Anyone having problems with the 296?

Yet they sell as many as they can manufacture, perhaps the overriding pleasure of purchasers being part of the Ferrari eco system grants forgiveness to the ‘mistakes’ made with models .

 

Ferrari continues to sell because there is an endless stream of buyers who either haven’t yet experienced Ferrari as a brand yet or, are too scared to force any issue with their dealer in fear of being struck off the list for any future purchases.

There is currently no incentive for Ferrari to build a properly functioning car, and i put this down to the buyers. Just look at certain competitiors how they are responding to customer feedback.

 

Nothing financial was ever formally offered, just that verbal proposal to cover the monthly payment only for dates in service. The engine replacement was done last week. I have not taken the car again as I am waiting for the buyback papers.

Yes, weak 296 resale values don’t help their position as a rational person would not willingly take a six figure loss on a car they had for a few days.

 

Yes, in part. Buyers are afraid to push back out of fear of retribution on their customer profile. I’ve heard it *could* be negative to me, but nothing confirmed. Obviously I’m at the point where my dissatisfaction outweighs my fear of a CRM status downgrade.

The other issue about “selling as many as they can build,” is that it was ordered in early October 2021, about 6 months before I could even sit in the road show demo. Ordering from renderings and YouTube unveiling videos there is no track record. So everyone getting cars with issues now had nothing to rely on when we ordered two to three years ago, except perhaps the SF90 issues.

 

Perhaps a downside to early adopting, but then again I also have a friend who has a 296 that was delivered a year ago . There are no issues with the car , it has been a delight . Unfortunately there are always good and bad to be told about any brand. I

I have had issues with a vehicle in the past , not a a Ferrari, where I got a replacement car after six months of ownership It was all done under NDA’s and quietly.

I put down a deposit in Jul 23 and I am at status 60 now after going 10R in June 24.

 

You need to worry less. Perhaps your car will
Be perfect (this is likely, actually) and you’ll enjoy. Remember, there are 4k 296 owners and like, 10 active people on this board. It’s not a good representation of the car. And people who have issues are far more likely to come here to share and seek guidance. 95% of owners don’t even know Fchat exists.

 

Took delivery of my 2024 GTB in January. Probably the best Ferrari I have owned, from an experience and quality perspective. No issues. Always leave it plugged in.

 

Fact

 

So they will buy the car back off you at the price paid plus compensate all payments over the period the car was laid up?
Sounds relatively good - that is once it actually happens.

 

No no, their offer was only the monthly payment for the 85 days in service.

Nothing for registration pro rata, insurance, loss of use / offset large down for lost time, etc. Look if this were a Toyota Corolla who cares about a few hundred bucks. But the Nevada registration was nearly $5,953 for the year, so three months out of service = around $1,500. Insurance (with a teenager in the house) was over $1k/mo.

 

Hopefully the GTS will prove problem free. The success of any new tech is measured by reliability and, ease of operation - two elements Ferrari continue to fail at providing even after 70+ years in business - the customer being the ultimate judge.

Agree later production vehicles appear less troublesome however, its clear 296 remains a work in progress insofar as correcting problems which should never have been there in the first place if the car had been properly tested prior to being put to market. The problems being reported cannot be simply referred to or excused as being general improvements or updates either.

Clearly certain manufacturers apply more rigorous testing than others. Ferrari are basically using buyers as their test mules instead of spending the appropriate time themselves. The evidence speaks volumes.

I can't see the point speculating/quantifying how many buyers actually view forums, but I suspect it's far higher than what you suggest. One need only google 296 Ferrari problems and Fchat always comes up. So whilst potential buyers and/or owners may not participate on the forums, at one point they will discover and be able to gauge the prevalence of issues once they start googling.

If only owners would stop excusing Ferrari for legitimate problems and, for providing poor functionality in their cars, cowering in the shadows of their dealer in fear of retribution for speaking up, Ferrari ownership would be a far more more enjoyable experience. Ive said this before - there is more to a car than just performance numbers.

 

Ouch - I can see why you are annoyed. Who wouldn't be after paying that level of coin? Excepting perhaps a true Ferraristi who would go to all odds to excuse the situation as acceptable.

 

That's the biggest twist of all of this is that I've been such an absolute Ferrari die hard. My law office wall had over 10 Ferrari photos and paintings, including the 296 sketch prints they gave out at the demo/road show that I framed, I have a bookshelf behind me with two dozen models, Ferrari pens, random Ferrari trinkets from clients, Ferrari yearbooks and large photo print books, and my Corso Pilota portrait and certificate directly behind my chair... I've had a bunch of Italian cars, along with finicky German ones. Cars break. Nothing is perfect, I never had that expectation. I've spent over $35k maintaining my Testarossa and F12 in the past two years. That's the deal with exotics. I started my early emails to the dealer and FNA explaining how my goal was to be an Icona customer someday...

