Whut's a po boy to do?

+1. Couldn't have been said in a better way.

-G.B.

 

No man a scudder is just a hair slower than the GT2 my friend. The Porch 911 turbo with the pdk would be dead heat with a standard 430 F1. The GT3 the new RS would be scud pace.

Porches are definetely better value. But I never really compared the two to start with.

Plus even though the new models don't look as good as the older models(except the 458), they look a damn sight better than the beetle with running shoes. Hell the 996 along with that generation of boxters have headlights that look like omlettes(<- very irritating to see on a road trip when you are hungry).

 

Good one!

 

MSRP on a Scud for sale locally is $308k with options. Dunno what the out the door price would be. That bumps your P car budget up quite a bit.

This thread is hilarious. F-car guys making fun of P-car guys for pomp and circumstance? HA! I am not saying that it isn't true but it is kind of like comparing pots and kettles. Or the orange calling the apple fruit or something...

 

You gotta be kidding me. How many times a day in a comparison thread do Ferrari owners claim marque and racing history? 'Marque' is probably the highest density word of F-chat, followed closely by 'history.'

But you're right, the cars are overpriced. Lamborghini and Porsche are incredible bang for buck these days. The 599 is still the top GT imo, but if you want an exotic sports car, grab a slightly used LP560. If you want a track car, grab a 911 GT3/RS. As for a daily driver, a 997 Turbo will do the trick. Want an Enzo? Get a CGT.

The only way to rationalize most Ferrari purchases right now are on personal taste. Which is perfectly normal and the most important thing about buying a car --that you like it.

 

I too have had both--
The 1975 914 2.0, I briefly had when in school, untill got insurance bill, would out corner and out top the Mondial 8 i have now, as will the current Lotus Elise, but----
I would not trade the Ferrari for either car. The Ferrari has more "soul". Better feel of being one with the car and more "wow" factor as when daughter sees buds in VA Tech Corps of Cadets talking cars and one mentions Ferrari and she says My dad has one and he let me drive it to prom-- and they go are you rich even when they are better off than we are lol.

And yes I have bit the grand bullet on DIY repairs on Mondial but is easier than some of the things I have heard from bowling buddies like $3800 transmission for daughter's out of warranty Hundia.

Had Porsch and not ready to go back again.
X1/9 has better feel if not the numbers than the 914--914 does have more power.
Have Ferrari and willing to go for more.

Mayhaps it is the bit of Italian blood and name I have

 

Ancient one.

 

You could buy a Skyline GTR and go quicker than most, if not all, Ferrari's for less money than a Porsche but you'd be missing the point of owning a Ferrari.

For a true Ferrari enthusiast It's not about any willy waving "I can go faster than you!" attitude, It's about the way the car makes you feel. There's plenty of cars out there that are faster than a Ferrari, so what?, they're not a Ferrari at the end of the day!.

It's like this for the true enthusiast: From the moment you think about the car, you'll have a smile on your face. When you see the car, that smile will get bigger and bigger. Then when you go for a drive, you'll look like the cheshire cat in Alice in wonderland and won't care what anyone else thinks.

Sure, driving at speed is a part of the fun of owning a Ferrari but it's just a percentage of the overall joy of ownership. You'll find owners of Mondial 8's who get as much pleasure out of their cars as Napolis gets out of his P4/5 or Nick Mason gets out of his 250 GTO.

As for buying a Ferrari to drive for six months and then "flip" for the same money, that's not a Ferrari Enthusiast, that's a commodities buyer hoping to avoid making a loss on some stock he's bought.Basically it's someone who doesn't understand the whole Ferrari passion at all and has just bought one because they think it looks flash. As for Porsches', like I have said, unless it's blowing up in front of Me, I don't even look twice, far too common!.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but all your post has shown Me is that you have no real comprehension of what is to be a true Ferrari enthusiast and to appreciate the cars for themselves.

(Here's the real kick in the teeth though, I don't own a Ferrari, never have, and yet I understand totally what it is to be a Ferrari Enthusiast and what it means to own one!).

