Well, if you have the $250k, perhaps invest that in TSLA. and you will have multiple cars and your $$ back by 2020... maybe... (it worked in 2012! ;-)
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Not sure if you are serious about giving up the sig72. Perhaps you need to make room for the new roadster and put some cash down for the reservation? If so im interested
Sharpgt
Member
If I had a spare 250K I'd go for a Founder Series but since I don't I will wait for a later and almost definitely improved version. It may cost more but 250K invested wisely for a 2-3 or more years should compensate.
BTW I'm not aware of any diesel F1 cars, the poster must have been thinking of LeMans.
BTW I'm not aware of any diesel F1 cars, the poster must have been thinking of LeMans.
PhilMantel
Member
I obviously don't have the time that most of you do in this forum and am just now getting a chance to look back. Funny how the progression went from a great disagreement from a couple of people who seem to know nothing about early Roadsters (yet they own one and I guess are completely blind to facts) to having substantial differences pointed out between a 2008 and 2011.
P.S. Yes, I meant LeMans on the diesel.
P.S. Yes, I meant LeMans on the diesel.
Yes, there are differences between the 1.5 and 2.0 and 2.5 Roadsters. I do not see anyone disputing that. But it was accurately pointed out upthread that the 1.5 cars had some advantages compared to the later cars. And the 2.0/2.5 cars clearly have some advantages over the 1.5 cars.
The “facts” you stated in your post (below) are actually not facts. You got the 2008 0-60 time wrong (it is 3.9, not 4.6) and the Roadster interior dimensions are the same for all versions. Also, the earliest Roadsters that were sold with the two-speed transmissions were soon changed to the single speed transmissions so that is not a problem with any 2008 1.5 car.
Before you accuse some people of “knowing nothing” about their cars and being “completely blind to facts”, I suggest that you verify any “facts” you decide to post, before you post them. Let’s keep things courteous and civil so we can have a friendly discussion. Thank you.
PhilMantel
Member
Title of this message thread is:
"Can a founder's series roadster reservation be a good investment?"
This is why I used this particular message thread about comparing a Founder's Series vs. later models. I don't understand the blindness and hostility when all I am doing is pointing out facts between them. My first post mentions either going "All in or Nothing", and weighs the pros and cons between each choice, which I still think is the most rational approach.
For some reason you are making it all about your "Very Orange", Non-Founders Series Tesla.
"Can a founder's series roadster reservation be a good investment?"
This is why I used this particular message thread about comparing a Founder's Series vs. later models. I don't understand the blindness and hostility when all I am doing is pointing out facts between them. My first post mentions either going "All in or Nothing", and weighs the pros and cons between each choice, which I still think is the most rational approach.
For some reason you are making it all about your "Very Orange", Non-Founders Series Tesla.
Brass Guy
Active Member
Maybe I'm a little confused, but spending 250k on a car doesn't ever seem like a good investment to me.
I'm no financial genius, but I think that means selling for more than you paid.
The only scenario I can imagine is if demand is so high that Tesla eventually raises the price significantly; as in double or more. I consider this unlikely, though possible since this car is expected to outperform cars many multiple times the cost.
In this case, buying a pristine used one for 300k may sound like a bargain to someone.
I think it's a long shot. Just buy it to have fun instead.
I'm no financial genius, but I think that means selling for more than you paid.
The only scenario I can imagine is if demand is so high that Tesla eventually raises the price significantly; as in double or more. I consider this unlikely, though possible since this car is expected to outperform cars many multiple times the cost.
In this case, buying a pristine used one for 300k may sound like a bargain to someone.
I think it's a long shot. Just buy it to have fun instead.
Rupe
Member
Not monetarily, in answer to your original question. It’s usually about having it first.
On the other hand, consider the value of enjoyment one derives from driving; showing and talking about it. I can say the enjoyment of driving a Roadster 2.5 wained as the performance and tech was eclipsed, which is why I sold it after 4.5 years for half what I paid for it. Even knowing I may sell the new Roadster some day, I’m really looking forward to the performance and open cockpit driving again, especially in a higher tech, superchargeable sports car. Meanwhile, my P85DL is doing a good job of keeping me satisfied until then.
So as a life investment, each of us has to answer the original question for ourselves.
On the other hand, consider the value of enjoyment one derives from driving; showing and talking about it. I can say the enjoyment of driving a Roadster 2.5 wained as the performance and tech was eclipsed, which is why I sold it after 4.5 years for half what I paid for it. Even knowing I may sell the new Roadster some day, I’m really looking forward to the performance and open cockpit driving again, especially in a higher tech, superchargeable sports car. Meanwhile, my P85DL is doing a good job of keeping me satisfied until then.
