Challenge Stradale: A Challenge Indeed....

You have my sympathy. I have an identical car, no problems so far (1 year, 2600 miles), except a minor rattle from the battery cover corrected under warranty by Graypaul.

 

My sympathy for your trouble.
This is similar to my experience with Maranello's and Ferrari and why now i drive a Lamborghini, still had a few teething problems but they are on it straight away, pick up, courtesy car, up date phone calls the full monty.
Ferrari was a life time dream and I may one day try again but the men at Maranello's were my nightmare.
If you have any more problems ask for Mario at Greypaul, he's a great guy and is passionate about Ferrari, a quality missing in much of the network
Good luck and remember "it takes less muscles to smile than to frown"
so save energy and smile

 

take it to the motoring press i am sure they will not like that at ferrari and may do something to sort you out

 

Sounds like the car was not "fit for purpose". You may be entitled to a refund, or new car. Certainly some compensation should be due, surely?

 

If it was defective on purchase, then I believe you can ask for a refund. Not how it would work with a purchase from switzerland though.

If you can't show it was defective from day one, I believe you have to give them reasonable opportunity to fix the problems. Is 3 months down out of 10 months reasonable? Difficult to say. For how many of those 3 months did u have a courtesy car? And was it of a similar nature to the CS?

 

I'm afraid its for these reasons I won't go near the main dealer network again, and can't see me ever buying a new Ferrari.

It's not even that you have to experience faults on a car like this that yaanks my chain. My heart rules my head in these matters and I can usually live with it (depsite my head knowing it's completely unacceptable). I'll forgive a pretty face with a big mouth anything

It's the fact that you have hassle after hassle with the firm when problems do arise. You shouldn't have to ask for loan cars (commensurate to the one that is off the road). Nor should you have to ask for compensation.

If they 'fessed up, let you borrow a 430 while it was off the road (or a Maser, 612 etc. Or even a different one each week) and then said

"we're really sorry Paolo had too much chianti on Friday lunchtime and dropped his nipple ring in no.3 cylinder when you're engine was being glued together, here are a couple of vouchers for your next two services on us and please accept this invite to the factory where you'll be able to have a go round the test track as well as have a look round the factory and stay at the hotel opposite on us", the world would seem a much nicer place and the heart would take over from Mr Head once more.

Sadly, you may as well have bought a Ford or a Nissan.

At least they're covering it under warranty. Just wait a few years when they won't even stand by that...

 

Andrew saw the begining of your story in the Euro thread - whilst all the Fchat sympathy in the world isn't going to help - that appears to be all we can offer.

Has Fchat ever considered hiring an 'expert' that could be on retainer to advise us all on such matters ? I have presumed that FOC wouldn't offer somethimg similar due to their close affiliation with the factory.

Do you think it will be ready in time for Scotland - or will you bring the loaner anyway ? Hope to see you there.

 

Check out Pistonheads - http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?t=194492&f=63&h=0

Another similar Stradale issue.

Rick

 

Sorry tohear about your bad experience.I would ask for a full refund as the car could be classed as faulty goods.

 

A sorry sight. Is there not a Europe-wide ''lemon law'', where if a car is off the road for a certain amount of time, you are entitled to a replacement car or refund?

 

Posted on PH in reply to yours.

Problem with moderated league tables is who moderates them? And how do you tell the stories are from genuine experiences? Also, how do you tell that the dealer was given a fair crack at sorting it? We've had episodes on here across the spectrum and such a thing is fraught with hassle.

Best bet is to do a search on here and take a balance of the views IMO. And if you have a specific dealer you want to use, search for them on here.

And without wishing to worry you more, I'd double insist that they get a courier to get you parts here now. Otherwise your next call from them will be "they're out of stock of the lower captive 19.5mm fibre washer we need, and the factory has now closed down for summer holidays. We'll get the bits in September." Natch.

You must start getting very firm with them, and only deal with the dealer principle or Ferrari UK from here on in. You've spent 130k+ in all likelihood, and Ferrari should be sitting up and listening VERY hard.

