Never let the fear factor diminish, even pros live off the fear factor. Some advice is have someone thats knows it be with you during this as it's the simple things that will bite you. Remember in a shop there are a bunch of guys around looking at what each other are doing keeping a second & third eye on each other at all times. A great service facility is a true team effort. At break and lunch time what do you think we talk about. wall street? LOL
Just don't tell them it's cold, humid or has bugs LOL I am about to do mine but a different approach. Doing it at home not the shop. Have a freshly powder coated cradle and suspension pre fitted so I just swap motor and trans clean it up a bit.
Don't laugh I sneak into EWR quite often never know when I pop up. I'm not the one to do it I forget more then I remember. My brain on autopilot.
Steve I will disagree with you on this one. I personally would buy a self maintained car if there where good records maintained by the owner and after a very lengthy discussion with them to assertain there level of competence . I have been recommended mechanics before and one in particular that a lot of prestige owners used so I gave him a go after we discussed what was needed to be done. I ended up redoing a lot of stuff when I got the car home. The thing is if the person doing his own maintenance is competent and anal ( my wife can testify that I'm one of these people!) the car will probably have been better looked after than using a garage
Problem with this is some owners when the do the maintenance will cut holes in cross members and install fuel tanks in the front of their cars. Self maintained cars usually take a lot of time to correct when owners cut corners. A good PPI usually tells the quality of the work. If done to perfection the PPI will show it. Personally truly mission critical components like belts on my cars get done by my mechanic Karl.
Well maybe. There are Pros who are expert turd polishers and the best polishers can fool the PPI guy. I think PPI's are worthless but that's for a different thread. The turd polisher is much more dangerous to your wallet than a diy'er who decided to add more silicone and reuse a valve cover gasket. That said, Diy'ers who cut corners should not be fixing these cars. I have got on more than a few well intentioned diy'ers on fchat because the diy'er can make no shortcuts. He has to repair at the highest level or the pros come down on us like a ton of bricks for being hacks. Two comments: 1) do it right or don't do it at all, 2) if you don't have time to do it correctly now when will you have time to do it again?
I'll agree... but with the lower priced examples being the cheap Mo'fo that I am, my personal experience is its more common. I'm not arguing that DIYers can't do a professional job, when I fix mine it's done to perfection (i.e. at least to the quality of repair from a dealership or indy).. just that with high priced cars later in the life cycle they tend to fall into the hands of those who want the cache, but can't afford to "own" the car and don't have the mechanical ability to fix it properly. With 360's its little things like "the hatch being open won't let me engage gears with the F1 transmission, so I taped the switch." Not fixed the issue properly, jury rigged something to compensate. There is a reason the engineers put that function into the system. Other examples that come to mind: used 928s, used 740i, used 500sl.. expensive to repair properly btu cheap on the used market.
On my 360 I can tell the polisher was at work in the past. A mechanic did the "fixes" that I had to correct.. were things that the DIY would think of. They had the hand of experience.. of fixing a part to work again.. but that it would need to be fully repaired/solved the issue, in the future. I actually like PPIs. But, it depends who you hire and what you expect. When I bought mine, the general lookover and drive confirmed it condition as it arrived. Now that I have some experience with 360's, I know what to look for in the nooks and crannies to tell the condition of the car. When I get a 348 in the future... I'll like a PPI, but I might just look for myself as I know where to peep on the body for issues.
That's fair enough Steve. My view is not meant as a personal attack on those people who choose to go down the self-maintained path. As I've said, I admire anyone who has the skills, patience, and dedication to do it PROPERLY. I'm simply saying that as a buyer and someone with virtually no mechanical skills there is no way for me to know whether the owner was a genius or a hack. You, on the other hand (and several others on here) would probably be able to work it out and make the right call. I liken it to the difference between an enthusiastic private pilot and a professional. Of course there are some private pilots who are very skilled, stay up to date with all the latest information, and do their level best to be as good as they can be. There are also some who are a danger to themselves and others. But regardless, it's hard to see how even the best private pilot is going to operate at the same level as someone who flies day and night, year after year, for their living. There are exceptions to every rule of course, but I'm more comfortable taking the odds that a professional mechanic who has worked on these cars for decades and gained a great reputation along the way is who I want to look after my car.
There is one often overlooked, but hugely important, variable that favors the prepared and patient competent home mechanic: time. When I work on my 355, I usually have researched any issues for hours before stepping into the garage. I have no time limits. I am not concerned with book time. Racing against the clock is one way the pros make mistakes. There is also the satisfaction of knowing I can handle most small issues and maintenance myself. I don't "hope" the work was done right; I know it was done right. I don't have to put my car on a truck or drive 2 hours each time something comes up. Saves time, money and mileage. Plus, I am inquisitive and like to learn. And just because a maintenance item is routine, does not mean the "pros" are always better. I personally know of three shops (two independents and one authorized dealer) that each overfilled engine oil (a 355, a 360 and a 430). Overfilling the 430 cost the owner over $2k. He went to the authorized Ferrari dealer. Me...I don't care if an oil change takes me 5 hours. I end up inspecting every component with a flashlight like it's an airplane. I'll check for loose nuts and leaks. Or maybe I just find myself polishing the cats while I'm under there. If you know your limitations, have the time, space, tools and the desire to do a superb job...a regular guy can perform maintenance on these cars with results as good--and in many cases far superior to--those jobs done by the pros.
Great post! I feel exactly the same. I got grief on another thread for wanting to research and source the correct and identical screws and washers for the aero pans that were not fixed and replaced properly in the past by dealers and shops. Last time under there I polished and cleaned the engine, tranny and everything i could get my hands on. Looks great now.
Damn John...now I need to get back under there. Mine looks great but I think yours look better? What did you use? I used Degreaser, brake fluid and Pb Blaster here and there. Toothbrush and lots of rags.
Sorry Bob, couldn't resist. Just another one of those DIY people who work very slowly and take more time (too much) to do anything. Great post BTW Kevin.
