Do you guys drive your cars? | FerrariChat

Do you guys drive your cars?

Discussion in 'Canada' started by Charlesgt2, Mar 16, 2004.

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  1. Charlesgt2

    Charlesgt2 Karting

    Mar 16, 2004
    92
    Or do you even own a Ferrari.
    I am new to the board, coming from the Porsche camp.
    It it sounds like you guys are more interested in "cruising in Yorkville", or "spotting" cars on the week end.

    Or are Ferrari's that unreliable?
     
  2. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 F1 Rookie

    Oct 16, 2001
    4,995
    La mamma dei fessi
    Full Name:
    e sempre incinta
    Personally for me it is about the drive. Alot of guys are "renters", they make the payment each month and they want to be seen with the car. My car when finished will be a driver (See the thread in the showroom "1975 308 GT4 #10636). I'll go everywhere with it and I don't care about mileage. I'm not a big fan of just parking the car to show off but to each his own. Some guys here are really young, some are owners and some are dreamers. There is room for everyone here. As far as reliability, that's a whole other ball game!
     
  3. Charlesgt2

    Charlesgt2 Karting

    Mar 16, 2004
    92
    What is the reliabilty thing really all about?

    Is it really that bad or does it depend on the model?
    I drive and have been driving the crap out of my GT3, and my C2 before that with never a problem.

    I heard that the 308/328 and even the 348's were the most reliable F cars. But the "newer" ones especially the 355, and TR are horrible, basically very UN-fun to own.
     
  4. gerritv

    gerritv Formula 3

    Jun 18, 2001
    1,400
    St Catharines
    Full Name:
    Gerrit
    Hi Charles,
    During the winter there is not a lot else to do but spot other's cars. And if you don't own a P or Fcar, then spotting can be a great hobby, like QSL on shortwave.
    I drive my 308GT4 a lot. It is not my daily driver but that has more to do with gas mileage and insurance costs than not wanting to. Last year I drove it to work at least once a week, most weekends I was out in it as well. I avoid shopping centers, due to door ding risks.
    Since buying the car in early 2001, I have replaced rad, rebuilt suspension, rebuilt brakes, rebuilt carbs, fixed lots of fiddly electrical things, replaced carpets. All these were due to age and lack of use. Distributors and window seals should be done by this spring.
    The car has let me down once and that was due to a predictable problem with the tired fuse blocks. It has been to Montreal for the GP each year I have owned it. Add routine trips to Niagara Falls, various events etc. and it gets used a lot. I average > 6000 KM per year, not bad for a hobby car. (I only do about 15K in my daily driver in a year.)
    I won't drive the car when there is salt on the roads. I don't like going out in the rain with it either (the wipers a sloth like in their travel speed across the windows) but I don't obsess about it if the weather turns wet once I am out and about. Having spent a month last winter restoring the suspension I am not particularly interested in seeing it get messed up with salt and rust.
    The reliability seems to improve with lots of use. That seems to apply to many things in life :)

    Gerrit
    http://dino308gt4.com
     
  5. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    Charles, I don't think there are that many issues with the newer Ferraris. In fact the 550, and 360 seem quite good. The 355 seems to have a few issues (shocks, exhaust headers, valve guides), but it is "spotty" and does not seem to effect all of them, by any means.

    BTW, I am in Seattle, and drive my Ferrari to Vancouver, BC a few times each year.

    Dave
     
  6. ToddB

    ToddB Formula 3

    Nov 4, 2003
    2,241
    Vancouver B.C./OC
    Full Name:
    Todd
    I am from Richmond B.C. I will be buying a 348 soon.......but I do drive my corvette daily.....I have racked up alot of miles on it this past year and will be buying a daily driver in the fall
     
  7. Charlesgt2

    Charlesgt2 Karting

    Mar 16, 2004
    92
    I'm curious.
    Do you guys spend any money each year when you take it out of storage to get it ready for use?
    I've heard of guys paying stupid amounts of money just to keep the thing rolling year after year.
     
  8. Jay GT4

    Jay GT4 F1 Rookie

    Oct 16, 2001
    4,995
    La mamma dei fessi
    Full Name:
    e sempre incinta
    Like Gerrit said, alot of these cars are 25+ years old, at least with the 308 series. You have to expect to repair, replace parts. Once the car is correct service should be minimal, the more you drive the better! Problem is alot of previous owners "cheap out" when doing repairs, eventually a $200 fix turns into a $1000 fix from trying to cut corners.
     
  9. DrewH

    DrewH F1 World Champ
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    Nov 4, 2003
    16,583
    Vancouver, BC Canada
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    Andrew
    My neighbour has a 03 996TT with the X50 option. His car is probally as reliable as a Honda Accord. He drives his car everyday even in the snow.
    I have been in his car several times and although it is very fast and a cool car it doesn't even come close to the exhilaration of any Ferrari.

    Hot summer Saturday night parked side by side no comparison!

    DrewH
     
  10. DrewH

    DrewH F1 World Champ
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    Nov 4, 2003
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    Andrew
    Sorry: Side by side my 355 Spider with the top down!

