I wanted to buy a Ferrari

You came to the right place.

My advice would be to make a big mug of coffee and use the search feature on this forum (located top left).
You will find much discussion and may posts about each model and it's comparison to others/weaknesses/strengths etc.

The overwhelming thing I would say if you are an enthusiast is to do your reasearch so you know which car you want. Then go look for the car and drive it to make sure you like it.

Finally make sure you do a PPI (private party inspection) by a reputable dealer or mechanic, as this will let you sleep at night. (search command for PPI will reveal lots of places).

You will love your Ferrari and they need more care and attention than Porsches/Mercs but if you tend to their needs the rewards are immense.

 

You have to get a Ferrari (a used one would be easier to get at first) if only to get it "out of your system".
After a relatively short time you will know exactly if the "experience" suits you or not.
Then ,either you will go back to "normal cars" (like Porsches ,MBs etc) or you will catch the "Bug" and stick with your new and expensive hobby.
Good luck!

 

Read the other two posts above again..................

 

+1, Extremely well put!

 

You might also want to come out to a couple of the big Socal events held every weekend. Cars & Coffee or Supercar Sunday. There are links to both of these events in the Socal section here on Fchat. Best of luck.

 

You'll need to establish a budget first, then look around to see what you can get with that budget. You can buy some Ferraris for less than 30k, and others will coast 15M, so as you can see, there is a substantial choice. I assume you want a late model car, so your choice is the 430, 360, or 355 for the V8s, or the 550, 575, or 599 for the V12s. A good 355 can be had (coupe) for 60k, the 360s start at 100k, you can buy a 430 for 215 on up. The 550s can be had for less than 100k, the 575 for 140k, the 599 will cost you over 300k.

I'd research this site, go down to the closest dealer, check the cars out, sit in them, decide which one you'd like to have, and get the Ferrari Market Letter, and take a look at the ads (you can also look here in the FerrariAds, and may indeed find something you'd like).

Hope this helps.

Art

 

The unvarnished truth? If you have to choose one car, it is a challenge. I owned several Porsche's and finally got "tired" of driving a Porsche. The cars were excellent, I changed. I drive a Z-06, faster than a Ferrari 430, but "crude" and noisy; a hot rod. I drive a SL 55, fun to feel the punch from the supercharger, but after that, a pretty heavy car with no real excitement. I own a Bentley GT, a great "cruiser" giving you a sense of power and status, but difficult to do a four wheel drift. I have other cars, but I hope you get my point. When I had one garage space left, I drove the Aston Martin, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche GT's, etc, and ultimately chose the Ferrari 430. However, as much as I enjoy the Ferrari, it is still a "car". Yes, it is beautiful imo, has cache and a marque that sends chills through many, and of course the "status", but, at the end of the day, it is still just a car. A car will not make you happy, so find one that brings you pleasure. I happen to like the Ferrari and so do the people on this forum, but thats just us. Best

 

Very well put!!!

Go for the F430 but don't expect a miracle

 

Getting my first F Car tomm, sold my CL63 last week and I don't miss it a bit.

 

I have a bunch of cars too, but the Ferrari makes me smile everytime I look at it.

 

Anyone else say Pre-Purchase inspection rather than private party inspection?

 

Pre-Purchase Inspection would be correct as they are recommended prior to both private and dealer purchases.

 

+2 on the term 'pre-purchase'


Simply asking "I've heard good things, what should I buy" why don't you do a little research on the models? I found doing a very simply wiki search of the models available was a very good (quick) lesson on what Ferrari made.

Not doing so comes across as at least a little lazy. I've also heard good things about Toyotas... maybe you should buy one of those!?! You see my point?
Sorry to be so blunt, but many folks on this site have long dreamed of owning this make and to just waltz in and say 'I want one, tell me which one' seems a little light in the research department.

