My 550 has been written off | FerrariChat

My 550 has been written off

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by Themaven, Apr 22, 2019.

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  1. Themaven

    Themaven F1 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2014
    4,252
    Eastdown
    Full Name:
    Darius
    My beautiful 550 Maranello is no more. In storage for the winter, a tree felled by a storm hit the roof of the converted barn it was stored in and caused masonry to rain down on the car in its Carcoon. The car's roof was particularly badly damaged. On inspection, the insurance declared it a write-off (total). My Ferrari techs confirmed that the roof is part of the structure of the car and not a separate panel (I paraphrase, because I don't speak fluent tech, but that was the gist) and so impossible to simply repair/replace.

    It was a fantastic car, those who have been here a while may know that as a two-Maranello owner, I preferred my gated 575 (with FHP), though there are aspects of the 550 which I liked more.

    I am now no longer a two-Maranello owner, but I'm not posting this out of self-indulgence - it's only a car, and the insurance paid a fair value. It's mainly to put on the record for anyone who might come across the car in future that ZFFZR49B000110016 was an insurance write-off in March 2019. The car was Italy/Euro LHD, rosso corsa on black, 1997, and prior to the write-off was perfect.
     
  2. 21ATS

    21ATS Formula Junior

    Dec 10, 2016
    988
    Kent, UK
    Full Name:
    Alan
    What a shame Darius. I read your article on how you found and bought the car. It's sad it came to such a sudden end.

    What were the elements of the 550 that you preferred over the 575?
     
  3. Jürgen Geisler

    Jürgen Geisler Formula Junior

    Jan 16, 2015
    945
    Good old Europe
    Full Name:
    Jürgen
    Darius, I‘m honestly shocked, as I followed all your steps and stories which finally brought you to this very low milage example… I remember the pics from the showroom in Rom, quiet dusty, your emotional story of flying over there…

    Think, it‘s been one of the lowest milage 550’s in Europe where these cars are more driven frequently. We bought our cars more or less at the same time, still thankfull for your support while buying mine...

    True, it‘s just a car, but who buys a Ferrari, because it‘s just a car…?


    Jürgen
     
    F456M and Jakuzzi like this.
  4. Canuck550

    Canuck550 Formula Junior

    Sep 8, 2015
    462
    Incognito
    Full Name:
    RJA
    A sad day sorry to hear
     
  5. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    condolences!
     
  6. DZ-96

    DZ-96 Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 7, 2010
    1,775
    South Germany
    Full Name:
    Daniel
    Bad news.

    Daniel
     
  7. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,986
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Darius- So sorry to hear about your redhead girlfriend. Will you get another or replace her with something else? Great time to buy right now.
     
    tres55 likes this.
  8. Bluebottle

    Bluebottle F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 15, 2012
    7,698
    Newbury, Berkshire, England
    Full Name:
    John
    Darius, that is awful. I am so sorry to hear that. Can it be turned into a Barchetta?
     
    of2worlds likes this.
  9. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    24,957
    Las Vegas, NV
    Full Name:
    Ryan Alexander
    ouch.

    Well, someone could get a car to cut up and make their own Barchetta conversion! Straman in the US did a few.
     
    willrace and ross like this.
  10. wbklink

    wbklink F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 2, 2009
    3,312
    Los Angeles
    Full Name:
    Bill Karp
    so sorry ...):
     
  11. ralfabco

    ralfabco Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Mar 1, 2002
    28,029
    Dixie
    Full Name:
    Itamar Ben-Gvir
    Good luck M8.
     
  12. NE550

    NE550 Formula Junior

    Mar 23, 2017
    409
    Omaha, NE
    Full Name:
    Dave
    Oh no, that's terrible news! Hope you find another one just as perfect.
     
  13. puckybadger

    puckybadger Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 12, 2016
    312
    Milwaukee, WI USA
    Did you inquire about how much of a $ettlement you might have received with keeping the vehicle?
     
  14. Bas

    Bas Four Time F1 World Champ

    Mar 24, 2008
    41,300
    ESP
    Full Name:
    Bas
    What a shame.
     
  15. F456M

    F456M F1 Rookie

    Jan 8, 2010
    3,665
    Oslo
    Full Name:
    Erik
    Terrible news. Luckily, you have one more to drive. I bet it will miss its garage room mate. Send me some pictures. My 456M got its roof from another 456 a few years before I bought it.. Still a dream car for me. Until the third owner after me totalled it.....
     
  16. Themaven

    Themaven F1 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2014
    4,252
    Eastdown
    Full Name:
    Darius
    Thanks Taz, and thank you everyone for your responses. It would indeed be much worse if I didn't have my 575.

    I like the Barchetta idea. Always liked those cars though never figured out why there were so much more expensive. Too late for me though. I didn't even know you could buy your car back from insurers.

