575 major service

During college I spent some time working for one of the major tire manufacturers and was among other things studying failed tires returned under warranty to determine exactly what was the root cause. There is a whole hell of a lot more to rubber degradation than that. That is not even a good Cliffs Notes version.

 

Well, I came here for info and to get the opinion of others with experience. Would think based on the info I provided that those who own or have previously owned a 575M would have a good indication of approximately what that 5 year service interval cost should look like. I will try to post the actual records later.

 

I understand but at the same time prices are all over globally and even just limited to the USA. Costs of doing business vary greatly but we have no idea where you are. How would anyone advise you intelligently?

My advice as the most experienced person in this matter on this website is to ask around Ferrari owners in your area to find the most respected shops. Ask them. Their position on the issue is what matters, not ours.

 

Service was done in Houston TX. I am in NC. Thank you for the info.

 

There are several choices there. One of the benefits of joining the FCA is to network with local Ferrari owners for just that type of information.

 

Ok thank you. I am aware of Foreign Cars Italia in Greensboro, but don’t know of any others or independents who service Ferraris.

 

Brian is correct. I have had my 575M for 15 years and during that time she has probably been what many would call overserviced. But she does not have many problems because they are mostly solved in advance. My belt changes (four of them) with new tensioners and all fluids and filters ran about $4-6K depending on what my independent techs in Albuquerque found and whether the cams needed timing.

FCI has a good reputation, but they will not be inexpensive.

 

Thanks for the info! Is there any downside to having it service through an independent tech as opposed to a dealer? Are they able to order and use all the same OEM parts?

Does anyone know of a good independent in NC?

 

What part of NC are you in? Triangle? Charlotte? Triad? Mtns/West ?

 

I have spent years in both. Was shop foreman in largest dealer service department. Its simply a matter of who has best people and there is nothing about a big yellow sign that makes that happen. Some like to say a record of dealer service is best. I used to say that too when I was standing under that big yellow sign and its complete ********.

OEM parts?? In many cases that is exactly what you do not want to use. Ferrari has a long history of using low bidders. Good shops pick and choose the good stuff.

 

A private talk with Danial at Ricambi America is in order.

 

Fayetteville

 

The closest I have come to smacking somebody was when the service manager at Ferrari of Houston shrugged his shoulders and said, eh?

 

I am looking at this 575 in Wilmington. Curious on others thoughts on it...price point, higher mileage, etc. The dealer is telling me it hasn't had a timing belt service since 2013 which is obviously alarming.

https://www.stevensonhendrickmazda.com/inventory/used-2002-ferrari-575m-maranello-2dr-cpe-rwd-coupe-zffbv55a620129079/

 

It indicates one of 3 things.
1. Indicates level of care and concern by owner.
2. Indicates level of product knowledge or competency of who serviced it
3. Possibly not used in a long time.

You can only see and discover so much. Most of what we base our recommendations to buyer on is feeling we get from what we can know and the very worst of those is an owner who didnt care. Treated it like his F150 and fixed it when it broke.
Combine that with the fact he seems to have traded it to a Mazda dealer does not speak well for the car. If it was a great car and he was an attentive Ferrari owner it would have wound up at a Ferrari dealer or an exotic oriented dealer. There are always exceptions so you play averages. Dont hit on 17.

 

For this 575M, you need a really good price so you can bring all the services and neglected items up to par. $100K for an early F1 575M with relatively unknown history is likely not a good deal unless you get really lucky.

 

In Fayetteville, call the guys at Wagenhaus and ask them for a referral and have a quick chat with them: 910-426-2800. If it were me and if the car is already in Fayetteville, I'd have it sent on a flatbed 90 minutes north to Foreign Cars Italia and have it done right. Join FCA for any available parts, service discounts. Don't lose an opportunity on a nice 575 if the price is right, they just need a little TLC.

https://ferrariclubofamerica.org/

 

Adam:

I gave those photos a quick look and didn’t see anything that stood my hair on end. The car looks pretty clean inside and outside…no red flags. No problem with wrinkling airbag covers, worn seat bolsters or sticky knobs. Engine compartment looks factory correct. Mileage (42k) is not an issue for a driver-quality 575M…these cars are very robust.

I’m actually a fan of buying cars in need of belt servicing…I can negotiate hard then turn the car over to my trusted technician who will go through the whole car with a fine-tooth comb. I can then sleep peacefully for the next few years.

Check the Carfax for accident damage, bodywork and title issues then take the car for a ride. A pre-purchase inspection is worth the several hundred dollars it would cost.

Good luck. Let us know how it turns out.

Alan
N.J.

 

Needing a service is fine. Neglect for 8 years is not. Exhibits a terrible attitude towards car. What else did he blow off for 8 years? What other ways did he mistreat car?

Patience is always your ally.

 

Brian….I’ll echo/repeat your valuable message….patience is always your ally.

I was ready for my 550 hunt to take many years. Ive historically shared that my tagged vintage Meyers Manx search took 3 years.

If $100k is “easy money” for you, then who cares, go for it… but for many of us $100k is real money so patience is definitely a virtue.

 

Thats true but I have seen far too many get a bad car and never bought another Ferrari. No matter their personal circumstances. I have one of those right now and he is developing a real hatred for the car . Easily avoided especially for someone with easy money.

 

That's a shame, it's not the car that is letting him down.

 

Well in fact it is. Due diligence was not exercised and he got a bad car. He had it inspected by AAA. Well yes the tires and brakes were good. The rest of it was not.

Its easy to avoid but half of the people here advise charging on in. Pretty stupid to me for them to advise that.

 

Patience is definitely the mother of all virtues. It took me 18 months to find the right 550 for me after checking up close no less than 10 examples. It needed a few fixes but nothing surprising or genuinely annoying considering its mileage and how well it seemed to have been taken care of. Now that it is fixed and improved I'm raping every split second with it. It runs a heck of a lot better than when I got it, nearly feeling like a whole new car.

The good cars are out there - it just takes patience to dig them out.

 

Somebody else let that car down, I understand your perspective with respect to what you do, but Ferraris are a passion, not routine transportation. It's now his job to bring the car back up to standard or abandon it for a Lexus. You can have a car with a stellar PPI and something go south at any time, they are machines and Ferraris are a special kind. Instead of hating the car, he should buy a second one, fix this one and rotate one in and out of maintenance on a schedule.