Looking to Buy a Ferrari, Need Advice | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Looking to Buy a Ferrari, Need Advice

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by sgtpeper, May 18, 2020.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. EnzoItaly

    EnzoItaly Formula Junior

    Sep 29, 2016
    263
    Buy the one that sets your heart on fire! (the emotion is the biggest differentiator compared to your P... generally speaking the Ps are great, but the feeling delivered by an older (roughly at least 25 years old) F is priceless!))


    Verzonden vanaf mijn iPhone met FerrariChat
     
    jag-oo-r likes this.
  2. sgtpeper

    sgtpeper Formula Junior

    May 4, 2004
    420
    Denver
    Full Name:
    Jeff
    Isn't there a year where the valve guides were fine on the 355s?
     
  3. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
    11,788
    western hemisphere
    could be. These are 21-25 year old cars so I would assume most have long since been sorted.
     
  4. jag-oo-r

    jag-oo-r Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    May 27, 2015
    423
    I think this is good advice.
    The way I've said it is "buy the one that would make you jealous of your neighbor if it were in HIS driveway"
     
  5. ttforcefed

    ttforcefed F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Aug 22, 2002
    18,772
    paulchua likes this.
  6. Clyde Romero

    Clyde Romero Formula Junior

    Sep 6, 2019
    691
    Atlanta Georgia
    Full Name:
    Clarence Romero

    right now the barging 12 is the 575 you can get one for under $100K
    cars.com has several out there
    good hunting
     
  7. sgtpeper

    sgtpeper Formula Junior

    May 4, 2004
    420
    Denver
    Full Name:
    Jeff
    I really want a clutch pedal... I'm just not a flappy paddle guy.
     
  8. Clyde Romero

    Clyde Romero Formula Junior

    Sep 6, 2019
    691
    Atlanta Georgia
    Full Name:
    Clarence Romero
    well I own a 512 TR 1993 have had it for over 100k miles
    and I also own a 575 auto 2003 with 41k on it I bought used last may with 26 k on it, I drive my cars not wax them
    you will never shift as fast as the auto using the paddles, which is the way I drive the car
    the 6 speed the 575 is and after thought from the 550 run
    Ferrari sold what they had left on the shelf and the buyers paid a premium for it
    tell me where you've seen that before?
    they only made around 2000 of these 575 in 4 years
    stay away from the 550 too many issues
     
    Auraraptor likes this.
  9. Graz

    Graz Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2012
    2,289
    New Jersey and Florida
    Full Name:
    Graziano
    It’s funny. When I owned a 550 I enjoyed my 360s more. The 360 really is a drivers car imo. You really feel connected to it. But once I sold the 550, just like most of my cars, I wanted it back of course. I think I miss the thought of having it in garage. Maybe it’s the mystique of having one of the last 12 cylinder gated Ferraris. Not sure. Anyway I’m looking for another one. ;) crazy.
     
  10. Graz

    Graz Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2012
    2,289
    New Jersey and Florida
    Full Name:
    Graziano
    BTW, the 550 clutch is very heavy. Mine was the same and I had the clutch checked out because of it. No issues had plenty of life left, just naturally heavy.
     
  11. sgtpeper

    sgtpeper Formula Junior

    May 4, 2004
    420
    Denver
    Full Name:
    Jeff
  12. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
    13,197
    MO
    Heavier than a 512TR? I wonder if it was a 90s Ferrari thing...
     
  13. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 12, 2009
    3,215
    Saratoga Springs NY
    Full Name:
    Seth
    Yeh, I started with a TR also - but it was a TR3 Triumph!

    Noted the 550 was listed first and several,comments in its favor. I am completely in accord. First, you want, you need, a Ferrari V-12. The Maranellos are the most beautiful road Ferraris ever built - walk around one and regard it from all viewpoints, there is not a single viewpoint from which every line is less than flawless. They are comfortable to enter, to leave and to drive, whether to the supermarket, aday drive in the Adirondack mountains or a three day drive to the in-laws. And prices right now are in a trough. Go for it.
     
  14. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    The only drawback on the 550 is the sound... even in bad boys the movie they didn’t use the sound of the 550. Tubi or capristo a must.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  15. Auraraptor

    Auraraptor F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Sep 25, 2002
    13,197
    MO
    550 exhaust note can be fixed with proper headers....
     
    Natkingcolebasket69 likes this.
  16. lencap

    lencap Formula Junior

    Nov 20, 2003
    296
    Raleigh, NC
    I have a different opinion, but I think you should ask yourself why are you looking to move out of the Porsche? You say it's setup very well and you enjoy it. I owned a 911 Coupe years ago, manual transmission, and enjoyed it. I later sold it and after a few years I got the Ferrari bug and bought a 2001 360 Spider manual transmission. After a year or so of ownership I realized that the dream of owning a Ferrari is different from the reality. There were little niggling things that needed attention, chewing away a few hundred dollars or so for each of them. Then the catalytic converters started to act up, and I quickly found that replacing them is a major expense. That's why lots of owners take them out or have modified exhaust setups. The car also needs belts on a regular basis and runs a few thousand dollars. Parts are more expensive now than a few years ago and harder to get. The spider top is nice, but if anything goes wrong it's a big expense. Ask me how I know. The car also takes a while to properly warm up before enjoying it. That's fine, but if you want to take a quick spin allot some extra time to make sure everything is at operating temperature.

