Why a Ferrari?

IS THERE A DIFFERENCE IN MEANINGS WHEN UPPER CASE IS USED COMPARED TO LOWER CASE ? SO THEN GLAZE OVER IT !!

 

Like the new avatar!

--Dan

 

YES! UPPER CASE MEANS YOU'RE YELLING, uhh oh sorry about that.

 

Thanks. I think Bernie is a little miffed that I got it first.

 

I must steal the expression that 'there is no substitute'. I sat and drove a few 308's and 1 328 when I was shopping for a coupe sports car. I had narrowed it down to: a Ferrari 308, 328 or 412i, Porsche 930, Lambo Jalpa, BMW M6. I drove an 87 M6 (good daily, but not what I was looking for), couldn't find a 412 at the time, nor a Jalpa, nor a 308 (4 of them) or 328 that pleased me, settled on the 3rd 930 I drove.

I must say that after driving the Ferraris that I drove....I WANTED ONE.... but couldn't find one that was 'the right one'. There is nothing like the purr of the engine behind you like a Ferrari V8 revving up to close to redline and the nice snick of gears around the gated shifter. I just 'feels' right and that is what makes a Ferrari a Ferrari. It might not be the fastest car on the road and might not be the best looking(through some eyes) but it is a Ferrari and if one were to stare at one for a little while and inspect one up close they would understand why.....and that is without driving it yet.

By the way a co worker of mine asked me the first time I drove the 930...."when did you get the volkwagon"......I couldv'e killed him!!!! I think the lines of Porsche 911 are the same way.......classic!

Okay.....I am done now.........I need to fill up my wine glass

brian

 

This is a question that is best addressed as something that is not a personal choice in the sense that its either in your genetic/emotional makeup or not; to use a bad example, like straight versus gay.

Personal examples: When I was a young boy in the 1950's, we took lots of driving trips as a family. I could recite the make, model, year, type of engine, and price of any car on the road. My younger brother didn't know a Cadillac from a Nash Metropolitan and could have cared less. A few years later, in our teens in the mid '60s, my brother was obsessed with motorcycles and wanting to be a drummer in a rock band; I thought both of his obsessions were stupid, and was ever-increasingly obsessed with cars and building model cars, both of which he considered stupid beyond comprehension. We were not quite at the age where we were over sibling rivalry, and though basically on friendly terms throughout, harassed and made fun of each other quite a bit at times.

Anyway, I'm just trying to illustrate the point that we are all different and you either "get it" or you don't, whatever the object or situation of desire may be. For me, my first live Ferrari experiences: seeing and examining a faded out '56 Boano coupe on a used sports car lot in Dallas, and soon after, seeing and hearing one in action--a new 4-headlight 330 2+2, much like the one I own now--had to be like a born addict's first shots of heroin. I just instinctively knew that everything about these cars worked at kind of the ultimate level. After that, I read everything about Ferrari, man and cars, that I could lay my hands on.

I had plenty of other priorities in adult life, and didn't regain the early interest in cars until age 45+. When, at age 52, I discovered that it would be financially feasible to buy and maintain a "modestly priced" vintage Ferrari, instead of the BMW 330Ci that was going to be my dream car, the teenage obsession came back with a blast. The Beemer fell off the screen unnoticed, and within a year the 330 2+2 was sitting in the garage. Philosophically, it's just another material possession, and the initial purchase thrills have faded. But, the important part is the long term, and so far no regrets worth mentioning. I've never enjoyed a car more.

 

Ok, since it was actually an honest question, here's my response.

I've always been a gearhead. I own a Ferrari because I've simply always wanted one, as far back as I can remember.

I'm in my mid 30s, so as a product of the 70s and 80s my first memories of Ferrari come from Christie Brinkley in a 308, Magnum PI, Road&Track magazine articles, and how amazing the 308 series looked compared to the boring junk rolling out of every car factory at the time. Couple that with the fact I grew up in a small town, and the Ferrari was truly an exotic dream.

