612 owners/experts: parts/issues/maintenance? (Wife questions/potential purchase)

3rd year of ownership for my 2013 Cali30HS (my wife and I love this car). I am attracted as ever by a big Ferrari with 4 real seats and a V12. Starting exploring possibilities: FF or 612. The forum provided me with answers about repair and maintenance costs, but that was in 2022, we are now almost in 2025. I love the 612’s design, the N.A. V12, the performances and the fact that it’s more analog than an FF.

My wife has no power to make decisions for me but she has legitimate questions regarding the availability of parts, reliability and maintenance regarding a 612, mainly because the Cali30HS is a more modern car, 2013 instead of 2006/2007 for a potential 612 (not an OTO). She knows me and she knows that I’m a driver and enthusiast, not a mechanic who would work on cars and accept to be without a car for a long period of time.

Thank you very much for providing answers to the following questions/comments about 612s:

. Parts: are all the parts available to fix a 612? If not, what are the parts that are difficult to find?

. Apart from the regular annual maintenance, the main thing to do every 5 years is the belt change/service. Any other items that need attention? Any potential issues that you would like to mention?

. Based on your experiences at the end of 2024, are 612s very solid over the long-term? I would buy a car for 5 to 10 years (retired in a few years).

. Last but not least, would you recommend the purchase of a 612 based on the concerns above (including parts) and compared to an FF (the FF’s PTU + DCT + electronics are a concern over the long-term + it seems much more expensive to fix and maintain compared to a 612)?

. Aahh a question from my wife just when I’m ready to post this message : can a 360 bird-eye view camera system be installed in a 612?

 

As an owner of a 2010 612 OTO, which I have owned for eight years, I think that the car is solidly built and seems pretty impervious to difficult body and mechanical troubles. It's the electrics that are dicey. I replaced the central control board once, for a high but not unreasonable cost, and it didn't take long for the part to come and be installed. The left rear sensor occasionally beeps in reverse gear when nothing is there to detect. I am worried about the LCD screen to the left of the central tachometer. It works OK for me but is dim in cold weather. That would be in my opinion the most vulnerable part of the car. I don't know whether new ones are in stock, but you could ask a dealer. A detailer broke the headlight switch, and it took months to find a new one and the cost was over $1K, but the car worked fine without it, including the ring around the switch that remained functional. That's all. Personally I have found the overall maintenance cost of driving 3000 miles per year to be reasonable. BTW, I have never replaced the belt, which was new when I got the car. My mechanic says that the way I drive does not jeopardize the belt, and so I can probably go 9 or ten years. I went ten years with no belt service in my TR that I previously owned. However if you like to do red-lining and/or track days, belt service should be more frequent. As for the FF, it will have even more electrical devices, so I don't think that buying that newer model is any advantage.

 

Still laughing out loud “My wife has no power to make decisions for me ”

5years with a 2016 HGTC. Lots of info out there on the cars (few) weak points.
Just had belts done (not a shocking cost).
Only slightly scary moment was that the brake pistons were slightly corroded but they aren’t available from factory without the whole caliper and a few months delivery and a lot of €€ - A bit of research and Hill Engineering provided them so I’m set for the next 10 years.

Best thing about this car is that the more you drive it, the better is gets, and the older it gets, the better it looks.

Park it alongside an FF and your wife will make the right decision

 

I have owned my 2008 612 OTO since new (picked it up at the factory), almost 40,000 miles. Crossed North America both east-west and north-south multiple times. They are a pretty rugged car, really. Sure, like anything there are things that will be issues-- control arms and ball joints, for instance. But so far, no issues with parts for me.

 

Well, I’ve owned a 2008 612 OTO since 2013 (took it from 4400 miles to 64,000} and the 2015 FF since 2019 (13,000 to 26,000), so I can give you my experience and impressions.

I’ve driven the 612 to Key West twice, out to Arizona and New Mexico on one trip, and then to Colorado on another (including to the top of Pikes Peak) and multiple trips to Ontario and Quebec. Unfortunately on the last trip to Mont Tremblant an oil line to the transaxle burst, which brings me to parts.

The car was at the Montreal dealer for a whole month and they could not locate the line. I had it transported back home. I actually have a Ferrari independent in my home town. He had it fixed is 3 days. He had the line made and told me it was better quality than the Ferrari original (no surprise ).

I’ve had the hood release cable break twice. The first one was replaced with the Ferrari one, but the second one had to be altered because the Ferrari one was either wrong or didn’t fit any more.

The shocks were finally shot last year. I sent them to Belgium to be rebuilt. They are working fine and they give a 2 year warranty, but frankly it would be a pain if I had to use it.

One fuel pump cracked on the top and had to be replaced. And one of the bumper sensors had to be replaced. Other than that, it has been normal maintenance. Have not touched the rotors and pads.

