California vs California T

No prob. Pretty much same items as cali t...battery, tires, engine mounts, roof operation, interior leather (especially dash), leds that may be loose inside headlight, and of course the dreaded dct sensor failure. Sensor failure can happen at any time, so just ensure during test drive you have all gears and try to go for a longer test drive to allow some heat build up. Those are the items I've learned from this great forum and other groups. Of course, check paint and other cosmetics, car fax, service history, etc... Good luck and welcome aboard.

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https://theusbport.com/ferrari-2016-california-2016-vs-2009-california-price-specs-top-speed-acceleration/4165
A quick comparison article here shows there are some very big upgrades in the T: All new engine, 7 speed DCT upgrade, steering & handling, infotainment system etc. Even the fuel economy and range were improved.

 

I am extremely happy with my ‘13 Cali-30. I’ve had it for 15 months and 3k miles (14,200 to 17,200) with no issues except motor mounts and sticky buttons, both of which were easily corrected. The exhaust note alone is worth the price of admission!

 

Bill,
What was the price of two complete gearbox changes on your 13 Cali, posted by you in another thread ?
Thanks!

"I’ve had a 2013 for fifteen months now. The ‘12 thru ‘14 model’s gearbox was supposed to be significantly more reliable, but in the first two years after its production mine had two complete gearbox changes. It hasn’t had any issues since then, and only had 14k on the odometer, so I bought it from a SoCal dealership who had done all the required service on it for those trouble free years. It was speced out to the max and I love the car. Best of luck to you."

 

Both were done under warranty by the original owner so I don’t know, but as I said it hasn’t had any issues in the last six years.

 

I'm in the market for a Cali T for all the reason above, especially the styling. To me the Cali T is worlds better on the eye.

 

As of October 2020, I am now the proud owner of a 2014 California 30.
I too posted on this forum back in September when I was trying to make a choice between the California or the California T. Deep in my heart, I knew my Ferrari should be naturally aspirated.

And the way the world is going, looks like everything will eventually be turboed. I mean look at what Porsche has already done. There was a time when only the turbo model had a turbo. Not that way anymore. Yes, we know it has to do with efficiency and emissions and so forth...

So after humming and hawing for a couple of weeks, I opted for the California 30. Sure I know it's going to be less horsepower and so forth, but that's not really what it's all about. At least for me. I mean the car is already plenty fast. And it's a very comfortable GT Cruiser in Sport mode. So for me, I'm not worried about the difference in 0 to 60 or quarter mile times and that sort of thing. I want to hear that awesome naturally aspirated Ferrari V8 snarl. Another reason why topless Ferrari is the only way to go. Love to hear that exhaust note full-on every time I drive. Especially through a tunnel!
As far as styling goes, I prefer the original California Style versus the California T. Perhaps if they had kept the body style the same I may have opted for the California T? I like the original California because it has more of a classic/retro look. Many years ago when I was younger, the ultimate Ferrari in my mind was the 550 or the 575. The California reminds me of that car. But a more modern, comfortable and practical version. I plan to keep this car for a very long time, and I feel this retro styling will look good far into the future.
I also spent many hours researching the difference between the two. Yes the California T is well reviewed by Automotive journalist. But so is the Cali 30. But you have to be honest with yourself and ask what's really important to you.
Look at the overall package. The change in styling, the exhaust note, the feel of naturally aspirated vs. Turbo. I'm fortunate enough to also have a Porsche 997 Turbo. It's possible that already having a turbo in the garage may have affected my decision, but I'm pretty sure it didn't. When I would think about an Italian exotic, I always thought naturally aspirated.
Ferrari has only ever made a few turbo models to date. And again, thinking about keeping this car into the future, I wonder if the resale value will remain high given that it's one of the last naturally aspirated. And happens to be the improved and rarer version. I mean the car drives amazing, but I never did try the turbo California. Maybe one day in the spring I'll give one a try and see exactly what the difference is. But again, a few tenths here and there in terms of performance is not critical for me.
I simply adore the overall style of the California inside and out, and I remember seeing it for the first time when it came out and I thought, that's going to be the one for me. One day...
Overall, the reliability seems to be pretty good. As with most cars, there's going to be weird little things here and there that need to be addressed. For me, one of the first things I did was get my brake lights re wired. So now my brake lights are the large round ones on the trunk. And the fog lights are now in the bumper with the signal lights.
I had a shop do this and they did an amazing job. All of the warning lights work correctly for the fog lights and the brake lights. I know a lot of people on The Forum have done it themselves but I wanted to make sure it was done at a high level. Also, the way the guy at the shop routed the wires by taking off the panels and so forth, was so perfect and so clean. Always better to have an experienced professional dealing with something that is a bit custom.
Best of luck to you finding the California you love, and welcome to the family.

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Congratulations, you made an excellent choice and I love the color combination. I bought my ‘13 Cali-30 for all the same reasons you mentioned. I’ve had the same thought about the brake lights, could you tell me how much that cost you and what kind of shop did the work?

 

Great write up and congratulations on the new Cali.

TdF blue over crema?

T

 

Yeah I get a lot of compliments on this colour combo. Back before I knew anything about Ferrari colour codes, I always referred to it as the sapphire blue Ferrari. I remember seeing it for the first time a few years ago at a building I service. One of the commercial tenants had a Ferrari in this colour, and I just freaked out when I saw it. So that's what I wanted. Of course I now know it's called tdf Blue.

If you checked out my profile, you know I live in Vancouver. So I had a local private shop here do the brake light job for me. The tech charged me 4 hours of labor if I recall correctly plus a few bucks for shop supplies and then taxes. I believe the total was around $650. And I just love the look with the re wired lights. The outer ring illuminates when I turn on the headlights, and the brake lights are in the centre.

My tech was also cognizant of the fact that when you open a trunk, there is supposed to be some kind of light Illumination as a safety feature. So the fog lights above the bumper illuminate when the trunk opens. This is the kind of stuff I never would have considered when I thought about doing this myself. I guess this is a DOT sandard of some sort. Along the same lines that brake lights cannot be on a movable piece of body work.

Not to mention wiring it all up so that all of the warning lights still work correctly.

 

Very sharp combo and the diamond stitching is the cherry on the sundae. Enjoy the heck out of this great car. Can you drive your F-car year round in Vancouver?

T

 

Oh ya, had to have the diamond stitching. As much as I love the classic look of the Daytona seats, I love the rich look of the diamond stitch just a bit more. Especially on the doors as well with the contrasting thread. And I was told it's more comfy/cushy by another local owner.

Well I do keep the cars insured year round. Although sunny dry days and far and few between during winter in Vancouver... aka RAINCOUVER.

Weatherman claims Wednesday will be a dry day. I already plan to skip work and go zooming about if its nice. Probably head up to Whistler area.

So frustrating to finally get my Cali in mid Oct 2020. Spring is a lifetime away...