California maintenance advise

I was also a longtime Porsche owner, 356 / 911 / 944 over a thirty year span. The -30 Calis were made in 2012 through 2014. I bought a ‘13 Cali 30 HS four years ago and I love it, driving about 3500 miles a year. Every once in a while I consider selling it for a 458 but they cost twice as much, and I quickly realize I wouldn’t be any happier and would regret selling mine. The sound, the handling, even the styling, which a lot of Ferrari purists turn their nose up at, appeals to me. Unfortunately, there’s really no way to predict the maintenance requirements any individual car will have. Some people, like me, have no problems, some have nightmares and some fall in between.

The transmissions were a problem in the early cars but have been much more reliable in the -30s. Also, there are a number of places who can open one up and repair it, something that dealers won’t do. The retractable top is a really complex design and it can be expensive to repair, but from what I’ve read on here it’s not a widespread problem. Annual inspections are a must for resale value and they run about $1500 give or take, depending on who does the work. It’s almost guaranteed to need new motor mounts at some point but that should be under $2000, again depending on who you take it to.

Do the proper research and wait until you find the one that’s just right for you. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy one again. There are several -30 HS owners on here and I don’t recall any of them saying they didn’t love it. If you ever want to talk about it at length, PM me and we can get together on the phone.

 

Great advice above. We too went from P (911) to F ('11 Cali), but we kept the 911 (997.2 S).

Other things I would add...
- tires - if you need a new set, ca. 2K or thereabouts
- biggest expenses in 8 years we've had our Cali are motor mounts, shocks, cosmetic stuff like Stickies (still need to take care of that), and apparently squirrels think Ferrari wiring is a delicacy.
- socializing with other F-car owners! Look into joining your local FCA chapter - assuming you're in the US/Canada. Meeting other owners has added a lot of fun to the ownership experience.

Definitely read up on DCT issues (consensus seems to be it was sensor issue rather than mechanical) and the hard top convertible (sensors plus mechanical issues IIRC), so you are cognizant of what you might be getting into. A pre-purchase inspection is strongly advised.

I'd also advise talking to other local F car owners about service options. These are not Toyotas or a Honda. Overall, the Cali has been reasonably reliable. But, if and when stuff breaks, it can easily be $$$$. And, if you're cutting big checks to service folks you don't like/trust, that's a total drag.

You want to be aware, but not scare yourself into inaction. By any rational cost-benefit analysis, buying a Ferrari is the about the least sensible thing you can do. But, as Ferris Bueller said, "If you have the means, you should pick one up!" Best idea my wife ever talked me into!

Good luck. The hunt for "the one" is part of the fun of F ownership.

T

 

Another former 911 to Cali guy here. I has a 991.1 C2S Cab and now a 16 Cali T. So far it's been smooth sailing but Ive only had the Cali for a month and 1k miles.
California build quality is definitely 2 steps below the 911, but the my 911s first workshop visit was almost $15k for items that break on every 991.1, so they aren't drama free either.
Aa a driving experience, the Cali is on a different planet, and funnily enough, I think it's more comfortable and easier to drive than the 991.

 

Window switches, sticky buttons, leather dash, things that seem to fall apart with the Californias.

 

It all depends on climate and extent the car is exposed to temperature extremes. Shrinkage is actually common on ALL cars that have a real/soft leather (like Nappa Leather) dash. The leather tends to be a very supple material prone to contraction. I have seen it on a Mercedes CL, Fisker Karma, Maserati, Lamborghini and all Ferrari models that are parked for extended periods in hot and hot/humid climates like AZ, FL, TX, GA, etc.


https://leatherninja.com/does-leather-shrink/

 

It's semi-expensive work, but easy to fix if the shrinkage contraction isn't too extensive. The cost is mostly in removing the dash which is time consuming.

If you remove your own dash you can assess the extent of the shrinkage and potentially fix it yourself. If you want to DIY let me know and I can explain the process and my own lessons learned. I fixed most of my own shrinkage issues without having to recover items.

 

“I don't sell cars. I sell engines. The cars I throw in for free since something has to hold the engines in.”
- Enzo Ferrari