Hey everyone I’m finally ready to jump into the Ferrari fray…I’ve been patiently waiting on the sidelines looking and gathering as much info as I can. I’m really looking for some general options and buying advice. I have a few “wants”. The first is low mileage, I’m really wanting something under 5,000 miles if possible. 2nd/3rd want is I’d like the axle lifter and premium hi-fi system. 4th want is the LED steering wheel. Seat options aren’t a deal breaker. The 5,000 mile “want” has taken me out of the 458 market for the most part, as has wanting upgraded or more up to date electronics. So- is looking at the options on the sticker the only way to see how the car is equipped? Most pictures of used 458/488 cars show the personalization plate. Does this list everything? Is the hi-fi upgrade the only way to get navigation? What’s the regular system sound like? What about sat radio? Is it ok to scan for vehicles on AutoTrader and Cars? I see most are dealers, but I’ve not really found many places listing these cars for sale privately. I see a low number for sale on the classifieds here but there’s normally 60-100 on the sites listed above. Any other options I definitely need to look for on a used Ferrari? Thanks in advance!
From what I have heard, the sound systems in these cars stink, not user friendly and hard to navigate. I have a 2015 458SA and have never turned on the radio. I much prefer to listen to the concert of that engine behind me! I don't think it does much for the pricing of the car. Scan everywhere you can and don't limit the geography and scan daily, you never know what might come up and if you aren't committed and thorough, you will miss something. When you find the right car just have it trucked in. There should be plenty of low mileage examples out there. Most are sold through dealers, thats just the way it is. Most Ferrari owners don't care to try and sell it themselves and consign it to a dealer perhaps when their new Ferrari is coming in. Just get what you want on it and that way you won't be mad at yourself for not getting something. I would say that most of these cars are equipped with the axle lifter and LED steering wheel. One other thing, the sticker sometimes is not as complete as you might think. You will fine that in many cases, if not all.....there is this "other options" listed on that sticker. Some of those amounts can be significant. Dealers do have build sheets and get one of those when you are serious about something. Enjoy the hunt, its half the fun.
Speaking on 458's: The front lift has not been as useful as I expected so far, especially if you get a skid plate fitted. It doesn't lift the rear axle so you still have to worry about the diffuser. You definitely can have navigation without hifi. (That's how my car is configured). LED wheel can be retrofitted, as can "pit speed limit" (aka cruise control), but they're definitely cheaper if already included. One thing that is a fairly big pain to retrofit is rear view camera. I kinda wish I had made that a priority but honestly the ultrasonics work pretty well so I have never lost sleep over it. Personalization plate won't show anything somebody has retrofitted. If you're new to Ferrari and would like the peace of mind (and resale value) of a CPO car (under the POWER warranty coverage) you can only buy from a dealer. The Ferrari NA site is actually pretty good for finding cars nationwide at dealers. For a bargain you will need to troll the used car sites like you mentioned. Also there's a broker on here that's pretty active in matchmaking these cars. If you are open to 488's it will definitely widen your net, especially if you want something other than Red since there are more choices on the newer generations. You will probably want to narrow down to 458 or 488, though. Many threads on this, but my summary: the 488 is measurably faster and better in most ways, but the 458 is subjectively more fun
Personally I wouldn’t prioritize the stereo. They all stink and the real music maker is the one behind your head. I have the lifter and enjoy the peace of mind it provides, though I could probably live without.
LED Steering Wheel is a must. Not only for driving enjoyment, but for resale. Lift is nice, but not crucial, esp. on the 488. Stereo, nice to have the hi-fi, but if you're prioritizing music from anything other than the V8 in the back of your neck, then you're buying the car for the wrong reason.
The base stereo is just fine for listening to podcasts. If you want to listen to music you'll probably need to seriously upgrade the premium one. Beware the stock Bluetooth in the 458 is only for phone calls. To get streaming music you either have to plug in to the aux port or (if you have an iPhone) a 30-pin adapter. Some people have a decent working experience with 30-pin to Bluetooth adapters. If you care about these things, search for the relevant threads, but bottom line it makes no difference unless it pushes you to a more modern 488... in which case your priorities are different than mine
Appreciate the info. I’m not prioritizing the stereo from any standpoint other than NAV/XM radio options and resale. Obviously the engine sound is most important but that’s a given.
LED steering wheel should be non negotiable in my opinion it adds to the theater and your resale will be much easier if you have the option
Whether a car has a lifter or not LOOK UNDER the car. I find it amusing that owners with lifts fall into thinking they wont scrap their car and do. Most cars I have seen even with the lifter had massive scrapes. Plenty of 488 GTB's around so you will find one that you like.
