tr or 550 ?

TR of course. actually 512TR.. but don't let my TR hear that. JMO

R

p.s. welcome aboard. This is a great site with alot of great people.

 

big b

Those two cars are vastly different beasts with very different driving characteristics. One a classic mid-engine the other a modern front engine. I would suggest test driving both if possible and then go after the model that suits you best.

Good luck in search.

 

B,
I have not really been monitoring the 550 market,but is it possible to buy one for 70K? My guess is for that price you would be buying a salvage title car or at the very least a nightmare car.
My understanding of the 550's is that they are very difficult to service and when the "little things" that can fail on European cars go bad on the 550's is it quite expensive to repair due to the complexities of the cars construction.
On the other hand, the TR was built with a simple somewhat old-school approach.About the most complicated system in the whole car is a rudimentary climate control for the cockpit.The rest of the car is very "basic" which should translate to "reliable".This is not to say less exciting than the 550.
There are alot of TR's on the market right now.Several on this website(including my car which is for sale)and there are always lots on EBAY.Try to buy one with low miles and complete proveable maint. history becasue some examples of these TR's were seriously abused('ala Miami Vice style burn-outs).
Maybe there are some members out there that have owned examples of both cars and could offer more info?Good luck in your search.
-raptr

 

550 is probably better everyday GT car and better daily driver

TR is much more exotic

drive both and figure out which one you prefer

 

This comparison was done to death in a recent thread. Use the search function for more info.

Quick comments: cars are incomparable, go and drive them see which you prefer. Do some proper research - the amounts of money you are mentioning make me worried. IMHO you need to budget 80k for a Testarossa - 70k to buy a good car, 10k to deal with any eventualities. For a good 550, you need to budget at least 100k: 90k (but preferably more) for a decent car, 10k for eventualities again. You may not need the 10k but would you like to have a Ferrari and not be able to drive it.

I'd say wait another year. Do some research, take your time, find out what these things cost to run. Don't buy the best you can afford, make sure you can afford the best. If you can't afford the best, then save up or change models. The best 308 will give you much more pleasure than an average TR.

Best of luck,


Onno

 

+1 I agree

 

Onno,
Your estimates for the 550's is closer to my understanding of the cars and I'd like to agree with your values for the TR's but lately in the USA the TR prices have been low.It's a good time to buy a TR here and I'm not sure waiting a year will save the lad any money although I agree that he needs to have a clear idea of what it is that he wants to own and that could take some time.
I don't want to come across as argumentative but I'll have to dissagree with your opion that a good 308 will provide more pleasure than a less than good TR.(of course if we're talking about a total peice of crap,junked-out TR then I suppose that you could be correct).I like 308's,they are beautiful and they have a good balance of handling,power and weight.I have driven three over the years and I have a friend than still has one and I've driven his too but they are gutless.There is no thrilling sensation of torque or power as you drive one.I don't mean "beating on the car" or slamming the throttle to the floor all the time.I'm just saying that when you "roll on the throttle" progressively in a TR you feel it mash you back in the seat and you know you are driving an exciting automobile.You are not going to experience that in a 308,unless you are going down a steep hill with the wind at your back.I know,I know horsepower isn't everything but if you had the choice....?
Another thing about the 308 is that if you are over six feet tall it will not fit you very well.I'm six feet two and me driving a 308 is not a pretty picture!! My legs all bunched-up banging alternately on the dash,shifter,steering wheel,my arms streched all the way out to reach the wheel and my neck bent over with my head mashed firmly into the roof(!!!),whereas the TR's were made for larger human beings and I suspect the 550 also is more accommodating.Perhaps a good starting point for this new buyer would be to actually sit in these cars to see just how they fit.

best wishes to all-raptr

 

The point would be for HIM to save, not specifically wait for the market to go down.

I am thinking you've driven injection 308's, and American ones at that. A good early European 308 is far from gutless, and it has no problem following your TR up the mountain. They are much quicker than you think - light, agile, and easy to drive. Straightline, that's another story. But what would you rather have: a perfect car that hardly ever moans and gives you driving pleasure or a flat-12 beast that gives you bill after bill.... that was my point. They can be a bit difficult for taller people - I'm six foot one but have no problems. If you're 6 foot 4 you fit in a 308GT4 without much hassle, as F-chatter Hans proves day after day.

As for TR pricing in the States, that is not my speciality and I'm happy to accept they're cheaper than I thought.


Onno

 

WITH THE PRICE YOU HAVE IN YOUR CURRENT BUDGET.. THE CHOICE IS CLEAR ITS THE TR... I DO NOT THINK YOU CAN BUY A 550 FOR $70,000 UNLESS THE CAR HAS ISSUES...I DO NO THINK THE MARKET TO BOTTOM DOWN ANY FURTHER ON THE
TR... WAITING ANOTHER FEW MONTHS OR YEAR WILL BE MUCH OF A BENEFIT TO YOU... BUY THE TR DRIVE IT.IF YOU DO NOT LIKE IT SELL IT AND BUY A 550.. MY ADVISE TO YOU....
JOHN

 

Based on your budget, you should be able to find a nice TR and have some money left over for maintenance, but- you will not a decent 550 for $70K. $85K maybe.... but it would probably be a '97 or a Euro and still need some work.

