How Often Do Older Ferraris Need To Be Driven? | FerrariChat
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How Often Do Older Ferraris Need To Be Driven?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by F355 Fan 82, Mar 1, 2018.

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  1. F355 Fan 82

    F355 Fan 82 F1 Veteran

    Jul 22, 2006
    9,063
    #1 F355 Fan 82, Mar 1, 2018
    I have a 2002 575, its not my only exotic and I try to drive it twice a week, living in miami, right next to the 5th street bridge, I love to pull it out early mornings and just drive down the bridge get it up into 6th gear and come home, nothing crazy 8 miles total or so, trying to keep it right around 1k miles a year give or take. I don't really enjoy sitting in traffic in the car or being price gouged to valet it at restaurants at night, so my cars literally only get used for early morning romps before I head to the office when the roads are nice and empty.

    With that said, is twice a week enough for an older car like this? I just got it in november and I know with any machine if you dont use it, there will be issues but is twice a week enough to let it warm up a few minutes and then take it for a spin or should I be using it more frequently to avoid issues? I basically try to use it once every 3-4 days, is that enough or should it be on a battery tender regardless? Im just asking bc I park around a few other Ferraris here at the condo and they're all covered up and never get used and they're hooked up to tenders
     
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  2. ifeelfree0

    ifeelfree0 Formula Junior
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    #2 ifeelfree0, Mar 1, 2018
    I have a 575 also and get it out every two weeks, run it 20-30 miles, making sure it gets on the highway, always over 100 for a bit, then back home. No tender should be necessary if you are using it 2x week.. I never use the tender and never had a problem.
     
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  3. BlueIn2Red

    BlueIn2Red Karting

    Sep 29, 2006
    234
    Tring, UK
    #3 BlueIn2Red, Mar 1, 2018
    Twice a week is comfortably enough.
     
  4. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

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    #4 Nospinzone, Mar 1, 2018
    You are better off driving it for a longer period than just 8 miles. Humidity condenses to water and doesn't have a chance to evaporate. Follow Dan's advice.
     
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  5. F355 Fan 82

    F355 Fan 82 F1 Veteran

    Jul 22, 2006
    9,063
    #5 F355 Fan 82, Mar 1, 2018
    Interesting thanks for the tidbit, so you're saying it needs 20+ miles twice a week? Thats fine my insurance is for 2500 miles a year but I always wanted to keep the miles low. Would once a week for 20 miles be enough? Im just trying to understand when a battery tender is needed and how often a car needs to be driven to try to avoid issues. Growing up my dad used to have a boat he'd use once every few months and every time we got up to the lake the damn thing had a problem, and I remember the mechanic telling him he wasn't using it enough and it was sitting too much.
     
  6. greyboxer

    greyboxer F1 World Champ

    Dec 8, 2004
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    #6 greyboxer, Mar 1, 2018
    Two weeks max for the battery - in terms of distance use the gages so its at least fully up to operating temperature
     
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  7. jgriff

    jgriff Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2008
    1,125
    Houston, TX
    #7 jgriff, Mar 1, 2018
    I’d put a battery tender on it no matter how much you drive it. It’s a cheap and easy thing to do. Ferraris from this era just seem to run better if on a tender.
     
  8. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
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    Aug 7, 2012
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    #8 thorn, Mar 1, 2018
    As mentioned above, the bigger isn't your battery and tender, it's the internals of the engine. Short trips increase the wear due to cold oil starts, as well as problems with condensation. You need the engine to warm up to operating temp and stay there for awhile.

    Driving 30 minutes every 10 days is better than a 12 minute drive every 4 days.
     
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  9. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

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    #9 Nospinzone, Mar 1, 2018
    Yes, the key is to avoid very short drives.
     
  10. Zanny1

    Zanny1 Formula 3
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    #10 Zanny1, Mar 1, 2018
    1999 Modena. Drive it once a month, at least 40 miles so everything reaches correct operating temps. I believe this is adequate. Had a 348 a few years back that sat 6 months at a time while I was overseas. Never had a problem with it.
     
  11. F355 Fan 82

    F355 Fan 82 F1 Veteran

    Jul 22, 2006
    9,063
    #11 F355 Fan 82, Mar 1, 2018
    When you say short drives, obviously Im not running to the grocery store in it, but the 8 mile drive im talking about is a gorgeous long bridge right next to my condo, i get the car up over 100, get into 6th gear, I do it really early in the morning after the car warms up for a couple minutes. I blast over the whole bridge, loop around and come back. Its just an amazing scenic drive. That isn't enough? I can obviously take it on longer drives I just dont really want to throw on 20 miles twice a week on it. So the consensus is 8 miles a week, although run through the gears, it is not enough?
     
  12. Mitch Alsup

    Mitch Alsup F1 Veteran

    Nov 4, 2003
    9,737
    #12 Mitch Alsup, Mar 1, 2018
    Whenever you drive a modern or older Ferrari, you want to get all of the components up to full operating temperatures::
    Engine water > 210ºF or 100ºC
    Engine oil > 210ºF or 100ºC
    Tires > 100ºF or 37ºC
    Transmission oil > 210º
     
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  13. barabba

    barabba Formula Junior

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    #13 barabba, Mar 1, 2018
    It sounds like the car is more of a nuisance than a pleasure. You maybe be better off selling it and buy something you can actually drive and aim to do as many miles are possible instead of the other way round. Seriously, it must be so annoying to have to drive the car every so often for a few minutes just to avoid it breaks.
     
