I think I'm done with Ferrari

Well I only now saw this thread, and its an interesting read although at 38 pages I have not read every post. I like Ferrari, but no longer own one and would not buy a new one. What surprised me is none of you mentioned the TVR Cerbera, which I guess is rare in the USA. Its everything road going Ferraris used to be, enormously entertaining to drive, fast, quick, rare and a handful. Not available new anymore, but I got a 4.5 Cerbera on eBay in Britain and took it home. I'm not at all sorry. For LAWFUL driving, get a '39 Packard!

 

They are not destined to become collector cars, and IMHO are overly conservatively styled, but good luck with the sale. They are quite a lot of car for the money, and it will be a chance to see how all the electronics age and are supported by the Maserati service/spares organization worldwide.

While I can't speak for the OP, from my perspective the 308/328 was Ferrari's sweet spot for road cars that provide usable performance, relatively simplicity and driveability. I don't see much on the market now that meets those needs, and agree that Ferrari has lost the plot.

 

"And, I'm bored to death. The cars today are for doctors and lawyers to drive them to the office. There's so little emotion today. They are too perfect when I want something less perfect and more fun to drive. I want to feel like a race driver, not a doctor. I want to live a fantasy, not reality. Reality BLOWS. I'm an overweight, out of shape 50 something. I want to think I'm Steve McQueen and not Videl Sassoon."

I found the best solution - sold my F430 and bought a 2011 Maserati Gran Turismo and a Spec Miata. I get ten times the excitement racing Spec Miata then I did driving the F430 - even when I tracked the F430. When Im in the mood to drive an exotic on the weekend, the GT has this great exhaust note and looks great and frankly, all the woman think it looks better then the F430. Problem solved - and yes, the seat belts rattle in my GT and I have brought it back about three times for this and they finally fixed it.

 

Congrats on this "food-for-thought" thread for being made Thread of the Month!!!

 

Bravo! Nice move on getting something more bespoke for racing and then something else arguably better for street/passenger use. Sounds like you're getting more overall enjoyment.

 

i love your post. i feel much of the same.

i started with a '92 512tr, which was a bad-ass machine.

i've owned a half dozen since then, and the experience has all been downhill.

how i wish i kept that car and skipped over all the others.

 

second that.... pretty sure you'll feel like McQueen driving one.

 

Perhaps you never needed a replacement key so you don't know that experience. Took mine to the dealer in TB who claimed they made perhaps 70 replacements in the last three years. After 3 hours and a lost day from my business, still wouldn't interface but generous offered to only charge me for 1 hour. All along, I said to clear out all residual codes in the computer. Afterwards they agree to pick up the car. After three more days and several "we don't know whats wrong", they cleared out the codes and it interfaced with the key. Being that they were professionals and knew what they were doing, they charged for only one hour bringing to cost up to $900+. Never did receive a call or email about the service from them or Ferrari - Porsche always sent me a survey no matter how mundane the work and the one time I was not happy, they addressed the problem.

 

I agree with just about everything you say and I can add more.
My 348ts is it, a drivers car that causes me to risk my license along with jail time.
The man can find a way, mostly for no reason, to spoil your day just because he can.
That is my biggest complaint, A car that no one wants you to enjoy but will pull you over just to look at it and ask, How much?
I love my 348..my last I might add and for every reason you stated plus a few of my own.
Ferrari is a dream car...I find it best be left at that and to those whom find it below them to have a concern for cost.
I have met some wonderful people because of Ferrari and we have all met the "others" mostly at the service desk, parts dept and sales floor and the multitude wanting to talk with you only because you have a Ferrari. I have owned now that dream car and happy that I did, after finding in reality it should remain a "dreamcar"
I am sure we shall be castigated for our unholy words, but truth be know, it should remain a dream only car. (but you still gotta own one)

 

As every one knows all super sports cars have their plus & minus factors, when you buy a Ferrari you want to be noticed. You want to be among those less than 1% and feel that exoticness.

Personally after owning many AMG's and 911's because of their more so called practicalities, never felt that exact sense of satisfaction.Especially when you see even the guy you just hired to do some web site up grade for you is driving one newer than yours.Not to mention many of them in motion at every corner of your neighbourhood.

This is exactly why I just placed an order for my first 458 spider. I may feel different about it in a few years and have other views towards 458. Until then I would much rather to see intelligent & super car passionate doctors and lawyers driving this magnificent car beside me than bunch of wannabe's.
After all it's only my personal opinion and my full respects for all others remain intact.

 

Try a 550 with Manual transmission (they were all gated) and the V/12 engine. That will put some lead in your pecker. You seldom see 550's in the shop, they are very reliable and give you what Ferrari is famous for....

