Stick or twist

MikeyMaser

Member
Messages
473
I've had 2 Alfa Giulia QFs and they are sensational cars - definitely don't have the presence or occasion of a Maserati but totally ballistic and extremely agile. Try and get a pre-MY21 where the steering hasn't been corrupted by the driver assistance systems.

The second one I bought in August 2020 brand new for £53k and sold it March 2021 for £54k! It was the last of the MY20 cars which they were trying to liquidate and also got Affinity scheme discount (17%) on top! So, as a Yorkshireman, it'll always be fondly remembered as one of the few cars I made money on! :)
 
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gb-gta

Member
Messages
1,130
I have had similar decisions to make and I would offer an alternative perspective and say drive the thing as much as you can. Lots of us will talk about preserving something as it is a keeper, but in reality how many keep forever. Most keep for a period of time after which their lives and priorities change and they eventually decide to sell. If you keep it as a high days and holidays car all you will have done is keep it nice for a future date and person you don’t know. You will however almost certainly have missed out on many lovely memories and miles of enjoyment.

The potential depreciation from that kind of usage will also be far less than you will suffer with a Guilia QF or a similar newer car. There is approx a £10k max spread on GS prices based on condition and mileage (assuming similar age) so that is your financial risk to the value. In reality it is probably much less due to the preventative maintenance you have done, low miles and the care you will show it.

With the new legislation on petrol powered cars coming into force, our ability to enjoy these machines without punitive taxes and restrictions may well be closer than we think.

Live for the day.

It’s a good argument. Running an older car and spending more on upkeep is nearly always cheaper than depreciation on a newer car. It’s what I’ve always done. There are exceptions of course, but not too many.
Depends how many miles you are doing in your daily too.

Although it is a lot of very nice car for the money, that SL will lose more than the other 2. Friend of mine just sold a lovely 2013 SL350, was mint, had about 65k on I think, but only got 18k for it….
The Aston, and even the QF I believe (some may disagree, but you’re wrong!) ,will never go that low.
One you’ve missed at 60k ish is an LC500 (the V8 one). Bulletproof, very rare and have quite a following, good for value retention once a few years old, lovely NA V8 too.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
It’s a good argument. Running an older car and spending more on upkeep is nearly always cheaper than depreciation on a newer car. It’s what I’ve always done. There are exceptions of course, but not too many.
Depends how many miles you are doing in your daily too.

Although it is a lot of very nice car for the money, that SL will lose more than the other 2. Friend of mine just sold a lovely 2013 SL350, was mint, had about 65k on I think, but only got 18k for it….
The Aston, and even the QF I believe (some may disagree, but you’re wrong!) ,will never go that low.
One you’ve missed at 60k ish is an LC500 (the V8 one). Bulletproof, very rare and have quite a following, good for value retention once a few years old, lovely NA V8 too.
The Lexus also has a 10 year warranty if servicing is maintained by Lexus.
I like them, and the RC F too.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
Lovely position to be in, but I’d throw in the kitchen sink and go newer generation Vantage. Spectacular looking machine and in 4.0 TT guise a very driver friendly car.

It’s a totally different car to the last one as well. I have driven the new one and and old one and it is much more of a sports car that the older car. Stunning performance….Who would have thought that AMG engine and the Vantage would be perfect together. Not as pretty as the older car and divides opinion but a very aggressive shape and still to me looks amazing. My lasting thoughts was that it did everything better than the old V8 as a sports car…
 
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bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
Love an SL - have owned a few - but you need a V8, Aston is interesting and you are used to the nodding dog gear change. As for the Alfa, it is a saloon and saloons depreciate to nothing. Go English.
 

MaserMike

Member
Messages
329
Hi Geoff. My 2 pence worth, would be go for what pulls at your heart strings the most as you only live once, hence why I have bought and sold a lot of cars over the years. Personally the Italian marques have the most soul and character…

If it’s a financial thing keep the GS and use it for a while until something special makes your decision ASAP, as everything modern with a few exceptions will lose a ton in depreciation and with change over costs etc. There is also the punitive road tax for newish cars over £40k to think about…

I’m seriously considering one of these in the future, the MC20 equivalent which starts at a ‘bargain’ £65k upwards:

 

