Thanks guys but I'm not prepared to pay a premium for any car. I've done that several times in the past and I've always regretted acting in haste.

nberry, I realise that the Ferrari is a limited production car, most of the cars I buy are too, but that has nothing to do with it. Some manufacturers adopt the policy of only opening the order books when a car is officially announced. In the F430's case this would have meant late August/early September when it was launched at the Paris Motor Show. However that's not what happened in the F430's case (or perhaps any Ferrari). Clients are being encouraged to send in a letter of intent for the next model (without knowing what it is or when it will be produced) and then when it is announced there are already several years allocation set-aside for people that may or may not want the car. This means that genuine customers are denied the opportunity to buy a car. I personally will not be complicit in this process because I regard it as unethical, I won't stick my name down for half a dozen potential cars that might be produced during the next decade just so I can have first refusal.

There seems to be two types of reaction to this situation, there are those that seem have an almost masochistic regard for themselves, repeating the mantra that Ferrari are an exclusive brand and the pain and anguish in buying one is part of the suffering required to be included in such a privelleged club. Then there are those that have worked hard to get where they are in life and just won't take any cr*p from someone else no matter how 'special' they claim to be.

I've never subscribed to the fantasy that Ferrari are in a different league to other manufacturers, they're a car company, just like any other, albeit with a strong heritage but then the same is true of Porsche, Lamborghini, Bentley etc...

I like the F430 (and would choose to spend my money to buy one) but I'm not prepared to change my religion to own one. It's a car.