Motorists Reactions

ALL RIGHT!

 

The Mondial gets its share of stares...mostly by men

 

One of the previous owners of our car (88 328 GTS) told us some funny stories about people's reaction to the car.

He told us about one time his wife and he were out in the car and they parked in a car park and wandered off for a cup of coffee. They came back about 30 mins later to see a guy looking in the windows and just checking the car out. As they approached the guy turned, saw them and said "The car should be safe if I leave it here, don't ya think?" - obviously making out like it was his car. Peter was killing himself trying not to laugh and he just said "Yeah mate, should be safe enough!", grabbed his wife by the arm and walked off stifling the laughter. They thought they had saved the guy some face and allowed him a little fantasy until about an hour later when they stopped at a traffic light the same guy pulled up next to them in a station wagon full of screaming kids, looked enviously over at the car and recognised who was in it. Apparently he turned bright red and turned into the nearest side street.

So far all I've had is dorky gas station attendants telling me that their crappy little Toyota Starlet is a rarer car (probably was considering most of it was primer and dents) and offering to swap with me (ahhh .... no!), asking me to light it up as I leave the gas station (no sorry, I don't wanna roast my tyres), asking if its a real Ferrari or a Toyota MR2 made to look like one (is that really a s#*tbox or just a Toyota Starlet made to look like one?), that sort of stuff.

Steve

 

My wife gets annoyed because we are in the fish bowl when rolling downtown and she cant people watch because they are watching her....oh well.


The best part is we are always welcome to park upfront no matter what.
But If I leave the top down I find curous things thrown into the front seat...
business cards....cigarette butts etcc....
MM

 

The Daytona gets very muted responses and is largely under the radar. "Car Guys" who know what it is pretty much freak out, have tons of questions and really dig it. I dont mind this sort of attention from people who are really into cars, its fun. But the folks who are impressed by a Ferrari not due to its artwork and mechanical excellence but due only to the $$$ factor, it seems they dont know what a Daytona is. I like that.

My old '77 308GTB was a whole different story. It drew crowds pretty much everywhere I went. Everyone though it was new, it cost $200K and it would go 200mph. Most were very disappointed to learn it was an antique! That car actually drew more attention than I wanted.


Terry

 

I'm the Fcar owner newbie so really nothing yet, just from friends.

 

LOL

Yep, that 'bout covers it.

The most unexpected reaction was the Honda that pulled up onto a curb to let it by.
Of course, in retrospect, the driver might have just been staring at the rearview and got off course.

The weirdest reaction was when I was giving the 328 some exercise and stopped by a local supermarket for a couple of items. I got a good spot up front, parked the car, and walked into the store, noticing two groups of people standing back looking at the car.

Once inside, I glanced out the window -- both groups were parked nearby, but apparently they were afraid to get near the car when the owner was watching. When I came out (it was only a couple of items), the minivan group next to the Ferrari were still there ... they were afraid to pull out with it there.

 

What do you mean exactly by "over extended"?? I drive a modded BMW E46 & I'm never annoyed or pissed when I see a Ferrari.

 

I have always had good reactions to my 308 people always say that is Mag PI car. The best one was as I was at a traffic light this gray haired elderly lady pulled along side, and gave me thumbs up with a big smile.
I have had many wonderful times with the Ferrari.

 

A leased 3 series that they can barely afford.

 

I own an e46 and never annoy myself when I drive the Mondial.

 

Just last week as I come out from grabbing a soda at a gas station, two teenage boys across the parking lot saw me, and as I opened the door to get in, they started bowing down to me. I was laughing out loud after I got in the car, thinking that they weren't even born when it was built,

 

For some reason, i tend to be dissed a lot when I drive my car to LA or Hollywood. I think it is because of a few reasons:

1) the color of the car (yellow)
2) My age
3) I mostly drive the car by myself.

I only feel comfortable now to drive my car in Malibu, where people just don't care what you drive. There are so many nice cars here and everyone is so much more friendly.

 

Mikey and Sjm,
That comment only applies if you are that that type. Not all all inclusive.
I love BMWs and have a 7 Series, Fcar owners and friendly BMW owners are always cool. But it is true......I get alot of wierd comments from the uneducated BMW owners.....IF the shoe fits?
MM

 

I get plenty of thumbs-up - even from the homeless dudes that live around my block. I always give 'em a wave and they're cool. Had a guy come up to me at Petco and start asking about the car, chatted for a while while the wife was buying cat food although I was supposed to be putting the top up for her... a few weeks ago I was rolling back from Crystal Cove and had a guy hang with me for a while in a Z06 - thumbs up from him as well. Had one Neanderthal laugh at me when the car was at the side of the road after a couple of spark plugs blew out of the head in a less-than-salubrious area but generally good reactions. Fun to watch in the rear-view when people read the license plate (GR8S CHZ) as it is an F-car inside joke with the 348...

Cheers
Kevin

 

Sam, you're spending too much time on Fire Island.

Tom

 

Its strange to me that the F40 gets so much positive response while my 512TR got a lot of positive response too but once in a while the TR would get a negative response, frowns, envy, crap like that but people just go crazy about the F40. Must be bcus the F40 is so much more rare

 

I have gotten tooo mahy responses from my 78 308 GTS. It has been in a couple magazines in Japan. The Japanese tourists go ape-**** always posing next to my car. The girls always ask to go for a ride. I actually had a girl climb in my passenger's window once when I had the targa off. I happened to be looking out the driver's side at another girl eyeing the car. I thought what the hell? Due to the weight shift. Next thing I knew there was a girl in the passenger's seat cause she didn't know how to open the door. Luckily she was cute, so I drove striaght to my house.....and.........opened the bonnet.

