456 M high mileage or low mileage

Sort of similar background discussion last week https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/first-buy-456-should-i.575381/#post-145968230 - probably many others too over the years

Personally I'd buy the used car so you don't find out on your dime all the things that need doing due to lack of use of the other

 

id go low miles... all cars need some work.

 

I'd go with the high-mileage car. If it's been driven consistently through it's history -- it's probably been serviced and looked after.

Think of all the potential for rot and/or dry-out items (hoses, pipes, gaskets, filters, etc) that the low-mileage car might have.

I bought a 65K mile Mondial that showed a history of at being driven every year of it's life (between 1K and 3K every year). in the 3+ years I've owned it, I've only had minor problems.

Sid

 

2-The auto box it’s best fit for this car , so I’m passing on the manual .. and it’s not that expensive to fix...
Would suggest a stick...get the total Ferrari experience! same basic engine as the 550 and 612

 

My admittedly anecdotal experience with a 7k mile 2001 456M was that it cost about $19K to make it perfect, and it was eleven years old when I bought it. Plastic and rubber, especially, deteriorate if the car is stored in less than perfect circumstances. Corrosion sets in if the temperature and humidity makes for condensation as well. Not sorry I bought the car, to the contrary, I learned a ton and when perfect, the car was a marvel.

A 25K mile 360 cost even more, but that's because I did an engine out to restore the motor, transmission, their mounts, clutch, flywheel, belts, hoses; the works. It cost a lot, but the perfected car is glorious.

I know of only a few lucky buyers who had to spend less than $5K, and I prefer the peace of mind of knowing the car is really sorted out.

 

Matt,
Generally, I'd say:
1 - buy the one you like
2 - buy the one in the best condition

The GTA is an outstanding choice (I admit to being biased). While the gearbox is reliable if cared for and serviced regularly, some parts are starting to get scarce.
And I wouldn't limit myself to only 2002/2003. There were far fewer made in the last two years; about 30 in 2002, and about 20 in 2003, so they will be harder to find.

 

there are a ton more cars for sale in between and might be better buys. you can get cars with 2x,xxx miles in the 50's...

 

Matt,
I have been creating a VIN register for 456M cars in the US and will expand it to the 456s. In the meantime, here is the accounting on how many 456M cars came to the US by year and by auto/manual. Hope the info helps.


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That’s precisely the route I took.

 

I did it this way: I had a budget of $100K and spent only $75K on the car, so I had $25K left over to sort it out. All cash in the bank.

 

you and i have similar tastes.... bought my first fisker (1127) and now that i understand them i am looking for another !
just spent 15k sorting one out, and learned a lot. fantastically interesting and attractive car.

 

Matt- You have some misconceptions on 456Ms. There is almost no difference in engines between a 99 456M and a 2003. The brakes are the same, too. Except that drilled rotors became available late in production, but exactly the same size as earlier 456Ms. Also, no 456 or 456M ever came with hydraulic lifters. They were never even fitted with upgraded valve guides.

The maintenance on any 456 or 456M is way more than an annual oil change and cambelt changes are recommended every 3-5 years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first. Average cost per year will likely exceed $1000, assuming nothing breaks.

456s and 466Ms are great Ferraris and I would not hesitate to recommend one to a friend, but you have to have realistic expectations up front. The experts on this site with 456s and 456Ms can help you.

 

as for the 456m....
i owned a 2001 manual for 8 years and 30k km. bought it from a dead man with 1600 km on the clock. the widow spent 20k getting it saleable to me.
over my ownership, it was my daily driver, and i also used it for some extensive trips whenever my wife wanted to come along since i had the luggage and this one of the few ferraris she liked and the ac worked etc. i put 30k into it over that time period, over and above the regular maintenance - must have repaired every major system at least once. lovely car but not a cheap car to run on any level. sold it when i left geneva.

fast forward, my mother needed a new car, and i convinced her to get a 456mgta - auto. found her a good 2001 one from an fchatter last summer and bought it for her, and drove it all the way from cali to houston and then she drove it from houston to naples. despite starting out perfectly, we have already spent another 5k on it sorting stuff out. imo the auto tran takes the drama out of the car, but it was easier for her. for my own car i would take the stick any day.

these cars are NOT for the faint of wallet. they will cost you money regardless of anything else.

that being said, i would buy the higher mileage car, because you have a higher probability that some or most of the crappy stuff has been rectified. and the bonus is you get it cheaper !

 

btw, do you own that 'surf' ?

 

matt, are you on fiskerbuzz? whats your handle?

 

apparently there are 2.