456 ownership, first year status and questions

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456 ownership, first year status and questions. A bit long, mostly for 456 owners, be patient


More than a year ago I asked a lot of questions on this forum, to find out if a GTA would be a happy DIY experience for a guy with my experience? Most or all of you said yes, go for it. A few months of price negotiations later I bought my beautiful 2000 456M GTA. Local taxes make me only able to drive it April-August, so the first winter was just service including oil, front brakes and the belts.

So now that I’ve owned and serviced and driven it, what do I think? The positive: I love driving it. The steering and suspension is just perfect, such a pleasure to drive. It’s not only like on rails, it’s like it knows where I want to go next. Amazing. The negative: I’ve found the Service Manual disappointing and inconsistent. Doesn’t make it easy to DIY. Deliberate? But thankfully this forum can fill in the blanks

So I plan to keep it. So ahead of me is a long winter where it is stationary in my workshop, I can’t drive it on public roads until April ☹. But that time must be utilized of course. I’ll do the service needed, and thankfully there’s not anything faulty mechanically that I need to fix. But, and here comes some questions, when I’ve now decided to keep it until the end of time, small annoyances should be fixed, now that I have plenty of time. Below are some question, big and some very small, but if you’ve read this far, you’re probably a 456 owner, and might have the experience of some of these things. If you have some advise, please answer here with Q#, or PM me, up to you. Here it is, big and small:

1. Tires/wheels. 17” are a bit small, but I like the look, so I’m not looking to replace them just for a more modern look. But my tires are 7-8 years old, and this car has been sitting still for years, tires are not fully round, I feel it most the first 3 km of every trip. So, what should I do?

1a. Get new tires same size? I’ve read that that is difficult? Is that why my front tires have “rear” stamped on the sidewall?

1b. Different wheels? I’ve seen some nice 19”, suits the car fine. What I absolutely don’t want is harder tires because of lower profile (it’s a GT!), tires scraping on fenders or higher gearing, my 4th gear doesn’t come in until well settled at 80 km/h. If different wheels, do more or less all Ferraris have the same bolt pattern? Where should I look? Pictures of your wheels are welcome…

2. Seating, general. I’m longer legged and shorter armed than the guy they made this for. So I have steering wheel fully back and quite low. I also have seat all the way back, would like an inch more, but then steering wheel is too far away. I could also be looking at moving throttle pedal a bit forward. Just ideas. Any input? Anybody changed their seating position?

3. Seating, lumbar support. I don’t like it, I have it all the way back, still it annoys me. I’ve removed it on other cars I’ve owned, but I’m a little reluctant here, how do I get that far into the seatback without damaging the wonderful leather? Has anybody been that far into their seatback, maybe to remove or repair the lumbar support?

4. I always start the engine before I put the seatbelt on. Can I get rid of the annoying warning chime, is that a separate unit? Where? (See, we’re into the small stuff now)

5. The gear and outside temp displays are weak, almost unreadable, is that fixable?

6. The leather/plastic on the center of the steering wheel has bubbles, can that be repaired, can it be removed by the two screws behind the steering wheel, or will I sit with the airbag in my hands?

7. The Automobilia Book. I’d like to read it. I don’t need to own it. Has anybody pdf’d it, or are willing to ship to me and back? I’ll pay of course

Thanks for reading this far.
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