Hi, I have been offered the 458 at 50K (US$) Premium (list price of car still unknown). delivery would be before December 2010. What do you guys think? Is this a reasonable deal? Look forward to your inputs. Todo.
my opinion all authorized dealers are full up with 458 orders for several years and that flipped cars will be selling for $25-75k over. $50k might be the going rate, just make sure date is guaranteed as 18 months from now the flip premium will be less or back to retail.
$50k is not bad considering premiums that were paid on the F430 (and not just for first time buyers). I'll bet you will be able to get "pre-owned" cars at sticker or very near that within 8-12 months of the first cars showing up here though. I doubt you will be able to order one at sticker as a new buyer without paying a premium for quite a while though, so it may not be a bad deal.
I'd wait for the inevitable performance version. Hopefully they'll fix the botched front of the car by then
Do you believe that they think they "botched" the front? Because that's the only reason they'd "fix" it.
People will pay whatever it takes to get it now. They already are, they always will. It's inevitable. But I wouldn't pay any premium for this car. I know it's the latest greatest, but not worth a markup. I do like the 458, but this car doesn't make me go "ga ga" and "ooohhh I must have this now." If buying a new Ferrari, I'd rather show up in a 599. But this is my opinion.
Walk away. My dealer is predicting the 458 will be selling for less than MSRP within one year. I agree. The front end is horrible and will be reworked for the performance version. The interior dash is no winner either.
doesn't FNA still disallow marking up the cars? several years ago there was the rumor that FNA would start allowing dealers to sell at market, but I don't think that ever happened. the entire system and game is messed up because of that. - only the politically connected and customers willing to play the game (only sell back to us so we get the flip profit) get the first cars at MSRP. - for those that the above doesn't apply there are other "ins" that the dealer just can't refuse, but it involves tricks to not tick FNA off (buy this new 612 sitting on the floor too, invest in our race team, etc). - some first owners can't refuse the profit of flipping, so do so to independents which then ticks off their dealer. if the dealers could sell at market there wouldn't be any of this silliness. If the 458 is worth $300k, it is worth $300k! <<<just making up a number for example here.
Probably an accurate prediction. It really is $50K pissed away, plus another six-figure depreciation hit once production gets ramped up. If you don't mind the looks, an F430 is a hugely better deal right now.
A friend who has owned over 15 Ferraris (serially, not contemporaneously!) was offered a 458 for 60K over list. He said "no, thanks" and bought a California instead. He's going to wait until there's a bit less blood in the water.
Here's my nickels worth of free advice. A small subset, of an even smaller subset of people will know it's the new 458. Of that very small set, none will probably care that it's the newest car from Ferrari. For the rest of the population it will be 'look, a shiny new car with a horsey badge'. They wouldn't know the diff between a 308GT4 and the 458 anyway. So, I would say your reasons for getting the newest at a price markup are only answerable by yourself, because the rest of the planet won't have any idea about the back story(unless you explain it). Which makes my post, just the most recent useless waste of electrons in an otherwise useless thread. There, has that cleared it up?
In this economy, anybody paying more than MSRP for a regular production Ferrari has more money than brains in my opinion. If you are a first time buyer, there are good deals on 430s, Scuds, etc to get started with a dealer and get on the 458 at MSRP list. For list plus $50K you can pick up a really good 599 or nearly a 430 coupe and 430 spider. The buy and flip days will be very short duration on the 458, if they occur at all. Taz Terry Phillips
You don't need us to tell you how to spend your money. For a first time buyer, I'm not surprised. I'm not surprised it isn't more. Personally, I would buy a discounted F430 from the dealer and get on a real list. You'll have just as much fun - IMMEDIATELY-- and spend a lot less in the long run.
If delivery is before December you're the third or fourth or fifth allocation for that dealer. And, as a first time Ferrari owner how do you know that you're not paying an extra $50k for something which you may not value to that degree? I agree with the consensus to purchase an F430 first, if anything to see if you want the characteristics these cars offer. It's unlikely that you'll flip the car for more than your cost basis plus tax. Recap: you're not the first owner in your market, you don't know if you'll like the car, you won't make money on it. What's the upside?
People who'd pay such a premium are often brain-frenzied to believe "they just gotta have it now!" But in a year or two, when prices start sliding fast -- as they always do -- the person who paid the premium experiences the fastest slide. Unless you just don't care -- and even wealthy people don't like to waste $$ -- taking a normal $50K hit on a 458 in two years plus the $50K premium hit = $100K decline in value isn't pleasant. One often asks, "why was I so stupid in the first place". Anyway, each to his/her own IMHO
Guys, I really appreciate the comments... even those ones which challenge by mental capacity... I didn't get here to be able to afford a Ferrari by being mentally challenged. At the same time, when it comes to potentially my first Ferrari... I end up thinking from my heart instead of my head.. I am hell bent to buy my first Ferrari brand new, I want to order the options I want etc, which means I will pay MSRP for the 458 from the dealer... for quite some time. If the price goes does below MSRP after three years... well I dont know if I will be still alive in three years...life is too short. And I want to get a Ferrari before my son leaves for college and I know he will be gone for quite afew years once he leaves. I just wanted to gauge if the 50K premium is too much and most poeple who replied indicated that. Once again I do appreciate the comments and please keep them coming... Thanks.