The mechanical stuff isn’t bad to replace. Even if Ferrari no longer stocks it, someone should be able to make it, and probably better. There’s a place near me who specializes in NLA parts.

The problem is the electronics. My Bose infotainment screen is grayed out on the bottom half a year ago. I’ve searched all over and can’t find a place that can either repair or replace it. The Bose headquarters is right near by me and I even went over there. They made these over 17 years ago and nobody over there even knows about them. I guess you can get an aftermarket, but I’m not interested in that.

On the FF I had an oil line to the PTU burst and the parking brake cables replaced probably due to salt corrosion. Power wise the FF is crazy fast compared to the 612, but I only bought it so I could have a Ferrari to drive in New England winters.

I really like my FF, but I love the 612. My wife can drive the FF anytime, but she knows not to even ask to drive the 612, that's my baby!

 

You’ve come to right place to ask about the 612. I’ve owned my 2005 Scaglietti for 9+ years and this Forum has been invaluable for the advice and deep knowledge about the car.

My experience with the car has been stellar! It has never left me stranded or needed to be towed. That said, I’ve done a ton of maintenance and fixed items so that I could show it at Concorso Italiano a couple times (Platinum Award - 2017 and Gold/2nd in Class in 2022).

I think parts are generally available although need to be ordered and original parts can be expensive. That means leaving the car for a few days - I use an independent Ferrari expert shop. The clutch on the F1-A sequential manual needed to be replaced at 22K miles when I purchased the car. I never use the fully automatic mode which I’ve read is harder on the clutch. But shifting in manual in Sport Mode is how I want to drive anyway! I’ve seen that folks replace engine mounts, ball joints and tie rods. I’ve just done all of those now at 33K - still drove great but mechanic said they were wearing and had some play in them. Parts are available - Hill Engineering makes most of these. I also had rear shocks replaced - they were leaking. These had to be ordered and took about 3 weeks - unique adjustable units and I wanted to keep car stock. Batteries last only a few years - I’ve replaced twice - important to keep the car on a trickle charger like a CTEK. I had the factory charge plug installed and have the original Ferrari charger but prefer to use the CTEK.

I’m just about to list my beloved Scaglietti for sale - we’ve postponed vacations for years while I was working and want to start traveling by air! I haven’t decided best place to sell it but if you’re interested - PM me and I can provide more info. Nero Daytona exterior with Nero leather interior with gray stitching.

 

Thank you all very much for your detailed posts!

I can tell that you love your 612s and are passionate about it. That’s important to me, such love from owners means that a 612 must indeed be a great automobile. I’ve never been interested in owning any Ferrari just to own a badge, instead the model needs to speak to me and make me happy for various reasons (the Cali30 stills makes me super happy in my 3rd year of ownership + it’s well established on Fchat that I have a fondness for Ferraris with 4 real seats).

Going to write down on a computer file all the points you have made. Valuable points and information, thank you. Also helpful if and when the time comes to do a PPI, as I can add specific items to check. Helpful too in regards to the car’s maintenance.

Starting a new tax season (going to work at least 10/11 hours a day until May), can’t travel like the last 5 months, as one issue is that I need to spend a little bit of time with a 612 (at least 1 hour driving it in the city and on highways, experiencing it). It’s important for me to do this, not buying without a bit of experience to make sure it’s for me. On paper it is, but a real experience is invaluable. I posted in the Florida forum but so far no Fchat member has a 612 available in Florida. A local dealer, unknown exotics dealer, has one but will not give me the time I need + pressure to buy. In 2022 a dealer gave me about 10 minutes to drive around the dealership.

I will surely have more questions, what’s great is that I just started exploring the possibility of owning a 4-seater V12 Ferrari in 2025. Many things can happen until then but at least I’m moving forward with that goal.[/QUOTE]

 

Thank you for your detailed post too! I wanted to include you in my answer just above this post but it did not work, may be too many quotes at the same time.

 

I wrote this sentence when my wife was away .

 

I love the FF and Enjoy the Cali but ultimately the 612 was always something special, last of the Pure Pininfarina designed 2+2s and something I can take my wife and two growing children in for a spirited club drive or jaunt up the canyon for dinner! The back seats are very usable, will not only fit the kids but two full grown adults. The exhaust note from the HTGC exhaust is absolutely amazing! I have said it before and I'll say it again, The HGTC exhaust is by far the greatest sounding factory exhaust Ferrari has put on a front engine V12 second only to the 599 GTO/Aperta !

Once acclimated F1 is a joy to drive! Guaranteed to never miss a shift on a cold day and always nails the throttle blip. I have big feet so that's something I have difficulty doing in the gated cars! Which reminds me of another important point! Space! Lots of it! If your a big person, I'm 62 130 lbs and fit like a glove with space to spare. A friend is 6'8 and it's one of the very few Ferraris he can even fit into let alone drive comfortably!