 

You say that until your Ferrari is worth $50-100K less because you drove it 8K miles in the first 2 years. Depreciation sucks no matter how much you like your car and I'd be willing to bet a ton of enthusiasts would gladly trade up sooner rather than later in order to prevent such huge loss in value. The majority of Ferraris aren't destined for museums.

Ask yourself this though: If presented with a choice of a Mondial or a modern GT3/997TT/GT2 or even a Lamborghini, how many on Fchat would choose the Mondial, assuming the cost the smae? Would you buy a 360 or a CGT if they were the same price?

It's a nice thought to think that all enthusiasts are unconditional, but it's not true. Even the most enthusiastic owners understand value.

 

...then oldie but a goodie?

 

LOL! This is what I love about this place. You post some electronic bits of dusts on a white board, and the next thing you know, someone who has never owed a Ferrari is telling me that I don't know **** about Ferraris.

Sir, I yield the floor to you. Please educate me as to what it means to be a "true Ferrari enthusiast."

Dale

 

Hot damn! I get another 100 large to spend. Let's see. Howza bout one of dem M3 things? Or maybe a big rockin AMG V8 monster. Or maybe I'll make my Porsche dealer's day and buy one of those, you know, 4-door thingies.

Or, maybe, just maybe, I'll go buy my old Maranello back and have enough left over to buy my wife a trinket for putting up with me for all these years.

Dale

PS We're not making fun of P-bugs, just P-bug people.

 

what you are describing is a car enthusiast. What I am describing is a Ferrari enthusiast, there's a world of difference. For a true Ferrari enthusiast there's no interest in any other make.How many on Fchat have spent $k's/£k's having their 308's restored instead of spending the money on a newer, faster Porshe?. Why?, in pure financial terms it makes no real sense. Taking all the restoration and running costs into account, they will never recoup their money and they will always have a slower older car than the Porsche they could have bought. They do it because their cars mean that much to them.

As for your choice of a Mondial or GT3/997TT/GT2 or even a Lamborghini for the same money, I'll take the Ferrari 500 mondial everytime (you really should have specified which Mondial ).
Assuming you meant the later '80's/'90's Mondial, there are plenty of mondial owners who could have got a much newer Porsche with a better reputation for quality for the price they paid, but they didn't, they picked a supposedly unloved Ferrari, Why is that?.

As for Me, I'd take the Mondial everytime. I have no interest in a superfast 911 VW beetle and when it comes to tractors, My heart belongs to the 1976 County (My dad used to drive one when I was a kid and it was the first thing I ever drove ), so that rules out the Lamborghini.

 

If the joy of driving a Ferrari is not worth the cost of depreciation, then maybe Ferrari ownership is not for you...at least not a modern serial production one that is going to continue to depreciate for years until leveling off...

 

+1

Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice !

 

Dear Ferraristi,

....My Diablo VT Roadster gets more chicks than any Ferrari.


"When the doors go up.....the panties go down"




Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice!

 

Strangely enough I thought I already did. I must have wasted my time writng My previous post!.

You seem to be under the impression that to qualify as a true enthusiast you must own a Ferrari. If that's the case please feel free to got to next years Italian Grand Prix and explain to all the Tifosi that if they don't own a Ferrari, then they are not true enthusiasts.

You could also go round Maranello and tell the locals the same (should be an interesting conversation!).

There are plenty of people who own Ferrari's purely because of the name and they think it makes them "cool". Doesn't make them an enthusiast though!

Do you support any football/baseball/basketball/hockey/sports team?. Are you a true fan/enthusiast?. Do you own the team?. do you own one of the players?. If not then based on your own statement, you cannot be a real fan/enthusiast!. (If the answer is yes you do own a team/player, then fair play!).

As far as I'm concerned, owning a Ferrari should be like a marriage, forsaking all others, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health til death do you part. It's not about making a profit on your car, it's not about how much it costs you over the years to run, it's not about off loading your car because your neighbours Porsche is faster.

If you were a dyed in the wool Ferrari enthusiast you'd understand, but based on what you've written, I don't think you'll ever get it.

(Oh!, and the reason I don't own one is that I am not fortunate enough to be in a position to afford one at the moment. I'm currently lucky to have a job, but that's down to 3 days a week due to a severe recession. Tell you what though, track down My last national census details and see what's written for religion.To save you the trouble, I'll let you know, it say RELIGION: TIFOSI , I kid you not, Ferrari means that much to Me!).

