anyone here drives f-car as a daily?

my daily driver work car needs to be replaced. it has over 200k miles, power steering is done, shock is gone, and well, car itself is pretty old.

it reached a point where it is not safe to drive it anymore. the tires are done as well, and it would cost me more to replace the tire than the car itself.

anyway, ive been driving my f-car as daily for about a week now cuz i just dont have time to go get myself a new daily, and i gotta tell you, going to work has never felt better!

the noise wakes me up completely when i start the car, i dont even need a coffee wake myself up. the rev noise after 4k rpm gives me thrill everytime i step on the pedal.

im very surprised how f-car can be a great daily driver. sure it's not the most comfortable ride you can get into, but the excitement makes you forget all the un-comfortableness

few downside of driving f-car as a daily is that there is no cup-holder. i have to put my coffee between my legs. i got used to it now.

second, for some strange reason, ive been getting pulled over every other day for not having a front license plate. i get pulled over at the same place (la cienega/olympic in LA)

i first got a ticket, then i get a warning ticket... now i just show the cop both the ticket and warning ticket, he lets me go.

ive seen a lot of supercars without the front license plate, it seems like the cops are starting to pull over these cars? im not sure what the trend is.

anyway, i highly recommend all the f-chatters to drive their f-car to work. i know some people make their f-car a garage queen. what's the point, it's not like you are gonna take the car with you when you pass away.

ps. it seems like my door doesnt close all the way. it does lock and close, but visually doesnt close all the way. you guys know what the issue is? thanks a bunch!
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I daily drove my 355 on and off for about 3 weeks. It was interesting because I found out it's a pretty decent daily driver but overall didn't enjoy it.

1) It takes away from the special occasion of using it on the weekends.
2) I was always scared someone would bump into me or hit it or something like that.
3) Sitting in stop and go traffic is bad for the engine so I always felt like I was torturing the car a bit...
4) Always had to take extra care parking

There are a few other things I don't remember but none of the above really concern me in my daily driver except #2.

 

So far I've been driving it everyday, but then again I only got ownership of it last week Thursday. I've also done a few runs in my other cars, but not as much as in the Ferrari.

 

You're in LA. Most other places have weather that a Ferrari owner would never venture out in. Why do that to the car?

 

Great write up, John. I just ordered a Carbonio front license plate holder for my Cali - goes on and off in 5 seconds. I don't know if they make one for your F430 though, but worth looking into. Out of curiosity, what was your daily w/ 200 K miles? Ours (Honda Ridgeline) is about to hit 200 K miles…T

Edit - Carbonio lists a front license plate holder for the F430.

http://www.carbonio.com/performance/brand/ferrari/430platemount.html

No affiliation, just a satisfied customer.

 

Back in 2007 drove my 599 as daily for about 2 months exclusively and less frequently through Winter (except days with snow on the roads because of Summer tires on it).
As previous poster said, it takes away the "special" feel of driving a Ferrari.
After driving day in day out, in stop and go traffic, etc, it takes a role of just another car, you just get used to it and it does not feel that "special" anymore.
Same with Scuderia in 2008/2009, after driving it through all 3 stages of Pilota at Mt Tremblant I was convinced that car was the best thing in the World since french fries were invented.
After a month of daily driving in awful Chicago traffic it felt only like a pain in the a**.

 

To add in about the license plate frame issue, here's another solution that doesn't leave you drilling holes into your bumper.

Ferrari F430 Front License Plate Bracket - Fabspeed Motorsport

 

I agree. I don't like driving my car to work. I have no covered parking plus I don't want people to know I have one.

I do not apologize for success but keep it low key especially around others that are less fortunate.

 

The problem with the door not closing all the way may be the strike plate on the door needs to be adjusted.

 

Or somebody may have tried to close the door with an object blocking the door from closing (like a seat belt) and bent the door.

