California from 06/2009 with 74,000km (46,000mi)

If all the service records are in order it might be a better thing that so many miles are on the car... It was used and proven! It's the garage queens that tend to have issues.

 

Unless they sell it for 70k euros, dont buy it.

at 90k Ferrari stops warrantying cars and u will need to buy a personal warranty from your dealer IF they give you one. Plus early '09/'10 models had gearbox problems and without a warranty on engine, transmission and gearbox u will be living on the edge of a knife.

Then again if u like risk, go for it.

 

If u live and work in Switzerland u take risks only for a gain. A Cali means ONLY depreaciation. Which means u are in for only loss. So at least u should limit that the best u can.

Is it a Ferrari dealer or a random one ? Ask him to provide you more years of cover, at least engine, transmission AND gearbox, of course for a price. If he answers no, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uf_rTLqj0o

 

this model was made to be driven. the car starts to really get better after mialage, so if you like it, buy it, but dont worry about mialage. Most of the cars who had transmission issues had much less miles.

 

Royal, u bought a CaliT new. He is pondering buying one of the lowest costing models in Europe, which prices are even lower than in the US.

I'm pretty sure manuma could ask anyone here why they didnt buy a LaFerrari instead of their Cali/FF/F12.

It's pretty clear our guy here cant afford mistakes and/or doesnt want them, so he needs proper advice, not all have the same will/possibility to say "heh the gearbox blew, awrite, here's 10 grand, repair it". Let alone transmission/engine.

So I warn him about what I would do in his shoes.

 

I would look for a Jan, Feb or Mar 2010 build, would not cost all that much more. The early models had a instrument cluster fault, the latter models went to direct injection V8 but I am not sure about the 6/2009 model has the newer engine since Sept is the revision time each year.

 

I think Marmist is correct, having said that, ensure you purchase from a dealer, or have a dealer totally inspect the car for any issues.

 

Literally, 2009/10s arent SUPPOSED to be reliable. They are the first and second year of a completely new model for Ferrari. Mistakes are bound to be made when u do something for the first time.

This is why people will always tell u to wait at least a couple of years INTO new models, unless you wanna/can spend a lot.

want my advice ? wait, SAVE some more and get a '11 or, if u want something really good, wait a couple more and get a Cali30.

Also, if u buy a non warrantied Ferrari, BE SURE to have 20k euros ready every year, apart from taxes and insurance, for POSSIBLE repair costs. U dont use them a year ? Good, u will have 20k more for the next. But believe me, sooner or later, the 10k bill gets to everyone.

 

I believe all California's, even the MY 2009 cars, have direct injection. My early 2010 car does. Of course that's US model years, so not sure if that translates the same.

 

I had a March 2009 car that I owned since September 2009 and in 6 1/2 years of ownership, (traded for 2014 Cali 30HS in January), I never had any issues. No gearbox, no top problems. Ferrari was great about updating everything through campaigns every time there was an improvement made, which essentially made it the same as a 2012. If service records are complete and all campaigns were done, I wouldn't be worried about it at all. There are plenty of 2011,12, even 13 cars on this forum that had gearbox or top issues, so getting a later model at a much higher price, doesn't exempt you from that possibility. Save the difference and get a warranty, or even better, stick it in a emergency fund which will cover most issues. Buying from a proper Ferrari dealer is very important though, as they will hopefully have made sure all campaigns were completed. Since it was driven and not stored, most problems would have already been sorted out. My $.02...

 

which is basically what I said

 

If the service records are current then I'd take a higher mileage car over another because that means it's been kept running and not sitting to rot. I would look into an extended warranty but all in all I wouldn't be worried. I had a 2012 Aston Martin Vantage that I put 33k miles on it after buying it new and didn't have any issues.

I'm waiting for Rick Lederman to chime in here. He's had 2010 and 2012 Californias which both had over 30k miles on and an FF with over 40k miles. His 2010 Cali may have had over 40k.

 

Rick bought them NEW. He had 3 years of total coverage and he definitely has more money that Tatooine. It's always the same. If u can buy it new, u dont care about repairs.

I repeat, our man here DOESNT HAVE that kind of money, he MUST NOT be careless and go yolo like that.

Right now in autoscout24.com the lowest Cali IN THE ENTIRE EUROPE is sold at 85k euros. (on autoscout, there might be some maybe even at 80k but I dont know it).
Offers: Ferrari, California, Final price (?) from ? 1,000.-
The one Tatooine wants is at 84k.

Telling someone who is PONDERING to buy the lowest costing autoscout24 Ferrari California IN EUROPE to go "buy it man, buy it, **** it!" is a recipe for disaster.

 

I agree with Marmist here. I looked at and dismissed a bunch of other Californias in the quest for mine. In the end I'm sure I ended up with something of a compromise--not the most expensive, but definitely not the lowest price either. It has a few issues, but it also has a warranty. The bottom end of the bell curve is always risky.

 

Some times the most expensive things are the cheapest. It is like owning an old jet you picked up cheap. The maintenance bills eat you alive.

 

yes but sometimes u cannot AFFORD the most expensive things.

This is why I suggested Tato to WAIT, dont buy anything as for now and save.

 

If he waits can he get non-MSA ?

 

I already Pm'd him some candidates I found on autoscout, we'll see

 

"non Marmist Seal of Approval"

 

The MSA identifier is extemely valuable for future trade or Sale, Marmist is the leader of the Seal .Dave is the Chairman of MSA worldwide.