Exotic car ownership downsides

I’ve been toying with the idea of picking up a fun weekend car just to check it off my bucket list. Seems like there’sa lot of ballers on here these days so I’m curious what the downsides are, excluding financial considerations. I’ve gathered bits and pieces from Google and Reddit but curious to hear thoughts here.

  1. Is driving a pain? Do people drive erratically, street race, cut you off?
  2. Any safety concerns? Have you been followed home or around? Are you approached at stops frequently?
  3. Has your car been keyed or vandalized out of spite?

Including the car itself in your answer for a frame of reference would be helpful. TIA!

4 Likes

It depends on what car, brand, and location.

Which is why I included my last sentence. For context, I’m looking at vehicles in the 150-250 range

If it’s a Porsche, BMW, Mercedes? Not many people will care to be honest. I’m in the northeast so its a richer part of the country. Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and McClaren will get you a decent amount of attention. But outside of the inner city, you should be fine.

1 Like

You could smile so much it causes permanent facial muscle damage.

Perhaps you could get a hand injury from accepting too many high fives, as well.

9 Likes

Was just about to say that nothing beats keeping a G63 in Park Slope lol

8 Likes

Lol - this……

Not necessarily but unless you go out of your way to find back roads at the crack of dawn it’s not much of a pleasure either.

I had a 964 very briefly and my brother had a 993 for a few years. Relative to those my 997 was just eons faster but it took more skill and more focus to hustle the older P cars, and thus derive more pleasure. And a 997 isn’t even that fast by modern exotic standards. You can use just a fraction of the potential legally.

As for attention, based on some exotic rentals it’s mostly the wrong type, like dudes asking how much you make and if you get to bang tens.

1 Like

I have no interest in owning an exotic, but that’s sort of what I was wondering. Unless you’re driving when the roads are empty or on a track, I imagine it’s kind of PITA to drive one, even just as weekend car.

@ethanrs only guy with multiple lived experiences for this? Also @jananth1 that Audi RS3 aint quenching your thirst no more? lol Hope you don’t live anywhere near Seattle dt, friend had his base Boxster broken into and soft top cut multiple times in Wallingford, enough for him to sell his condo and move to Bothell.

I can’t imagine driving something so expensive that it would mortify me to drive it daily. :eyes:

3 Likes
  1. Yes and no, largely depends on where you drive the car. It can be annoying but the main thing I run into is morons recording me while driving and simultaneously drifting into my lane.

  2. No sketchy encounters but I only drive to restaurants / hotels / clubs in affluent areas with valet.

  3. Never had an issue with vandalism but mainly due to my driving habits outlined in #2. Worst I’ve had to deal with is walking out of Mastros and seeing people taking pics sitting on the hood while the valet was grabbing another car at an offsite lot.

9 Likes

Thanks. I have a commute to work which I enjoy in my RS3 right now, with minimal traffic, and I’m not planning on setting any track records, mostly just listening to the engine and hitting some nice small bursts of acceleration.

lol, if I don’t end up buying something else, I’m going to aim for a 600ish hp build on it. And yes, moved to the BRK and do not plan on ever taking the RS3 or its replacement across the lake again.

Appreciate the detailed response.

3 Likes

Unless you want the added attention. Just get a used 911 turbo and enjoy…prob the best bang for the buck and resale should hold up decent.

Anything that depreciates fast does so for a reason, Bentley, mclaren etc. def would be a headache. I was considering a s65 vert as a safe bet for not losing a ton of cash but I’m in no rush. I still think we have some ways to come down in the lux market.

3 Likes

DB9 or V8 Vantage

2 Likes

I wanna know what @ethanrs has to say

2 Likes

My answer is a slight bit different.

I have been lucky enough to have the opportunity though friends and other avenues to drive many “super cars, exotics” (or whatever you call them) from some early editions (F40, Testarossa, Countach and AMG Hammer) through a GT3 RS, AM DBS Volante and an R8 among others.

I was never prone to buying such a car as I learned that pretty much they were all a compromise. They drove ok on the street and ok on the track (although I have not driven each one of those on both the street and the track) but they weren’t both an S8 on the street and a MB AMG-One on the track - as that car cannot exist in the real world. There was the expense, maintenance and all of that, and I was not going baller at the clubs. My compromise was to try and have something that was “livable” on the street, literally “ok” to park at Home Depot if need be and also take to the track and clown other drivers on a track instruction day. I found over the years that this car (modded, stock, etc.) was also a compromise.

What I finally learned when I realized that owning AND driving an “exotic” was not something that interested me as I would be too preoccupied with it being a garage queen as an investment opposed to being thrashed on twisties waiting for a deer to ruin my car and my life (gave up motorcycles for this very reason).

The partial answer I found was that a daily like an RS3 (as @jananth1 has and as I drive), has “supercar”-like performance stock (depending on your metrics) and is livable in all respects: street, road course, twisties, drag strip, Home Depot and it will not break the bank and I don’t fret (too much) about dings, scratches and other things that would worry me with a $150k plus car. As was said earlier, without going to jail you aren’t going to unwind too much more performance on the street with something else beyond a RS3.

The second part of the answer is something like owning a Spec Miata, as there is nothing like driving a true and “slower” “sports car” fast as opposed to driving a true and “fast” “sports car” slow. If you need that performance and have a track nearby with SCCA or NASA racing, then there is nothing like it. You get to really learn how to drive, wrench on the car yourself in a fairly economical fashion and only get beat by better drivers in the “same” car, and not worse drivers in a better car. You can pull up to any track with the Cayenne Turbo S pulling your Miata trailer like a baller, and still have some cred when that same Cayenne Turbo S pulls up in front of Mastro’s that night as well.

Obviously that will not work for everyone - but age, perspective, resources and priorities are different from person to person.

5 Likes

I endorse this message – I think OP is talking about the SL

2 Likes

The other issue right now with buying 150k car is that its financed at something like 7%. Or if you pay cash you’re losing minimum $700/mo in easy interest. That’s before depreciation, maintence, insurance etc. I guess it’s all priorities and what you need/want.

As others said. The daily driver that handles like a sports car is always the way to go unless you have tons of disposable income.

4 Likes

Please post Amex black card and Rolex when you make the exotic purchase post

12 Likes