I found another TR deal ... what do u think

I found another TR ... closer to me. The car has two issues. The drivers side power window motor is not working and the trunk release cable needs to be changed ... it has 45K, all service records and seems to be in great working condition. The body and red paint all all good, an american version, .... and it is under 50K.

 

Buy the window motor (if that is the actual problem) from Ricambi America (a sponsor here with excellent customer service and prices)....and replace the rear decklid cable with a cable from a bike shop....I did mine for $3.00 in parts and about a half hour labor threading the cable back into the tubing and attaching everything.

Get a PPI.........

 

Sounds better already. When was the major and what is the exact price.

Window relay/motor and cable not as big of a deal.......

 

...and what year and what wheels? (makes a big difference as to what tires are available for the car)

 

Now you've got it. There are lots of TR's for sale.

What's the model year?

When was the last major service performed (should cost around $6000+) and who was it performed by?

These two things will tell you if $50k is a good buy or a trap.

-F

 

i would prefer if the last service was about 10k and included a clutch!


please get a ppi as good deals seldom are.

 

A friend of mine who once owned a TR had this problem and it turned out to be a fault with the early '90's after market security system that had been spliced into the wiring. It wouldnt alow the windows to roll down, maybe not the same issue you have but if you purchase it, it's something worth checking before you buy a new window motor. Just my .02

 

I have been following your saga.....


Just my .02, take it for what is worth----- Deal and Ferrari DO NOT go together. This Marque, more than all others will eat you alive if you dont get a good one!!!

The old saying "you get what you pay for" Never rang more true in these cars. Not to say a good deal is not to be found somewhere, just be prepared!! It is my belief that laying out an additional 5-10k on your initial investment will in the short run hurt you a bit, but i guarantee you in the long run it will save you 2X's that, not to mention making your ownership experience a good one.

Please dont take this the wrong way, but if it is a shoestring budget you are on, This is Not the Marque car you should be looking at. Dont get wrapped up in what other pay...that is so what if you paid a bit more that the lowest TR out there, piece of mind in these cars cant be measured.

Good luck!!

 

Window issue is possibly just a switch or relay. On my car I checked the relay, then pulled out the switch to disasemble it and clean the contacts. Works flawlessly.

Decklid cable is as above: but do not pull out the sheath, just the actual cable.

Get a PPI before you go further with this car.

 

True words to be followed.

Everyone is so pressed on price, than they flip out when the diff blows and they need to drop 15k because the last 4 owners did donuts on the car for 6 months.

 

i also agree with marknkidz. the last thing you want is a bargain testarossa. i had a good one and it still had some pretty pricey issues. for that money, i would get a very nice 328.

 

What part of the country are you in rskdsk?

 

Just because a car is more expensive, does not guarantee it was taken care of or wont fall apart. Nothing wrong with looking for a deal on a TR. A $65k dollar TR can have the diff blow on it too!

 

Yes there are "deals" out there ... I live in the southeast ... where we can drive all year long. I may go forward with this deal ... it is really nice ... I'll keep u informed

 

With this mindset, you are destined for misfortune.

Regards.

 

It might be a fine car and a real deal-- certainly I wouldn't know.

However, I have to agree with some of the others that "bargain" Ferraris are usually the most expensive kind.

I bought a Mondial Cab because it was cheap, and I ended up spending a huge amount on that car. The problem was that even at the end, I had a lousy example of a Mondial that I still didn't trust not to strand me.

I learned that it's much better to buy a good example. Sure, the diff might blow even on a good one, but once you fix that, you still have a nice car. If the diff blows on a lousy one, once you fix it you're still stuck with the car you started with.

And unless you're doing the work yourself (and even then, most likely), you'll see a big difference on resale. The "bargain" car will most likely end up being a "bargain" car when you go to sell it, too.

 

Get the PREPURCHASE INSPECTION!!!!! Take it to someone (dealer or independent) that has a clue about the car, NOT the shop that the owner uses. I used to work in a shop that routinely would do PPI's for cars being sold by our customers. Which party do you think the shop owner will favor?

 

IMO, it's a bit unfair to say that there is no such thing as a "deal" on a Ferrari. "Deal"s do exist, but the likelihood of finding one advertised in public is quite low. The TR available from the enthusiast who has to sell quickly to generate quick cash to buy his dream house is much different from the TR with no service records and questionable history at the local used car lot.

 

Is this the 85 Euro version with black interior? If so he got it from the Auto Toy store 4-5 years ago. No recent belt service or maint at all.

Just my .02 worth

 

In my opinion there is not really such a thing as a "deal" Testarossa. It might be great on the surface, but a horrible mess on the inside. Without a doubt get a PPI.

 

All the owner has agreed to a PPI ... so it is happening. I may be boning for a TR, but I am still using my head.

 

I hope that the report is positive and it is a great car for you

 

If you get it, spring for the X-OST. Saw & heard TestaRob's car at Cars for the Cure yesterday and that exhaust sounds fabulous.