Drive nowhere?

Hi all,
Always wanted a Ferrari; worked real hard and now have the means to purchase a F430 Scuderia. The other day someone asked me a question I didn't really have an answer to; "where are you going to drive that thing to?" Embarrassed, I didn't really have an answer. All this time, it was always "I want one and will work hard and smart for it; and when I could afford it I would buy it." Honestly, besides driving it aimlessly on twisty roads, I can't think of a single place I would drive the car to. Additionally, I live in Manhattan NYC and the roads aren't exactly conducive to high speed driving in an exotic. This leaves a handful of weekends where I would plan an excursion to twisty roads upstate or something and for the remaining 90%, it would just sit there.
I know everyone says, "drive it" instead of having it sitting pretty in a garage somewhere but where do you guys drive it?

 

seldom do my ferraris ever get used to go "somewhere"...instead, like you, i tend to drive them nowhere.

 

I rarely drive mine to a "destination" other than events w/ other Ferrari owners or quick stops like for auto parts, coffee, etc. Other than that, usually just around the lake, and around downtown. I can't relax when I leave it parked out of my sight.

 

As I think you know deep down inside, and I believe all the rest of us current and future owners know, it is not the location of the end of the drive that is the point, it is after all....... The Journey.

I drive my car to nowhere (home to home) 99.5% of the time. The other 0.5% is for a cappachino at my wife's favorite Italian Coffee House. Kinda anti-climatic don't ya think?

"The Journey" IS the "Magic of Ferrari."

Your journey is just beginning. Savor it. It gets no better.

Best of Luck.

 

Ok, I've got an '86 Mondial so take it for what it's worth, as I can have more fun at more legal speeds than some of the newer Ferrari's can. (My "blast through the gears" might get me up to 60 mph in third where a Scud would be approaching the sound barrier.) That said, lets say you've put in a long day at work, dinner's over, the little ones are in bed or their Mom is doing that tonight, and you just want to unwind a little. Think of all your options. Compared to walking the dog, reading something, watching the infernal boob tube or any other possibility, how does this sound?: "I'll be right back. I'm just going to take the Ferrari for a little spin and pick up a six pack at the store. You want anything?"

Also, there's all the tinkering in the garage, looking for just the right part, driving it to meets and shows, and planning those "upstate" weekend trips. Trust me - if you love it - you're gonna drive it. Take it from a guy who lives in the flatlands of Illinois and smack dab in Suburban sprawl 20 miles outside of Chicago. And yes, I drive mine at least a couple of times a week - usually more.

 

My mother in law asked me the same question. I drive it on small trips to nowhere with a couple highway ramps worked in to blow the carbon out. It always cheers me up and improves my outlook -the car is thrilling to drive. I joined Ferrari Club of America and took it to events, in the spring a visit to Classic Coach for a free quick over of the car, lunch and meeting some other owners. So many F-cars were arriving in the local streets that people watched like a parade. I took it to Lime Rock and drove it on a track with no speed limit. Two days of professional driving instruction and the great fun of pushing the car a little. My wife dragged me to a charity dinner, I took the car. The valet insisted that I park at the door and he said fire regulations require that he have the key but no one is going to touch your car. My eyedoctor was at the event and when I had my checkup she said "did you bring the Ferrari? Where is the Ferrari?" She said that when she left the charity dinner there was a small crowed around my car trying to figure out who owned it. I drive to the market. When I return to my car often there is someone admiring it and wanting to talk to me. Its fun to me. If you don't like the attention or superficial interaction it might not be any fun to you at all.

However, it is not just an expensive ostantatious object. It is a purpose driven fast car with fewer compromises than most sports cars. So it has a kind of integrity. it may acquire status because it is expensive, but most of the stuff put in there is not to make it expensive but to make it a better sports car.

 

you have described my ferrari use EXACTLY. glad i am not alone.

pcb

 

I drive mine on weekends if the weather is nice, and just cruise the twisty back roads. Sometimes with other Ferrari owners (mostly met via Fchat), but mostly just by myself. I'm fortunate to live in a place where good roads are plentiful and nearby.

When I first got it, I took it out whenever possible, for example, on errands. But I quickly learned that it is not a good grocery getter, and that I was not enjoying the car in those circumstances. It's much more enjoyable out on the open road. Beyond that, the only other time I'll drive it is if the wife and I are going out someplace nice (and with good parking).

You might consider trying to hook up with some other Ferrari owners in Manhattan. Take your BMW, and go with them on one of their group drives (assuming they have any). You'll get an idea of what the ownership experience will be like.

- Eric

 

I drove mine across the country. Home to home with 20,000 kms in between. http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=65329

 

Sounds like everyone here has already made the point about driving their Ferraris for the experience rather than the destination, but just wanted to make a couple additional points that I think are noteworthy.

First, the 430 Scuderia is an amazing piece of engineering, however, it is not made for NYC streets. I'd imagine driving it on Manhattan streets would almost inflict more pain than joy in the experience. In fact, I cringe driving my M3 around the city. Fortunately, I have a house in CT where I keep it for weekend drives, road trips and the occasional track day. Just out of curiosity, why the Scuderia rather than just a regular 430?

