[Naman_Ferrari]

Hi everyone,

I am sure a lot of us here at Team-Bhp have a 'dream car'. Most of us just drool over the pictures/videos of these cars without any hope of ever buying them (probably a very smart and rational way of thinking). But there are definitely some crazy people like me who have no other objective in life apart from buying that dream car one day!

For me, buying a proper supercar (preferably a Ferrari F430 / 458 Italia) is probably the only goal I have in life. All my friends and family know it. They even make fun of me and I don't blame them. It's the stupidest life goal one can have. Here are some fundamental problems that I'm told about -

- Wayyyyy toooooo expensiveeee in India :(
- Maintenance & Repairs are also expensive
- Fuel is also expensive
- Insurance is also expensive
- No roads to drive (ground clearance, potholes etc.)
- Safety concerns (people chasing the car, scratching it etc.)
- Getting judged by ALL friends and family is for sure

By the way, I agree with all of the above! It's just that it all seems almost trivial to me compared to the satisfaction I know I will get when I finally buy one

Oh and there is one that I missed - Depreciates faster than it burns fuel. But that probably won't matter because I aim to buy just 1 and keep it for life (hopefully). Plus, I'll probably end up buying a pre-worshiped one!

Sure, a lot of cars available in India - Mini's, small AMG's, GTI's etc. are a LOT of fun to drive but I've driven some of these cars and I've also driven Ferraris & Lambos abroad (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/inter...supercars.html (UK: My track day experience with 5 Supercars)). To me, the feeling of driving the 2 types of cars CANNOT BE COMPARED. Plus, it's more than just the driving experience. Just looking at it everyday, cleaning it on Sundays after the mandatory Sunday drive, fixing it when it breaks down....these are all things I dream of doing everyday

For all of the above reasons, I have started a personal fund - basically started saving to buy my dream car. I'm 24 and live with my parents so most of my salary goes directly into this fund. I realise how expensive these cars are and have started to invest these savings in different mutual funds, stocks etc. (I really like Finance and have been learning a lot about how to make money work for me). I hope that this saving and investing over time (maybe decades) would help me realise my dream one day.

I mentioned that my 'ideal' dream car is a Ferrari, a red Ferrari (hopefully not a new turbo-charged one). It's clique but Ferrari was one of the first words I learnt how to say as a kid. But that's my 'ideal' dream car. A used Audi R8 might also do the trick.

Cars are supposed to be liabilities but my future supercar is the biggest asset I have. I'm a lazy person but it motivated me to study hard and be at the top of my class. Now it's motivating me to work really hard. And I'm not saying this, it genuinely motivates me A LOT!

Thanks for reading. I've been meaning to start this thread for quite some time now.

Does anyone else have such a fund / plans to start one?

If not, I read the below quote somewhere -
“Every man should aim to own a Ferrari. It's a universe that teaches you how to drive, how to network and how to communicate your passion meaningfully. But if you're not ready to commit just yet, maybe you could start with buying a poster. I'd recommend one of a yellow 355 Spider”

But I'd personally recommend one of a red F430 -

[batish]

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

I hope that this saving and investing over time (maybe decades) would help me realise my dream one day.

Haha!
I admire your goal! After a certain point fondness change. As we grow old priorities change. I'd love to see your thoughts on this very thread after 6-7 years down the line.

Don't mean to dishearten you but by the time we'll be able to afford it somehow, they'll be all electric.

[D33-PAC]

Don’t mean to dishearten you, but I don’t have one.

The real reason is these vehicles are for people who don’t even have to think twice about buying it and all that accompanies it.

Practical problems are for average people.

The guy who owns a hospital, a hotel, and 100 acres of prime land not to mention has enough residual recurring income from investments has so much liquidity that a Lambo or a Ferrari is peanuts.

Now let’s put this in context. If you have to save up for a Ferrari or Lambo - not that there’s anything wrong in that - are you really being financially prudent ?

Don’t get me wrong setting aside funds makes sense but all I’m saying is anyone who has to trade time to afford these cars probably has more important priorities to address.

I love this pic haha

[GTO]

A man who speaks my language .

Instead of fund, I have a "dream car investment". Only hitch is, it is appreciating very well right now, so I don't want to liquidate it for my dream car . Guess that's a nice problem to have.

I actually build investment funds for any large project (e.g. full house renovation) and carry out the project only when I have the liquidity too. I H-A-T-E loans.

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

But I'd personally recommend one of a red F430

My favourite too! And apparently, much easier to maintain than the 360.

Originally Posted by batish

I admire your goal! After a certain point fondness change. As we grow old priorities change. I'd love to see your thoughts on this very thread after 6-7 years down the line.

Really varies from person to person. I'm in my 40s and still want to own a nice sports car or two.

