Will Testarossa's value go up?

In short... no.
The 512M maybe but not the Testarossa.

 

Very common car - more than 7,000 made.

They will be cheap cars for many years, mostly due to the '80s styling and maintenance costs.

But, if you're into the styling and can handle the maintenance, they're also a lot of hp for not a lot of upfront money.

 

Regular TRs will not appreciate in value due to the number produced and relatively high maintenance costs. 512TRs and 512Ms will hold or increase in value because of their limited numbers.

 

I have a friend in Louisville that has one that He may be willing to talk to you about. I know he was interested in selling it a year or so ago, and for the right $$ He still may be. PM me if you want to talk to him and I will hook you guys up.

 

Testarossa's are great cars but you need to be ready for a $20K repair bill at any moment...

I suggest you spend some time in the Boxer/TR section and search maintenance / issues etc...

start with this. this is a COMMON problem with testarossa's...

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=112201

The purchase price of a testarossa is just the beginning... maint costs of a testarossa are the highest of any modern ferrari

To answer your question: too many made for anything other than the absolute best examples to go up in value.

 

Check back in 20-30 years.

 

Dear Ferraristi,

At 7000 made may seem high but 16,000 modenas and who knows how many 430s, doesn't seem so bad now does it.

I live in FL and go to some Ferrari specific concours. A Testarossa is the least of any modern car there. Boat loads of 360s, 430s followed by 308s. While we always talk about the many TR's, I've yet to pass one on the street. Again, to see a 360 pass me is the norm....if a Ferrari happens past ( rare sighting )

Yes the maintenance is expensive but it's really a great car. If you can do some work on it, it's relatively user friendly...once you know your way around. They don't have OBD, Check engine lights but distributors and simple computers.

A Testarossa is the only Ferrari I prefer to drive. I also drive a Lamborghini Diablo VT Roadster and if I sold my TR, I'd buy another Diablo. I drive both as daily drivers as I don't own any other cars. Oh, ...and Diablo maintenance is far more than a TR.

If you want great street presence that doesn't look like anything else on the road, you can't do better than a TR....or a Diablo ( you'll have to spend allot more for that pleasure )

Ask your questions in the TR forum, you will get allot of feedback....both positive and negative....mostly positive


Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice !

 

Dear Ferraristi,

Yes, a good example of having a really bad day....maybe worst day of your life.

BUT...

I've read quite a few threads on 430s having their engine replaced after a couple of thousand miles...one even 60 miles from the dealer. Who ever heard of replacing a Ferrari engine....don't the "matching numbers" mean anything anymore?

....hmmmm......not on mass produced things I suppose. "ouch"


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

The 360 will be the next entry level Ferrari sports car, no doubt about it.

You bought your TR for the right reasons. My response to the OP was simply that he should buy it for the same reasons you did, not as some sort of investment. As Simon^2 posted above, it's not hard to run up five-figure service invoices on these cars, so the financial equation on TRs has always been an exercise in delusion.

 

Compared to a 360 the TR is pretty rare but that's more like bad news for 360 owners than good news for TR owners.

 

I would go for the 512tr if I was to pick one. In three years I spent over $30k keeping mine up because it was my daily driver and these was without any issues, just the norm including $12k major service. Also I bought it at $85k and sold it at $60k, so that's another $25k in depreciation, so at the end it was a $55k out of my pocket into thin air but a lot of fun on the way there.

 

great real life example of what it takes to run these cars.

 

And I wish more people knew that getting into them, I've been seeing more and more come on the market lately, with needs...

 

No one has asked if 360's or 430's will go up. We all know the answer to that. But 7K cars in the 80's was a lot.

TR values suffer from two factors. As mentioned there is the jaw dropping maintenance costs. The other is the style is not universally admired. It's more striking, in your face than downright beautiful. Combine that with the fact that any number of newer cars that aren't even Ferarris outperform it and you just won't find many people wanting one anymore. These are the reasons 328 values overlap. If attention is what you are after, no doubt a TR will fill that bill.

BTW, Ferrari of Denver just sold a red '91 with 30K on it and fresh service asking 49.9K.

Dave

 

How many times a month does this same stupid question get asked and answered negatively by the same few people that dont own one-what a joke.

 

OK. Why don't you correct all the mis-information that has been posted?

 

Jesus, I have owned my TR for 3 years , and you guys have just about scared me into selling it. I have spent about $23,000 on it and that was a major service, hyper flow, precats, hyperflow cats, x-ost maranello muffler, clutch ( still had half life left), fuse panel , 12 new injectors and a cat ecu. take out the I wants and the list of I needs is about $15,000

 

Personally I think the nice tr's will go up as time goes on and for sure the 512's will. There are only 2250 or so 512's and they are much improved over the tr's. I love the styling and it is just a great car to drive.

 

Sounds like it's right about where you want it. Go out and drive it, most people think it's still a $200K car.

 

Someone said this to me the other day, and the more I think about it, I believe he was correct. If you think about the iconic 80's "near supercar" -- its the Testarossa. (F40 would be THE supercar).

The side strakes, V-12, exotic looks and killer performance....will make it an icon for the future. Yes, I think prices will settle, and inevitably go up for those looking for this type of vintage Ferrari experience.

Hey, they are in the $50's now for nice, low mile, early cars. Go get 'em.


Forza just did an article on the Boxer and Testarossa. Good read.

 

+1 I have to agree with your comment. In California at cars and coffee, I don't see Testarossa's or the 512TR's showing up at the event often.

 

They made some 6000 Dino's and look where their value is today. I'm not saying it will be the same for the TR but 6000 examples is not a lot in a world market. However, I don't believe that rarity alone causes prices to be high. Demand is much more part of the equation. If rarity were the end all/be all, we would be looking at AMC Pacers at $100K because they've all been sent to the scape heap long ago.

The TR has two things going for it. 1) a twelve cylinder motor in a world that will feature less and less cylinders and displacement in the future and 2) unique iconic styling in it's period. Anyone who wants a definative super car of that era will find the TR very appealing.

There is one other factor. Prices of new Ferrari's continue to get higher at each new model introduction. The only way to keep costs low is for Ferrari to make cars with cheaper construction, engineering, labor costs, materials costs, common platform sharing, etc (all the things Ferrari enthusiasts dislike). Demand for old school, less expensive Ferrari's will increase as more and more are either priced out of the market or dislike the current product offering.

So, a good period 80's TR does have the change to raise in value, but not much more than the rate of inflation.

So says the mind of Nostradamus.

 

Well, I'm not one to argue with Nostradamus when it comes to TRs. With regard to Dinos, I thought the production number was more like 3,000 (?) and they all rusted into oblivion before they caught on with collectors.

Ultimately, my theory about what matters in classic sports cars is:

1. Looks
2. Looks
3. Looks

As a child of the '80s, I personally think a white TR is still pretty cool. But most people don't. OTOH, I don't know anyone who doesn't think the (slow, Fiat-engined) Dino 246 is anything less than gorgeous.

Will TRs eventually appreciate past the $50K-$60K mark? Sure, probably, someday. But I would tell anyone right now not to count on it for a long, long, long time. Buy it because you like it, and plan to come out way behind financially. I don't think any of us are going to actually make money on 308/328s, 348s, etc. anyway.