Second, I'm sure you are already aware of NYC garages being notoriously careless with cars, even Ferraris. I paid $550 per month to keep my car downtown and it would still show up with dings and scratches. I assume you already keep a car in the city, and hope you've managed to find a garage that's very careful.

And not to sound entirely pessimistic, you'll absolutely love driving it once you're out of the city, but you'll likely have to make a day or weekend of it rather than being able to just run to the corner store on a whim like you can in the 'burbs. I'd also urge you to look into track days if you're interested in exploring what the car was designed for.

 

I drive mine on the weekends when I have time. I usually drive to nowhere or cars and coffee.

 

I drive my 430 as a daily driver. It's fun at any speed.

 

I drive it on weekends to nowhere. I drive it to the gym. I go get coffee and bagels. I take a local canyon for a 60 mile twisty every Sunday morning. I don't drive it to work, don't want to sully it with daily mundane work stuff. I quick detail it every Sunday evening, the end of a perfect weekend. Then I have a beer with my bird.

 

i drive gabriella most everywhere. we have our favorite biker bar where we can sit on the patio
and enjoy the weather. bikers enjoy seeing a real ferrari and hearing her take off.
i do not let the destination stop me from driving her either. i do draw the line at grocery stores.
i've been known to haul pipe (small lengths) wire, most any clean item that will fit in the boot.
lowes and the depot are favorite visits.
wine runs are always a treat on sundays.
since the terrain is fairly hilly here, i never want for intersting drives. she's been on the interstate
once i think. just getting in and driving somewhere is the reason i bought her.
i do miss driving in the winter but then my attentions are viewing her from beneath and doing the
preventative maintenance protocols. an excellent bonding process!
i do not diefy her or treat her as a surrogate wife. but i'll have to admit, she is the stuff dreams
are made of....

 

I don't drive to.

I drive.

 

Rush M3 is right. I keep my 430 in Long Island. There are 2 430's in my garage in the city and when I meet their owners I want to find out where they drive them. The traffic and potholes would drive me crazy. If I lived in the city I would buy a place in the southern Catskills and use that as a base for driving my car. There is little traffic once you get there and some terrific secnic drives over well maintained roads.

 

I drive mine to get a soda at the gas station, to the movies, shopping at the mall, to publix, car meets, sometimes I take it out for a half hour drive to nowhere and then back home, to visit friends... I take it out every single time that I feel like driving it and almost daily. Just buy it and drive it.

 

I'm going to take everyone's advice and maybe go to a rally to see what the ownership experience is like. I was just at FOCNJ this past weekend for their F1 event but there were so many people there it was a little overwhelming. I had wanted to meet some F-Chatters but there was no way I was going to locate them without asking every single person I saw. There were hundreds of people there.
I would just hate to drop that kind of money and have it sit there.

 

I drive my 360 when ever I feel like it and I don't ever not take the 360 because of the destination. I don't worry when it's parked. I just use it like any other car I have. No dings, dents or scratches yet ~23,000 miles. I don't live near a big city. I most enjoy driving the car on the weekends with the top down in good weather with Janis Joplin playing low enough so I can hear the music coming from the engine and exhaust.

I rarely go to a shopping mall or grocery store anyways but when I do I just park it like any other car. It's why I picked a low key color like TDF.

 

+1000

Also, I have driven mine to NYC from Boston - stayed at Hotel Gansevort in the meat packing district and parked it right in front of the hotel, on the street, for the entire 2 nights, left it here all night, overnight and had no problems at all. There was a doorman nearby, but even still, lots of people look but no one messes with it. I took it out for a spin around NYC twice, drove through times square, around central park, etc, and had a ball - this is a 360 spider with the top down. In times square, stopped at a light, we had lots of people take pictures, and people came up to us and asked if we were in movies, rockstars, etc. In all in NYC a 360 is a blast to drive around and I will never hesitate to take a Ferrari there again.

For me the car is a daily driver and I put about 20K miles on it in less than 2 years and had no problems.

 

+1

Home to home, maybe a short stop at the petrol pump on the way.

 

A few examples among many: winter should have been over; February was dreary but there was no snow on the ground and I had cabin fever. I threw a bag in the nose of the Boxer and headed south. I called my wife late that afternoon- "Dear, you wouldn't believe how cheap cigarettes are here."
I was somewhere in the Carolinas at that point. Made it to Florida the next morning. She flew down and met me at Amelia Island. We took a few days, walking on the beach.
I finished my work in LA, and got a call that my 550 had arrived at the dealers there after being shipped from home base, in NY. Got out of my suit, hooked up with a close friend who lives in LA, and headed to Big Sur. Spent the next 4 days in the off season driving the PCH between Carmel and Moro Bay. Camped out at the Post Ranch Inn. My friend had just lost his girl friend to a sudden, unexpected death. We drove the hell out of the 550. After 4 days of driving, eating and being distracted by nothing, we pulled back into my hotel in LA; the car was filthy from road grit and the roof bore the impression of his right hand, where he hung on while we went our way through the marvelous twisties of the PCH.