 

no.
parking outside unprotected the whole day.
don't want my employees to know. They see me coming to work riding a bicycle or drive a Honda.
no radio, no creature comfort.

 

Would LOVE to.. but sadly. No.

They'd start asking questions more than they already do.

re: doors not closing check the weatherstripping and make sure its not interfering with the door closure.

 

Today I drove my Audi to go visit a customer because of where I'm able to park the car and I'd rather not leave a Ferrari parked next to a football field versus the Audi... And the only thing I had on my mind while I drove the Audi, was how comfortable it was, and how much I wanted to be back in the seat of a Ferrari...

ah well... maybe I'll drive the Ferrari again once I'm home, although it looks like it will rain

 

I drive mine to work every day that it is not raining. I put it away for the winter. I have a 10 mile commute to work, with no major traffic to worry about. Luckily, I get to park in a parking garage at work, so that helps some.

 

An FChatter from the Aussie section used to drives his Ferrari daily.

He bought a brand new 458 a few years ago and averaged around 20,000 km per year in it.

The same goes with all his other cars. He buys new and drives daily in them without a worry in the world.

 

I have driven my 348 10,000 km in 11+ years of ownership.

Around 12 months ago I started to drive my car daily.

I don't know why I drove my car daily, I just jumped in it and went. To work, to the shops, to visit friends, whatever.

I drove it for around 4 or 5 weeks straight and put on just over 1000 km in that time which is a lot of km's considering how small my little town is.

I was actually very impressed with how easy it was to use as a daily driver and I don't think it took too much away from the overall Ferrari 'experience' using it daily.

It was still a lot of fun going for a blast before or after work or on the way home from the local supermarket.

Life is good, hope you all enjoy your weekend.
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I have over 25k smiles on my 2012 458 spider. Of course l drive her May-Oct...just about every day. What a machine!

 

I drive everything daily. Delivered Girl Scout cookies in the 599, great trunk. Superamerica used for kinder drop-off first day owned. Sticks actually better in traffic than F1, but Speciale DCT was great. I think F-1 clutch wear is awful in traffic, and in hindsight, it was crappy solution compared to DCT.

I let my seasoned learners permit holding daughter drive the Mac to volleyball practice this week. Never even got close to full boost on the grueling 6 mile run.

I generally don't buy brightly colored cars, so I get less pissed off people. Not driving like a jerk helps, and a wave after lane change or whatever helps.

That said, Ferraris and Porsche far less well received in traffic compared to Huracan and McLaren. People smile, let me in, wave, don't pull out in front of me, and move over on highway. Logarithmically so.

They're just cars. Who are you saving them for, the next guy? In general, you'll lose money anyway. Enjoy it.

PS HEY Pap!! Car looks good. Why'd you post it upside down?

 

Really?!

As of today I'm at 10,863km (6,750mi) in under 5 months.

I got it 8 years later than I planned, so I'm making up for lost time.

 

Lol, thanks mate.

Really.

That is wonderful and great to hear man.

I don't drive it that much because we don't exactly have the best roads here where I live, if you know what I mean.

I almost didn't buy a Ferrari because of this fact, but I thought if I don't buy one.............I never will.

I trucked the car to Townsville *around 1000km away each way* for a friends High School Graduation back in late 2005.

While I was there, I drove just over 1000 km around that city in the 5 days I was there. Lol, the roads there are beautiful compared to here.

I will be looking forward one day to leaving here as I will definitely make up for lost time and drive the wheels off my Ferraris.
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because he's in australia.

 

Yep.
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I drove an XKE as a daily driver for 3 years. Learned the lesson very well. The only old sports car I would drive daily now a is a 240Z. At least I would feel Ok taking it out of town.

 

If a person in China or Australia look at this picture, it would appear non-inverted.

 

I drive my 330 GTC daily when I feel like it.

I've owned it for almost 41 years (in November) and put around 142,000 miles on it - it's just a great car.

Bob Z.
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