First time buyer - questions

Hi all,

I'm thinking of finally biting the bullet and buying a Portofino. Had a couple of questions I was hoping to get some insights on.

1) what are the big differences between a 2018/2019/2020 models? Have my eyes set on a 2018 (less than 2500 miles) priced at £160k but feels a bit high given the year. There are a few 2019/2020's available in the same price range but not the color/spec configuration i'd like.
2) i'm relatively new to the UK so not super knowledgeable about the insurance market. Couple of quotes online suggested 250-350 / month - does that seem reasonable?
4) what are the must have specs to look for?

Thank you all in advance!

 

Welcome!

With respect to spec etc you might get more responses in the dedicated model section.

as to insurance; a lot obviously depends on your personal circumstances; but make sure you also phone some specialists such as Lockton, AIB etc. that specialise in these types of cars. Devils in the detail and you need to ensure you are properly covered.

you may also wish to join (free) clubScuderia.co.uk which is UK centric, not as busy as this site; but a few threads on insurance.

 

Thanks - any insurance broker/underwriter recommendations in the UK would also be much appreciated!

 

As noted above Locktons have a specialist Ferrari section - some folk like Admiral...... - other brokers have been previously recommended in previous threads - at one point Saga were good for older drivers - more than normal car insurance it can vary hugely according to your circumstances (none of which you mention) - age location experience etc etc

 

I pay £120/month for insurance with Aviva that's with full NCD and also includes a Porsche with full NCD (different main driver)

Portofino, I'm not sure if there are any must have options, most are aesthetic. I often change specs on cars and sometimes go all in and sometimes the bare minimum I need to help future resale.

Magneride dual suspension is good and something I would definitely order. I love the LED carbon fibre steering wheel. It's great for red lining if you are in manual mode. If you don't want to red line, or track the car, or rarely drive in manual then it's not necessary, but probably useful for resale as I don't think it can be retrofitted although I might be wrong. Foldable rear seats, not sure if these are standard but it's useful if you want the extra luggage space and useful for golf clubs. Electric seats with memory, useful if there's more than 1 driver. Parking sensors with our without camera is personal preference. The standard hifi is abit trash at higher volumes and I wish I'd ordered the better one but again it's not really necessary. The engine is music enough.



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I use Mannings, have done since old TVR days, as they do track day cover.

 

I wouldn’t bother with Locktons. My car is parked in a secure underground space (as will all cars in London) but they refused to quote as a) must be in a locked garage (good luck finding one of those in central London where blocks of flats are the norm), b) I must own at least one other car (in London? What’s the point?) and c) it must have a tracker activated (FOC friends say that’s more trouble than it’s worth)


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interesting.

Im very happy with Lockton, They have been easy to deal with, flexible and provide a package that fits me; as a number of friends also feel. But then we all have garages, and multiple cars so haven't those issues, so depends!!!

All insurance companies have risk profiles that their business is aimed at; guess they are after a different profile of clients; still a decent number of other companies to try

 

I would try Classic line for insurance.

Trackers are fine on the modern Ferraris, so no need to worry about them in my experience.

I don't think there is much difference in the year models, other than the M of course.

Get the highest spec Porto you can. Avoid the blues only because they seem to hang around on the forecourts if you have to resell, though I think TDF Blue looks great. HIFI is nice, as is Apple car play with Android Auto as is a 2 tone roof. Standard wheel are a bit plain.
This was my Portofino
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I've found Lockton very easy to deal with (I used them many years ago for my 355 that lived in an underground car park in central London...) but I appreciate their terms for newer cars are a bit stricter than they are on the older things. They didn't insist on a tracker for my car.

If you've not had something like this before then my one word of caution would be to ensure that your insurer is used to dealing with cars like these in case you need to make a claim. I insure all my non-Ferrari cars with Admiral, who are really competitive, but I wouldn't want them dealing with a claim on the Ferrari...

 

1. There is no difference in the Ferrari Portofino model in the years you specify, all of the cars you view will come with a Twin turbo V8 engine producing 600bhp, and a 7 speed DCT gearbox. The only difference will be the specification of the car, ie what did the original owner tick on the options list.
The new Portofino M was not launched until late 2020 early 2021, this model gives you more power at 620bhp and a proper manettino on the steering wheel, and a more sportier exhaust.
2. Insurance - i am insured via the Admiral Multicar policy, i pay £550 per year for my 599. This includes my sons Porsche 718 Cayman which ended up in a ditch on a rainy day this January!!, the car was repaired by an approved Porsche bodyshop, using genuine Porsche parts, there was no argument or quibble from Admiral.
3. What spec to have - like i said this will really depend on the original owners taste and bank account?, nice things to have are:
Carbon Fibre cockpit with LED lights on the steering wheel, carbon fibre lower body / sills panels, carbon fibre front splitter, carbon fibre kick plates.
Aluminium sport pedals, foot rest and passenger foot rest, complimenting leather foot mats., any extra carbon fibre in the cockpit is good too.
Rev counter colour - white is an option i think?
What seats are in the car?, does it have the Cavallino stiched into the headrests?, does the leather have a coloured stich option?, do the front wings have Scuderia emblems.
Wheels - sure 20 inch are std??, diamond cut or plain paint?, brake caliper colour?, exhaust tips / exhaust are also an option.
Paint colour - triple layer / metallic paint is an option,
If i were you, i would log onto the Ferrari website and choose the " build your car option ", this will give you a better idea of whats available and cost etc.

 

Scuderia shields - "emblems " what was i thinking!