Testarossa Dreaming - realistic maintenance budget

That sounds about right. Assuming you believe in the 5 year routine engine out schedule and you plan on getting the work done rather than doing it yourself, then plan for about $5-$6K or $1k/year on a major alone. I say alone because you still need to consider fluid changes every year ($700 at a dealer) but I'm sure you can handle this one. Also note that if you live in a cold weather climate where driving a car like this is seasonal, try and get your service done during the off peak period. Could save you a few grand here.
Now if you decide to take on the major service and have the tools and knowhow, then it can be as low as $300/year. Good luck
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The engine is probably amongst the most robust around. I have yet to hear of an engine blown so I'm sure it's not the weak link. You will however hear a lot about differentials blowing which will set you back about $25k. Preemptively upgrading it will set you back about $5k but it's a one off cost.

As for driving one first, unless you are amongst the very few that do blow the engine and on your first drive, then you'll be immediately sold.

 

As stated the engine is usually not the weak link. Not too long ago if you blew the engine you'd just sell it, cut your losses and buy another. Now with prices on the rise owners will have to bite that bullet. But again, not really something to lose sleep over. Look into the diff upgrade, find something with up to date service or one that needs it and have it done under your supervision and enjoy.

 

You should definitely drive one to make sure it's what you are looking for. It's a GT car, so not as tossable. If you do continue down the path, Rifledriver, who just moved to Austin can probably set you straight since he has been working on these cars since their introduction and owns one himself if I recall.

Budget 10K for the major every 5 year. 1K for every year(oil, fluids, brakes, A/C, misc).

Good luck.

 

The main key is buying the best car upfront to avoid any real nasty surprises.

I would not be concerned about mileage , as you mention mileage between 15-20, I would focus on the service history and ownership of the car first, then condition , then mileage.

Long ownership tells you the car was most likely cared for, time not used as a Saturday special, and someone maybe had a vested interest in changing the oil that's were service records come in .... The more detailed, the better.

These cars are old enough where mileage has really become secondary, and condition and history is more important, unless you buy a bubble wrapped car with under 5,000miles.

Good luck in your search - these cars are awesome to own and drive, and really not that expensive for what you are getting, just have fun shopping and go see in person 4-6 cars to really compare with your own EYES....not Internet pictures.

 

If you happen to drive one with louder than stock muffler You will love the sound.


Ago

 

If you are comfortable turning a wrench, your budget is more than enough. TR's are nothing magical and are very easy to work on. Parts can be spendy but there is a a sticky thread that lists where to get OEM parts at non 'Yellow box' prices.

I think you will find the the TR maintenance costs are less than the M3. A well sorted car will give you years of joy. The flat 12 is a very reliable powerplant.

 

I think the most important thing is the experience to own a Testarossa.
Maintenance and what could go wrong shouldn't matter as you will be having a really nice swing in life.
Keep post it about your plans.

 

If your going from a 997 turbo to a TR, prepare to be really disappointed. Sorry to say, the TR drives like an old truck, and will feel slower then a snail compaired to what you are used to.

You are going to be seriously down grading performance wise, and upgrading cost wise. Your BMW will make a TR look really silly let alone the 997. Don't get caught up in the hype.

Just my humble opinion. Worth what you paid for it..

 

+1000000

I just bought one recently from a dealer sight unseen (long story, don't ask ), only being told it needed a "major", so I put aside $10K and had it shipped directly to my dealer. 2 months later I am close to $30K in repair bills and counting, but in the end I will have a well sorted car. Due to their age, mileage isn't the only concern one should have. I could write a book on what to expect from a somewhat neglected TR. With that said, they are so worth it

 

IMHO you should budget about $2-$4 per mile in standard service costs. This number does not include odd things that may go wrong I.e. Like a radiator hose in which you might have to take the underside panels off. Depending on year of car those panels are held on with some 200 pop rivets that must be drilled out individually, I have personally seen this done. And there can be other hidden costs. Any Ferrari repair will cost more than a Porsche repair.

