Should You Own, Rent or Join?

    /24-7PressRelease/ - DALLAS, TX, April 19, 2007 - Is your idea of the ultimate birthday present a day behind the wheel of a midnight blue Ferrari Scaglietti? Or, perhaps, there is there a specific exotic car - such as the Porsche 911 - that you would rather drive every day? Or maybe you'd prefer to have access to an entire fleet of luxury cars, choosing that day's car as your mood changes?

All three options sound enticing - and each one has its advantages. The good news for DFW Metroplex luxury car lovers is that now all three choices are available locally: renting an exotic, owning, or joining a car club.

"Driving an exotic car isn't reserved for the rich and famous," explains Ron Sturgeon, owner of DFW Elite Car Club.com. "There are so many new options today to make that possible. The question today isn't can you drive one; it's what method works best for your lifestyle?"

For those who are occasional drivers and would only use a luxury car for a special event, rental is probably the best option. The financial investment is limited to the cost of the actual rental time, although rates are higher than if one joins a club. "If you only need a luxury car for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, then renting is probably the best option for you," Sturgeon says.

However, if there is one specific "dream car" that you love and want to drive over 100 days a year, ownership is likely the right option - but it is also the most expensive route.

"With upfront purchase prices ranging from $100,000 to over half a million dollars, and additional costs like premium insurance, luxury taxes and regular maintenance, many exotic car owners find the burden of owning a luxury car overrides the pleasure of driving it," says Sturgeon.

And for some, one car is just not enough. "It's just not that hard once you taste the high performance of a Ferrari F430, Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder, and Bentley Continental GT to find more cars that you want to drive," says Larry Buck, a Fort Worth business owner and current DFW Elite Car Club.com member.

"I always want to drive something different and this let's me do that," says Mr. Buck. Members have access to a dream garage of over 50 elite cars without worrying about depreciation, maintenance, or repairs. "The cars arrive at my doorstep fueled, detailed, and ready to drive."

Membership in the DFW Elite Car Club.com is a great way to reap the benefits of ownership without the responsibility of maintenance and repairs and to meet new friends with a shared appreciation for the world's best autos in a relaxed atmosphere," says Club Director Scott Throneberry.

These new clubs are sometimes called exotic car sharing clubs or time shares for autos because they allow members to use a dream garage of exotic cars without owning them. Often confused with fractional ownership exotic car clubs, this new type of club is similar but does not require members to shoulder the risks of depreciation or maintenance in whole or in part.

The idea of car sharing has attracted attention from car enthusiasts and the financial press. The Wall Street Journal's Robert Frank recently blogged about the trend toward sharing of exotic cars and other luxury goods.

"In most cases, exotic or luxury cars lose value during ownership, so it makes a lot of sense to enjoy them without owning them," explains Sturgeon. "The club is just a way for Texans with a taste for the best autos in the world to enjoy a variety of them together."

DFW Elite Car Club.com members have access to a fleet of more than 50 luxury vehicles, drivers can choose from such automobiles as the Rolls-Royce Phantom, the Bentley Continental GT, the Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder and the Aston Martin V8 Vantage. An extensive line of both new and vintage cars, trucks and SUVs ensures that, regardless of the occasion, there's a car that you'll love driving. To find out more about membership in Dallas Fort Worth's premier car club, visit www.dfwelitecarclub.com or phone 214.224.0442.

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