Vintage owner here, pockets not so deep. I enjoy wrenching but know the realistic limits of my capabilities...when to put it down and call Norwood's here in Dallas. I have saved at least $5k in labor costs by doing a lot of smaller repair and reconditioning jobs myself over nearly 3 yrs. ownership, and that is important with a vintage model that's less desirable. Doing at least some of your own work is a good part of what vintage/classic ownership is all about. I'd never buy a late model Ferrari anyway...12 pre-1975 up-front cylinders, or walk. See profile pic for current state of my car.
I always thought the two types of owners were: 1. Those that have been bent over buying parts for their cars 2. Those that will be bent over buying parts for their cars. $2000 for plug wires? $1200 for a distributor cap? $10,000 for F1 gearbox hydraulics? Crikey...
I think he does and there are a few among us here from reading through the "Ferrari is just a car" thread!
Don't complain. You're wild seats are worth more Sterling, than my 2000 Corolla daily driver, "Oh what a feeling."
Nice car! You're in the vintage/own wrenching catagory with a car "only" worth 5 figures...although it may be six by now in top condition, huh? I'm like you in that I do almost everything myself but have a healthy respect for what I would need a real mechanic to do, like rebuilding the engine should it need it. Ken
The real question should be: Q: How many Ferrari Owners are there in the world? A: There are that many types of Ferrari Owners in the world.
Well, it could be argued that the two 308's parked outside, rate me as "poor"..... But the feeling I get driving them, after repairing them myself, or with the help of friends, certainly makes me "rich"...... And all of that is totally beside the point, as the meaning of life. As the famous art print reflected, with the fender curve, the wine bottle, and the reclining female...... Without the love of the reclining female.....you ain't got nothin', man...... That's What Count Volpi was trying to tell you, in the other thread. Go reread that, over and over, until you get it. I think the thousands of current Ferrari Owners around the world represent THOUSANDS of different perpectives, each unique unto itself! Now, help me get this wine cork out! LOL!
True for some people, but not for me. I like NART spyders and California spyders. They are and will remain beyond my financial grasp. I will however, learn to like a vintage 2+2, someday. Erich
I would. What would I do with an Enzo??? Drive it to bowling or golf? In weekend traffic?? I suppose I could but unless I was as rich as Jo Rowling I'd be a nervous wreck, and not enjoying myself at all. Except for an occasional blast down the highway it would be a garage queen. For this I'd pay for the 5 figure routine services?? Nope, not me. A 308, etc. I could drive anywhere, even the supermarket. (A 550 too...) I drive my Europa almost daily and I've even stopped worrying about getting stranded. It's real transportation as well as a blast, even at 30 MPH. An Enzo at 30 MPH is a PITA outside of the 'wow' factor. Ken
Ken, If you could afford 2 new Ferrraris, I don not think the cost of service would be an issue for you. The point being, we buy what we can afford, and rationalize around it.
Thanks for the compliment. I'm still a ways off from six figures but general 2+2 market appreciation since purchase plus my car being in extra-good mechanical shape has kept me happy about my "investment"...if I'm in the hole, it's for relatively little.
With that logic I guess I should sell my daily driver, that cost more than my Ferrari, plus all my other vehicles and buy a newer more expensive car - Maybe I should start making car payments because I can afford to.
A little simplistic don't you think.. You can also separate by enthusiast and enthusiasses An enthusiast can like a combination of pure and bling ... where an enthusiass is more like ... er ....uh .... well, I won't go there G
I knew a geneologist once who would often stay at a Holiday Inn Express. He explained to me that there are exactly 4 types of Ferrari owners: First, as explained earlier, there are two major species of owners: Dickheads and Enthusiats. Within each species, owners exhibit one of two types of behaviors: Drivers and Non-drivers (the latter group are also known as Waxers in some circles). Doing the math, that puts all owners into one of four categories. OK, problem solved, move along now...nothing to see here ......
I think it would be rare to find someone in an older Ferrari just for the status factor. People looking for the status factor don't want to have to explain what type of car it is. That being said, I think you can find real enthusiast in either old or new. Of course, sometimes it is a money issue, but not always. If someone gave me $100,000. and said go buy a ferrari, I wouldn't get a used 360, I would get a Dino.
Thanks so much for pointing this out. I'm not sure. When I first read this post, I thought the question referred to how people drove their Ferraris. For example, at the last Ferrari track day, one guy ended up doing some agricultural work with his Enzo. Because I'm not comfortable driving cars that I can't afford to fix if I screw up, there is no way that I'd drive an Enzo that hard. In fact, I'd be uncomfortable driving an Enzo unless I knew the owner very well. That said, all the cars that I do drive. I drive em hard. They're not art. They're not women. They are cars. Drive! Dale
saw this weeks ago made me mad. i saw what looked like a very nice 360 coming down the road behind me....but then he stoped,.... talking on cell phone and not saying on the road, kicking up rocks.... "miami" beach shirt, gold bing EVERWHERE acting stupid....then i look down at the car...rock chips...scrapes everwhere rims so dirty they looked brown....looked like he went off roading in this poor spider. i never thought i would shake me head at a ferrari owner and car...but i did. it looked like an act.....btw sorry if any of u guys have those "miami" flowered shirts..) and the happy thing is i saw this guy in a 355 with rims, very nice happy to talk to me about his car, let me look at it and ask him stupid ?'s so there is ur 2 types i guess
