I had seen that same article as above myself recently. Actually a good write up. TR's are wonderful to look at and are totally unique in their own right. Having owned 3 so far they do get expensive though to maintain. Parts are getting harder to find as well.
the difference is you (shrewdly) took the time to do the research and you live for love of its art (highly commendable) Likely then you did not buy one requiring mid five figures of work within the first 12 months. Intelligence remains a helpful factor in ownership... kudos
That nails it - the 328 is the perfect first Ferrari, it has many qualities, it's a keeper (especially in black !) - but arguably - that "LONGING" - reveals teh wonderful 328 does not have as many qualities as the testarossa. I mean don;t get me wrong I love teh 328 and am determined to get my first one this year, but the Testaorossa, the flat 12, the art, the noise, the presence... Dating her requires you know what you are getting into...., look at it this way it takes a real man to walk into supermodel territory knowing what to expect and being unphased about it when it happens. Once when I was dating a platinum blonde in London when at University i was getting freaked out about the "cost", the maintenance - in other words her crazy behaviour. Coming back from golf I was being dropped off in London by a gentleman who had married a european princess - now check this story out... She was royalty, impossibly beautiful, immensely rich, arguably equally unstable - the whole cliched package - never got up before 11am, dysfunctional family etc.. So he quietly kept his job and perspective. He was understated, he just calmly told me he knew what kind of model he was dealing with. One morning he walked into his office to find his and her picture on the front page of The Times, announcing his divorce. (Now remember I was havng a tough time dealing with my by comparison lower maintenance gf, and so i was hanging on his every word, learning from this guy 20 years older than me...) He told me his staff were apologising to him, almost for him, the atmosphere in the office was surreal. But he remained implacable. He waited till just before noon to call her as he knew she did not like to get up early. When he did, she apologised and said she had been meaning to tell him and that after they made love again last night, she just could not do so. Now get this, he said "OK darling, I;ll see you for dinner" That evening, he told me, they again made passionate love as she was so apologetic for not having told him. Again he took in his stride. he told me he truly knew she was high maintenance before he got involved - that is why he was unphased. He knew that she was a far more costly maintenance package AHEAD of TIME - so he was a gentleman throughout. The corresponding higher level of passion was his reward for his wisdom. When I aksed how long ago this was he said several years. So I asked what happened - and he smiled deep in his eyes - and said "i'm going home to her now, as always" Enzo would have been proud. Ownership is not supposed to be cheap, it is supposed to be rish, passionate. Routine transportation is, after all, available. Supermodels don't drive you crazy when you go out with them. You just have to know what you are getting into and be not only prepared for, but emotionally capable of the maintenance costs - then your love, your passion is unfettered - life becomes art, a roller coast of unbridled experience unimpeded by neurosis, anxiety - and then you stand head and shoulders above the crowd. You all know when you have met someone like that, perhaps he is the mirror. And you all know when you have driven a car like that. Now imagine how Enzo felt having given birth to them. Supreme. Onwards gentlemen....
That nails it - the 328 is the perfect first Ferrari, it has many qualities, it's a keeper (especially in black !) - but arguably - that "LONGING" - reveals the wonderful 328 does not have as many qualities as the testarossa. Don't get me wrong I love the 328 and am determined to get my first one this year, but the Testaorossa, the flat 12, the art, the noise, the presence, the visceral qualities... Dating her requires you know what you are getting into...., look at it this way it takes a real man to walk into supermodel territory comfortable in what to expect and being truly unphased when it happens - which it inevitably will. Once when I was dating a platinum blonde in London while at University I was getting tweaked, shall we say, about the "cost", the maintenance - in other words her crazy behaviour. Coming back from golf I was being dropped off in London by a gentleman who had married a european princess - now listen to this story... She was royalty, impossibly beautiful, immensely rich, arguably equally unstable - the whole cliched package - never got up before 11am, dysfunctional family etc.. So he quietly kept his job and perspective. He was understated, calmly telling me he knew what kind of (super) model he was dealing with. One morning he walked into his office to find his and her picture on the front page of The Times, announcing his divorce. He knew nothing about this. (Now remember I was havng a tough time dealing with my by comparison lower maintenance gf, and so I was hanging on his every word, learning from this guy 20 years older than me...) He told me his staff were apologising to him, almost for him, the atmosphere in the office was surreal. But he remained implacable. He waited till just before noon to call her. Remember, he knew she did not like to get up early. Took it in his stride. When he did, she apologised and said she had been meaning to tell him and that after they made love again last night, she just could not do so. Now it gets better, he said "OK darling, I;ll see you for dinner" That evening, he told me, they again made passionate love as she was so apologetic for not having told him. Again he took in his stride. He told me he truly knew she was high maintenance before he got involved - that is why he was unphased. He knew that she was a far more costly maintenance package AHEAD of TIME - so he remained a gentleman throughout. The corresponding higher level of passion was the reward for his wisdom. When I asked him how long ago this was, he said several years. So I asked what happened - and he smiled deep in his eyes - and said "i'm going home to her now, as always". Enzo would have been proud. Ownership is not supposed to be cheap, it is supposed to be rish, passionate. Routine transportation is, after all, available. Supermodels don't drive you crazy when you go out with them. You just have to know what you are getting into and be not only prepared for, but emotionally capable of the maintenance costs - then your love, your passion is unfettered - life becomes art, a roller coast of unbridled experience unimpeded by neurosis, anxiety and thoughts - then you stand head and shoulders above the crowd. You all know when you have met someone like that, perhaps he is in the mirror. Perhaps he will be in the mirror. And you all know when you have driven a car like that. Now imagine how Enzo felt having given birth to them. Supreme. Greatness exists, it is - and should be - rare. Onwards gentlemen....