My friend's son recently bought a very nice, clean well cared for '88.5 TR with Tubi, great stereo, etc... for $50K. Granted, it will need a major engine service in a year or so, but still a very good deal.

 

Onno,
You are correct,most of my 308 experiences have been injected.I did drive a GT4(carb.)in the early 1980's but that was so long ago I can't comment definitively on the performance.I do however distinctly recall the driving positions in the 308 GTB's(very clearly remember),maybe I'm six foot two and one half.The injected cars were a bore,although for sure they are agile more so than the TR and possibly--in a different way than TR--equaly fun to drive.You have rightly pointed out that traversing a mountain road with sharp cut-backs would probably favor the 308,however where I live(Michigan)we don't have any mountains so I don't need a car for that purpose.At best we have high speed sweepers with some random elevation changes.Someday I hope to experience an "early European 308".We don't see them too often in the states and if we did I expect they'd be expensive.
It's true that I have only had my TR for about 2.5 years but I have never had to put a penny into it other that oil/filter changes.I have a friend that owned one for 10 years(which he bought brand new) and never had any problems,just normal fluid changes and belt service.I'm not sure I agree with your opinion that TR's require constant maint. costs as it conflicts with my experiences.
best to all-raptr

 

Dear raptr, you're misunderstanding me. I'm comparing a $40K 308 with a $40K TR. A good TR is not that expensive to run. All I am saying is - if you don't have the cash to go for a good one, rather switch to another model from which you can buy a good one.

Hope this clears it up!


Onno

 

550 dropped like a rock in Europe and you can find nice cars for just little money over comparable TR and usually slightly cheaper than 512 TRs
i am not sayng is the same thing in the US!

i always liked both design but the TR looks better to me, expecially the 512 TR that is also as fast as a 550
and i would also bet the 512 TR is the best investment in long term

so i would save some and buy a good 512 TR

 

I hope you understand there is a BIG difference between being able to buy a TR/550 and being able to AFFORD one.
If you don't have the money for PROBABLE maintenance lying around, I would not buy either.

This isn't like fixing a Ford.

 

Emilio,
I'm curious,why did the 550 drop like a rock?They seem like very nice cars but I have never owned one.

Onno,
Sorry for being so slow to understand your point and thanks for clarifying.Yes,I too would be very,very scared of a $40K TR.

good weekend to all-raptr

 

I would go with a 512 TR. It's a great car and I believe the value will increase.

 

They are awesome! But for most people that want to buy a Ferrari, they only buy 1. When they do, they often want to make a statement with it and/or they want a sporty model. The 550 is just too subtle for most people, so, as with any Ferrari V12 GT, they drop sharply after purchase. I disagree that they've dropped like a rock in Europe, though, I've lost about 15% on mine since last year.


Onno

 

hi
do not get me wrong
they are very nice cars and very usable to!

a friend that owned some 15 Ferraris!! (and including an F40...) and that loves to drive fast ( he races in vintage rallies since years and now with a feather weight over 220hp RWD escort :-o) had one and simply LOVED it

he said how you can use it daily and decide to use it satisfactory as a nice tourer for some long distance trip or drive it as a bad boy just depending on your mood

he said he liked it on the road much more than the F40! :-o

this said JazzyO is right: people mostly buy one Ferrari and want one "sporty" mid engine car (add to this the 550 was produced in quite big numbers so there is a good number of cars available)
this is the reason this big front engine V12 is so cheap now: many cars and not so much demand!
a 360 (the "typical" sport Ferrari that the average Joe lusts for... ) is pretty more expensive than a 550, even if there are more 360s built, they are no V12, they are not faster and they do not look as good as the 550 imo!

 

may be not as a rock but sure these cars are not holding good at 15% in one year
your 365 is much better in this way!

i remember 550s too be 100k euro car just 2-3 years ago (not to mention stickers...) and now i see many with 60-75k euro asking prices in Italy (that would also makes this car a very good value for money)

 

Errrrm.... 100k to 75k in 2 - 3 years is 10% a year....

Mine will sell for 90k in Holland, having bought it for 105 last year.


Onno

 

true, but do it with the 60k euro one

 

The only real comparison to a 550 would be a 512TR. Both are stunning cars and performance figures are in the same league. Also, the prices in Holland are in the same category (very nice, well maintained 550’s can be bought in Holland for 65 - 75K). It’s just a matter of personal preference.

Going back to the original question I would go for a TR. This will provide you the perfect Ferrari experience and keeps cash in your pocket. Somehow I think it is also more logical to go from a TR to a 550 than the other way round. That’s certainly the step that I see myself making in a few years time.

Regards, Gert

 

Would still come to 15% a year (thus still proving my point) and besides, I would not buy a 60k 550. I disagree that you can buy a nice, well maintained one for that money, unless the owner is absolutely desparate. Gert, I disagree with your price bracket in Holland - I have not seen many nice 550's here, let alone for that money. Just look at the ones for sale now at Munsterhuis, Kroymans and Forza Service. None of those are below 79k and I can guarantee the 79k one is a poor example. Just look at the nice 550 at Munsterhuis, that one is 89k. There's one at Kroymans for 95k which is less clean than mine. But it's fine if you guys think I'm wrong, I'm not in the market anymore - you can take my guidelines or leave them. All I'm saying is what my Roman friends already knew. Caveat emptor.

And yes, we should get back to the original question. Focus on what you want: flash or stealth?


Onno