    Although I always dreamed of a Maranello, I never intended to own two of them really. I had lusted after the 550 since its launch. By around 2010 prices here seemed to have dropped and stuck at around £40k. I remember clearly talking about 550s with a Ferrari PR guy over pizza at the Frankfurt motor show in 2011, he was saying how much he liked them and his service people said they were very reliable. Unlike certain other Ferraris. That's when I really decided to get one, and by 2013 I also had the funds to buy and maintain one, so started looking in earnest. But it's not always quick buying your first Ferrari. In 2014 prices started creeping up beyond £50k, by the end of that year a good one was £70k, and suddenly there was an urgency to it.

    I think a few of us were in the same boat: wanted to buy, saw prices going up, feared the 550 would become the next Dino with prices in the serious six figures long term (and why wouldn't it be?), and decided to jump in quick. By early 2015 what had been a £40k car in 2013 was asking up to £90k. I had this irrational objection to paying more than double sometimes for exactly the same car I had pondered before - irritated at myself.

    At that stage cars on the continent (Europe) were lagging behind in the price jumps, and the exchange rate meant that a car that would be £90k in the UK would be less than £60k as a Euro LHD. I started looking overseas and found a car I might not have considered prior to the price jumps and investment talk, a super low miles example. I intended to drive the car, so that didn't make much sense, but it seemed too good not to do. So, I had a 550 with 4000 miles (very, very low for Europe) at a great price, but a problem: driving it would fuel guilt. Having driven the 575 at launch, I was enamoured with the idea of a manual with FHP; at the time putting funds into a Ferrari seemed a safe bet also, so I tracked down and bought, deliberately, a higher mileage 575 manual (30k miles, still nothing) for frequent driving.

    That's how I ended up with two Maranellos. Now I have one.

    The elements I preferred in the 550 were the immediacy of the turn in. It seemed more of a piece in response to a steering instruction, in the very first element of turn in. The 575 is flatter and more stable in the end (with FHP) but there is a tad more roll, which is then held in place by the roll bars - that's how it feels anyway. Maybe the metal suspension mounts (Taz mentioned?) in the 550 help. It's a small difference. And also I liked the dials on the dash in the 550, and slightly prefer the 550 exterior. But altogether the 575's better performance, steering, handling, ride, refinement and interior, and gearbox, swung it for me.

    As to what to buy to replace her, honestly I just don't know. I have a two seater V12, a mid engined two seater V12 (F512M), and the last gated convertible V8 (430 Spider). With a Maranello budget I could pick up a nice California 30 which also has space for the kids on short runs and is convertible, but it's not an icon. No interest in a 599 or F12. Or I could trade in the gated 430 plus some 550 for a 458 Spider. Or a 430 Scuderia. My kids suggest a Gallardo Performante Spider. But very similar to the 430. But I might just keep the money til I get really fired up by something, or sell the others and get a 599 SA Aperta or 430 16M as my only Ferrari. (Apart from the gated 575, obviously). Not sure. But as Taz says, it is a good time to buy...I'm on the classifieds every evening.
     
    Bas, F456M and 21ATS like this.
  17. 21ATS

    21ATS Formula Junior

    Dec 10, 2016
    988
    Kent, UK
    Full Name:
    Alan
    How about an FF Darius?
     
    Bas likes this.
  18. Themaven

    Themaven F1 Rookie

    Nov 2, 2014
    4,252
    Eastdown
    Full Name:
    Darius
    I didn't love the FF. Didn't know whether it was a cruiser or a GT and for me was neither. Not pretty either. Also don't need a four seater except for fun, and then it may as well be a convertible.
    If I had £100k a year in depreciation to lose I'd get a GTC4Lusso T though. That's a great car.
     
  19. F456M

    F456M F1 Rookie

    Jan 8, 2010
    3,665
    Oslo
    Full Name:
    Erik
  20. 21ATS

    21ATS Formula Junior

    Dec 10, 2016
    988
    Kent, UK
    Full Name:
    Alan
    That's a Conti T - even more rare and that very car was covered on Harry's garage this week, I think he mentions it's up for sale at £68K.

     
  21. 21ATS

    21ATS Formula Junior

    Dec 10, 2016
    988
    Kent, UK
    Full Name:
    Alan
  22. Bluebottle

    Bluebottle F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 15, 2012
    7,698
    Newbury, Berkshire, England
    Full Name:
    John
    Get a Dino (246). Best car Ferrari ever built. :):)
     
  23. Bas

    Bas Four Time F1 World Champ

    Mar 24, 2008
    41,300
    ESP
    Full Name:
    Bas
    How about a Challenge Stradale?
     
  24. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    37,986
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Darius- Half the fun is deciding what to buy. Plus you have the three pedal 575M, so you are covered for Maranellos.
     
    flat_plane_eddie and marce like this.

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