GTVGEOFF

Member
Messages
381
Thanks all for your input.
Should have known if I asked on here I would end up more confused than when I started.
I will try and go through the bullet points.
Dicky, I have made progress on the Montreal, albeit slower than than I would have liked, I did start a thread on this with the intention of regular updated, oh well best laid plans! I will update it shortly. Where are car SOS when you need them.
Mike, I have just entered my seventh decade, hope to have another ten years terrorising other road users. Still active enough can hop in and out of most cars ok and walk a few miles across dirt tracks most days. Probably won't do more than 7000 miles a year in it.
gb-gta, good post, and you are correct I hadn't considered the Lexus, pretty good wild card and got me thinking I should look at one.
Maser Mike, agree with all you have said, I have considered the Lotus but only from my armchair, they do interest me, what sort of waiting list is there. I had said to myself I would buy new with the gov taxes etc, boils my .....

I have more or less made up my mind to keep the GS. I love the thrill it gives me, It's has fast as I need to go and I know the handling capabilities are beyond mine, I think I would really miss that car.
I have more or less ruled out the Aston, although it's so close to me I may just go and tease the salesman.
The Alfa is very tempting, even if I have it for only a year. It has to be the best car they have produced in a long time.
The Merc is the brains choice, nice car, easy to get serviced around here, my wife would be more comfortable driving it than any of the others, (for when I have an extra sherbet) and with the opening roof I could move the Spider on to solve the garage problem. But yes it will lose perhaps more money than the others. And if I have to fight Geoff Capes for it....:oops: well the Alfa suddenly looks more appealing.
So guess it's the head over heart thing again, heart won last time hence the Maser, guess I need to get out of the armchair and try them all:cool:.
 

MaserMike

Member
Messages
329
Glad you’re keeping the GS, it is a really lovely motor. No harm in doing some browsing and window shopping :) No idea on the waiting list for the Emira and I’ve never owned a Lotus either, but I wouldn’t buy brand new myself too and just wait for depreciation to kick in etc…

My GranCabrio got picked up this morning, Stradale goes tomorrow morning… need to recover myself and bribe the wife before I dare look at anymore cars in the future!
 

GTVGEOFF

Member
Messages
381
Glad you’re keeping the GS, it is a really lovely motor. No harm in doing some browsing and window shopping :) No idea on the waiting list for the Emira and I’ve never owned a Lotus either, but I wouldn’t buy brand new myself too and just wait for depreciation to kick in etc…

My GranCabrio got picked up this morning, Stradale goes tomorrow morning… need to recover myself and bribe the wife before I dare look at anymore cars in the future!
Whatever you do don't bank the proceeds in a joint account with her :as001 (2):
 

Ryandoc

Member
Messages
1,839
I’ve ran two cars for the last 11 years now. The GranTurismo stays in the garage and does usually around 8k a year, dropped drastically in Covid times.

My current banger is a 2007 Audi A4 on 160k, prior to that I took my 2007 BMW 320d to 265k miles.

Pros of bangernomnics. You don’t care that much about it. Get a scratch, hey ho. However what it does do for me is make those GT drives that extra special.
Don’t get me wrong if I had a couple million in the bank my daily would be great. But rather then think I don’t drive the GT enough, it’s makes those drives even better for me
 

MrRMB

Member
Messages
102
I’ve ran two cars for the last 11 years now. The GranTurismo stays in the garage and does usually around 8k a year, dropped drastically in Covid times.

My current banger is a 2007 Audi A4 on 160k, prior to that I took my 2007 BMW 320d to 265k miles.

Pros of bangernomnics. You don’t care that much about it. Get a scratch, hey ho. However what it does do for me is make those GT drives that extra special.
Don’t get me wrong if I had a couple million in the bank my daily would be great. But rather then think I don’t drive the GT enough, it’s makes those drives even better for me
I am with you on this. I mostly drive a scruffy A4 estate with the dog in the back. Even sitting in the maser is epic! You have to drive normal cars - my daughter's Saxo - to appreciate it.
 

Ryandoc

Member
Messages
1,839
I am with you on this. I mostly drive a scruffy A4 estate with the dog in the back. Even sitting in the maser is epic! You have to drive normal cars - my daughter's Saxo - to appreciate it.

Agreed. Plenty of nice cars out there for buttons. They might be a few years behind the current offerings but they are nice places to be for those daily commutes