How old where you the first time you drove a Ferrari - and what model was it?

39 and still haven't. Anyone want to let me take theirs for a spin?

 

I was 18 years old. A college friend's father had just purchased a 1980 308 GTS. The father knew my of my love/fascination with Ferrari's. He handed me the keys and I spent 3 glorious days driving it over Spring break. Changed me forever.

 

44yrs old and BigTex let me drive his 308GTB all day long on 7-5-'08 as his birthday gift to me, what a great day it was!!!
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32 years old, 308 carb GTS, about a month before I bought my 308 GTS QV.

 

Remember it like yesterday - 17 years old in summer of '86. I was a valet (parked cars) for a local company that contracted out to ritzy hotels, etc.

The car was stunning - a Marrone 308 QV with 16" rims. I got stuck in it for about 1/2 hour trying to find the handle to open the door from the inside!!! Definitely exciting!

 

Anytime you are in NJ!

 

The year was 1995 and I just turned 15 and I had my learner's permit. I drove my dad's 1990 Red/Tan TR to school and let myself out right in front of the headmaster. It was the 2nd day of school and I had to make an impression

 

So, you've managed over 8,000 posts in a Ferrari-forum without ever even driving one? Some Kudos points to you my man.

I think I've 'driven' (a lot of it is was mucking about in nlarge parking lots with long straightaways, hehe..) about 30 different Ferrari's before getting my license. Pays to know nice people. for you guys calling BS I have video...

You managed to drive a stick Ferrari on public roads at 15? Impressive, you must've been gifted!

 

'07,I was 50,bought the car,365GT4 2+2, sight unseen in Sydney(about 1700 miles away).
A mate went and gave it the once over and passed it fit(unfortunately he didn't look underneath(my bad),had it trucked up here(Atherton FNQ).
Offloaded it,filled it with fuel(I owned a petrol(gas)station at the time,and headed south-west,out of town.
After a while I began catching a motorbike,as I got closer I thought I recognised it(and it was),a Moto Guzzi LeMans 850 owned by a customer/mate,to say that we then started to dance would be an understatement.
After about 20 miles of over 100mph driving,it was time for him to turn off,what an introduction to my ,now,addiction.

 

I was 14, in december 2007. My family 308 (has been in my family since 1977). My father said to me "as soon you begin to drive it, as soon you'll master it", so every week he let me drive, then I was allowed to drive it "officially" on an open road at 16.
So far I've driven it for more than 10,000 km!

 

30 Ferraris before getting your license!?!?
I have my license and I still haven't driven any. You have some good friends.

 

I was 24 when I drove my first Ferrari - a 348....owned it two weeks later, and here we are a year and a half later!

 

I answered this one before but today I'll put it this way. I drove my first Ferrari when I was young enough to be a virgin without any shame, but glad that I wasn't one.

 

Never even been inside one

 

Come on down Coz when I get mine put back together this summer.

 

Can't speak the numbers (I'd have to kill you all...) but I'd waited 20 years to make the purchase, 6 months for the car to be fettled, an hour to pluck up the courage to actually drive the dream I'd made come true... and 5 km to fall absolutely, irrevocably in love... At the last minute, I'd been terrified the reality wouldn't live up to the dream; I shouldn't have worried...

 

My first drive in a Ferrari was AFTER I purchased it. Always wanted a Mondial, bought it sight unseen from several states away, no regrets.

I remember being very excited waiting for the car carrier to arrive. It was late after lots of snafus. It was supposed to arrive around 6pm, but got delayed to between 8 and 9 am the next day. Luckily, I have an understanding boss, but he didn't know I was late for a car. It showed up on the back of an uncovered car carrier, after driving all night in the pouring rain. Not only did it look like the Ferrari had towed the car carrier down dirt roads instead of the other way around, but I very soon found out about the leaky soft top. After unloading this mess and getting it into the garage, but then I had to go to work for the day and think about what was in my garage. It drove me nuts. When I got home, I OBVIOUSLY had to clean it before I could drive it. So my first real experience with it was getting to know every inch of the exterior. Sort of like bringing the new-born home, and the first thing you have to do when you get home is change the diaper. It was a really nice late September day, so I did get out for a while. I was scared S-less. I didn't have anyone to explain anything to me. I made several phone calls back to the previous owners back in Buffalo, oh, and I found Ferrarichat. It was there that I learned about the proper way to warm up the car, I learned what to look out for so as not to think that an idiosyncrasy was a major problem, and I learned that anything I may find or experience has happened to others that own the same car. Suddenly, I wasn't so scared, but I became adventurous and wanted to learn everything there was to know about my car. It's been a complete joy ever since, and its nowhere near the car it was when I got it. Belts needed to be done, as with so many other things. I received the service history (very detailed) for the last 3 owners and going back 10 years, and it became evident that the car hadn't been driven. At all. The last service receipt was for winterization 4 years previous, and it had less than 1500 more miles that it did on that receipt. The 30k engine out service was done in 1999 with 29k on it. I bought it in Sept of 2009 with 32500 miles on the clock. The interior was also shot. She sure is a purdy car now.

Anyone who knows me knows my story. I fell in love with a Mondial in the mid 80s when I was in high school, it being a mid engine 4 seater, and a convertible. Now I own one. It's not the first time I set a goal, and then achieved it. It sure feels good to make your dreams come true.

