Bought a Ferrari sight unseen

Could anyone please scan and post an actual example of a Ferrari PPI report ? 328 specific if possible. I would like to see the kind of things they check and how they score them.

Thx Skin.

 

If you are only $2,000 worse off on a 348, that's really not bad.
However and here's the rub - if you were induced to buy this car based on the representations of the seller, and the PPI was part of those representations, then the fact that even one number may have been altered from a "7' to an "8" is fraud.

I think that at the very least you have the absolute right to be reimbursed by the seller for you additional expense in return for agreeing to not pursue him for his fraudulent actions.

I wouldn't concern myself too much and just enjoy the car, but you do have a cause for action in the event you choose to do something about it.

 

I've had a few years of experience in inspecting exotics, both pre and post purchase and sometimes it's pretty funny (stupid) what sellers will do just to sell the car. Buying sight unseen is a risky thing and inspections have a lot of areas for personal interpretation. My advice to anyone who is seriously considering buying a car sight unseen is to simply hop on a plane and go see it for yourself. You could have saved the repair $$$ up front by personally negotiating face to face. Congrats on your 348.. you'll have fun with it. Also be thankful it's mechanically sound and serviced.

 

If memory serves me correctly....Didn't you have to replace the alternator because the car broke down 30 miles after you got it? Or am I thinking of another F-chatter?

 

Yup, I am the guy. The car is back in the shop for ANOTHER alternator! I don't think he did know about this because I was looking through the service records and the altenator was replaced about a month or two before he got it from a normal car repair shop. When mine failed I brought it to another normal car repair shop and they put in a new (rebuilt) delco alternator. It failed a couple of weeks ago without warning. This time I brought it to a shop that specializes in Ferraris and they said the alternator was essentially good for a Buick, but required some heavy-duty parts to deal with the heat of the Ferrari engine.

I swear though - I do love my car and I am more upset with the deception than anything else.

 

3 alternators in a time frame of 6-7 months! I have never heard of such a thing. WoW. Do you think there is another issue that could be causing the alternator to fail? I believe a leaky cam seal can mess them up, but I don't think in that time frame....

 

I asked the Ferrari mechanic and he said it was the quality of parts in the Alternator. I don't know if it's a line, but he did say it shouldn't happen again. So we'll see. I did put 3000 miles on the car in the six months that I had it. I love it. I just wish I still had it so I could drive it a bit more before the snow comes.

 

I've replaced alternators before because bad or cheap parts were used in a rebuild.

 

Bought all four of mine sight-unseen with no PPI. Not suggesting that anyone else try it. I just happened to be really lucky.

 

You should play the lottery more often.

 

Since you live in Connecticut most of your work can be performed by F40 Motorsports in Portland they are super competent in ALL aspects of restoration and maintenance . I purchased my Tr from them and they addressed every minor issue the car had. I would strongly recommend them. I live in Simsbury and you can hop on route 9 S and I zip down there in 1/2 hour.

 

Now there's an idea!

 

Yeah, The CALIFORNIA lottery!

 

Last July I bought a 91 F348 TB from Ron Tonkin in Portland. I was also told that the car was perfect. The list of problems I have experienced are too numerous to post, but there was no honesty with the sales team regarding the car's condition.

The Bottom Line: Check any car out before buying. Commoon Sense.

 

Yep. I also bought mine sight unseen from a factory-authorized dealer. I was reluctant to buy from an individual, because often times they will attribute their nondisclosures to not knowing any beter. Likewise, dealers should know what a good car looks like - especially a new Ferrari dealer......Let me tell you, they can misrepresent with the best of them.....all in all, the problems with my car are minor (probably less than $1K, so they weren't worth pursuing), but it makes me angry that someone who KNOWS what a clean car looks like still chose to hide O-B-V-I-O-U-S defects.

 

I haven't decided on what to do yet. Probably nothing, but I know the person who sold it to me has read this thread, which means he knows I know that he lied - and maybe that's enough.

 

Agree with the other posters: All Ferraris have stories AND you got off cheap! I was out $30K for engine rebuild et al despite a generally clean PPI that I paid for. I coincidentally also bought sight unseen, but even if I'd seen the car, I likely wouldn't have argued with the accepatble compression test results that they provided, which proved, once the car got to me, 3000 mi later to be bull****. This doesn't imply that you need to condone or suffer from your sellers dishonesty; you'll have to follow your heart on how far to pursue this. I'd personally chalk it up to experience, and again, you got off CHEAP! Be thankful!

 

Just wanted to give an update.

The seller sent me a PM and asked how the car was. (I am assuming he read this thread).

After I replied, he insisted he had no idea about the changed numbers on the PPI. Again a flat out lie which is really starting to annoy me. He said in his PM..
"If you need money because you think I've done you an injustice let me know."

So I said fine. Give me $1000 and we'll call it even. Haven't heard back from him. The fact that he continues to lie to me, and then made that offer, which looks like he's not willing to uphold, I'm calling my attorney tomorrow.

I think I might also scan the PPI for everyone to see and tell everyone who I bought the car from.

Again, the fact that I had to put money into the car isn't the part the gets me the most. It's the fact that he lied and continues to do so.

 

Ok, everybody wait... I've got to put my popcorn in the microwave.

 

Ha! lol.

 

I bought mine un seen & it is perfect. A cert F mechanic father friend of mine that lives up north talked to the guys at the Long Island dealership (they all new each other) for conformation. My car is all that by close examination of my own F cert man & runs like new. Good luck.

 

gutsy buying a car w/o seeing it. i'd never do it. i wanna see what I'm getting....