I've been looking at 348TBs, F355 GTBs and 512TRs and on two occasions I've been told that cars were repainted at the factory. Has anyone heard of this before?
That sounds like bull unless you're looking at cars in Italy, (edit) or maybe Challenge cars that were actually raced by Ferrari.
I have. The dealer was owned by Ferrari and they provided a document to the buyer. The document was in English and the date shown for the paint job was a Sunday.I guess they paid the guys overtime and those guys in Maranello prefer to write in English. Some car salesmen (even sales managers) will say anything and forge any document, Ferrari dealer or not. Find someone with at least a modicum of integrity.
I wouldn't believe everything you hear. The factory has never had a problem sending cars out with bad paint and they still do. Go look a a new 458 Italia its hideous how the paint looks on some of those cars.
maybe what they meant was "Ferrari repainted them"...we get that here and in reality they are half correct...the Ferrari dealership prob repainted it ....when the message passes from one source to the other, down the line it get's twisted prob without malice that the "factory" repainted it when indeed the original intended message and/or document was from the local F-dealership......
It's possible. All manufacturers will repair at the factory if damage or poor quality occurs at the facility. They don't throw away scratched parts or park a car with a huge run in it out back. They repair them, usually through spot repair or surface finessing (color sanding). But sometimes it involves refinishing. Transportation damage from the factory to dealer is repaired at the dealer and is much more common. The state of New Mexico has created a law that requires dealers to disclose previous damage and repaints among other things. As I understand it, this includes new cars for this very reason.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle, and mixed in with salesman speak. I'd guess that the car was repainted by a "factory authorized" source. Good luck.
The story is that in the case of the 348 that in 1992 they had such poor paint that the factory painted the car again...and in the case of the red TR that it was in Italy unsold and a customer in America wanted grey so they painted in grey. I find the latter more likely than the former but with so many cars available why bother with either!!! I'll just find a better example.
The only time I have seen this happen is if the factory is set up for it. Take a tour of the factory that will tell you. From what I read about ferrari only that other division that will referbish older cars (concours) or something like that would be set up for it not positive since I have not taken a tour in the last year.
Sounds plausible in respect of local blend in for scratch etc. I bought an early mercy slk (very bad car by the way) and did the factory collection scheme at Bremen, so it was fresh new, got home in uk and after a few weeks noticed under some light angles evidence of a blend in paint repair on the a pillar.
What evidence specifically tells you to tell us that the paint on some new 458's is hideous? The paint centre at Maranello is totally state of the art. Every car is examined by very professional people after the body comes out of the paint shop. Certain areas of every body are microscopically examined for paint layering, etc...anything less than exceptional is returned for reworking. It is simply nonsense to say that Ferrari releases their cars from the factory with hideous paint work. Do you think people paying hundreds of thousands of money would put up with poor paint?
No it's not. Do a search. There are lots of photos of shoddy paint on 458s. They have nowhere near the quality of finish you get on a hand-rubbed Bentley for example. Not even as good as your average Lexus.
Lotusk : here's a couple of freebies http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/ff-f12/425786-rubbish-paint-again.html http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/458-italia/389643-poor-quality-paintwork.html
What....!?!?!? I would give the dealer and ferrari at the factory such a blast if my car had anything other than perfect everything....i would also plaster the interweb. Utterly and totally unacceptable. I have seen the film of the men with microscopes examining the finish before signing off. Utter misrepresentation if my new F car had any blemish whatsoever. It is possible to telephone the factory. They speak english....ask for head of client relations to start with..then get the paint men involved. I would call.
They look at it...they just don't give a ***** it's total crap on a $350,000 car because there's a waiting list.
It makes great PR. There are many far far less expensive cars with better paint and fit and finish than Ferrari.
But it is total rubbish. Ferrari builds cars, they don't fix them. They simply had no facilities or experience in repainting a car. It is a totally different process. These cars you speak of were in the middle of the production run. If someone really wanted a different color they would pull one off the line in the color they chose and send that. Great story, they get told all the time and people believe them but Ferrari just doesn't do that.
Being an ex panel beater and spray painter I have to agree with some of the comments on poor paintwork on new cars. Yes the factory has state of the art facilities but part of problem in today's world is the fact that all paint applied today is water based for environmental reasons. It simply does not produce as good a finish as good old two pack paint. I too have looked a the paint on a 458 an thought hey that's a bit average but it is what it is. With companies like Aston Marton they put 14 coats of clear coat on the car and then cut it back and compound it to a smooth Glossy finish. With Ferrari approx 3 to 4 coats a quick polish and off you go!
Sad to hear I could buy a new Ferrari, wait years for delivery and be non impressed with its paintwork.
As the old saying goes: With a Ferrari you're paying for the engine! - The rest is thrown in for free! What do yo expect for nothing!
