No matter how you slice it, the end result is the same......Expensive but worth it!!!! http://www.sportscarmarket.com/articles/archives/939
Agreed. I just have a seperate bank account that I deposit into weekly to the tune of $100 and it pretty much covers everything. Not much when you think about it and it's there when you need it. -Billy
I do the same thing $100.00 a week in a seperate account.. Unfortunately I needed a new clutch after having the car only 4 mo. So I'm already in the hole about $1,500.00...
The clutch is one of the easiest DIYs on the car. A rebuilder will do the unit for around $2-300 if you take it out of the car. Really. It's not rocket science. Yeah, I know it's Ferrari heresy to not use new factory Ferrari parts, but when it comes right down to it, it's just a clutch.
Aside from all the outrageous costs, and as much as I LOVE this car... 1 thing will always keep my brow wrinkled... A $214K car that can have its doors blown off by a $14K Mustang should be built like a brick ****house, with the highest level of quality, and most reliable parts available on this planet. It shouldnt fall apart 10x faster than a friggin GEO Metro!!! The fact that ANY car would have to be practically REBUILT every 3 years with an averaged 10% of the use of the typical car, based on the national average is flat-out absurd!! If Ford built cars like that, and had that reputation for quality... would they still be in business? Why does Ferrari get away with this nonsense for half a century, at 10x-20x the cost?!? Why are we doing this to ourselves??? why do we continue to tolerate Boone's Farm quality at Chteau Lafite prices??
Ford is mortgaged up to its oval blue eyeballs, basically on life support. Ferrari just came off a record year. If a Mustang was 1/10th the car that a 550 is, I guess we'd all be buying Mustangs.
Being from Detroit, I have a strong grasp on why that is, and its primarily economic, not an issue of quality or reputation as a manufacturer. It was not my intention to turn this into a debate... let me put it this way. As a highly-analytical, overly-logical person, and a lifetime student of human nature, I simply cannot put my finger on my obsession to own this car, or to continue to own it. And I certainly cannot understand why this entire planet is filled with people who feel the same way. Not one of us would tolerate this unreliability, and the outrageous maintenance/repair expense from our Chevy's that cost a small fraction of what a Ferrari costs. Why is it that we so willingly accept it from our Ferrari's that cost a fortune to begin with?? Why do we say things like ''its worth it'' or ''its part of the deal''? If we had the exact same issues with our 16 year old Honda, it would be referred too as "a piece of **** car''!! Why would someone pay $120K for a Ferrari, and spend 15 years dumping another $30K-$40K OR MORE into it, JUST to keep it running and functioning properly. Meanwhile only putting MAYBE 18K-20K miles on it.... then sell it for $60K?? What kind of financially savvy person would call that a GOOD investment?? Instead those people say things like ''Expensive but worth it!!!!''. Really? WHY? That equates to a loss of about $95K and a usage cost of about $5/mile when its all said and done... logically thats just NUTS! Its a fact, I LOVE this car, and you guys love your cars too... I will continue to own this car, as will you guys. What i'll never be able to logically express is... WHY!
I agree to a degree but usually when you pay for a product with a higher price tag you are usually buying the best product (which Ferrari is)that has the highest quality and durability(of which Ferrari falls way short sorry to say). Is it still worth it YES if you are a car enthusiast but if you are an average car buyer after you get over the fact that it's a Ferrari(don't know if that ever happens)the realization is that the quality is not as they perceived, usually a lot lower. It's true what they say Ferrari is for the passion and if you don't have the passion you could be disappointed, me I'm Italian no problem......
The product is about wealth, or it's inference. Just as a Bently/Rolls once was a $h1t brickhouse, today they are just "footballer"cars, or NBAers cars to you. So with the Fcar, once it existed as a rarity supporting a race team, now it's a play thing for the overpaid or lucky-spermers. People buy them for the passion, it has nothing to do with quality, there are far better/faster/more reliable cars out there. If that's what you want....... B.
+10 Jon There are tons of Ferrari owners who do not have issues. After being an owner now going on 8 yrs. the biggest problem that I see is that most run their cars too hard, all of the time, and do not do the scheduled and required maitenance, drive them until they're tired of them, dump them, and leave the next guy to sort out all of the issues. Thus, the reputation. What about a house as an investment? How much money do you end up dumping into it? Factor in mortgage interest, inflation, and a real estate agent's fee, it's not really a logical investment either. -Billy
Funny you should mention this.....Here is a quote you made only a few weeks ago! "men to that brother!! A Viper is just a Dodge... A Vette is just a Chevy... A 348 is a FERRARI!!! The Viper is built with parts made by the lowest bidder, and assembled by crackheads that come to work everyday stoned and/or $hitfaced because they are protected by a corrupt union. (trust me on this, I was born and raised in Detroit.. and thus, I WONT own an american car) YOUR car is rich in history, and is a bonified rolling piece of art, hand built by expert craftsmen who share the same passion for building the car as the owner who will drive the car. Your brother's car may be fast, but it'll NEVER be a Ferrari!" So which is it? If Ferrari's are built by "expert craftsmen" as you stated then why would they need to be "REBUILT" every three years as you also stated?? I am a little confused by your contradictory statements because I have yet to witness ANY Viper need to be "REBUILT" every three years.
This has absolutely nothing to do with my point on this thread.... This is about outrageous maintenance frequency & costs versus quality, not assembly personnel or quality of the assembly process. Why dont you get a hobby, AND a CLUE! And go stalk someone else.
Even more absurd is how one is treated by the Dealer. My gosh, talk about an attitude of their sh... doesn't stink.
You can ask the same question about women and the answer will be the same.......they are an amazing ride and we keep coming back for more!
Steve I whole heartedly agree with your quandry...maybe this describes it I know the Mona Lisa is just a painting, but I wouldn't clean it with windex.
To be fair that story on the 550 seems to be the exception, not the rule. I think many owners wouldn't jump in if that kind of cost was expected. Most expect less, but can handle more if it comes to that. The costs sneak up on owners...$2k here, $5k there, etc. To me it does come down to the heritage, the lifelong dream, and rarity. I sat in a 360 at a Chevy dealer and the sales guy tried to talk me into a vette for a fraction of the price. huh? it's *just* a vette, thousands on the road every day, nothing special to me. At least some of the exorbitant costs of F ownership are funneled back to support the world champion Formula 1 team, not just shareholders, greedy CEO's, and overpaid hourly workers.
Very true, but that theory doesnt excuse the obscene markup on parts at the retailer/dealer level. Or the inflated and often embellished labor costs... none of which contributes to F1. I truly believe that those practices exist based on the antiquated assumption that all Ferrari owners have virtually unlimited funds.
