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I should...

Discussion in '348/355' started by SillyPuppy, Mar 17, 2007.

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  1. SillyPuppy

    SillyPuppy Formula 3

    Aug 2, 2005
    1,032
    #26 SillyPuppy, Mar 19, 2007
    Bee Jay, thank you - it's very, very gentlemanly of you to allow me to have first crack at the car, although it seems too good to be true, so it probably is... I'll let the mechanic do the PPI anyways, and if it seems shady, I *will* run like hell. :) I'll let you know what happens on my end, in case anyone's "waiting" for me. :)

    Thanks,
    Orrie
     
  2. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #27 Bee Jay, Mar 19, 2007
    OK, I rode up to SLO to check out this car. The car is at Smith Lotus and the guy I talked to on the phone Sunday, Ian, was not around. I talked to his dad, Brent Smith, the owner. This is a great car for someone who really wants a 355 Spider but has a limited budget. The paint is good, some detailing is needed. The interior and leather is good, the drivers seat will need some cleaning and restaining on the bolsters. The wheels have a little curb rash and will need to be refinished. I could not listen to the engine because the drivers side exhaust manifold is out being repaired. Brent said that the leather will be done, the wheels refinished, the paint detailed, and the exhaust manifold re-installed in one to two weeks. I have no idea why they listed it in ebay before the car was ready. They got the car from San Francisco Ferrari when the mileage discrepancy was discovered. Brent said that the DMV portion can be fixed eventually, but it's Carfax that will be difficult to impossible. The car definitely looks like a 22 to 35k mile car, so it's not like a 60k mile car rolled back to 22k miles. Brent had no idea if the valve guides or the cam belt had been done, but will have Ian contact me. This car is not for me, but may be perfect for you Orrie.
    Bee Jay
     
  3. SillyPuppy

    SillyPuppy Formula 3

    Aug 2, 2005
    1,032
    #28 SillyPuppy, Mar 19, 2007
    Incredibly excellent information, Bee Jay, I can't thank you enough. I'm going to call them in the morning regarding service history - my mechanic wisely said, "I'm not going to drive a car that may not have had its belt service done in 11 years!". He also feels it'll be a good car to drive, assuming it's in good mechanical shape, and so if I can get Smith Lotus to give him some space and use of a hoist, he'll drive up there as soon as he can to do the inspection for me.

    It's sounding like it'll need a little TLC, some that Smith'll give it, and some that I'll have to do afterward, but I think I'm up to the minor challenge. Thanks again for checking into the car, and I'll relay the info to my mechanic!

    Orrie
     
  4. lawwdog

    lawwdog Formula 3

    Dec 4, 2002
    1,178
    Northern California
    Full Name:
    Mario
    #29 lawwdog, Mar 19, 2007
    Just remember - cheap on the way in requires you to be cheap on the way out.

    If Ferrari SF kicked that car to a used car dealer (Brent Smith only buys cars that are hard to sell - check his prior sales) there is good reason. Think about it, a nice 355 spider would have sat happily at Ferrari of S.F. Brent Smith can sell to secondary buyers looking to buy a car on price point. You are looking to buy on price point so you are considering the car.

    Less than 5% of the buyers want a car with that tatoo. When it comes to sell it, you, the new private owner who bought a car with a story will have to find another buyer like yourself who is willing to accept the story.

    Bargain cars go to bargain shoppers. This is a bargain car.
     
  5. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #30 Bee Jay, Mar 19, 2007
    Actually he had quite a few very nice cars there. A 430, a 360, and of course the 355. A TT 911 that was to die for. A Ford GT, black with silver stripes, very nice. A ton of Lotuses (Loti?) and some other interesting stuff. Seeing all of the cars was worth the drive out. I told him I was looking for a clean 348, and he told me of an almost new green 348ts that he sold a month and a half ago.
    Hey, if the car passes ppi and cleans up really nice, this may be your dream come true. Let me know if I can be of any help. I can cruise back up there after the manifold is installed and the car is detailed. See if you can put a refundable $500 deposit on the car to hold it untill it's show ready. The ebay thing is puzzling though. It seems that Ian does things independent of Brent and Brent had no clue what Ian had going on with the car. It was a surprise to him that the car was on ebay.
    Bee Jay
     
