Problems due to cars just being old?

IMO it directly depends how, and how much, the car was driven. If it was a garage queen that sat for long periods of time without being driven, that probably doesn't bode well. If was driven regularly, and maintained regularly, you probably shouldn't see any issues. My 599 is an 07 with 17000 miles and I've had absolutely no problems with seals, leaks, etc. Now, leather shrinkage, that's a different story...

 

I have exactly the same situation re the motor but so far no leather issues. My car has similar miles but it goes from one garage to another usually so its not baking in the sun when not driven...

 

550 with 18,000. never leak. kept in a/c, heat control

 

I think repairs are cheap compared to depreciation. The cars you are talking about have depreciated 150k easy. That will buy a ton of repairs even at Ferrari prices. If the repair costs worry you you probably should pick something else. Modern Ferraris are reliable but a 20k repair can happen any time.

 

550 (1999) with about 44,000 miles, no leaks anywhere, no oil consumption, just running and running like a VW Bug ;o)).

599 (2009) with about 21,000 miles, clutch wear less than 15%, the only issue to date was water pump failure this year.

Both cars are very rarely left standing in the sun. The 550 was once left in the sun for several days in a really hot summer period by the workshop (main dealer) and the result was bubbling steering wheel cover and climate control. I never returned to them. They went bankrupt some years ago ;o)).

In summary, I would say that these cars are very reliable, if properly kept.