530+hp V12 has torque for days and will holds it's own on a club drive with all the modern cars, but more importantly, at least in my case, everyone wants to hear the glorious exhaust! Nothing but compliments from everyone within earshot!

Exclusivity- The 612 is Not a car you will likely run into during a show, even a Ferrari gathering! You will see endless rows of 360, 430, Californias, 458 etc. But rarely will you see another 612 and chances are you will NEVER see another one in passing on the road! Because you don't see them often they are great conversations pieces among enthusiasts and widely respected in the Ferrari community!

Reliability - Solid! The motors and trans are solid! Unlike the PTU and DCT issues that pop up with a google search you will not find anything short of a catastrophic engine failure (which can only happen due to blatant neglect) that would subject your wallet to the devastation a PTU or DCT failure would on the newer cars!!
Easy to work on yourself or have an independent, stay away from Dealers! Very few, if any Ferrari Techs have ever seen a 612 let alone worked on one!! (Seriously) and if they do they are required to go by the book!!! (Corporate mandates) So what would be a easy $15 dollar part from Autozone and 1hr labor fix ends up being $1,500 and a month in the shop waiting for Factory Parts from Italy!

612 is The Best Value Ferrari right now!! let me sum it up in Caps!!

530+ HP V12 WITH TORQUE FOR DAYS!! IT'S A FREAKING ITALIAN MUSCLE CAR!!
COMFORT IS EXCELLENT!! LEATHER SO MUCH LEATHER! I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY COWS IT TOOK TO LINE THE INTERIOR OF THE 612!!
FIT, BIG SMALL LITTLE TALL EVERYONE FITS IN THE 612!!
BULLETPROOF MOTOR AND TRANS ! NO PTU OR DCT TYPE OF ISSUES AND NEVER HEARD OF A 612 MOTOR OR TRANS RANDOMLY FAILING!
EXCLUSIVE- NONE OF YOUR NEIGHBORS WILL HAVE ONE, MATTER OF FACT I'M THE ONLY ONE IN OUR STATE WITH ONE!! (ACCORDING TO OUR DEALER)
HGTC EXHAUST WILL HAVE YOU AND EVERYONE YOU PASS WANTING FOR MORE! THE ONLY THING THAT WILL SOUND BETTER IS THE GIGGLE FROM YOUR CHILDREN OR ADULT PASSENGERS IN THE BACK SEATS AS YOU SMASH THE SHIFT PADDLES!!

There will Never be another Ferrari like the 612!! I love em all, but the 612 is by far everything I always wanted in a Ferrari!

Happy Hunting!

CT
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P.S. if you scroll down my instagram acct you will find some sound clips of my 612 among other videos!
@DryL8k

 

I sure you’ll love the 612 when you get the chance to drive one. I know it was important to me to be able to drive the car before I bought it. I’m near San Francisco, so not close but if you happen to head this way….

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And...the most important part

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+1. Beautiful, black is the perfect color (I noticed darker colors enhance the gorgeous design).

 

Wow! Thank you for your comments, information and time. Well appreciated. Learning a lot and feeling the attraction. If only there was an Fchat member in Florida with a 612 so I could really test-drive one…

 

Hi Sunshine1,
You are welcome to drive my 2006 pre-OTO 612. I live in Florida but quite a long ways from Miami. There are (at least) two 612s currently for sale in Florida on Facebook marketplace, one in Boca Raton and the other in North Miami Beach. There were also two 612's at Ferrari Ft Lauderdale when I was there a year ago. I'll bet that if you ask-around in the "Ferrari circles", you will be able to find one to sample that is closer to home. Good luck with your search.

 

Frankly, I wouldn't obsess over a test drive. As long as you have a competent PPI done so you know what you're getting, do worry about driving it. If you like driving your Cali, you will absolutely love driving the 612.

 

A few common issues that you need to look for in your shopping:

Dash leather shrinkage. I would expect to find a little or a lot of this in any 612. When the leather covering of the dash and inside/outside the instrument bezel shrinks, it pulls away at the edge of the instrument bezel, along the windshield, and at the defroster vents. There might also be lumps in the passenger airbag cover and around the two sensors at the windshield. Also look inside the instrument bezel for pulling. Leather upholstery of the package shelf was an extra cost option, but very few don't have it, and this too is vulnerable to shrinkage.

Speaking of defroster vents, there is one on the top of each door. On my '05 the one on the driver side is warped a bit from the sun.

Leather headliner delamination/sagging. It is my understanding the leather headliner has a glued on foam backing, and that this foam was coated with glue and stuck right onto the aluminum roof. When the foam dries up and lets go of the headliner, it sags.

