Best direction for a purchase

LOL, no Ferrari equals a 250 GTO. That's kind of an unfair comparison, don't you think?

What kind of person do you see yourself as? Do you like modern technology, the latest and greatest OR are you kind of an old soul who likes to live in the golden years? How about your wife?

Are you more attracted to the mid-engine V8 sports cars or the front engine boulevard cursers?

There is no wrong answer, this is about what moves you (and your wife).

Yes, the 599 GTO may depreciate.

-F

 

Let me throw something completely random out there.

If this is going to be your first Ferrari why not start out with something on the lower end of your budget and see if you like it - the 308/328 are relatively CHEAP to run compared to the other cars on your list. Its NOT going to depreciate any further and it lets you drive an iconic Ferrari for what appears to be a very small part of your budget to see how you like it. That gives you a more solid reference point to moving on to a higher priced model. Hard to beat that experience for ~30k.

Another one that would be awesome and NOT bust your budget is the 456. Extremely clean design by Pininfarina that even has a couple of back seats in addition to a V12 hanging out in front. I have seen examples sell in the high $30k range.

Given my experience as a 308 QV owner if I had the budget you mention I would definitely start looking at the Daytona as it is another iconic Grand Tourer. Plenty of power and just oozes class in my opinion. Its definitely not going to depreciate either, and is a VERY SOLID candidate for marked appreciation in the next few years.

After the Daytona I would definitely look at the BB's. Yeah, they can be high on maintenance, but have the possibility to be one of the next cars that makes a huge move upmarket.



PDG

 

Fascinating problem, but I think this is the best suggestion as a really good starter Ferrari for you. Not too old to be scary, modern enough to satisfy most of your desires re comfort, reliability, usability etc. Most importantly it sounds like it wouldn't bee too much of a stretch for you so a good starter from which you will be able to move on from (if you wish) without losing your shirt through depreciation or the necessary rebuild associated with an older purchase.

See below a video from an Aussie racing legend who I don't think had any intention of buying one.......until he drove one.

http://www.uniquecarsmag.com.au/news-and-reviews/article/articleid/80392.aspx

 

Martin, After reading your posts it seems a blending of newer reliability yet older V-12 real sound and feel is what you and your wife want, have you considered a 2005 or so SuperAmerica, gives you all the sound and feel of a nice handling Ferrari with the ability to pop the top or close as needed, The time I have spend in Cali it's seems this would be a great feature for you and it's fun cruising with your lady with the top open!! I have seen many low mile pristine examples, to me it has it all!! Eric

 

I just sold my 1998 FERRARI F1 to a CANADA /30K miles engine out fully serviced BERLINETTA
@ a give away cash price $45k/red-tan/FLAWLESS..like a GO CART best looking FERRARI
355-458 or just me @66
that is all I have to say !
j

engine out cost $7,500 for complete service from timing belts to cam seals,water pump etc.

 

Maybe consider a 330 GT series 2. Very similar styling to the GTC and actually weighs about the same as a GTC despite being a 2+2. There is no transaxle in the GT to worry about. Straight line performance is identical to the GTC, but the GTC is more tossable due to shorter wheelbase, independent rear suspension, and better weight distribution with rear-mounted transaxle. The GT's are about half the price of GTC's. All 330's are very, very reliable once they've been (completely) sorted and maintenance is very easy (no timing belts). Best bet with any vintage car is to buy one that has been gone through by a known shop or to buy one with needs and have it gone through by a known vintage Ferrari expert.

http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=28655
http://www.carfolio.com/specifications/models/car/?car=42383

 

Since you like the Daytona Spider, why not get a Coupe? They are priced the same or cheaper than 365 GTCs but offer much more. Or you could look for a cut coupe..

 

I agree that a Daytona would be perfect. You can actually use them; they'll stand up to a long trip. Many have a/c.

 

Couple of things. Barring a few issues with a few models, believe it or not, breakdowns are not typical with Ferrari's. Sometimes there are issues with the F1 systems in the newer models but I think even that is pretty rare.

