At The Money: How to Buy a Supercar with Hannah Elliott (August 10, 2025)
Buying any car is an exciting milestone, but buying a supercar is next level. It’s fraught with unique challenges, costs and responsibilities. There are some things you should know before you buy a Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Pagani, or any supercar.
Full transcript below.
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About this week’s guest:
Hannah Elliot is the super car reviewer for Bloomberg, and has been covering the auto industry and exploring car culture for over 15 years. She also drives a 1975 Rolls Royce Silver Shadow.
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Transcript:
Intro: “Oh Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?
My friends all drive Porsches, I must make amends
Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends
So, oh, Lord, won’t you buy me a Mercedes Benz?”
Buying any car is an exciting milestone, but buying a supercar, well, that’s next level. It’s fraught with a set of unique challenges. It’s big money and comes with big responsibilities. If you’re thinking about buying a Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Pagani, or any supercar, there are some very expensive mistakes you wanna avoid making.
I have the perfect expert to discuss this topic. Hannah Elliot is the supercar reviewer for Bloomberg. She’s covered the auto industry and car culture for over 15 years and has pretty much driven every million-dollar car out there. Let’s ask her what we need to know before dropping a lot of money on an exotic.
Barry Ritholtz: So Hannah, let’s start with the basics. What makes something a supercar? Is it price, performance, exclusivity, some combination?
Hannah Elliot: This is a great question, and it is a bit of a gray area because there’s no one definition, but I would put back to you. It’s a combination of all those things.
A supercar is a superlative vehicle that is at the top of the line of an automaker. Yes. It’s, it’s expensive. Yes. It has top performance for that line. Yes, it has a resting design. And yes, it has mind bending performance. Those are all sort of qualitative values that when you put them together, you’ll get a supercar out of it.
Now, I, I have a debate a lot with my colleague Matt Miller about, mm-hmm. Is it Corvette, a supercar? (It’s a mass market car). It’s so, I say no, because supercars also need to be rare. They need to be built in small quantities. This is part of their, they need to feel elite and exceptional. That’s what makes them super. So it’s a combination of all of these things. A car can’t just be fast and be a supercar. It can’t be just expensive. A Rolls Royce is not a supercar, even though that’s an expensive car. It’s a combination of all of those factors.
Barry Ritholtz: If it’s just a matter of speed, well then a lot of the EVs that are out there, Tesla are crazy fast. (Teslas are fast, but they’re not supercars) to say, to say the very least.
So let’s talk about the experiencing of purchasing a supercar. How is that different than, say, a run of the mill Mercedes or Range Rover? Mm-hmm. Or some other expensive vehicle?
Hannah Elliot: To purchase a supercar new. It’s going to, it requires more of a relationship with the dealership selling it to you.
Now, most dealerships are allocated small, small amounts of supercars. They might only have two or three for their whole area, so they weigh who will be afforded the opportunity to buy the supercar.
Barry Ritholtz: Clearly no flippers, right?
Hannah Elliot: That’s right out that is written in the contract. You cannot flip this vehicle and if you do need to get rid of it, it goes back to the dealer you. You can’t flip it. That is in the contract. So it is about establishing a relationship with your local dealer. Ferrari is notorious for rather requiring their customers to buy up the Ferrari food chain to the top level of their cars. You cannot walk into a Ferrari dealership and hope to buy a Monza, that just, even if you have the money, it doesn’t work that way. You need to earn the right and the opportunity to buy those higher end cars.
So it’s about maybe you have to buy a Roma first and then maybe you buy, you know, uh, 296. You work your way up to the opportunity to buy the top stuff.
Barry Ritholtz: So that’s if you’re buying new. Yes. Let’s talk about buying used. A lot of these cars used to trade at a discount when they were, I guess the term is pre-owned, but, in a lot of cases that’s gone away. You’re paying a premium even for a pre-owned car. What’s the story with that? Is this just a function of the waiting list? For new cars, what’s driving you? Supercar prices.
Hannah Elliot: Instant gratification drives you. Supercar prices, huh? Because the thing about supercars is they’re, again, they’re made in small batches. Um, so usually you’re gonna have to, if you want one new, you’re gonna have to order it. You’re gonna want some of your own touch custom touches on it. That takes time. You might have to wait a year.
So if you don’t wanna wait that long, you want one quick, you want instant gratification, you buy a used supercar.
Barry Ritholtz: So what’s the process like for purchasing a used car? Is it the same sort of. Pre-purchase inspection, maintenance records. Yeah. What’s the due diligence like with this?
Hannah Elliot: I would say it’s the same as any other car really. I mean, it’s a, it’s potentially a lot of money. I would certainly have a pre-purchase inspection. It depends on who you’re buying it from. Are you buying it from a, an individual or are you buying it from a dealership, like a certified pre-owned thing? If you’re buying for the dealership and it’s been certified as Okay, whatever that means for the automaker, I think, you know, that’s pretty straightforward. If you’re buying it from a private individual, I think you would wanna do some real due diligence.
