Ultimate Ferrari250GTO-The Definitive History book -preorder?

Kicked along the driveway? Discoloured and comping apart?

+1000000000000 !!!

Total spoofing.

Marcel Massini

 

Marcel, very sorry to learn of these problems you've encountered. Really not good. But thank you very much for a good & honest review, which saved me from reconsidering this book, and what certainly would have been disappointing and a complete waste for me.

 

The good thing of the internet and in this case fchat is that we have a worldwide community here that is able to exchange information and tell all good and bad stuff about certain items, objects and products, behaviour of suppliers, etc..
Even if those books only cost 10 Pounds I require a minimum level of quality.
It now looks to me that those recent videos explaining "quality problems" and subsequent delays with the book were simple and poor excuses by Porter and the book wasn't really finished at all. All hush hush, quick and dirty.
Let's see if they reply to my emails........

Marcel Massini

 

That's so weird that the outer shipping box was undamaged yet the corners of the books were damaged and the slipcase.

Can only surmise that it happened moving around inside the box during transport yet mine was packed pretty snug.

Let's see what Porter Press has to say from your sent email.

 

It remains beyond me but many publishers/booksellers have no clue how to pack their merchandise. Palawan Press is one of the few positive exceptions, I have ordered from them for more than 20 years and never had a problem.

 

That looks to me like it was dropped on its corner before it was packed in the box as there's no way you could have exerted that much force on it within the package with no evidence of damage to the outer box.

My copy arrived in perfect condition and tbh I thought it was pretty well packaged.

 

Mine arrived very well packaged with none of the bumping to the edges Marcel has experienced.
I don't believe mine could have received that sort of damage whilst in transit as it was very secure.
It does have some of the white marks that Marcel has mentioned on the slipcase.

I have shared my views on this book (its contents) with Steve (@miurasv) and they mirror those of Marcel.
No idea where the £450 pricetag came from...and all I am doing here is talking that value down...hey ho...

Paul

 

Yes, I have zero doubt that my copy of the book was dropped on its corner before it was packed into the box. Somebody just didn't care and didn't pay any attention at all. As I said, quick and dirty. And the package as such was absolutely nice, good, clean and undamaged.

Marcel Massini

 

That's really a pity that this books has some manufacturing issues (not my copy, but I've been lucky apparently) and also some unperfect information - I was hoping for a definitive work, as advertised.
The price was high enough in my view to trigger high expectations - but maybe the hype around the GTO has some unwished side effects.
On the other hand, I do not think there have been many complaints about the Porter Press 250 GTE book, a far more shy project but maybe more honest as it was done outside of any popular hype... and yet it sold its 750 copies very easily apparently.

 

Personally I think you're being a bit harsh on Porter Press. Watching the videos Philip Porter put out, the guy struck me as being genuinely passionate about getting the product right, hence all the delays. They most likely sub-contract out the packing to another company and I think he'll be gutted to find out that some half-wit is packing up damaged books and sending them out to customers. I'm pretty sure they'd gladly send you a new one or give you a refund if you decided that the book didn't meet your expectations.

 

Welcome to fchat!

No, for 700 Swiss Francs I am certainly not harsh with Porter Press. Not at all. A minimum quality can be expected. At this level (for a simple automobile book) I do not compromise. Why should I do that?
Even if they sub-contract out packing to some other company it is Porter's duty (and nobody else's) to make sure that everything is perfect.
It is not the book that didn't meet expectations, it is the condition in which it arrived or rather how it looked when I unpacked it (see my pix posted earlier). Damaged/torn cloth/wrap on the slipcase? Really? A brand new book? Discoloured already? Really?
As for the other things I mentioned (copyright infringements!) I take that rather serious. These guys pretend to be professionals so they really should know how to do things properly.
It was in March/April 2021 when I was contacted for help with the book........... Plus they charged my card instantly in April, then the book was delayed.........definitely NOT the way to do business and to get a good reputation.
I don't care about a refund or whatever. All I expected was a brand new, undamaged product (for 700 Swissies). Not more than that. Clearly that is NOT too much asked for. If the price is high (for an automobile book) then expectations are at a certain level. I own several thousand automobile books, with prices ranging from $ 1 to more than $ 10'000 (for a single book), so I know quite well what I am talking about.

