Should I buy my wife a Mondial t for her birthday?

As a corollary to the previously started thread:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=140140596#post140140596

I love my '87 Mondial 3.2 but my wife does not because of the heavy manual steering at slow speeds. It actually scares her. She does enjoy everything else about the car-the look, the sound, the open air, the gated shifter. Am I crazy wanting to surprise her for her birthday with the Mondial t? I bet the power steering alone would make her alone love the car. I am looking at other so called 4 seater cabs out there, but I just so love the Mondial, that I'd love to put another in the garage next to mine. Is that crazy? Will both she and I be disappointed?

 

I would get her a 328 instead. Get her something that is "hers".

 

No power steering in a 328 & they are heavy at slow speeds too.

 

you will be disappointed because her car will be faster than yours!

 

That is why I wouldn't consider another Mondial 3.2. Plus, my 3.2 is mine!

She already has a bigger lead foot than me.


Seriously, would she enjoy the Mondial t? t owners, what do you think? Will still have three little kids, and while I like the 456's and 612's a lot, they both are definitely too much car for a soccer mom, plus she wants a fun cabriolet.

 

I cannot imagine that there is an easier and more practical Ferrari to drive than the mondial t.
Having the power steering, back seat, and trunk space is terrific. I would think that if she likes your 3.2, she'll love the t.

Rob

 

Knowing you as well as I think I do, I would vote against it.

A better fit might be a used Porsche 996 cab-- its a 2+2, power steering, amenities, and relatively inexpensive to maintain.

Just my .02

 

Why not to put an electric direction on it? It's simple and it doesn´t costs so much....

 

+1 this way you get to experience both brands

 

Hmm lets see she loves the Mondial, it has more backseat room than the previously mentioned Porsche (love Porsche though), the wind blowing through her hair as she listen's too the symphony behind her (and screaming kids lol), will look great sitting next to yours in the garage and will make her happy, seem's like a pretty simple choice too me?

Mondial T all the way no question.

 

You know me well, my friend. I think the downside for the t are the quirks in all older Ferrari's, which we male Ferrari lovers rationalize that those are things that make a Ferrari special, like not being able to shift into second when cold, or the rear window is stuck, or there is a warning light telling you something is amiss in Italian. My wife will find those things are highly irritating and probably be yelling profanities while waiting for AAA to show up, then get even more pissed when the repair bill shows up. She'll probably want to go back to driving her Honda minivan, which might give me the green light to drive her t from time to time, which might not be a bad thing at all.

The BMW 330i cab, MB 430 cab, Jag XK8/XKR cab, lexus SC430, toyota solara, old chevy camaro cab, volvo c70 and 996 are all on my short list, but for selfish reasons, I guess, I'd really love some support/justification from you F-chatters for a second Mondial, this time a t. So if I do pull the trigger, I can blame my mistress F-chat for it!

 

Jay I think your mind is already made up so go for the T. A well sorted model will eliminate alot of your AAA concern's imho. If I could afford an entry level F-car it would be a Mondial cabrio, git 'er done!!!

Pre-Happy New Year,
tex

 

A Porsche is a fantastic car, but the Mondial "t" is leagues ahead of many of the other Ferrari's mentioned above in drive-ability. I sincerely doubt she would get too frustrated operating one especially since she is familiar with your Mondial.

Like some have said... Its the "t" all the way.,

My wife has several Porsche's to choose from at any time, and still enjoys & often chooses the "t". I have taken a moment & shown her how to drive it, and she says "Its really its not any different than any of our other cars" to which I agree.

What is different is that its fun at all times, engaging, not too showy, faster than expected, more reliable than expected - and yet still Italian.

Do your bride a favor - find her a t cabriolet and enjoy.

 

She might not think the trunk space is enough, especially since her Odyssey currently holds multiple lawn chairs, soccer balls, water bottles, and then gets groceries, jackets, and backpacks thrown in there. Last summer we drove two cars to the beach when we vacationed, as my Mondial just doesn't hold enough "stuff" for a family of 6, if you include the dog, for a week at the Jersey shore. Once down there, however, we drove the Mondial every time we went out.

 

It's good to hear Michael that one wife enjoys driving a t.

 

Yep. Sweet thread.

 

Even though my stuck-in-the-80's-Ferrari-obsessed-mind is basically made up, I'm smart enough to know that if she's not happy, I'm not going to be happy. A car like a SC430 or 330 cab is basically a no brainer for convertible happiness for her, especially when it starts raining and all she has to do is push a button, and there's a roof over her head.

Tex, in the Mondial t, if it starts raining, she'll be cursing while struggling to raise and latch the roof. In this particular scenario, she'll be yelling out profanities towards both the car and towards me, at the same time breaking the Tenex fasteners on the tonneau cover and then breaking the roof latches with sopping wet hair!

 

Yes I realize that if mom's not happy nobody is but hey deep down she wants her own Ferrari and I think you know that. The SC430 is crap for interior room and I know this from experience and yes a 330 would be nice but she would still say "I should have gotten a Mondial T" when she walks into the garage. As far as the rain just enlighten her to the Weather Channel too decide if it's a top up or down drive.

 

Hi Jay,
I don't even need to post because you already know my wife loves her t. Sorry we never got a chance to have you and your wife test drive ours but the offer is always open. You can even take it out this winter (if not too salty). The car needs exercise.

P.S. Just don't buy her a black one!

Dave

 

I'm not sure mom wants her own Ferrari as much as dad would really love a second one!

Look, my father (R.I.P.), a photography and gadget nut, bought my mom a camera "for her" for their first anniversary in the 60's. Needless to say, it wasn't her favorite gift at the time or ever.

Years later, he bought her one of the first big screen Sony TV's, the one with the coffee table console and detached screen. She returned it when it first arrived, telling the delivery guys "We don't need that thing. Take it back!" He then had it delivered again and set up, despite her resistance again. She sat in front of that wonderful projection TV for almost twenty years, enjoying it thoroughly while it lasted.

I'm just not sure which effect buying a Mondial t will have on my wife.

There surely are safer bets to make, including options that result in a nearly guaranteed to be happy birthday girl.

 

Hi Dave. Why not black? I like black and so does my wife. There seems to be a big lack of Mondial t's out there for sale right now. None of the ones I've seen over the past few months are black, however. Mostly Rosso Corsa, a white one, and that's about it.

I haven't forgotten about your offer Dave. We will take you up on it, hopefully at the latest in the early spring. I really want her to drive one before a t shows up in the driveway with a big red bow on it.

 

Asking her will take the surprise away so you have a tough decision ahead, maybe a big screen tv lol! Hey if she does not want the Mondial I'll take it on a 30yr low interest loan? Cops don't make much so I had too ask.

 

Jay,
Nothing wrong with black but "his and her Ferrari" should not be the same color. We need just a little individuality here.
Dave

 

OK, Gregg, should I make that a poll??? lol

To surprise or not to surprise the wife with a Mondial t.......that is the question.

I've bought a few properties at sheriff sale without seeing them on the inside, and every time I have, its been a great decision. I bought my Mondial 3.2 with no available service history, and while it cost me a bundle to sort her out, now that she is, it too has been a great decision.

But buying a Ferrari for my wife for her 40th birthday as a surprise? wow! I don't know what to think except to quote National Lampoon's vacation.....this is crazy, this is crazy, this is crazy!


Clark?
Hi Honey!
What are you doing?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJ9Bb8UMi84&has_verified=1

lol

 

What about a 456 GT?