Pretty impressive!
Saw that. Wonder how many engine overhauls got it to 180K! Props to the owner for flogging it though!
I have heard of this car, the guy who owned used it as a DD including business trips. Great testament to the car, as far as I have been told it's never had an engine build. Modern materials and especially oils I recon that's very doable especially if it's constantly being used and not a garage queen. Interesting the corrosion near the rear window. https://signin.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?co_partnerId=2&siteid=0&UsingSSL=1
She must have received one of the good sets of valve guides, although he could have had them changed.
I really don't understand where the fear of some mileage comes from. So many cars make it to 200k+ mileages without engine rebuilds. I have an Alfa that has done more and I am sure its never been rebuilt, nor does it need it. Also a Range Rover with 155k miles, same thing. They run fine without noises, leaks or excessive oil use. I bet many of the older Ferraris have such mileages, or even higher. I do understand that other items wear too and it can be very costly to bring well-used example back to 'new' condition. But high mileage doesn't always imply tatty, and cars don't always need to be as-new imho. I can actually enjoy it more as I am not afraid to use or park it. Sure an engine rebuild isn't cheap, but a higher mileage doesn't meant its imminent. They're still fun and useful toys
After I got my guides and valves, I should have had the odometer reset to zero! (Just turned 64,000 miles this week).
After this summer, I will have clocked around 80k miles over 5 Ferraris EDIT: in 8 years, I just did 2 majors on 2 355 spiders that were part of the mileage spread. I prefer to drive than fly so if I need to go to Chicago, Montreal, Minneapolis, NYC, I drive. Lots of stuff falls apart on these things but the core running gear is pretty robust if you service it right and relatively on time. Gas mileage sucks but the music is better than any radio station.
My next potential concern is torque tube bearings. Unless I can find cheaper alternatives to the factory parts, it's another$10k job
Allan- Consider contacting Paul Hill of HE and see if torque tube bearings are in the works. If not, maybe put a bug in his ear.
I made a plead for not to shy higher mileages earlier on, but that was before I had a look at the ebay ad. Now I realise this one goes in the "well-used" category showing its best with a cigarette bud in the ashtray, yellowed gauge needles, tatty seats, aftermarket amp, dash shrinkage, lots of stone chips, and is that a GTA cluster rather than a GT one? Mechanically it may still have life left in it but then it may not - definitely not a car to buy outright.
I like high mileage Ferraris. The best 308 I owned out of all of them was one with 71K on it when bought and sold a few years later with 102K on it. I drove the wheels off of it. Seeing as how I fix Maseratis and Ferraris for a paycheck, I am seriously considering this 456 but I'd need to sell my Elise first so the timing will be a factor. But I'll say this: this is one Ferrari not to worry about the odometer reading on and not to sweat where you park it. Good catch on the cigarette butt in the ashtray. I didn't see that the first time. Hope the interior doesn't reek... I did place a bid of $25K which is what I feel it's worth on the market but it seems that the reserve hasn't been met. Dunno, maybe if I find a buyer for my Lotus I'll stump up to $28-30K but no higher...
Why is it that this is the automatic assumption for any higher mileage car - the reality seems to be the more miles the less likely they will be
Aaron, yes I like "used" cars more too, for their usability and lack of me worrying about something like resale value. As said, I often drive an older Range Rover as a daily and it is tattier than that Ferrari, that's for sure. I park it anywhere and go everywhere with it - festivals, car parks, Amsterdam centre, shopping malls, the Ardennes. Off topic, the Ardennes isn't just risky because of nature, I actually have had my paint scratched there with a previous car for unknown reasons, and I was not alone, seems to be because we were not Belgian... The entry price of this 456 isn't even that much more that it justifies worry, and resale can't be lower, so great! It is however the price of problems along the way with this 456 that are slightly more worrying than an old Range Rover, for which parts are relatively plentiful. If you are like me and do not see a problem to occasionally do big jobs yourself, then go for it and enjoy it. Its just hoping that it will be occasional and not worse than that. More often than not, it is never needed and its just fear. That dash that seems not to belong in that car is what got me worried most I think. I would inspect everything, as with a car like this it can range from pretty good to really bad. Cars can hide their flaws pretty well sometimes - until you actually start using them. Fuelsystem, drivetrain, gearbox, torquetube, clutch, hoses, radiator, shocks etc. It may check all out and then you have a great buy. Or it may not, and then its a great parts car . Definitely a bit more adventurous than just paying a lot for an 8k mile example - which probably also has issues.
One note regarding the aftermarket amp: that's a McIntosh unit which is a tremendously expensive and very high end piece. That amp probably cost new what a cambelt service does.
Great thread! Shame about the cigarette butts! One of my V12's has 153,000 miles on it. One owner before me ( lady) took it to 105. It has been the most reliable car I've ever had. I just got back to where she is at, from 4 months away, and she started first time and is again my DD. My apologies it is not an F, but given the mileage I hope you will forgive me for mentioning it on this thread - assuming so - can you guess which V12 it is, given it is almost 20 years old? And my point in mentioning it is the fact that she is the most reliable car I have ever had, which stands against common thinking in regards to low mileage being best. And no, there are NO cigarette butts in it. And the leather seats have ZERO tears or rips in them, or anything close to that. Now, just imagine the pleasure of having done that many miles in a 456 ;-) I'm jealous.
The seat bolster is in better shape than most of the 30k mile cars. But then again speedo's are never unplugged on Fcars..lol The best one was that 5 or 6k mile TR for sale awhile back that had lots of bolster wear on both seats,never seen that before.
Very. It may be a little crappy but it is still a Ferrari and a manual at that. Interesting for the not shy of DIY. Unfortunately it is in the wrong country for me. I wouldn't mind a Ferrari I could park anywhere. I missed out on one with mild frontal impact damage two years ago for €14k and I am still a little annoyed by that.
I have a note on my calendar to check the auction towards the end. If it stays near its current price (i.e. below $27K) then I'm likely a contender if for nothing else than the shock value at cars & coffee when people peer inside and look at the odometer
By the way, so the community has awareness. Weirdly a guy I converse with "offered" me this car yesterday, for $27,500 including his commission... I calmly copied and pasted the eBay link in an email to him, to which his reply was "Oh, I didn't know they'd put it up for sale..." Sketchy huh? I would steer way clear without a completely in depth PPI, and would not be a buyer for over $20,000 on this 456. Just my two cents.
