I'm looking to have a PPI done and wondering what thoughts are on being present when its performed.
Absolutely - walk around/observe with the mechanic. Lot's of good info about quirks, etc if they are knowledgeable Ferrari folks. Maybe less important if you are already familiar with the cars.
From my very limited experience with having a PPI done, be there if at all possible and talk with the person doing the inspection. The written report tells you the facts. Talking with the mechanic while he is looking at specific areas gives you his thoughts, which may not be written down.
Not alot of clients have a day ( 6+ Hours ) to dedicate to watching over the inspectors shoulder. BUT, more than not, we will schedule an hour to go over the findings with the buyer ( and seller if invited by the buyer ) which allows for Q&A time, pointing out area's of concern, as well as pointing out the positives. I wouldn't expect this if you are asking for a $200 PPI , but for those full inspections, I would request in advance, to be part of your new Ferrari's "physical"! S
I have never been present for a PPI but I was given a complete rundown. As SAFE4NOW said, it took about an hour and the mechanic pointed out a few things on the car.
Definitely be there. Many things can be spotted by the inexperienced eye as well. I've been looking at a few GT4's recently - I do my own buying and I've ripped a few cars I've seen apart recently - some dealers, it seems, think their cars are rust free and without issues until I start pointing them out Lee
If you can be there, by all means, do it. The mechanic might want to go over the car alone, but should then go over everything he found and point things out to you. Some things will be minor or for future consideration. Others will require immediate attention. And, possibly, he may point out some things that would lead him to tell you to walk away from the car. If things are not "stock" or if "upgrades" have been made, he should point those out as well. A PPI should include three things -- The Good, The Bad and The Ugly. Don't fall so much in love with the car that you are not willing to walk away if the PPI is bad, or if it points up things that need attention immediately and the seller is not willing to make a deal with you either to fix things or to lower the price. Remember, everything is negotiable. Buy with your head, not your heart. Otherwise, after the initial glow wears off, you'll end up eating your heart out over the cost of fixing what you should have seen to begin with. Let us know how it goes. p.s. When the mechanic is going over the car and pointing things out, take lots of digital pictures. It will help with negotiations, and also will serve as a record for you to go along with the written PPI report that you get from the mechanic.
Remember the old "shop rate" signs? Basic Rate = $50/hr $75/hr if you watch $100/hr if you help Not a joke really. No mechanic is going to be up for "entertaining" you for 6 hr. or have you count the number of times he takes a coffee break or gets pulled off your car to do some other task. I had mine done by Gary Bobileff. Got a very thorough written report and Gary took the to go over the report with me and answered all my questions. They're the experts - trust them
Agree if you know the mechanic and they have already earned your trust, but totally disagree otherwise. I've been burned too many times by trusting "experts," and not just in cars. For what it's worth, I was stupid and didn't have a PPI. I got lucky though, wouldn't recommend anyone else skip it.
IMO, UNLESS you are already well versed in Ferraris, going over the report after the fact, regardless of how thorough, is not worth 10% of being with the mechanic as he goes over the car and explains the ins/outs. True, some shops/mechs may not "allow it" and if that's the case, you have to deal with that. I have been involved with PPIs in two different shops - one in Vegas and one near Baltimore and in both cases, the mechs were happy to point out what they were doing as they went along and explain why something was worth noting on a 3x8 that would be totally of no concern on some other type of car. I didn't really plan to get a PPI when I was looking for a 328 but I ended up doing it mostly for the purchase discussion and was glad I did just to have the mech point out some Ferrari-specific things to be aware of. OTOH, If I was buying another 3x8, I would not bother with a PPI. But it's really helpful the first time.
I was not there watching the mechanic but they walked me through everything they did and explained what the issues were. It was interesting in that a couple things were "issues" they themselves said "i would not worry about x or y until you do another major". It was great information -- i was only looking for show-stoppers on the purchase -- not little stuff.
My PPI was done at Scuderia Rampante, and Dave Helms made a point of wanting me to be there for the process. I learned a great deal about the car I was buying, and was alerted to aspects of the car that might need special attention in the future. Bottom line is that if you can be there, it's very worthwhile and a real education, particularly for those of us buying a first Ferrari.
I was not present. I picked a well-known guy near the dealer in question and he took it over to have it done. I spoke to the mechanic on the phone - no issues.
I always try to be present for at least a portion of the PPI, and usually spend at least a half hour with the mechanic going over the car from nose to tail. This way the mechanic can point out the items he has found and it gives you the opportunity to ask about anything else that looks off. As the cash is coming out of my pocket I always seem to notice things that have escaped the attention of the mechanic. It also gives you the opportunity to see the underside of the car as most people don't own a lift. The underside often says more about how the car has been treated than the the top side does.
I did mine at Ferrari of Washington and never left the mechanic's side. In fact when my dad or the car owner were talking to me, he would stop to wait for me before he moved on. I also sat next to him during the test drive, and he was totally cool with it. I learned a LOT about the car that day!
