buying a brand new 2005 360 spyder...bad idea?

hi to all,

I was selling my car (98 355F1) thinking that I would get the new F430 instead. but problems came up when I saw the first few pictures of the car. I don't like it much, especially the front end of it. I know many people seem to love it and the numbers are strongly promising, and I am sure Ferrari will sell so many of it, but it doesn't excite my heart like what 355 and modena did for me when they came out. plus the wait is so long. the dealer told me I will have to wait around a year to get one, and I still have to pay about 270k with the wait (I'm not in the states). so I am considering a modena or 360 spyder right now. in my country (S.K.) the price difference between the modena and the spyder is about 10 to 20k. much less than what it is in the states. but it just means the modena's price has been jacked up to close the gap, not the other way around. so brand new modena costs about 240k. and the spyder costs about 270k. So, I am thinking about getting a brand new 2005 360 spyder right aways or at least in next three months or so. would it be stupid to buy this spyder since it is going to be the last years made, and the f430 is already out that the its value will fall straight down as soon as I roll the car out the shop. feeling uneasy acting on it because for the same money(270k) I am getting something much less powrful and ...old. help me out here.

 

Rock on and love every second with it. If you change your mind, you change your mind. With Ferraris, aesthetics are a very important piece of the equation. If it doesn't move you don't buy it. Almost every other car falls under the category of "aesthetic nihilism", to coin a phrase. Let those cars be functional, practical, sensible, yadda, yadda, yadda. Let your Ferrari please all your senses, as art should. That's what I plan to do.

Having said that, if you're calculating resale value it spoils the equation somewhat. Yes, spider's will lose resale value when the 430 debuts, but that may mean that they only drop to retail or slightly below. But at the end of the day, if you don't like the way it looks what difference does the resale price make?

To me, value is how much pleasure you derive from a given object. This determines whether it is "worth" what you paid for it, not a blue book calculator, or a median household income figure. It is rare for a car to be worth it's price. Ferraris, in general, are among the few exceptions to this rule.


Forza,



Cavallini

 

As above. This is not a car anyone "needs", it's a car you want. Go for it and enjoy every second.
If it makes you feel any better, I've bought two brand new 360's in the last 3 months. A coupe and a spider. I wouldn't do anything different if I had to do it again.
Good Luck,
Roger.

 

Well said. If the Spyder is going for sticker or less then by all means get it and enjoy it. I would not pay a premium for a car at the tail ends of its life cycle.

 

Well, the 360 spider is a brilliant car. I disagree with you in regards to the F430. It may not look good in pictures, but it will perform magnificently. Driving is important to me as much as the way it looks. I also believe that the F430 will look better in person than in pictures. Have you seen a F430 in person?

But ultimately I would not wait a year for a new car when you can have one now. The 360 spider is a wonderful choice and you will love driving it from your F355. There have been enough improvements from the F355 to the 360. My advice is keep the order for the F430 as well just in case you decide you want one later.

Cheers,

 

Oftentimes the last year of a particular model is the best year, and you can probably get a good deal on it with the new one coming out. It's a great car and you won't regret buying it.

 

People always wonder what their car will be worth in 6 months. Then they buy something they do not really like because they THINK it will be worth more.

Heck, I work very hard for my money. When I buy something I get what suits me best, regardless of what it may be worth at a later time. It is worth more to me right NOW.

You only live once, Get what pleases YOU, not what may or may not please the next guy later.

aehaas

 

when in doubt, buy a ferrari