Regards,
Brian

 

I drove my first Ferrari the day after my 40th birthday. I had just purchased it as a birthday present to myself.

I'm now surrounded by them and have many friends that are owners, but I've driven a total of 3.

 

My first drive was in 1969 when an older family in-law threw me the keys to his 1966 or 67 Ferrari Convertible. Don't know if it was 275 or 330, and in my early years here I thought it was a California, but have since learned otherwise. My grandad had died, and he was at the house visiting, and said take it out for 30 minutes. Picked up my best buddy, and drank in the sounds of the V-12 which if my memory served correctly, didn't redline until 8,500-9,000 rpm. It was intoxicating.

Didn't drive one again until I bought my '95 355 Spider in 2003. I have been bugging his kids for a pic of the car, but nothing yet. I later got to sell this man's 1986 Autokraft / (AC original factory) Cobra. It sold to a great auto dealer out of Houston, who's family raced Cobra's, Ford GT's and the other hot Fords of the 60's. He had a new Ford GT as well, and is active on that forum.

 

I was 29 when I drove my first one. My fiance (now wife) and I were at a party for a well known architect who was launching a new high end community. He had always been known to be very eccentric and had a passion for cars.

When we arrived on that Thursday night he had several of his cars parked outside one of the model homes. There were 2 F430s, a Carrera GT and an Enzo. There were about 500 guests at the party, if I had to take a guess.

My father knew the architect and introduced me to him. At the time I was an instructor for the BMWCCA so I started talking to him about my passion for cars and the nice collection that he had. At that moment he reached into his pocket and tossed me a single red key. His next words were "Enjoy, bring it back on Sunday!"

I was completely speechless for about 10 seconds, but then reality set in. It was a Thursday evening and I was scheduled to be at Phoenix International Raceway the next morning for an open track day. I had already set up my M3 for the event with the race pads, adjusted suspension and track wheels. We actually drove that to the party since it was only 2 miles from our house (sounded like a barrel of washers driving down the street because of the race pads).

I told the architect about my schedule and the track and he said "Take the car to the track, have a great time!" I was completely stunned, and thrilled at the same time.

About an hour later we left the party and got into the brand new, black on black 430. It had 230 miles on the odometer.

The next day I was out at PIR for the track day for the BMWCCA. Luckily, the Friday event was invitation only so there were only a handful of cars instead of the usual crowd that was coming that weekend.

I had an amazing time on the track and got to mix it up a bit with some other instructors driving some great cars.

The scariest experience was the first session with the CCB. I was completing the warm up lap and the flag went green. As I was barreling down the front straight I got on the brakes to get ready for turn one (which is a transition from the oval to the infield road course). Since the CCBs had no heat in them they didn't want to bite very well. Luckily I was only pushing about 6/10ths so I was able to manage the car through the transition, but it was definitely a pucker factor.

After that, the car was absolutely flawless. I put a couple hundred miles on the car that day and it has been a memory ever since.

 

Yes, that is correct. I have a list somewhere, I think the number is at around 30. Sorry if this makes me sound the ultimate "sweet 16" spoiled MTV-brat but I've had a huge passion for Ferrari and Ferrari history ever since I was 2 years old. So far I've cherished every moment in the company of Maranello's finest.

Mind you, it probably sounds a lot crazier than it is. A lot of it as I've said was driving around large parking lots and around the block just so that I could get a feel for the driving position, the feel of the steering, the throttle, the brake, and the ENGINE! So I feel a bit like a poseur saying I've 'driven' that many Ferrari's before my license. I do remember the different feel of every model like it was yesterday.

 

At 43 I flew from Denver to Phoenix to test drive a 1983 308 GTS QV. Bought it and drove it back to Denver. Two best days in a car I've ever had.

First ride in a Ferrari was at 22, early sixties 250 GTE 2+2. My friend, who owned it, and I were timing specialists for the local SCCA. He picked me up in the 250 and we headed off to a day at the race track. What an amazing sound from that engine.

 

22 years old, in 2001 I was a doorman at the hotel hosting the FCA annual national meet. I drove a 360, 550, 355, 512TR.

Parking would be a better description than driving, but an immersive sensory experience and I count it.

Since then, other close friends have tossed me the keys to a 328, testarossa, 330, 355, Dino, mondial 8, others.

 

I knew I was forgetting one in my list! fixed it

 

April 17, 2010 was a day that I will never forget. I had just turned 18 years old a few weeks prior and had gone through my first major break-up. I was miserable but I did a photoshoot with my friend's (member on this forum) Rosso Corsa/Tan 2006 Ferrari F430. It was spec'd exactly how I would spec mine if I was to order one. After the photoshoot, he said, "Do you have a couple minutes to spare?" I nodded and he tossed me the keys and said, "You drive." It was the first time in my life that I was rendered completely speechless. I drove it for about 5 miles and was scared $#!|less half way through but got comfortable quickly. It was the best experience of my life and the "Ferrari bug" bit me HARD that day. Now, 20 years old, I have driven 9 Ferraris and each experience has been extraordinary; anywhere from my first time driving the F430 to driving an F40 last fall. And to those that have yet to drive one, it IS better than sex.

-Gil