 

Makes me think of....Ferrari guys watch pornos and Lambo guys make them

One of my Favorite even though I dont currently have a Lambo.

 

Dear Ferraristi,


...a fair and honest response.

I can respect that.


Shamile

Freeze...Miami Vice !

 

Bawhahhaha

.....so true !

Baky, what happend to the LP 640 Roadster? You put so much into that car!

Maybe you should go back to a real Lamborghini.....Diablo!


Shamile

Freeze....Miami Vice !

 

Po boy I "red" the thread - so which emblem stares you in the face?
IMO - one should never ask a question ... knowing the answer

 

Admittingly, I've owned > 10 Porsches and for comparison, only 2 Ferraris. The F cars, I've owned only within the last 7 years.

How I became a Porsche Enthusiast:

Spending a majority of my formative years in a relative third world country, my eyeball exposure to high-end cars were very limited. My inlfuence came mostly from magazines like Road and Track, Car and Driver, etc. starting in the 70's. In other words, I became a Porsche enthusiast because of the magazines' slant towards Porsches. The Porsche 930 was my dream car as a youngster and a poster image of an airborne 934 was ingrained in my head.

When I moved to the US permanently, I got more exposure to Ferraris and started my enthusiasm for Enzo's work. Had I been exposed to Ferrari's without the magazine bias, I believe things would have been much different for me. Nonetheless, the damage has been done. By the time, I've driven a Ferrari, I've already owned several Porsches (911s).

Car comparisons within the same period:

Starting with my 70s and 80s car experience, I can still say that the only thing Porsches have over the Ferraris is reliability due to higher overall quality. Comparing Ferraris and Porsches of the same period, I would say that the driving experience in a street Porsche is no comparison to the Ferrari's. I didn't know any better at that time, but I likely would never again own the 911 variants that I lusted after in the 70's and 80's. In addition to the now ugly impact bumpers, I didn't like the 911s' steering kickback when hitting a bump while turning. I didn't like the notchy gearshift; the pedal positioning was also undesirable. Of course, at that time, I considered all these as part of the car's character.

When I fulfilled my dream of owning a 930 in the 90's, I was very disappointed with it. I love the car's looks at the time, but it drove like crap - massive turbo lag, understeering characteristics, unmatched gearing and engine torque curves. The 914 2.0, that I owned, was surprisingly a lot more fun than the 930.

"What's a po boy to do?" Well, this put me over the edge and drove a Ferrari 328. All I can say is wow. The driving feel/sensation of the Ferraris is heads above any street production Porsche, as many have already mentioned.

After owning an early 911 and a 911SC as race cars, I switched to Formula Fords and Formula Mazdas. The street Ferraris are closer than the street Porsches in true race car driving feel. Enough said...

I recently entertained buying a vintage race car. In my price point, I first looked at 356s. After driving a couple, I realized that this was not a car for me. I didn't like the beetle engine sound; the notchy gearshift still haunted me. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta of the same period were much better and infinitely more fun...

PCA versus FCA versus Alfa guys:

I was a PCA member in SoCal in the 90s. To me, the only benefit was the Panorama magazine's classifieds. Of course, with ebay, craigslist, etc., this is now a moot point. In terms of its members, I never really fit in, unless a particluar PCA member was also a POC race guy.

I have to say that I was also an FCA member but also didn't partake in events after the first couple. I personally have liked either race car folks the best or the Alfa guys, who I find more down to earth.

Last Confession:

We have three Porsches in the household - Boxster for my wife, Cayenne for my daily driver and a 944 factory race car. Please note that there are no 911s. I'm over having rear-engined 911s, which still doesn't defy the laws of physics no matter how much the Stuttgart engineers try. Despite its unpopularity with enthusiasts, the Cayenne is an amazing SUV - one that I can drive like a GT car despite its heft. The Boxster's and 944's dynamic balances are simply awesome. Good cars.

