I look at it this way, I've taken some calculated risks and benefited from them. I shared the opportunity for many of those risks and no one bites, and that risks paid off.. it also helps when both my wife and I don't have kids and I have a hobby business that funds my toys, custom bikes and cars... anyone that grills me on my success, I just remind them how much they spend on there kids per year, times that by 5 years and you have a sweet 360... its all about life decisions and any path can be taken by those, its what they chose that allows certain outcomes... no shame here and I do drive it on nice days to work regardless of what others think...
Give it time...my wife hated it for months....would only refer to it as "that THING in my garage...". For Father's Day, she bought me a Ferrari Puma jacket...it was her way of saying we're cool now. Prior to that, we had some pretty heated exchanges, including one when I told her "it (the car) is cheaper than a divorce..." lol
Totally with you! I also made reference that it is better than a 20 year old GF. That didn't go over so well...
I've had mine for a year and a half now! I'd be a liar if I told any of you that I don't love driving it all over... even more than occasionally taking the long way home just for the heck of it as I'm sure several of you are guilty of as well! Lol When I first got it I thought about all these things too, however, mine has now been my FB cover photo for quite sometime. Plenty of people have their Vette's or Porsche's up so why not your Ferrari ....it's F'in Cool (pun intended)! I don't consider myself a bragger as at all the local auto events I'll talk and let any enthusiast get in and sit behind the wheel. The kids love it and I usually say when you get older this is what you have to look forward too. There is nothing wrong with showing off your car that is why you bought it. Just don't be an ******* about it ....anybody can own one. Funny thing is is that at one time or another all my friends have taken their photo sitting behind the wheel of my car and many of them have used it on their Facebook page as well! Funny now you have to guess who's car it really is Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I retired over 12 years ago and don't give a s***what anyone thinks- my wife is totally cool with it all - she really enjoys the track - even drives the Scud with passengers Image Unavailable, Please Login
I grew up dead broke and was even homeless for a while. I busted my rear, put myself through school. Made some good choices, and took some risks that mostly paid off. I've had to reinvent myself several times, but fortunately things have worked out. I have loved Ferrari since I was a little kid and I'm fortunate to be able to enjoy them on both road and track. I have been driving Ferraris since I was 29. They have gone to work, the track, trips, Home Depot ..... everywhere. Even the F40 has done DD duty. If they bother somebody, too bad. I could care what anyone thinks. They put a smile on my face. That's why I got them and that's why I drive them. Years ago I did have one patient make a comment that he thought I made too much money. I stopped and came back in the room, closed the door and had a word with him. I asked him what he did after HS. The answer was partying, getting several girls pregnant, getting married and taking lots of jobs, finally selling flooring... hating life and anyone who actually has done anything. I informed him of my struggles and told him while he was getting high, I was busting it out, eating generic mac and cheese, and studying all night for exams. When I got out, I took risks starting businesses and making life work. He was told that he shouldn't hold me responsible for the choices he made in life and he should be happy that the doc he chose to take care of him is good enough to have a Ferrari. He treated me with respect after that and I ended up taking care of his entire family and friends. I even gave him and his kids rides at the track. The moral is, don't worry what others think. If you are driving these for the right reasons and not as a show off piece of jewelry, you can take them anywhere and others will be happy.
