Leave your Ferrari tools at home?

I live in Reno now and lived in Grand Junction in the early 80's. I know what Alfred Packer and the Donner Party did. Although, the Donner Party did it out of neccesity, Packer just liked it.

 

The tool kit is basically worthless as a toolkit itself but very valuable as a piece of the car... You don't want to lose it. Therefore, you should probably stick the toolkit, jack and owners manual in your house for safekeeping. Maybe print out the PDF of the owners manual and keep that with the car if you want. There is really no need to drive around with the tool kit..or the jack. If my car breaks down I'm probably calling a flatbed from my cellphone...

 

Keep the wiring diagram, and put together a decent toolkit from decent manufacturers. Put the roll away someplace safe. Kits end up "lost" unfortunately often during servicing or car show.

 

One thing I have learned from this site is there is a lot of neurosis among Ferrari owners.

 

I keep my original toolkits, bags, and spare parts in a very safe place, original car documentation and books in safe deposit. In the car is a tool/emergency kit I put together from odds & ends, as well as a tire pump.

 

I keep the tool kit, jack roll, trouble light and manuals with the car-- simply because that is where they were meant to be!

I don't want to buy crappy knock-off tools and make PDFs. Just me. My car will know and hate me for it.
I like seeing that stuff in the trunk.

Extremely valuable? The car is worth a lot more than that stuff yet I park it in public lots all the time.

 

Wow. A logical well adjusted Ferrari owner.

 

I guess you dont stray far from home. I go lots of places where no cell phone works. The tool kit is no more worthless than the guy using it.

 

I have the original books and toolkit with my car but the tools are a bit rusted and the bag has some rust stains on it. I've tried to clean the rust stains with an mild soap but not much improvement. How do I go about cleaning the bag and how could I get rid of the rust on the tools themselves? Thanks.

 

The toolkit is totally worthless... I don't think its ever been used once in 29 years. Am I worthless because I have better tools that I can use? Jeesh... Maybe get some better tools. Here's a helpful link for you: www.craftsman.com

 

Well, those toolkit tools aren't much good - I wouldn't use them anyway so I have my made-up toolkit in the car. And I would never leave the jack out. I cannot accept the idea of calling a towtruck or whatever for a flat tire. "Bring 'em back alive" has always been my motto! Fixed a lot of car/motorcycle problems at the side of the road and the only way I would call for help is if I cannot either fix it or jury-rig it enough to "get 'er home."

As a new Ferrari guy, I have to say that it seems to me that some folks are way over-concerned about these cars. Just drive 'em and fix 'em when they break.

 

LOL!! LOL!! LOL!!

 

The only thing I added was a small portable 3/8 in socket set, metric of course. It does make taking off the inner fender a bit easier. I also carry a few left over parts from my major like spark plug externders (2), thermostat and a few extra clamps. Other than that, I think the tool kit is fairly well suited for the emergency type repairs.

 

I don't go to car shows. I bought my car to drive the snot out of it. So all my tools and books are in the car. Actually, the spark plug socket from the kit is great. I can get the front bank plugs out with no problem. I don't even have to do any of the "over the deck lid under the spoiler" thing. I have spark plug sockets in my garage, but I prefer the one in the kit. There have been several times on other cars where I have needed the tool kit and I was glad to have it. It's for emergency only, but it sure is nice to have it when you need it. Ditto for the manual: "now which fuse is this?" And if the car has a spare, why in the world would you take the jack out? That's just asking for a Murphy's Law moment.

Of course, I hate cell phones and don't own one. So sitting on the side of the road waiting for AAA for fear of getting my new skirt and heels dirty isn't an option.

 

I got AAA,and used them twice already,free up to 100 miles

 

A rare duck, indeed!

 

Yeah they supply tools , but I have never said oh yeah let me grab the tools in the trunk to do anything on the car. Sell the tool kit, buy some decent tools and drive the car you will be the winner in the end. Let the next guy worry about tools. The guy who buys my car ain't buying it for concours I will bet on that. Not that it does not look or drive great, but with 66K it's a car to drive.

 

Forgot which section I was in when I posted that I couldn't change the fan belt with the tools in the kit. I probably could have done it on my Mondial, but no way on my 550. To change the belts on a 550, you must be able to get under the car. I don't have a jack, so I'd have to drive up on a curb or something creative. Then, I'm still screwed, because the kit doesn't contain the allen wrench that will uncrew the bolts on the fan shrouds. Lastly, my tool kit only has one belt. Not sure if it came with 2 or not? I'd have to hope that the belt that broke was the spare I had, as they are different lengths.

Brian is right. The tool kit is meant for patching, not full repairs. When I go someplace like VC, I also bring a roll of duct tape and bailing wire. No lie.

 

snow? who said anything about it going to snow?

 

LOL .. now that's rich.

 

I actually use them in a normal drive, but agree on going to service or repair they are better put away...I lost some to a body shop, once...

 

Mine is in the car, but only for completeness. I have a "real" mini tool kit with me too - enough to swap plugs if required. I alao have a container of water, top-up oil and a rubber glove for checking which plug might need changing if I get a misfire. Although I'd just call the AA to low-loader me home if anything major went wrong.

I do always make sure I have my Swiss army knife and a pen torch in the car every time I go out, mainly to deal with electrical gremlins that might occur - not needed them since fitting a Birdman fusebox though I carry the handbook, but have copied and laminated the wiring diagram.

Lee

'77 GT4

 

If you have a) vise grips, b) two adjustable wrenches, and c) straight and phillips screwdriver there's not much you can't do in a pinch by the side of the road.

I've never, ever used a factory tool kit...for anything. The tools are usually so bad that it's unpleasant to do anything with them. If there's one thing that'll make working on your car more enjoyable (and more effective!) it's having the right tools. My wife calls my garage the "Man Cave" because I have every tool you could imagine from large machines like milling machines and lathes to specialized make-specific tools to drawers full of every conceivable tool ever devised by man. Having a couple lifts (2-post and 4-post) is helpful as well.

That said, I really wish the 308 I bought off ebay a few months back came with the tool kit - it did not. The PO sold the tool kit on ebay not one month after the car was picked up at which time the owner said "gosh, I just don't have any idea what could have possibly happened to the tool kit!" I mean, who does that sheit? You're either a mouse or a man...is it really that tough to be a stand up guy???

 

Sadly, you are right There seems to be decided lack of "stand up guys" nowadays. Just went through something like that on ebay. I was the high bidder but somebody called the guy after the end of the auction and offered him more so he took the money instead of sending me the item. I have no use for such people and they deserve to get the crap beat out of them. As the song asks, "Where have all the cowboys gone?" I guess the answer is that they have turned into weenies and chicken$h1ts who wouldn't "man up" to anything.

 

At shows/ect. if I'm not with the car, I leave the tools up with the spare tire and the front bonnet closed, the manuals/books stay in their pouch behind the passenger seat. No reason to take any chances.