    I live in moderate size city filled with traffic cams. Getting on a road that's fun to drive is great, but there aren't that many that you can find where police officers rarely ignore you even if you're driving at the speed limit. Compared to my 911 Coupe the Ferrari is a Ferrari with all the mystique that implies. The pride of ownership is wonderful, but the experience was less so. The Porsche was also a fun car, far less challenging to drive without being the center of attention, and in some ways more challenging to master, especially on a track.

    Having said that, I've driven all the cars on your list, several at Virginia International Raceway, and they are all fun in their own way. The 12 cylinder cars are more GT focused, the 8 cylinder versions are the sports cars. If you have the Ferrari bug there's no major financial risk in scratching it. Just be prepared for some unexpected repairs (these cars are 20 years old or so), and more attention than you may find you want.

    Finally, a PPI is important. I agreed to buy a 2001 550 a few years ago, and it failed my PPI with several potentially expensive issues. Same story on a 1990 TR. I decided after that experience to buy from a Ferrari dealership or well known Independent dealership. I paid a bit more, but the car was pretty well sorted when I bought it. Even then, I had several thousand dollars of maintenance in less than two years of ownership, and faced potentially more (cats/clutch) when I sold it with less than 15K miles on the odometer.
     
  17. sgtpeper

    sgtpeper Formula Junior

    May 4, 2004
    420
    Denver
    Full Name:
    Jeff
  18. Graz

    Graz Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2012
    2,289
    New Jersey and Florida
    Full Name:
    Graziano
    I think so too.
     
  19. intrepidcva11

    intrepidcva11 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 12, 2009
    3,215
    Saratoga Springs NY
    Full Name:
    Seth
    Sgt, my fellow Board members at the American Sailing Association would say of the F355: 'a very nice daysailer'. I owned a wonderful F355 berlinetta whose first owner was Peter Kalikow, a well-known Ferrari collector. At the time I also had a 575M Maranello, a 412, a Maserati Spyder and a Cadillac STS-V. If I had had to reduce the garage, the F355 would have been the first to go as the car with the least all-round utility for a Ferrari driver; and in fact it was the first to go. I still have the 575M and 412.
     
  20. LightGuy

    LightGuy Three Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 4, 2004
    39,597
    Texas
    Full Name:
    David
    If you want the feel of a eace car get the midengined v8s.
    360 manual best choice as its done depreciating and easir cam belt change over 355.
    If you want high speed cruiser the 550.
    I drove the 550 and didnt like it.
    Not my style.
    It may be yours.
    Drive one.


    Never drove a California but they seem a good value for a "new" Ferrari.
     
  21. Husker

    Husker F1 World Champ

    Dec 31, 2003
    11,788
    western hemisphere
    Unless I am looking at it wrong, the shields don’t look like they fit the fender correctly. It’s interesting that they don’t show closeups of them.
    If they are after market stick-ons, I would remove them. A beautiful car like that, screwed up with something like that, I don’t understand it.
     
  22. Ado4wd

    Ado4wd Formula Junior

    Dec 27, 2005
    284
    Germantown, TN
    Full Name:
    Andrew O
    I know it’s not on your list but I’d recommend holding out a bit and get a 458. I also came from a 996 Turbo and was convinced of getting a 575 (even made an offer) but then saw them side by side and changed my focus to the 458.

    It is a total blast. I actually find it more usable in a lot of scenarios than the Porsche and it’s more reliable than a 90s V12 car.

    I have since added a MT 456 and there’s no question that the 458 is the keeper.
     
    Auraraptor and flash32 like this.
  23. sgtpeper

    sgtpeper Formula Junior

    May 4, 2004
    420
    Denver
    Full Name:
    Jeff

    Thanks. I do like the 458 - prettiest Ferrari since the 355 in my opinion. BUT they don't come in manual and I'm not ready to switch over to the world of paddles yet.

    They're also still trading too high for my needs - A good one is 150k+ still no?
     
  24. Ado4wd

    Ado4wd Formula Junior

    Dec 27, 2005
    284
    Germantown, TN
    Full Name:
    Andrew O
    I believe they’re starting to sell for less than that.
    I thought I would miss the manual as well but I’ve actually found the paddles more satisfying.
     
  25. bertha01

    bertha01 Rookie

    Sep 16, 2018
    32
    Full Name:
    bertha ales
    360 for me[​IMG]
     
    velocegiallo likes this.

Share This Page