Keeping a cheap prestige car in the manner to which it’s become accustomed is definitely worth considering come auction time…
The temptation to buy a cut-price classic that began life as a fiendishly-expensive showroom star can be overwhelming, but it can become a fiendishly costly mistake if you can’t afford to run, service or fix them. There’s an old saying that you should only really buy a 911 if you can afford to buy two. And, along with the likes of Rolls-Royce Silver Shadows, Jaguar XJ-Ss Mercedes-Benz SECs and lower-ranking Ferraris, auctioneers and dealers agree that a comprehensive service history is essential.
An H&H spokesman said: ‘A 996-generation Porsche 911 can be bought for a fraction of its original list price but doesn’t cost much less than a current 992-generation example to maintain properly. Older prestige/ performance cars can provide a truly special driving experience, but you need a big piggy bank in order to keep everything in tip-top condition.’
Sam Grange Bailey agrees: ‘Unless you get lucky and buy a car from someone who has no idea what they’ve got, there is no such thing as a cheap expensive car. They tend to be cheap for a reason and unless you have the equipment and know-how to sort out issues yourself they are almost always a false economy.
‘Big bills are likely, but big bills from preventative work are are better than spending on repairs. Will you get your money back? Probably not. Will the car be in the garage for an endless amount o
