How secret do you keep your car collection? | Page 3 | FerrariChat

How secret do you keep your car collection?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by PMiranda, Apr 28, 2021.

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  1. Shark01

    Shark01 F1 Veteran

    Jun 25, 2005
    5,684
    Yeah, are two cars considered a collection.....LOL
     
    kes7u likes this.
  2. kes7u

    kes7u Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 18, 2017
    1,136
    Shorewood, MN
    Full Name:
    Kevin
    EXACTLY. But I have a 3 car collection. Unfortunately, 1 of them is a 2014.5 Toyota Camry LE. And no, I don't feel the need to hide it...:(

    Kevin
     
    IloveGT and Texas Forever like this.
  3. PhilMc19

    PhilMc19 Rookie

    Apr 8, 2018
    23
    Chicago, IL
    Full Name:
    Philip
    no one knows I have the cars, besides others with cars I race with and wife. There is no net benefit to telling other people in my experience.
     
    Texas Forever likes this.
  4. Thecadster

    Thecadster F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 27, 2017
    6,702
    My cars are a closely held secret. Only one of my long-time friends from college and high school has any clue. These are friends of 30+ years in some cases. I see no benefit to sharing that part of my life with them. The one friend who knows shares a passion for cars (he bounces from Porsche, Ferrari, and Lamborghini) and respects my desire for secrecy. It might sound odd, but I do not want to do anything to color my friendships. Most of my friends are successful, but many are solidly middle class, and there is a stark difference between my lifestyle and theirs, and I have zero interest in accentuating those differences. My ego is super small, and I have never needed to be the “big shot” with my friends.

    I’m completely dark on social media. Always have been. Automotive forums are my only “social media” like experience.

    At my primary residence, I keep two cars, the other three cars are at a vacation home that is about an hour away. Obviously the neighbors see me driving in and out of the area, but I keep to myself with my neighbors.

    None of my employees know about my cars. No benefit to highlighting our differences.

    My extended family knows, and that has been a pinch point in our relations ever since. Sadly, my car habit has created some jealousy with siblings and
    in-laws. That’s unfortunate, and largely unavoidable. It has also emboldened loved ones into making unusual requests (for example, we were asked to install a pool in a family members backyard). For me, the change in the family dynamic is easily the worst part of my ownership experience.

    Part of my secrecy is for personal security. I am big believer in home defense, and good security starts with not making it easy for people to know what you have, and ends with ready access to multiple guns with high-capacity magazines.

    I am quick to concede that I am weird, and that my admittedly over-the-top secrecy is not for everyone. However, it works great for me.
     
    Jmhatch23, AD211, ChadR and 10 others like this.
  5. Texas Forever

    Texas Forever Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 28, 2003
    75,370
    Texas!
    I think you’re wise. The more wealth you have, the more it makes sense to keep a low profile, and that includes the Internet.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  6. Innovativethinker

    Innovativethinker F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 8, 2009
    8,596
    So Cal
    Full Name:
    Mark Smith
    In contrast to those you meet at the club or an event who spend most of their time talking about all their toys, vacations or whatever, and invariably include price tags of each. My wife likes to set up small dinners with other couples, some at our home, some at the club, others at restaurants.

    We went through one (thankfully at the club) that the couple talked for over an hour about the things they owned. The husband even decided he should educate me on Ferrari’s - which he did not own. I simply nodded and said “That’s great you guys have done so well”. After dinner I told me wife to never, ever set up an evening with them again.

    While I no longer have exotics, I never did talk about them, never posted them on social media (well, ok I did post a 911 once) and never took them to the office or a client.

    I made the mistake once and took a 360 to an industry golf event. That was 15 years ago and still gets brought up to this day.

    The reason I no longer have them is the unwanted attention they bring - both good and bad. I prefer my privacy.
     
    AD211, VAF84, IloveGT and 4 others like this.
  7. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    The only thing as I read through all these posts is I can't understand how family and friends don't know you own a Ferrari. I can see maybe casual friends or business associates may not know, but we have close friends that come to our house, or we go to their house, or we go out and meet them at places. There is no way I could hide my Ferraris from family and friends.

