Fundamentally necessary maintenance?

If someone, just theoretically, would advise that a service every two years instead of every year is OK, provided that good storage location and modest operation of the car are given, would you then try a liability case in the event that something goes wrong with your car?

 

Buy, drive and enjoy!

But remember, if you do sell (eventually) remember that potential buyers will ask for the service records.

 

So how about the guy that does everything himself. What if you were a licensed tech. Would you buy from them if they kept the vehicle in top shape?

 

Yes, of course. Saving receipts (oil filters, etc.) and some photo-documentation works well for me.

 

Minimum service oil change and brake bleed once a year. Carefully check everything else.

 

Yes. I am facing this myself. I want to do a lot work myself, plugs, fluids,
etc., leaving the belt changes and more complex things to a shop.

While I am concerned as such when it comes to resale of the car, with potential
buyers passing unless "all records, dealer maintained are present" I can not
pass on learning about my car, inspecting it, catching
problems before they get bad, by doing PM on it.
Owners who do their own fluids are more apt to catch problems in my book,
they are more in tune with the car, I rather buy from that owner.

The prior owner of my car did not know where the battery was located,
and his services where done at a dealer and indie, that part is good,
you think he checked the oil regularly ? Looked under the car for leaks,
check the coolant level, know to not get " jumped" at the battery
if battery goes flat, nope.

When I see a car for sale and see a spotless garage, maybe with a lift,
tools galore, that is the car I am interested in. But I am in the minority.

Let me tell about the last 3 dealer/indie services my car had, indie overfilled
The oil, not much, but I still drew some out to get it right.
Dealer that did the F1 fluid change overfilled, did not use the new lower level for 360's
that was issued in a bulletin, had to draw out fluid to get correct level, no more
weeping F1 fluid.
Took car to local dealer for check up, and head mechanic told me they never
clean out the transmission oil filter.....
Point is, even with dealer service I would rather buy a car from a owner that is
involved, and does some maintenance themselves, and checks the work of
the experts....

 

So, you are going for a 2008 forward Ferrari??

I'm an old car guy, 74 911 & 77308, with a few newer work & family vehicles. I've been a service writer, parts salesman and a service manager, (Subaru, fiat, Isuzu, cad Pontiac....).

First, you must start with all available service records for the car, compare them to the factory schedule for fluid changes, bearing packs, tune ups. Try to get a feel for how the car was cared for/driven - babied or road hard and ignored. You can learn a lot by looking at the receipts.

Next, do a thorough inspection, compression, fluid condition, presence of leaks or any abnormality in operation to generate a list of things that need doing, like repairing/repacking cv joints or front wheel bearings, lubeing door hinges, refilling the windshield washer and on and on.

Vehicle maintenance is mostly determined by frequency of use, (miles / year) and severity of use, (tracking, competition, driven in high heat or salty slush).

Obviously, if a cv boot is leaking, you are not going to wait for the next scheduled cv repacking.

As time marches on, we get better wheel bearing lubricants, better plugs, better ignition components - does anyone NOT have a magnetic/optical pick up and a cd ignition???? This ignition service was one of the main reasons for the Ferrari getting a high maintenance cost reputation. Do the modern upgrade and Bingo it is a 20-30 K mile service interval, no more pulling the distributors to install them on a distributor machine to adjust the dwell, or fussing with laborious distributor synchronization.

So, figure out what you have, what it now needs, what looks marginal, make notes for future inspection or schedule it to be done.

Beware of old fluids, particularly brake fluid and coolant. Everyone is on it if the oil or tranny fluid looks punky, but old coolant or brake fluid can let corrosion and **** build up that can cost you a ton, so if you don't know when it was done, do it now and schedule it again in a year, it is cheap insurance.

Do what you can yourself. Find a Ferrari friend/and/or hire a good mechanic. Pay him for consultation or work promptly and he will be there for you.

Man, this is thirsty ranting
Good luck,
chris

Edit:

Do some research on the likely frequency and cost of repairs on any vehicle you are considering. All cars have weak spots, some of them are hugely expensive, like the 355 valve guides and headders or the 348 tranny. Sometimes there is a silver bullet fix and you need to be able to verify if that has been done so you don't end up emptying your wallet for something you thought was fixed. Tires, rust, collision damage, low compression/leakdown are all fairly easy to ascertain.

 

Per recommendations of a high-quality local Ferrari shop - once per year for engine oil, once every two years for brake fluid, coolant and transmission (manual) fluid. This pertains to an older car living in a relatively dry climate.

This is my approach too. I keep receipts for purchases of fluids, filters and other parts that I handle in DIY mode. I figure that these documents along with the additional service records for belt changes, etc. done by the shop, should be enough for a future buyer. Taking pix of DIY repairs (swapping out a bad part, etc.) sounds like a good idea as well.

 

Jim- You forgot power steering fluid. Plus F1 fluid every 3 years.

 

At the very basic, fluids and giving her a good flogging monthly. Then just weekly runs around the block to ensure everything is being properly lubricated. If you are putting a fair amount of miles on her then adapt appropriately.