My .02

 

I really gotta agree with you here. I knew every aspect of the 430 prior to buying it. Then again I'm a car fanatic. I have dreamed since I was 8 yrs old of owning a mid engined Ferrari. A lot of people buy Ferrari' for what I may feel is the wrong reason, but it's their money. I put an average of 1200 miles a month on my 430 and I can bet that many guys with 430's put that many miles on in 6 months. Anyway, I have the flu and Im just pissed that Im not driving the damn thing!!!

 

I hope you do not go thru wives like you do cars. That could get really expensive

 

All the advice here has been spot on. I would say if you want an easy answer then you can't go wrong with a 430. IMHO extremely well built and engineered, modern, fun, tactile, etc. You will have to come to terms with the fact that you will probably not be able to order a new one to your spec- it doesnt work that way with Ferraris- not usually- maybe you do find the one exception- but thats what it would be- an exception. Youll have to find a dealer you like and buy a preowned car. Do a search on the whole buying a Ferrari experience. Its different from the other brands and while it no doubt infuriates a lot of people, if you like driving and cars, I think youll decide its not such a big deal.

best regards,
Jerry

 

Here is a decent deal:http://lfsc.com/dynamic/index.php?option=com_adsmanager&page=show_ad&adid=140&catid=1&Itemid=0

 

Wow, you are just like me, If you look on my profile and see my list of previous owned cars which include a 2008 S63 you will see what I mean.
So here is my story: I had a 1999 360 and I loved it. I thought I wanted more luxury gizmos, and bells and whistles included with my sports car, so I thought the answer was an SL55, as much as I loved it, I missed the true sports car feel of the Ferrari and I went back and got a Ferrari, I will never make that mistake again.
I have learned that no one car can do everything well (jack of all trades master of none) So my answer is - I have a Ferrari for sport, a Bentley GT for touring and luxury and an SUV for bad weather and to tote my 3 year old in. I think I am all set. Although I am considering trading the Bentley for the Maserati Gran Turismo. That's gonna be a tough decision. Good luck in your search.

 

Wow, well put, we have the same tastes in cars. I too own a Bentley GT and a Ferrari F430, I got rid of my SL 55 about 8 months ago. BUT SORRY, THE Z06 IS A DIFFERANT LEAGUE. IT MAY BE A LITTLE FASTER THAN AN F430 BUT LIGHT YEARS BEHIND IN ALL OTHER CATEGORIES IMO. JUST MY OPINION, BUT TO ME IT SHOULDN'T EVEN BE IN THE SAME BREATH AS A FERRARI, PORSCHE, OR MERC. AND YES, I HAVE OWNED THEM ALL.

 

If you are selling the mercedes or the porsche and buying a ferrari well do not buy anything older than a 360. anything older than that and you will be dissapointed with the build quality. even the new ferraris do not feel as well built as a porsche or mercedes. This is my opinion and i talk from experience. I own both the ferrari and mercedes as well as other german cars. I have also owned a 996 twin turbo and i can vouch for it's carved out of rock build quality. but i do have to add that there is something addictive about ferrari, and i don't know quite what. Is it the noise, the look? Is it the way you automatically become more attractive when you drive one? is it the prestige and respect you get? who knows. when the time comes to upgrade my current one it will most probably be for another ferrari.

 

I have 599 and SL65 as alternate daily drivers and I disagree a bit with the above post.
SL's fit and finish does not even compare with the Ferrari's,it looks and feels and smells cheap and subpar next to it's Italian counterpart.

 

+1
Mercedes build quality? I have owned too many Mercedes to mention and I will tell you this, the leather is not as top quality as they say, and most of their cars only have leather seat surfaces not leather everywhere like a Ferrari. And Mercedes are famous for mysterious rattles. And yes, a Porsche may have an engine and other components that you can't kill but the interior quality does not compare to a Ferrari either. IMHO

 

I agree guys. Keep in mind the relative difference in MSRP between most others and Ferraris but IMHO Ferrari is at the top of the game in terms of engineering and product quality.

Walt,
Heres an interesting spider:

http://inventory.fwash.com/car/site/site.php?view=pur-information-f&context=inventory__1&vid=323#

I do not know any dealers out on the west coast. I would ask your friend with the F430 where he got his.

best regards,
Jerry