https://collectingcars.com/for-sale/2023-ferrari-296-gtb-3 sold for £180k list price likely to be £330k with options so £150k a good buy for someone imo
Speaking of comical. Just imagine spending $100,000 on a watch that only tells time - just like my old Timex. Or even worse, a couple of million dollars on a painting that you stick on a wall and it does nothing.
Why? I plan on getting a 296 GTS this fall or spring and expect to use it for a few years (till end of bumper to bumper warranty) and lose a lot of money in the process. With the hybrid engine, screens, and haptics, the car is just a fun piece of new technology. In 5 years time and once the warranty ends, I would much rather own a 458/488/F8.
Not to get into an argument here, but there are still screens in the 458/488/F8, and TT cars used to be discussed against NA similar to hybrids now. In 5 years, I do not know what I would like to own, but I sold my 458 and do not regret it.
Horses for courses. And- you might have a different opinion after driving it over that period of time. I could never go back to such inferior cars (458- maybe for sound).
THIS. I too had a 458. Every day I drive the 296 I cannot believe how much better it is- not remotely close. Ignorance is bliss.
It’s quite interesting when you dismiss a newer tech like Turbos or a hybrid setup because you like the naturally aspirated engine and the last of something that was in reality just a small interlude in the overall timeline of commuting via automobiles. We used to sell product into the hot rod and street rod industry where people with pre 1949 cars have a similar issue with latter cars. There’s people hanging onto cars with carburetors / manual only. The list goes on.
I don't get the "hybrid system unreliability/maintenance" commentary (not from anyone here specifically, but the broad discourse around it). I'm not disagreeing that it exists or is giving buyers pause, I just don't understand it. People routinely pile hundreds of thousands of miles on all kinds of different hybrids over the last 3 decades (decades!); even lithium ion battery vehicles are approaching 20 years old now. This is widely understood, widely deployed technology. It's also not like the ICE Ferraris were ever paragons of reliability or particularly light on maintenance - what is the going rate on an F355 major now? $25k due every 4 years? I once got a $21k suggested maintenance bill for my 458 Spider after a regular annual oil service. FF/Lusso PTU replacement - $30k job at a dealer? Yeah, 296s will be expensive out of warranty. It's a Ferrari.
I think it kind of started with the SF90 since the first few years there was some computer glitches. Plus, pump up the price during to Covid then big drop afterward got all the owner pissed off with salty taste in their mouth to start bashing the Ferrari new hybrid platform. 296 just got the overspill of these due to buyer not expecting to "lose money" on a Ferrari...which is comical.
But that's the UK, which is Bizarro world for the exotic car market. It's like judging tea parties based on what happened in Alice in Wonderland.
true, but you pull up with that car next to a guy on a horseback and he thinks you are one of them germaphobe vegans
Fwiw my 355 engine out is a fraction of the price noted. And I’m on my 5th 458 with almost nothing for repair costs ever.
Well, prices of 355 engine out have a lot of variability. Depending upon the mechanic, owner’s time/ability and what needs to be repaired, Ongoing expenses for a 355 can be more than the 25k mentioned. Some depends on if you want the AC to really function or not. All mechanical things can break and need maintenance. There is, and probably always has been, certain folks who either fear, dislike or even hate change. Always are the doubters who only see potential negatives. Several years ago, I ran across an article from the 1800’s which declared absolutely that the match will never supplant flint and steel for lighting fires. Matches were too unreliable, not readily available and subject to all kinds of problems (real or imagined). I wish I had saved that. On top of that, bleeding edge, early adopters are always doing the final beta test of any new technology. Which is why our servers, for instance, are only upgraded to a new operating system when the old version ceases to be supported altogether and no more security patches will be available. By that time the “new” OS is in its mid cycle and the bugs mostly worked out. That is the main reason I passed on the SF90, now testing the 296 (mid cycle) ahead of spec’ing a Speciale and TR. I don’t necessarily think hybrids got a bad name from early adopters’ reviews. Hybrids have a bad name (among a vocal few, probably) because it is a major version release of new technology. And people generally fear, dislike or hate them for that. At least that is my humble opinion.
I see a lot of similar complaints and comparisons online between the 296 and the 458, mostly from people who never owned or even driven either. I think a lot of people are just repeating what others are saying. And for those who have owned a 458 I wonder how many miles they actually have driven? Many of these cars barely get driven a couple thousand miles each year. My opinion (everyone has one) I bought a new 458 and drove it over 20k miles in almost 5 years. Loved it. I traded it in for a 720s spider and never looked back. Despite all the initial hatred towards the 720s it became an iconic car and set the standard for supercars. I loved it despite the issues I had. Drove 42K miles in 6.5 years. Now I traded into the 296 GTS with 990 miles at great price and this car is amazing!!! I was concerned I would regret my choice and even considered keeping both but it didn't make sense for me right now. This car sounds better, it handles like its on rails, the interior styling and tech is much better, and it it looks great Imo! I will say the headlights and DRL's are a little boring compared to other supercars and the haptics can be a pain. But I realized most of the haptic controls are not things I need to use when driving. The real buttons such as turn signals and music controls work normally. Some people have a hard time embracing new things. technology. I see it every time like the hatred for electric cars for years. Now most of those people own at least 1 hybrid or full EV. Too each his own. I'll be driving the hell outta this baby until its time to move on to something new. Life is too short!!
