2010 California - 5,200 km roundtrip with a 2 year old

With a kid I would take the SUV (which I guess is not a Purosangue?) With just my wife I would take the GT car. The California is comfortable for a being a Ferrari and compared to other Ferrari's from that era, but it is still a 13 y.o car. It is not comfortable by 2023 standards

 

Has the DCT been repaired? 3k+ miles of travel.... I would imagine the tranny is going to see some prolonged heat---I thought that was the leading cause of the common DCT speed sensors failures for the first gen Calis? I could be wrong... would be a real trip killer so far from home or an authorized dealer

 

Ensure it is a smooth experience? Buy one with more miles on the clock that has a full service history and documented repair/replacement of vital parts. And a car that has the New Power Warranty, as they do a thorough check before issuing the warranty.

Low mileage may not be your friend if you intend to drive it.

 

While a very beautiful car the 2019 Aston Martin Vantage v8 isn't exactly competing for the Audi slogan 'vorsprung durch technik'
The navi/infotainment system in the California is at best subpar and it is not a 4 seater, but that is not why you buy the California. The car is versatile and you can cruise down the boulevard with top down, it will work fine as a GT, use it as an every day car and you can (if you really want to) go to the track, but I would not say that a 5.000+ km trip with a small kid is one of its strong selling points. With you wife yes, on your own diffidently, with a kid no. There are so many better options for that.

Take the X5 and enjoy the trip or even better, fly to your destination and rent a California or Portofino and try it out on shorter day trips and see if that is really what you want.

 

I own a 2013 Cali30 and it’s very comfortable. It’s my daily driver and goes everywhere I go (event at the supermarket) . My wife has a new SUV and we use it when we need more space. The back seats in the Cali are small but more than enough for your child (sometimes we have an adult in the back and she fits but has to put one leg on the side). Buy a car that has the right mileage for its age, a car that has been used regularly.

 

Remember that a 2.5 y.o. will need a child seat, which takes up quite a lot of space. The latest recommendations even says that up until 18 kg the most safe seat is a backwards facing seat.

I don't know how tall you are, but we have carbon racing seats in ours which are quite a lot slimmer than the standard seat. I'm 6.1 and the back of the seat is touching the backseat except for 1 inch. Nobody is setting comfortably behind me when I'm driving and certainty not for 5000 km and 50 hours.

Add to all of this the angle of the back window and the amount of direct sun you get setting in the backseat.

 

Great point (how tall). I’m 5’6 and my wife is 5’2, behind her is the right place for someone in the back seat. Up to 5’7 for example and a baby seat in the back could work. The OP has to try before buying.

 

Hello Marcelo, I would not wish to put anyone of any size in the back seat of my Cali for 5,200 km with the top up or down. It is hard for me to imagine anyone, big or little, young or old, willingly sitting back there for more than 30 km. Separate from the personal discomfort of the rear seats, be sure to consider carefully how the luggage for husband, wife, and 2 1/2 year old would fit in the car for a two week trip (the trunk deserves your understanding how the space is shared with the top). And then there is the risk of taking a 13 year-old car new to you on a long road trip with a fixed timeline and family.