advice on first ferrari

You should never consider a Ferrari an investment. You'll spend a lot of money on maintenance... buy it, drive it and enjoy it. They are just cars.

360 or F430? Do you want to spend $120,000 or $250,000+? It's your check book...

 

+1 by the way nice profile pic Mike

 

360s have already had their steep depreciation. You'll lose money with any of these, probably less with the 360. If it's your first, I might go for a 360 from a dealer with the certified pre-owned coverage so you can drive it without major worries.

Ferraris cost a lot to maintain -- not the sign of a great investment -- but if you want to buy a Ferrari that will go up instead of down I think the Boxer, fibreglass 308s and 328s are reasonable bets. Daytonas are already well beyond 360 prices, and the Dino 246s are in the process of passing up the 360s as well. Great cars, maybe a little late to invest in.

My two lira...

 

All I know is that the 360's are belt driven and the 430's are chain driven, stronger and last longer.

 

You buy 360 or 430 to enjoy it, not to invest in it. Prepare to lose money if you buy the newer ones as there are so many around.

But really, the point of buying a car is to enjoy driving it, right????

 

Some buy a Ferrari in order to enjoy driving the car: that is what Mr. Ferrari had in mind.

Alas, many Ferrari owners make the mistake of NOT driving their cars regularly and vigorously: driving the car is not why they bought it in the first place.

Posers need to build up their ego by purchasing an exotic; regular guys just drive the hell out of them.

Yeah, in the end, a Ferrari is just another car.

If you own a Ferrari and treat it like it is made of unobtainium; if you never drive it in the rain; if you don't drive it regularly, but just polish, clean, preen and pat yourself on the back over and over, well Bunkie, there's something wrong with your attitude viz. car ownership.

It's somewhat acceptable to be elitist in owning an exotic, but not to be anal about it.

Life is short: drive hard.

 

I recently went down the same road you’re describing (i.e., which first Ferrari to buy?). I landed squarely on a 360 and I’ve been extremely pleased with that choice ever since. The $100K I saved will keep gas, oil and parts in my 360 for a very long time while I drive and enjoy the crap out of it. I realize a 430 drives a bit better in most ways, but my 360 is so incredibly fast and slick-as-goose-**** to drive that I can’t imagine having a nickel’s worth more fun in a 430. Just my limited experience….

 

Get an Enzo...................

 

GOOD answer!<very big grin>

I spend a LOT of time answering that question for folks who've been needlessly "on the fence" about buying one of these cars for too long.

EVERY one of them says "d*@m, I should have done this sooner."

The 360 is a great car and the big hit's been taken. Buy, drive and enjoy!

-Peter
www.peterkrause.net

 

I can buy alot of belt services for $100k

 

Faced the same question a few months back and went for the 360. I changed my mind after two months and an extensive test drive of the F430. Sold the Modena and bought a used F430.
I LOVE THIS CAR TO DEATH

If you can (and want to) afford it go for the newer model, it is also cheaper in maintenance

 

A 360 is the perfect first Ferrari. Modern as most people think it is a 2007, 1999 thru 2001 already has seen depreciation so you wont loose much if you want to resale. Shoot, my 1999 360 is for sale right now:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/ferrariads/showproduct.php?product=143&cat=2
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Yup, I've spoken those words more than once!

 

Why in the heck would anyone want to own a Ferrari and then be conservative? What is conservative about a Ferrari? Conservative drives a Volvo or, for more pep, a Subaru.

 

There was no question for me when I was making my purchasing decision a few months ago: the 360 was IT because it is the best looking Ferrari to me, it is a great driving car, low mileage cars are in plentiful supply, and it is much less expensive than the less attractive 430. Depreciation was never a consideration.

 

yeap - exact words I used!

advice often given on the site: buy the best car you can afford, at a price that won't have you 2nd guessing about maintenance, depreciation, cost of money....