Garage Queens | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Garage Queens

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by Chizz, May 4, 2019.

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  1. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 3, 2012
    3,053
    UK
    Hello Chizz. Given the recent messing around on here by other users pretending to be what they are not and asking made up questions, I feel like your question sounds similar. It is pretty obvious why Ferraris do low mileages in the main, to people who are genuinely looking to buy. Usually they have researched the purchase for hours and the answers are very easy to find on fchat or even in car magazine reviews. If you are trying to make the point that Ferraris are weaker than Porsches or Ferrari drivers are only posers then you are in the wrong place. As described above there are many legitimate reasons some Ferraris are used less - they are very special cars and cost a lot of money to own and run. Usually the people who can afford them are very busy and there is no point, even for wealthy people, to use a car designed for fast driving to sit in traffic queues. Like many others I have more than one Ferrari and a number of separate cars for daily activities. I do about 7k to 10k Ferrari miles per year on fast driving trips mainly, spread between all of them. They are special enough that a few well chosen miles each year justify the effort of owning them.
     
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  2. Solid State

    Solid State F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 4, 2014
    9,582
    Full Name:
    Maximus Decimus Meridius
    Maybe tell them that if they can afford you they shouldn't be talking! :)
     
  3. Chizz

    Chizz Formula Junior
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 21, 2017
    995
    Atlanta
    Wow... what a stable you have. Obviously, I chose the wrong specialty, have too many kids, or my wife is just plain mean.
     
    BOKE, plastique999 and Thecadster like this.
  4. Chizz

    Chizz Formula Junior
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 21, 2017
    995
    Atlanta
    Not quite sure if you are giving me an indirect kick in the rear here or not so let me clarify my comments.... First I have no need to pretend to be anything.... if I never bought a Ferrari in my lifetime I will have done well for myself with what I have been blessed with. Secondly, I was/am questioning the viability of Ferraris compared to my Porsches. I simply don’t want to buy a car this expensive to be frustrated by expensive repairs simply because I might want to drive the car more than 5k miles a year.
    I know that most people on this forum have had or have experience with what I’m asking about so that was the impetus of this post. Certainly not to offend, accuse or irritate. And certainly I don’t care to be admonished.
     
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  5. johnr265

    johnr265 Formula Junior

    Jul 1, 2010
    398
    Mid-Atlantic
    Aside from consumables, there is very little penalty for driving 10k vs 2k miles per year. Routine maintenance is covered for the first 7 years. I think if something is going to break, it will even on a lower mileage car and in general, they are happier being driven anyway. Running costs and parts are NOT as cheap as a Porsche of course but working on the cars is not some mystical thing that no one can do, in particular as regards to tires, brakes, and fluids so if you are handy, you can save a lot of money that way. If there is an electronic or gearbox issue, though, it will have to be the dealer and it will be pricey. It's part of the roulette of the cars. If you're concerned, you can get an extended warranty or just self insure. There's a great thread floating around which shows that only about 20% of the time did the warranty pay for itself over time. Some are risk averse so nothing wrong that either.
     
    Chizz likes this.
  6. JimPVB

    JimPVB Formula Junior

    Apr 24, 2016
    633
    Florida
    I'm taking your question as sincere, and asking because of the concern over maintenance costs and how those costs relate to miles driven. Others have commented about some of this already, so I apologize for overlap. First, I agree with LukeyLikey's comment at the top of this page, I've found that many of my friends are busy, and don't put on the miles for the reasons LL stated. On the other side of the spectrum you have owners like me, that use their Ferrari's as daily drivers. I agree they are special, but to me this is about the car, not the cost of the car, so devaluation because of miles never enters my mind, I drive them simply because they are more fun to than my standard cars. I don't really work, so concerns about using as a DD going to work don't factor in to my decision, but I understand the thinking for those owners. The point is, we all drive our cars based on our personal needs, desires, concerns, etc.. There is no "right" answer, only what works for a particular owner.

    As to cost to maintain, I can't say for sure if the belief that not driving them increases the potential for problems (that's what my dealer says as well), but I put 8,000 miles on one, and 11,000 miles on my Ferrari's (one year each), and never had any issues besides the, what now seems a normal practice, of changing the battery (under warranty both times).

    Jim
     
    uhn2000 likes this.
  7. cole328

    cole328 Formula Junior

    May 9, 2014
    882
    I want to "not really work..." Lucky you! My youngest (of 4 kids) is eight, so my road is long!
     
    uhn2000 likes this.
  8. JohnTz

    JohnTz Karting

    Jun 21, 2018
    212
    Inverness, IL
    Full Name:
    John Tz
    I have the responsibility for a multi billion business and my free time is spent with my family but I try and drive my cars and ride my motorcycles when I can. That working thing so gets in the way. So only about 700 miles a year on my 488.
     
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  9. boogie

    boogie Karting

    Mar 4, 2016
    192
    Boston
    Full Name:
    Keith
    The Porsche is a better daily driver. It rains into the Ferrari's engine compartment.
     
  10. JimPVB

    JimPVB Formula Junior

    Apr 24, 2016
    633
    Florida

    I have 8 yo twins (Boy/Girl) and a 5 yo (just had his party yesterday). BTW, I'm 67!

    Jim
     
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  11. Chizz

    Chizz Formula Junior
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 21, 2017
    995
    Atlanta
    You my friend are my hero!
     
    BOKE, Jasflora, JimPVB and 1 other person like this.
  12. Graz

    Graz Formula 3

    Oct 15, 2012
    2,289
    New Jersey and Florida
    Full Name:
    Graziano
    I agree with you here. As a physician myself I don’t feel comfortable with parking my Fcar in the lot at my office. Why leave a car like that sitting in a parking lot all day. I still manage to drive it when I’m not at work which is pretty often:) I daily drive a Porsche. Kind of flies under the wire if you will.
     
