Perfect options and condition but wrong color, what to do?

Been looking for a 430 F1 coupe to replace my R8V8 and have found a car locally that is almost perfect. Right options, condition and about 10-15K less then I was looking to spend. Only issue is it is black and its not my first choice for color. Would like a TDF or similar blue or red. Black would be a distant third, do not like the yellow/white or other colors.

The car is a one owner black on black with yellow stitching, the bigger stereo, shields, and documentation of all factory service visits. Car has a new clutch and I could get it right around 101-103K from a direct Ferrari dealer.

Given that I am not going to find 100% of what I want is it worth it to overlook color for a car that I might only have for a few years before upgrading to the 458.

 

Personally I would not. I would pay a bit more for the right color. My GF and I just closed a deal on a 458. It was more than we wanted to pay, but it was EXACTLY like we would have ordered the car ourselves.

 

They have a spider in perfect coloration for only ~10K more USD which is no big deal but in the red and Tan that I like few more miles though and three owner.

I have never driven the spider though and people have warned me that the spider has a good bit more creaks and groans then the coupe. I do live in San Diego so the weather is perfect for it.

 

I agree. Pay up to get what you want.

 

Buy the black coupe and spend a few grand on a wrap? Gives you the color you want and paint protection as a by product.

 

Yea, I agree my Spider does have more creaks and sounds when the top is up. I thought it was just my car, but makes sense now!

 

Car sounds like a nice car. I have a black f430, prefer it over the common red. It's your call but the car you mentioned sounds nice.

 

I went out on a limb with color, and SO glad I did.

 

Ppppfffffftttttttt...only three slots out of first?

Black was my fifth choice for a color but in Ferrari-land, condition trumps all.

 

buy the color you like - saving 10K buying a Ferrari in a color that you don't prefer makes absolutely no sense.

given your location the spider is a no brainer unless you plan on tracking the car and pushing it to 10/10ths.

 

You have mentioned two "local" cars. Its a wide world out there. Expand your search. If you find something that checks all your boxes you can ask a fellow F-Chatter to eyeball it and then have a PPI done from a recommended mechanic and then fly out yourself and do the deal. I've owned eight Ferraris and only two came from the same state, NY, where I lived at the time. My current car took 6 months to find. It needed to be blue. I was patient and it appeared two weeks after another deal fell through.

 

+1 What Dave said. Spent about the same amount of time looking but the right car came up -out of state. Go for a blue! TdF is just so nice and sought-after. Here's my rare Pozzi
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I have a track car been down that path before. This is just for the weekend maybe 3K miles a year.

Going to go with the spider I think its a little more money but after seeing it in person it is the cleanest car I have every seen in my life. Less miles as well ~13K. Need to work the numbers out but should be coming home soon with me if I can talk the wife into it. Will end up selling one other classics to make room as well.

 

yeh sounds like that will make you grin when you see it in ur garage
what year spider? fwiw I know for a fact miller wont sell their 09 with 2k miles for 165, just as a reference point

 

Good choice. I think you should go with your instincts and not your head🤔

 

You live in a climate that is perfect for a Spider, as I who lie in southern Spain. It is lovely to drive and feel and smell whats arround you. It is like comparing sitting in an aircraft wirh aircondition or flying free in the vind. Enjoy the freedom in the nature and by a Spider

 

Black is beautiful! ...and when the wheels also are also black then you have the perfect F430, a pearl, a black pearl.

When I read your description it seems to be a very good offer. Go for it and enjoy the right options and the good condition.

 

I second the idea of a wrap. Sounds like you can get a nice car for a good price and pick the color you want while getting paint protection. Plus, if you're going to wrap a car, black is the best color to start with because the jambs and other non-wrapped surfaces won't look weird if they are black. Much classier than, say, putting a blue wrap on a yellow car. The yellow jambs would look weird.

At the end of the day, though, you need to be happy with your decision, and only you know the answer to that. JustJust some food for thought.

 

While shopping for my first Ferrari the only car I would consider was your standard red/tan spider. I found what I thought was my dream car at a near by fdealer. My wife and I went down for inspection and test drive. We walked into the showroom and they had it right out in front. But... right next to it was a black/black coup with challenge wheels, 4400 mlies and almost every option I wanted. I couldn't stop looking at it. It is in my garage right now and over a year later I don't regret it for a second.

 

I've heard that once you go with black, you never go back. So that is something for the OP to consider also.

 

Someones been playing cards against humanity.

OP has to consider that San Diego has some of the worst water in the world for washing cars and hates having to recharge his DI system every two months as well. I have actually looked at a few cars up in LA and a few in Arazona last time I was out that way. Non were as clean as this one. Plus I was a little shocked at what some people consider perfect, would not be that way in my book.

What I think pushed me over the edge is that the spider has 10K less miles and honestly when your 13 years old and have a poster of a Ferrari on the wall its Red and Tan.

Real issue is the wife. We are going down to do a test drive later today on both the coupe and the Spider see which one she prefers. She was pulling for a manual 355 or 360 but the pricing is just to much when you compare it to the F430. The 430 is just leaps above in terms of usability and speed. Plus no more belts and service is honestly a lot cheaper as well. If she likes the coupe I could grow to love the black.

Wrap is a very cool idea though, I would get everything that I want and it would protect the paint underneath but seems a little cheap to be honest.

 

I'd agree - there's something about black that transcends it being just a colour - it makes the car look cool, classic and stealthy all in one. But as any detailer will tell you, having black is a dedicated ownership experience if you want to keep it perfect. I guess it depends what you want to use your car for .
I ended up going with Grigio silverstone - in my view as classy as black, just doesn't show the same level of imperfections. Good luck whatever you get - it's the engine that counts!

 

I owned 3 black cars in my lifetime. The last one was 1998. I will never own a black car anymore.

 

Buy the color combo you like, then customize the car to truly make it your own. Trust me I did.
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I agree. I was looking for a blue one but could not find what I wanted at the time. Nero/nero is a classy colour combo in my opinion.
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