New to the forum.. Since I was too late getting Netflix in the bedroom I now have a Gallardo collecting dust in the garage. To get a more useable car instead I am looking for a potential trade with a more family friendly 2007 612 HGTC. Is there anything particular I should be aware of? It has full service and new timing belt. Mike The car I am looking at on Thursday: Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Take a very close look at the dash . If the plastic vent piece is curling up at the corners, or the leather is showing some wrinkles around the sensors then you will need to spend some money, this is a common problem area on many Ferrari's including the 612 . Check the tie rod ends for play, make sure there is no fuel smell in the trunk .
Thank you, I will check it. It’s not so warm and sunny here, so I don’t think the leather will creep. Fuel smell in the trunk?
Fuel pump seems to be a common problem with the 612. I replaced mine on a preventative basis after I got the car. The cost was reasonable from what I remember. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
There are two fuel pumps in the tank and the plastic fittings can crack with age and/or incorrect tension on the fuel line.
One other thing to be aware of. Turn on the key and wait for the dash to "settle down" (5-10 seconds) before starting. The car does a self check and it needs time to do it.
Must be an early 2007 since it has the single din radio of the 2005-2006. My 2007 HGTC had the much more usable double din Bose. Check all interior plastic bits for stickiness... expensive (if done right) and time consuming to disassemble and reassemble interior. As someone else said, check carefully for the dash leather pulling - it typically starts by the long defroster vent by the base of the windshield. I know you said you are in a colder climate, but it is free and takes 30 seconds to check... Costly to address correctly as well.
I'm digging my 05. No mechanical issues. Needed tires (had the original tires). Buttons and dash are part of the Ferrari experience I guess. As a family ride, its an excellent choice. The tan and black look great from the post. GL
Nice looking car. The Challenge wheels are a plus as is the HGTC. Interesting that the steering wheel and the strip along the dash below the leather are carbon fiber. I was not aware that was an option. Maybe aftermarket? Looks great. I have an 07 and i love it. Semi daily driver (swap it with another car). I have owned it for 3 years and maintenance and repairs are very manageable. Good luck.
Nice David. I didn’t know that. Show us some pictures. I like the look. Sounds like this car the OP is interested in was pretty loaded up by the original owner.
That looks awesome David! Love the carbon. Wish i had that! Does the tan dash get to you? I had a similar dash and really liked the look but out here in sunny California the glare drove me nuts and I had it replaced with a black dash. Sorry to the OP for hijacking his thread.
Thanks for your compliment. The dash can be a problem but the windscreen is vertical enough that the glare problem is rare. My 911 with a similar dash color is much worse. It's pretty but cars are meant to be driven!!
That is a highly optioned 612, probably around $350 k new. Carbon fiber, HGT2, yellow tach challenge wheels , matching color leather upper dash. Quite a loaded car. Check that the ball joints have been changed and the tires are old and stiff. Not too many problematic areas with a well maintained 612. Drive it like a manual and it is a completely different vehicle. Sport settings and less auto mode and you won’t regret slacking on The Netflix Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat.com mobile app
Beautiful 612! Plus one in ball joints, also check the handbrake. Enjoy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
So, I took my Lamborghiniand went to look at the 612. Such a gorgeous car, interior was very well maintained, a bit sticky window buttons. The drive though, it felt very muted, and auto mode is out right horrible. Feels like a first gen Smart car, where your upper body falls forward between the super slow gear shifts. The car is well balanced and actually feels nimble despite the size. If I find a manual that may be the solution, even better would be a 612 without a drive train.
My 612 is OTO and is nothing like this? I almost never us “automatic “ but works fine when I do. Did OTO change the transmission?
My 2006 with the F1-s transmission shifts great. I was actualy surprised by the smooth way it changes gear. If this is not the fact with yours, I personally would check the transmission at a Ferrari specialist. Verstuurd vanaf mijn G3121 met Tapatalk
Driving a 612 extensively in Auto mode will make you hate it. I have had my F1 575M for 10 years and have never even hit the Auto button. Drive a dry clutch F1 system just like you would a manual transmission with the clutch pedal missing and you will love it. Drive it like a Buick in Auto and you will be very unhappy. If you intend to use Auto quite a bit, get a different car. Occasionally using Auto is fine, just not for me. It also takes a while to learn how to drive F1 smoothly, so do not be surprised if you are jerky at first. 612 F1 software was updated continuously through production, with big improvements in 2007 (~125 ms min shift times for HGT2) and later with using the 599 Superfast 1 software (100 ms min shift times) and 599 twin disc clutch for the Sessantas and OTOs.
In my 5+ years of ownership my 612 has been in AUTO mode only 4 times. The first time was when I first bought it just to see that it works, the second time was when I made the mistake of having a hot cup of coffee in my hand (there is no cup holder), and the other two times are when my wife drove the car. Note: Decades ago I tried to teach my wife to drive a manual transmission car. She just couldn't grasp the whole gas, clutch, brake pedal sequence. She said to me, "Why would anyone buy a manual transmission once they invented the automatic transmission?" Doooooooh!
I would appreciate comments from Taz or anyone else about "learning to drive an F1 smoothly." I never got the hang of that with my former 575 Superamerica. Do you try to anticipate the revs/min of the gear you are shifting into (up or down) and modulate the accelerator to get close?
