Photo by Richard Guillory on Unsplash
Picture the ideal road trip: beautiful location, great food, good company, and the powerful thrum of a sports car engine carrying you along the way. Sports car ownership can be a daunting thing when considering the additional caveats outside of the car itself that come along such as Insurance, Maintenance, Usability, and Budget. Whether you already own, plan on buying, or even renting a sports car, knowing some of the ins and outs can be invaluable information to know for your future plans.
Insurance Rates
The safety of yourself and your family along with others on the road takes utmost precedence, and a lot of that protection comes with your auto insurance. Insurance and more specifically the rates that will come from your pocket is certainly one of the first things to consider when purchasing a sports car. Like all automobile insurance, sports car insurance varies on a multitude of factors, including your age, driving record, and insurance history. At worst, these factors don’t increase the costs as much as you think it would even if you consider some of the extra costs due to the nature of it being a sports car. For example, looking at the average insurance cost for a Dodge Charger, you will find that the rates are not significantly higher than your typical auto insurance in comparison.
Maintenance
Regardless of how well you take care of a given vehicle, at some point, it will require maintenance, and with sports cars, it could come at a higher price. This is especially reinforced when purchasing a vehicle from a second-hand owner as you will be alone when it comes to maintaining your sports car. If you’re readily skilled in maintaining vehicles this may not be as important, but for most, it’s an additional cost of ownership and a hefty one at that. Ways to help mitigate the costs of maintenance is by purchasing your vehicle from dealerships as they offer maintenance services. However, choosing the correct dealership that employs capable staff requires additional research on its own, but is a fantastic avenue for reducing the overall maintenance costs you may experience.
Usability
Plain and simple, sports cars are not for everyone. Thinking ahead about the cases in which you would use a sports car is something you should consider. A sports car can easily be vastly less economical when compared to your standard Sedans and SUVs, and if you plan to only use it for activities such as driving to work it may not be the best choice you can make. However, if your hobbies include activities such as tuning and modifying cars, attending car shows, road trips, and days out on the track, a sports car could be perfect for you!
Budget
The extra power, enjoyment, and raw speed come at a higher cost in comparison to standard vehicles and your budget is extremely important to consider when purchasing a sports car. Getting the best bang for your buck is a good mindset to have, but as a result, you could accidentally overlook additional costs down the road. The second-hand sports car that looks like a fantastic deal could in turn have hidden problems with it such as off-market mods that will require additional maintenance; whereas a car purchased from a reliable source (such as a dealership) will be less likely to require unforeseen maintenance. It’s also equally important to consider the payments you make towards the vehicle, whether it’s through a bank loan or the dealership, and the down payment required to purchase said vehicle.
Conclusion
There are few things more enjoyable than driving off with a powerhouse at your fingertips and nothing but an empty road ahead of you, and it’s ultimately up to you to do the proper research and prepare accordingly. Between the car itself, insurance, maintenance, usability, and budget you can apply your knowledge and find the perfect fit for you, and get yourself on the road, enjoying life, and having fun.