Don't mean to dishearten you but by the time we'll be able to afford it somehow, they'll be all electric.

All the more reason to own them while you still can!

Originally Posted by D33-PAC

The real reason is these vehicles are for people who
don’t even have to think twice about buying it and all that accompanies it.

With the deluge of CBUs that we've seen in the last 10 years, this will change. For brand-new Ferraris, Lamborghinis & even Porsches, I'll agree with your customer profile. However, when it comes to pre-worshipped cars, they are very much in the realm of self-made rich dudes, whether entrepreneurs or even corporate types. In the USA, there are a lot of "regular Joes" who went out and bought a used Ferrari over say, a 2nd home.

I know people who've bought 40 - 50 lakh rupee Porsches & AMGs in India and are very happy with their decision. Another reasonably sporty car that'll soon become popular in the used market is the Mustang, examples of which are already exchanging hands at 40 odd lakhs. Expect them to touch the high 30s in a year or two. It's fast, handles well, looks superb and is reliable (meant to be a daily driver in the USA).

[am1m]

I used to have a 'dream bike' fund.

Since I have always followed the sound financial advice of 'take loans only to buy an appreciating asset, never for depreciating ones', managed to save up almost the entire amount.

Then I began to do my research on the model I wanted to buy. Must say the customer experiences I read, mainly on forums like ours, were shocking! It seems that in India, owning a superbike is an exercise in greaaat patience and acceptance. Every superbike brand seems to treat our customers badly- lack of spares, lack of support, no test rides, no this, no that. That's also besides the general hassles one will face owning and riding one of these beauties on our streets. After shelling out several lakhs for one. No offence meant to anyone, but I didn't want a bike just to join some biking group and do breakfast or group rides. I want to use it like I would any bike, anytime I wanted to.

Perhaps I'm getting old, but the whole thing didn't seem like a logical proposition to me. Hats off to the ordinary joes who still go ahead and get their dream ride in spite of all this. Realized that I'm just not that passionate. Diverted that amount into a 'dream home' fund a few years ago and that's growing nicely.

Am seeing some trends shaping up, with larger capacity bikes being manufactured here with full local service support. Hopefully that trend will rapidly rise and soon even larger capacity bikes will come through. Then it will be time to re-start the 'dream bike fund'.

Originally Posted by D33-PAC

The real reason is these vehicles are for people who don’t even have to think twice about buying it and all that accompanies it.

So true!

[hema4saran]

Originally Posted by Naman_Ferrari

Hi everyone,

I am sure a lot of us here at Team-Bhp have a 'dream car'.

Wow! That is one of the best funds you are saving dude. All the best. Your priorities might change by the time you cross 30. But don't give up on your dreams. I hope you will live your dreams one day.

Here is a video to keep you inspired.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhs_Aad1r10

Originally Posted by batish

Don't mean to dishearten you but by the time we'll be able to afford it somehow, they'll be all electric.

+1. Things are quickly changing. Keeping a good running and mechanically reliable NA Petrol car might appreciate in its value in near future.

[d3mon]

What would be a "you're-not-a-complete-and-utter-moron-for-spending-THAT-kind-of-money" net worth before you can plonk down, say 50-75 lakh, on one of these pre-owned beauties? Asking for a friend. "He" knows situations vary from person to person - but let's just forget about the boring stuff like responsibilities and all while dreaming about a dream car, shall we?

[ShivrajG]

We live once! live it to the fullest!

Saving for a super car may sound ridiculous to some but I am with you on this one mate. I may not have a super car dream (Ferrari, Porsche) but I do wish to own the SUV of my dream (Land Rover Velar).
I am 32 and already owned 3 cars (1 SUV + 1 Hatch + 1 CSUV). I wish (plan) to get Rover by the time I turn 40, I dont know whether by that time fossil fuel will be good choice or not but the heart wouldn't shut up .

I have a dream and I will follow it.

[Sunrock]

I have the absolute same goal in life :P . The first auto magazine i purchased had the poster of a Ferrari 575M Maranello. That moment on that has been the dream, Cars inspire us like nothing else.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Dream supercar car fund? Nopes. Unrealistic sadly for me.

Have a next-car fund though! And once that it closed - will start a dream superbike fund mostly.

Less than 1/10th of the purchase price of the cheapest cars of these dream brands, and 1/100th of their maintenance costs - way more realistic for the common man to afford.

[A M]

I'm glad you're saving up this early in your life. It is good to have a passion that motivates you to work harder.

Your friends may judge you today but this passion of yours shall help you build up a corpus that few of your peers will have by the time you reach 30. Priorities change as you age and you might think that renting a supercar when you want works out cheaper and still satisfies your hunger to drive it. But the corpus you build up now is going to provide you financial security in your older years.