But how this played out, I devolved from July disappointment to August despondence to October anger over how they put me off. I don't consider myself to be overly sensitive [trial lawyer] or an egomaniac [ok maybe being a lawyer does that at times] but obviously, in hindsight, my expectations were way out of line of how they could engage me to come up with a resolution that was even close to 'win-win' from a bad situation.

 

Few here are giving Ferrari a pass. But you seem intent on fixating on the issues. The car is badass. Incredible. Ferrari as a company build amazing cars and suck terribly at customer service. They’re like the mafia. Dealers will admit this. It is what it is. If you buy a Ferrari, expect it. But I bet 80% of your 100 posts here are just bemoaning issues. Quality issues. Value issues. Get over it and enjoy the car.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by get over it? Get over what exactly?

I don't think anyone here - least of all myself - is arguing or debating against whether the car is incredible and/or badass, else why would I be buying one??

Also, no need for you to worry about me enjoying the car as once I get it I will be doing what I can to enjoy it without the need for anyone prompting me to do so. Going by your posts toward me, betting 80% of my posts?? ....clearly you harbour some sort of issue?

 

My issue is your consistent negative posts. You have 100 posts here and they’re mostly as I described. It’s just tiring. Oh no, someone had an issue with their Ferrari! Were you under the impression the 296 is the first Ferrari to have issues? Remember when 458’s were catching fire? When SF90s had unsolvable issues in pretty large numbers? Things happen. Ferrari probably won’t treat you well if they do. If that’s a huge concern for you. Don’t buy a car. If you buy one, focus on the good. Why torture yourself with this negativity about some future for you that hasn’t come to pass? Whether it’s value, or issue related.

 

Wow. Perhaps these 95% (as you say aren't on the forums) or, owners not prepared to speak up or offer opinion, is because of guys like yourself attacking people who do. I'm now having to ask myself now why Im here sharing my thoughts with others here. Maybe instead of critiquing others postings, and attacking people because they offer an opinion or point of view which you don't like, first take a good look at yourself and what you are hoping to achieve.

 

Why are you here? Do you have a Ferrari yet? Have you owned any? If so, I’m sure you’ve had great experiences. Why don’t you post about those in the appropriate spaces? Did you come on this forum, pre Ferrari ownership, purely to speak ill on the experience of a car that you don’t have history with? I just don’t get it. And if calling you out about this makes you want to take your ball and go home, I say, toughen up.

So please, if you have some great stuff to say about your personal experience with Ferrari, bring it on. That’s why we are mostly here. Issues arise and they’re discussed. But that’s not the focus in these forums. Cars are fun.

 

Im not sure why what I own is any of your business or how it qualifies me to share my thoughts or opinions with others here on the subject matter. Ive noted there have been others sharing thoughts and opinions yet have not been subjected to your interrogation and vitriol.
But fwiw yes I am a twice (new) Ferrari owner with one vs currently in my collection, due my third (296GTS) in the coming months, hence why I joined to spend my time here on the 296 section.

 

I have as much right to share my opinion on your posts as you have to post your negativity. I’m going to keep it positive. I hope my car ends up being trouble free. I’m going to enjoy it. Should there be issues, I’m going to expect the dealer to stand up for the short comings that Ferrari will surely portray. Therefore, I will not be disappointed.

 

Terrific. Anyway I'm done with the back and forth.

Perhaps spend your time enjoying your new car instead of preaching to me what I should or shouldn't buy or, what I should enjoy, and/or tolerate as acceptable.

 

After several e-mails from me. I finally got a response from Ferrari customer care. No sure if they will do anything but at least they know I exiist.
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If they don’t provide a substantive reply I will persist in e-bombing them until they do. We hope that the car is back next week and will see what they haves managed to resolve. I will also persevere with doing my required reading of the manual…

 

I feel your disappointment. Reading your journey has me questioning Ferrari's ethics (seatbelt on). At the moment, it's clear they have zero regard for your loyalty as a repeat client, and that in itself speaks volumes. Appreciate you informing the experience so far and I'm keen to hear the outcome.

 

I’m not saying “unethical,” but short sighted. Again to be fair everyone has been exceedingly polite, but they just refused to deal before my will to keep begging broke and I decided October 10 that I wanted them to take it back. As noted before, I lost so much sleep over this for two months and was emotionally spent. It was in service for about two months before my wife found out and she said some very hurtful things about my naïveté thinking I meant something to Ferrari as a customer and literally didn’t talk to me for 5 days over it.

FNA position was engine replacement and covering the days down only was what they would do. Dealer only offered trade discounts that would not cost them anything out of pocket, and a staycation weekend. We went around and around for the first several weeks on whether instead of payment if FNA or the dealer could commit firmly to a 296 VS/XX allocation (mind you, they’ve been telling me for three years “oh for sure”) if I kept the GTB, and they would not.

Today, they finally agreed to buy the car back.