If you wanted a 575, I would try to find one that is already depreciated, or find a good 550. 575's and 550's are great cars to buy on the used market. No sense buying a new 575, unless this is THE car that you want, and you want it spec'd with all your preferences.
This seems like a silly question to me because if you are concerned about depreciation, you don't buy new. If you are only going to have this for like 4 months, why on earth would you buy a new one? It seems like you just want something to drive around until then... Buy a used 550 for $130,000 and then get your spider.
Agreed on the 550 - however dont agree on the 360 as far as depreciation is concerned. This is a no-brainer - get the 360. If you pay $171K for it, you will be able to sell it for at least that in April - zero out of pocket. A 2004 will sell for at least that. If you want a 12 cylinder - follow zjpj's advice and get a 550.
My only objective at this point in time is to have F-car for the next three months that will have the least depreciation until the spider comes in. Be it the 575M or the 360C.
Based on that, I agree with the others... buy used! Even better, buy a used Euro! That's what I did while waiting for my spot on the list to come up. Heck, given your Fchat name... buy my used Titanium 360! Then it will have served the same purpose for both of us!
If you are seriously considering buying a new Ferrari of any kind to hold for three months so that you can get a few weekends of driving and then selling for a guaranteed loss, you can't really be too concerned about depreciation. Why don't you just rent a Ferrari whenever you have the urge to to go out in style. I'm sure you'll save a whole bunch of money and you won't have any separation anxiety when the time comes to dispose of the now unwanted '04 model of your choice. It's also easier to stand in the parking lot of your nearest mall and hand out twenties to anyone who comes by - probably cheaper too.
Since the question is straight forward, the answer is too: The 360 will hurt you less than the 575. If you are lucky the 360 may just sell for sticker then since you do not put a gazillion miles on the car anyhow. Here is your answer. All the other what-ifs and I-likes are entirely other questions.
putting a 550 into the same category as a Daytona...well where should I start telling you how wrong that is. Even the 512BB's are getting hammered. There were only 1100 if I remember and not 2400. I just sold one this weekend. Trust me they are still not recovering!. You have to look at modern day Ferraris (1975 and up) antirely different. They are mass produced and have a hype period (when new) and then drop to a ceiling within 10 years. Once the ceiling is found the car remains. Like the 308s, the 328s the 348s. The 355s will soon, the TRs have, the 512Trs will soon, the 456s are still searching.
Martin, is there any rule of thumb on the ceiling such as 50% of MSRP? Say that a Maranello sold for $220 new. Would you guess that the ceiling is somewhere around $110? DrTax
I would think its more related to the *next* newer model's ceiling and so on until it hits the current model's MSRP. As long as Ferrari keeps its "lines" and their pricing consistent AND they never lose their brand's mystique. If they come out with a new 420 Modena at $90K, watch all the pricing tumble. Or if the next 360 is priced at $240K, the pricing will all elevate slowly.
Alex, with all do respect i think you are missing the very simple question on this thread. I do not need to rent a ferrari whenever i have the urge to go out in style. If that was the case i would have gone after a Murcie or a 6.0 diablo. The question is which car will depreciate more in few months and not which car is more flashier or whether i have the urge to go out in style. I love driving my F-cars as it gives me a rush which is undescribable. it is a passion and not about posing. Martin, thank you for your straight forward response. you were on the money on my last dilema as well.
Not really. I love Ferraris too and I buy the ones I want and tend to keep them. I have a 575 and a 360 coupe. To be brutally honest, I really don't care how the market values them because I bought them to drive and keep. The idea of buying a new Ferrari to hold for a few months is simply not something I would do. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Good luck whatever you do, but if I had the same dillemma I would buy a well depreciated 550 (or 575) and face a significantly smaller loss in a couple of months.
