| Author | Message | ||
| Justin Randall Kenyon (Kenyon)
New member Username: Kenyon Post Number: 40 Registered: 10-2002 |
Guys, I had just turned 30 when I bought the 348 GTS, it was my own Birthday present to myself. The girlfriend was not happy, because I had to put the wedding off another year. It took from end July till October the same year before I was sitting in my 348 Spyder. I happy really happy with Spyder more so then a GTS. Its great with hood down, hearing that engine. | ||
| Anthony_Ferrari (Anthony_ferrari)
New member Username: Anthony_ferrari Post Number: 32 Registered: 11-2002 |
Wow Justin! That's quite a story! I first drove a Ferrari on my 30th birthday (4 years ago). It was such a great experience that I thought I should write about it so I wouldn't forget. This is what I wrote: "This all happened the day after my 30th birthday. I went out on Friday night with some old friends of mine and got far too drunk and more than a little bit ill! Consequently I was feeling very rough all day on Saturday. I am a Ferrari fan. I love the road cars and the racing cars. When we were in Italy for the Grand Prix in 1998 we went to Maranello to the Ferrari factory and the Ferrari museum. It was a great pilgrimage. At this point I need to give a little more background information. Rachael & I live in a small village near Sheffield with our 2 daughters Sarah (4) and Alice (1). We are quite good friends with our neighbours John and Leslie and often go to each other�s houses for a drink or two (well maybe three!). Leslie told me that her brother-in-law owned a Ferrari F355 a few months ago. Ever since then I have been nagging her to get him to bring it over so I could see it. I knew it had been in the garage for a while because he had dropped his golf clubs on it! Leslie kept promising to ask him and then forgetting. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes, I was feeling rough! At about 5pm I heard a very loud engine. Being the sad man that I am I recognised it as a Ferrari engine. I looked out of the window and saw nothing. I went upstairs and looked out of the bedroom window and saw a red F355 parked outside our neighbour�s house. I shouted Rachael and told her to get the kids. I didn�t want to run out and drool over this guy�s car by myself so I thought I�d pretend the kids were interested in seeing it! I told Sarah to quickly put her shoes and socks on. She said she didn�t want to see a Ferrari, as she was busy watching Postman Pat. Rachael disappeared and phoned Leslie to tell her that I�d seen the car. Leslie told her brother-in-law (Dean) to leave and come back in ten minutes. I heard the engine start and grabbed Sarah. She was wearing one sock and was crying because she didn�t want to miss Postman Pat. We ran out of the house in time to see the Ferrari speed off. I glumly let Sarah go back to Pat and went back in the house. John and Leslie came round and I told Leslie how disappointed Sarah was that Dean didn�t stop to let her see his car. Leslie explained that Dean was in a rush and he had to leave. I was just about to have a beer to drown my sorrows when Rachael asked me to go outside to close the sun-roof on our car as it had started raining. I went outside and saw that the sun-roof was already closed and it wasn�t raining. I also noticed that there was a large red Ferrari F355 parked outside my house. The driver got out and asked if I was Anthony. When I told him I was he said, �My name�s Dean and this is your birthday present�. Everyone gathered around the car and we all admired it for a while (the heat coming from the engine cover and exhaust was amazing). I asked if we could go for a drive and Dean said yes. He said I would have to navigate, as he didn�t know the roads too well. I directed him down to some traffic lights and then onto a fairly wide A road which led to the next village. I loved the noise and the acceleration. When we reached the next village I suggested that it would be a good place to turn round. Dean turned the car round, put the handbrake on and asked if I wanted to drive. It was a Homer Simpson moment. One side of my brain said, �Are you insured?� the other side said �Hhmmmmmm Ferrrraaaaarrrrrii!� I said, �OK� I drove back the way we had come. I was a bit clunky on the gear-change and at one point I nearly changed down from fourth to first but Dean didn�t seem too worried. We hadn�t gone far before I caught up with a long line of traffic. When we got to the traffic lights they were green and all the cars in front of me went through. I stopped at the green lights and waited for them to go red and then back to green. I floored the throttle, dumped the clutch and screamed away from the lights. There was no noticeable wheel-spin, that�s the beauty of traction-control. I found second easily and then third. I have no idea what speed I was going in each gear as I daren�t look away from the road! I turned right and back into our village. I told Dean about a dream I had had on a couple of occasions about driving a 355 round the small country lanes that I use to get to work each day (I told you I was sad!). Dean told me to go for it, so I did! I soon caught up to and got stuck behind a Sierra. As it was impossible to pass I pulled over to the side of the road to allow myself some clear track, sorry road, ahead. Sitting there with the engine idling and rumbling behind me was awesome. The car rocks slightly from side to side every second or so. We had a bit of a chat about the car. Dean bought it a year ago from Gray Paul in Loughborough. It has never broken down. He drives it every day except when it is wet. On Monday he took it to Silverstone to blast it round the track