Supercars are tricky and stressful to drive if you’re not on a track. They are low, they are fine calibrated and highly tuned. So when you’re driving around the city and there are potholes and there are inclines, there’s just a lot more that can be slightly off on a supercar rather than an SUV. An SUV is a lot more durable.
These are, I don’t wanna say fragile, but they are not made to go all over everywhere. So I would go a little bit slower.
Barry Ritholtz: Makes a lot of sense. One of the things I notice when I’m trolling bring a trailer or cars and bids or any of the other auction sites is the frequent mention, no aftermarket modifications. Why is this such a concern?
Hannah Elliot: It is a concern because aftermarket, uh, the aftermarket is the wild west. You’re, you’re, you are not under dealership guarantees at all. You are. You are in the wild West. There is no guarantee. We all have seen those terrible cars with exhaust things and sound systems and cars that have been chopped up and things have been welded on
Barry Ritholtz: To say nothing of all the wraps and things along those lines
Hannah Elliot: Completely. Wraps, that’s one thing. But, um. When you change anything in these highly refined vehicles, that changes everything. Physics do matter. So when you’re adding weight or you’re, you’re cutting something off, you’re cutting fenders or you’re welding on fenders, that changes the, the structural integrity of the car potentially, and it just seems like a minefield unless you really know who and what you’re dealing with.
Barry Ritholtz: Not, not everybody a singer to say the very least. Right. Um, what about cost beyond the purchase price? How different is it maintaining a supercar, storing it and insuring it?
Hannah Elliot: Well, it’s going to be a lot more expensive in general to, uh, repair and replace things. Components of supercars, like wheels, like carbon supercars, have a lot of carbon fiber — splitters, air ducts, venting, spoilers. All of these things typically are made out of carbon fiber, which is rather fragile and rather expensive to replace.
Everything is compounded price wise, I would say in general.
Barry Ritholtz: Makes a lot of sense. Yeah. Um. What about insurance? I know certain insurers don’t necessarily cover the Bugattis & Paganis
What about insurance coverage? Not everybody covers the Bugattis and Paganis of the world, or even the Ferrari’s and Lamborghinis of the world. What sort of coverage should a, a supercar owner be seeking?
Again, I would go to a specialty provider like Haggerty or Chubb or any of these other ones. Go to a specialist. Um, do your research. And again, you can probably stipulate that this is not a daily driver. It’ll, it’s going to have less miles per year. You can get a specialty.
Barry Ritholtz: I tend to fall in love with a different car every week. when you see all the variety of things, Bugatti, Pagani, Ferrari, Aston Martin, McLaren, Lamborghini, Bentley, Porsche, it seems like the choices can be endless. Mm-hmm. How does someone figure out which car is right for them?
Hannah Elliot: Well, that’s a good question. Um, again. It sounds so cliche, but follow your own interests.
If you’ve got somebody in your town who has a car that you like the look of, go up and talk to them and ask them how their experience has been at the dealership. Ask them where they keep the car. You know, there’s no dumb question really. I think if you identify someone who has a car that you like the look of, go talk to them and ask them how is it working with, you know, maybe even the factory. If it’s a highly customized car, they work directly with the factory to customize the car. Find out how that relationship is because again, if you’re buying a new supercar, it’s gonna take some time to get it, and you’re going to be in contact getting updates about the car, about how the production is coming along.
I think you wanna try to find someone that feels a good fit for your personality. What you’re looking for. I think you just gotta talk to people who you think own the car.
Barry Ritholtz: What about test drives? I can’t imagine that you could walk into a Bugatti dealership and say, Hey, I’d like to take that Veyron out for a spin.
Hannah Elliot: No, I don’t think you can. Maybe they’ll take you for a ride. Mm-hmm. That’s tricky. I think that’s tricky. I don’t really know the answer to that other than, again, make friends with people who have that car. And I know that sounds maybe trite, but these cars are out there. And I think if you see someone with drive out driving that car, generally people are pretty friendly, they’re proud of their car. I would just start asking questions about, Hey, you know, who can I talk to? Where did you get this? I really love it. I don’t think it’s wrong to hang out at the dealership and, you know, try to get a ride. It’s the relationship
Barry Ritholtz: I have noticed in places like. Paris and Amsterdam. And then in the United States, in Vegas and Miami, you can rent a Ferrari or Lamborghini for a shockingly little amount of money for 20 minutes. Is that, that’s a good idea. Will that give you the same experience?
Hannah Elliot: I don’t, I don’t know about the mechanical standard of those cars that are being rented. But it’s something, I don’t think it’s wrong. I mean, we have that in LA. It’s a good idea. You can drive through Hollywood in a rented Ferrari. At least it’s something to get you in the driver’s seat and get a taste of what it might be like.
Barry Ritholtz: So let me ask you about a pet peeve I have with Supercars. I believe that if you aren’t paying your taxes on your car, then our roads are much worse wherever you happen to live. What are your thoughts on people who buy supercars and then register them in Montana to avoid state sales tax?
