Big Island Ferrari Drivers

Hey Dermot, I'm not on the Big Island, but I end up there about 1x year. I've only seen 1 328 in Hilo. That would be great if you got a 458. There are some nice roads on the Big Island.

 

The 328 observed on the Hilo side probably was mine. Sold it last year after 10 years of ownership. It is now in Honolulu. I now have a new Alfa 4C. Check out the local SCCA region here on the Big Island. You will be welcome with or without your 458--but especially with!

 

What side of BI? Im guessing Kona..

There was a red Ford GT that used to cruise around the island when I lived there 4-5 years back. Also seen a 430 quite often where I lived in Waikoloa Beach area.

 

Nope, Hilo side. I haven't seen the red Ford GT in several months, but I think the owner still has it. Haven't seen the 430 at all.

 

Right on..Havent been back to BI for a bit now. I actually do miss Hilo side. The 458 will stick out for sure in Hilo. haha.

 

On the Big Island Oct 13 - 20. Anything Ferrari related going on?

 

I live there on and off.......two houses and a wife that I don't care to see much!!
I have only seen one Mondial...a rental in Kona. Once two Diablos following each other heading towards Waikoloa. And the white Pantera that the manager at Costco owns.
Of course Passes shop also.

 

Unfortunately I only still own the house there.. Did five years on the rock and did ok but government regulations killed me. Cant even ship cars inter-island without tons of BS paperwork crap. You cannot even ship a car back to customer on another island without a current safety check when it expires and the computers will not accept a local inspection to bring it current....And the Jones Act killed me for my overseas customers. The state is a friggin disaster.
Sad but that's the reality of a union thug democratic socialist run state.

 

Mark, I've purchased several car from outer islands with no current safety check. The loophole was the registrations were in storage which Young Brothers accepts for interisland shipping.
I do however agree with you about all the BS paperwork for a state with a total population of just over a 1M ... sigh...

 

The storage of registrations do no longer work with ANY shipper. Young Bros will ship the car without current registration but it has to be put on a pallet and shipped as non operable even if it runs which costs around $750 inter island.

 

Whoa Pass, I didn't realize you bailed out. Where did you go?

 

Back to Colorado to take care of my folks. Opened a new shop in Salida; about 140 miles southwest of Denver. I grew up here.

 

Not necessarily true. I just shipped a vehicle from Oahu to Kona. I just simply dropped it off to YB. Possibly outer islands to Oahu is the dilemma?
In the past I've purchased several cars from outer islands which were in storage on a flat rack (pallet) by my choice so no one drove the car.

 

Good for you! More road options!

 

That 458 red spider you saw at Home Depot was probably me Did you get your 458 ? Would love to meet up some day.

 

Ahi,
I'm going to be bringing my 599 from Oregon over to the Big Island in the next year or two. Who do you have do minor services to your cars? A local, do it yourself, or fly over a tech from Ohau? (I doubt anyone has the proper Ferrari OBD2 code reader for serious issues.)

JN Exotics should start a dealership for some common cars on the Big Island. For instance, Land Rover or Audi, and then fly one of their Ferrari techs over to that dealership to service the local Ferraris once or twice a year. I'm sure they would get more Ferrari customers on the Big Island if they provided this service. And there is nothing wrong with selling more cars...

 

Unfortunately, I have to fly a tech from Oahu to service my 458 spider and lp550 spider. They are charging $850 travel fee. Im using my friend's lift to service my cars when tech flies over.

 

Have you talked to the guy on the corner about a block inland from Kona Ace Hardware?
It was across the side street from a hot tub place I think in old industrial. If you turn left there you drive by the Kona international market. There is a Ferrari sign on the building. Anyway he told me he is factory trained up to F40.

 

Worth every penny to not have to ship your car via barge twice each service.

 

Unless someone else opens an exotic service business on the BI what is the point? They still get all the business and travel fees without having to open an brick and mortar shop on BI.

Not trying to be pessimistic but living and doing business in the middle of the pacific is unique. Everyone knows what they are getting into when they own and exotic out here..... Unique for sure.

 

Thanks for the info, I sure will check him out. What is the name of his shop?

 

I don't know the name but the shop was on the corner of Kaiwi and Luhia.
As you head up from the beach past Ace Hardware turn left on Luhia and it was right there on the left corner.
I haven't been in Kona in a couple of years though.

Also right across Kaiwi street is a small place a couple of guys run. They always have some old vets and etc. in for service. I talked to them before and they sounded pretty up to speed.

 

Well, the point is: does JN Exotics want more business? Do they want to sell more cars?
Right now, it's tedious to own a modern Ferrari on the Big Island, which just happens to have the best roads and least traffic in the state. There's gobs of money on the Big Island, but most wealthy people will NOT buy a Ferrari or Lambo or even Porsche because of the exceedingly difficult service.

I've done most of my service on vintage Ferraris for over 35 years, and I can easily do oil changes and minor stuff on a 599. I have the Workshop Manual but I don't have a Leonardo diagnostic tablet. If I have a miserable experience servicing a modern Ferrari on the Big Island, I'll ship it back to the mainland, sell it, and go back to vintage cars which I or any competent mechanic on the Big Island can work on. If I need something major, like a BB512 engine rebuild, the engine gets shipped to Carobu Engineering.
So if I go back to vintage, JN gets none of my business.

Perhaps I'm an unusual customer, but Mercedes and BMW have satellite dealerships on the Big Island, and JN could easily start a satellite Audi or Range Rover dealership. (I would love to buy a diesel Range Rover.) JN could then send a Ferrari Tech over, say, twice a year to service any of the modern exotics.

If anybody is talking with JN in the future, please bring this satellite dealership idea to their attention.