Just How Much Does it Cost to Own a Supercar? Scott Huntington Finds Out



You have the money, and the idea is slowly forming in your head — you want to buy a supercar. It doesn’t matter if it’s new or used, you just want to look amazing behind the wheel of a powerful machine.

Don’t get stuck in daydream mode, though. Before you buy any supercar, you must make sure you can cover all the costs of ownership. That means oil changes, plugs, belts, clutches and the heavy hitter — insurance.

Unfortunately, supercar maintenance is not too easy on the wallet. Have a look at what it costs to maintain three of the biggest supercars, and then see if you need to reevaluate your thoughts.

Ferrari

Ferraris are some of the most expensive cars in the world to maintain. To make matters worse, the older the Ferrari model, the more expensive it is to take care of it. Of course, if the cost of owning a Ferrari worries you, then you probably shouldn’t be buying one in the first place.

Here are some stats for you to gawk at.

Oil Change

This is needed every 5,000 miles or once per year.

  • Ferrari F430: $500
  • Ferrari 360 Modena: $800
  • Ferrari F355: $1,100

Spark Plugs

  • Average: $3,000

Belts

This is needed every 15,000 miles.

  • Average: $4,000

Clutch Repair

  • 6-speed: $2,500
  • F-1: $6,500

Insurance

Every model is different, of course, so consider this a rough Ferrari insurance estimate:

Lamborghini

It’s almost universally agreed upon that Lamborghinis are beautiful cars. The second you hear and see one coming down the street, you know what it is. But beauty definitely comes at a price here.

Forget about all the usual maintenance in a Lamborghini — what you should really be focused on is making sure it’s free of computer issues, such as the popular E-Gear failure. That can push your costs upward by an extra $20,000. Not fun.

And now, your stats for maintaining two popular models, the Murciélago and the Gallardo.

Oil Change

This is needed every 5,000 miles or once per year.

  • Murciélago: $2,000
  • Gallardo: $400

Spark Plugs

  • Murciélago: $4,000
  • Gallardo: $2,000

Clutch Repair

  • Murciélago: $12,000 for E-Gear clutch
  • Gallardo: $3,500 for E-Gear clutch

Transmission Repair

  • $50,000 average

Insurance

Every model is different, of course, so consider this a rough Lamborghini insurance estimate:

Porsche

If you’re looking for an exotic car but you don’t want to spend astronomical amounts for maintenance, consider Porsches. They have an extremely reliable track record, and the maintenance costs match those of a Mercedes AMG or BMW M series. This car is always a good step up from what you already have.

Here are the stats for owning a Porsche.

Oil Change

This is needed every 5,000 miles or once per year.

  • $300

Spark Plugs

  • $900

Belts

  • $185-$236 average

Clutch

  • $2,000

Insurance

Every model is different, of course, so consider this a rough Porsche insurance estimate:

  • $2,700 per year

Average Cost of Owning a “Normal” Car for One Year

You may complain about the expenses on your car, and that’s totally okay. No one likes paying for anything, especially cars. But when it comes to the cost of ownership for a “normal” car versus a supercar, the difference in price is night and day. For example, Lamborghini Murciélago floor mats can run as high as $2,000, compared to floor mats for the average sedan at about $60 or $70.

Here’s how your daily driver maintenance stacks up to a supercar.

Total Maintenance

  • $766

Tires

  • $147

Insurance

  • $1,115

Of course, there are also other important costs, such as fuel, taxes and a supercar’s worst nightmare, depreciation. But in terms of maintenance, it’s not unusual to pay prices like the ones listed above.

So if you can afford all of this, by all means — buy a supercar. If not, keep saving. Or you can be like this guy from Jalopnik and own a Ferrari for only a year. It seemed to work out well for him.