Step 1 : Introduction to the question "5. If you can afford the monthly payments and the insurance, does it make any difference what make you buy as far as cost for maintenance and repairs are concerned? "
...1. Yes, since exotic makes are less expensive to maintain. 2. No, none what so ever. 3. Yes, since exotic makes are more expensive to maintain. 4. Yes, you should always buy Ford since they make the coolest cars. Buying an exotic make, such as a Ferrari and Lamborghini, versus buying a common make, such as Ford and Toyota, can end up costing you a big chunk of change. Aftermarket parts are more readily available for the more common makes and are less expensive than factory parts. To give you an example, I just recently tried to find an alternator for a 2006 Ferrari F430 Spider which turned out to be quite the hassle, and a grand total of a bit over $1,400. I can easily get a brand new alternator for a 2006 Ford Mustang at Kragen for $284.44. Also keep in mind that few mechanics specialize in exotic cars, so if you can't do the job yourself it can be tricky to find someone that can do it for you at a reasonable rate. If you're interested in finding out which cars have lower maintenance costs compared to others, IntelliChoice comes out with a SmartChoice Maintenance Costs Award each year that can be found at www.intellichoice.com.
