Trading Up to What?
 

So, with air cooled prices going up so much, has anyone considered "cashing in and trading up"? I bought my G50 coupe about 18 months ago and have enjoyed watching it appreciate. A few weeks ago, I started wondering what I could buy if I sold it. Coincidentally, yesterday I ran into the dealer I bought it from. He said they would list it at 50-55 on consignment if I was interested. If the car is worth , let's say 45 and I throw in another 5-10k, that starts getting me into starter Ferrari territory (308, 328, 355). Of course maintenance on the 355 can be a bit ridiculous.

What stops me from pursing the Ferrari angle is the impact mileage has on value. My car currently has 46k miles and I am driving it about 5k miles a year (7k so far in 18 months driving warm months only). You don't have that problem with Porsche. No one blinks at a 100k mile Porsche but you rarely even see F cars listed with any more than 50 or 60,000 miles. I really like driving my car.

Curious if anyone else is kicking the idea around. Lots of other choices in the P car world as well at 40-60k.

Wow ...a G50 for 50-55k, I know your mileage is low...BUT....I would be interested at $35,000. Sometimes very low mileage means the car sat too long...thus oil seal leaks...not saying this about your car...but drive it...

I have a 88 G50, please hang on to yours....the cars you described will be nothing but a "BLACK HOLE" ...get my drift...? Your G50 is a very nice driver...try driving a long hood or 912 in comparison...very basic I own those cars too..plus if you do sell, you do NOT NEED A DEALER TO SELL IT...the cars are strong but so is his price...

[QUOTE=wgwollet;8173180]Wow ...a G50 for 50-55k, I know your mileage is low...BUT....I would be interested at $35,000. Sometimes very low mileage means the car sat too long...thus oil seal leaks...not saying this about your car...but drive it...
QUOTE]

That was my concern when I bought it but it checked out. Engine is completely dry and it drives fabulously. I drive it all the time. I agree 50-55 is not what it is worth - that's a high end dealer's asking price. Still, I can imagine it getting 40-45k given the current market. Fully aware of the ownership costs that come with a Ferrari.

I scratched the Fiat itch last year when I purchased an immaculate F360 Modena that was loaded to the gills, and was 100% up to date on all service. I owned it for 10 months which was probably 9 months too long. Cool cars and make great sounds. Mine had the Challenge Stradale ecu and exhaust. At WOT it could wake the dead!!! Color was Titanium Grigio over black leather. Not overly flashy. But Jesus H, it was a hassle everywhere I took it. People posing next to it. Kids filming it while driving on the highway. And even people following me home to "see it up close".

I drove it a grand total of 1800 miles and honestly did not have as much fun in it as I did my Porsches. The fun really begins when you try to sell it. You think the Pelican and Rennlist crowds attract bottom feeders? Just wait until you meet some of d-bags on F-Chat trying to "steal" your car. I even contacted the original exotic dealer who I purchased the car from and he had the balls to offer me $20,000 less than my purchase price. I told him I would slap some numbers on it and beat it at the track before I sold it back to him. I finally ended up selling it to a great dealer in OH who gave me a much better deal.

Yes, there are some smoking deals on some well used and abused F cars out there. Be wary of the cost to make them right. It was the most expensive itch I have ever scratched. I keep kicking myself for selling my 7-GT3 several years ago. At the price range you are looking at, I would consider a 6 GT3 before a Fiat. I had 15,800 miles on my F360 when I sold it and was told countless times that 10,000 miles is the "magic Mark" for these cars. Once they top that mileage, the depreciation falls off a cliff.

Just like many a boat owner have professed: my two greatest days of Ferrari ownership were the day I bought it and the day I sold it. Never again. I'll stick to my P cars...

Mike

I don't care what the market does. I love driving my car, and even though the car is now worth almost double what I paid, I'm not selling it. Sure, I could buy something newer, or a different brand. But I love how this car drives, and smells, and looks. If I could find a '59 Alfa SZ for the price, I *might* consider it. Might.

If I could sell my 3.2 for a good price in a few years I really like the idea of an 06-08 Cayman. I don't know if any of you guys have driven one but I must tell you they are the most fun best handling cars that I have ever driven. 300 H.P. for the S type and down shift to 2nd out of a corner on the Ortega Hwy and Wow! So for about $25,000 you get one of the best handling cars in the world with great power. Some of the draw backs are you cannot see the motor, there is no dipstick (electronic), and there is no spare tire. ( for light weight) The tires on a Cayman are huge like a coffee table on each corner. They stick like glue. They cost a ton to replace. Also, the IMS bearing is not an issue with the Cayman. They were not included in the Porsche lawsuit because only a small % of them had a problem.