 

Damn! I wish women would jump into my car! I think my 308 is invisible to women. Only men notice it.

I have had some funny encounters though. The funniest was the two guys in a pickup truck who pulled up next to me at a light, pointing and staring. ONe rolls down the window and says "Hey, has that thing got a hemi?" With a big grin. It was funny.

People follow closely on the highway to see the car, but my specially designed SPD (Smog Producing Device) keep them at a safe distance. (I.e. my pre-cat car makes nasty fumes!)

My favorite is when someone in a 7 series BMW drives past and cranes his neck to admire the 308, all the while being unaware that his car cost 3 times what mine did!

Birdman

 

The best reactions I have had come from kids riding with their parents. Once while driving the 550 on the interstate a large SUV pulls up into the left rear quarter blind spot and hangs there for a mile or two. This is a common drill we endure as you know they are checking the car out. Next, it gradually pulls alongside, and while doing so, the front passenger window rolls down to reveal a cherub-like 6 or 7 year old face with an angelic smile. I tooted the horn, and waved and the boy's smile turned to drop-jawed joy.

On another occasion while driving in decently moving traffic on the interstate on a beautiful Sunday morning, I saw one of the new Mustangs approaching in the lane to my left. As it drew alongside, it was clear that it was a father and his 12-13 year old son out for a first ride in their new toy. They were loving life. As they pulled alongside, they both looked over, pointed at my car, gave the thumbs up -- very enthusiastically -- and mouthed "nice car !" To return the compliment and add to their fun father-son bonding experience, I pointed to their car, gave the thumbs up and said "nice car, too !" Sometimes it truly is better to give than recevie as their expressions turned from joy to rapture and a great day was had by all.

 

It pleases me to hear that there are members of the general population that can appreciate a vintage F-car.

 

I was on my way to Shreveport in my 360 spider and pulled into a small town quick stop to get gas. After filling her up I went inside to pay and get something to drink. The girl behind the counter asked if I was the one in the corvette at pump 1. I laughed a bit and said, "that ain't no corvette, it is a Ferrari" the whole place went to the window to look at it. The girl turned red.

Plenty of Thumbs ups and "Wow look at that!" "Oh, my God!!" among other colorful expressions. People usually ask "how much did that set you back" for lack of other opening sentences. hehe

At the casinos, I would ask the valet where could I park my car and they always tell me, "Anywhere you want man! but I got a special place right up front under the Porte Cochere where it will be safe!"

Then there are too numerous expressions when driving the Testarossa. I haven't had the 360 long enough to tell which car gets the most admiration.

Half the enjoyment of driving these animals is watching the onlookers reactions and talking to them about cars. All of my experiences have been pleasant. My wife gets dismayed when she is riding shotgun because I will talk to folks for as long as they wish to talk about either of these cars or their own cars. A Ferrari snob I am not.

Same thing happens when I am in my Viper, Prowler or 58 Corvette, but to a lesser degree.

 

Heh! Heh! THese are good! I live in an area where an F-car is a very rare sight. I was driving through town a week before Christmas (?), through stoplight alley. I noticed a car behind me that was WAY too close. I then noticed that it was full of a bunch of teeny bops. My first thought was, "Damn kids!" Whenever the light turned green four arms would pop out the windows until we got to the next light and then they went in. I just thought they were screwing around, acting like kids, on a VERY unseasonably nice day. It wasn't until the 3rd or 4th light that I realized they all had cell phones in their hands! I was crackin' up because their car looked like a turtle whose legs would come out every time it moved! They finally pulled up next to me and the girls in the car smiled and gave me the thumbs up, but the guys with the phones were too cool to do more than steal a quick look - until I let them pull away! Then they all cranked around for a last look. Maybe there is hope for the youth of today!

Another notable encounter was with an Escalade at a stop light. I had my 12 yr. old daughter with me and we were chatting. A horn honks next to me and I look over er...I mean UP, at a family in this monster. There were two kids in the back, both less than 10 who were going "Cool!" and giving me the thumbs up. The wife said "That is really a nice car!". And her husband, who had to have been unbuckled and sitting in her lap, just kept saying over and over, Man, that is just TOO cool!" So I thank them profusely and I'm thinking, this guy could have bought 3 of my cars for what he spent on that tank! Here is a true car nut - family!

I have yet to encounter a BMW owner (of less than a 7 series), not act like a total a$$whipe. I don't know what it is........
Jim

 

Reading all the responses makes me want to go for a ride but there is so much salt and crap here on the roads in New Jersey that I can't bring myself up to all the cleaning I would have to do afterwards!!!!

Spring can't come soon enough.

I guess me and a lot of other Ferraristas are calling there service people to schedule a "Spring get ready for summer tune-up".

Tom

 

That's perplexing.
I would speculate that the red F40 (Assuming it was red) was "prettier" to them and easier to love, whereas the TR may come across as more "self assured", so in this case "attitude" may be working against you.

Or maybe people are just upset at you for selling the F40 for the TR.

I promise you, if I saw an F40 drive by.....I would faint!