Will the first Tesla Roadster become collectible ? | FerrariChat

Will the first Tesla Roadster become collectible ?

Discussion in 'General Automotive Discussion' started by LightGuy, Oct 2, 2019.

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  1. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #1 LightGuy, Oct 2, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2019
    Watched a recent video ( 60 minutes ? ) about some ex-Tesla employee that rebuilds and maintains the very first Tesla production car; The Lotus derived Roadster.
    Never had an interest in this car until that vid.
    But discussed were the low production numbers and WHO bought these early cars; The BIG shots and celebrities.

    The very first modern mass production electric vehicle and a sports car too boot.

    Which got me wondering... are these prime investments ?
     
  2. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Edit here is the vid;
     
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  3. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

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    I'm sure it will given how many fan boys that brand has.

    I rather have an original Baker Electric from 1899.
     
  4. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Fan boys + money + nostalgia = collectible.
     
  5. ChadR

    ChadR Karting

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    I hope this never happens.
    I already hate electric cars.
    I can't believe they actually have a Formula-E race.
    Musk out here already thinking he's fighting some war against gas powered cars.
    Porsche calling their electric Taycan the "Taycan Turbo".
    Formula one with hybrids...
    I think electric cars are out here to destroy motorsport and bore everyone of death.
     
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  6. BMW.SauberF1Team

    BMW.SauberF1Team F1 World Champ

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    Electric cars have been around since the 1800s. In fact, the first car over 60 mph was electric. The first 6 land speed records were set by electric. #7 steam. #8 ICE. It's old technology. They'd like you and everyone to believe they are high tech latest and greatest when in fact it is not. There is still a very long way from a real technological innovation for commuting. It only exists as there is a financial incentive to do it (artificially set by governments). By that time, we'll probably all be dead or in some form of idiocracy.
     
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  7. David_S

    David_S F1 World Champ
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    Think the Tesla is pretty cool, but I'd probably have do guess the GM EV1 would qualify as the first, MODERN, mass production electric car.

    The EV1 was an incredible engineering feat for the time, and still probably holds the record for lowest drag coefficient (Cd), at 0.19!!!
     
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  8. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Not mass produced and weren't they all crushed ?
    Thats going to make collecting one fairly difficult ;)

    Look I'm no fan of EVs but I dont make the collectible market.
    I just try to get ahead of it.
    Learned this lesson over and over.
     
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  9. donv

    donv Two Time F1 World Champ
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    I think they will be collectible, yes. I have some seat time in one from back in the day, and they are a lot of fun to drive.
     
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  10. tbakowsky

    tbakowsky F1 World Champ
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    Anything can be collectable no matter what the object may be. Odd shaped cheerios, toast with faces on it, dryer lint..toe nails from famous people..same goes with cars. Some should which are not..others are which shouldn't be..
     
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  11. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
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    Some old red Italian cars are said to be quite the rage.
    Crappy reliability, limited parts availability, bog slow today and fuel mileage be damned.
    Who saw that coming ?

    BTW my toast collection is second to none.
     
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  12. noone1

    noone1 F1 Rookie
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    So the only excitement you get from motorsport is hearing exhaust noise?
     
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  13. noone1

    noone1 F1 Rookie
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    If they weren't "high tech", everyone would be able to make great electric cars, but as you can see, most 2020 models can't even meet the range of a 2012 Tesla. It's clear that the technology in a Tesla is in fact cutting edge being that they have been generally leaps and bounds above everyone else in efficiency.

    Even the new Taycan, which has a 94 kwh pack has pretty poor range compared to Teslas.
     
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  14. ChadR

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    You need to watch a formula e race. 1 gear, 1 gear...:D So quiet, you can hear the cars cutting the wind. You can close your eyes and you think your at an electric go-kart fun center.

    The range is not that good, because you have to charge them frequently, and guess where the charge comes from...

    "High-Tech": Lining the base of the car with a heavy battery pack to not set off the center of gravity.

    The hybrid system is actually more high tech, integrating the gas with the electric and regenerative systems and such.

    and electric cars do need to be serviced, wires and circuits corrode, they do have parts that break and the batteries can be very flammable.
    This can't be the only option in the near future.
     
  15. Wade

    Wade Three Time F1 World Champ
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  16. paulchua

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    I think an apt analogy is if the NFL were to ban tackling the receiver, and convert to 'flag football.' I've had a lot of fun playing flag football in my youth. While banning tackling would still make football playable, to many, it is an indivisible part of American Football. The game 'wouldn't be the same' without it. (albeit still very much functional)

    That said, I wouldn't be surprised if ICE gets eventually phased out, as 'older generations' die out.
     
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  17. paulchua

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    I don't believe that electrical is the future because of the environment. I think it will be the future simply because of the cost. ICE cars are only getting more complex and costly. We're reaching the plateau of what can be achieved with ICE.

    Electrical drivetrains are the opposite; they will only get better, simpler, cheaper. I also believe solar will become ubiquitous in 20 years. Again, not because of the environment, but because we will hit the tipping point where installing solar is cheaper right away than the power grid.(for certain folks in high sun exposure)

    When electric cars become cheaper than ICE all the time (without government subsidies), the folks will shift. Pretty much as simple as that.
     
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  18. ChadR

    ChadR Karting

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    Yes, I agree.
     
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  19. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
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    i thought about getting one of the tesla roadsters, but after researching a bit i found that there is a complete lack of support from tesla themselves for parts. and the most important parts being the batteries and propulsion parts.
    you could probably jerry rig those and keep it running, but not so easy. and then once you have swapped out alternative parts, do you have an original car?

    same questions for ferraris i guess, but buyer beware - tesla does not have your back on these models.
     
  20. technom3

    technom3 F1 World Champ
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    When they go bankrupt. Lol. Kidding
     
  21. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
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    No plateau on ICE engines IMO. Cost is a function of production. Make a lot of them and cost goes down. Electric is promoted primarily as environmental. Without green incentives modern electrics would never have gotten out of the lab. We are seeing huge hp gains in ICE now and reliability and mpg are excellent. There is no economic reason to move from this trajectory outside of green ideology with the exception of newer generations seeing cars as appliances.
     
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  22. paulchua

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    I agree wholeheartedly with you if there were no requirements with mileage and other governmental regulation; ICE has a long, long way to go. Not to delve into P&R, but I think the dam has already broken, and rules will get even more strict.

    I love Mercedes-Benz's latest 420 hp 2 liters, a true marvel in engineering. Mitsubishi was able to get 440 out a four-cylinder 2 liter.

    That said, a Tesla Model 3 does 473 hp at 56K (that's with zero government subsidies to the consumer for purchase, not tax credit to the company)

    There is a 300-mile range for $12. I mean, that's at least $60 at the pump if gas. I also understand in certain areas, it's a hard sell right now.

    In my town, there are chargers in almost every corner, so I've already seen the transition. Not being hyperbolic, I see about 25-30 Teslas on my morning commute.

    Let me put another way, I see the price of electric cars to continue to go down, and ICE to stay even at best. I argue the writing's on the wall.

    In terms of the drag strip, bang/buck is Tesla - they've already cornered the 1/4 mile per dollar proposition.
     
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