frayed

800 denied? Holy crap.

Carrera GT

If you've got cash at bank, you're well positioned and "timing" (the best/bottom entry point to buy into any given market) is a fool's errand. I think your general criteria make sense (any low-option, high-mile CPO-eligible car that takes your fancy.) Personally, I like the shopping, not the selling. If I were to buy a car in the next six months, it would be a wildly discounted F40, F430 or a killer 993 (a clone of a GT2 or RS probably) or early 911 ('72 2.7 MFI-ish.) Conversely, if I want to be conservative and stick to my "wealth preservation" investment disciplines, I have to think of what I "really" pay if I burn cash now (circa 2009) on anything, only to find that same cash could have participated in a recovery cycle from somewhere between 2009 and 2012 earning at least 100% gains (and potentially defending me from capital calls on depreciated stocks or tax losses that might take years to balance.

All that money mumbo jumbo aside, it looks like you're on the beach with your two young children and your wife takes a decent photograph. : ) That's all the riches in the world and I'm sure you know it full well. I'd say "stay the coarse" -- enjoy the holidays and look forward to a fun shopping expedition in the new year.

frayed

Well, yeah, there's a whole lot more to life than new metal. But the motorhead in me isn't going away any time soon. F430s are down under 150s for nice examples. Making matters worse I got the new car bug after shopping for a new kid hauler for the last few weeks.

Carrera GT

"new car bug" can be a tough habit to shake. I counsel cold turkey.

ps. F430 vs GT3, I'd take the 430 for novelty and "cutural" experience with the optimistic thought that it's significantly underpriced right now. The pick of the crop would be a Scuderia below sticker, which would have been preposterous as recently as two months ago, but today, it's arguably do-able.

eclou

labs and ridgebacks mix very well. Mine are inseparable. Yes, gotta hook up down there and do some fishing. My kids are getting old enough to hold a fishing rod. Also, I heard the app to approval ratio on mortgages now is 15:1.

OldGuy

Jeff I am just glad your back. If you want a midsize SUV. Check out the AMG. I am having a hoot with the AMG C63 OF course it could be the drugs (just kidding)
Again I am just glad your back I miss your input.

pranqster

Jeff

I agree that February or March would be good. You might be able to catch one from a stealer though December 31st.

I was wondering if you survived the storm OK. It looks as if you are enjoying your place so that is good.

TT Gasman

Nice Red Jeff!

RonCT

Been PM'ing you to no avail. Check your messages and get back to me by email.

mooty

Mootys car sold shortly after posting.

CarerraGT I hope I'm wrong. But I don't see rebound until Q4 2010.
And the rebound would be tiny compared to last ten yrs.

Consumer credit, ha what consumer credit?

Carrera GT

Referring to yourself in the third person? : )I agree, my previous post in this thread speculates on 2010-2012. I expect the process to be as strong as the recession with the usual break-outs and busts. But nobody can predict the global changes or even explain what's already happened. I've gone from conservation to capitulation and cash. My buying is limited to very conservative, long term accumulation and that's on a two year schedule starting just two months ago. Credit is (finally) flowing -- if not freely -- re-fi's will become appealing and already make sense for conforming products. As ever, the shackles of consumer credit will be gently clamped around the wrist of the careless and soon enough we'll be back to outspending our paychecks and living in debt.

Will I buy another GT3? Maybe. If the lease is good. : )

mooty

ppl knows mooty. no one knows john.

if you mean mortgage, yes, rates drops a lot. but for most bay area ppl, super jumbo rates didn't move that much. it did improve, and some even got 6% fixed for multi million fixed 30 year deals. but that's the exception though.

what i was thinking with regard to consumer credit was when it's going to blow up. residential mortgage popped we know that. commercial mortgage is dropping fast. credit card debts and the securities they backed will blow soon as they already are..... scary.

another GT3? i need a breather :-)
i think one is enough for the moment as i build my low end racer.
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171mph

You're not alone. According to a bloomberg article this week the ratio of cash (m2 less retail cd) and institutional money mkt funds to total market cap has reached 74%. To put that in perspective at 1974 bottom was 121%, 1982 bottom was 95% and 1990 bottom was 72%.

I would think not quite apples-apples since mkt cap grows naturally as more companies go public (ie now vs 1974) but still quite interesting.

But back to cars....

Porscheholic

I think prices will be lower in six months because supply will continue to exceed demand. Many experts now believe unemployment could reach 10% and last well into 2010. That does not bode well for luxury car prices.

I'm not a bottom-feeder, but I can't afford to pay $140,000+ for a car, but I can afford to pay $95,000 so this provides someone like me the opportunity to finally purchase one of these awesome cars.

C4S/GT3

Plenty of "white" ones on eBay
http://motors.desc.shop.ebay.com/Car...008QQ_yrlZ2007