All the best and keep working towards your dream.

[2000rpm]

I would suggest, rather than making a pool of money from existing salary income, invest in changing the way you earn.

To be honest, a salaried man in India just cant afford a Ferrari (unless you are MD of a 1 BN plus organization) or if you are a mid sized company entrepreneur.

In the tech world today, its much easier to achieve the second one. Build something which will add value, solve a problem and give you money in return.

Its unrealistic to assume you will become super rich by following a traditional career path.

[Naman_Ferrari]

Originally Posted by batish

I admire your goal! After a certain point fondness change. As we grow old priorities change. I'd love to see your thoughts on this very thread after 6-7 years down the line.

Really hope my priorities don't change. Will definitely update you in a few years :-)

Originally Posted by D33-PAC

Now let’s put this in context. If you have to save up for a Ferrari or Lambo - not that there’s anything wrong in that - are you really being financially prudent ?

I love this pic haha
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/iipcache/162392.jpg

Probably not the best financial decision but I feel like if I'm saving specifically for that, it shouldn't be that bad (at least it's not a loan). Over time, I might have to build new funds for other priorities in life but that doesn't mean this one has to stop completely.

Love that picture. It's so me

Originally Posted by GTO

Really varies from person to person. I'm in my 40s and still want to own a nice sports car or two.

Hope you decide to liquidate that investment one day. We all will get a killer supercar review thread on team-bhp!

Originally Posted by am1m

Since I have always followed the sound financial advice of 'take loans only to buy an appreciating asset, never for depreciating ones', managed to save up almost the entire amount.

Will keep this in mind. Thanks!

Originally Posted by hema4saran

Wow! That is one of the best funds you are saving dude. All the best. Your priorities might change by the time you cross 30. But don't give up on your dreams. I hope you will live your dreams one day.

Here is a video to keep you inspired.

Thanks a lot.
Love that video. Have seen it on YouTube before. Very inspiring.

Originally Posted by d3mon

What would be a "you're-not-a-complete-and-utter-moron-for-spending-THAT-kind-of-money" net worth before you can plonk down, say 50-75 lakh, on one of these pre-owned beauties? Asking for a friend. "He" knows situations vary from person to person - but let's just forget about the boring stuff like responsibilities and all while dreaming about a dream car, shall we?

In my opinion, the net worth you need is inversely proportional to how badly you want your dream car. The more you want it, the lesser your net worth needs to be (as long as you have enough to actually buy it).

Originally Posted by ShivrajG

We live once! live it to the fullest!

Saving for a super car may sound ridiculous to some but I am with you on this one mate. I may not have a super car dream (Ferrari, Porsche) but I do wish to own the SUV of my dream (Land Rover Velar).

I have a dream and I will follow it.

The Velar is an amazing car. Looks like it's from the future. All the best and thank you!

Originally Posted by Sunrock

I have the absolute same goal in life :P . The first auto magazine i purchased had the poster of a Ferrari 575M Maranello. That moment on that has been the dream, Cars inspire us like nothing else.

For sure. And if it inspires us enough, in a way, the car would pay for itself right?

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Less than 1/10th of the purchase price of the cheapest cars of these dream brands, and 1/100th of their maintenance costs - way more realistic for the common man to afford.

Hahaha true but I'm a car nut (don't have a choice).

[lapis_lazuli]

Very unique thread indeed. Thanks. IMHO for the typical salaried class, our funds or investments always fall short if we need to lay our hands on that object of desire! (Thread: Ridiculous price hike of Germans?).

Or, on the other side, it would be a 4 BHK instead of a penthouse, an i20 instead of the Elantra etc etc.

In my case: it was the Punto instead of the Linea, and then eight years later, the "funds and investments" accumulated were primarily used to pay off a home loan. Some vested stocks were used to eventually make the down-payment for the "dream car". The point I am trying to make is, we would often tend to service some other "more critical" commitment with the accumulation than on the object of pure pleasure.

Our age too, has also accumulated in the same period, which creates this priority shift. i.e you start "investing" at 30 for the 5 series. When you have saved enough you are mid/late 30s: toooot toooot: Changed priorities! 5 series? Er....maybe a 320d is OK for the moment! This is entirely my line of thinking, aloud.

[KiloAlpha]

I don't have a dream car fund. Why? Because all my dream cars were made in the 1980's and 1990's (or earlier).
Like the hand-build E28 BMW M5. Classic generation Saab 900 Turbo 16v. Subaru Forester GT (the completely mad mum-wagon with WRX STi drivetrain).
Any of those achingly beautiful Alfa Romeos from the 1960s. Etc Etc Etc.

None of these cars will be even available to buy in India. My practical side kicked in, so I spend and invest my money elsewhere.