 

and in the mean time they need to supply you with an alternative suitable vehicle in case it's not ready for a certain trip!

 

If Ferrari is fitting a new engine, I don't see why it would be due for a service. It should recieve the same first free service you get when you buy a new car.
I'm not sure I understand your depreciating like a rock comment. Used CS's are selling for over list price still over here.

Rick

 

Andy,You have My sympathy also and as for the Dealer network! well We will be able to discuss this next week(hopefully)In Scotland.
Dave Mc

 

Your position in law is that you have a right of action to 'Rescind the Purchase Agreement' The problem is it is with the Supplier and not Ferrari. That means that you will have to take action against the Swiss Supplier and you have two choices, Take the car and drop it on their door step notifying them that they have 14 days in which to refund your cash, or you can hand them a Swis Legal writ and handle it through the court.

Here is the downside, on both counts you have paid and they might take 3-4 years to settle offering counter after counter to drag out the matter in hopes you will give up and go away or die. There are no quick fixes for this situation other than to find a matter in the paperwork that shows they broke the law, for example, I had one dealer by the smalls when I produced a service manual, sold with full service history, that had a stamped non-dealer service agents name in the book they had obvioulsy written in on the basis of a receipt in the car - forged service history.

Knowing Ferrari you will not be so lucky especially as the car was new.

I have a Lotus in exactly the same condition if not worse, all you can do my friend is lump it unless you have more money than sense. Find yourself a good Ferrari dealer and appeal to them about the repairs in future, the only thing you can do is take a sweetener before you take the cyanide pill, you are stuck with what you have, you don't have to put up with nonsense, if the repair went wrong and you wasted 3 weeks and achieved nothing, make a small claim for the cost of the car off the road for faulty workmanship. Problem is you will eventually run out of service agents.


Look at this if it makes you feel better;

Paid £54,000 Lotus Esprit V8 October 2002.

10,000 miles running around between garages for repairs, not one day of faultless driving in first 18 months, then 12 months off road being completley resprayed twice, threw the car back at the supplier with 14 days notice of rescinding contract, cowboys wreck it, tracking it, it appears, radio nicked, took the car back after 4 months with absolutely no progress, 3,000 miles more on the clock, total of 16,000 miles driving in first 2½ years, car now worth £25,000.

It can stay in the shed, it has cost me hundreds of wasted hours and £15,000 in costs and the car is worth less than half what I paid for it. It has near driven me bonkers.

Don't feel bad, just deal with your car and get what you can as the law provides for the horsetrader not the buyer. If you let this unfortunate interlude upset you then you lose again. Your sanity is worth more.

It will all come good, try to keep your cool, love and it and sing to it, and it will sort itself out. Best of Luck

D11VE:J

 

WTF is it doing in there? Have you asked them why?

 

Not over here.

Also

depreciation = price paid - value now

and price paid doesn't always equal list price.

 

Stop dealing with all the inbetweens on this matter go straight to Ferrari in Italy and lodge you complaint with them..

Write out the whole issue and your disapointment.......Im sure something will be done...these guys are curruntly replacing my Carbonfibre which was reported faulty some time ago .

I took the bull by the horns after getting nowhere with the main Dealership ...It take time but It does work. If I was you I dont think id of been as patient...and would of issued some legal doc umentation for compensation.....

I assume you purchased the car new???

 

Andrew, I know exactly how you feel and I had to plead with Maranello to pick my car up as it was soaking wet inside all over and it was going on for for weeks and all I can say is speak to the very top about it, I eventually was offered a Maserati car for use while they stripped my car down for the third time but I refused and just sold it as thats why I drive German engineering now, as I just couldn't stand the pain any longer but wish for another everyday......it's the love of the marque not the people who sell them or service them that we buy them.

I like you had been a 355 owner but to be honest it makes no difference you pay to put up and shut up!!

P
CUE99T