Hannah Elliot: You know, I did a whole story on this. (Yes, I do). It’s not really looked at kindly among the car community because everybody knows. That’s what’s happening.
Barry Ritholtz: So I used to be a member of an online car community that wasn’t any specific marquee. It just was everything. And I vividly recall the BMW and Ferrari guys talking about “representing the brand.” And when you’re tanking up with gas or you’re at a, any sort of social function, cars and coffee – be a good brand ambassador. Don’t be that sort of jerk. What’s your experience with that?
Hannah Elliot: There’s etiquette involved here with cars, especially with supercar. And, um, in my experience, the people who are revving the engines, making a ton of noise, pop, pop, pop, pop in the parking lot are 18-year-old boys. Don’t be an 18-year-old boy. Act like you’ve been here before. Act like you have a sense of respect and appreciation and situational awareness. What I like to call, read the room. You’re already in a really expensive car. That’s awesome. It’s important to be open and friendly. You’re driving something that yells: “Look at me,” So people are gonna look at you, which is awesome. And I would just say, just have a sense of decorum. Act like you’ve been around for a long time and you know what you’re doing.
Barry Ritholtz: What’s the best advice for interacting with the public when someone comes up to you while you’re either getting gas or whatever?
Hannah Elliot: I would just say be friendly and anticipate and expect that people are going to comment on your car. If you want to be incognito, drive a black Honda or don’t go out. I think when you go out in a flashy car that is an indicator that you’re going to be approached and that’s awesome. That’s what cars are about. It’s about sharing cars, sharing the experience. So just expect it and just be friendly. You know, they don’t have to sit in the driver’s seat if you don’t want ’em to do that, but I would say welcome it
Barry Ritholtz: That’s fair enough. Let’s quickly discuss cautionary tales. Uh, you could go to YouTube and there is a series of videos called Supercar Fails. Some really embarrassing just, dumb self-inflicted accidents. What’s the warning for people who are driving really expensive cars as to what they should not do?
Hannah Elliot: Don’t show off. No sudden movements. Be aware of the size of, of your car, the size and dimensions of your car. You know, I see a lot of people who have rims that are scraped on the side because they’ve curbed it or splitters under, under the chin because they’re not aware of how low the car is.
I think the number one thing is be aware of the size and dimensions of your vehicle. It’s less prominent than you might think.
Number two, you don’t need to show off. The car is already showing off. And that goes back to our other thing about etiquette. You don’t need to show off and do a burnout or, you know, pass five guys down the sunset strip. We already see you in the car. We already know it’s a cool car. No sudden movements. The other thing about supercars is they’re, they, they’re high performance machines, which is awesome, which also means there’s less room for error. So any mistake that you make in that vehicle is going to be exaggerated and amplified a lot. (And expensive!) and a lot quicker. Yeah, quicker and a lot exp a lot more expensive. So no sudden movements smooth is fast. Stay calm, you know, you, you don’t need to get all worked up. Just be relaxed.
Barry Ritholtz: Slow is smooth. Smooth is fast.
Hannah Elliot: Exactly. Exactly. And there’s one more thing I wanted to say kind of on our, the etiquette thing.
I just got back from Portugal from driving the Lamborghini Temerario. And there’s an interesting thing that Lamborghini’s doing on some of their supercars. The veto’s, another one. These are hybrid supercars. They’ve got something called stealth mode, which is six miles of electric, only driving. Now you sneak out of the neighborhood, right? You might think that’s not actually enough, but it has a very important purpose, which is it makes the car fully electric while you leave the neighborhood or while you come into the neighborhood. And I actually love it because again, it’s. It’s, it’s out of respect for the neighbors and I love cars, but I don’t wanna hear your Lamborghini at 5:00 AM So I kind of like that.
Barry Ritholtz: Any other aspects of supercar purchasing or ownership that’s worth mentioning?
Hannah Elliot: You know, the one thing I would also say too is if you’re buying a new one, be really careful about how you spec it. Please try to have some restraint. And I say this for two reasons. One, because again, these cars are wild. they’re attractive. They’re stunning. They’re made to grab attention. You don’t need to then add on a bunch of colors and textures and textiles and details to just make it look like vomit. So just try to have a little restraint, and I promise you, the car will look really cool because it’s already designed to look really arresting.
The second thing I would say is for resale values. The cars that do not have really weird. One-off custom jobs inside will probably be a higher value than a car that looks terrible, that someone specked, you know, in the nineties. That is just terrible.
Barry Ritholtz: So, to wrap up, hey, if you’re fortunate enough to be able to buy a supercar, bring some self-awareness and some rationality to the process. Make sure what you’re buying is something that you’re really interested in. Prepare yourself to have conversations with people every time you tank up the car or take it somewhere. Just be aware that you’ve already managed to get one of the most sought after, uh, vehicles in the world. Behave well. Don’t do anything too stupid. Own the car, display it, speak to people, and try not to end up on YouTube’s Supercar Fails.
I’m Barry Ritholtz You are listening to Bloomberg’s at the Money.
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The post At The Money: How to Buy a Supercar appeared first on The Big Picture.
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