| Author | Message | ||
| Andy Barre (Abarre)
New member Username: Abarre Post Number: 47 Registered: 7-2003 |
Love mine, but I went into it conservatively. Shopped around for about a year until I found a REALLY nice example that wouldn't be a resto-project. Then I immediately did a 30K service and clutch job, new tires, etc... Everything on the car works. But it is constant attention to keep it that way. I would not enjoy owning this car on a shoestring budget. Parts are ridiculous $$. Also, the looming threat of internal engine/tranny work would be nervewracking if you can't deal with the occasional $1-5000 (or more!) surprise. Another non-monetary drawback is that the average person believes ANY Ferrari must have cost a fortune. One moron sitting next to me at a stoplight made a comment about how stupid people are that spend over $150K for a car just to make themselves feel important. I didn't point out that his brand-new Navigator cost him almost twice what I paid for my Mondial.... All that said, it's worth it for the pride of ownership. The noise it makes is worth the price of admission... | ||
| Dave (Dave)
Member Username: Dave Post Number: 586 Registered: 4-2001 |
Oh I forgot the good one yesterday, "What dat Lambo do" | ||
| Dave (Dave)
Member Username: Dave Post Number: 585 Registered: 4-2001 |
Bingo Terry, .... "Wow, how much did you have to pay for THAT" or my personal favorite... "What's on the Dash" | ||
| arthur chambers (Art355)
Advanced Member Username: Art355 Post Number: 2506 Registered: 6-2001 |
Expensive to own, not terribly reliable, but some of the most fun I've had in a long time. Art | ||
| Terry Springer (Tspringer)
Member Username: Tspringer Post Number: 791 Registered: 4-2002 |
The upside is of coarse the looks, sounds, driving experience and the history of the cars. Downside is people in hothatches wanting to race you, sometimes unwanted attention (a 308 often draws quite a crowd) and lots of moronic questions. "Wow, how much did you have to pay for THAT" is not my favorite! | ||
| Kds (Kds)
Junior Member Username: Kds Post Number: 133 Registered: 5-2003 |
I have never owned one...but for ownership experience I did have the daily use of a 97 355 Spider for 2 weeks last June before I sold it. I hated the attention..........How much ? How fast ? How much horsepower ? Putting gas in the damn thing was an exercise in annoyance more than anything else because of the people and the constant questioning. Other than that.......great car !!!! | ||
| Michael Vaughan (Vanimal)
Junior Member Username: Vanimal Post Number: 57 Registered: 3-2003 |
The good ;-) # The feeling you get when you walk up to her # The feeling you get as you get in # The feeling when the engine starts # The feeling you get when as you drive of, and every miles passes by - one of the best experiences in life. The BAD! :-( # Paying over the odds for mass produced components found in other cars but earmarked for Ferrari # Speed bumps and excessive entry and exit angles to malls, garages etc. # Some of the speeds of todays disposable mass produced offerings #Cambelt services - get real - (but we are supporters of the cause). All in - its the best way to spend your cash, and the best way to get frustrated - ever. | ||
| Darryl - TR&328 (Tr328)
Junior Member Username: Tr328 Post Number: 60 Registered: 6-2003 |
Good - driving, sound, attention, feeling, power beneath your feet. Bad - The bill from the mechanic, high cost of maintenance and parts, no reason parts should cost so much, when it needs service or broke down, the feeling of how long is it going to be in the shop. Not a poor mans toy. | ||
| Dan Gordon (Ferruccio)
Junior Member Username: Ferruccio Post Number: 127 Registered: 2-2003 |
"Beg, borrow or steal one and drive it right. Your life will never be the same." I agree 100 percent Thank you Mike Charness and Dr Erick (For letting me drive there F cars!) | ||
| Chris McKay (Mrmckay)
New member Username: Mrmckay Post Number: 9 Registered: 7-2003 |
I couldn't have said it better Tazio. | ||
| martin j weiner,M.D. (Mw575)
Intermediate Member Username: Mw575 Post Number: 1166 Registered: 5-2001 |
Well said,Tazio. | ||
| Horsefly (Arlie)
Intermediate Member Username: Arlie Post Number: 1461 Registered: 5-2002 |
