How much do you know about ferrari?

I have always considered my cars as a hobby rather than a means to get from point A to point B. I started to work on cars before I could legally drive and I still enjoy working on them. My first car was a 57 Chevy two door hardtop and then I spent a lot of time restoring antique cars from the 30's up through sports cars like Corvettes, Jaguar, and a Porsche 911. I always had some mechanical ability (which helps) and have learned alot about the mechanics of cars over the years. You asked if I knew alot about my Ferrari before I bought it and I have to say I knew nothing but the basics on all cars are similar. The Ferrari is just more sophisticated and I like that challenge. If you are interested in getting a Ferrari in the future then either have some excess cash for maintenance or learn how to tinker with it yourself. A 308 would be an easier one to start with after you acquire some mechanical skills. Good luck.

 

I know enough to do simple work like changing the oil, transmission fluid, brake pads and rotors, filters, some electrical...basically enough so that a dealer can't screw me on labor costs. My stepdad taught me everything and he knows how to fix pretty much anything with moving parts.

 

Why dont you take one of those basic car maintenance courses. Then change the oil on your 'normal' car as practice. If you have NO IDEA, then leave it to the pro's. Half the fun of owning my Ferrari is working on it.

 

I forgot two of the most important things...you have one already. You need a computer unless you live near a dealer...I searched for 8 mos. before I bought an F-car. You also need it the research info and find parts. Most important is the help and advise you can get on this and other chatlines. There are always members who are willing to help when you need advise and tell you how to solve any problems you may run into. I couldn't have bought my car nor maintained it without their help.

 

Ferraritor,

I will take some time, but depending on your priorities, spend all the time you have reading repair manuals (say, for your current car), start with the easier stuff, and go from there. Whatever you do, do it SAFELY, as you can get into deadly situations if you do not pay attention to some safety principles, like, raising /jacking your car up the right way, etc. Read, read, and read. Then do. Above advice is v good as well, of course.

Joe

 

I used to think I knew a lot about cars, but then I came to Fchat. I think on a scale of 1-10 (10 being best), I am at a 3 for general knowledge about cars, and 1 for knowledge about the mechanics of cars. The only cars I really know about are Corvettes, I would give myself a 5 in that area.

 

Using Webby's scale of 1-10 id give myself a 6 on general knowledge, and a 2 in mechanics.

 

I have said this before, and its advice others here have given as well. Go out and purchase an old Alfa Romeo, preferably something 72 or earlier with carbs. Try to find one that is in real neglected condition, not running would be greatly advised. You can find these on ebay really cheap, and there are tons of parts available. Get some good service manuals on THAT particular car, and some good general mechanics books. Then go to work on it. And resist from the very beginning, any attempt to do things half a$$. Get saftey into your head as was already mentioned. There are enough hamfisted hacks out there already, the last any of us need is another one. And yes, being a hack is learned just as much as being ingrained. Refusing to read manuals until you get glassy eyed is a sure start to becoming a hack.

I do not believe anyone needs mechanical aptitude to fix a car. It helps in some cases, but it can mess you up in others as you "think" you know how soemthing goes together. And to be really honest, a 7th grade education is amost enough education to keep most people out of trouble. Its all really basic stuff once you start figuring it out. And if there is one thing I believe a guy should learn, its how hard you can turn a bolt before it snaps, or before it strips the threads. If you can put different size and different grade bolts in a vise and twist them off, or turn bolts into aluminum until you strip threads, you will start to learn "feel". And its just about the most important skill you can teach yourself. Because at its most simplest, fixing a car is all about nuts and bolts.

If you can make an old Alfa run after having the motor out and having had it spread out all over a garage in peices, a 308 will not be very difficult. Just learn to be careful and not ruin things. Or as doctors would say "first, do no harm".

 

Being raise by my mother and grandmother I didn't have someone to teach me
automechanics. I was changing tires at 8 or 10, drove our 51 Ford at 11 ~12.

First car a 47 Ford, built 3 years after I was born. Working on car was at first WORK could not afford anything that I did not HAVE to WORK ON.

I would reccomend electronic ignition and fuel injection for a first car without
to much computer and a manual transmission. This puts you into late 70's/ early 80's autos.

For parts availabilty and cost get 'detroit pig iron'.

B4 you try to make it go upgrade the brakes. This will get you familiar with system that hasn't changed much. I would NOT reccomend working on the ABS componets!

Engine- Spark plugs/wires, oil and filter, fuel filter and air filter plus EGR takes care of basic maintenance.

When your comfortable with that upgrade the gauges. Sincne your car preobably has 'idiot lights' add oil pressure and charging guages.

If you can't or find you don't like(enjoy) the work, get a BETTER job or FORGET a Ferrari or most exotics.

Just my 2 cents.

stephen

 

What I know about Ferrari is their name is spelled with a capitol "F", most employees and owners use punctuation {including apostrophes}, sentences and if you can't change the coolant in your current car, then you'll be in over your head with any Ferrari.

When I was learning the basics it was on a common car older car and if something broke it wasn't a big deal. On high end cars the technology doesn't even resemble a Toyota Camry or Pontiac Sunfire so it's a whole new ball game. Have a look through this forum and find posts about guys pulling off engine components and asking how to diagnose problems. You'll quickly realize it's a different level of car.

Also it's hard to become familiar with a specific type of car unless you spend a lot of time with it, like owning it.

 

6, are you sure? I would give myself a 7 or 8 for cars later than the 90s, but before the 90s a 1.

 

They put oil in these things?