How Did You Get Your 488 Pista Allocation

you could try and slip your dealer (if you trust them) money under the table. Happens with Porsche here in the UK

 

It's not that demand for others is lacking, it's that supply for Ferrari is artificially lacking.

The reality is people are jumping through hoops to buy a car that isn't going to be the pinnacle of anything other than the 488 platform, which will quickly be surpassed by the 488 replacement due probably a year after most people even take delivery.

If you have to jump through hoops to get a car right before it goes out of production anyway, you're doing something wrong IMO. If you can't just walk in and ask for your allocation and get it reasonably quick, what's the point?

 

One may argue what you say does not have to be always the case - I do not think that people having got the latest F12 tdf (at the same time the first 812 were delivered, actually) have any feeling that they should regret it, no matter how they got their tdf allocations.

 

That's because the TDF is still a N/A v12 special edition car that has appreciated a ton and was known to be pretty low volume, and it's the first iteration of the design language that usually spans two generations. The Pista is going to be just another turbo Ferrari that carries a modest premium for a bit.

I really don't think anyone who could get the replacement less than a year later for less would be jumping at the chance to get the Pista allocation still. 488 is the second half of the 458 design language.

There isn't a huge gap between the end of model production and the replacement, and I doubt those people jumping through hoops are getting the early cars.

 

yeah tdf and pista are 2 different thing entirely

 

I globally agree with you on this, but your previous message seemed to be generic and not specific to the Pista case.

 

Your question is, what is the point of buying a new car that you cannot simply walk in and buy without ever having to stand in line. Since you have never owned or even wanted a Ferrari, I agree that it may be difficult for you to understand the viewpoint of those who do and don't mind jumping through a few hoops. Not everyone who has a ferrari still needs to jump through hoops, but that's as a result of a long history of buying them, to establish themselves with their dealer. Requires patience, resources, determination and a wunderlust for ferrari. Unlike Ferrari, your mclaren and Audi are simply limited by demand. Ferrari is limited by supply, not demand. Can you appreciate the difference? Enjoy what you have. In fact, go to your dealer tomorrow and buy as many new mclarens as you like. There are plenty new ones on the floor and more arriving daily by the truckload. Even though McLaren only sells a 1/3 as many cars as ferrari, you can have as many mclarens as you can fill your pockets with, so long as you don't mind the bloodbath on resale or trade-in. You can have your choice of as many Audi or mclarens or whatever else you enjoy, other than ferrari. But until you own one you will continue to miss the point.

 

For those who may have missed it - a recent quote by noone1: "I barely drive at all. I usually don't even keep a car where I'm living. Exotics are cool and all, but I usually just have no need for cars".

PS. Hope that helps
PPS. Plenty more where that one came from but I think the one above sums it up in a nutshell. All under his own admissions too!

 

If the biggest difference is brand cachet, that's not a very good argument IMO.

BTW, the supply/demand thing is a US thing. That should show you that what you're buying into is actually manipulated. Why else would Chinese buyers get cars super quick and without the hoops?

 

Because Ferrari is happy with its customer base in the US, whereas they want to expand in China - this leads to give a higher priority to China, it's not manipulation but sales strategy. They can increase the sales in China while keeping exclusivity (so low is their market now) but they may consider increasing their sales in the US would eventually dilute the brand value.

 

Excellent, accurate post.
Probably, a function of the greater income inequality prevalent in the United States full stop.

 

For someone who doesn’t own or want a Ferrari and critical of those who do, you seem strangely fascinated with the brand and spend all of your spare time on a Ferrari blog being a contrarian. Not sure why you are here. Maybe you just can’t stand to look away. Consider migrating to the McLaren or Audi blog where you can be an advocate instead of a hater.

 

Wisely stated. Pretty straightforward, honestly, for the Pista, tdf, LaF, or however far you want to climb. It’s about the past, present, and future value that you bring to the dealer and brand (arguably the same as any product or service where demand exceeds supply).