I also agree with the previous poster regarding the '80's /'90's Ferrari technology vs the 2000's Porsche technology. The 997 put out more horse power and will get that power the the wheels better.

With all that said there is little better than owning and driving one of Ferraris big boys! There is no Porsche sound like the flat twelve in the Testarossa.

 

Scaledetails story shouldnt put you off. A good PPI will weed out the lipstick pigs.

I have owned a bunch of 911's. The Pcar is a beautiful woman who all your friends admire. The TR is a super model who after meeting her, your friends go home and spit on their wives.

 

Wow! You`ve got a 5-10k budget over 3-5 years and could take a 25k hit if something went really wrong?

If you can`t afford to run a Testarossa, no one can!


I`ve got a fraction of that budget and I`m having the time of my life with my Testarossa.

Sure I do my own maintenance but even if I trippled what it`s cost me to allow for labour, it would be nothing like that amount - and that`s buying a high miles car that needed a service.

Obviously there are no guarantees, you can`t plan for everything - but unless you buy a brand new car with a warranty then the same goes for any car.

There`s no set rules that an old Italian supercar car has to break you - and definitely no reason why a Testarossa is more likely to break you than most other old Ferrari, Lamborghini or Maserati models.

It`s engine out to do the cambelts every 5-7 years for peace of mind - and some cars have had broken diffs - but you have to counter balance that with the fact that unlike a lot of other old Italian cars, there`s no sodium exhuast valves to break and no cam chain tensioners to gradually wind up the tension over the years until the chain snaps!

Also taking the engine out of a Testarossa is nothing like the big deal it is on just about any other Supercar either as it was made for ease of removal purely for servicing - so if you are charged an absolute fortune for it to be done then you are getting ripped off.


I`m sure anyone with half a brain knows it isn`t going to perform like a 997 Turbo - just the same as a Countach isn`t going to perform like a ZO6 Corvette - but people don`t buy these old Flagship supercars for that anymore - they buy them for the driving experience and character that no modern car can mimic.


I know I shouldn`t make it sound like such a light decision - but come on in, life`s too short!

Buy one and if you love it great, you`ve got one of your dream cars. If you don`t like it, just sell it. If you bought well in the first place you probably won`t loose a thing - and may even make a bit - but even if you lost 5k isn`t it worth it to find out for yourself rather than wondering the rest of your life ?


I bought mine 3 years ago and had nothing like your budget. As I said doing the work myself makes up for a lot of that - but since doing the engine out service the only thing that has gone wrong in 3 years is a temp sender anyway, so it wouldn`t have cost anymore even if I was paying someone else at this stage.

Even if I had some kind of massive 25k failure I would still have less in it than it would cost me to buy even the scruffiest example now.


Sure have a drive to make sure you don`t really hate it - but other than that with your budget if you really want one, I can`t see any reason not to get one!


Dom.

 

Howie,

What you said might be true, But the passion and satisfaction you get from a 12 cyl. Ferrari doesn't compare to the German. Yes the Italians are different but if you owned a 12cyl. Ferrari you would understand. I have a louder exhaust on my TR. I'm tempted to remove the small muffler and run straight exhaust. The German might be more practical but it seems you don't own a Ferrari. There can be some expensive costs to owning German also.
The TR can be maintained buy an average mechanic if he his patient and into the car.


Ago

 

My two cents, and something to keep in mind in forums like these, is that there is a lot of guys with a lot of different meanings of 'maintain'. For example. Some have detailing shops wash their cars and then rub them dry with diapers. Others turn on the hose and use a sponge with Dawn. Similar result, much different cost.



For me, I budget a belt svc every 5-7 years (as opposed to others 3-5 years) and use modern, cheaper repair parts (for example, fuel injection hose from AutoZone to repair a fuel leak instead of the braided OEM fuel line from Ferrari). Same result, much different price.