Owned the 87 TR for only 1 1/2 years.............4000 more miles are now on the odometer. DONE: Replaced the carpeting and sound deadened the interior cause the factory carpet and install is a joke.........$1000 Refinished the front fairing/spoiler...........$114 Added a skid plate to the front...........$180 Replaced front boot courtesty light, rear hood struts, passenger door red marker light, exhaust system "donuts" and 6 springs and retaining bolts.......$245 Replaced 4 tires with the same type Kumhos that came on it...........$264 All wheel alignment and load balancing of tires and wheels......$110 3 oil and filter changes................$195 Replaced shrunken dash leather..........$7......yeah, SEVEN!! Replaced air intake sleeve........$45 Bought an extra set of PERFECT wheels........$800 Soap/water/wax/hours....................HUNDREDS TOTAL............$3000 or so............$250 a month..........cheap hobby I'd say! NEEDS: Throw out bearing ( I hear it "whine" every so often), and while at it, replace the clutch and pressure plate.....I garauntee it will be less than $400..with better clutch materials and a flywheel and plate refinished and up to specs..bearing will be the "costly" item 24 Valve seals................$224, on the shelf Needs front crank seal & redy-sleeve........$52, on the shelf Needs glass out, interior removed, complete restoration of bodywork and paint because it's got a "I've been driven" appearance when sitting still....$12000 and 2 months of down time next winter..........when the engine and rear driveline are out for repairs/maintanence/upgrades(trans and t-case) Total: $13000 or so...........Still not bad for what I will have..... to DRIVE! Mostly needs to be driven.............constantly at speed, with a smile and as someone insinuated in an earlier post, with one of those "stiff" things, .......even though my wife says that it has not gotten any larger since I purchased the TR........but I'm easier to live with..................now.............................part-time. Kerry
Truman Bond................ Your so right I do date a "Supermodel" with a Nero Blanco Metalica complextion, a very well proportioned body, inherently possesses great style, exudes class, has great long legs and likes to be warmed up properly, pushed hard, and fast..........often.............And my supermodel is after all.....................a "Redhead"............. I have 3 days off starting tomorrow......I have now surrendered to the fact that I will rent a car and drive the 180 miles home................to drive the TR ........again.........excuse me,.....I will drive home to date my supermodel............Kerry
you got it my friend...and paying the bills is part of the passion. NOt just fill the passenger seat with the same sm. and what's this rent a car crap???? Buy another one. One should never have only one stallion - and yes I have an Enzo story about that - nut I have a beautiful woman sitting next to me who needs my attention. I know what I am dealing with....! And - as I don't have my ferrari, I refuse to drive. Instead be driven, It's the principle (and if you think you enjoy her here in US - imagine the Bahamas where when the police stop you, it sure as heck is not for speeding.... best,
This month, I see a few examples: 1987 9,000 miles, 15K service done, $67,000 1989 5,000 miles, 15K service done, $74,000 1986 52,000 miles $39,000 OBO (no comment on service) 1990 12,100 miles 30K service done, $75,000 1991 33,000 miles $70,000 (unusual color combo, no comment on service) Miles, condition, & service seem to be driving the prices - but I for one do not see the values plummeting for decent cars. I of course do not know the whole story on the $39K car.