    And as far as anyone getting upset over me owning Ferraris, that's their problem, not mine. I'm not losing any sleep over it. ;)
     
    iMrMark, sakyubasu, VAF84 and 5 others like this.
  8. Thecadster

    Thecadster F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 27, 2017
    6,702
    I have my friends over all the time. None of them ever come in my garage. My cars are like your investment holdings. I am sure you can easily keep your friends from knowing how much crypto and real estate you own right? It’s not that hard. I just don’t talk about all the <blank> I have. They don’t have nearly as much <blank>, and I would rather be respectful and simply downplay my good fortune.
     
  9. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    I can understand that, you certainly don't want to appear to flaunt what you have. On the other hand, if you earned what you have you shouldn't have to keep it secret from others. But I can understand your approach.

    However, I can't help but think what would you say if years later a friend discovers that all this time you had a Ferrari and never told him? That could create a hard feeling on his part.
     
    Thecadster likes this.
  10. IloveGT

    IloveGT Formula 3
    BANNED

    Oct 17, 2015
    2,419
    Limited Edition should always be hidden, Camry or not. My first car was Nero DS Camry V6 LE. For real..
     
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  11. ChadR

    ChadR Karting

    Jun 19, 2019
    249
    Central Florida
    Full Name:
    Taj B
    I drive a BMW 3 series and that's all. You would think you would make more friends just by the opportunity of the cars you've been able to be in contact with, but nope. Too much envy...

    Hide your success.
     
  12. FerrariCognoscenti

    FerrariCognoscenti Formula 3

    Jan 19, 2021
    2,429
    East Coast
    #62 FerrariCognoscenti, May 13, 2021
    Last edited: May 13, 2021
    I daily drive my 458. I own no other vehicle. Could not possibly care any less what people think as I bought the car for me, not the general public. I understand not having social media and advertising that you own a Ferrari, but It is quite sad so many here go out of their way to keep their Ferrari a secret even from their own friends and family.

    It is always funny to me how the public associates Ferrari’s with being wealthy. Having a Ferrari does not In anyway indicate wealth, it may indicate where your priorities in life are, but certainly not wealth.

    I’ve met far more Ferrari owners up to their ears in debt with 10 year long Woodside loans on a sub-$100k 360 Modena with an F1 tranny than I have met Ferrari owners who I would actually consider wealthy.
     
    Bas, sakyubasu, white out and 4 others like this.
  13. Thecadster

    Thecadster F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 27, 2017
    6,702
    Not all Ferrari owners are “wealthy”, but the average Ferrari owner is far more “wealthy” than the average non-owner. We can probably agree on that point. And it’s that well-founded disparity that causes people like me to lean in on discretion.
     
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  14. Archiebald

    Archiebald Rookie

    Aug 19, 2019
    21
    United Kingdom
    Full Name:
    Stuart Meek
    I think that when I get mine that will be the point to get off social media, as one person above aptly put that there’s an association with success and portraying that success. I don’t own a Ferrari, am I close, yes but I have other priorities now. There are so many of my immediate school friends who have Porsche, BMW M cars, Range Rovers etc but are in debt for it.

    I see that on social media and it drives me to do better, I won’t put my Ferrari on there because you never know the pressure you might adversely put on someone. I imagine my collection day will be mine and my Father’s Day in the sun. Grew up poor but taught good life lessons, he will be the first to know and drive.

    Good luck all and I hope you enjoy them as life is too short not to but again each to their own and I think this site is great for motivation when I’m working from home
     
    iMrMark, EnzoItaly and Thecadster like this.
  15. ChadR

    ChadR Karting

    Jun 19, 2019
    249
    Central Florida
    Full Name:
    Taj B
    :D it's crazy....

    I've never taken a loan on a car and I never will...
     
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  16. jjtjr

    jjtjr Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2016
    668
    Vermont
    Full Name:
    john truskowski
    This statement could not be any more accurate, I would call it a stereotype that does not apply to all people. What I will say is more in line with your "average" Ferrari owner is that the capitol that is used for the purchase and upkeep for these cars is considered to be "disposable income", which again does not make that person wealthy. It just means that the priorities of that person differ from others who may think spending that kind of money on a car is foolish.
     