Lawrence said: "3. Driver's feet are to the right of driver's butt." One of the first things that I noticed when I sat in a 308 was the annoyance of the left front wheel well protruding into the foot well and the "over to the right" feeling of the pedals. While the overall design necessitates this bit of engineering, at least I now know that my observations weren't totally the actions of a Ferrari neophyte. Interesting that a veteran owner feels that same way that I did. | ||
| L. (Testaroja)
Junior Member Username: Testaroja Post Number: 134 Registered: 5-2003 |
Ferraris are about the most fun there is, but the 30,000 mile service is the worst thing there is about owning a flat 12. The 328 is about perfect fun and a very cheap major service | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2882 Registered: 2-2001 |
Ive had a few mechanical gremlins like I had to replace the circuit board & the tranmissions are weak but there is Nothing!!!! on the road as gorgeous as my 512TR  & few things on the sidewalk that can compete either LOL | ||
| Dr. Shelbee (Shelbee)
Member Username: Shelbee Post Number: 454 Registered: 12-2002 |
Good things: no regret Bad things: create jealousy to some morons | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 1668 Registered: 4-2002 |
I think the only thing I'd disagree with in the comments below is that on my car, EVERYTHING works, and works well. Having said that, I'll have to admit that my car is a 1975, and there is, uh, like 2 switches or so on the entire car. | ||
| Tazio Nuvolari (Nuvolari)
Member Username: Nuvolari Post Number: 272 Registered: 9-2002 |
Ferrari ownership is tangeable proof that love is blind. Once you own one you fully realize that Italian 'hand-built' cars are not better built than mass produced vehicles. You also dispel the widely held public myth that spending that much on a car must assure you of the 'BEST' product out there. I admit that I am a total fool for owning a Ferrari but such is the price of love; I would'nt want it any other way. | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member Username: 91tr Post Number: 2042 Registered: 1-2001 |
A recent (very inciteful IMO) post from ken rentiers on the FerrariList: (start quote) I know there are a lot of lurkers on the board who dream of someday getting a Ferrari. If so read these rules, I have been through the experience of Ferrari ownership. Will I get another - yes, but with my eyes wide open. My hope is these Tin Commandments serve to give you some of the same insight I now possess. The Tin Commandments 1. Ferraris are toy cars. - Street going Ferraris are intended as playthings for rich gentlemen with many cars, and someone else to polish them. They are the worst possible choice as a sole means of transportation. There are people on this list who use Ferraris as daily drivers. These folks are also capable of changing their crankshaft bearings after dinner. 2. Most buyers pay way too much for Ferraris. - New Ferraris sell for a quarter million because there are 1.000 people a year in the USA who will pay that much. If you are not employed by the NBA, a trust baby and/or don't know what 'bling-bling' is your choice will be restricted to used Ferraris. The prices quoted in FML are accurate ASKING prices. Most cars sell for 15 or 20 percent less and down. There are lots of cars available, right now it's a buyer's market. If you can't keep the lust under control have someone else buy the car for you. 3. There is no such thing as a Ferrari where everything works. - On big airliners where all systems have redundancy the pilot keeps a clipboard of Things To Fix. Often there are a dozen or more items. Get a small clipboard for you Ferrari. You will need it. 4. Old Ferraris are old, unreliable cars. - IF properly serviced the drive-train is stone, cold dependable. Not the air, not the seats or the top or anything electrical or hydraulic except the brakes. Windows, doors, handles, lights will give you grey hair. Remember 308s are now 20 - 30 year old cars that weren't reliable when they were new. 5. New Ferraris are new, unreliable cars. - Why? Because so few are made they never get all the bugs worked out. With a list like this and a year or two and $5,000 - $10,000 you can pretty well debug a good car. Double that figure for garage queens. 