Originally Posted by RSUV

I loved Ferrari as a kid but my first really nice car was a 996 C4S. In about 2010 I was able to afford my first used Ferrari - an 8 year old 360 spider. I was hooked after that. I’ve had Astons and a McLaren but nothing was like the Ferraris for me. I still remembered that Porsche though...

I went through a series of Ferraris until I bought a CS, which I made quite a bit of money on, allowing me to order my first new one, a Speciale. I still have this car, after 13k miles doing everything in it - Mille Miglia, drove Le Mans track, the TT circuit, Dolomites, Alps, Pyrenees, Italy, France, Spain and much more. I don’t think I’ll ever sell it. Since then I’ve been able to add a number more, especially this year where late, early and on-time cars have arrived from Ferrari (I try to do one a year but it hasn’t worked out that way).

A couple of years ago I scratched the RS itch. I bought a 991.1 RS but with no Porsche standing had to pay over. Really had to think about that but I used it for 6 months, scratched the itch (or so I thought) and sold it for an acceptable, maybe even reasonable, loss. Every year we travel on road trips with friends and last year planned to take an 812 I ordered in 2017, which never arrived. Since the trip included the Porsche factory and museum I decided to reacquaint myself with an RS and bought a delivery mileage 991.2 RS.....which has also now gone. This time, though, it went in favour of a GT2 RS, again with delivery miles, in the perfect spec, which I plan to keep for a long time. This was an unexpected purchase I made this year (definitely did not plan this with all the F-cars that came this year). This car seemed to be a COVID-inspired sale and although I lost a much larger amount selling the 991.2 compared with the 991.1, the overall deal looked good.

My garage is a bit too large today, mainly because of the Ferraris that arrived all-at-once. I’ll rationalise it next year but at the moment and for the two ‘super’ brands I buy it stands as follows: Speciale (13k), Lusso (11k), 812 (1k), 812 GTS (3k), Pista Spider (3k), F8 Tributo (2k), GT2 RS (700), Taycan Turbo S (just arrived), 992 C4S (next week). I buy cars to use not stare at. The GTS and Pista Spider have been my road trip cars this year and with COVID we have done a few trips to Europe because we couldn’t do anything else! I have also done some UK road trips in the F8. The GTS and F8 will go soon, making way for an SF90 next year. The cars I will keep are the Speciale, the Pista Spider, probably the 812 because it is our first TM car and probably the GT2 RS which I am using for the track. The rest will revolve. I should be in line for the 812 ‘TDF’, hopefully in Spider form. To try and keep costs ‘reasonable’ my idea is to seperate cars into ones that will depreciate and I will sell, measured against what I use them for and their ability to give me access to cars that I want to own but are difficult to obtain, and then into ones that I love and will hold decent value. The Speciale is worth about what I paid for it, after all those miles and all that fun. The Pista Spider the same. The 812 has lost a lot, but if I keep it that doesn’t matter. The Lusso has also lost a lot but if I keep it over 5 years the depreciation will be little more than owning two new Range Rovers during that time. The GT2 RS will probably not go too far away from what I paid (20% over next 3 years but maybe not even that). The GTS is ok now but I got a very early UK car (may even have been the first) so I need to sell it soon and limit the loss because I really want the TDF Spider version to keep long term. The F8 (great car) I will also sell because it is not a long term keeper, more a great car to put miles on, which I won’t be able to do.

You could ask why I need the C4S? (My family have done that repeatedly!) The answer is that I just like it, and remember that first 996 C4S. Perhaps that is the best answer. But also, I have semi-daily’d the Lusso - weekends and the odd drive to the office plus winter tyres in the winter. But it is a car with a size and a badge that you can’t take everywhere. The C4S in Aventurine Green seems like an incognito supercar that nobody cares about, yet, as with all 911s, offers unique driving thrills. I have tried to work out what it is about 911s that keeps pulling me back to them. I love road trips to Europe - there is a kind of 50’s and 60’s romance about getting in a sports car and crushing continents. The 911, with its 5 dial layout and unique sound and handling traits is a direct link to that era. Despite the advent of air travel for €100 to most cities in Europe, I still love the road trips and somehow owning a 911 makes you the member of a club that likes to drive at every opportunity and needs a tool that is honed to meet that challenge. Not just fast but also needs to be driven well, is practical, reliable, economical (after a fashion), not flashy just capable. This 992 is the 8th generation but could be described in those terms, just like the first generation. I love all that. If it means the Lusso sits, I’ll reluctantly have to sell it early, meaning that my cost per annum in depreciation will be a bit painful. Rather that than let it sit though.

So the long-termers in my garage are Speciale, Pista Spider, 812 and probably the GT2 RS. I hope to add the 812 TDF Spider and maybe the replacement LaF. The other cars will be 1 or 2 that come and go and for which I’ll have to consider depreciation costs; 911s will undoubtedly feature and I’m hoping I’ll be able to get the new GT3s. Once that’s all done, I think we’ll be into EV supercars and I’m not sure where I’ll be with all that. I’ll hopefully end up with a small, rare collection of cars that I love, that I ordered new (or close to it) and that will not be outlawed by EU or UK regulators. They should keep most of their value and my family, in time, will also be able to enjoy them. I feel like I’m a really privileged guy with a really blessed family. Sorry for the long story, please feel free to ignore if it’s not interesting!

Originally Posted by MGC 911

some interior pics.

Originally Posted by Moa

Hey man, love your story and the fact that Nick, who also helped me make a lot of decisions has also helped you. Which shows the type of person he is.

anyway just wanted to ask, your interior is identical to mine. Since you have the needed experience, how durable is the colour? Did it have any dye transfer? . My order locks 1st of April, and i would appreciate some recent pictures.

thanks in advance.

Originally Posted by Gojumatt

I have this interior. Holds up fine. Just wipe it down occasionally.