Ferrari Key fob

Not really seeing the damage here?

 

Before you make any kind of decision regarding painting your key, take a look on this thread: http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/360-430/160569-paint-your-360-key-red.html

 

Time to start embracing 3D printing,And stick it to Ferrari.

 

Surely you knew when you bought a Ferrari you were not going to be paying Ford prices for servicing, parts and accessories?

As I have posted in other threads, these cars were originally built for customers who had plenty of disposable income who would see paying $700 for a key as a badge of honour - something to brag about matter of factly to friends and associates: "Well of course, being a Ferrari the key alone costs $700".

Their parts prices are also based on the principle that the people who buy them have plenty of money to throw at the car if needed so are substantially higher than for other "lesser" manufacturers.

Ferrari never envisaged that one day, later on in life the average working guy might be able to afford to buy an old Ferrari, and by the time the car was that old, Ferrari were no longer really interested in it any more anyway because very few of them get serviced and repaired at main dealers any more.

The one way they can still make money out of old cars though is through the parts needed for the car, but they're not suddenly going to lower their parts prices to a "bargain basement" level equivalent to Ford prices because it's not a Ford, it's a Ferrari.



Put it this way, if you buy a $50,000 Rolex watch and it needed a new metal strap, would you expect that strap to cost the same as one for a $100 Timex? - After all, they're both just watches, they both just tell the same time as each other, and both straps are made from the same stainless steel material! I'd even suspect that the quality of the engineering and manufacturing of the two straps would be almost identical too.

No - you'll pay a massive premium for the Rolex strap because it is a Rolex.

(Cue the: "No I wouldn't, I'd modify a Timex strap to fit!", completely missing the point being made!)



As for "Sticking it to Ferrari" with 3D printing part, It wouldn't even cause a ripple on their pond!

Plenty of companies already make after-market parts for Ferraris, plenty of other companies help keep the older cars running by offering cheaper independent servicing, and plenty of other companies help keep older cars running by breaking damaged/worn out cars and selling the spares second hand.

None of these companies have caused Ferrari any issues by "sticking it to them", so I seriously doubt that Joe Bloggs making 3D printed keys in his spare room is going to cause them too many concerns (unless of course there is a trademark infringement, then Ferrari will take notice and poor old Joe could pay a hefty price for "Sticking it to them").

The fact of the matter is, with Ferrari, yes you're paying a premium for the name, just as you do with Bugatti, Lamborghini, Rolls Royce, Rolex, Armani, Gucci, Versace, Prada, Don Perignon, etc., etc. None of them were ever intended for the everyday working stiff!