6. Mileage is good, not bad for a Ferrari. "88 328 - only 1,500 miles" This car should have marks all over it from ten foot poles. You will essentially have to rebuild the car and still there will be surprises. Look for 5,000 miles a year average on the car of your choice and a GOOD service record. 7. If you can find a Ferrari part it will be ex-pen-sive. - A 328 windshield is over $2,000. Why? Because it's a FERRARI! 8. All Ferraris are red. - Save the less common color schemes for your second or third example. If you want to get out with your skin intact buy a red car. 9. Ferraris are like trophy wives, they are very expensive to keep. - You don't hot rod a Ferrari because they are already hot rods as they leave the factory. As high performance engines they require frequent service. A minor service is several thousand dollars every 15,000 miles, A major service can be 5 - 10 thousand dollars and more if you have a 12 cylinder car. Every 30,000 miles. Really. 10. If you buy a Ferrari you will need another car as well. - Unless you just love riding the subway. 11. Unless you have an Enzo, someone faster is always out there, but they are not having anywhere near as much fun. - If you have never driven a Ferrari this may sound obscure. Beg, borrow or steal one and drive it right. Your life will never be the same. (end quote) | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 971 Registered: 4-2002 |
"2. Very large turning radius. " I thought that is what 1st gear and judicious use of the clutch and throttle was for....... "The Ferrari is MUCH cheaper than a wife. " Especially if you ever have to get rid of one.... | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
Intermediate Member Username: Jimpo1 Post Number: 2352 Registered: 7-2001 |
The Ferrari is MUCH cheaper than a wife. But you might have to hide what you're spending on the Ferrari, the little maintenance bills add up fast. | ||
| Charles Barton (Airbarton)
Member Username: Airbarton Post Number: 701 Registered: 11-2002 |
Dave, I always tell everyone my Ferrari is the "other woman" in my life. I can't help it but have a love affair with both! Every time I take the horse out for a little run I remember why I put up with her crap! I bet you can figure out how this relates to women! | ||
| Dave White (Dwhite)
New member Username: Dwhite Post Number: 47 Registered: 5-2003 |
Charles I agree my ferrari is like my wife some times I drive her crazy and some times I drive her wild. | ||
| Charles Barton (Airbarton)
Member Username: Airbarton Post Number: 700 Registered: 11-2002 |
I am going into my second year of ownership and all I can say is my Ferrari is much like my wife. Sometimes she drives me crazy and other times she drives me wild! One other thing, she gets mad when I don't spend money on her! | ||
| Lawrence Coppari (Lawrence)
Member Username: Lawrence Post Number: 743 Registered: 4-2002 |
I have owned a 328 for 15 years. I really like it and plan to keep it indefinitely. In my opinion, the worst things about the car are: 1. Hot winshield in summertime due to radiator blast hitting winshield making it hot on driver's side. 2. Very large turning radius. 3. Driver's feet are to the right of driver's butt. 4. Cost of parts. Best attributes: 1. Styling 2. Sound 3. Lack of mechanical problems 4. Exclusivity | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
Advanced Member Username: Countachxx Post Number: 2876 Registered: 2-2001 |
its all pretty good, When I get the bill from the mechanics I just remind myself that I am helping to put his kids through college LOL | ||
| Lee Hamner (Tennlee)
Junior Member Username: Tennlee Post Number: 174 Registered: 2-2002 |
Not sure what "bads" are, but there are none associated with Ferrari, unless you been "Hey, that car is bad!" | ||
| P. Thomas (Ferrari_fanatic)
Member Username: Ferrari_fanatic Post Number: 573 Registered: 4-2003 |
It's all good. And no I was not trying to be hip. LOL | ||
| Jay Grande (Jay)
Intermediate Member Username: Jay Post Number: 1486 Registered: 10-2001 |
Well, everything costs about $1000.00 LOL Or just move the decmal over to the right a few digits. For example a brake booster should be around $100.00 but for the Ferrari 308 just move the decimal over 1 place and you get the actuall Ferrari price of $1000.00. Never say the "F" word (Ferrari)! | ||
| John M.Pisacane (Chazferrari)
New member Username: Chazferrari Post Number: 18 Registered: 8-2003 |
~Chaz~ |