Low maintenance entry-level Ferrari

Due diligence + luck, that's the only recipe IMO.

Most valuable thing I learned from F-chat is that you need to budget for the cost of purchase PLUS both reasonable AND unreasonable maintenance/repair costs. It's an expensive toy. But, if you're driving the dang thing always worried that something might go wrong, costing you $$, you won't enjoy the car, and so why bother buying it?

Good luck.

T
P.s. We have a Cali. Great first Ferrari.

 

Jana knows what she's talking about. In a male dominated car world.. "verbal bullying" can be "sticking up for herself". She's allowed to have a bad experience with the 360. It's possible to have the experience she had. I think it's a disservice to potential owners not to take her experience into account!

I personally question the mechanics working on the car... but you CAN have this experience.

 

You know going back to the OP's original post and i still contend the 2014 and up Cali and Cali T is the ticket since he asked for low maintenance Ferrari to get his feet wet. Remove the fact that he has the money its the wisest use of his money on any F car. Pretty darn modern, will still be in the free scheduled maintenance plan and if bought from a Ferrari dealer probably CPO which means at least a year of warranty with the option of purchasing more.

While the F430 is a good car I stress again that they are starting to have issues related to age. Plus they are currently about the same price as a California. A 360 is quite a bit cheaper but they cost more for maintenance and there is a laundry list of things that will need to be checked on cars earlier then 02. And having had more owners there is a higher risk someone beat on them causing more issues down the line. Does it make these cars a bad idea, no not if you know what you could be getting into.

Then there is the whole is the California really a Ferrari. Well it doesn't look like many of the Ferrari's that came before it but rest assured that when you press on the go peddle it goes like a Ferrari and it sure sounds like one.

So at this point the OP needs to probably go rent a couple of cars for a day and try em out, do some research on what ever model he decides he likes and go from there.

 

Your first Ferrari experience should not be a California IMO. Unless you are happy with Ferrari "lite" and or just want something with the badge on to cruise around in for appearances.

If you are looking for an exotic that is definitely not the right car. If you have the means do it right and get a 488 or something that will set your soul on fire. Your first experience in this realm of automotive nirvana should be epic, not watered down. Lease it or buy new and you won't have to worry about maintenance.

 

"Ferrari Lite", Haha! That's kind of how I view them also.
Budget of ..
$90k. 360 manual
$150k. 430 manual
$200k. 458 Italia hands down.
PPI and complete maintenance history required for all.

 

agree get a 458. thats a ferrari!

 

I agree 100% luck does play a role with these cars. Seen too many horror stories with 'clean' cars that didn't end up that way!

If you gonna play, just be prepared to pay..and you'll be happy.

 

I think all ferrari are "expensive" to own.

Newer ones are lighter on the repairs, but expensive in depreciation

Older cars are pretty much done on depreciation, but expensive with repairs--whether it is parts breaking or simply parts such as bushings and rubber hoses aging out

 

plus you have to have the patience to deal with all the repairs.

i agree with others, go mid engined or go home, the rest is not complex, the newer the more relaible.

 

That was my feeling when researching my first Ferrari purchase earlier this year. I considered the 458, but it needs another 2-3 years of depreciation before finding bottom (most likely) and <possibly controversial statement>I find the F430 to be the better-looking car</possibly controversial statement>.

I agree. That said, as much as we like to share our personal experiences, both positive and negative, they're all (collectively, even) statistically insignificant and no truly useful conclusions should be drawn by anybody. We're all rolling the proverbial dice to some extent. If you can't afford to gamble - or don't have the inclination/tolerance for it - stay out of the F-car casino.

For my part, I did my due diligence as thoroughly as possible and have been lucky (so far), too. Since buying the car, I've replaced or repaired everything that needed attention (to the tune of about another $10K - including a new clutch, suspension bushings, tires, battery, bumper repaint, and headliner, etc.), none of which was a surprise thanks to the excellent PPI and it now runs just as I imagine it did on leaving Maranello.

 

Out of all the Ferraris you mentioned as possibilities, the California should be the least expensive to maintain. Carbon ceramic brakes, theoretically should last the life of the car. A sealed dual clutch, theoretically should last the life of the car. Of course, it has timing chains, so no belt service to be concerned about. They came with 7 years free maintenance, so if you get one new enough, you'll be able to take advantage of that.

A 360 has timing belts, and a single clutch - both will require replacement. The 430 will go through clutches as well, but does have timing chains instead of belts.

 

Well said sir! Your post is the perfect example of how there is no such thing as a 'cheap' Ferrari. I would argue most people would be a bit shocked that an additional 10K is required for a 'good' car. To you and I, it's just part of the maintenance program. If more perspective 'deal' hunters have this fact digested, understood, and most importantly - expected: it makes the ownership experience quite a pleasant one indeed.

