456M for daily driving?

I concur. Great color for a 456.

 

My 456 has a MUCH better turning radius than my Volvo, and MONDIAL T !! truly surprises me. I feel it is a very easy car to park and I have zero lack of confidence in parking it or turning in/on a regular street. The Volvo and T require some fwd/backing before negotiating even their wheel base.

Totally agree: Never thought the Brown [official name, ?], green or Yellow would appeal to me but the beauty of the 456 is it makes all look good. Pinanfarina always seem to wear over short, mid and long term.

BUT Still desire the exterior of the non-M model for the hood, and tail, active airfoil. however, the upgraded engine firing and internals are more desireable on the M... AND the front has some appeal too.

Something tells me that Ferrari will bring back that look later: sorry, the 612 doesn't do anything for me.

 

I know this sounds crazy... and possibly doesn't belong here... but... have you ever considered purchasing like and 04 or newer maserati coupe or spyder?

I had one and drove it almost daily and drove it HARD when I drove it. It never let me down... ever... it was so comfortable. Has very nice features and options surprisingly turned more heads and receieved more compliments than my viper (which is an attention whore)

The fact that they run chains instead of belts is a huge help in the maintinance category and it has to good sized back seats.

Just a thought...

good luck in whichever you choose

 

Don't they require 25mm spacers? I think the 360s have a 50 and 52mm positive offset compared to the V-12's 25 and 30mm offsets.

 

just to follow on "possibly doesn't belong here", but did you give up that car because it was leased? I too like the Masseratis, seems to help all the negative issues associated with Ferrari.

HMMMMMMMM, I wonder if I can drop a Masserati V8 into a 328?...........

 

I considered that before getting my 456, especially since I knew the maintenance costs would be far higher on a Ferrari V12. However, the interior of the 456 was roomier and--this is the hardest part to explain--just felt special. Sort of the feeling of "I am driving the best, the fastest 4-seat GT in the world." The 612 now holds that title, of course.

And a small point: she specified an automatic transmission; therefore, unless she gets a 2007 or 2008 Gran Tourismo or perhaps a 2006 GranSport, she is going to hate the Maserati's flappy paddle gearbox.

 

+1

except for the 456+ maintenance costs. A good example will cost less than a 348/355 and, although I'm not sure, other earlier v12 examples: 512's etc. There is a fair amount than can be done with engine in. What you may find , and a good PPI will help, is the radiator leacking, or blocked, exhaust/intake manifolds to be looked at for leaks, the hoses, the shocks, the automatic seat issues, and, the famous window gaps [EVEN if done by ferrari properly on the re-do], worn motor mounts, shrinking leather, and bubbles on climate controls [which are common on many other models].

 

Maybe not far more expensive than other, earlier, Ferraris. I was only comparing the maintenance costs to 2002+ Maserati coupes and spyders.

 

oh, the Masers have us beat hands down there....but, no 12's that I know of.

 

I'm pretty sure there aren't any 12 cyl production Maseratis. I had a V6 74 Merak. No torque and scary hydraulic system, but in Imron Yellow it sure was a pretty car.

 

Love the red and yellow...whenever you guys are ready to sell let me know! Love those colors, the cars look GREAT!

James
Austin, TX

 

do you wish you still had it?

 

LOL. No way. They're selling for $15K for a reason.

 

aw, they'll buff right out.

 

One of Georgetto Giugiaro's first designs after leaving Bertone and starting his own studio. The problem wasn't cosmetics or even body integrity. It was hydraulics and electrics. EVERYTHING ran off a hydraulic pump on the back end of the engine (a citroen idea): brakes, steering, clutch. When the pressure went down because the engine was off, you couldn't leave the car on an incline. Putting the car in gear didn't help because the clutch wouldn't keep engaged. I had a faulty handbrake and I left the car on a very slight incline next to my garage, put the car in gear and went into the house to get a flashlight to take a look at the cable. When I came out, the car had slid into my pond. I have a great video of the tow truck winching it out. It was a total loss, LOL.

 

Hi Kara,
I'm new to the Ferrari world, looking for a 550 myself, but thought I'd pass along a link to a 2000 456M GTA for sale here in Santa Barbara. It's Tour de France blue over saddle, 11,600 miles, asking $89k from a local dealer I've done business with over the past 8 years. The link is: www.montecitomotors.com/cur_inv.php

 

lol, that happened to my BMW 750... apparently it was in park just enough to get the key out, not enough to stay in the driveway. Fortunately it missed the neighbors house

all I kept was the engine
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Strange lookin gator

 

lol! funny..... come to think of it when we pulled it out it DID have a fish inside...

 

Did they rule out suicide?

 

My pond (My house at the time was on the shore of Chesapeake Bay) had snapping turtles the size of dinner plates, a real menace. They'd come to the surface to feed on the ducks.

 

Actually, a week before, the hydraulic system had failed and I lost braking in the left front and right rear and just missed hitting a telephone pole going around a corner; the car almost committed murder, so maybe it was a suicide over its remorse.

 

I remember those... for a while I lived on the Chester river, and in college I stayed on the Miles river just upstream from St Michaels..
Where were you on the bay? When they get that big they almost look like mini dinosaurs..

 

Did you say or do anything to upset it?