why do sports car have terrible resale value?!

[71maroesteban]

Okay so today just for fun me and my dad decided to go to a few dealerships and check out their used cars and their where 2012 Camaros with a 6 speed for 22 to 24k, 2011 to 2013 corvettes auto and manual ranging from 23 to 26k and even a 2012 z06 for only 29k with only 40k! Every car we saw was under 50 thousand miles and it's surprised me because all these cars were 50k plus when they first came out only a few years ago and now only barley worth half of what they use to cost. Same thing with the challengers,chargers,subarus. Is buying a sports car just a terrible investment?

[srh3trinity]

Buying a new sports car is a terrible investment , especially if you sell it pretty quick. That is true of most cars. What surprises me is the resale value of trucks. Have you priced a 100,000 thousand mile Tacoma or Silverado lately?

[WallaceMFG]

How many people do you know that buy a sports car and don't drive it like a rental? A large portion of people who drive sports cars drive them hard, which I believe is why the depreciate so quick.

[TheJDMan]

Typically buying any new vehicle is a poor investment. A new vehicle looses 10% to 20% of it's value as soon as you drive off the dealer lot. There are exceptions such as pickups especially diesel pickups and there are a very few special cars such as the new Z/28 which is not likely to lose as much value as more common Camaro models. To be honest, you are money ahead to buy a car that is two or three years old.

[cluxford]

I've owned in excess of 30 cars in 20 years. Of that probably 5-6 brand spanking new ones. Last one I had I kept for 10 years and put over 200,000 Ks on it. I sold it for 18% of it's original value. Every second hand car I've owned I've sold for a resale value over 60% of what I paid for it (if it's been a daily driver - these weren't collectables per se, just older but still cool cars). The collectable older cars I've sold every one for more than I paid.

For example I have a 61 Buick Daily driver one of only 2 in Australia, bought it for $21K, could sell it right now for $50K easy.

As said above it's not just sports cars, these days in a disposable society, new cars depreciate faster than they ever have. I see so many that are 5 years old and worth 20-25% of original sticker price

[Justin@EntropyRad]

Where is this cheap 2012 ZO6?? That's a deal

[BMR Sales]

Buying a New car is a horrible Investment! Actually the 5th Gen Camaros have kept more of their value compared to most cars.

You want to see depreciation, look at 6-9 Year Old Mercedes, BMW's and Audis

[mikedc]

Depreciation happens fast these days? Well, sort of.

Moderns cars go from $30k+ down to 10k very quickly. But then it takes a lot more miles to lose that last few thousand bucks of value.

It's symptomatic of society at large. Fewer people are buying at the top of the pyramid. Tons of buyers down closer to the bottom are trading cars all the time trying to stay in something workable. (Just look at the demand for ANYTHING drivable under about $6k around tax time.)

[vdaviemusclecars]

Not sure all sports cars are driven hard. Most of mine i have had didn't get driven much at all. 2007 Porsche GT3RS bought new. 140K. Sold with 1800 miles for 120k. Ford GT bought for 165k sold after 1.5 years with 900 miles for 169k. the only sports car i didn't get buried in. Lambo Spider..forget it, lost 35k. and a Ferrari 360 spyder lost 25k after 3 years.

Vince

[parsonsj]

Vince is right. Most sports car are NOT driven hard -- many sit in the garage. What kills value on such cars is miles. A 3 year old Corvette Z06 with 40K miles is really gonna depreciate a lot. Most buyers would expect such a car to have less than 15K miles.

[dontlifttoshift]

...... Most buyers would expect such a car to have less than 15K miles.

That's like 8300 laps......

[parsonsj]

That's like 8300 lapsDamned right! My 07 Z06 has 9400 miles on it.

[vintageracer]

If you were NOT SO EFFLUENT as to be able to afford and have the discretionary income to buy such Luxuries as a new sports car you would not have this problem!!!!

[71maroesteban]

Buying a new sports car is a terrible investment , especially if you sell it pretty quick. That is true of most cars. What surprises me is the resale value of trucks. Have you priced a 100,000 thousand mile Tacoma or Silverado lately? lol right my dad's lifted 07 Silverado with 50k was appraised at 45k as a trade in! And most people I know with sports cars baby them they don't drive them hard at all

[Twentyover]

....
As said above it's not just sports cars, these days in a disposable society, new cars depreciate faster than they ever have. I see so many that are 5 years old and worth 20-25% of original sticker price

When was the last time you saw a TV repairman? I paid less for a 24" monitor than I did for my first 16" Black & White TV

[JustJohn]

If you were NOT SO EFFLUENT as to be able to afford and have the discretionary income to buy such Luxuries as a new sports car you would not have this problem!!!!

I don't know if that's Freudian, but it sure is funny.
ef·flu·ent
ˈefləwənt/
noun
liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea.
"the bay was contaminated with the effluent from an industrial plant"
synonyms: (liquid) waste, sewage, waste water, effluvium, outflow, discharge, emission
"the effluent from papermaking contains may contaminants"

[Cobra 498]

Sometimes things do work out, I have owned (3) new Corvettes over the years and (1) new Viper lost money on every one usually about 50% of what I paid. I bought my Cobra in 1965 and that worked out quite well for me and then a Ford GT in 2005 that has also turned out well. So some sports cars don't have terrible resale value, if they don't make many of them.

[mpozzi]

Beat me to it ...


I don't know if that's Freudian, but it sure is funny.
ef·flu·ent
ˈefləwənt/
noun
liquid waste or sewage discharged into a river or the sea.
"the bay was contaminated with the effluent from an industrial plant"
synonyms: (liquid) waste, sewage, waste water, effluvium, outflow, discharge, emission
"the effluent from papermaking contains may contaminants"

[vdaviemusclecars]

Yes, i don't even want to talk about the Ford GT i sold. Here i thought i was doing good when i sold my for a few grand profit. Now they are selling for 300k!

Vince