I have a 2015 RCF which has essentially lost 1/3 of its trade-in value in less than a year of ownership. Yes, life isn't fair or predictable and supply/demand, etc. However, this will be a significant factor when the time comes to choose between another Lexus or another brand.

 

You only lose when you actually sell. If you keep enjoying the car for a few years the overall hit will be more reasonable.

 

most expensive cars take a 20% tradein hit the second its titled to you. 30% might seem on the higher end, but most cars do take a similar hit. If you kept the car for 5 years, you probably only lose 15-20k more.

 

Did you pay MSRP or close? Once the oversupply of 2015s normalizes I have a feeling the depreciation will as well. It's a really nice car and my guess is that it will have a very strong second hand demand 3-4 years from now. It's just a really weird time since many dealers still have 2015 models on their lots.

 

Give it time, once the 2015's diminish there will be a demand for them.
I've only noticed 1-2 MY 16's on the CA dealer lots.
I'm sure the RCF's will hold their value very well considering how well the ISF did.
Only way to know for sure is if Lexus plans on making a 2017 model, if they decide to stop then of course demand would soar with value.

 

Could be worse, look at GTR owners who paid 120k and you can get the car new for 80k now. They will get better with time and who cares anyway if you have to worry about this then you went over what you should have $$$$.

 

This is what I hope will happen - that the depreciation will "normalize" the longer we wait. I don't plan to trade the car for another year or so, but certainly before 5 years.

 

Yup, back in the day it was MSRP or go home.

 

What if you found out they are stopping production of the RCF's after the last MY16 is shipped.
Will you consider retaining the vehicle, knowing that you were among the few that hold a gold covered diamond?

 

I would feel that way if the NA V-8 disappeared, but that's not happening, so that case might turn out just the opposite - a car that's discontinued that Lexus can't readily sell. I'm not saying it'll be Edsel all over again (you whippersnappers can Google that), but one of the reasons imo that the RCF hasn't sold well is that it was uniformly panned by many of the initial reviewers. As others have pointed out in this forum, Lexus had the chance to surpass, if not evenly meet, the M3/M4 and for whatever reasons, was just too conservative.

 

This is the same topic thats being discussed in two other threads so I would suggest merging the topcis but regardless

Heres what I know and what others know vs what is confusing

1) Other

2) me

3) Confusesd about which value to go by

 

Here is my POV and total speculation. Lexus missed the mark with the RC F for two reasons. First, it did not conclusively "beat" the BMW M4 or the ATS-V. Thus it got overshadowed in almost all reviews. That was my problem when I was researching. I went to drive the RC F just to rule it out. However, it was a really good car and after I realized that tenths of a second don't really matter to me as much as the overall package I was sold.

Second, my theory is that the typical Lexus buyer does not want this car. They might want the looks and they can get the RC F Sport to check that box. So Lexus was probably going after a buyer population that usually goes German and those folks won't leave unless there is a good reason. Per the first point, most people crossed it off the list based on it's relative performance. So it's basically a great car that appeals to a smaller group of people than originally intended which is why they have a ton of 2015 models still on dealer lots.

Now, you lower the price $20k and all of a sudden it becomes a ton more attractive. More people can afford it and the performance/cost ratio is excellent. If production ends after this model year I think this car might actually appreciate. There is definitely a sweet spot for this sort of packaging, but it's not at the $70k+ price range. This is why after the extra inventory is flushed out, the prices will settle down and might remain very flat seeing marginal year-over-year depreciation. Again, just my personal opinion, only time will tell.

Or... Hyundai will release it's M4 beating coupe and the market on all of these cars will take a big dump

 

The Lexus marketed the Rc-F as the equivalent of the M4. But its not. Great GT car but not what the average M4 Driver is interested since they have the 6 series for that.

Prices will stabilze but the damage for the 15s are already done

 

Worrying about the resale on a vehicle that you have only had for 1 year and may have for another 2-4 years is stupid.


All vehicles with the exception of a few high dollar exotics are depreciating assets. To consider them anything else is also stupid.


Asking a dealership to appraise your vehicle for trade is also stupid, the dealer doesn't care about the car, they care about their bottom line, they want to give you little as possible for your vehicle and sell it for as much as they can.


The dealership will low ball you $5,000 or more to what a private sale would net you.


A car is an expense, doesn't matter what brand it is. If you see it as anything else you are delusional.

 

Very few cars that weren't all that desirable...relatively...become desirable when they are no longer available. This isn't an exotic. Nor is it some slept-on benchmark. It's just a slow selling, 'regular' car. It *might* turn into something like the 2nd gen CTS-V but it doesn't have the aftermarket support that helps keep that platform in demand.