 

Um, who would use French to say "goodby" to Ferrari?

You need a solid, reliable, large Ferrari V-12 that doesn't look like a Ferrari. A comfy GT with lots of room, reliability and comfort.

How about a 400i GT? Cheep, too !!

 

Love that car!

 

I remembered reading this on another car related forum: "It's like an addict, you thought you're done but you are not". I have no doubt he will come back with another ...Ferrari. LOL

 

I'm sure, but probably a classic one, not a new model.

 

I love my F430 but I share many of the Mayor's complaints. Recently I had a 1995 E36 M3 with tuned motor, lightweight flywheel, diff, and JRZ coilovers professionally built for a ridiculously low price tag, and it's the car I take out for fun, to Best Buy or wherever. What a hoot - on the street! None of the stereotypical Ferrari issues, and it's not so incredibly fast that I'll go to jail just by running it through 3rd. Just pure, unadulterated, frisky fun!

That said, did I mention that I love my F430? That hasn't changed. I'm just glad it has a playful, new stable mate.

 

I AGREE 100%. I SENT MY 2013 CALIFORNIA WITH THE $20,000 PAINT JOB BACK TO THE DEALER IN MAY TO SELL. I BOUGHT A 575 MARANELLO WHICH I DRIVE A LOT AND I AM MUCH HAPPIER. THE NEW CARD ARE JUST TOO GOOD EXACTLY WHAT YOU SAID. THEY ARE NO LONGER ANY FUN WHILE DRIVING NORMALLY, IT DOES NOT FEEL SPECIAL ANY MORE. ESOECIALLY WHEN YOU SHELL OUT OVER $260K AND HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR A GOOD PAINT JOB. I FEEL LIKE I AM GETTING ROBBED. GOOD FOR YOU!

 

just buy a mondial.install your own clutch,install your own cam belts,replace old gas lines and radiator hoses,update fuse panel,put 360 wheels on it,find out that a 1980's car is not at all complicated,put a nice exhaust on it,get on 95 and start going through the gears,shift at about 7 k,and tell me why they bothered to offer a radio in these cars.if you don't like questions or crowds of people don't drive a ferrari.it's just too cool

 

Mayor, thanks for this thread- really great discussion. Assuming you are more or less full time in Vegas, I'm going to suggest that driving there is part of the problem. I know of what I speak, since I lived there during my teens and early adult years. There are wide open, beautiful roads that beg to be driven at 3 digit speeds. And there are Highway Patrol ready to shut you down. Even City driving is rough because it is a blue collar town with many not appreciative of exotics or any other brand that looks like it may cost more than an average year's salary.

So how do you enjoy a car such as a 458 that is meant to run, and be loud, and designed specifically to attract attention? If you find you can't -- and you are not having the time of your life, then I think that is when the little problems, e.g., the lack of quality control, the insane costs of ownership and repair, etc. start to eat at you. And what may have once been a passion and a hobby loses its luster.

It shouldn't be that way. I'm on my second Ferrari and I am still in the 'passion' stage. I live in South Florida where there are few roads to stretch the legs of these machines. But here people of most walks of life enjoy and respect the cars, so it makes the experience inherently more enjoyable. And the authorities are slightly more tolerant of exotics than they likely are in Vegas.

Nevertheless, I still find that if I want to take a no drama jaunt, another vehicle may be in order. For me, a late 60s Alfa GTV fits the bill. A 2013 Fiat Abarth fits the bill (slightly tuned). A BMW E36 M3 fits the bill. A Cayman R fits the bill. These are all cars that are currently or have been in my garage over the past 12 months and that have given me nothing but driving pleasure without any of the attendant worries of police, ridiculous maintenance and repair bills, and zero worries in any parking lot. Driving those cars does not garner for me the attention from the average Joe (but from enthusiasts in the know - yes!). But attention or brand prestige is not a priority for me, as it sounds like it is no longer for you.

As frustrating as Ferrari ownership can sometimes be, I still find that driving the Ferrari can elicit som of the joy of the other vehicles, plus something extra.. The difference is that with the Ferrari it is enjoyable to learn and test the substantial limits of the car, which require appreciable driving skill to fully explore.

If brand prestige is not a factor, I'd suggest looking at the quirkier, enthusiast cars out there. As your posts seem to allude to, sometimes the simpler things can be more enjoyable.

 

Yep. my 308 is soon to be on the market but if I ever decide to come back to the Ferrari fold, that's what I'll be looking for.