If, for some reason, I can only have one car to drive to tackle my track, daily utility and enthusiast usage, a Porsche RS or GT3 would make it to the final list. I would only do this as a pure necessity and not by choice, as the reality is that a jack-of-all-trades is still master-of-none...Fortunately, I'm not in this position.

 

Thank you for your reply. I should have put a smilie on My tractor comment as it was meant tongue in cheek.

I respect the Lamborghini's, firstly because they're Italian and therefore have more soul than anything from Germany and secondly, because they are kind of old school (at least the pre Audi ones are), big engines with proper mechanical engineering invovlved. I will admit to stuggling to accept some of the computerisation on Ferrari's these days, but I think that's more to do with my age .

I can't put My finger on why Lamborghini's don't do it for Me though, it's the same as why I can't explain why I prefer blondes to brunettes (and no, it's nothing to do with intelligence levels ). I've always felt that they're trying too hard to impress and have ended up being too compromised, too extreme (with the exception of the Miura which is absolutely gorgeous! ).

At the end of the day, it's horses for courses I suppose (or in your case, bulls for bullrings).

I hope you continue to get immense pleasure from your car (and from all the female attention too ). Hopefully the day will come when I can do likewise with a Ferrari of My own. Until then I'll just have to keep dreaming!.

 

Okay, you win. I am not worthy. To atone for my sins, I promise to NEVER buy another Ferrari again, so help me God.

Dale

 

Meh there are so many cars from so many places that I do want, I can't even begin.

I love Porches no matter how much I make fun of them. The 911 is the sports car icon period. Bumpers or not that sihouette has not changed in years. The Cayman is utterly fantastic. No other word for it. The boxter as many people make fun of it is an utterly fantastic car(I still don't want one though). The 944 brilliant thing, considered one for my first car but couldn't find any.

BUT I never really dreamed of Porsches (Except a 993 gt2).
Ferraris on the other hand, where do I begin. It started with the F40, then the 288, then both and with the f50 thrown in there, on and on as I researched and learnt more about them, the more I dreamt about them and to this day they roam my dreamworld.

Lamborghinis, mmmm not really. I do like their raw in your face brashness, but I never went to sleep and start dreaming about any of them, even the miura. Only the new lp670-sv woke somethin in me. Thats the only Lambo that genuinely moves me.

I do adore Zondas and kind of look at them as inspiration, but they really only built one model so far.

Koenigseggs as insane as they are again they don't move me.

The Ford GT-40. The original. That is a car I dreamed of and still do, and is the sole reason I ever bothered to look at Ford. I had this picture and actually Top Gear showed it in their V12 Vantage section at the season 13 finale of the Three Ford GT-40s blasting down the front straight at 24 hours of Le Mans, I don't have it anymore but the picture itself is etched in my memory. It is a beautiful sight. There is an unexplainable beauty to that picture I can't describe, but something in that picture makes me very very happy.

A couple of the older Mustangs, original Challengers, Camaros, and Cudas really wow me but again I never dreamed of them.

There are only five Japanese cars that ever managed to capture my heart. The original Skyline GT-R from 1969 along with its coupe variant. The Mazda RX-4. The Toyota 2000gt. The Nissan R390 GT1, and the Z-tune. Other than that, I really never felt myself grinning like an utter idiot with any other Jap car, none ever made me feel inexplicably happy.

America. Like I said only one machine that ever moved me. The original Ford GT40.

England? Tons, I love Aston Martins. They are amazing, and thats another brand that moves me without doubt. They like Ferrari have produced very few cars I don't dream of. There are a couple of MGs and Austins and Triumphs I love too. The ancient Bentley race cars were fantastic. Oh and the Mclaren F1.

Germans. Other than the SL300 gullwing and the 993 gt2 and the M1 nothing else roadworthy.

Maserati wise, tons of the older ones were utterly amazing. Along with a couple of the Alfas here and there.

French? Bugattis, the originals. Not the new era eb110 or the veyron. Both are awesome, but I don't get butterflies in my stomach from seeing them. They lost the original Bugatti magic.

I love those Lancia Stratos too.

Those are mainly the cars that move me. As far as race cars go? I can go on for pages. So lets not bring those in. I love racing machinery.

Wait a second this is kind of off topic now isn't it?