[QUOTE=Nick Triesch;8173314]If I could sell my 3.2 for a good price in a few years I really like the idea of an 06-08 Cayman. I don't know if any of you guys have driven one but I must tell you they are the most fun best handling cars that I have ever driven. 300 H.P. for the S type and down shift to 2nd out of a corner on the Ortega Hwy and Wow! So for about $25,000 you get one of the best handling cars in the world with great power. QUOTE]

Yup. Have kicked that around as well. A Cayman S with a manual is supposed to be an absolute hoot to drive. An 06-08 has already absorbed a lot of depreciation too.

[QUOTE=Sox Fan;8173555] But. It. Is. Not. A. 911........

You are right...it is not a 911. But it is way more fun to drive than a 3.2. My point is that a $64,000 car can now be had for $21-25,000. My best buddy sold his nice 84 Carrera and bought his Cayman S in 08. He never looked back. Whenever we meet in Capistrano he lets me drive it. Now it is true that 4 years ago when my Carrera was worth $18,500 and a 08 Cayman costs a ton more I did not think about this stuff. But, things are different now.

Did you know they make a Cayman convertible!? It's true!

Ha

G50 prices continue to match upward. But most alternative vehicles will depreciate.

^This is kinda my thing. Barring something catastrophic happening to the motor or transmission, the 3.2s are fairly inexpensive to own. Zero depreciation, low cost collector's insurance, and a network of online resources that can help you address any potential issue that the cars could possibly encounter really make them a great value proposition. I drove a friend's Cayman S last week and it's a great car. Smooth, fast, and comfortable. However, I'm rarely going to be able to extract the full potential of either my 3.2 or the Cayman. I may as well roll with something that's still fun to drive, relatively inexpensive to own, and gets comments and thumbs-ups every time it leaves the driveway.

With that said, if I WAS to trade to something else, it would probably be an Elise or an early Viper GTS (kinda polar opposites, right?).

2cam

I solved the problem and bought both. I agree that the Ferrari is probably not as reliable as the Carrera 3.2 and is not meant as a daily driver. I do think though that they are just cars like anything else. If you ignore them they will bite you in the ass. My Ferrari has had the major belt service and been cared for. Its always started right up and gone like stink. Its more of an all out race car handling and power wise compared to the Carrera although I imagine a more modern 911 would outrun it. They will certainly draw attention though. I get filmed pumping gas a lot. To me they feel more"special" than a 911 and I think you should maybe test drive one. I bought a 348 because the 355 is more prone to valve guide issues. My car has 67K miles and still runs like new. I just drove my Carrera 11.5 hours in the last 2 days and I missed my 348 the whole time. Just my 2 cents. :)
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Yes, it is true that the other Cayman is a rag top but the Cayman S is faster and handles way better than a 930 ! So for $23,000-24,000 you can get an amazing car. I think a lot of us own and love our 3.2 cars because we would have never been able to afford a newer Porsche. But now, all of a sudden it is possible to own a Cayman! Just 4 years ago it was not. Holy Smokes! It's fun just thinking about it. Remember, the first Porsche sports car designs were mid engine. I believe the idea was too expensive at the time.

a nice 308 GTB would be a very nice alternative to the garage queen 911. I am surprised the 308s haven't gone nutty in terms of pricing. Yes they made a ton of 308s, but they made more 911s.

Ugh
 

Ever talk to 308 owner......sad car..

The only cars that interest me are the Elise SC and Ariel Atom but both are more expensive than my 911 is worth and the Atom is horribly impractical for 80% of weather we get here in Delaware and neither of them will likely hold their value as well as the 911 has.

Funny - those are two cars I would consider as well. Both are raw and fast albeit with far different ways of being fast. Have never driven either. The Elise/Exige look like a blast to drive.

My next car will be a Cayman. But I wouldn't sell my Carrera to get there. I'm just going to be patient and save my pennies.

Cayman's are awesome. But my air-cooled is staying for the long-term. I've already got a modern Porsche, and that's not going anywhere either. Is a Cayman in my future? Perhaps, but so is another type of air-cooled.

okay....I think the Cayman is a great car and fun to toss around, but I can't let that statement slide! Qualify it that a Cayman is more fun to drive for a NOVICE, but I doubt you'll find a racer/driver of any merit that wouldn't choose a well set-up G50 Carrera over a similarly set up Cayman 100% of the time for a "fun" drive.

I will concede the point if the comparison is dead bone stock, hasn't been touched in 30 year wallow-ey old Carrera vs brand new Cayman (but that's like cheating)