  6. gothspeed

    gothspeed F1 World Champ

    May 26, 2006
    10,244
    U.S.A.
    Full Name:
    goth
    #31 gothspeed, Mar 20, 2007
    Somebody have a compression/leakdown test done on that motor!!! ;)
     
  7. SillyPuppy

    SillyPuppy Formula 3

    Aug 2, 2005
    1,032
    #32 SillyPuppy, Mar 20, 2007
    Being done as soon as my mechanic can get down there - I need to call this morning and ask Brent to send information regarding prior service, because my PPI guy won't drive it if the belts haven't been done in 11 years... And I don't blame him. My PPI guy's also gonna need some space and a hoist... I'll also ask about putting a deposit down.

    It sounds to me like FoSF sold the car to Smith when they found out about the odometer issues, which to me makes a little sense. A factory dealership wouldn't want to be associated to a car that isn't perfectly "clean", as far as title goes - they directly represent the marque to customers. If the car's been through there, though, there's a good chance they've done some maintenance to it, to prep it for sale. But they wouldn't want to sell it to their clientele, with a blemish on its title. I plan on calling FoSF today to talk with Brad about this car, to see what he knows about it.

    I understand that I may be getting myself into a car that's going to be very hard to sell later, but for me, later is in 8-10 years, and even that is a maybe. While there'll always be faster, quicker cars on the market, I haven't found one yet that's prettier. ;) Besides, the wife'll KILL me if I drive her nuts about a car again anytime soon! And by then, whatever one I'll buy will be "unsellable" anyways - it's gonna have 90,000 miles! I drive. A lot. :)

    More info as I get it... Thanks again, Bee Jay, for going up there and checking it out. I'm going to be at the Santana Row meet in San Jose this week, and I'm actually considering going all the way down there to see it, if my passenger wants to go! Yes, I'm nuts. :p

    Orrie
     
  8. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #33 Bee Jay, Mar 20, 2007
    Let me know if you can't find a place in SLO. I'm 45 miles away in Lompoc, but I do have a lift and garage space and a good collection of tools. I would love to watch your mechanic do a ppi on a Ferrari. I might learn something. What does he charge you to go all the way down to SLO to inspect a car? Where is he coming from. Smith had lots of garage space and a couple of lifts. He may just let your mechanic do the inspection on site. That way he won't have to drive the car far. Just the test drive. Just a thought. Hey, if the belt lets go on the test drive, you or your mechanic aren't liable, are you?
    Bee Jay
     
  9. SillyPuppy

    SillyPuppy Formula 3

    Aug 2, 2005
    1,032
    #34 SillyPuppy, Mar 20, 2007
    I'm having Claudio Zampolli (of Cizeta fame) do the PPI for me, and he's coming from the Van Nuys area, I believe. Three hours each way... yikes. I don't think he needs any tools he doesn't already have, but it's going to be a spendy PPI - $500, because he has to close his shop down for the day.

    I'm hoping he'll be able to use some space at Smith's shop, which is what I'll ask them today when I talk to them.

    I have no idea what happens if the belt goes during a test drive - I don't imagine the driver is liable for anything, as long as he doesn't do something stupid (downshift past redline, etc.). I imagine it'd be like test driving a used Honda, although the differences are obvious, of course. :)

    Something tells me, however, that the mechanics of that car are better than expected - it probably needs a major, but I get the feeling it's otherwise okay. Time (and Claudio!) will tell! :)

    Orrie
     
  10. SillyPuppy

    SillyPuppy Formula 3

    Aug 2, 2005
    1,032
    #35 SillyPuppy, Mar 20, 2007
    I just got off the phone with the dealership that has the car, and it's sold. Not to me. :(

    Oh, well, the hunt continues...

    Orrie
     
  11. Bee Jay

    Bee Jay Formula Junior

    Apr 14, 2004
    751
    Lompoc, Ca.
    Full Name:
    Bernard E. Jones
    #36 Bee Jay, Mar 20, 2007
    Wow. They couldn't get it together enough to answer any service questions for me when I was there yesterday. Somone must have bought it as is, where is. I guess I could have put a deposit on the car while I was there. I bet we see this car again, real soon for sale.
    Bee Jay
     
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