10 Things Nobody Realizes About Owning A Supercar

Jan 10, 2024

While an exotic car in your garage can be a dream come true, there are many caveats about supercar ownership, many of which could become deal breakers

Supercars in general flaunt some of the best performance and craftsmanship in the automotive industry. They are typically the pride and joy of their respective manufacturers and oftentimes, at the forefront of technology. They are are the first to benefit from the latest in motorsport innovation, which only then, spills down the automotive hierarchy. The exclusivity and performance of a supercar are matched only by the crazy styling. With many supercars being inspired by jet fighters, insects, or vicious predators, it's not difficult to figure out why most of them are poster car-worthy material. Their depiction and what they stand for are what make car enthusiasts dream of owning one.

In truth, there are more pros than cons when it comes to supercar ownership, and much of those have to do exactly with what makes supercars great in the first place. Those who have driven a supercar know exactly what I am on about. The performance is staggering and no other type of car offers a driving experience so visceral. However, supercars are one-dimensional, by design, and there's little else aside from performance and looks, that makes them appealing. The harsh reality is, there are many aspects to supercars that can turn their ownership from a dream to a nightmare, and there are the main things no one talks about.

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It goes without saying that buying a supercar requires you to part ways with a hefty sum that's at least six figures. The spending doesn't stop there, however. According to valuepenguin.com, the average insurance rate for a Ferrari 812 Superfast is between $6,580 and $7,204, depending on whether it's done by a standard insurance company or a specialty insurer. The website also notes that average insurance rates between insurance companies have a difference of over $4,000.

Due to the high-performance nature of supercars and their exclusivity, even basic parts are quite expensive. There are no alternatives, meaning you'll have to settle for OEM parts, meaning you'll have to be patient for the delivery. Supercars also tend to be more difficult to work on, and in some cases, even an oil change may require taking apart half the car. Older exotics can be even more troublesome since it was considered normal for them to require a whole team to maintain.

Jody Only

The exotics roll in at the 2022 Supercar Show of Sonoma

If owning a supercar is on your bucket list, there's a good chance you are seeking attention. While there's no written law stating it, everyone enjoys the crowd's reactions. Due to their exorbitant styling and epic soundtrack, it's virtually impossible for a supercar to fly under the radar. While the reaction of little kids is priceless, much of the attention you are attracting while driving a supercar is not the wanted type.

Only a few have the purchasing power to buy and maintain a supercar, and some people will judge you because of that. More importantly, a flashy supercar could attract the wrong type of attention, including car thieves and other individuals with not the best intentions.

It's clear, no one buys a supercar for the practicality. While, nowadays, you can buy high-performance vehicles with a surprising amount of practicality, there are very few that you can actually take on a long-distance trip and pack a good amount of luggage. There is an unwritten rule that the best supercars have the worst practicality

While there's no definite proof to support that, you won't be able to stick your new IKEA furniture into your McLaren 765LT or Pagani Huayra. You might get away with packing more luggage if you go for the more classic, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, but even so, luggage capacity is limited. A supercar is for you, your better half at best, and maybe a day or two worth of luggage.

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While this could be chalked to the practicality aspect of a supercar, we decided to dedicate a separate paragraph to it. Supercars need to be stable at high speeds, and one thing that attributes to that is a lower center of gravity. With high-performance vehicles being much lower than regular ones, they have a notoriously bad approach angle, meaning you can scrape or bottom out on even small road imperfections or when entering an underground parking lot.

Most modern supercars have a nose-lift function that, by now, has become a standard feature. Most underground parking lots have also adapted their ramps for ultra-low supercars, but the fact remains, you really need to be careful when driving your exotic car on less-than-ideal roads as even a small crack in the carbon-fiber splitter can cost you a lot.

A supercar's primary purpose is - performance. The truth is, no matter what fancy, adaptive suspension car manufacturers come up with, a supercar will never be as comfortable as a proper luxury car. Low ride height and stiff suspension are crucial to high-speed stability, and let's face it, no one buys an exotic car to obey the speed limit at all times.