Depreciation is a more real thing than breakdowns.

As others have mentioned, the Daytona may be a good choice. You won't have to worry about depreciation and a well maintained Daytona is reliable. I've never heard of a Daytona breakdown.

Also, an F430 may be a good option. There will still be depreciation but not as much as an 458. F430's are pretty solid cars. There are some issues that have to be considered when purchasing (F1 system, variators?) but generally the F430 is a very reliable model.

Lastly, as I mentioned before, the recent "special" models (Challenge Stradale, 430 Scuderia, 16M) will not have as mush depreciation as their standard counterparts but they still will depreciate.

Anything newer than a model from the mid 1990's will depreciate, some more than others. That's just a fact of life. If it's such a big concern then move on to the older models (Daytona, 330, etc.)

You have a lot of options and shopping is part of the fun.

-F

 

only the older FERRARIS holding there prices, but will be going up SLOW but very STRONG
as for all newer FERRARIS
prices are still TANKING, because of this crazy INFLATION not settled yet! still going DOWN !
that's one reason I dumped my 355F1 I believe in cutting my loss & move on

the longer you guys hoping for that BIG $$ offer you wanted is not going to happen, move on
my 2 cents
J

 

Sounds like you are treating your car like a investment and skipping on the pleasure of driving a great machine.

I treat my investments as investments and my cars as "job well done" and pure pleasure due to good investments.

 

I am 66 that's all I drive every day like a nut,everywhere I go are you kidding, to the food
store,muscle car shows,coffee @ ferrari dealers,dunkin donuts,lunches,zoo,disney world,
every day & you know something---I NEVER LOCK MY DOORS---for 33 years all my cars
from my ROLLS,EXCALIBUR,CLENET,OPER COUPE, 550SL & nothing was ever stolen

I always figure if they want my stereo they can take it, don't break my window

having fun, you want more
good luck hunting
j

 

My Series II 330 2+2 hit ALL of the criteria.

That's what I would recommend.

Martin, you were headed in the right direction!

Matt

 

+1 - a GTC is within the stated budget, so that may be a good choice, but if there is a desire for a cushion for the unexpected, a GT is a great option. Neither a GT or GTC is likely to go down in value over time and quite possibly will appreciate.

 

Get a 612 that is 2008 or later - that way you have all the latest improvements - carbon ceramics, hgt2 handling package and F 1 super fast. Tremendous performance of a V12 sound and all. Absolute bargains - you could get a 2008 in the 160 - 170s that originally cost a few 100,000 more

 

I went for the GTC in favour of the 2+2 as the driving dynamics of the GTC were miles ahead of the 2+2.

There are no transaxle issues on the GTC that I am aware of.


Onno

 

I agree on the GTC over the GT amd am not aware of GTC transaxle issues, but was just responding to Martin's post where he mentioned concern about the GTC price having skyrocketed and concern about the transaxle. The GTC fits the stated budget, but I think he was concerned about the total cost of a vintage car ownership, so a GT would leave a huge cushion for the unexpected.

 

Personally, I would rather invest in a car that has shown better value increase recently than worry about maintenance expenses. I would also rather own a car that is more fun to drive (my personal opinion - no offense intended to 2+2 owners), but others might feel differently. I drive mine a lot (about 4k miles a year), on rallies, international road trips and so on.

That these cars are expensive to own is a fact. But you don't need a $150k buffer.

A good example will easily run on a $5kpa budget (including major work every 5 years), less if you make fewer miles. The only big bills come if you need a rebuild of engine or gearbox, or if you need cosmetic restoration. If your car was restored properly, they can last for a very long time. Mine was restored 22 years ago, still looks perfect.


Onno

 

I agree with all of the above. Especially agree with the point that, once a vintage car is put in proper working order, it will be relatively easy to maintain for a long time.

 

Onno,
I think you made a great choice. Back in about '89-'90 I stumbled across a 330GTC for $10K but unfortunately could not secure the funding. I saw this episode of Classic Car this weekend: [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHx7rG3LQDM[/ame]