Does "Kustomizing" hurt the Testarossa market?

I think in 10 years the owners that have kept their cars original will be glad they did. If I had the cash laying around in a laundry basket, I'd buy one for an investment. I remember less than 5 years ago I could've bought a beautiful Boxer for about $60k. I wish I would've. I think TR's will be next.

 

If I had the dough I'd buy a beater TR and send it out somewhere. Probably make a Koenig Evolution out of it. I don't really see what is wrong with doing that to a TR.

Depends on the tastefulness of the work and the reputation of the shop that did the work IMHO. There are enough of these cars around and they are cheap enough that you don't kill the brand by doing so.

 

+1. I believe some cars should never be touched. But the TR is not rare. Koenig EVO done correctly would be awesome!

As for the BB. That would be one that I wouldnt touch. Hard to make that look any better than it already is. There is a yellow Koenig'd BB kicking around in Montreal which I used to find cool. But That quickly changed.

 

I think if anyone is worried about the resale on a Ferrari or for that matter any exotic, they should first worry about the economy. When things are going good, then people don't mind spending money on non-essential things. Like I said in another thread, my CPA would be shaking his head side to side and saying "cars are not good investments". It seems like when you need the money, times are depressed, and when you don't everything is going great. Buy it and drive it. If your afraid of what someone might do to it, there is a simple solution. Buy it from them and then you will corner the market.

John

 

I think you can be too precious about this. Its a car. Did you buy it as a car to drive and enjoy or as an 'investment'?

If you enjoy it standard then that's great. If you want to spray your spare rims black - and I do - then do it.

Nothing I do on my TR will be irreversible and should I want to sell it it can be put back to a standard spec pretty easily. The Challenge seats will go in, the originals will go into storage and I'll have some fun.

Personally I think standard spec cars will hold their value better but I want some black rims to go with my non-standard (ie louder) exhaust system that will make my trip to Le Mans that much better.

Is Customising harming the TR market? I doubt it.

 

James , I love it when people destroy and molest a Testarossa and use parts from Home Depot to repair them. It makes my well maintained origianl car with receipts worth more. Give it a few more years and all these Home Depot butchered cars will be parts cars and nice original examples will command a premium, it is already starting to happen a little with the 308 market.

 

James,
I doubt you would find anyone under 60 that could agree with (a).

(b) The cost of my swimming pool will never be recovered, but I sure do like floating in it with a beer. The second part of your statement is your viewpoint and whoever else shares it, there are many others that don't. Get over it.

I'm still working on your last statement. I'm sure there is a theme there. The people who are intent on modifying there cars will do so, regardless of what you like. That's one of the reasons they painted the car in different colors other than red. That was right wasn't it?

John

 

I'm not disagreeing with you but you need to take it in context.

A spare set of black wheels and keeping my originals as standard is no great shakes if I like it that way. The standard kit can be swapped back whenever I like easily.

Now if I sprayed the car pink that's a major modification and not one I'd recommend if you wanted to get top £££'s later on....but....you pay good money for the car and its an individuals right to do what they like with a car. I can't remember reading that its against the law to modify and/or improve your own property.

Your analogy is a little skewed....I don't think we're all gonna chop our TR's and apply flames up the sides ....hmmmmmm... so the Ford hot rod example is a bit extreme but how many TR owners have dumped the standard exhaust and put a louder / performance one on? Is that beyond the pale too? How many have uprated the poor standard TR braking to Brembo's? Is that out too?

There was a thread the other week with a Gulf Blue 512TR. I personally thought it looked cool but then I am 39 years old and from West London! However I would agree that that car will never make top dollar against a standard one but (here's the rub) the owner may love it that way and who am I to stand in the way of that??

Anyway its dark and raining here in Sheffield so I'm signing off for the night. I'm off to Photoshop some black wheels

 

James.....

No I would not do any cosmetic modifications to a Boxer........they are too rare and twice to three times the price of a beater TR.

Would I build the engine up and redo other mechanical bits to improve them ?........sure I would.

 

Well as long as we are admitting stuff here, I installed hyperflow cats and a x-ost MAranello muiffler on the TR , the originals are wrapped and stored in the attic ready to be reinstalled. And if you are feeling outnumbered look at my signature below. I will stand with you!!!!

 

More than a few Boxers were modified in the late eighties and throughout the ninties. Was it a good long term financial choice for those folks? Likely not, but they had a great toy to enjoy at the time, and still can make a good chunk of change if they were to sell the cars today.

 

James,

Your point is well taken... Yes, there are many owners who would believe that touching an orginal design is sacrilege. P Diddy's version of 'Every Breath You Take' made me want to squeeze that last breath out of someone. But they made quite a few TR's, thousands, I think. Therefore, I figure what the heck, if I can manage to make the car look even better (IMO), why not? I love the TR's design but I have never been fond of the strakes. I have heard that they were not so much a design element as a they were a safety mandate. And I have turboed the car so that my much-loved former Ferrari flagship can still keep up with the new entry-level Chevy and Ford sportscars.

