws to an end. Your pool is still warm, you have bbq's and you can walk around in a t-shirt....but every now and then the days are cool and you can feel winter coming. Guys, there's a new model on the horizon and that, more then anything, is what's driving the current 430 market. It's like musical chairs and you can sense the music is about to stop. Some people are getting out while values are high, others are holding-off because they expect a fall. The 430 has moved into that phase and no swing in the prime rate is going to affect that.

 

I say we pin this thread as sticky.
so 6 months later, in this beautiful summer, i can laugh at those who said F430 spider will cost 25% less.
and of course, if it does cost 25% less at that point, you can laugh at me.

 

I would suggest we make it a poll. Everyone who is trying to manipulate the market down so they can get a better deal can vote for a low price, and everyone who already has one can vote for a high price.

That would save a lot of typing and carpel tunnel, not to mention global warming from rotating media / storage required to host 4 "sky is falling" threads per day!

 

Now that's loaded, I like it!!

 

+1000 !!...lol!

 

Those of you who think the Ferrari market is unaffected by economic downturns need to get in a time machine and revisit 1990-91. Even if 90% of 430 owners (myself included) are able to melt their cars and sell them for scrap without having their finances affected, a decrease in demand by 10% would have a big negative impact on prices. Then the snowball effect follows. People who were thinking of buying decide to wait for a while further reducing demand and prices. People thinking of selling decide to do it now in order to get more money significantly increasing supply leading to fiurther declines.

I don't know what the figure is, but I do know a large percentage of modern Ferrari owners finance the cars and not "to put their money to better use elsewhere" but because they have to.

It's a given we are in a period of slower growth. Whether or not we are about to dip into a recession is open for debate. Either way, as someone else pointed out, many business owners will see declines in income and even those who can still afford Ferraris on reduced incomes will opt to wait until the dust settles. Few people will stick their necks out when prospects are poor.

An observation: Late in 2007, the supply of modern Ferraris on the market took a big jump and prices took a pretty big hit as well. I would estimate my own 430 coupe is worth 10-15% less than 90 days ago and I don't think it's just seasonal.

Dave

 

Thank you all for an informative and very interesting read. I agree with a lot of points made in this thread, and may read this again.

"The true test of an educated mind is to entertain a thought without accepting it."

 

Nice analysis Dave..appears to be right on............

 

PFB, I think it may not take 6 mos.

 

I sat in an 06 red/tan 6 spd spider with less than 2k miles this weekend. One owner car said. Offered by an independent for 289K. Indicated they would take less.

 

Here are some current examples of F430 Spider prices. Keep in mind that these are the asking prices, before negotiating:

06' Spider (only 181 miles) asking $269,995:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-Ferrari-F-430-Spider-Reduced-This-week-ONLY_W0QQitemZ350035347230QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item350035347230

06' Spider (3900 miles) asking $259,500:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2006-FERRARI-F430-F1-SPIDER-RED-BLACK-ONLY-3900-MILES_W0QQitemZ220207370736QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item220207370736

05' Spider (2405 miles) asking $249,950:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/05-Yellow-Tan-F430-Spider-F1-3M-Tubi-Integrated-Radar_W0QQitemZ330219717759QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item330219717759

All reputable dealers, and low mileage cars. Prices are falling!

Tim

 

For the most part, I think the prices on these examples have more to do with the cars' interior color choices relative to their ext colors. Although the one with the red int and the Grigio Silverstone ext appears to be a good color combo. However, the "grey" dash against that red interior seems a bit awkward. The yellow example with the tan colored interior and yellow seat piping appears to be "unusual", IMVHO...