Marcel Massini

 

I have said it before, the Ferrari GTE book is what Porter Press and many others should be producing on a regular basis.

A reasonably priced book on a model which still has plenty of unwritten words available to it.

Whether it's limited editon or not makes no difference but if you want to make it limited to 750 to 2,000 copies that's fine (as with the GTE book they will all sell out anyway if the formula is right).

All these new uber expensive limited edition books are not necessary- Porter Press ultimate GTO set, Opus, Taschen and some other less extreme examples (let's see what this new Nye GTO 64 book costs)

It's like the publishers are in an old fashioned schoolboy size war... "my book is bigger, better and more expensive and collectable than yours!!"

I see a need for an occasional "Miura Book" style release every now and then but more and more books are moving away from being a cheap source of information to an expensive investment covering topics that have been done to death.

 

I echo every word you wrote. There have been a number of books I really wanted, that were/are priced at what I considered to be high prices, so I have only bought very few, and I do mean FEW. Others I wanted too...until I saw the nose-bleed prices, so I did not buy them, and honestly... I do not miss having them either.

 

It’s a shame your initial impression was spoiled by the condition of the book. Yes, it’s expensive and I agree that one would expect a certain level of quality at that price point, but for me personally I accept that no process is infallible and whilst it’d be initially annoying, as long as the situation was corrected quickly and with no fuss, then I wouldn’t hold the publisher too much to account. I guess is all down to the individual’s level of tolerance I suppose? Anyway, no offense intended (if any was taken).

Putting quality control (and copyright) issues to one side, it’d be interesting to hear your thoughts on whether you think there’s anything new or different in the content of this book that adds to what has previously been published on the subject? Or is it just a re-hash of what’s previously been written before?

 

My opinion is rehash and I’m quite disappointed by this book. And in all honesty, I quite expected it. I was very close to cancelling when the delays came (giving me an opportunity to get out), but I stuck with it…it, for some reason reminds me of the ‘Clarkson on Ferrari’ book…I just wish the red slipcase and red covers were the only similarities.
Paul

 

I have the Clarkson book and while they do share the red cloth covers, thankfully there are more differences then similarities.

When the Porter Press Ultimate, Definitive, One in a Million, etc, etc, etc GTO books have their own Wikipedia entry as to what a dog of a book it is, then come back to me...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Clarkson_on_Ferrari

 

I bought Clarkson’s book precisely because if its reputation.

 

Level of tolerance on a book for 700 Swissies? Zero. As I said before already, no compromise, why should I?

Anything new or different in contents? For me, zero. Nothing more than a re-hash or repetition.

The only great thing in this book are the nice period color pix of Brian Joscelyne. But I've mentioned that before already.
Apart from that, nobody needs this book. But yes, I am biased, very. And I am fully aware of that.

Marcel Massini

 

I agree, a book that expensive should at the very least arrive to the customer in mint condition.

The contents are debatable, but the first point is undeniable.

 

Porter Press quality control?

Check this

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/2177/5447/products/Maserati-de-Luxe-edition_1000x1000.jpg?v=1568979815

And zoom on the metal plate. Now, is it that hard to double check the right city name? MoNdena? Really??
I have that same book (the so called "DeLuxe Edition") and when I received it I immediately contacted Porter Press assistance. They told me that "probably" something went wrong. Stop. I replied asking for a correct plate in place of the wrong one - you could quite easily detach from the cover - and they simply told me it was impossible to reprint it. Nice, isn't it?

So, I can feel you Marcel, all in all it's quite frustrating.
And thank you for your kind opinion on it.

 

Thank you for the reviews. I will pass on the GTO book. The Porter Press Breadvan book is being delivered today. Hope it arrives in better shape than Marcel's experience. The shipping was fast but we'll see how DHL handles it. It is obviously not as expensive as the GTO book, but I agree with Marcel completely. You pay your money and expect the book (or any product) to arrive promptly and safely.

 

So….

A response from Porter:

Further to the forum discussion and various comments made with regards to the Ultimate Ferrari 250GTO book recently published by Porter Press International, we would welcome the opportunity to respond to these and share our side of the story. Philip Porter and the Porter Press Team are currently at Goodwood Festival of Speed until Sunday, 11th July and will therefore release an official response early next week.

 

I’m curious about ‘their side of the story’, thus insinuating to me there are two sides to this supposed story…not sure where the other side comes from…