Thinking of Buying a 550

My 550 is for sale. If you are interested please reach out and send me a PM.

Biggest thing with Ferraris and 550s are maintenance records. Get a car that has been maintained and turn key. No one wants headaches from a car that has been sitting. A few things to look out for:
-last major service ~ every 5 years
- tires, brakes, etc.
- immobilizer...does it have keys and fobs? The red fob specifically.
-maintenance records.

Good luck! They are fantastic. Last manual only V12 Ferrari!

 

Yes you are correct I learned my lesson with my first used classic Ferrari, 2 years and $19k later it’s finally a good car haha what are you getting now?

 

Looks like a nice car with low miles, I do not see any leather shrinkage or sticky switches. As with any used Ferrari, its all about the condition, e.g. the service. This car is 19 years old so when was the last major (and I mean major the way the experts on this site would define it) done. I bought a '98 550 3 years ago and as a point of reference it was the "Moorefan sorting thread" car. The prior owner did fully sort it and documented it here under that thread. That can give you an idea of the maintenance. I'm guessing that if I had to have an independent mechanic do all that work I'd be looking at $30,000 plus.
There are people and threads on this site that can give detail insight.
Happy hunting, the 550 is amazing (maybe not as quick as your turbo - but very different) btw I still have my '89 Spider.

 

Looks like a nice car with low miles, I do not see any leather shrinkage or sticky switches. As with any used Ferrari, its all about the condition, e.g. the service. This car is 19 years old so when was the last major (and I mean major the way the experts on this site would define it) done. I bought a '98 550 3 years ago and as a point of reference it was the "Moorefan sorting thread" car. The prior owner did fully sort it and documented it here under that thread. That can give you an idea of the maintenance. I'm guessing that if I had to have an independent mechanic do all that work I'd be looking at $30,000 plus.
There are people and threads on this site that can give detail insight.
Happy hunting, the 550 is amazing (maybe not as quick as your turbo - but very different) btw I still have my '89 Spider.

 

Mileage <400per annum. Query has it been regularly serviced and has it been left unused for long periods. These cars should be driven.
Grey and black not to my taste - too gloomy.

 

I know the dealer : very reputable in SF, the f40 he sells is his own. He sells good string cars and his facility is also used as storage for cars that are absolutely to die for. If you like the car give them a call!


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It seems decent enough, they are great pros. Give them a call


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I’m also local to this car and have seen it while at San Francisco Sports Cars (very reputable dealer, straight shooters, lots of knowledge btw)... it shows really well.

Good luck in the search, these are wonderful cars!

Ruben

 

Am I the only one who thinks the one in SF is a bit overpriced? The mileage is low and I don't know the service history but it doesn't have much in the way of options. I think you could do better.

The red one has a few nicer options but the mileage is getting close to high if you ever plan on reselling it. I learned this when selling my first 355.

 

I'm not as well versed in 550s but here's a thread talking about options. From my experience, Daytona seats are a must and most buyers care about the shields, too. I personally think the cars look better without the shields but you should factor it for resale. Also, the rear shelf seems to be a popular one.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/550-maranello-factory-options-list.592406/

 

With just a quick glance, this one definitely has a repaint (at least partial if not full, as the lower valences are now body color as opposed to matte black). Also, both the front and rear bumpers look misaligned (the front gap between bumper and hood is especially bad) and the front radiator cowl is aftermarket, perhaps suggesting some accident damage too. The rear tray looks a bit funky like someone didn’t take the time to put it back together properly (why was it apart in the first place?).

Also, looks like a non US car, but at least it has the CA BAR sticker.

None of this is necessarily a show stopper depending on what you’re after, but just go in with eyes wide open!

Ruben

 

The shields on the red one look aftermarket to me. Never liked them on the 550 and like them even less if aftermarket. Really like the gray one even though as Bluebottle said is a bit too gloomy. Will stop by to see it today if time allows.

Good luck with your search. They're fantastic cars and the good ones are keepers in my opinion.

 

There are probably none out there with all original paint. The paint on the bumpers (and the rest of the car) is pretty fragile and most bumpers have been repainted.

 

Right, Terry. Many had lower panels resprayed after their test drives at the factory. Many more were sent to Factory-authorized coachwork centers to have blemishes, spotted at the ports of arrival, corrected before they were sent on to dealerships.

 

No, it's not a thing. All owners have accepted the fact that Ferraris have undergone resprays sometime in their lives. The paint, as Terry mentioned, is quite fragile. Here's how my 550 looked after 59,000 miles of use...


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Replete with a cracked spoiler and fog lamp. It was resprayed and is now collecting new road rash.

 

Well, it's not a huge deal in the Ferrari world except for those who let it be a huge deal. If you're going to examine a 550 with a paint thickness gauge, then a 550 isn't for you. If your intention is to buy a fine V12 that you can enjoy, then a 550 is a good choice.

A Maranello is a fine machine covered by a few mils of paint. That's the healthiest way to view it.