The Official "Jay Leno Doesn't Like Ferraris" Thread

When I met Jay Leno at the Monterrey Historics in 2004 we were both looking at car books. I introduced myself and asked why no Ferraris in his collection. He said: It's a long story.

Obviously he did not want to talk about it.

He is a nice guy and a true car buff.

My wife told him: you really love your cat. I know you do.

He just laughed.

 

A direct quote from Jay Lenos article in this months 'Octane" magazine...


"One reason I don't have a Ferrari is that no private person can work on one themself. Just the Ferrari tools and diagnostics that plug in , I was told, cost something like $22,000. Ferrari doesn't want people fooling with its cars, and I suppose for good reason, but it just puts me off. I want to be involved and I want to know how they work"




So the Ferrari in Jay's garage is really not his as has been discussed before.


beev

 

I believe the Ferrari in his shop is owned by one of his guys at the shop

 

What exactly is the fixation with Jay Leno not owning a ferrari anyway?

 

That's interesting, but his reasoning makes sense.

 

Kinda makes you wonder.

WTF cares?

 

I think it is the same as it would be with any well known collector... who literally has his own mechanics garage on site. Jay may be a comedian, but he is also a very knowledgeable car guy, at least as knowledgeable as many of the journalists in the car rags. He also has the benefit of having experienced and owned scores of cars of all different kinds of almost every marque. His collection of important cars rivals that of some of the biggest collectors in this country. I am interested in his thoughts on different cars, as interested, if not more so, than I would be reading impressions posted by some anonymous guy on some chatboard.

Leno's opinion is just that, an opinion, but it is an educated one based on experience.

I won't buy my next car based on his recommendation, but I would love to have a beer with the guy and discuss his collection.

 

And that is a good excuse he has going there. Jay's not into modern cars. It does not explain why he doesn't have a Daytona. He is also very technically savy and knows that.

He doesn't like them for whatever reason just like about 75% of the people out there so who cares?

 

This one has been talked to death on the forum. He does really like Lambos though.




PDG

 

That is correct, it's Bernard's.

 

It's entirely Jay's loss.

Quite frankly, I don't know how you can call yourself a "car guy" when you have the kind of money that Jay has, have the size of the collection that Jay has, and not own any Ferraris.

 

Frankly I can imagine exactly how someone would not own a Ferrari or whatever. For example marques like Ford or Jaguar mean absolutely nothing to me. That doesn't make me any less of a car guy. Leno doesn't like Ferraris, so what.

 

To be fair, I think that comment in Octane may have been taken out of context. I think his comments were referring only to Modern Ferraris.

In 2009, he wrote an article on future collectable cars in Popular Mechanics Magazine. http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/jay-leno/4312877

There, he stated:

"On the other hand, buying a modern Ferrari as a collector car is not a good idea. If you buy a '50s to '70s Ferrari, you could do the work yourself. But from the mid-1990s on, no one can do the work on it except Ferrari. For almost any other car, an onboard-diagnostic machine is $600 to $1000. For Ferrari, it's something like $22,500. That's what it costs. Just the handheld! So someone who does his own maintenance is simply not capable of repairing a late-model Ferrari--any profit you think you'll make just isn't going to happen. "

 

You might be right but then again he has to be tired of the question and he has to be tired of the myopic, like we have here, constantly giving him a hard time because he cant possibly be a real car guy without wanting a Ferrari.

Many of us are tired of the many threads on the topic. Can you imagine how he feels? Its not like he hides in a cave in Mozambique.

 

You have a good point and I can't argue.


Speaking of new and exciting topics, let's say you and I retire to the 308 section and jump back into that Timing Belt survey

 

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If this comment is truly accurate it just shows that Leno does not know as much as he claims to know about cars.....at least technicaly.
Any ferrari up to a 430 (manual trans) can be worked on by the layman.
Its common knowledge that Leno has in house mechanics to maintain his fleet of cars.......but does he actually do any work on his own cars?

 

Jay was a professional auto mechanic and is quite capable.

 

Leno's reasoning makes no sense.

1) Even he says the older f cars can be worked on by anyone;
2) He owns all sorts of other exotic cars that are at least as challenging to work on.

But hey, his choice, whatever.

 

He was a mechanic what 30 years ago? Thats about where his knowledge stopped if he is saying a modern Ferrari is not possible to work on yourself, back then cars still had carbs. I'm the exact opposite I was working as a mechanic from 95-2000 and again from 06-08, I will be the first to admit that I can not work on a carb as they have never existed in my world. I am a ASE master tech and do keep my certs up to date. A modern Ferrari is no different than any other modern car, they all have the same systems for the most part just that parts look different, you can also use a Snap-On scanner to work on them as it's required by OBD laws that anyone be able to work on the car not just the dealership. Working for Land Rover recently with very little factory support as far as diagnostics are concerned I'm pretty sure I can handle any electrical/engine management/abs/traction control ect.. problem any car can throw my way.

If that is in fact the reason Leno does not own a Ferrari he shouldn't own any modern car. I think there are other reasons that he's not willing to say.

 

Just what is there about "He doesn't like them" that no one gets?

 

Not so much a fixation... i just find it interesting that he keeps publicly writing about his thoughts on Ferrari...

...In the article he relates how he does not like the fact that he cannot do his McLaren F! service at his own place and that loses some appeal to him...


....and that an old Lotus Elan can create a stronger bond as its simplicity and driver/owner/backyard mechanic service makes the car more special because you are involved beyond just driving the car... I see his point

....I don't see why he continues to use the "why I dont own a Ferrari" story... its a lame excuse and although he says you need $22,000 worth of specialist tools to own a Ferrari...the cost of tools would hardly hold him back from ownership if he recognised the marque for what it means to automotive history...

... anyhow...now back to Stanley Steamers and Lambo Espadas.



beev

 

There's a giant thread on Bagelchat about Jay not liking bagels...this guy really gets around.

 

How can he not like bagels?

What an idiot.

 

bagels are awesome