I think that’s the right choice, because the audio system options in 458/488 are ~average~ and the car interiors are relatively noisy. But you mention resale… if this is truly critical for you, then IMO a well-bought 458 should be your target. None of us has a crystal ball, but I think many would agree that the 458 has greater potential for retaining value than the 488. I don’t have a front lift on my 488, and so far it hasn’t been problematic. This is partly due to the fact my car is set up pretty high on the adjustable OEM suspension… yes, I’d like it to look a bit better, but I’m not going to lower it and start scraping. My McLaren has a front axle lift but it doesn’t really do me any good: I scrape at speed, on dipping sections of twisty roads when the suspension really compresses. My 488 sails through the same sections without a problem.
The nav in the 458 is worthless; use your phone. The stereo is poor, there are aftermarket upgrades that I understand are good but prepare to spend some money. At stock height, you really don’t need a lifter. On my much lower GT3 I use it most drives. Wish my car had the led wheel, cruise control and auto day/nite mirror & home link.
Agree with most points made above but wanted to add that I actually preferred my 458 to not have LED lights on the steering wheel. I’m the second owner, and the original purchaser didn’t go for any carbon fiber or those LEDs. In my mind this meant the car was probably driven less aggressively for those seven years. Your ears will tell you when to upshift. I reckon you won’t be staring at those little red lights after maybe the first week anyway. The nose will get scraped. It’s basically unavoidable if you actually drive the car. Just know that you can always get the underside repainted.. but that it will get scraped again anyway. I also opted for a car without parking sensors or rear camera to not break the visual line on the car with those circles, but I will certainly admit it would have been nice to have the functionality of a camera in some spots.
Totally agree with you on the camera sensors and in reality, the steering wheel too. I too do not like the breakup on the bumper with the camera and I see that as being for wimps. The steering other than being a "cool" novelty, really doesn't do much either. I have always listened to my engines and when its time to shift, you know it. Heck old muscle cars even with 4 speeds didn't in many cases even have a tach in em either. As for them getting more beat on with the steering wheel, I'm not so sure about that. These cars are going to be wrung out and exercised no matter what and the nannies will protect any over revving. For disclosure, I do not have camera sensors but I do have the LED wheel.
Do you want a spider? I retro fitted a rear and front camera as I am monocular and depth perception is problematic. The 458 Spider (stock height) had 30K miles on it and the underside had no scrapes, no skid plates so I figure it is a non issue for a lift since most were not equipped anyway. I think for the stereo the simplest thing is to get a FM transmitter that plugs into the lighter socket and transmits to an unused FM station on the radio. They have considerable quality and bluetooth everything from your phone. The LED wheel is nice as the tach visibility is nil during the daytime but you can just use your seat of the pants to shift. It becomes instinct. Low mileage is possibly not a good thing. These cars need to be driven and used. As with any used car you are taking a chance as it as is-where is and no one can predict eventual failures etc. Get a PPI and look for the common issues. I did find a fairly reasonable aftermarket warranty insurance for 4 years that hopefully will cover big items that may accrue esp the transmission. The best is not to overthink this and just get a good car with reasonable maintence records and enjoy it. That is the best anyone can do.
Living in a condo parking garage, God bless cameras and sonar for avoiding hazards. And yes on the LED wheel. And yes on the lifter.
I totally pity you and your car for being in a concrete pillared small space parking garage with everything that can go on in one of those places. Are you able to use the battery tender?
What Insurance company has all the exceptions? I know there are some pretty flighty companies out there that sell a lot of policies that promise you the moon with a fence around it, but I hope the one I bought from is a little better than your experience . It seemed pretty complete, guarantees all seals, leaks, transmissions, everything engine related except for maintenance items. Of course I have no experience with them yet, but hopefully it is good for the 4 years that I have got it should I ever need it. The company I used is Empire and is specifically covers Ferrari and is located in New Jersey. I hope they have a decent reputation but one never knows. If you have any information regarding this company please let me know. It may be like a Life preserver, you never need it until you need it.
I’m also in the 488 market …. Other than whether you like it or not, what are the considerations of Rosso Corsa vs Rosso Scuderia? I assume corsa is more common …. Does it translate into better resale? Any oddities to consider with scuderia vs Rosso? How “orange” is scuderia in real life?
Image Unavailable, Please Login Rosso corsa is the most common color by far and is called “resale red” for a reason. This photo is from our group this fall in Italy. You can see how much the Rosso scuderia pops in the sun when compared to the corsa. It is loud and bright in real life and I really liked it. Try to see it in 3 dimensions if you can, photos never communicate the true color well. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
That is not my understanding. But you’ve argued with me before. I don’t have it because I know with my luck whatever happens it won’t be covered. Like what just happened on my 458; I confirmed nothing was covered. AC, pillar posts, something in the oil pump, whatever.
It’s been fine and I appreciate the 24/7 security here in Atlanta! It’s just without sensors it would be hugely more difficult with garage posts. I do have outlets, but the 458 doesn’t like his for some reason. 812 is fine.
