Maybe I'm an odd ball (well I already know I am
) but I buy a car expecting it to be an investment, as well as a means of transportation, and (if I'm lucky) something to enjoy.
I've never lost money on a car I've owned, and I don't expect to lose money on the spider. Actually I'm really, really sure I won't. If I thought there was a chance I would lose money, I wouldn't have bought it. Pure and simple. Even if the market takes a steep nose-dive, I'm not going to lose money on the Alfa. I may not gain as much, or worst-case scenario, I will break-even, but that's it.
Yes, my figures take into account the costs of repairs and most of the running costs -- I don't factor in insurance and gasoline, because I figure I'd be paying out that much for bus/taxi transporation if I didn't own a car, so I eat those costs.
Now I expect all this to change if I ever decide to buy a new car, but I know that's not likely to happen in the forseeable future.
It also means that I don't buy cars on a whim, and I won't buy a car I know will cost me more money than what it is worth, or will have zero resale value. There are enough cars in this world that I don't need to waste my time, efforts, and resources on those.
--Toronto