Anyone have any photos of a 550 in Azzurro California?
Hope this helps..This was a car I looked at purchasing.. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
It was a great car. I test drove it before I decided to buy my Boxer instead which is the black one in the background. If I ever tire of the Boxer, this will be my next Ferrari.
Awesome! I've loved the Boxer since I was a kid. Since I'm seriously considering my first V-12 purchase in the next month or three, I am wondering what made you decide to go for the Boxer instead of the 550. I'm intrigued by a Boxer but am worried it needs too much TLC. I work abroad and am only home a week or two every three months. I think a 550 is a much more practical solution. What's your thought on this? [And apologies for hi-jacking this thread, BTW] Onno
final 550 Barchetta was Azzurro Cailf. 448/448 Not my personal photo..... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Sorry for hijacking the thread too. I decided to get the Boxer for several reasons. The first was that values for the older car were on the way up and the 550 is still depreciating, but I think close to the bottom of the price range. Secondly, I wanted a carbed car for the sound and I wanted the classic, dart shape that usually comes to mind when one thinks of Ferraris. I also chose it because it is the last 12 cylinder, 2-seater mid engined Ferrari from the era when Enzo was alive. Lastly, I like it for it's mechanical simplicity. There are no electronic gee gaws to malfunction and leave you stranded and maintanence is pretty straightforward and some can be done at home for those with mechanical experience. The 550, on the other hand is a delight to drive. It is so effortlessly easy to drive fast without even realizing it. This one in the pic had a Tubi exhaust and it sounded pretty nice. The driving experience isn't as involved as with the Boxer. The Boxer is a 30 year old car and feels it in comparasin. The controls take some effort especially at low speeds and forget about parallel parking it. It takes a while to warm up in the morning, so quick starts and drive offs are non-existant. Once it is finally warmed, it is the most exciting car I have ever driven. Driving fast isn't even half the fun. It is really a great amount of fun to muscle it around, going through the gears through the metal shift gate and the car runs better the harder you drive it, keeping in mind that is is a 30 year old car, so no smoky burnouts. I actually am considering a 550 in place of my Boxer because I like to drive my cars regularly and traffic has gotten so bad during the week that it is not as enjoyable. Low speed driving is truly exercise and the morning/afternoon commute when I take the Ferrari is becoming a real chore. I really don't want a weekend-only car. We shall see and if I decide to sell it, I will certainly post it on F-chat first.
Thanks for taking the time to reply, Jesse, it's insightful. Based on my own personal reasoning which is very much in line with yours, I'm pretty much convinced that a 550 will be the car for me, so I'm looking at potential candidates at the moment on the internet. Another two months or so of being abroad lies ahead for me and the waiting is getting to be rather difficult! I feel like I did when I was 10 and I had to save up for a trainset for a year... The 550 Barchetta shown above is also great in Azzura California. An unusual and pretty colour, no doubt about it. Onno
That's cruel treatment of an old lady. Boxers were never designed for the chores of modern traffic. Sell it to an enthusiast collector and get yourself a 550/575 for daily use before you do any damage to that wonderful vintage car.
I think you may be right. It is cruel treatment for a classy old lady. I really like driving my cars regularly (at least 2x/week) and the car is a blast to drive. It runs perfectly and is a rare bird. I really hesitate to sell it because of what is is and what it represents and the increase in value doesn't hurt either. I certainly respect it for it's historical significance in Ferrari history. On the other hand, I don't really see buying a car to sit and decorate the garage. The maintenance costs are high enough when you drive it and are about equal if you don't drive it. I'm going to test a 550 tomorrow and make a decision after researching it to the hilt like I did when I bought the Boxer. If I sell it, you all will be the first to know.
Here's a 575 SA http://ferrari-maserati-houston.ebizautos.com/detail-2005-ferrari-superamerica-f1-ferrari_maserati_of_houston-943292.html
