$130k service cost on 328 true?

Wonder where in the world they got that notion??

 

I keep saying People want to believe.

 

Exactly. Probably from the horse’s mouth. Or opposite aperture.

 

Absolutely they do want to believe. They need to believe because of the world they just entered. I was there in the Fall of 2022. A brand new owner of this exotic I was so thrilled with and stupefied by but also nervous about maintaining it and without a support system with wisdom in the Ferrari world. Yes I came on Fchat to research but honestly there weren’t many mentions of local shops that everyone swore on. For every good experience there seemed to be another that took away from it. I asked the few people I knew, but who weren’t really in the trenches of the SoCal Ferrari world. So what else did I have to rely on than the very visible and popular YouTube and social media people in the car world that were constantly posting about the exact same car I just bought? I felt relieved and good about having someone who could seemingly take care of my cars every need and do it flawlessly, as was touted in many places about this particular charlatan.

I think we can all agree that, from the outside, there is a veil of mystery and quiet gate keeping in the Ferrari world that is lifted once you actually get to know good people. I submit that Donnie was not generally preying on the FCA member who has been active for years AND who has relationships and talks with Club members who really know what’s up with the current lay of the land in their area. I think for the most part he preyed upon newbie Ferrari owners. And those owners were exposed to him from the few places we’ve been discussing. And if those few outlets for exposure knew of other’s terrible experiences with Donnie but turned a blind eye because they themselves were having a good experience, YET KEPT promoting him and his services, that’s a huge issue.

 

And I will add- before the black 328 was posted for sale on Fchat last year the only mentions of Donnie even here were several years old and were all positive. I know because after I had my horrific experience with him, I came on here multiple times with the intention of posting about it. And it wouldn’t have just been a casual “I had a bad experience”. It was going to be everything that happened and everything he said and did over those few months. But I was dissuaded because I was afraid I would be singled out or lampooned since I would be, at that time, the lone whistleblower. And I was concerned he might come after me. So I didn’t. You should still be able see the older mentions if you search for them. So it’s not like his criminality was there for all of us to see previously and we just went anyway. It was quite the opposite.

 

I was under the impression Donnie was banned from F-Chat years ago.

 

I have no idea. I guess that didn’t stop a few people mentioning him.

 

Nobody is criticizing Matt for “having a good experience”

He is being criticized because he kept publicly promoting Donnie, despite being told repeatedly, over a period of years, that Donnie was ripping people off, keeping their cars locked up in the desert and usually in pieces, charging extortionist rates to get them back, and returning some cars that weren’t even fixed. These were very explicit warnings which he chose to ignore. Fine for himself. But anyone, let alone an “influencer” or automotive journalist, who promotes someone they’ve been warned is taking advantage of others is swimming in some pretty dirty water.

Matt’s response was always “sorry to hear that. It wasn’t my experience”. Which kinda doesn’t cut it. Not if he’s choosing to publicly platform that person.

In this thread alone you have 3 people who told Matt what was happening, going back at least a couple of years. And I assure you there are others. That’s why people are ticked off.

At the end of the day, Donnie was the one (“allegedly” for all you lawyers out there) doing all the bad stuff. But Matt is seeming more and more complicit as it becomes clear just how many times, and how long ago, he was told about Donnie.

 

When I was out there trying to get my car fixed he talked to me in person about the falling out with the Belgian guy, laughing and making reference to the fact that the Testarossa was now a goner and “in a million pieces” and sarcastically wishing the guy “good luck” . I must have made a face because he quickly changed the subject and wouldn’t say any more when I asked what he meant.

 

The guy’s a sociopath. To a T.

“A sociopath is someone who might have repeated run-ins with the law. They might lie, use physical aggression to get what they want, and have a lack of empathy and a lack of guilt. A sociopath might form emotional bonds with family and close friends, so his or her offenses often won’t be against them (but this is not always true). Instead, strangers and acquaintances will often bear the brunt of a sociopath’s anger, aggression, and deception.“

 

Did anybody read the interview I posted on the original Donnie thread…the one opened by the owner of the BAT black 328? Just reading that mess, long before this other stuff became public, it was obvious that this guy was suspect. What serious person gives an interview full of f-bombs?

 

Can’t remember if I read it or not but I followed that thread so I might have.

 

“loan wolves”……LOL

Truer words are seldom spoken

 

This Donnie guy has a strong resemblance to Drew Carey, no?

 

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I feel bad for anyone that has their car in his shop now. Trying to get it and all the parts out is going to be a big headache. Wouldn't surprise me if stuff is missing.

If the guy was willing to try to sell cars he doesn't own he's a pretty bold criminal.

Easiest scam to make. Tell a customer a certain part needs to be replaced. The trusting customer says "OK". A new part gets ordered and replaced at a mark up + R&R labor and the old one sold on Ebay.

I have no idea if that happened but with someone this unscrupulous, anything is possible.

 

Exactly and the readiness of so many to accept at face value just goes to show how gullible so many are.

 

In my experience getting a reference for any product or service form someone I do not know is worthless. I have no knowledge of their standards, experience, gullibility, or knowledge. If it is from someone I personally know or am dealing with face to face there is at least some ability to know some of that. One of the reasons I suggest joining the local Ferrari club, even before buying the car. One of the big reasons it was founded was to provide that sort of support.

 

Has anyone ever seen them in the same place together?

 

They do have the same initials?

 

True. I am aware of a few similar situations and it turned out in the end cars were being fixed and put back together with parts and components from other cars in the shop. In some cases even engines and transmissions were involved. I had a client with a 330 GTS in a very famous shop in SoCal and the Spider top was gone. It went on another car and the shop owner (a very well known lifer in the vintage Ferrari business) swears to this day the car came to him (fresh from the crash site) with no top.

 

Having been in the Ferrari business in California for over 30 years (prior to my successful escape from California) I had never heard of Donnie prior to that thread. But then I stay involved within the legitimate part of the Ferrari business. I have always been a big believer in the old saying "you are known by the company you keep". There are a lot of well known Ferrari shops I will not set foot in.

 

Donnie started to gain followers on IG. That was the start and then getting featured on Leno’s and Farrah’s channels.