Challenge Stradale Repairs - Advice Needed!

Hello all,

I have a Challenge Stradale that had a check engine light come on, so I took it to the dealer for repairs. As it turns out, there are several large repairs that need to be made.

The largest expense is the following: I got a $38,000 estimate for new exhaust system from a Ferrari dealer. Includes replacement of both exhaust manifolds, catalytic convertors and oxygen sensors. The pre-cats failed and caused the rest of the system to go under.

Any ideas for a lower cost but effective solution?

Thanks!

 

Aftermarket manifolds and cats are superior and way cheaper.

 

38k lol.

 

38k.. where do they get this from?

Why not take it to an equally capable independent? As above aftermarket manifolds or european headers with no precats. (I didn't think CS cars had precats.. hmm)

O2 sensors can be bought by Bosch equivalent.... probably even at Rock Auto! As far as cylinder scoring because of the precat... I'd have that car at a reputable independent to shave 50% off the bill from the getgo.

 

If you live in CA you have to go stock or risk not passing inspection for smog. Any option other than stock will impact resale because it will remove CA from the pool of buyers. If that isn't a concern, and at that price it may well not be, you have options but they will all make the car louder and you will be into it 10k-15K.

 

Yeah i'm no expert but people run aftermarket capristo manifolds or brackets to prevent this from happening on the F430 i believe.

This might be a similar problem to yours but i am not sure, worth researching though...

Is the motor running correctly? Or does it have trouble idling and accelerating?

$38,000 is insane to me for an exhaust system. For that i would go get a full custom exhaust hand made by a race shop for half the price. Buy the oem cats and O2 sensors and have them put in.

Plus it would sound better.. Is the factory 360 exhaust stainless or titanium ? If it's stainless have a titanium one custom made for less.

That would be my thought process, maybe others can chime in and explain why you would have to absolutely replace it with OEM for $40k

 

Thanks for the input guys. The car is running rough, but that is also partially because the last belt service was done incorrectly, and they did not time the cams.

I've attached the parts requisition list as well as the overall estimate ($60k for everything!!)
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I'm not going to confirm the pricing or whether its accurate but if I were you I'd find a good independent that can work with you. If this was my car I can't say I'd put up with a number like that. Ferrari service stamp be damned...

"You can just bring the car out back.. I'm going to take it to Karl."

 

You can absolutely get aftermarket exhaust systems for less.
LOTS of options in the for sale section and other threads.

You can also get alot of the OEM parts for less as well, it just takes some of your time to search for it.

Question is, what is it that you are looking for in the end?

OEM Challenge Stradale? Warranty on repairs from Ferrari?

Modified Challenge Stradale? Warranty on repairs from Aftermarket company?

Are you ever going to Classiche it?

If not, go with the aftermarket option, it'll be louder too!

S

 

The goal is to keep the car as stock as possible, but i'm not opposed to a quality alternative. To me, like it has been said above, $38k for an exhaust system seems crazy. We don't really have any good indy shops in our area from what i've seen.

 

Where are you located? You have PM

Steve

 

No sign of cylinder damage or valves in the quote.

I'm sure the headers are the same as 360's, I know my Challenge is.

 

1st, I doubt a precat failure will cause the rest of the system "DESTROYED", there must be something that's still usable. such as the muffler box, o2 sensors.

sell the muffler box to me, even a bad unit, if you decide to go with something else

and somebody please tell me why the main cat converter was destroyed???

 

Best reason I can think of is.. you can bill the client for more $$$$ *jk*

We don't know the whole story. How are the ignition coils? If the car was a low mileage garage queen.. sitting all that time occasionally being driven.. if the coils are occasionally missing that might trash the precats leading to their disintegration. Would it also overheat/trash the main cat convertors? Good question.

 

Holy smokes. I'd be looking somewhere else for a solution!

 

Please Let us know which dealer wanted to charge you $38k for the Exhaust work and if they bothered to suggest other options.

Should be an eye opener for others in the area.

Sorry but that is criminal and rediculous.

Robb

 

Your only problem at the moment, is to determine just what components are really destroyed so that you don't have to buy those that are not.

Best option now, is to buy all the damaged parts from a parts shop such as ricambiamerica.com or eurospares.co.uk (if you can handle the hassle, its cheaper from UK)

then find an indie to install them.

Be quite frankly, the Ferrari CS exhaust system is just another exhaust system.
There's no reason to find a Ferrari specialist to do it. Anyone can do it. You, with the right tools and a lift can do it yourself with the help of a hammer.

 

plus, if the ball joint wasn't installed correctly, you might just want to fix it rather than replace the whole thing, provided that the ball joint itself is in good condition. The boots for the ball joints can be bought seperately

 

Doubt the muffler needs to be replaced. I'm sure an experienced welder/fabricator could swap out the failed cats for a fraction of the cost.

 

or maybe just gut the precat altogether like I did on my modena

 

How long have you owned your CS?

 

That was my thought. It really sounds more like someone put leaded gas in the car and cooked the cats & precats. The muffler box should be good but the headers and cats could be that much from a dealer.

 

hey~ my mirror mould and replica will be ready to be shipped to australia

and the early challenge headers are *slightly* different than euro modena headers.

but they are interchangeable

 

Hmm... These guys are also charging you tax on labor as well? Or am I reading the estimate wrong?


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Where is this shop?