I had Ferrari posters on my walls back in high school and college, but they were always unobtainable. The crazy 90s run up in prices made them even further away, and they slowly slipped out of mind.

Then, the Internet showed up, and through various resources I discovered that the prices had dropped dramatically during the intervening years. Many years of research later, and a sudden snap decision, and I was owner of a 328GTS.

The first time I ever drove a Ferrari was the day I signed the paperwork on the car. I never even drove it before I owned it. In the two years since, I've put 20,000 miles on it, and it's been everything I hoped.

Is it the fastest thing on the planet? Absolutely not. However, it IS a raw driving experience. It's noisy, twitchy, hot, tight -- and it's a blast to drive. Even better, the car is just absolutely gorgeous, and I still turn to look back at it when I walk away.

I've owned 30+ cars, and this one may very well be the one I'm buried in, many many years from now
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And pretty soon, you'll get tired of all the people asking why you have that many. After all, you can only drive one at a time.

Or you'll tire of people asking why you don't just have a {Honda, Explorer, RAV4} like "everyone else".

You stumbled onto a question that most people around here are tired of hearing.

You will always encounter those who want to question you for not making the same decisions that they made. (If everyone else makes the same choice, then they don't have to worry if it was the right choice.) We get too many people who come here looking for security blankets.

We might need a newcomer's forum to explain that there are certain inflamatory comments, questions, and old (to us) jokes that don't sit well when coming from a low post count.

There are, I suppose, those who buy Ferraris to try to borrow vindication from the name. (If you have a good car, you must be good, too.) Not many of that type hang around here. ("Networking" doesn't always involve computers.)

In a diverse group like this (and dis is von of diverse groups I've ever hung owt wid <joke>), about the best summary you could make is that we want Ferraris because we like them.

Oh, and for "crap", the EVO whupped the STi pretty well in SCCA Open Class, last time Subie was there. (Check the profile, dude.)

 

First off, WHY JUSTIFY !!.... (yes, I meant to raise my voice)

I enjoy driving. When I was younger I could not wait to get my licence.
I drive when I want to relax, and as a rational, educated adult. I use the proper tools for the application.

For instance, my Corvette is a sunny day, top down, lets cruise the beach (or mountains) tool. The Jaguar, is used for taking my family to church or dinner or .... and the Dino.... is MY CAR, I drive it when I want to have fun, make noise, and enjoy a little alone time. And.... I have a Saturn VUE, for commuting to work, or putting kids in it when we do the soccer, baseball, grocery, and "gosh it's raining - let's go see a movie", thing.
Oh, yeah, my wife drives a Grand Prix GTP - but, she hates cars.....

 

Contrary to a lot of replies here, I think this is an interesting question which may be beneficial for other aspects such as marketing and psychlogy.
I am 38 and during my teens 308 was the car. No need to go through the beautifulness of 308. Ferrari was a good name on most teenage car enthusiast lips and when we saw one we just gasped. We had posters, calenders of Ferraris and we dreamt of having one one day. Lambo, Porche never did this to me I don't know why. I think it is the bond that you have for these kind of things. Why you support a football team, or why you collect wine or watches. It is quite relative and personal I think.

 

Can anybody recall the first time they saw a Ferrari in the metal? And was it that first look at the beautiful prancing horse that ignited a life long passion?
I hope I'm not touching on any sensitive nerves as the initial question did

 

You are not on your own.

 

LOL, I just did the same thing and ended up on your post. Ah yes, that made my morning.

 

If your answer is more than a sentence you need not comment. To quote Paul Newman,” It is what it is.”
Roebling Road

 

To compensate for a small penis.

 

I think the question is fine--trying to share what we all like about cars. For me ferrari has been the stuff of dreams since about age 9--graceful beautiful not overdone; almost the embodiment of a renaissance spirit and grace. Sexy but not not outlandish. It makes my heart sing every time I hear/see one.