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  14. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

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    #14 Nospinzone, Mar 1, 2018
    I can't definitively say 8 miles of spirited driving is not enough, but you would be better suited to make two loops around the bridge once a week. If you don't evaporate the condensation, water mixes with the oil and causes sludge. And frankly I have to confess that I don't know what conditions are like where you live, but if there is high humidity you are susceptible.

    Of course if you get so much enjoyment from those twice a week drives (and I can't blame you one bit), then just do it and change your oil more frequently. ;)
     
  15. GTS Bruce

    GTS Bruce Formula Junior

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    #15 GTS Bruce, Mar 1, 2018
    I have a 575. It tales 20 minutes to fully warm up. At that point why not enjoy some higher revs?
     
  16. Jakuzzi

    Jakuzzi Formula 3

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    #16 Jakuzzi, Mar 1, 2018
    What barabba said..... 100% correct.
     
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  17. Blitz88

    Blitz88 Karting

    Jan 31, 2018
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    #17 Blitz88, Mar 1, 2018
    Why 20 minutes?
     
  18. Blitz88

    Blitz88 Karting

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    Munich, NYC, Palm Beach
    #18 Blitz88, Mar 1, 2018
    So, you buy a Ferrari, but you want to keep the miles low, and you only drive it a few miles a week to warm it up and keep you battery charged. It that right? I’m missing something here.
     
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  19. F355 Fan 82

    F355 Fan 82 F1 Veteran

    Jul 22, 2006
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    #19 F355 Fan 82, Mar 1, 2018
    I think you guys are overlooking the mileage comment. I have an SLR, a 575, and an S65. I work 5 days a week as a trader, I work 70+ hours a week, I think 2 days a week in the 575 is about right, its not that crazy a concept. I live in South Beach, we walk basically everywhere we need to, so keeping 3 cars in rotation is challenging enough. I probably drove under 4000 miles total last year. My office is within my 5 block neighborhood so I walk to work in the mornings. Im not really the only Ferrari owner who tries to keep the miles low, its a 16 year old car, you want me to daily drive it?
     
  20. kerrari

    kerrari Two Time F1 World Champ

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    #20 kerrari, Mar 1, 2018
    Some years ago our local FCA chapter had a technical morning with a Ferrari specialist - the gist of his talk was " the best thing you can do for your car's maintenance is drive it..." As previously mentioned , it needs to be far enough and warm enough to burn out the condensation in the exhaust, and actually circulate all the oil and coolant. Aside from these things he pointed out all the couplings etc get hard unless they're kept warm and activated regularly.
     
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  21. Jakuzzi

    Jakuzzi Formula 3

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    #21 Jakuzzi, Mar 1, 2018
    Words of wisdom.
     
  22. Blitz88

    Blitz88 Karting

    Jan 31, 2018
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    Munich, NYC, Palm Beach
    #22 Blitz88, Mar 1, 2018
    You’re saying that you have a number of cars, most of which you drive only occasionally for the sole purpose of keeping the batteries charged and keeping the oil from gumming things up. And keeping the mileage low is a necessary priority so you don’t pay more for insurance. Does that sum it up? So you have these cars for re-sale and investment appreciation? It doesn’t sound like you’re enjoying them.
     
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  23. F355 Fan 82

    F355 Fan 82 F1 Veteran

    Jul 22, 2006
    9,063
    #23 F355 Fan 82, Mar 1, 2018
    Last edited: Mar 1, 2018
    You sound quite ignorant. I have 2 exotics here is a pic, they're both spectacular machines. They're also old, parts are hard to come by( my 575 just spent 5 weeks in the shop), and I live in south beach where walking everywhere is usually an option. Each car is insured for 2,500 miles a year, thats quite a bit. I just bought my 575 with 20k miles on it, so previous owners drove it around 1,500 miles a year for the last 15+ years. How many SLR have you seen with high miles? Im sure not many bc its an incredibly uncomfortable car. They're toys, they're investments, they're both fairly low production cars: The 575 only 2,064 were made and less than 600 came to the US while the SLR just a handful ever came to US as well. I didn't buy them as investments but at the same time for all intensive purposes my S65 is a way better car than both and when given the choice, I usually grab that and go. I love the investment aspect of it( I paid $185K for my SLR its prob worth well over that now), and pouring on tons of miles when the majority of my day to day life involves a ton of walking just doesn't seem like a concept you are grasping. When you have 3 cars its tough to show all 3 of them enough love every week when you don't even drive to work......
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  24. OwenC

    OwenC Karting

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    #24 OwenC, Mar 1, 2018
    Exactly why I sold my Ferrari, a 2013 California 30. After the initial excitement wore off, the periodic issues popping out started becoming more of a chore. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed the car when it was running properly.

    Prevous owner only did 600km in 3 years while I did close to 2000km in 3 months. But I wanted a car to enjoy during weekends and not one wherein I'm anticipating which part will break down next when I drove it.
     
  25. woody byrd

    woody byrd Formula Junior
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    #25 woody byrd, Mar 2, 2018
    I would say without a doubt. DRIVE IT TO MAKE YOU HAPPY! forget all the technical stuff.
     
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