 

Just catching up on this very interesting thread. I just thought I would weigh in with my experience. I have had my 355 GTS for 2.5 years, have put 16,000 miles with combination of local drives (including Costco runs), 300- 3000 mile trips and track time. I have never been stopped by a cop, never been treated any differently than any other car by the homeless, no issue with seat wear and my insurance actually went down from my previously owned Supercharged NSX. I feel fortunate to be living in a downtown metro location but only 20 minutes from great coastal roads and 45 min from a 2.5 km track. The downside is the ~4 mths of required FCar hibernation

Admittedly, I am early in FCar ownership (but similar age) compared to Bob but hopefully I have a few years before sharing some of these frustrations.

 

Hi,

Sorry to come in late, but I just thought I'd add that I have spent a sizeable chunk of my life trying to figure out whether there is any such thing as the perfect car and have since come to the conclusion that it doesn't exist.

What I do think exists however is "the car you want right now". I think it's important to be continually reassessing what you're after, and to take things like value for money into the account as well. I love my Dino and intend to keep it for a while yet. I also love my rusty, slow, thirsty, impossible-to-tune-properly Mercedes w115 that I bought for $2000 equally as much, just because it's so damn beautiful and has so much character.

But the Benz is currently up for sale as I just bought a Jag MkII... because it was on my list of things to do, and it was a good deal. I'll probably keep it for about three years and get something else.

You just gotta go wherever your heart takes you, and be prepared for some painful breakups now and then!

(incidentally, don't get an early 911. The whole reason I ended up with a Dino was because I thought I wanted an early 911, but found them so boring to drive that, in my state of panic, it was Ferrari or nothing!)

 

Hi Mayor,

Always enjoy reading your posts about cars and Vegas info...

I am curious if you had seen the proper version of the Granturismo MC Stradale which is not available in the U.S.. It originally came out with full f-1 paddle shift, 2 seater, roll bar Ceramic Brakes and it sounds great.

I was going to replace my coupe with one, but they didnt bring it to the U.S. market due to DOT costs and a general lack of interest. You can check them out online by choosing any country except North America and Canada..

I think its a unique car and has a lot of style..Hopefully down the line Maserati will introduce a comparable U.S. model with less weight and more hp..I do believe it will be sooner than later but the details I don't know of yet..

 

I'm out too with similar reasons as Bob's: Except the lack of a manual transmission was the big one for me!
It happened Monday. My order taken by a dealer with an allocation. 3LT Z-51 Torch Red Adrenaline Red, AE4 Comp Seats, C2Z Top, ERI Battery, FE4 Magnetic Selective Ride, FAY Carbon Trim, J6F Red Calipers, NPP Exhaust, Q7EChrome Wheels, VYW Floor Mats, WKQ Car Cover, D42 Luggage Shade, VLI Cargo Mat, Stingray sill plates.
Yes I know it will be just another Corvette to many, but at least mine will be on the road like my past Ferrari's should have been without worries. And when service is needed, it 4 miles away instead of Chicago (200 miles)

 

As a Ferrari historian, former employee of the factory offices in NJ, family friend of the late Luigi Chinetti, and all around "former" lover of the brand, I can very easily state what Ferrari's problem is today. Ferrari is a brand that has jumped on the proverbial commercial bandwagon, seizing, thanks to Fiat hierarchy and the very dollar oriented Luca di Montezemolo (traitor to the brand in my opinion), the financial opportunities the brand name has generated, simultaneously abandoning the core values established by Enzo in 1947 and even earlier during his SF Alfa days. Ferrari branded mugs, watches, towels, computers, phones etc etc is who this company has become. The cars built today are an absolute affront to the greatest name in automotive history. The first key to brand quality is exclusivity. The mythical, mystical quality that would always have us say when we were kids, "Wow, theres a Ferrari!!!" every time one drove by because you simply never saw one. Today that exclamation has changed to, "Oh look, theres ANOTHER one?? And a housewife is driving it??"... disgraceful. If Enzo were alive today, laughable disasters like the "FF" would NEVER get the green light on production. I drove my first one last week. Horrible, in a word. More horrible to look at with that stupid body style, but still generally horrible. If I wanted to drive a car with zero identity that had more computer interference than the space shuttle, id save the money and go for the overrated piece of crap known as a BMW. Ferrari has totally lost their touch for beautiful design, choosing "techno" looking styles that don't stir the soul in any way. shape or form. In short, you'll notice at shows that owners of older models do not mingle with owners of newer models in general. Same with Lambo. They have become poser cars, not enthusiast machines. As for me, I drive a Lamborghini Diablo now... the choice was rather obvious thanks to our friends Luca & co. RIP Ferrari, there is no coming back at this point