I think I'm done with Ferrari

Because you can if you wanted too.

Same reason the same type "A" personalities have a $10k watch, 5,000sq foot house....and on and on.....it's just because you can.

I understand your frustration, I feel the same with Ferrari.

We are to blame as customers for the way they are...because many if us buy into their concept.

 

I've been reading this forum lately since I'm considering purchasing an F430 spider, with the idea of upgrading to the 458 spider in a couple of years. At any rate, your initial post of this thread struck a chord, so I registered to chime in my two cents.....
"IT IS MORE FUN TO DRIVE A SLOW CAR FAST THAN IT IS TO DRIVE A FAST CAR SLOW." I currently own a Porsche 997 C2S (a manual transmission), a '59 Porsche Conv. D Super, an E-Type roadster, and a factory Austin Healey 100M. I've driven Aston Martins, 458's, 430's, R8's, etc., and I feel the driving experience from the classics (356's, etc.) is much more rewarding. You actually have to drive. I get out of the car amped up like I just completed a competition. You're an active participant, not just guiding the car as the computers figure everything out. The smells, the sounds, the feel just can't be matched by modern machinery. The modern machinery is just so refined, but also kind of dumbed-down. Driving 80mph in the 997 feels like 30mph. Driving 30mph in the Jag E-Type feels (sounds) like 80mph. You get the point. Adding a Ferrari to my garage is done with the idea that it will be fun, reliable for longer road trips, easy and comfortable for my wife to hop into, etc. I do this knowing that I'll still continue to choose the older cars first when the opportunity presents itself. That being said, I would like to contact you about your thoughts, experience, and advice.

 

No, having options is a beautiful thing.

 

+1 & +360,
thank you for sharing your thoughts.

 

Remember: A Dino is NOT a Ferrari. It's better.

Why don't you back up your words with a purchase.

Rants are cheap.

 

yes. I get it. simplify. Must reading: Awareness be Anthony DeMello SJ.

we are all at different points on our journey. different strokes for different folks.

thanks for sharing. PNH

 

To make a car go over 200MPH, it's exactly the opposite of "you have to make a lot of sacrifices", you have to go to engineering, structural, power plant, drive train, aerodynamics refinements that sacrifice Nothing. There are 200 MPH Super Cars that are as Plush as any car. Please site examples of what you consider "Sacrifices"...Alex

 

+1

It was a great post.

 

I agree.

One of the reasons why I stuck to BMWs was the fact that German drivers routinely drove them at 240kph (150mph) and the cars felt better and safer than what regular cars felt like at much lower speeds.

A car that can safely handle 320kph has to provide the driver with much higher degrees of feedback and control. Those cars are designed and tested for tracks as well as for the fastest public roads, in Europe (usually Autobahns) and not N. American highways so they are made to much higher standards.

The high speed stability and control of BMWs were the reasons why I bought them. While I may have stuck to the posted speed limits, when an opportunity presented itself, it was fun to nail difficult corners and transitions as those cars had so much performance envelope, something that made them particular safe at Autobahn speeds.

So when a car is designed to work well at 200mph, you don't actually need to do 200mph to benefit from that fact. You just need to find safe and entertaining locations to safely sample the car's lesser abilities. The rest of the time, you must rely on the car's "attitude" to entertain you while you putter around with the rest of the crowd.

 

You should get GT3 or get on the list for an RS if you want to take it too the next level.....promise you won't be disappointed

 

I miss the hell out of my Cayenne TTS. Just traded her in this spring. Amazing car and fun as hell to drive.

 

I had no idea when I took a dig at you and your predisposition for owning pedestrian F cars that it would have affected you so deeply! I almost feel responsible... almost.

 

A GREAT post! Congrats on seeing and admitting reality. Yes these are indeed just fantasy vehicles, you've been there done it and moved on. Well done.

 

PS I have a solution to your problem. Buy a Ford GT or even a SPF GT40 and when you drive around people treat you like a hero and not a ***** F car owner. Problem solved!

 

A Ford GT or CGT?

 

Excellent question.

At a track day last year, we had a guy (excellent driver, very skilled on the track) hit about 175 on the front straight in a 599 GTO, he figured he could have squeezed a couple more MPH out if he tried, but didn't feel comfortable, given the wall at the end of the front straight braking zone, and his lack of track hours in the car.

I don't know exactly how long the front straight was, I was hitting about 120 in my M roadster, but probably could have hit 130 if I had a bigger set of balls.

I'm sure if you zipped around the oval at Indy, you could get close to top speed in one of the latest Ferraris, but where's the fun in that?

