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It was about 2 months back that I finally made the tough call; I had to sell my Porsche. It’s a lovely car and I’m more attached to my Porsche then anything else, but the credit crunch was hitting my wallet in several ways, and cutbacks in my expenditure were called for. It was not an overnight decision, and despite serious efforts I could do nothing about the monetary mismatch. The only solution was to sell my Porsche, which was my most expensive overhead.

As I picked up the telephone to contact a dealer to sell my Porsche, I changed my mind because I really didn’t want to let her go. So I sat down and relooked at the costs associated with having my Porsche. I was hoping that something had changed overnight. The list began with the borrowing cost. A Porsche is not ‘just another car’ and this special tag comes with a cost. I had taken out a substantial loan to buy her, which amounted to sizeable interest charges every month. The next column was easy to figure out, it was the insurance fee, and it was rather steep as well. The third category in the list was the taxes, followed by the maintenance charges. While half of the maintenance costs were planned and reported in the car owner’s manual, there were also the unexpected maintenance costs, and they could be very expensive. Last but not least was the depreciation cost. As I relooked at the figures they confirmed my decision; I had to sell my Porsche.

The next task was to find the right way to sell my Porsche. I was going to pick up the phone and contact a car dealer, but I decided to research the subject, to ensure I got the best possible deal. It took me a little time, but it was worth it. I started my research by speaking to friends, and then followed it up by looking on the internet. The research results were, to sell my Porsche to a car dealer who specialises in buying prestige cars. I was informed the company will buy the car directly from me, and they make the whole transaction really painless.

Before I sold my Porsche I was advised by my friends to take some simple steps, which could mean a higher return on my car. The overall idea behind the prep work was to convey that my Porsche has really been special to me, and that I’d gone to great pains to ensure my vehicle was in excellent condition. Firstly I cleaned my car, both inside and outside, because it is important to make a good first impression. Cleaning the car also meant I checked every nook and cranny to remove all my personal items. The engine was another section, which would be under scrutiny and chances are, would not be clean. Therefore I made a point to include it in the cleaning exercise. I then ensured all the paperwork for my car was up to date and included all the maintenance records, such as the oil changes were listed, that the MOT was valid, and the Road Tax was in date.

When I was doing my research I learnt some important lessons and I’d like to make a cautionary statement for those contemplating the self-sell process. Neither the websites nor the print advertising associates will offer the greatest help when it comes to selling such a beautiful machine as a Porsche. Whereas, with a company that specialises in buying prestige cars, they know exactly what they are talking about, and will make it pleasure to sell my Porsche to them.

Most of us will never own a Ferrari, the boyhood dreams of driving a car with a prancing horse on the front will unfortunately for many, be dashed in adulthood. The closest the majority of us will ever get will be to own a piece of Ferrari merchandise. Slightly more affordable than the big red machines it offers the chance to at least own something with the famous logo emblazoned upon it.

For the drivers of the Ferrari racing team, wearing team merchandise comes as part and parcel of the job. Unlike the fans however, Ferrari drivers can afford to buy the road cars that represent the pinnacle of transport technology. This weekend sees the release of the Ferrari car for the 2008 season, the Tifosi, the name given to the army of fans that follow Scuderia Ferrari worldwide will be eagerly awaiting this event, and will undoubtedly be rushing to the team shop to buy the new season’s merchandise range.

With such a racing pedigree it is little wonder that Ferrari road cars are so popular amongst the rich and famous. The latest offering; the 430 Scuderia Berlinetta is a sumptuous example of the Ferrari methodology. Based upon the F430 it is a tweaked and stripped supercar; it will be made in a small number and was unveiled with the usual heraldry and accompanying merchandise. Styled in an elegant, timeless manner, it offers those who can afford it the latest technology engineered by the Ferrari racing team.

A number of years ago saw the release of Ferrari Enzo; described as the best driving experience ever created for the road user, it was designed with a great deal of input from Michael Schumacher. A legendary racer with an astute sense of handling and performance his help in the developmental stages of design are said to have born a car that is as close to a Formula 1 car possible, and still road legal.

Unfortunately this model was created in such a small number that only the world’s elite will ever have the joy of driving the awesome machine. Luckily the merchandise range includes a scale model of the car, so at least lowly motor enthusiasts can investigate the car at close quarters.

Ferrari cars have long since been seen in reverence by the world’s motoring fraternity. They combine classic Italian styling with uncompromising performance; the ethos of the company has been the same since Enzo started the road car company purely to fund his racing team Scuderia. Performance is always paramount in the Ferrari design workshop, every unit that rolls off the production line stands testament to the racing pedigree and the Italian fixation for looking good at a cost.

Ferrari as a global brand has also grown considerably since the early nineties. As well as the merchandise directly related to the race team, a bright spark in the marketing department saw the potential of the prancing horse as a worldwide icon. The merchandise range now includes toiletries, teddy bears and binoculars; seemingly there is a desire for anything with the company logo adorned upon it.

This has to be because Ferrari cars are always seen as the best of the best. People young and old stop and stare when a Ferrari drives past, the noise of the engine, the drop dead gorgeous looks and the striking red colouration combine to make jaws drop all over the globe.

This is why there are so many willing to buy the merchandise; the prancing horse is synonymous with style and speed. These are brand characteristics that cannot be bought, it is only through decades of racing success and the production of the finest cars that Ferrari has created one of the most recognisable symbols on the planet; not only in motor sport but in all fields of life.