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  17. willrace

    willrace Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 21, 2006
    32,908
    North Tay-has
    Full Name:
    Kurt
    An excerpt from my quote in post #13, based upon $$$ values of the early 90s (i.e.: adjust for PV):
    ....Step back a couple of decades to when I was a partner in an offshore powerboat dealership and race team:
    Even among others who had their own $150K+ boats, a non-boat guy with a $20K 308 was obviously the rich one. Similarly, the general population at events regarded the guys with a $200K+ twin monster-engined offshore boat (Cigarette, Fountain, Donzi, PowerPlay, Baja, etc) was just a neat guy with a nice boat, but his genuinely nicer buddy who preferred cars was a "rich prick" because he had a 328 that cost him significantly less than the engine/drive package of many of those boats.....​
    The general population's Conditioned Perception is pretty skewed, and they don't even know it, without even touching on our own Individual Priorities.
     
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  18. mikesufka

    mikesufka F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 4, 2006
    6,543
    Crosslake, MN
    Full Name:
    Mike Sufka
    The stories you could tell :) What kind of boats ?

    MDS
     
  19. willrace

    willrace Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 21, 2006
    32,908
    North Tay-has
    Full Name:
    Kurt
    Dealer (and supposedly, Distributor for everything West of the Mississippi, but that's another story) for PowerPlay, but we also dealt in some trades, and serviced the full range of those noted above, plus others, including building engines. We were the drive package half of the factory Powerplay B-1 team that swept the final 4 races of 1992 as we sorted the boat, and won the 1993 championship.
    Definitely some interesting times and lessons, and definitely some interesting clients (and the experiences they brought - I once rounded a corner into a photoshoot of a cute girl with everything spread for the camera).
     
    mikesufka likes this.
  20. craze

    craze Formula 3

    Mar 5, 2021
    1,026
    Melbourne
    Full Name:
    Michael
    I wouldnt hide it from my friends
    As ive gotten older ive gotten pleasure from sharing things with family and friends
    Experiences mainly

    Its not done in a manner to show off either and they appreciate it
     
    4_Eff_Sake likes this.
  21. rampante550

    rampante550 Formula Junior

    Jul 20, 2010
    553
    NC
    Full Name:
    D Day
    I think it depends on the type of sales - high-end real estate, jewelry, auto, pharm, wealth mgmt, software sales, 7-figure+ contracts? I think people like buying from successful sales people (many aren't exactly hiding their $2k suits, $10k watches, $800 shoes) and it's nbd.

    Other arenas, yeah, customer might think you're ripping them off if you're doing that well.

    One idea if someone catches wind is to say it's an investment. Depreciation hit, interest rates are low, and you think the car will do well long-term, you just wish you could afford to actually drive it. Say something about the stock market being a bubble, real estate too expensive, inflation getting out of hand, precious metals market manipulated, you want something you can have possession of, and it actually costs less than <insert regular/common car here>... lol, something'll stick as a reason.

    It may not be any of their business, but their business is your business and I think it would be recoverable in most any situation.
     
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  22. sakyubasu

    sakyubasu Rookie

    Apr 4, 2021
    12
    Vancouver
    Full Name:
    Troy S
    Wow, maybe I’m desensitized to the whole exotic car vibe cause I live in Vancouver, but Im not sure why you should feel ashamed about admiring the fine craftsmanship and work that’s put into producing such a fine machine such as a Ferrari.

    I only own a Maser GT atm, but the artwork and engine note is just an experience every time I step into it, and I have no shame enjoying it! Will be the same with my Ferrari FF when the time comes.
     
  23. Innovativethinker

    Innovativethinker F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 8, 2009
    8,596
    So Cal
    Full Name:
    Mark Smith
    Well, if you live in Portland, you probably won’t be taking any exotic to downtown.
     
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  24. rdefabri

    rdefabri Three Time F1 World Champ

    Jun 4, 2008
    33,571
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Rich
    I've owned a few desirable cars over the past 20 years, culminating with the 1966 S1 E-Type I've owned for 17 years and a 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS I recently sold. I owned the Ferrari for about 8 years, and near the end of my ownership, I started to become "shy" about taking it out.

    I really never liked people qualifying me, so I always went against stereotype. Driving the car made me feel like I had a target on my back - not for bad things like vandalism, but opportunistic people looking for a handout.

    Don't feel the same in my E-Type, but not sure why. I'm still thinking of getting out of that car and getting a 4C, but I worry about the "shyness" again.
     
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