    DrewH
     
  11. f355spider

    f355spider F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 29, 2001
    17,913
    USA
    "Storage", it is mild enough in the Northwest to not require storage. I can drive almost every week in winter. Heck, I even drive my car in the rain! Just say "NO" to "garage queens"! :)
     
  12. MS250

    MS250 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Dec 10, 2003
    26,120
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    86TR with 50k on the clock and running strong.Put about 5k every summer and runs better than anyones pcar or honda.

    Getting bored and tired of these p guys with the silly questions about reliabilty. I have seen many a vipers,benzs,M3 and P on the back of tow trucks.

    My buddies 355 runs strong and so does my neighbors 348. Stop the rumor spread.
     
  13. Charlesgt2

    Charlesgt2 Karting

    Mar 16, 2004
    92
    Rumour spread?

    You have an 86. That's 17 summers x 5000km each summer = 85000km.

    Or did you mean that you put in $5000 every year to keep the TR running?
     
  14. DrewH

    DrewH F1 World Champ
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    Nov 4, 2003
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    Andrew
     
  15. pogibm

    pogibm Karting

    Nov 2, 2003
    103
    Washington
    Full Name:
    Randy Madamba
     
  16. rmk

    rmk Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2002
    2,409
    As long as the car is exercised (weather permitting, if you're fussy) and started during winter months, you should be alright. THE MORE YOU DRIVE THEM, THE BETTER THEY WILL RUN, PERIOD. Of course, a solid PPI is a must. Like all good things in life, parts and labour DO NOT come cheap. When they break, fix it. Sometimes (almost always) its blatant highway robbery, but it goes with the game unfortunately. Most of us just don't have the time to screw around with the cars themselves, unlike Jay! (Go Jay!!)

    You either get it or you don't, if you have to ask about reliability, stick to the P-Cars.. BTW, what model are you looking for? 8 or 12?

    Good luck,

    Ryan
     
  17. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    24,957
    Las Vegas, NV
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    Ryan Alexander
    Dang, your brother must have done something different than I did in college! Did he start a business on the side or something?

    BTW, I see you're in Renton. I spent two years in the Seattle area, 7+mos living on 108th by Fred Meyer and then behind the Albertsons on Petrovitsky (in an apt. not in the alley :). I really liked the area and the mix of people there, at least on the SW end and not in the Skyway area...
     
  18. Charlesgt2

    Charlesgt2 Karting

    Mar 16, 2004
    92

    To me its not the number of miles that are on the car that tells me how reliable it is, it is the $$$ per mile that do it.

    I would say that a F car costs (repairs/breakdowns/maintenance) about $0.30/km - $0.50/km without exaggeration, and the P car is more like $0.05/km, again without exaggeration.

    The problem, if you call it one, or really the difference between an F car and a P car is its heritage.

    Ferrari.
    Racing Venue: Formula 1
    Object: Run, as hard and as fast as you can for a race that lasts for about 2 hrs, max.

    Porsche
    Racing Venue (or previous racing venue): Le Mans
    Object: Run as hard and as fast as you can for a race that lasts 24 hrs.

    I rest my case.
     
  19. rmk

    rmk Formula 3

    Mar 24, 2002
    2,409

    Yup, don't doubt that the Porsche costs less than a Ferrari, but in the end your driving a typical Porsche. (which all look differently, hah) The GT3 is a great car, (I have my eye on a GT2) but in the end you cannot compare the two marques (and their respective victories). Ever driven a Ferrari? Talk to us when you do. You only live once, so live it up.

    Finally, are you really looking for a Ferrari to purchase or just (attempting to) bust our balls?

    Ryan
     
  20. MS250

    MS250 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 10, 2003
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    Bought the car with 20k and sat with other 2 owners...have the car now close to 7yrs.Did the major back then and has been running perfect. And even if I did spend 5K, wouldnt matter its still a Ferrari not a Porche. Its getting boring with other brands always trying to compare with Ferrari. If you are worried about the scratch then get out of the game. Same goes with the big house, if you cant afford the heat buy a small shack.

    Rumour spread, Im trying to say that everyone has this idea that ferraris are unreliable, and expensive. Its only unreliable & expensive if you dont use them. Let an 86 Porche sit in the garage with only 10k on the clock and Im sure you will find the same unreliable car.

    The 4 or 5 ferrari owners I know who drive and enjoy there cars like there Caddys have no issues with there cars. No break downs, no gremlins , the idea of Ferrari not reliable is a rumor.
     
  21. MS250

    MS250 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 10, 2003
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  22. MS250

    MS250 Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Dec 10, 2003
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    Avvocato
     
  23. DrewH

    DrewH F1 World Champ
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    Nov 4, 2003
    16,583
    Vancouver, BC Canada
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    Andrew
     
  24. Wasco

    Wasco Formula Junior

    Dec 9, 2003
    486
    Salem
    Full Name:
    Randy
    My 78 308 has fewer problems than either of my 72 or 74 914's. People that own F-cars tend to spend a lot of money on them not cuz they need it but because we want to treat them like our kids. Spoiled with all the nice toys but boy are we proud of them on graduation day!

    To me there is simply very few things to compare with an F-car.
     
  25. tritone

    tritone F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 8, 2003
    6,863
    On the Rock
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    James
    sounds like you're wasting your time on this board. isn't there a pee-chat for you somewhere else?
     

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