Anyone bought their car without test driving?

I did not test drive my 308 befor I bought it. The owner took care of his car, good service records. I only had a mechanic test drove it when he performed the PPI. But I test drove multiple 308 before and I am convinced of that series.

 

Pretty much... found it on the internet in DC (I'm in Seattle)... flew out the next
day and drove it then, but I was already sold on it.

Big mistake in retrospect.... but it's 100% sorted out NOW and a great car in every way!

Jedi

 

I test drove one 348 before test driving the one I bought.

 

I did not test drive my Mondi before I bought her. The owner pumped $12k into his car, and I had that mechanic give me a report on the car and called it "good enough".

When I took possession of the car, she was running on only 6 or 7 cylinders, leaking fuel from the filler pipe, and couldn't pass smog. Turns out the mechanic was a crook.

After new plug extenders, a new cat and a tune-up, she runs like a top! I guess I dodged a bullet there... although I'm still completing the $12k worth of "service"... replacing old hoses, gaskets, bushings, etc.

 

I had driven a 430 manual shift and F1 along with a manual shift 360 but bought none of those. I bought my car (a manual 430) without a test drive. No way would I buy a car without driving it or one like it.

 

I did not drive my 355 before buying it but I was fortunate in that I had a good history of the car - knew the previous (only) owner, knew who had serviced it since new etc. So I imagine I am the exception to the norm but rarely do dealers let people "test drive" the cars unless there is a deposit or done deal in play that is only dependent on the test drive uncovering something extremely unusual.

Since I was torn between a 355 (passion) and 360 (more practical although I hate the "p-word" in Ferrari discussions...) I attended a Heart Association benefit where I was able to drive a 355, 360 and 430 - this helped me make my decision as well.

Cheers

 

I didn't drive mine... I knew the owner, and knew he was careful and took care of the car... it was, literally, the only 355 for sale in Kuwait when I started looking, and didn't have a lot of choice.

Turns out there were some...errr... unidentified problems... but, they are sorted now, and if it wasn't so damn hot (consistently over 120) and bumper-to-bumper traffic, I'd still be using it as my daily driver.

Mike

 

I didn't test drive mine, but it was bought from a Ferrari dealer and had just undergone a complete major service with a number of other little things fixed or serviced. I drove it after the papers were signed, but if I had any issues the dealer would have taken care of them, and did when the AC decided to quit on the way home

If it was a private sale without the documentation and assurance of a reputable dealer, I would have driven the car for certain, or had a PPI and someone drive it for me.

 

bought mine out of state sight unseen off ebay

 

I bought a few without a test drive and several without even seeing them.
Eric

 

I didn't test drive my 348 spider or get a PPI. I guess I got lucky. I did see a few pictures of it though. Looked good.
Love the car.

 

...bought the last 10 cars (of which 6 Ferraris) sight unseen off (or via) Ebay, but I am more like Forest Gump, "...cars are like a box of chocolate" Makes it fun (or scary) when they unload them!

 

I am sending a 308 for a PPI tomorrow via flatbed. If the PPI checks out to my liking, I will buy the car without ever driving it... Funny, I am a lot more picky when buying a brand new car off the dealer lot!

 

I had never even driven ANY Ferrari before buying my 355 from Las Vegas.

Had a PPI done and didn't even see it until the truck pulled up a week later.

 

Flew to Florida and test drove, then bought my first 355.

The second one was bought site unseen from a well known dealer.

Turns out, I did much better on the second one. --- Don't trust people from Florida (where my first 355 came from)

 

I want to drive "an example" of a model before buying, but don't feel that I have to drive the exact car (so long as a good PPI is performed).

Otherwise you may find that you don't "fit" quite right (for me being a bigger guy, that matters...for example I don't fit well/comfortably in a Boxer or Cayman), could be too "soft" or too "raw" for you, or not powerful enough or whatever...I don't see how you spend $100K or whatever on a car without ever driving an example of that model to know what the heck it is all about - despite all the wonderfully accurate internet chatter about the car ;-)

 

I have to admit, I lusted after a Challenge Stradale for years. I love the shape of the 360. I test drove one and also a manual 360. There is not much to be said about the value of driving it around the block before you write the check. I ended up with my F1 360 and have no regrets. If you have never driven a Ferrari, I recommend driving one first. I think they require a lot of attention if your are going to drive them fast. They are very fast and responsive. Good luck on your quest. They really are great cars.

 

This is how I feel about it as well.

 

Cars I bought without a test drive:

246 Dino GT
308 GTB
Maserati Spider
F430 spider

About 3 months ago I drove a 458 and that convinced me to buy. But, if I couldn't I think I would have bought anyway. I really wanted to see if the gearbox was that much better because I love the F430.

 

I bought my F355 Spider without driving one, and without a PPI. Oh, and I never saw it in person until it rolled off of the truck.

When I did drive it, I was surprised how little torque it makes at low RPM, even though I pulled up charts that told me it would make less torque than my Boxster below 4k rpm. Really pulls above 4k though so that made up for it.

 

I bought my 328 without a test drive or PPI. I did go and see if I could fit in it first, as I was ... oversized ... at the time of purchase. I called the local Ferrari shop and they knew the car, said it was a good one.

Wrote the check and immediately tried to drive off in reverse. Oops!

 

Both of them.

I bought my 330 2+2 home from an individual in CA and drove it home from the delivery point, Eagle Lincoln-Mercury on Lemmon Ave. That was my first-ever Ferrari drive.

The 308 was bought from a dealer in CT and delivered to Norwood Performance. First drive was around the Love Field vicinity.