I see these "mileages" of 9K/5K/12K/ and I find it hard to believe, really! No drive = dried out rubber parts in the suspension, coachwork, engine (belts, seals, valve seals, etc.)..........just to name some of the obvious..... All the above items add up quickly and trust me they are realities......even a "driven" TR or a Ford or a Hemi 'Cuda or a 76 Vega with say 40K will have issues...........once it starts to be driven on a regular basis. Which is how Enzo intended it to be. These are mechanical, moving, instant feedback art..........TR's are not paintings and sculpture to be gazed at........WTF!! When I was shopping for an F-car for 3 years, I looked at many in person from Florida to San Fran to Houston to Boston and only drove the one, the one I bought...........because it was a driver not a lump...... So I must assume that if my TR has 90K on the dial, has documentation, is immaculate inside and out, the electrics are perfect and upgraded, and you can eat off the mechanicals and chassis.............it's worth.............25-30K........that's insane.......................It's no wonder the "market prices" for TR's is sh*t..........for the invester and/or poser ("I drive a Ferrari, Babe!") consumer.............it makes NO SENSE!! I applaude this train of thought............I'll buy a +60K on the dial TR and love it..................I mean drive it ................at a great price Let's stop discussing what their worth and start driving them and taking care of our Redheads.......Because when it's all said and done.............................It's a car........a great car mind you, but it's a CAR..................Kerry
I find hard to believe that anyone actually believes those numbers to be true and accurate. A low number on the odometer is the last thing I would take into consideration because they are so easy to unplug, and they ARE, for years at time in many cases. I've seen Ferraris with 30k on the odometer that have the interior of a 70k car. Careful inspection and testing of the car will yield it's true age and condition. The leakdown test tells much about the health of the engine. Inspection of the rubber bulb seals, glass seals and suspension bushings will tell a different part of the story. The list goes on.............................
My 512TR has almost 30k. The interior looks absolutely mint. The service records are 2 inches thick. The car is almost flawless (new fog light switch is coming, an I need to find a way to polish the lenses on the fog lamps too). I paid less than any 512TR I have seen advertised, I think because of the "high" miles, which appears to be documented. The last thing I want is some low miles garage queen that I feel like I cannot drive and enjoy. BTW, I had an Audi S4 that I bought new. lost about 14k in 18 months of depreciation. OUCH!!!
As to polishing the lenses just use Flitz polish. Works perfect and they will look like new. You can use it on your convertible top plastic window as well, I do. The prices quoted above were ASKING prices. Reality is they are by dealers or dreamers. I dont think anyone on this site would pay that much for one, but yet they expect theirs to be worth that much. People that would buy them for that price are newbie owners who don't know about all the TR issues. I had an 85 about 1993, red/tan, had 55K on the odo and ran and looked perfect. They did however have a book like you 2 inches thick. Everything had been done except for a total rebuild on the engine and tranny. Added 3K to the mileage and sold it myself for a little less than I paid.
Love seeing this discussion guys. Ive been away for a long time, I lost a lot of faith in Ferrari, flirted with Porsche but sunk my money into my home town boys...TVR. Ive started to get the TR itch again. Despite being a Tifosi and being a car geek, believe it or not, I have only ever had 2 scale models of cars...my first a Testarossa and last yr a customer of mine sent me a TVR Sagaris as a thankyou for a favour I did him. Boxers and TRs do it for me in a way almost no other Ferrari does, something about them. Truman, Kerry...your posts are manna from heaven to a guy who is considering returning to the fold and who has spent far too long wondering if there were any real Ferrari owners left. What I love about this thread is that I dont think one person has mentioned performance, relative or comparison once, its just about the feeling of opening the garage and seeing your car for the first time that day. Parking up and walking away...and not being able to resist turning round to gaze on her. Sliding your arse into the driver's seat and just sinking down into her with a daft smile on your face for no reason whatsoever. You have just got me itching some more gentlemen...thankyou.
Well, guys, I didn't say that I necessarily believed the mileage claims, either. But that is what was published in the July 2007 Hemmings...the point to be made was that presentable cars (by that I mean miles, condition, PPI, etc.) are being advertised in the mid 60 to mid 70 range for the Testarossa. Probably the 512TR and M are quite a ways north of that and going up. My point was this: I do not see TR prices tanking - and having actively shopped for one this past year, I did not find any evidence of the mythical 39K decent bargain car at all. I will stick my neck out and say it again - these are 12 cylinder real Ferraris. They will only increase in value over the years, provided they are maintained in proper condition.
good for you, that itch is what it is all about. You are right performance numbers are not where "IT" is at. The "IT" is the quality of experience, the rapture, the feelings, what is evoked - hopefully daft, silly, giggling joy. I remember being driven in a Dino when i was I can;t recall exactly 5,6, 7 years of age - and just could not stop smiling... Maybe the 360 et al are phenomenal I haven't drven one, but IMHO they feel, well like wearing a condom. And the fun of balancing a car at the limit, wow - do that in a modern ferrari and you better not be on the road - as yuo will be in Her majesty's pleasure soon enough - unless you are in teh Bahamas!!! Very gentlemanly constabulary. Not a speed camera anywhere.
I think it's wishful thinking from some people that the TR prices are "tanking". They have come down some, yes, but rest assured they will rebound and you will see very few high quality/well cared-for examples selling for a "bargain" price. I have an '89 w/ 35,000 miles that is in pristine condition because it has always had the services that it needed and has been well taken care of. There will always be cars priced at 20% below the mean, no matter what make or model. Those that are taken care of will demand more money, period. If the owner is smart, he doesn't sell in a down market unless he absolutely needs the money. As I learned early in life, "You Get What You Pay For". If you think TR's are "tanking" look at the real estate market for crying out loud.
