458 Speciale

A friend of mine is buying a 458 Speciale off of a friend. He has worked out a payment schedule with this friend, so that the car will be paid off in two years.

Here is the thing:

The car is in Russia and has to be brought to the U.S.

Another friend had a dealership run the VIN# and it doesn't match up with the vehicle. Not to mention the car he sent him a pic of is a 458 Speciale.

He is charging basically nothing for the car ($85k)

Has anyone heard of a scam like this?

 

Classic scam - sounds like he'd say goodbye to the money (& the 'friend')

 

Your friend needs his head examined.
Has he never heard of the saying that if it seems too good to be true..............

 

The strange thing is, he still stays in touch with the guy. He's over his house a few times a month, but every time there's a new excuse as to why the car is not delivered.

 

That really is strange! But if I was your friend, I would provide the transportation myself or/and would investigate his friend whos selling the "special" Speciale (even for a "normal" 458, that price is too friendly)

 

Price, vin “confusion”, transport delays etc etc, I would run away unless two things happened. Eliminate vin issues and have a reputable Ferrari Dealer run the vin and get details on the car and I would want a detailed maintenance and ownership history since new. Then, if no “stories” I would fly over and look at it and, if I buy it, watch it final loaded for transport. Consider this a business transaction at this point and their friendship may stay intact regardless of the outcome.


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I keep telling him to forget about it and find a good F430. It's not a 458, but at least he'll have it.

 

How old is your friend?

 

Run Forest, run!

 

44

 

Very wise words!

Is this a new/recent friend? Unless the seller is in serious need of the cash (wich doesn't seem to be the case, considering the delays) or the car has some shady history, or worse, is indeed the "classic" scam...

So may doubts, I would just run away and (try to) forget about it

 

This is what I've been trying to tell him. He gave his "friend" $8k to bring the car over. This was in January. Since then, the guy has had a lot of excuses for the delays. The one thing that I don't get is, why the guy keeps hanging around? It's only $8,000 but it was pretty easy to get. If he had this going with a few people, it would be a pretty good scam. I'm trying to post pics of the car he sent.

 

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Maybe the guy keeps hanging around because he may have found your friend to be a good person and easily fooled and thinks/wants to milk him as much as he can.

All these "delays" only seem like an excuse to ask for more money. And your friend will give him the money without much questionning.

OR, we can all be mistaken (wich I really hope) and indeed is the deal of the century, and everybody is trustworthy and we (I) are/am being unfair...

 

Wow, who wouldn't be crazy with this beauty at this price? I certainly would and fully understand your friend's enthusiasm. But...

 

Classic Scam

 

Strippers don't hang out with you all night at a club because they like you. They do it to extract as much cash from you as possible.

Your friend will never take delivery of that car.

 

Absolutely a total scam.

Off topic but... you’re not THE Ian Hunter, are you?

 

No. But funny story:

A few years ago I was at Fort Lauderdale Ferrari and someone asked me, "Didn't Ian Hunter sing for Jethro Tull?" I replied, "No, Ian Hunter sang for Mott the Hoople. Ian Anderson sang for Jethro Tull and that is my middle name." He said, "Wow, you're parents were really into rock and roll."

 

That’s not possible. You cannot import a car from Russia into the US. No way. Has to be 25 years or older.

 

I told him that. Plus, the guy said, he will pay for the conversion.

 

One cannot import a car from Russia younger than 25 years or is it "just" economically disastrous?

 

Damm, one can only dream

 

Sorry if I am stating the obvious but
ZFF67NHB000 is the start of the VIN for a LHD 458 Italia F1, not a Speciale.
A LHD Speciale would begin ZFF75VHB000.

Either the car photographed is not a Speciale, or the VIN is from a different car.

 

The guy selling the car told him it was a 458 Italia with Speciale parts.