599 HGTE retrofit values versus factory fit

Should be paying less and future value will be less ..that being said sometimes a good value

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Factory HGTE is only 2010 and you aren't likely to find a 2010 that is retrofitted to HGTE; That means there will always be a year difference. There were different degrees of retrofit as well. Full up (but no seat or tach face replacement) was a little over $42K, most didn't do all of that. That means there is a spread on the retrofitted cars as well and you have to ask what was done. There is likely to be a difference in price and you may never find a 2010 HGTE with the colors you want; how flexible are your color and option choices? AND you probably won't find a factory HGTE as a "good deal", particularly if it is in a desirable color; there are just too few of them around for that to be likely. Personally, I say get the car and drive. Have fun. worry about it later.

 

There will always be a price / value difference since factory-optioned HGTE cars were only available as 2010 and 2011 US models, whereas dealer-retrofitted HGTE cars can be either 2007 (post VIN 155xxx), 2008 or 2009 models. I believe there might've been a total of only 200 or so factory HGTE cars imported to the US for 2010 and 2011 model years. Though in the EU and the Middle East, there were still a few early 2012 HGTE cars sold alongside the final Alonso and Gonzales livery versions.

John is also correct in saying that retrofitted cars have a variety of HGTE parts installed and some omitted due to prohibitively expensive costs, eg, leather/alcantara/CF Recaro sport seats. The stabdard white tach dial was not de riguer on factory HGTE cars; owners had an option to select/preorder whichever other color they preferred versus white. I've seen several 2010 /2011 factory HGTE cars with either yellow or red tach dials; I have yellow in my car!

I'm probably one of the few who's owned an early 2007 GTB replaced later by a 2011 HGTE in Rosso Corsa / Beige leather - black Alcantara interior so I can relate their differences. In my technical opinion and seat-of-the pants experiences between the two cars, the factory HGTE models are better or superior in their behavior as far as quicker handling, less harsher ride, marginally improved F1 gear speed changes (85ms vs 100ms in Race mode), and dare I say, reliability. I believe that as the 599 moved through the model years, Ferrari improved on most of the problem items as reported in earlier cars without any announcement.

Although the early 2007 car had less mileage @ 13.5k miles and was in-like new external condition (driven 1.3k mi/yr) when it became mine (it was previously owned by actor / comedian / filmmaker Tyler Perry). However after a few months of my driving, the car suffered from many niggling or persistently annoying issues, eg, major engine stumbling when cold, squeaky bearing in the transaxle, rode very harshly on Challenge wheels with PZero tires (replacement Michelin SuperSports improved its ride). Since it had a VIN of 151xxx, it was also not a candidate for dealer-installed HGTE options other than maybe the wheels and exhaust tips.

The 2011 HGTE had more relative mileage @ 18.5k miles when I got it in early January this year (driven 2.5k mi/yr). It's the 599 I should have gotten in the first place. I was wary at first but Ferraris that are driven more miles per year and serviced regularly per OM recommendations seem to have much less or no problems as compared to garage queens, so don't be afraid of relatively higher mileage cars.

If you're seriously on the hunt, there's a ME delivered HGTE with manufacture date of Apr 2012 in Rosso Corsa / Black currently listed on Hemmings Motor News and apparently had been updated and federalized to meet US EPA/DOT laws for 50 state use. Similar fully optioned factory HGTE cars typically command $185-225k with lower mileage. This one's got less than 9k miles as listed by a dealer in Raleigh NC for $154.5k which seems to be a nice bargain but since I don't know the car and I'm not affiliated at all with the dealer/seller, caveat emptor! An extra cost third party PPI by a Ferrari 599 expert will be mandatory IMHO!

 

Some owners did not like the HGTE seats and specified the Daytonas with their factory HGTEs. At least one FChatter did that. Easily checked by having your nearest Ferrari dealer pull a build or option sheet from MODIS.

 

My car has dealer installed HGTE (I have the receipts, that is how I know the original cost). I have CF seats but not HGTE seats, I like them a lot and have no desire to change. I love the looks of the HGTE wheels; I have the thinner spoke. My car is 2008 and while I have only had it about a year, It hasn't been any trouble. If the car has a few miles, they have been mostly sorted by now so I wouldn't stress that too much about 2009 vs 2008.

 

JS, you're quite welcome and I'm certainly glad I can be of assistance to you in providing sound advise and info. That's what this forum is all about and that's the main reason why I joined.

Terry is correct that not all factory HGTE cars were spec'd with the Recaro sport seats featuring leather/Alcantara/CF combo. Some owners even had the normal embroidered "Handling GTE" script deleted from the seat, as mine was also.

The most expensive HGTE I ever saw in past ads when I was searching late last year was a 2010 model in Argento Silverstone with a very unique special order medium tobacco brown leather interior and Daytona seats. That combo interested me quite a bit, except for its asking price of US$249.9k since it only had 4.8k miles. I thought it was an amazingly attractive, classic color combo but the price was bordering on asking prices for early F12's. It stayed on that dealer's site for months until they dropped the price down to US$225k and I assume it finally sold.

 

Jose- Likely either Argento Nurburgring (silver) or Grigio Silverstone (dark gray metallic).

 

Right you are, Terry. It was Grigio Silverstone. Scusa la mia confusione.

 

Good HGTE's with factory fitted parts are selling for a lot more. Rarity values.

 

There are 10 currently on pistonheads over £130K

 

Mike Sheehan in California is listing a 2008 599 dealer retrofitted HGTE, Rosso Mugello over Nero with Daytona seats and 21k miles, @$159,500. I have no financial or other interest in this car. Just posting this FYI.

https://ferraris-online.com/cars/2008-ferrari-599-gtb-fiorano-hgte-159219/

 

Same story in France where prices dropped recently considerably. the reason I presume is a new tax of 500 € per fiscal hp, with a maximum of 8000 € which is the case for 599's. And this tax is ANYTIME the car is purchased, even if it is every 6 months !

 

That is for new cars though isn't it?

 

Lets be honest, the UK market at least, is soft for modern classic Ferrari.
In that situation rarity will help preserve value (so a good factory HGTE has at least a chance of attracting a bid) but i think the days of 180 K 599 HGTE and the 180 K 575 M manual are over. The dealers have a lots of stock that isn't moving, and a lot of money tied up in it.
While not good for speculators and dealers , that isn't a bad thing for enthusiasts.

 

Unfortunately not, for used cars ! that means also you got to pay hefty tax for American muscle cars with big engine and less value than Ferraris !

 

Don't tell the UK chancellor, that is a tax he is currently missing out on then!

 

"Ferraris that are driven more miles per year and serviced regularly per OM recommendations seem to have much less or no problems as compared to garage queens, so don't be afraid of relatively higher mileage cars."

Jose has really got it right with this statement. The 599 needs to be used regularly, and I don't mean stop and go traffic driving. With correct regular service the car is totally awesome.

 

As someone that buys mainly depreciated "special" cars, when looking breifly at 599s I only considered factory HGTEs and manual shift cars. At the time manual cars were selling for the same price as F1s. I watched the market for years and was literaly bidding on the manual car that broke that market before it went nuts. A month late. IMO only buy a factory HGTE.