Get a PPI even if dealing with Ferrari Dealer

I just got the biggest dissappointment in buying an old used Ferrari from an Authorized dealer. The car is a '99 and had a lot of service work done and presented to me by email. As it turns out a lot of work orders shown to be completed were not. Naturally after all these years of buying cars new and used, I thought that a dealer is a saffer bet. I complained upon reciept of the car and sent them pictures on work they said was completed and yet no call from the sales manager. He did promise to call me 2 different occassions but did not. I did not get a PPI figuring I could trust the representations of the dealer. I'm still pissed off that the dealer was dishonest. The sales person that i did talk to pointed out the car was sold as is and it was.

 

Does as-is mean someone can mislead or be deceptive about service done?

 

it was “sold as is, as represented”. if the paperwork was falsified that is fraud.

 

That was my point in post # 2, it was a rhetorical question

 

What please is a " '99 "??
Type? Model? Chassis Number?
8 cyls? 12 cyls?
Which official dealer are we talking about here?
Did you personally inspect the car prior to purchase or not?
Did you test drive it?
Or buy just over the phone? Or email? Or?

Marcel Massini

 

It is a 355 Spyder which is an 8 cyls. I bought it over the phone and made no inspection or test drive. It was shown to have over 30k in service done. Engine out, tires, clutch, sticky parts repaired, top work done and minor items like bonnet shocks, minor touch up in bumper etc.

 

And which dealer are we talking about here?

Marcel Massini

 

‘99 is 1999 model yr.

 

I don't want to disclose that at this time. I'm pissed off but not sure if this is the place to disclose the dealer. The purpose of my thread is to remind all of us that there is nothing like doing your prepurchase inspection.

 

What was shown as being done that was not done, and were the represented WO’s from them? Or another dealer in the ownership history, or?

 

I doubt that Ferrari would even allow a third-party PPI on any car it was selling through a dealership.

 

I bought a CPO car from a Ferrari dealer that had a dent in the fender and the interior was totally ruined from being dyed everywhere, which is a shame because it’s probably the highest spec FF I’ve found to date. First time I ever bought a car without seeing it in person first. Figured it’s a CPO, must be in great shape and as represented. Nope. They bought it back from me. It’s currently being featured in the most recent Normal Guy Supercar video, you can still see the ruined interior in the video.

 

That is a shame and I have read other accounts here where people trusted a dealer to their detriment. The phrase "trust but verify" applies when buying any used Ferrari. I would stay away from any seller who would not allow an independent PPI. I understand not letting the vehicle off their property, but they should allow an examination.

 

I remembered your post! geeze

 

I have purchased multiple unique spec Ferraris from dealer that allowed PPIs - if they didn't allow independent PPI ... walk away. PERIOD.

 

I think you should always inspect a car of this type yourself, even if it's inconvenient, and if you're not an expert (I am not) get someone you trust to inspect it also. Your personal inspection will uncover some things you are uncomfortable about, and the expert inspection will always uncover others, always. I get PPI-type health checks done on my own Ferraris by independents, and there's always something, troubling or not.

It even applies to brand new cars. I took delivery of a Brabus earlier this year, brand new and built to my specifications. (The base car, in this case a C63S AMG, travels from Mercedes factory to Brabus factory before it's delivered). I was tempted to just drive it out of the showroom but inspected and noticed a stone chip on an air intake on the front spoiler, and a friend who is more expert noticed that one of the wheels was a more glossy shade of black than the others - it had been repainted, but in the wrong paint.

I wouldn't have noticed either without inspecting, and that's a brand new car. For a 20+ year old one, it should always be done.

 

It’s amazing to me that someone would buy a 20 some year old Ferrari without even laying eyes on it no matter where it’s being purchased from. At the very least have someone independent take a look and do some homework if you can’t do it yourself. I do hope it works out well in the end.
I just purchased another Ferrari out of state that’s only 2 years old , I didn’t feel like flying to NJ to look at it but did have an expert put eyes on it as well as up on a lift etc.
No chance I would have bought it without a good look.

 

Is this the one they reviewed and said its not for sale, and then asked for offers on (multiple times)?

 

I have been in the car service business for over 40 years, much of it in authorized dealers. To this day I cannot understand why because of the name on the big sign on the wall that it automatically conveys ethics and honesty.

 

I think some people make the flawed assumption that an authorized dealer “wouldn’t risk his franchise” by misleading or even cheating a customer. My impression is that FNA couldn't care less about these matters, especially when used cars are involved.

 

Not a single car manufacturer in the world does as long as it doesn't rise to the level it becomes a high profile embarrassment to the company. In fact with franchise law being what it is they are very limited to what they can do. Sell product and Charles Manson can be the GM.

 

That is true, but I had an interesting experience. Back around 1991, when Nissan was launching the Infiniti line, at a charity auction we won a weekend with a new Infiniti donated from a local dealership. Well several months passed before we decided to use the award. I was stunned when I found out the dealership was gone. Further investigation found that the dealership was using typical deceptive sales tactics and Infiniti pulled their dealership.

To Infiniti's credit, I contacted corporate and they arranged the weekend loan of a Q45. It did pay off for them because we later bought an Infiniti J30t for my wife, and I later bought a Q45a.

It does amaze me how sometimes companies, to save a few dollars, alienate a customer that in the end could have paid them major dividends. Oh well.

 

Going back in history an Italian car company I know whose US operations are located in New Jersey had a management group who went way out of their way, sometimes at significant expense to keep their customers happy. Management changed and it has never been that way since.

In that same way car companies do different things differently due to different management teams philosophies. Also as I said like a lot of different organizations have different attitudes or tolerance depending on who is being made to look bad to who or how many. Short version "Don't let your stupidity spill over on the boss" .

 

It can spill over the edge though (take the big boys, Auto Nation for example) it becomes ONLY about customer service (in this case, only caring about customer reviews being 5 stars and anything less, the entire pipeline is punished to keep corporate happy).

When I worked for Honda, my GMs were the biggest coke head ****** bags in the entire world. I wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire. But yes, certainly there is an environment and certain way different brands carry themselves. NEW car anything (dealers) in general make the entire process seem quite sterile and boring. Or maybe it’s just the cars

 

No matter how much we love Ferrari we should always remember at the end of the day they are all still used car dealers.

Always proceed accordingly.