Advice on purchase of 575

FYI, a friend of mine has a 550 6 speed and it has had over $30k in service costs in ~10k miles...and it has never broken down...

 

frank - what issues has he had or is that just minor stuff that has added up ?

 

I have a 2003 575m F1 and used it as a daily driver until getting my 430 last august - now the 575 gets a couple days a week - today being one of them. I also bought the car with stock exhaust and replaced it with tubi. I would not hesitate to put 5-6K per year on it. It has been very reliable in all conditions. The 12 cylinder takes a while to warm up (and seems a little rattley until it does) but other than that has been flawless. Some people worry about the clutch in F1 cars. I recently had the F1/clutch checked at the dealer and they said I had 60% left (original clutch, 9000 miles). It doesn't feel like it bites as sharp as it once did but it doesn't feel like it's slipping either. It could also just be my perception because I drive a 430 f1 most days and the shift in that car is much quicker.

my ONLY complaint is that mine does not have the fiorano handling package. the stock suspension on 575s is a little squishy for my taste. I have researched adding that option and it is possible - I believe ricambi has the parts package and I got a quote from FOA a while back about putting that on but haven't gone through with it yet.

mine's not for sale right now but I'd be happy to let you poke around the car and drive it so you have a good feel for the model.

 

i'd appreciate details on the car. i looked at the two cars the bimmer store has. they just got in a black one (that the car?) thx henry

 

mine's resale red and tan interior with red daytona seat stripes and red stitching. I've got the factory 19" 3 piece wheels and a tubi exhaust. no window tint or bling stereo on mine. bought at FOA, full history, only serviced there.

I looked on the b-store site. they definitely have some interesting color combos. most of the black ones I've seen were tan interior, which I like better than the grey/black. wow - silver with lipstick red leather. I'm sure somebody will love it but not me

I really love these cars in blue or black if the interior is tasteful. obviously can't go wrong with red/tan either but it's kind of "standard issue"...

 

fwiw - I personally like the cars in Titanium.

 

I have an '04 575M F-1 with the Fiorano Handling Package (FHP) and an aftermarket Tubi Exhaust. The car only has 4,000 miles on it, but it has not had any problems thus far. When looking to make your purchase, I would definitely try to find one with the FHP. I personally feel the non-FHP cars are too soft, as you will most likely read in many posts on this website. Off the top of my head, the FHP adds the following: more aggressive suspension setup, different steering ratio, more aggressive brake pads. If I have left anything out, someone please fill in...One drawback to the FHP, though, is that the brakes squeak fairly badly. This is easily fixed, though, by changing out the brake pads to the non-FHP ones. I would personally never do this as I do not want to compromise this aspect of Ferrari's factory performance additions to the car...I just wanted to pass along the info. I did, however, decide it was worth it to change out the factory exhaust to a Tubi. In my opinion, this is a great modification, as I feel the stock setup is too quiet and non-aggressive. Tubi is a well-known and respected name in the performance exhaust business, so I do not see any reason that this will adversely affect the future reliability of the car....unless you are constantly flooring it to hear the great sound.

Some things to find out when inquiring about a potential purchase: Make sure all options listed on the original window sticker are still on/with the car. For example, if the car has the battery charger option, make sure it is still with the car. Make sure the car cover, tools, manuals, spare keys, etc. are still with the car. If not buying from a licensed Ferrari dealer, I would also get a prepurchase inspection (PPI) done by a licensed Ferrari mechanic. This costs a couple hundred bucks, but is well worth it because they will hook your car up to Ferrari's proprietary computer programs to make sure the car is in excellent condition. They also go through a thorough checklist (even as far as measuring the thickness of the front bumper to make sure it hasn't been repainted to conceal damage).

I have heard that the 575 is more reliable than the 550, but don't really know details or why. I do know that I feel the 575 is noticeably better put together (fit-and-finish wise) than the 550. This is my personal opinion, and mainly refers to the interior of the car. This is getting long, so if you have anymore questions, I'll be happy to put in my two cents.

 

If you don't like the squeaking squealing change the freaking break pads! Unless you are going to the track and are actually a very good driver it won't make ONE LICK of difference other than the noise. They are break pads! They are designed to wear out and be replaced. If the caliper design is reasonable (I know these are Ferraris we are talking about, very little on them is designed with ergonomics or ease of use in mind, but I think they and Porsche both use brembo for brakes) you can do it by yourself in about 15 minutes! The hard part is jacking the car up and taking the tire off. I am in a wheelchair and can change pads AND EVEN ROTORS (I know, heaven forbid!) on my S4 and my GTS's in 20 minutes per wheel including get the tire off!

Good luck, and don't put up with squealing brakes!

James

 

Alright....So, James' wise words sent me into a state of self-reflection, and I broke down and changed the factory pads on my 575M w/ FHP. The squeaking was just driving me crazy. I went through Ricambi and got the Porterfield R4S brake pad kit. It works for the 550 and 575 (and a couple others, I think). I am absolutely thrilled with the difference these pads have made to my driving enjoyment. The squeaking is gone and initial bite is noticeably better. I don't track the car, so I cannot comment on ramifications for track use, but for everyday driveability this mod has made a world of difference. **Note: The factory brake sensor wires must be reused for the aftermarket pads.

 

do it yourself or FOA ?

 

R4S's are outstanding. Each car I've had, come brake time I swap them with R4S's, and needed the OEM Brembo rotors.
(Same as you have seen, excellent pad performance and very VERY low dust). I'll probably do the same on my 360
mid-summer.


BobR

 

I had Eurosport Auto in Nashville do it for me. They work on a lot of Ferraris in town and did a superb job.

 

I put the Porterfields on my 355 myself yesterday!!! Pretty easy honestly...took less time and effort than changing brake pads on my Toyota (which I also did on Saturday).