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  13. JimPVB

    JimPVB Formula Junior

    Apr 24, 2016
    633
    Florida

    LOL, That's what my wife says, except I think she spells hero b-a-n-k, for some reason.:D

    Kidding of course, she's young, self made, beautiful, and most importantly an incredible Mother and my best friend. I've been lucky, had several wonderful careers (CIA, military pilot, lawyer, movie biz, investor), allowed me to shut down when my twins were born so I could focus on them, nothing more important than that job, in my opinion.

    Jim
     
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  14. MANDALAY

    MANDALAY F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    May 23, 2013
    11,048
    AUSTRALIA
    Full Name:
    ANGELO
    Man ! good on yah !!!!
     
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  15. plastique999

    plastique999 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Nov 9, 2008
    8,539
    SoCal
    Full Name:
    Edward
    Grazie brother !
    My car buddies and I joke that if we sold each child we could own a hypercar (and change)...I’d have 4 hypercars, lol!

    But I am married to the nicest wife of all
    Every time we had a baby, I bought a car...I’m thinking of going for John and Kate plus 8


    Sent from my 16M
     
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  16. JimPVB

    JimPVB Formula Junior

    Apr 24, 2016
    633
    Florida
    Quick apology for my post above wherein I inserted my work history.:oops: It is irrelevant, unnecessary, and although unintended, can be read as boastful (not that there's anything there worth boasting about). On a re-read I wanted to edit it out, but a subsequent post prevented the deletion. Need more sleep before I post!

    Jim
     
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  17. docf

    docf Formula 3

    Sep 14, 2008
    1,352
    Florida
    Full Name:
    Gary
     
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  18. Shadowfax

    Shadowfax F1 Rookie
    BANNED

    Jun 10, 2016
    4,066
    Australia
    #43 Shadowfax, May 7, 2019
    Last edited: May 7, 2019
    Don't worry. A bit of rain leaking in will never stopped the engine..... or having fun. Don't ever be worried about driving a Ferrari in the rain. Take it out and get it dirty and its just so much fun in the wet! I recall the day I picked mine up brand new I took it out early the next morning on the most amazing run (650kms) in wet weather and it was baptism by fire!

    The Porsche is the better daily driver though for sure but the Ferrari has that something about it that makes it feel a bit too special to drive as a dd. That's why you need to get these things out into the wild where they belong!
     
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  19. cole328

    cole328 Formula Junior

    May 9, 2014
    882
    Good for you....! I am 53, so you win Enjoy the kids (and the car!)
     
    JimPVB likes this.
  20. cole328

    cole328 Formula Junior

    May 9, 2014
    882
    You are a class act for even writing this. To me, not boastful at all, as your context was on point about not worrying about the DD aspects. Enjoy the twins...
     
  21. italiafan

    italiafan F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 19, 2006
    16,103
    Full Name:
    Stickbones Swagglesmith
    JimPVB....no worries!
     
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  22. italiafan

    italiafan F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jul 19, 2006
    16,103
    Full Name:
    Stickbones Swagglesmith
    A couple months ago a patient’s daughter said to me, “Did I see you driving a Ferrari the other day?” (Small town)
    Before I could think I said, “What color was it?”
    :eek:
    LOL
     
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  23. KC360 FL

    KC360 FL Formula 3

    Jun 20, 2017
    1,677
    Melbourne Florida
    Full Name:
    KGC
    Not to be a wise guy, but this is why I limit my "stable" to a handful of cars I can drive and enjoy regularly without all the anxiety of which car when and how often to keep them all in a "get in and go" status. I got tired of stale fuel, dead batteries and other gremlins of non use. Now if you can afford to have someone on staff to take care of all that for you, then of course that's a different story-- And to add, I don't. :)
     
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  24. boogie

    boogie Karting

    Mar 4, 2016
    192
    Boston
    Full Name:
    Keith
    This is exactly the way I feel. It will never be a replacement for the Porsche, but instead something too special to drive in the rain or to take somewhere where the parking situation isn't safe.

    But my car certainly gets driven, is far from a garage queen.
     
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  25. Need4Spd

    Need4Spd F1 Veteran

    Feb 24, 2007
    6,644
    Silicon Valley
    A few posts up, it became clear that the main reason for asking about low mileage is to see if the 458 will be horrible to own in terms of downtime, maintenance and repairs. As noted above, there are many reasons 458s don’t pile up as many miles as one might in a Porsche, but I don’t think downtime, maintenance and repairs figure in highly. The main cost of high miles is added depreciation and difficulty in re-sale, as those in the market to buy mostly look for the best examples at low miles relative to other 458s.

    Unlike older Ferraris, 458s tend not to break, and they are old enough now to have developed a history of common problems, if there are any. They are more robust than 430s or 360s. They don’t seem to have headers that break like 430s, or failing heat exchangers or loosening pre-cats like 360s.

    458s can have DCT issues, usually traced to failed internal sensors that are exposed to a lot of heat. Usually this can be repaired for around $10k, but it doesn’t affect every car. Early on, Getrag refused to allow DCTs to be opened up, but now they do.

    The other issue that is significant but also seems like it’s relatively rare is what appears to be a potential brake booster issue. It’s not yet clear what the root cause is of this, whether a bad check valve (so that the booster fails to get or keep sufficient vacuum), or possibly a booster diaphragm leak or failure.

    Maintenance otherwise is mostly a matter of fluid and filter changes (hint: change the DCT fluid regularly as well). It’s not as easy as it might be on other cars because you have to remove underbody panels, etc., but not a lot more difficult than on a car like a Porsche.


    Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
     
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