Cheers

 

Honestly the California is great. I just regret having learned it was first scheduled to be a maseratti which kinda threw me off but its a great fun car with a good sound!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Which is the best evidence available to indicate what the average repair expense will be over that same time period.

This is the point. There is a RISK of a big expense. MOST LIKELY there won't be anything major and you'll be fine. If you accept that possibility, you'll be fine. If you worry about it, then don't buy the car.

...and after 15 years of marriage, so do I!

(...with a thread like this you have to wonder if the OP was real or is even reading any of this)

 

Exactly. If a 10K (heck 20-30K+ surprise) puts you in 'worry zone' - not the cars one should consider. Plenty of faster, cheaper, and more reliable cars out there (cough) Porsche

 

If it would have been a Maserati it would be worth way less then they are now but would probably be less Hp too. I actually looked at theGranturismo before deciding on a California. My wife wishes i was still looking at Granturismo's.

 

Lots of good advice and experience anecdotes in this thread. One thing to consider with the California is that "some" Ferrari owners may view you as a second class citizen, as the Cali isn't regarded as an enthusiasts car (Despite the fact that they can waste older mid-V8's around a track). If that doesn't matter to you, it would be a great first Ferrari. You mentioned that you have solid financial wherewithal, so I'd urge you to consider something more performance oriented, like a 458/488 or F12/812. Then you just need to decide between a mid V8 or a front V12. I like both, but am very happy my first Ferrari was a front V12 that was easy to live with and learn the ropes on.

Bottom line is, I'd go with a low mileage F12 or a new 812 (if you're not afraid of depreciation), and I'd make sure the car has the warranty.

The 458/488 has the compromises that a mid engine car has vis-a-vis storage capacity, whereas the F12/812 would be fantastic GT's for vacationing in.

Your mileage estimate was low, so maybe a mid V8 would work for you, but I put 27K miles on my 456M in 5.5 years.

 

Enrique Senior, curator of the Ferrari-focused Senega Museum Collection and senior judge on the International Advisory Council for the Preservation of the Ferrari Automobile, about the current market status of the 328. "The 328 is the simplest and most reliable Ferrari ever built..."

 

Interesting. I would have thought the 308 would be the choice in the reliably simple segment, but I'm not familiar enough with the 328.

 

I find the Cali comment "Ferrari lite" comical. Some of the most desirable Ferrari's are the front engine GT's and not mid engine. It depends on HOW the car is going to be used. Low miles per year means not a long trip car so no storage space needed. That brings all the mid engine cars into the equation. If your like me and want to take it on extended coastal trips then mid engine is most likely not going to work and at GT type (Cali, 550,575,599) should be considered.

 

It is comical, but it's also a real perception that the Cali isn't an enthusiast's car. Even though it gets around a track better than the older mid V8's. I actually love the new Portofino. Wouldn't mind having one.

 

Just giving the Cali owners some good ribbing, see if we could touch a nerve. LOL they’re all gorgeous cars and ALL Ferrari.

 

Just to clarify my earlier comment as to Ferrari "lite". I do think the California is a great car, despite the fact that I often take shots at it. I'm just not convinced it's a great Ferrari.

My personal issue with this model is that it clearly was a marketing exercise to add a softer, less enthusiast focused demographic to the company's base. The metal incarnation of Sweater Man's fiscal fantasies. If I was to get a Ferrari for my wife the California would be the one. She loves it. I've been driving a California T since July and it just feels watered down to me. There is zero occasion to the car. It could be specific to my area and me being a bit jaded but nobody gives it a second glance. Most people don't even think it's a Ferrari as its' design is very generic. I've taken it to Mizner Park and must have seen at least half a dozen others there as well. If the OP wants his first exotic experience to be low key then this is the car.

Perhaps if the OP was looking for an additional prancing horse to add to another car this would be the right choice. It does make a fine addition and adds some practicality to a collection. However, this car IMO should no way be anyone's Ferrari baptism. It's the automotive equivalent of going to a strip bar for the very first time where the girls wear bottoms and pasties.

 

I consider the California the Ferrari for businessmen and non-gearhead wives. It does absolutely nothing for me. Paying this much money for cars, it should be a very personal thing. What one person loves, another doesn't. Everyone has different priorities and it's best to figure out what they are before you buy. I want my exotic experience to be just that - exotic. Extreme curb appeal, super high performance, sound that makes me smile, etc. But my desires are not everyone else's. If the OP simply wants to drive something with a Ferrari emblem, then the California is probably the safest way to go.

Same goes for performance. My husband has a modified GT-R that will leave my Huracan in the rear view mirror, but I am a curb appeal first, performance second person. My husband is not. Different preferences. Find the car that fits yours.

 

Any hi end car out of warranty is going to be expensive to repair, and they don't hold value! Note: some German cars!