Anyone here using a 550/575 as a aily Driver

big thumbs up!

 

I presume you traded the 550 for a 599. I will soon be trading my 575 for a 599. Can you please comment in a bit more detail how the cars compare? In particular, in daily driving, is the part throttle, mid range acceleration (say in the 3000-6000 rpm range) noticeably better in the 599?
Thanks

 

I don't usually miss an oportunity to pull the 550 out of the garage for a country ride or even a good weekend spin (using the car's own suitcases...real great) but the thought of using it daily for town driving, with all sorts of idiots tailgating and driving real close doesn't appeal. In fact I get tired of driving the car when I have to haul in traffic and put up with that kind of "environmental" load. But if it weren't for that, I would certainly use it more often as it has shown to be as reliable as any other car. Don't you guys get that kind of dumb reaction on the street from other drivers?

 

+1

I agree. While I can see how a Maranello can be used as a daily driver, it begs the question -- why?

Dale

 

I am still hoping for someone to post a list of updates and how to identify if they have been done. Are the O2 sensors marked in some way or part number so and so when replaced ?
I have other cars to use as a daily driver but I want to use it not just admire it in the garage. Living in Southern California where we have a lot of hot weather and traffic, has anyone had overheating problems in the summer or if on a drive to the Monterey Historics including the traffic going into the track can I expect it to be problem free ?
Any other comments ? We see lots of F430s 360s and other 8 cyl. cars on the road but relatively few Maranellos. I see many with so few miles I just wonder why they are not driven more ?

 

There is no doubt that a Maranello could be used as a daily driver because it is a Ferrari with all the modern conviences, e.g., an A/C that will freeze your nuts off. Indeed, around town, you can leave the car in 3rd and drive it like an automatic.

However, the car is better suited for early Sunday morning back road jaunts than for parking outside the local titty bar. The typical nut cake can't recognize it as a Ferrari. (I once had a crowd at a back roads gas station going by telling them it was a prototype Camaro made in Mexico.) So you ain't gonna score any points with a dancer or anyone else from whom you could, and probably would, catch a disease.

Plus, you'll lose your license if you insist on boulevard cruising. Just moderately rowing the gears through 4th puts you over the ton in a heart beat. If you keep the stock pipes, however, you will have no idea that you're going that fast.

So maybe the answer to your question is that Maranello owners like to drive under the radar screen instead of through it.

Dale

 

6 years driving to work, once/twice a week 2 miles. no problems. have a whole 7000 miles