Oh,and the 175 looked astonishingly fast on track. I have since been down that straight in a two seat race car (can't recall the name unfortunately) that cost about $80K all in that was hitting similar speeds on the front straight. Maybe 160 ish? That is wicked fast in an open cockpit, btw, and was a ton of fun. More fun, I suspect, than tossing a 599 GTO around the rest of the track, with much less risk.

D

 

Good for you.
For the rest of us who don't have access to:
"miles of great driving roads right out of my driveway, and have one of the best road courses in the country a couple of hours away"
a Ferrari (or any other exotic) is in reality relegated to occasional Cars and Coffee and general "posing" while doodling in traffic at 25mph.
....and when you get to a front line at red light and your lane is ending couple hundred yards later and you step on it (because there are no cops in sight) so you can get in front of the rest of plebeian traffic, the above mentioned soccer mom in her E63 (or Audi or Panamera or Cadillac or whatever else) will blow you away in her AWD and put you skulking behind with your head down....

 

Because if you design the car to get to 200 mph (quickly), it will be fantastic at lower speeds. I've heard this argument many times, about why have great performance if you can't use it. This argument has been used ever since cars provided performance enabling you to surpass the speed limits. So, should car manufacturers only make cars that can go up to 75 mph (or whatever the top U.S. speed limit is)? Of course not. You can use the inherent performance that takes the car well past 75 mph every time you drive, without breaking the speed limit if you don't want to. Every time you accelerate you use it, to merge onto the highway, to pass a slow moving car, etc.

As for the 200 mph mark, I couldn't car less if my car can get there, as long as it has performance at the speeds at which I'd actually drive. The top end numbers are about bragging rights and marketing.

 

Just to keep on going with suggestions for the Mayor (next the Governor!)

what about a Porsche - James Dean- Speedster to kill (pardon the language) the speed bug that hits you...

and then something to help you calm your senses:
Silver Mercedes 190sl with 8track playing 'Fly me to the Moon' as you cruise down towards Hotel de Paris in Monaco (or the equivalent copy in Vegas ;-)

Take care Mayor, we also read your posts on this side of the pond !

Frank

 

Mayor,

I completely understand your frustrations. I am on my second Ferrari but I share the same concerns you have. I came from the Porsche world and owned 4 of them over the years. After the 4th one I became bored and ready for the next thing. I decided to go out and buy a Ferrari. Buying a Ferrari was one of the best and worst decisions I ever made. Why? Well, once you have one it is like a bad addiction, a love/hate relationship. I owned my F430 for 2 years and drove the car only 4000 miles. I am sure you can relate, you put only 500 miles on your 458 spider. The constant worry about scratches, vandalism, dings, resale value all set in and my car turned into a car I usually took out for 20-40 mile drives and back to my garage at home. I rarely drove the car to a destination and parked it, I could never leave the car out of my site, sadly. I sold the car and was without a Ferrari for 4 months. Those 4 months were really tough, I missed having the Ferrari in the garage, that sound, the overall feel and emotion these cars bring...

I purchased a 458 a month ago. You have owned 2 of them so I dont need to describe the feeling these cars bring. Yes, at low speeds the car is numb and sounds like a Camry but to me not many cars give you the same feel at 8-9k rpm with leds lights lit on the steering wheel, the engine screaming on the high F1 pitch a truly amazing feeling, in my opinion anyhow. I have had the same frustrations with the build quality which I have seen first hand on both of my Ferraris but I have tried to not let those items bother me, they ALL have their faults.

I cant share the same frustrations you have had on the buy side considering I have never purchased or ordered a new Ferrari. I purchased both of my Ferraris with sub 4k miles and super clean preowned examples to try and relieve some of the depreciation when I go to sell one day.

I am guessing that in about a year or two I will be "tired of it" too. Once my car gets near 10,000 miles, the Personal Property tax arrives twice a year at about $5000 a clip, yeah, I will be done. For now I am enjoying the experience but these cars are just soo much money to own, and not practical at all.

I have a feeling I will end up back in a Porsche, perhaps a new 991 GT3 which is half the price of a new 458 and still brings the thrills of a Ferrari, well sorta.... With a Porsche, you can park it wherever and not many can tell the difference between that and a Boxster.

I am sure you will figure out a plan and get back to a car that excites you and that you can enjoy and feel great about. After owning 6 Ferraris I can see that you "are done". The question is if you have it in you to really leave the marque??

Either way I have enjoyed your posts over the years and hope you stay with us here on Fchat!

 

$10k a year in property tax....on a car?!?!?!

 

Sure. Think it's 3.5% in VA? I live here and I'm not entirely sure, 3 or 3.5%, of the assessed value.

 

Sadly . Many guys do the Montana registration thing on exotics in VA, no sales tax. I would rather do things by the book...