I wholeheartedly agree that I will never see any of my money when it comes to a sale (even if current market price doubles). But I have proudly invested in a Ferrari and I have worked on this car and I have made it mine. I see the look on people's faces when I roll up. I tell them that it's a real Ferrari with some of the performance and cosmetic modifications that you would see if the car were entered into a race. They are usually impressed with my commitment.

As Godber said, it is a question of a monetary investment or an investment in your passion for motoring. The original TR is undeniably great (regardless of market price). But when seen and heard in person, I doubt that my car can be denied either. So I say: 'do what makes you happy'. I think that Enzo would agree. Let us not forget that he modified so many of his cars (interiors, exteriors, engines) to meet the exact needs or specs of VIP customers. And so many of those mods were, um, questionable. In spite of those deviations, many of these rare cars are still quite valuable. So enjoy your car as it is and keep it original. Oh, and don't drive it either if you are concerned about it's value to everyone else. But if you want a dream car, then make your vision a reality. Me, I couldn't be happier unless I had enough dough to drop on a supercar (288 GTO, F40, F50, Enzo). Now those race cars, I would never touch.

Please do not take this reply the wrong way. We are all brothers and sisters in this forum. I have respect for anyone who cares to contribute to a thread. And I have even more respect for actual exotic owners. I thrive on the information that different points of view provides. Good Luck

 

James,
If you wish to by the savior of the 32 Ford you should buy one and keep it. Maybe Ford has one for you to look at. I say when you put up the money it becomes yours to do with what you wish.

I am sorry about your mental health with the 328GTS. You should have given him your insight to try and change his mind. Ugliness happens everyday and you must toughen yourself to this.

We all make decisions based on some assumption or information that could be contrary to others beliefs. I might see some humor in your decision, but ultimately you will be the one who decides if it was right or wrong. The only reason I like commenting is because I find it fun.

John

 

I took these photos at the ICF event back in 2006. It's ok with me but not when it's overdone, next time hide the spray can. The one photo I missed was the interior, I'm pretty sure you can get an idea what it looked like.
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Interesting thread -- lots of varied views, for sure!

I'm one of the folks who believes in keeping my cars completely correct, going for Platino awards at various concours, etc. And I have to admit that I cringe a bit whenever I see poseur shields glued on to an earlier Ferrari or cars with other non-original cosmetic modifications -- even the Tubi thing makes me shake my head a bit.

Before I owned my first Ferrari, I had a 911, and was somewhat surprised at the time that the big stacks of aftermarket tweak catalogues that existed for P-cars didn't seem to have any parallel in the F-car world. Probably 90 percent of this is that the much smaller volume of Ferraris made woudn't really support these businesses -- but might 10 percent be that part of Ferrari ownership has traditionally had to do with a fundamental respect for the marque and its (still evolving) history?

I'm not one of those folks who spends lots of time memorizing the serial numbers in Cavallino -- but I'm getting perilously close to being a "long term Ferrari guy" (16 years, four cars with a deposit down on a fifth).

The upshot of all of this is that I'm in the process of selling my bone-stock, one-owner 512TR -- and what I'm finding is that there are perilously few folks out there (at least right now) who seem to place monetary value on the fact that the car is original and correct. I don't know whether modding is bringing down the price overall, but from what I'm seeing, not modding doesn't seem to be making it skyrocket! All of that said, the people I have heard from do seem to appreciate and be looking for an original car -- so perhaps in this market it's a matter of finding a buyer more quickly rather than seeing any significant price bump.

Different strokes for different folks, I suppose -- for every person pondering whether it's OK from a correctness perspective to ceramic-coat his headers while doing his own engine-out major in Chicago, in the winter, in a broom closet, there seem to be at least a few who want to change things around for reasons known only to themselves. I'm with the broom-closet guy.

Just one person's musings...

Best,

Gary

 

The yellow coolant tank is a nice touch.

 

This issue is really arguable. It is certainly speculation with no factual basis. I think that there are currently too many cars like mine to make a difference either way. Please don't compare the value of a stock TR to the value of any of the supercars whose value has never diminished and only increased. The TR's value has been compromised for a long, long time, my friend. Customizers should not be blamed at this juncture. You might say that my custom TR has a compromised value. I disagree. I treasure my car much more than I did when it was stock like all the other TR's or regular production F-cars. I, and many of our comrades, have made a very smart investment in our happiness. I drive and enjoy the heck out of my car. If I had wished to buy a car for monetary gain, the TR would be one the last F-cars that I would have chosen. But as a promotional vehicle, I guarantee that my car would bring you more business than just about any stock production model =^) I suppose that I am glad that mine is not a single mirror or 512M. Again, I wish you all the best in your pursuits