lake End Autos Marlow

Merak Memories

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42
Hi,
Does anyone have any experience of Lake End Autos, they have a lot of 3200s and various other interesting cars, including a very nice Alfa Sud.
Seem to be asking strong money for everything.
Many thanks
 

safrane

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16,748
There are some post on the garage if you use the search facility... they don't appear to be very knowledgeable even though they have invested in lots of stock.
 

RichTaps

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199
Their business model appears to work on attempting to make very large profits on everything they sell.

The Red 3200 they have for sale currently was advertised privately at 11k earlier in the year. I spoke to the owner and it seemed a nice car......This company appear to have bought it and are asking £16,999 without (as far as I can see) spending much on it.
 

RichTaps

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199
With the pricing of their 3200's I suspect they are trying to inflate the market a little to make a tidy profit.... however none of their 3200's appear to have sold in the past few months.
 

bigbob

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8,952
On this place you get criticised for talking Maser prices down.....and criticised for talking them up. There is a good thread on PH in the Maser section asking why Masers are cheap. Two of our regulars have contributed but the market clearly still has suspicions.
 

BuckRog64

Member
Messages
334
Their business model appears to work on attempting to make very large profits on everything they sell.

The Red 3200 they have for sale currently was advertised privately at 11k earlier in the year. I spoke to the owner and it seemed a nice car......This company appear to have bought it and are asking £16,999 without (as far as I can see) spending much on it.

Nothing wrong with good cars being sold for top money.

Just be aware that I also enquired about the red one RichTaps refers to when it was for sale privately. When I contacted the specialist who had recently been maintaining the car it was apparent that work they highlighted as needing doing was not done. So, if viewing the car, be sure to check the dealer has invoices on file for material sums dated 2017.
 

MrMickS

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3,951
On this place you get criticised for talking Maser prices down.....and criticised for talking them up. There is a good thread on PH in the Maser section asking why Masers are cheap. Two of our regulars have contributed but the market clearly still has suspicions.

I'd say one reason why Masers are cheap compared to Ferraris of a similar age is that Ferrari are committed to keep their cars on the road and make spares available. The spares might be in limited numbers but at least they still make them. The impression I get is that if you've not got something current Maserati aren't as helpful. This means that anything other than a current car carries the risk that you might lose all value should you have a fault with a rare part, unless you've very deep pockets, this prevents investment in the way that it happens with Ferrari.

Of course this is a two edged sword in that there are a lot of people driving around in Maserati that wouldn't be able to afford them if they were priced as perhaps they could be.
 

allandwf

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10,958
^ I would agree. I think they maybe see the old cars as mobile adverts for the brand. Maserati on the other hand, perhaps just see them as old, previously sold, cars.
 

Merak Memories

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42
Uk, that's all very helpful, I agree that if you get a good car its worth paying a premium. What is annoying is if you pay a top end price and get a poor or average car. That's what gives dealers a bad name {although you cannot blame them for trying to maximise profit!). It was actually the Alfa Sud that caught my eye, but at 17k it seems expensive, unless its absolutely A1. Having sold my 3200ac to Gus {on this forum}, and moved over to Porsche some time ago now it will not be a 3200 again, but I do fancy some form of Italian classic {and maybe even a bi-turbo !} to sit with the 911.
 

BuckRog64

Member
Messages
334
It could well be that the Sud and rest of the stock have been inspected, items requiring attention addressed and be in tip top condition. Only way of telling is to ask a lot of questions, view the car and invoices and get a specialist inspection carried out.
 

Merak Memories

New Member
Messages
42
Ok, thanks all - that's very helpful, I agree that if you get a good car its worth paying a premium. What is annoying is if you pay a top end price and get a poor or average car. That's what gives dealers a bad name {although you cannot blame them for trying to maximise profit!). It was actually the Alfa Sud that caught my eye, but at 17k it seems expensive, unless its absolutely A1. Having sold my 3200ac to Gus {on this forum}, and moved over to Porsche some time ago now it will not be a 3200 again, but I do fancy some form of Italian classic {and maybe even a bi-turbo !} to sit with the 911.
 