+1 As a contingency-fee lawyer, I didn't feel the need to hide it from anyone because the ability to buy one meant that I win cases and get money for my clients. And it took 9 years and 2,500 cases (600+ of which were injury cases) before I bought one. The actual money was from a case where my client got his leg badly broken (surgery, pins installed) and rotator cuff torn by a black-belt security guard in a bar who thought that my client might start fighting with a drunk patron who was teasing him. But there had been no raised fists or punches thrown when the guard grabbed my client from behind and suplexed him into the floor. The insurer for the bar litigated against me for several years denying that the guard was at fault, before agreeing to end the litigation without admitting liability
This is me. I've had three Ferraris since 2004. I've had three jobs with different companies since then too. My first Ferrari a £15k Mondial I was as pleased as a very pleased person from the village of Please when I bought it. I had been planning it for 4 years. It was my 40th birthday present to myself. It was a cheap car really but every Ferrari comes with a complete set of Ferrari parts that may need replacing from time to time and need servicing. So they do cost a few £'s to own. I took that into my first company, they all knew and it was well received. I never kept it quiet. Second company was officially a charity (ex government council housing). My nearest colleagues knew about the Mondial. I brought it in once and my best pal there (at the time) had a drive. Nobody ever queried how I afforded it and they had no idea what it was really worth. Roll on my third company and still the Mondial. I brought it in twice IIRC and had comments from replica to too much money in that department. Another dept petrolhead drove it and loved it. He kept asking me to bring the F355 that followed the Mondial. That was some 9 or 10 years ago. My colleagues know I have a Ferrari and have seen photographs. Some in the business (I work in IT) know I have one. I have a Ferrari calendar and model California (I own a 360) on my desk. I'm also an Alfa Romeo nutcase and that takes the heat from the Ferrari. They always break you see. The three managing directors know I have one (well two do for certain because they too like their cars and one has a 911 which he brings to work on occasion). Nobody at work has seen either my previous F355 or current 360. The comment 911-AL made sums it up perfectly. Other business colleagues would make a point of it. They don't know that in the late 90's I was a contractor and earning more £'s (actual even ignoring inflation) then than I do today, well actually with my latest rise I have just met that annual salary. That has took 17 years . That was mainly how I afforded one but nobody here would care about that. I drive a 2004 Mercedes CLK as a DD and we (missus and I) have a 1997 Alfa Spider which is not an expensive car and on occasion I bring it to work. I did consider buying a Maserati as a DD next year but have decided it would be treated as my Ferrari by both myself and more importantly my colleagues. I guess it is some what sad that I have to behave this way. I'm just not sure what those directors would think either if I flaunted it. I do on occasion (when out on a group drive) post pictures of my 360 and other Ferraris/supercars on FB but I usually restrict who can see them. Some business colleagues are friends on FB but so far I've not received any bad comments.
Ha! A few years ago, I was driving my Z06 and went to go look at a Les Paul a guy had for sale on craigslist. I made him an offer and he said, "you drive up in a Vette and then try to talk me down on this?" I replied, "I didnt get the point of driving a Vette by overpaying for other things." He took my offer.
This is becoming one of the most interesting threads in FChat. Real people - real stories. How did you get behind the wheel. Some got lucky, some worked hard. It doesn't matter how, but you are behind the Prancing Horse centered wheel now. And you love it. Like Jeremy Clarkson said: "Just sitting behind this badge makes you feel special." You have gotten (one of) the point(s) in life: To enjoy it. And by doing this you are not putting others down or taking away from them. Drive your Phrary to work. Might motivate others to take the plunge too.
And when you drive pass a bunch of kids who wave at you and your Ferrari with smile on their faces, always wave back. Once YOU were that kid. I know I was.
That's exactly what I do... There's a bunch of kids a couple roads away from the house that usually play on the green by their houses. They go mental when I approach, I stop and rev the engine, I pull away with some noise - lots of excitement...
Yup. they don't care what car you drive... but you get a boat and all the hotties want to hang out on it on the weekend in their bikinis.
To be honest one of my favorite aspects of this car is sharing it with others. I always talk to people and let them sit in the car and take pictures. I was that kid not to long ago ecstatic to see one. If someone would of let me sit in their car it would of been the highlight of my week. If I can just give one person the push they need to better themselves or go for their goals it just makes it even better. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Good story. When I start on an account and we have a bi deal in play the CFO inevitably says 'I give you too much money'. I offer to trade my car for what they paid for their kids collage education; I haven't had a taker yet. I think they are just testing to see if we are ashamed of your accomplishments. If we are comfortable the issue drops and doesn't resurface. In fact, one of those same guys then took me out to see his brand new Lexus GSF.
Funny stuff, guys! My wife has been extremely supportive over the years, though presentation is everything. These days, I just point out that the Ferrari isn't another airplane or motorcycle (neither of which would thrill her, though she's always been supportive of those ventures in the past) and she's all smiles. She didn't like riding in my Ultima at all, but is enjoying the F430 just fine.
When you let someone sit or go for a ride in your Ferrari, especially a kid or young adult, you are perpetuating the love of the marque. When I was a twenty year old Marine, stationed at Camp Lejeune, NC (I believe it was during the Jurassic Period), I was visiting the Honda motorcycle dealer in Jacksonville. There was a mobile home dealership next door and there it was: a Gold colored Ferrari 365GTB/4 Daytona Coupe sitting in the mobile home lot. The man who owned the mobile home dealership also owned the Ferrari and he was cleaning the interior. I struck up a conversation and he let me sit behind the wheel. He told me it was the only Daytona in North Carolina at that time. Forty years later I can still remember it in vivid detail. Now, when I see a someone looking at the 430 with obvious enthusiasm, I open it up and give them the nickle tour. I don't worry about fingerprints and such. It's an expensive car, but it ain't the freakin' Mona Lisa.
