Potential TR owner thoughts...

From what I've seen, it'***** or miss with the TR regardless of the year purchased. There is always the risk of the transaxle going or belts breaking and those mishaps can easily get to $20k in a hurry. I've seen a 180,000 mile TR that was very solid and only needed one transaxle and a 5,000 mile 512tr with a snapped cam belt and bad transaxle among other things. I was very fortunate with mine to never had a major problem. Minor problems amounted to roughly $20k over 7 years. I also didn't fix everything, like the A/C, slow windows, intermittent check engine lights, etc. That would have easily added $20k if I had done EVERYTHING. Cheap to buy, expensive to own. Lack of use certainly helps keep costs down.

 

A friend of mine got his F430 stalled and never started up, the car tolled back to dealer.

When any Ferrari wants to break down,,..... it just does it anywhere, anytime.... anymodels and years. That's Ferrari..

 

Information filed ...

 

I have now owned an 87 TR for a little over a year and put 3800 miles on it. Major service was done 1000 miles prior to my purchase. It now has 45000+ miles on the odometer.

I Do:
I do drive it, often. I do drive it at speed, and in town and on 400 mile round trips between homes. I do drive it in the rain and cold. I do drive it fast and I do drive it normal. I do check the fluid levels and tire pressures often. I do keep it clean and shiny and cared for. I do let my friends and sons drive it....so they know the thrill of an F car. I do love my TR!

I Do Not:
I do not drive it like a street drag racer. I do not spin the tires. I do not get the revs up to 5000 rpms and dump the clutch. I do not have the clutch depressed when waiting at a traffic light or in traffic. I do not have problems with my TR. I do not have as many issues with my TR as I have with my 2006 Chevy or the wifes Landcruiser. I do not regret my ownership of a TR!

I think that a lot of the shortcomings and concerns that are attached to the TR are from............ 95% bad driver habits, neglect, improper maintainence, being parked in a garage and not driven, and driver "error". And 5% is just that **** happens!

But I think the pluses are.......... a fantastic car, that has great style, overall great performance (considering it's 20 year old technology), an amazing heritage and legacy in the automobile world, and finally it is a Ferrari............need anything else be stated.

My advice........you only live once and to own & drive a Ferrari is like a fountain of youth to me. I have yet to ever pull it into the garage or the parking space when going even just into town, to check the mail and do some errands, that I don't exit with a smile on my yap. I still find myself turning around and taking a look back at the TR when walking away , and shaking my head, grinning and a voice in my head saying " Wow, what a cool car!"!

Buy one, drive one, maintain one..........Ya only live once!

Kerry

 

i keep reading this about early TRs on Fchat but have yet to see it on ads... even on ebay. can someone link me to some TR ads? unless you mean $50k - $70k is affordable by the "common man".

 

What it really means is $65-70. There are 40k TR's that do or are getting ready to need 40k in work and there are 50k TR's that need 25 or 30k in work.

The really good ones that dont need anything are 65-70, sometimes a little more.

Hence the old saying "the cheapest Ferrari you can buy is the best one you can find".

 

There are not many 12-cylinder Ferraris to be had for the cost of a late 80s Testarossa. I am selling mine for lack of space, and it kills me to let it go for what I will get. For the buyer, this is a great value: $50 - $60,000 for a 12-cylinder Ferrari!

I have owned the car since 1991. It has 32,000 miles. Not a dime spent on issues. Not a dime in 16 years! I was talked into having the major done a few years ago. Waste of money. Belts looked like new. Clutch looked like new. Changed hoses, radiators, water pump, etc... all of the "...while you are there..." things.

I drive the car appropriately. As mentioned by Kerry, brains and money are proportional. Don't drive like a dragster. While the ring-gear carrier is mentioned as an Achilles heal, I have yet to see one fail in a Testarossa. I have seen one in a Boxer (Dave E.), but life is too short to walk out of the house believing that today is the day that you will slip on the ice.

Buy one, enjoy it, and take what may come. Barring catastrophic failure, you will always be able to sell it for close to what you paid for it. Consider it an "E" ticket for unlimited rides at Disneyland.

Jim S.

 

a testarossa is going to cost money whether it sits or is driven. when it sits, fuel hoses can start to leak. when it's driven stuff wears out. you have to go in with the mentality that it is a needy car, even in great condition. i had one for eight months and it was very reliable. it needed a few things here and there, some minor, some major, but it always started and never died on me.

john

 

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