If you’re a celebrity or serious whale, buying history may be less relevant. For mere mortals, serial purchases and participation in the greater Ferrari ecosystem (rallies, previews, racing, driving courses, Tailor Made, etc) helps a ton.

My opinion is do it if you truly enjoy it. Not just to try to score allocations. Easier to simply buy on the secondary market if you just want the occasional high-demand whatchamacallit, and not a garage full of Ferraris. My wife and I have had a blast with Ferrari so it doesn’t seem like a game at all.


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Agreed to trade in my pristine Yugo for one. My old car is in their showroom...

 

Actually, an EV car blog is noone1's best way forward from here!

Words spoken from a true Ferrari enthusiast - noone1's recent postings:
"I personally wish I could get a full EV exotic that was dead silent". "I'm not into engine noise". "I prefer silence or music". "I also would like it to self-drive for me". "I just don't find modern exotics to be that exciting anymore". "Whether it brakes or corners better has become irrelevant". "I don't think driving characteristics even matter any more".

 

The people jumping through hoops have it backwards. It's not a case of Ferrari treating good clients well, it's a case of Ferrari treating average clients crappy.

You aren't building a relationship by buying Lussos and FFs and cars you don't want, but rather you're in an abusive relationship.

 

I guess it must be a different story in a Prius dealership....

Everyone has a choice. If a Pista is wanted then one can meet the stated criteria or buy elsewhere.

 

And that exactly what people should do. Go buy a car they might actually want or be interested in, and then pick up the beloved Pista when there are 50 for sale by the time their allocation would arrive anyway.

 

That is just speculation. I suspect most Pista buyers (myself inc) would prefer to spec their own car and know it is actually coming rather than wait around for a maybe that most likely wont be exactly to one's liking anyway....yet still pay the same or more.

PS. You clearly have no interest in Pista so why does all this matter to you anyway?

 

Hard to listen to noone1 when he admittedly doesn't enjoy driving, while poking fun at those who lust after the most desireable of driver's cars. noone1 should instead consider irritating his fellow EV bus passengers while being driven about soundlessly. He obviously has far too much time on his idle hands, seeking out an audience to irritate. Suggest he simply be ignored henceforth. Perhaps he will disappear along with the sound of his EV

 

Not sure how you came to that conclusion, but OK. I like driving quite a bit, I just don't care at all about what brand it is, and I really only like to drive in nice places nowadays. Driving an exotic around the suburbs and city gets old quick. If I'm not on vacation, but I'm in a car, then it just means I'm running errands.

Like I said, I just think the whole allocation thing in the US is a joke that Ferrari laughs all the way to the bank at. There are so many brands and cars now, there is really no reason to fight for a car from any of them. Hell, Porsche is selling manuals again. What more could a real 'driver' want in 2018 other than a manual, 9000 RPM, RWD, NA track-day special? It's just about everything a true petrol head dreams about. And as a bonus, it's dirt cheap compared to any Ferrari and they hold value just as well it seems.

Elsewhere in the world though, getting a Ferrari isn't really much of a hassle. I remember seeing a 488 Spider at MSRP in Hamburg very early on while people were waiting forever and paying up the ass in the US. Customers let themselves get pushed around and now they have to play stupid games. Only in America do you have to jump through hoops to give someone $350K...

 

Why such a negative view? It isn’t ‘games’. It is one or more customers than available cars. In which case simple mathematics dictates you have to find a way of choosing who doesn’t get one. With one or more less customers than cars, you don’t. Are you seriously criticising Ferrari because more people want to buy their cars in the US than available supply? “Let’s build more and more cars so our poor customers can all have a car even if there are plenty left over”. Hands up who likes that better? No, me either.

 

Yes Noone1's cred is shot to pieces - hard to argue that - but would still like to know what is behind his crusade. There must be some hidden beef to do with Ferrari...

Noone1. Care to elaborate? I'm intrigued.