So as a life investment, each of us has to answer the original question for ourselves.
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I think if you can get your hands on one of the first batch of Roadsters off the line and flip it immediately you will probably make a very decent profit as there will likely be a long queue of wealthy individuals who will want one there and then and didn't put down a deposit today. Demand should outstrip supply massively in the early days. But if you actually want to own and drive it for a few years before selling, then I reckon it will probably lose money as more examples come onto the market and improvements are inevitably made along the way. It's a lot of money to put down on an unknown car with no promise of actually seeing it in the next couple of years. Delivery could easily be delayed by a couple of years or at worst case you might lose the lot. Too much risk for me anyway!
Might be wiser to put down a deposit on a Porsche Mission-E (you can't yet BTW) which will almost certainly sell above list price when it first hits the market. Also virtually no chance of losing your deposit if things turn bad. I might consider that particular "investment" myself if I can get a guaranteed delivery date reasonably close to launch. The deposit required will be relatively small too.
Might be wiser to put down a deposit on a Porsche Mission-E (you can't yet BTW) which will almost certainly sell above list price when it first hits the market. Also virtually no chance of losing your deposit if things turn bad. I might consider that particular "investment" myself if I can get a guaranteed delivery date reasonably close to launch. The deposit required will be relatively small too.
PhilMantel
Member
Found ecarfan's Roadster on eBay (Buy it Now for $49,900 or make offer...):
2008 Tesla Roadster Base Convertible 2-Door | eBay
Reminder to name of forum "Can a founder's series roadster reservation be a good investment?"
Zero to Sixty on first generation founder's series roadster (had two speed gear box) was 4.6 sec.
Please don't spam us with your "very orange" roadster stats. Your car is irrelevant. Mine is also, but to answer your question, it does have the "fancier" radio with backup camera.
2008 Tesla Roadster Base Convertible 2-Door | eBay
Reminder to name of forum "Can a founder's series roadster reservation be a good investment?"
Zero to Sixty on first generation founder's series roadster (had two speed gear box) was 4.6 sec.
Please don't spam us with your "very orange" roadster stats. Your car is irrelevant. Mine is also, but to answer your question, it does have the "fancier" radio with backup camera.
Anyone who has a Founder's series Roadster with the two speed gear box still in it almost certainly has the most collectible Roadster variation out there (given that if anyone does it's probably Elon or JB, so the most collectible Roadster for lots of reasons : )
As to the 1.5s that have shown up on the market? If it's among the quite small minority that came originally with the two speed gear box, the drivetrain has since been updated by Tesla, and the 0-60 is reported as 3.9.
stevejust
T E S L A x (≡)
stevejust
T E S L A x (≡)
Get this fake news out of this sub, please. It was 3.9. I can race you if you'd like to see for yourself?
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stevejust
T E S L A x (≡)
I learned recently they had the back-up cam as an option. You can see it here, to the bottom right of the license plate. I always thought this was a subsequent modification, but I've been told Tesla offered it.
The topic of this thread is whether or not a car in the new Roadster Founders series is “a good investment”. Since the new Roadster is years away from production and sale, a discussion of how original Roadster values have held up seems relevant to me. The discussion diverged into questions about differences between the various versions of the original Roadster, and I apologize for contributing to that digression. But comments about original Roadster values (which of course vary depending on the version, options, and condition) are relevant to this discussion, and original Roadster values are in part determined by versions and options.
The closest historical analogy is how much more valuable the original Roadster Signature and Founders Series cars built in 2008 are compared to the other 1.5 Roadsters produced in early 2009. And posts upthread by @EricUSC and others addressed that question. Unfortunately there is very little hard data to work with since the number of relevant cars is small, they don’t come up for sale very often, and advertised prices can be quiet different from actual sale prices.
The closest historical analogy is how much more valuable the original Roadster Signature and Founders Series cars built in 2008 are compared to the other 1.5 Roadsters produced in early 2009. And posts upthread by @EricUSC and others addressed that question. Unfortunately there is very little hard data to work with since the number of relevant cars is small, they don’t come up for sale very often, and advertised prices can be quiet different from actual sale prices.
Another interpretation of the original question is whether a Founders reservation would be a good investment. This suggests there could be a "market" for the reservation itself, which given the precedent with the Model 3, I believe is not possible.
I didn’t interpret the OP that way because of what you point out: Tesla doesn’t allow a reservation holder to sell their reservation, it can only be transferred to a family member.
I know, but read the original post and the poll question. I think that's exactly what they are asking, which is kind of silly given Tesla's stated policy. So, it's a "what if" question for a situation that won't occur.
Which begs the question, why am I spending my time talking about it?
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