The same thing that makes supercars the most stable cars at tripple-digit speeds is also the same thing that makes them unbearable to be in on long trips. The seats are another aspect that prioritizes performance over comfort. Heavily-bolstered seats are great on the racetrack, but two hours sitting in one will make your back hurt as they simply aren't cushioned enough, and prioritize track-day action instead of laid-back driving.

The harsh reality when it comes to the automotive business is that customers with more financial power are, usually, treated better. Although this is more of a business strategy, on behalf of dealerships, in pursuit of retaining their favorite customers (cash cows), the opposite is also true.

If you own a supercar, there's a good chance you'll be looked at as a cash cow, and taxed extra, because let's face it, you can probably afford it. It's the same thing when, for example, construction workers come to your house and come up with a higher-than-usual number for the service, because they saw your flashy exotic car parked in the garage.

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Let's be honest, exotic cars are best enjoyed when driven hard. Sadly, unless you live in Germany with access to several sections of de-restricted Autobahns, there are very few legal ways you can enjoy them on public roads where you have to take things like traffic and speed limits into consideration. Any car with over 500 horsepower, exotic or not, can make short work of any speed limit, in just a few seconds.

Just think how many times you have seen or/and heard a supercar accelerate hard only to downshift twice in just a few seconds, in order to slow down. Frankly, all that high craftsmanship and high horsepower is barely being used on public roads, and frankly, it's pointless anywhere except on a racetrack.

Frankly, if you have the money to buy exotic cars, the terrible gas mileage isn't going to wear down your wallet. Still, exotic cars pack the most powerful engines, and even though they are not the heaviest cars, their fuel economy is notoriously bad. Let's take the Lamborghini Huracan for example. It's the Italian carmaker's entry-level mid-engine model, and it averages an EPA-estimated 15 mpg combined.

It doesn't sound too terrible until you realize these figures are achievable only if you obey the speed limits at all times, which no one does. Such cars are at their best when driven hard, and that's something you quickly realize when you get behind the wheel of one.

Supercars have no other purpose than performance. They are designed to prioritize fast driving while being stable at high speed. Naturally, the hardware and software in them have been calibrated much more aggressively than any other car, and you quickly realize that when trying to use them as commuters.

Driving a slow car fast may be fun, but it is the exact opposite for supercars. Between the harsh ride, poor visibility, and jerky movements, through which the car is communicating to you that it wants to go, driving a fast car slow can be a nightmare. Parking is another ordeal altogether since exotic cars are notoriously clumsy at low-speed maneuvering. Many of these cars are impossibly wide, turning driving into even more of a chore.

RELATED: Here's What Supercar Owners Never Tell You

The high-performance capabilities of these cars can, for the most part, redeem most of the above-mentioned downsides, but by far, the most painful aspect of supercar ownership is the depreciation. Granted, certain exotic cars like the Porsche Carrera GT and McLaren F1 are top investments (especially for their original owners), but unless you get your hands on a highly-exclusive, limited-edition model, supercars quickly become an endless money pit.

According to Hagerty, supercars typically depreciate by 6 percent during the first year, and by 20 percent after three years. While any supercar reaches a price plateau, followed by appreciation, some cars just never redeem their value, especially if they are more mass-produced.

Dim's fascination with cars began when he was just six. Born into a family of car enthusiasts and racing drivers, he started learning basic mechanics and driving from an early age. While he loves writing for any car, Dim is most interested in exploring obscure and forgotten cars as well as finding the best deals on the enthusiast car market. His passion took him to car restoration in the Malta Classic Car Museum, where he briefly worked on a 1964 Jaguar E-Type and an Alfa Romeo Junior. In Malta, he also graduated Media and Communications, which further improved his skills as an automotive journalist. Dim is always ready to get behind the wheel of any car and tell you all about it later.