L.E.A

New Member
Messages
23
Their business model appears to work on attempting to make very large profits on everything they sell.

The Red 3200 they have for sale currently was advertised privately at 11k earlier in the year. I spoke to the owner and it seemed a nice car......This company appear to have bought it and are asking £16,999 without (as far as I can see) spending much on it.

Hi Guys, I thought I’d join in on this conversation to answer a few of your doubts, thoughts and questions. My name is Dan and I own/run Lake End Autos (LE Autos) and have done since 2012, I’ve always been into cars and I was lucky enough to turn my passion into a viable business. So Regards this thread I’ll give you bit of background of my journey with the 3200 and then I’ll get to the car in question (red 3200). I’ve always had a soft spot for the 3200 and I’ve owned a countless amount as personal Cars and sale cars since 2001. I owned the yellow 3200 with the green leather many years ago some of you may know the As you’d never forget if you you have seen it, apparently it’s been change to Black now. I was told it was that crazy combo due to it being the Earl’s Court show car originally (so I was told) . Anyway I purchased my 1st 3200 in 2001 and have owned 1 or more eversince. So they are a passion of mine. Now When I decided to buy a few it was simply to do exactly what’s been suggested, tweak the market because in my opinion all these other cars, 911’s, 355’s and so on suddenly went crazy and the 3200 didn’t and that to me seemed very odd as I’ve always held them right up with the best of them. Because they are all of what the other contenders had to offer. Now I could go on and on justifying the reasons behind my thoughts but you all know them already. So I set out to raise the market value which I believe have done to some effect. I was in no hurry and knew it would be a long term project. I just don’t understand why they’ve never been recognised for what they are. Stunning to look at, awesome to drive, powerful, Italian and a beautiful supercar.
So I started buying a few more. Now the ones I have are all hand picked with all the correct credentials and before point of sale have a full belt service, mot and anything that needs to be done is done as said before sold. So let’s get on to the Red 3200 I did nothing to and simply purchased it one day and the next put it on sale for more money the next. Chaps you couldn’t be further from the truth. That car to date in my ownership has had a fully and professional repaint due to red faded panels (no damage, just years of sun) and not a slap dash but obviously a complete strip down beautiful glass finish repaint, 4 AC refurbished Alloys upgrade, interior leather treated and reconalised, a full factory carbon pack with a Becker sat/nav head unit fitted, new power steering pipes, new rocker gaskets, new hand brake cables and shoes, replacement rad, engine bay striped painted rockers and detailed hence the gaskets, exchange the front grill for a very good secondhand one, air con repaired, a full belt service. Brake callipers painted red with decals, bonnet struts and lots other bits like sticky window switchs replaces and so on and on and on which were picked up on its recent belt and inspection service. So believe me when I say it’s had a lot of love, it has,,..and has recently been sold to a happy and very nice chap. Typical he’s already had a light ping up on the dash and funnily enough it’s back with us having a few more gremlins sorted and looks like I’ll be having the throttle body reconditioned for my customer next week. You all be saying to yourselves whilst reading this. Yep that’s sounds like a 3200 but with all their niggles and problems we still love them and after having them for so many years I’ve experienced pretty much every problem going. Sometimes I do wonder why I chose to sell them as there are easier ways of making money in the car trade. So yes I’ve sold a few and the rest are waiting for their new owners sooner or later. I hope that’s helped clear up a few questions and if you own one I’ve done you a favour as they have gone up since I Started this exercise so no harm done. Another comment was regarding the Sud. Yes that car was better than the day it left the factory when new ..... I had that completely nut and bolt restored and it went to Malta. It was stunning. One last thing I have loads of spares for the 3200 so if you need anything call me off the website and I’ll be happy to help if I can. All I’d ask is you collect in person as I won’t post parts out. So happy Massering and it’s not always what it seems. Thanks for reading. Dan