 

A 997 turbo is a new car .... Put that against a 458 and Nissan GTR, but you still need to look at the GTR unfortunately compare apples with applies.

Compare years of cars if you are looking at classics, the Testarossa is a great driving car, and the 12 cyl is nothing short of spectacular for what it was in the day, no different than what a Daytona was, or a 250 gto back in the day.

A couple of cars were making out 180 mile an hour mark with the ease and comfort the Testarossa was back in 1984/1985 which was 30yrs ago.

For the OP - comparing a bmw M3 or 997 turbo into a Testarossa for driving the same you are comparing the wrong cars.

Good luck in your search if you make the move, buying the right car is key to enjoying ownership, service is not expensive, and this myth of 5 yr belts is another long saga that's nonesense. These cars were built well for the time, and the tranny and engine and body are bullet proof if cared for like an exotic rather than a DD.

As I've said before - Testarossa owners on this forum have now made this OP change his mind because of the nonesense of a select few.

High five to you guys for scaring another guy ! That will help you guys sell your cars for more money soon enough if you keep that up.

 

i 'm sure nobody would buy a TR for performance or daily drive

 

Well I hope we haven`t put you off!

The Testarossa is such an emotional car that it does divide people down the middle - and people are going to be strongly oppinionated on the car.

Also owners` experiences are different so it`s hard to tell the basic facts from the hype - but I hope you have got some useful insight so far.

The important thing if you decide is to buy the right car and not get carried away by that emotion!

I`ll admit I did just jump in 3 years ago - I literally thought "OMG there`s a Testarossa I can actually afford to buy" - and bought it!

For me it turned out great - and tbh if I hadn`t of I wouldn`t have been able to afford one at their current price level - so even taking a massive gamble it can turn out ok - but I wouldn`t advise that to anyone ofc.

It sounds like you are in a different position though and have the budget to be able to go in with your eyes open and be 99% sure you`re picking the right car to start with.

I bet a Gallardo is a fantastic car - and very different to your other cars - but it`s still modern and a different thing altogether to an old 12 Cyl mid engined supercar. I think at the current values anyone could sell their Testarossa and get a decent Gallardo (over here in the UK they could at least) - but there`s obviously a reason why many of us don`t.

Whether it`s beacause they just want something different, something they can work on themselves, the special character it has, the unique looks, possible investment potential or just because it was on the poster on their wall - everyone has their own reasons.

If you are keeping the BMW and Porsche - then adding an old school 80`s Testarossa will mean you have the best of all worlds and at least have something about as different to the others as you can get for your money!

Have fun looking!

Dom.

 

I didn't mean to put you off with my TR's bills, but let's be real. The Testarossa is the most expensive Ferrari to maintain, period. Anyone here that says it isn't is simply in denial, or hasn't had one long enough.
I have owned 5 Testarossas, and yes, they can be expensive to own, but well worth the admission price. If you don't pay up front for the perfect sorted car, you will afterwards, it's all the same. The upside is it is a "supermodel" compared to a 997 Turbo, which I just sold (2008 997TT) to get this Testarossa a few months ago. No comparison, I'll keep my TR
My point is pay now or pay later, and it will be very rewarding either way.
Good luck, I hope you find one soon.

 

I don't have a TR BUT I have a similar maintenance intensive car. The plan by which you start with a $10k maintenance fund and add $5k to it each year is VERY sound.

Yes, cars like this WILL have a 5 figure service. The only questions are when and how many.

So how do you justify this? Easy look at depreciation. Your M3 was what, $75k new? Five years later it is a $45k car. 997 Turbo? Stickered for $180k for a 2011 Turbo S that can now be had for $110k

I'd rather have a car that didn't depreciate that I spend money on to keep it nice.

So IF this is your dream, don't sell yourself short and buy yet ANOTHER depreciating wonder like a Gallardo.