First of all, most cars at dealers don’t come with a service history. Either previous owners didn’t keep them, they got lost if a car changed hands a few times, or the new trend, dealers throw them away to reduce their liability for accurately describing the known condition of the car. But even with comprehensive service records, a buyer on their own cannot ascertain the current condition of the car just standing there and looking at it. No substitute for a good PPI.
Really? I thought the service records of new-ish cars are on file, electronically at the dealer. I guess 360's/F430's are kind of a gray area, old enough to be serviced at independent techs and stuff. If a car has no records of any service, well yeah, that's a problem. Sorry, if a Ferrari has no service records that's dumb as f'. Then assume the car has never been serviced and is driving on original oil, original coolant, original break fluid, original clutch, original headers. The typical F430 owner doesn't keep records of the car's service? Granted, a 3000 mile car won't have a lot of service, so there's that. Yes, of course no one can ascertain the current condition of a car just by looking at it. So yeah, if a car has zero service records, you have to PPI the car or walk. Otherwise assume you will be paying $10,000 to service the car before you can drive it. All fluids, new tires, maybe a new clutch, maybe new headers, belt change for a 360. SMH
Authorized Ferrari dealers HAVE records for services they perform but are not allowed to give them to anyone because of “privacy” concerns. Every now and then someone may slip you some records with the owner name redacted but they aren’t supposed to. But records or not, if I’m spending life changing money (and for me, 6 figures is a hefty sum) I’m getting inspections. If someone places a high premium on getting records, it is best to buy from private owners.
Exactly, when I bought my Portofino it was 3 years old with 625 miles on it and no one would give me the service records because of "privacy" funny thing is when I started going through the documents that came with the car the original purchasers name and address were all filled in on the warranty book! lol There were 2 reasons I wanted copies of the original owners service records were because he had a Novitec exhaust installed on the car and I wanted to see how many miles he had driven with it. And the second was that I just like to have a complete history on my cars so that I can pass it on to any future owner. I factory ordered my 430 spider 3 pedal and have every scrap of paper ever generated in a file for a future owner when I finally move on. Oh and when I got the Portofino to my home state I had my dealer do an inspection so that they could put a 2 year cpo warranty on it. Unfortunately they had to remove the Novitec exhaust and return it to stock, fortunately the original owner was thoughtful enough to include all the factory parts in the sale. Oh and if anyone is looking for a Novitec for their Portofino.......
Just a suggestion for all Ferrari owners, keep paper records of every service done on your car and put them in a binder that will go with the car. Those records are worth around $5000-$10,000. I get low mileage cars won't have as many records but still. It's best to change fluids at least yearly and a printed record showing the work is valuable. It's like when a buyer of a Rolex tosses the papers and box. Kind of a bonehead move.
You mean like I did 49 years ago when I bought my Rolex! lol They weren't considered collectibles then, you wouldn't happen to have a box for a 73 GMT master would you?
Yeah, and when someone buys a new Ferrari, the last thing they think about is selling and service records and all that jazz. So I get it.
I guess Rolex was making sun dials back then…… And yes, I understand you throwing the warranty stone tablet away….bet that thing was heavy.
Yea, almost as heavy as the watch! But I used the watch daily for 30 years as a carpenter, still keeps perfect time and on the original bracelet. Has an easier life these days now that I'm in management.
I bought my six figure 360 sight unseen with no PPI two years ago. His maintenance records were on par and talked to the Indy shop owner who performed the work for two previous owners. I personally would not let my Ferrari go near my local dealer. If a buyer asked me for a PPI I would pass. It’s too much hassle to be honest. My 360 has been amazing to own for the last couple of years. You should comb through this forum about how many PPI’s miss things anyways and aren’t always worth the money.
Good records and a conversation with the most recent tech (usually an indy with this era cars) can be a good substitute for a PPI. If the car has no records, for the 360/F430 I'd like to see if I can get an idea if there are any leaks, get a reading on the clutch wear, check the dash lights, brake pad thickness, check the condition of the headers, check with the dealer if all the recall work has been done. And make sure all the accessories are present. Assume all fluids need to be changed in addition to the belts and stuff on the 360. Then there's fit and finish stuff that comes up in these cars but those can be fixed after purchase.
I did not do a PPI when I purchased a 430. I think my mindset was different than most. I was buying the previous owners and the maintenance history. I spent as much time reviewing the records and researching the previous owner as I did looking at the car. I also had the mindset that I was buying a 15+- year old used Italian car which was going to have issues at some point. I knew the major mechanical issues 430s have and I saw that they were addressed. To me service records are more valuable than a PPI. I think the most important thing is that if you want a PPI you get one or if you want service records, the car has them. Don’t compromise on your wants, needs and must haves. You’ll regret it if things turn out bad. It took me 8 months to find the right car history for me. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
Too many things a PPI won't catch, or don't matter. Does the car in question come with a well-documented service history? Furthermore, a 15-20 year old Ferrari is going to require about that much in maintenance if you plan on driving it. So whatever you can afford, just make sure you can add that amount ($15-$20k) after the purchase price to get it sorted out. Don't think a PPI is going to absolve you of that. It's not.
The inspection, discussion with owner, review of records, research of vin/history, test drive, etc are all facets of due diligence to help ensure you get what you bargained for. To me the PPI is a useful tool if you have the right shop do it. They’ll provide a sense of the car and will anticipate issues based on the condition; particularly if distance is an issue or your time is more valuable than your mechanic’s. It also acts as a colander in that some sellers will refuse an inspection, even one where you fly your guy in and see it on their premises, which for me is an automatic “no” to a purchase. In the end all of the various items lead you to a decision on a car. All can bud useful together, but on their own I wouldn’t give any one thing ultimate weight in the purchase decision.
