RBYCC

I find your highlighted comment extremely interesting as it goes against all of the basic precepts of one who is a collector.

If you are a collector you must have a master plan as any investment requires.

Collectors don't wait for "the next great thing to come along"....
If it will be considered "collectable" it will prove itself in three to five years.
The collector will look at a great thing as the BS, wait for the market and the initial owners to take the depreciation, then purchase at a discount and hold waiting for appreciation, and in the mean time enjoying it.
The profit is made when one buys, not sells...if you know what I mean !!!

lsb

I would be interested to know how many owners on here are planning to keep their bs for the long haul compared to those who will not be able to resist " the next great thing " ??

I will start the ball rolling by saying that I hope to keep it for the long haul.

573WHPCLS

When did I ever say I bought this car to be a collectors item? My Black Series is a summer time daily driver, my Black Series has over 6500 miles on it. I own a 1989 Trans Am GTA Turbo which is more of a collectors item than the Black Series will ever be IMO.

RBYCC

You're maybe the perfect owner that one who collects for pleasure or profit targets...

Owners that like "the next great thing" and move on to it are where the best price points are on a two to three year old desirable car.

Your GTA Turbo is a very desirable car, and if you've owned from new it has gone through a depreciation/appreciation cycle...the optimum purchase point is as the depreciation cycle is waning...but the risk is in the future appreciation of the car.

If you collect for pleasure you are never that wrong if you buy it right !!!

transferred

With regard to cars, never understood the term "yesterday's news." A true enthusiast can appreciate all cars and doesn't need the latest to impress people pulling up at the club. I've penny pinched my way to a decent collection all bought from new (aside from the W220) and don't think the E46 M3 is any more yesterday's news than the E39 M5 or E55 became after the arrival of the E63, especially when kept largely stock/non modded. Outpaced in a straightline may happen after five or six years of release but any Neon with 10k into it can do that to most cars anyways.

I'm also fairly sure that any 500bhp or more car will still be faster than 99.9% of things on the road in ten years, especially the way the green crazies are taking the car business.

573WHPCLS

My "yesterdays news" comment was aimed at PIGMAN who was taking some low blow shots at some of us BS owners, seems he is a bit confussed, in one breath he is critical to Black Series owners (pretentious comment) as a whole and in his next sentence he is talking about being an owner someday, he needs to make up his mind. I owns some classic cars, so my "yesterdays news" statement might have been taken a little out of context. Let's be honest, a 1967 Shelby Cobra is "yesterdays news" but any of us would kill for one, me included. My "yesterdays news comment was only made to point out that in 2-3 years when the PIGMAN "pinches enough pennies" to afford one there will be another car out there that will outshine the Black Series. Don't take what I am saying out of context, remeber, I own a Black Series and I am a big fan, I hope it does become a desireable classic someday, if it does or does not, either way I am going to enjoy it just the same. I purchase cars to drive them, not lock them away in a climate controlled garage or museum and keep my fingers crossed the it becomes the hottest thing to roll up on stage at Barret Jackson 20-30 years from now.

transferred

Ah, gotcha- we're on the same page. Typing from a porter cabin on site so was just skimming. Makes sense and pleased to know you're not one of those who thinks a car is a fashion accessory like the Bentley drivers around here. Perf cars like Ms and AMGs are made to be driven, and when the opportunity arises, driven hard.

As regards the Shelby, darn right I'd kill for one even though it is true that after 40years the driving dynamics are more than a little out dated.

clkwork

Depending on the economy I hope to trade up to something a bit more exotic, but I have this sneaky feeling that I'll be driving a 10 year old Honda.

Doctodd33

Very true about the driving dynamics of the Cobra.....all power and no downforce. Not something you see nowadays. A very dangerous car even in the best of hands. Even downshifting is dangerous due to no torque converter. Ive never driven a BS, but i suspect it is a very easy car to drive as has been said by some of the current owners.

