Ferrari Fears

So, if you are reading this you have gone out to your prancing horse and put the key in it and it didn’t start. Or worse yet your out in the car and it doesn’t start. Or worst yet you see a fluid puddle under the car. Or your driving the car and it stops on you. And let’s not forget smoke coming from the engine compartment. Yes, this strikes fear into every Ferrari owner like no other fear, other than finding out you have an IRS audit or someone that should not be pregnant is!

Well fear not these cars are unbelievably reliable, I have owned them since 1986, at the time I had a 1984 308 GTB QV that I put 118K on it, I got it with 10K on it, sold it to the late Ted Rutland, I hear its still running around in the Atlanta area with over 140k on it, never left me anywhere always ran. My current cars are a 1993 512TR that has 109K on it, picked it up with 10k, never left me anywhere, drove to every F-1 race at Indy when it was there, parked it in peoples front yard, car had more finger prints on it than the local FBI office at the end of the day. Drove it to Montreal for the F-1 races, key west, New Orleans, as Johnny cash said in his song. I’ve been everywhere man. So that's around 200k of Ferrari miles without a catastrophic failure not bad.

So, the majority of you worked hard, saved, and wished to own this car. Yet when I go to the few events in my local area, you see owners who never drive the cars. Hmm you have to wonder why? They are insured, and to be totally honest, you are never going to get the so-called asking price that’s in the FML or Cav for the car when you go to sell it. What keeps you from driving it? Fear? You know its funny at every event I ever attended there has never been an award given to the Ferrari with the highest mileage, wonder why?

There are few machines that have as many moving parts as a helicopter, and helicopters fly. And when they suffer a maintenance malfunction they come down hard, or worse yet being shot down( that happened to me several times, another story, not here) And how do I know this, I was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Yes I am old 69. And you know what we found out, that the more you flew the birds, the more reliable they were. Hangar queens were dangerous. The same goes for our cars. you must use them for them to be reliable.

The more you use them the more reliable they are. I just bought in may of this year a 2003 575 that had 26k on it over 16 years. Why on earth would you buy a $250k car and not drive it? Its' like buying a house and not living in it. I have already put 6k on it. Gentleman and ladies out there, drive the cars. If your 50 years old or older and own one, which you most likely do because your reading this, you more than half way thru the cut, in other words unless you going to live to 100, you better get out there and enjoy life in that car! For what it’s worth I do my own maintenance on the car, remember Italians didn’t put anyone on the moon, we did! Its not that hard and it is very rewarding, even if you have deep pockets and don’t mind paying $185+/hour for labor.
And now you have YouTube with every thing on internet, non of this was available when we started working on our cars back in the 1980's.

So that that’s it boys and girls, I will be on the road this winter heading up north in the 575, yes it has a heater and windshield wipers that work.
Put your fears aside and drive!

A Ferrari is like a condom, most fun when used!

Gotta go

 

Thank you for the comments
The Porsche and BMW are always out there driving there cars taking the kids to school shopping you get the idea
We need to do the same
Never had a door ding
Most people respect the car and even ask if they can take a picture of it
Imagine that!
I go to the dry cleaner in the 512 TR and grocery shopping in it and the looks you get when you put the groceries in the front !
Priceless
The 575 is stealth until they see the shields and then they say is that a Ferrari?
Wear the paint off it I say
Until then

 

me I like to hunting Porsches with mine
they are fun to catch and watch them frown!!

 

go for it I say
you are just like me
I am leaving this weekend in the 575 for Charleston SC with the girlfriend
it suppose to rain
car has wipers
until then
tomorrow is promised to no one!

 

too each there own
I say
best of luck with that strategy

 

you are spot on
when I have PDI cars for people I tell them that if the car hasn't been driven and used the repairs will be huge
seals and thermostats, heater controls and the like have to used regularly for proper operation
but most of the time all they want as my friend would say " Ferrari owners want a used car with less than zero miles"
I laughed but he is telling the truth.
just look at the FML
everyone of the Ferraris I have bought the biggest write up was DEAD BATTERY !
they never drove the car !

 

Man
It’s not a ticket
It’s a jealous invite !
Press on

 

Sir
I am floored and speechless at this point
I though you only showed up to kick people off!
Didn’t know my post would touch so many so soon considering I am new member
I will continue to write as I feel within the boundaries of the forum rules and continue driving these great machines
I know others will read this so be forewarned I am a Formula one fan and have been to numerous F-1 races overseas, don’t hate me I was an international airline pilot and had to do something on the overnights!
In fact I will celebrate my 70 birthday at SPA next year so look for my upcoming post on the F-1 section soon
Once again thank so for having me
I am truly honored to be among all of you
REMEMBER the F in Ferrari is for FUN !