We read about them, we ogle them and lust after them; but only a few get to enjoy and experience supercar ownership first hand. Secret Supercar Owner, Mr S, is one of those fortunate people. He has agreed to share his journey with us through all the joy and pitfalls. In Secret Supercar Owner – Chapter 3 he tells us about taking a gamble on the Prancing Horse. If you’d like to catch up you can read Chapter 2 at this link.
Growing up, I was one of four kids in a household where life was simple and humble. Hand-me-down school clothes didn’t just come from my older brothers they were passed down from cousins, too. There were no luxuries, no flashy spoils just the essentials. Both my parents ran businesses and worked incredibly hard to provide for us. My father used to joke, “If it wasn’t for you kids, I’d be driving a Ferrari”. At the time, it was just one of those things dads say.
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A New Strategy
Fast forward a few decades to October 2022 and we found ourselves taking delivery of our very first Ferrari. For this purchase, we decided to try something completely different to our previous strategy. Instead of chasing low mileage, we went for the highest-mileage, best-looking Ferrari California on the market.
The thinking was simple, if we bought the cheapest example available, we could always sell it as the cheapest when the time came. The California was Ferrari’s entry level modern model, and prices were at an all-time low.
Fully Loaded with Attitude
Our white Ferrari California came loaded with optional carbon-fibre extras. We even justified the purchase by telling ourselves that if the market dropped too much, we could strip and sell the carbon pieces separately to recover value. But the car wasn’t just about looks it had attitude, too.
The catalytic converters had been removed and replaced with an Armytrix mid-pipe. Loud doesn’t quite describe it. The V8 sounded like it had been possessed by a V12 demon; angry, aggressive, and impossible to ignore. It was entertaining, but if we’re honest, it didn’t quite sound like a ‘true’ Ferrari. So we made a change. We fitted a full Kyalami exhaust system, and suddenly the car found its voice that signature high-pitched Ferrari scream, combined with enough aggression to make every downshift addictive.
Surprisingly Affordable
When it came to maintenance, the California was surprisingly affordable especially compared to the Lamborghini. A minor service cost us around R4 000. That said, we only serviced the car once, so I can’t speak much about long-term ownership costs.
As an introduction to the Ferrari brand, the California did its job. But in my eyes, it always felt like the Ferrari you buy for your wife. The gearbox shifts smoothly, the power delivery is effortless, and there are two small rear seats perfect for small kids… or shopping bags. The folding hardtop neatly disappears into the boot, making it ideal for a sunny drive home from the salon.
A Brief Affair
But we’re not that target market. We wanted something louder, more raw, more emotional. Something that felt like a proper Ferrari. So, the California had to go. We sold it as one of the cheapest on the market and still managed to make a profit. Once again, the plan worked.
But it raised an interesting question, could this strategy work with something more collectible? Probably not. Higher-mileage cars tend to show their age: worn seats, tired carpets, sagging leather dashboards, and of course, the infamous sticky buttons that seem to plague older Ferraris. If we were going to do it again… we would have to play the game a little differently. More of this in a future instalment…
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