 

Once you've driven a good one, the whole Ferrari thing seems obvious.

 

Yeah i basically agree . Ferraris have a common magic. Having driven 360's 355's and 550's I would saythere are common elements (high speed stability, flat cornering, beautiful bodies etc.) but each is also very different in overall impression and I think would appeal to slightly different drivers and for different reasons. The engine response, balance comfort handling nimbleness are all different.


I also drove a testarossa a couple of times and it was different again--very amazing in its own way and an absolutely enchanting ride/presence but noticeably less quick in acceleartion at legal speeds and with poorer brakes than than the 360 etc. Track drivers versus street or weekend drivers versus gt drivers can all find specialized niches and may enjoy different things.

Why a person selected a particular car may be too personal to be discussed or may have been answered too many times to be engaging any more--but I doubt many bought their ferraris without having some sense of what made that particular car/model special.

 

I have been a car guy since age 15.

I majored in auto shop inhigh school, had the engine out of the MGA three times. Fried a set of caps in 500 miles once

Loved going fast and sliding through turns.

Had a 66 911, a 3speedster with a pumped sc engine and disc brakes, 100 mph at 7000 rpm in 4th. YEEEEHAAAW

Lived on top ramen while turbocharging my 72 914, crazy engine & chasis mods, Lottsa TTODs at auto Xs

Got married for the 3rd time, (yes, i'm part italian). Quit cars for 10 years, watched a few friends go with cancer, heart attacks, ect, figured WTF, get a real car that has had all most all of the compromises made in favor of performance: cost, luggage space, head room, mileage, maintenance cost, serviceability, availability = mid engine v-8, 4 wheel brakes, fully independent suspension two passenger, body styling that would make a bishop kick out several stained glass windows, and for me, a carbureted car, a simple car that i could work on, one that sounded good, a car i could afford and get involved with, try to improve, study, maintain and drive.

Being "one with the car" doesn't quite get it, but is close. I can study vehicle dynamics and all kinds of engine/chasis maintenance/mods, do almost all of the work and DRIVE THE CAR - maybe get it on the track soon for a few hot laps.

Driving Sears point flat out in my pumped 914 was the most fun i have ever had with or without my clothes on - The 308 has got to be a whole lot better.

I'm working on it

chris

 

Dan, I completely agree

 

A memorable story in my life...

background: I've loved Ferrari's since I was a little kid, perhaps not as actively as now, but I've always prefered them to any other car. I used to order the posters from those scholastic book buying forms in elementary school (while other girls were buying the kitty's and the puppies, so okay I ordered those too..) . I used to take pictures of them at car shows, and just stare at them and dream. So I was vaguely familiar with the car.

story: It wasn't until one spring sunset a few years ago, that I saw my first 360 Modena(I didn't know what it was at the time) in motion. We were both on the freeway, I could hear the purr through my window. Though thinking back it was pretty dangerous, but I drove along side of the Dark Silver Modena with black leather, and proceeded to move my way around the entire car, remember this was on the freeway. It was beautiful. The lines are forever burned into my memory. It is the only car that has literally made me drool(but just a little bit, and I had a napkin ) Perhaps this is where my bias towards Silver Modena's started. I wish I could tank the driver of the Ferrari that was driving that car, for letting me circle his car on the freeway as he could have very easily taken off (this was in norCAL around Walnut Creek where 680 and 24 meet, If that person is on this forum, Thank you for this experience. though it probably isn't as memorable for you as it was for me ).

I can remember my heart beating faster and thinking about how perfect everything about that car was. I had to find out what it was. I headed straight to Barnes and Nobles and bought my first Fornza magazine, which had an article about the Challenge cars, and the races. At the time I had no idea anything like this site was going on. I just knew I wanted to know more. It wasn't till a couple of years later I saw my first Ferrari Challenge. I find there is nothing like the sound of one of these beauties taking off for real. I look forward to the day when I can own one. For me seeing the car in motion is a life changing experience.