Millions of people dream about driving exotic cars, and it’s hard to blame them. Exotic cars are often fast, gorgeous, and prestigious – hence why so many people want to buy them despite the ludicrously high price tags.
So is there a way for you to drive and enjoy an exotic car without buying one? And if so, how do you get started?
Options for Driving an Exotic Car
The short answer is yes, and there are actually multiple ways that you can drive an exotic car or see what it’s like to drive an exotic car without ever saving up money to actually afford one.
Exotic car rentals. Exotic car rentals in Las Vegas and other areas are one of your best options for driving an exotic car, especially if you don’t plan on eventually buying one. Functioning much like other rental car operations, you’ll have the opportunity to drive an exotic car as if it were your own for a fixed period of time, in exchange for a specific rate. Do keep in mind that there may be some limitations on where and how you can drive this vehicle, and you may be financially liable for certain types of damage without an appropriate insurance policy in place. Still, it’s a straightforward and affordable way to get your hands on the steering wheel of a car you’ve always dreamed about.
Borrowing from a friend. If you have wealthy friends, you might be able to persuade them to let you drive their exotic car; depending on the strength of your friendship, they may or may not impose strict limitations on how and where you drive it. Of course, if you don’t have any friends rich enough to afford an exotic car, you may have to put in effort to expand your network of contacts.
Special events and venues. You may also be able to find special events or venues that offer opportunities for people to drive exotic cars. Certain contests and giveaways give you an opportunity to drive such cars in a limited capacity, and you may even be able to win one for yourself. Failing that, racetracks and other venues enjoyed by car enthusiasts are often home to exotic cars that you can see and watch in action – even if you’re not the one driving them.
Dealerships. If you’re interested in buying a simple consumer car, you can walk into a dealership and test drive one immediately. Unfortunately, most exotic car dealerships aren’t going to take you seriously unless you give them a reason to. Understandably, they don’t want average, everyday people to exploit this opportunity or potentially damage their very expensive vehicles. That said, if you can demonstrate proof of funds or otherwise convince a dealer that you’re seriously interested in buying such a car, they may let you test drive an exotic car for free.
Virtual test drives. Another alternative is to take some kind of virtual test drive. There are many automotive and racing simulators that allow you to loosely experience what it’s like to drive certain exotic cars, though obviously, this is a much different experience than driving it in person. Similarly, you can watch YouTube videos of people driving and enjoying exotic cars as a way of living vicariously through them.
The Path to Affordability
Renting and driving exotic cars is a lot of fun, and if you’re greatly fulfilled by the experience, you may want to save up to buy your own in the future. Even if you don’t have a lucrative salary, there is a path to exotic car affordability:
Set your long-term goal. Some of the top exotic cars in the world sell for more than $200,000. If you want more luxury features or customizations, you can expect to pay even more. Do some due diligence and set your long-term goal, whatever it happens to be. Once you have a target amount of money to save, it’s much easier to put the other pieces in place.
Decrease your expenses. Next, focus on decreasing your expenses. Downsizing your home, moving to a cheaper area of town, limiting your entertainment, and other sacrifices can help you save hundreds of dollars every month. Hundreds of dollars may not seem like much, but this amount can add up quickly.
Increase your income. Complement this strategy by increasing your income. With a few side gigs and passive income sources, you can easily make $1,000 or more every month – without overexerting yourself in the process.
Invest to snowball your wealth. Consider investing your money into various assets to snowball your wealth. If you’re saving even a few thousand dollars every month and earning decent interest, you can accrue enough money to buy your own exotic car in a couple of decades. This may seem like a long time, but you can accelerate this timeline by investing in your career, saving more, and getting more active in investing.
For most of us, buying and owning an exotic car is too distant a dream for us to even consider. But renting and temporarily driving an exotic car is quite achievable. If you have a strong desire to see what these exotic cars are capable of, consider renting or borrowing an exotic car that catches your unique interest.