T

SMP

There are a number of reasons why I'm holding on to my car. Like I said before, the only other car I was interested in, was a GT3RS. I have a feeling that neither Porsche nor Mercedes will build low production track worthy cars in the near future, especially in this economy. So, it's a keeper.

SL2003driver

Go back to that dealer and see if he will still do that trade. Maybe you can get a little more off on the car you are wanting to buy and can make up a few $$$. Good luck

lsb

When I read the above post why do I keep hearing Latka ( Andy Kaufman ) from the tv show "Taxi" in my head ???

jwoods986

+1000! If that dealer is still willing to give you $79K. I just searched ebay completed listings for CLK63 Black, and it goes back to Feb 4th, showing no sales. For reference, there was a white one w/9K miles that bid up to $78K, but reserve was not met. And another white one w/7500 miles, starting at $85K, received no bids.

Doctodd33

not many people are buying anything except food......maybe Walmart is a good stock to have. The democrats are really shaking things up.

T

slykmr

Oh yes I am still working on deals here and there. The problem is that no one is wanting to finance exotics no matter how good your credit is. With the economy where it is putting their neck out for a 150k exotic pleasure car is not in the deck of cards. Everything happens for a reason so will see what happens.

SL2003driver

Your not trying to sell a $150K exotic pleasure car. Your selling a $80K car that a few months ago had a MSRP of $140K. I would think they would see the value in your car at this price and if someone had a good credit score it should not be a problem.

slykmr

I know I am not selling a $150k exotic pleasure car. I am referring to the Lambo I am looking at My credit score is not the problem, mid 700's is more than sufficient and money down. Trust me this is not my first car. Have you tried financing an exotic recently?

jl88

Financing an exotic right now is a nightmare (premier, woodside) Besides the hefty down payment required, you need to provide bank account statement showing adequate funds in your accounts, tax returns, DNA sample etc. And then there's still no guarantee that you'll get the loan.

LZH

The days of zero documentation loans are loooooong gone fellas.....

JamE55

Just curious but if you have a score of 800+ you still need to provide docs, etc.?

Frankster

He's right. My boss just bought a S65 and he said it's like buying a home. They wanted POI (proof of income), bank statements, 2 yrs tax docs, etc.

jrcart

I recently posted a thread about people getting denied loans on $60,000 cars with high 700 credit scores or being told they have to cough up huge down payments. A good friend of mine is the GM at a large Audi dealership, he said they are getting people in the door that want to spend money but they can't get financed and nobody has $20,000 sitting around to use as a down payment. He says they see 2 types of buyers at the Audi dealerships, the 17-20% of buyers that walk in and write a check for an A6 or A8 and the other 80% that walk in with $1000.00 or less to put down on a car. 13 years ago I was making a fraction of what I make now, I walked into my local BMW dealership signed my name and drive off with a a 1995 BMW M3 with no money down and a trade I was upsidedown on...boy how have times changed. Two weeks ago I was buying a new ride that was only $45,000 and you would have thought I was asking for a $3,000,000 mortgage with all the garbage the needed to see.

JamE55

That's just ridiculous. I can understand both sides (consumer and dealer) both where do you draw the line when buying an exotic car? Or i guess you just hold off til you have the money?

jwoods986

Man, this crap is ridiculous! All I can say is Credit Unions baby. Navy Federal gave me a preapproval up to an amount that is 75% of my yearly income, over the phone, right after I gave the lady my SSN. This was back in October, but credit was already tight then. I also hadn't been at my current job for even a year, but I've been a NFCU member (in good standing) for a long time. I guess it also helps that Navy Fed didn't mess with these sub-prime loans and shady practices during the housing boom, and have $3 billion in cash reserves

SL2003driver

No I never have. I pay cash for everything. Except gas and some meals out, airfare when you buy online. May not be smart since I never have any tax write-off's but I like to own stuff.