The Stickies! Every Ferrari owner knows about this one. A car with a thorough, competent stickies repair is one to treasure.

The rearview mirror control is known to break off. There is a repair part available for about $50.

The window switches are also known to break. They work like a teeter-totter, and the bracket at the fulcrum breaks off. The same guys who offer the repair part for the mirror switch say they're coming out with a repro window switch in December. I'm gonna get a set of three, one to fix my broken switch and the others to ensure a match.

Heated seat stays on even when switched off. My '05 has this, and every start up I get a TFT display warning either the right or left seat heater is on. Don't know what to do about this, but the SF Bay Area climate, where I live, makes it not an issue. Florida heat, maybe not so much.

The open/close butterflies of the six round HVAC vents are probably non-operational. The fix is easy. Check my write-up here.

I have been, and remain, in the clutches of Ferrari's annual August holiday, which this year also featured a complete reboot of their parts supply business. I ordered a pair of engine mounts in early September, and on November 22 I'm still waiting.

I have been laying under my car, hanging into the engine bay (these fenders are wiiiiide), and origami-ing myself under the dash quite a bit lately, and my takeaway is these cars are built like effin' tanks. Giant aluminum frame members and castings. I have never heard of one with squeaks and rattles, and I don't expect to.

One more thing, Fchatter @360trev says he's developed an ECU reflash that will tighten up the F1 shifts so much that you will not even consider doing a three-pedal switch. You also get several dozen extra ponies and pound-feet in the deal. I would definitely look into this mod.

 

I looove driving my Cali30. Still need to drive a 612 as it’s going to be a different feeling than the Cali (size, engine, shifts, bigger interior, …).

You are totally right about a PPI, I would not consider a 612 without having a PPI done.

 

Thank you very much for your long detailed post! More valuable information that I’m adding to the file I started.

 

3 questions:

* In my opinion, darker colors make the gorgeous design more desirable. If the right car did not have a dark color (I do not want a light color), would you have the car wrapped in a darker color? Owners do wraps on various cars, but have you heard it done on a 612, or would it be better to just buy a 612 which already have the right color?

* Curious: 180 Out mentioned the possibility of buying an ECU that tighten up the shifts and increase the horsepower. Did you, or do you know someone who made this upgrade? Would it be unwise to modify the original ECU (please note that I know nothing about mechanics, just would not want to have anything that might damage the engine/mechanical components)? Does that really increase the performance?

* Learning that the electrical system has many parts shared with the one on Maserati GranTurismos. Did you use parts from the GranT. to fix any electrical issues?

 

You raise an interesting point about the wrap. I was just discussing this with my brother a few days ago. If it were me, I would look to find one in a color you like, but if you find the perfect car that is not in a good color, I think a wrap makes a lot of sense. Pretty amazing that they can do that, really. Take a look at this FF on BaT:

https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2014-ferrari-ff-20/

At the end of the gallery are some photos of what is under the wrap. I have personally seen that car in two different colored wraps, and it looks great.

In regard to the ECU, I don't know anything about that mod, but I can tell you that for the 2008+ OTO, they significantly improved the F1 shifting, especially at low speeds and light throttle (so in town driving). I enjoy the F1, and while I would slightly prefer a manual, I am quite happy with the F1 in my OTO 612.

 

Interesting what they can do (wraps). You also make a great point: look to find one with the right color. That would certainly be my priority: in the end, for a classic older car, it makes more sense than a wrap, the changes and the cost.

 

2 cars available in South Florida from what I call “unknown dealers”, meaning not from known dealerships, but from guys with a location and buying/selling exotics for a few years.

For the first one, test-drive would be just around the dealership and I felt the sales pressure already mounting. Not interested. I need a real test-drive (at least 1 hour in various conditions, spending time inside, …,), it can only come from a private owner who would agree to show me his car. It’s a classic car, a car I do not know well, not a car that’s new or recent and that one can buy without spending a bit of time with it.

The second dealer did not have the car available because they were acting as a facilitator for an owner not living in Florida. Loss of time.

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One of them mentioned that the back seats are not comfortable for adults, including adults 5’5 to 5’7 (not enough space/legs). Is it true?

 

It depends on how tall you are, and how interested you are in being comfortable.

I am 6'4" and if I set the seat so I am comfortable, there is not much room for the back seat passenger's legs. However, if I run the seat forward a bit, which admittedly is not as nice for me, then there is room.

 

People in the back would generally be between 5’2 and 5’7 (I’m 5’5/driver’s seat). For local errands in South Florida, like maximum of 40 miles going somewhere.

That’s one of the privileges having Ferraris such as 612s and FFs (being able to go places with family/friends). Checking the back seats is on my to-do-list once I get my hands on a 612 I can truly test-drive.