there. That�s what a Ferrari owner should be like, not keeping the car under wraps all year except for one weekend in summer. I told Dean that I had been to the factory where his car was built and the showroom where he bought it. I then set off again. I went round two quick (third gear) left handers and then had to slam on the brakes because I had already caught up with that bloody Sierra! I wasn�t behind it for too long as it turned left off the track (road! I mean road!). I went through the next village then down an extremely steep hill. At the next village I stopped and turned round. As I have said the route I was on was a route I do every day so I know the road very well. Normally going home up the steep hill requires third gear if you�ve had a good run up and then it�s foot to the floor all the way to the top. I usually manage about 50mph. You can steer with one finger, as there are only a couple of slight bends on the road. On Saturday afternoon I went up the hill with my foot to the floor in third gear and the slight bends had become corners which had to be steered around! I must have been doing over 100mph up the hill! I soon caught up with a blue van. I went to overtake it. I got parallel with it but the road started to narrow. I didn�t want to put a wheel on the grass so I backed off. Dean was shouting for me to go for it. I stopped again and this time waited a lot longer to allow the van to get out of the way. I then had a clear run back to the house. When I got out I was shaking like a leaf. I had a can of beer and tried to calm down a bit. Dean took Rachael and then Leslie for rides and then he left. We waved him off outside the house. He must have been over half a mile away before he was out of ear-shot! All in all an unforgettable, fantastic experience. And to think I wasn�t really looking forward to my thirtieth!"   | ||
| John A. Suarez (Futureowner)
Member Username: Futureowner Post Number: 286 Registered: 3-2002 |
Justin, How long did you go in between 348s?? That must have turned your stomach for weeks!!! | ||
| Justin Randall Kenyon (Kenyon)
New member Username: Kenyon Post Number: 39 Registered: 10-2002 |
I have owned my just over a year with no problems at all. I did have a 348 GTS but only for one hour after I picked it up. I ran into the back of a Ford focus at 30 mph on the M11 motorway and its was a right off. I hit the accelerator with the brake, I have sive 14 shoes. It would have cost 25,000 pounds to repair the car by Maranello. The front end was crushed. From the front doors to rear of the car was perfect. The worst day of my life. I had been saving since I was 17 for the money for my first Ferrari. In one hour it went from the best day of my life to the worst day of my life. The car was sold at salvage for 19,000 pounds. I believe someone has repaired it and its on the road again. L227FEL was the registration. I got paid out and bought the Spyder. | ||
| Ron R (Ronr)
New member Username: Ronr Post Number: 31 Registered: 10-2002 |
Barney's right. When you're young and single is the time to take care of your man-dreams. A wife won't let you rent a house with your buddies so you can make you car/insurance payment (gotta do what ya gotta do). Otherwise, you may have to wait until your kid(s) are out of college. | ||
| Marq J Ruben (Qferrari)
Junior Member Username: Qferrari Post Number: 129 Registered: 2-2002 |
Very well put advice, Barney! How true. | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Junior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 63 Registered: 8-2002 |
Barney... i'm just wondering, as i look at your profile... ...if i get a Ferrari, will MY wife be as hot as YOURS...? | ||
| Barney Guzzo (Trinacria)
New member Username: Trinacria Post Number: 40 Registered: 8-2002 |
Fascinination since childhood. I always loved cars, Lambos, Ferrari's, Porsche, BMW, Lotus, Vector, Corvette, Cobra's, Pantera etc. It is hard to pinpoint what exactly was the defining moment that made me an enthusiast. IMO Ferrari was the most appealing, realistic, and the car by which I started to compare other cars too. Just a piece of advice here - it becomes much harder (NOT impossible , but harder) to get your dream cars after a house, marriage, children etc. unless you make a LOT of money. After school and securing a good job I suggest you consider one then - and don't ever let anyone talk you out of it. Life is way too short. Years fly by, so enjoy everyone and everything you can. | ||
| Marq J Ruben (Qferrari)
Junior Member Username: Qferrari Post Number: 128 Registered: 2-2002 |
Welcome, Massimo. Hope your drive in the 308 was the first of many enjoyable Ferrari experiences! | ||
| DES (Sickspeed)
Junior Member Username: Sickspeed Post Number: 61 Registered: 8-2002 |
Massimo, welcome... ...i hope you get your car soon... your first experience sounds awesome... | ||
| Massimiliano Frasca (Massimo)
New member Username: Massimo Post Number: 6 Registered: 11-2002 |
Hi everyone, I have recently decided to join your awesome site. I don�t own a Ferrari yet, but will after school, house, and the biggest problem the girlfriend who wants to get married. I just wanted to know what was the defining moment/experience that made you become a Ferrari enthusiast. For me, it was while riding around the beach and my cousin, must have been suffering from heat stroke :-), offered to let me drive the car (308) home. Well, it didn�t take long for me to fall in love with every aspect of the drive. Everything about it was spectacular, the sound, the smell of the toasty engine, the looks from people, and even the 110-degree heat of the cabin. That 10 minute ride made me realize what a car should be. |