Reliability/Service of modern ferraris (Help!)

Hi guys
I am relatively new to this board (this is my first post!), and usually spend my time on the board reding about various things. Like everyone else here, I share a love of beautiful, fast, and exotic machinery from italy/europe.

I have really been trying to learn more about the ownership side/aspect of modern ferraris, i.e 355, 360, F430, 550, 575M, 612, 599, as well as Lamborghinis. Costs for servicing/maintenance, what to watch out for if buying used, warranty coverage, typical cost to replace clutch, belts, etc...

From various different sources I have learned small pieces of the ownership experience, but I really want to get a much clearer picture of things.

If someone can either point me out on literature that I can refer, a specific person they know that I could talk with, or a website etc... it would be fantastic.

I know that there are alot of people on Ferrarichat that are very knowledgable. Any help would be really much appreciated, thank you in advance for any direction you may be able to point me in.

Brett

 

Asking a Ferrari to be reliable is like expecting your super-model wife to iron your clothes and bring you breakfast in bed each morning.


That's not why you marry either one.

 

I think you found a website that will do what you need. Now I would suggest reading about the stuff your interested in. Looks like you'll be here a while, that's quite a list! I am suprised the folks with "search button" graphics haven't trampled through yet.

 

Awesome analogy!

 

Ferrari + Reliable = Oxymoron !

Seriously, you need to decide if you want an 8 or 12 first (ok Dino owners)
Next Step = PURCHASE Price Range.
Budget a few $K annually for Maintenance & Inexpensive Parts (lol).
Then go to the appropriate Sub-Forum,read,search & ask Questions; no such thing as a Dumb one.

Most Importantly : Have Fun !!!

 

Believe me, I don't expect reliability to be on par with other cars. I just want to get a good idea of what to expect from the ownership experience outside of driving and enjoying the car.

Things such as what isn't going to be covered and be costly under warranty (clutch, belt service?), a regular service visit, parts

Also, if anyone from the philadelphia area is reading this, are there any independent service shops for a Ferrari? Or is Algar the only place to go?

Thanks again for your advice

Brett

 

I expected my 550 and 575 Maranellos to be totally reliable. I had no issues. The same is true for my Enzo. It should run every day just as my Expedition.

aehaas

 

I'm with J Salmon on this one- you are asking for too much information. Clearly shows that you do not know what you want, but expect F-chat to respond to your very open ended questions. You need to narrow your focus, then ask questions, If you do that , after using the search feature, I'm sure you will get intelligent responses. Seriously, ask an intelligent question and you will receive an intelligent answer.

 

You are looking for information on "modern" Ferraris from 355's-599's plus Lambo's. Clearly shows you are not focused.

 

Wise Chinese Monk once said..............
"Ferrari and reliability should NEVER be used in the same sentence. NEVER!"
Now run along little grasshopper.

 

Ferrari reliability is directly proportional to Ferrari maintenance. (just like with most cars)

 

Absloutely.

Reliability is a function of the owners and mechanics care. I have had many clients that used their car as a daily driver with the same or better in service record as any other car.

 

+1! That's a fact!

-Peter (drive mine EVERY day, no problems)

 

Ferrari engines have almost always been reliable...it is usually the electrical systems and accessories that give the most problems...at least in the 6 I have owned...

 

My Ferrari (and Maserati) are quite reliable. I have a standing appointment with my mechanic. Every two months (religiously) one or both cars are in for service. (you may want to factor upkeep and maintenance into the price of ownership).

 

Whoa! I completely missed the part about you getting an Enzo! Congrats! Can I come visit?

Birdman

 

I think there's a great question here: If I buy a sub 5000 mile 2 year old 430, that has had the regular services on time, how "reliable" will it be? If it was a Honda, I'd expect perfect operation for at least a few years. Is this too much to expect from an almost new Ferrari? What are the odds that if I drive it 2-3 times a week with "normal" driving i.e. not all rush hour and not all at 150 MPH, that the car will not beak down on me or develop a serious issue that needs repairs?

I really have NO idea myself. My Lotus is 100% trouble free between breakdowns... ;>)

Ken

 

The survey results I collected (that are relevant) suggest general satisfaction with Used Feraris:

The survey is here for anybody interested in completing it who hasn't already.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=658092990515

(to date the sample is just over 300 individuals, of which over 200 are from Fchat)

Q: "When you ACTUALLY TOOK OWNERSHIP of your most recent used Ferrari, what was your view of the ACTUAL condition of the car, compared with the EXPECTED CONDITION prior to purchase?"

Better than Expected
19.3%
A Little Better than Expected
11.7%
As Expected
49.8%
A Little Worse than Expected
13.0%
Worse than Expected
4.0%
(blank)
2.2%
Grand Total
100.0%

Q:"Have you made a claim on the warranty?" (ONLY THOSE PEOPLE WHO HAD A WARRANTY)

No
65.0%
Yes once
15.0%
Yes - more than once
20.0%
Grand Total
100.0%

 

What stuff is actually covered under the current 2 year warranties? How much is regular maintenance on a 360, for example, going to be? Does anyone know of any good independent shops in the philadelphia/delaware valley area?

I remember hearing the difficulty in servicing a 355, the engine has to be raised out to perform certain servicing tasks?

 

Brett, I've found my Ferraris to be pretty reliable. I put 75000 on a 512TR before I sold it and it never, ever let me down. Maintenance was expensive, particularly the major as the engine had to be lifted out of the car to do it. I had three different 308s, two with over 100K miles on them before I sold them. Again, no major problems. I used a 288 GTO as a daily driver for a while and still have it. It doesn't get driven as much as I have other Ferraris to drive, but it is still my favorite Ferrari to drive. Once I got it running properly after purchasing it years ago, it's been very reliable. But, it is also the most expensive to keep going. The older cars I have, while not of interest for you, have also proven to be reliable once they are properly set up.

There are lots of articles out there on these cars. A first start could be Mike Sheehan's articles on these cars in the last couple of issues of Forza Magazine. That will give you a decent overview on the maintenance issues.

Steve

 

thanks Steve, I'll take a look...

I was still curious about servicing the car at an f-dealer or independent. Is it a safe assumption that F-dealers will charge considerably more money?

 

The dealer will charge more because they have more overhead to support. The dealer has certified mechanics that have been trainined and maintain that training, thus the cost is higher.

Independents are fine as well. Any mechanic is only as good as they wish to be. Some pride themselves while other may not.

If you find a good mechanic and are happy with the service, it makes no difference who they work for. They will work for you when they work on your car. When in doubt, the dealer is probably a more sure bet that the service will be good and complete.

 

As others have said, I think you need to figure what floats your boat and then go from there. An F355 is a very cool car, but it's also 10 or so years old - different animal than the 360/F430. Then you've got mid-engined V8s (the hardcore sports cars) and front-engined V12s (grand tourers). Lambo is a different car company since Audi took it over, so I think you'll find huge differences between the crude old Countach/Jalpa era and the German-influenced Gallardo/Murcielago.

In my case, I wanted a pure two-seater with a raw feel, manual gearbox, mid-engined, for pleasure use only (i.e., I already have a grocery-getter that can sit in airport parking lots and do the chores).

The ones that really tugged at my heart were the 328, F355 and 550 (loveliest front-engined GT since the Daytona). My budget was high five-figures, so the 550 was out, and some of expensive maintenance/repair issues on the F355 bothered me. A 328 came up for sale in my all-time favorite color and I bought it. Still the biggest thrill of my automotive life everytime I take a drive.

Unless you're buying a very new Ferrari, I'd say find a great independent in your area before you buy the car. The advice I've gotten from guys like Bobileff and Eugenio (in southern CA), plus this site, has made my ownership experience great.

With regard to reliability, my '87 has been stellar. The key, as others have said, is to keep up with maintenance and catch problems early - like a weak coolant hose ($9) that could have failed and stranded me if I hadn't had my mechanic check out a tiny leak and go over the cooling system.

 

I've owned two older ones, neither one has ever flat out failed.
Neither one has ever left me anywhere I didn't want to be.
Can't say that they are totally trouble free but like some else mentioned.
Once you over them and get them set up they really aren't all that much of a
problem.