I have had it with this piece of junk!

If I could afford 10 Ferraris, I'd just get this one up to snuff and then enjoy it. I'd probably buy another one also, just to be sure that I've had the full experience! Before I bought my 458, I just had no idea how great these cars were to drive.

That said, I'm sympathetic with the frustrations caused by maintenance issues. Good luck!

 

If you would seriously drive a Yaris, a Ferrari is not for you. I would rather ride a bike that costs the same as a Yaris, than drive a Yaris.

The problems you're mentioning are common and not major (as I'm sure has been mentioned here already). Sounds like you need a better mechanic!

These cars are complex and maintenance is not cheap. Not sure why you would buy such an expensive car without budgeting ~$20-$30k per year to service and maintain.

I feel your pain, but this is the cost of owning one of these.

Next time get something like a Mercedes AMG GTR brand new. A lot fewer issues, 4 years of warranty, and probably the same price new as what you paid for your used 599.

 

20-30k/year?
Ouch!

 

In my opinion - you make good points and I agree with you on most of them, but you lose all credibility when you mention 20-30k/year maintenance budget for a 599

No car costing 200-300k new should need 20/30k of maintenance budget. That is just outrageous and ridiculous and if it were true, this forum would have less than 10% of its current subscribers base

The F355 is probably costlier to maintain, and it’s quite amusing to see owners on the 355 forum battling each other saying they keep theirs on a $500/year budget (I’m exaggerating to pass the message)


In my opinion, that is...




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Not sure why anyone would buy a car that needs $30k per year of service.

 

Anyone who is paying $20-30k in service on the car really needs to find another mechanic because they're being taken advantage of.
Some unscrupulous Mechanics will do that on occasion and some will get the bill and pay it and use it as an ego boost. "My last Ferrari bill was $30,000!" Most in the know don't see it as an ego boost. OTOH, most who would actually own a Ferrari because of its race bred engineering instead of because "It's a FERRARI!" also know when a shop is creating more problems than they solve.
For most Ferraris you might have a $10,000 year followed by a few $1000 or less years for fluid changes.

 

Cause the guy with the Jet down the road DOESN'T own a Bugatti yet.

 

In my 15 years of Ferrari ownership, I have spent $4-5k per year on repairs on my 1995 355 Spider, then for an extended warranty on our 2013 California. I was not going to be open to the top issues our California had through the years.

That $20-30k per year number is out of line for anything other than an Enzo or LaFerrari I would think.

 

Thomas, what you have stated is perhaps the most profound and valid statement I have heard in years! The comparison to the love-hate relationship with a beautiful woman and the drama and pain associated with such! Several years ago I was infatuated with and engaged to such a woman, and managed to sever the relationship prior to her spending me into oblivion. Yes, high-maintenance! Wonderful yet expensive memories! Regrets? NONE! The past is the past and nothing can change it...instead, learn from the experience.

I drive a 328 for the simple reason I am but a "soldier in the War on Poverty" and do 99% of my own wrench-twisting by choice. The 328 in my opinion represents the last of the "analog" Ferraris in a world full of electronic gimmicks. Don't just say "No" to air conditioned and heated seats and cup holders, steering-by-wire, automatic this and that. Say "Hell NO!" We buy Ferraris as they excite ALL of our senses. The smell of the interior leather. The exquisite styling. And the driving experience...the symphony of sound emitting from the engine bay, from the air whistling into the air ducts (or if you're lucky, multiple Webers!), the flat-plane crankshaft spooling up, the valve train, right down to the exhaust notes. Now I'm all worked up and feel like going for a drive!

 

Moving to Toyota. Let me share my "experiences" with my last Toyota - a Supra. ......... oops ......I see I'm limited to 60,000 words in reply. Going to have to pass! Sorry

 

This is a joke right?

 

might be too early to call, but I think we may have officially been forum ghosted, seems to happen quite a bit on Fchat..

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Your atrong advice is based on maintaining a ferrari for how long?

 

I've owned an '83 512 BBi since 1986. One of the original true Ferrari cars w/ a manual gearbox and w/o too many electronic gizmos...IMVHO. I've had 2-3 engine-out replacements for belts, worn hoses and shocks, plus tires etc. Over the years those ranged from $8K to $14K, but not every year. Not too bad since I drive the Boxer regularly and do several tracks events as well as Concours, etc. almost every year. Since there well only about 1007 BBi cars made the BIG problem is lack of replacement parts! Some are simply no longer available. My Dinoplex system failed last year, was no longer available and we installed an MSD unit, which has performed flawlessly, but no more Concours events for me! Also changed the exhaust from the stock system to a Nouvalari single canister unit...BIG SOUND and BIG FUN!!!

I've had more fun in the Boxer over the years than in any car that I've ever owned including '67 and '69 Shelby Mustangs! The price point for the Boxer at that time was $80K, which clearly is much higher now. People have asked me how much it cost...and I always told them that it was the most expensive used car that I ever bought! ))

My sister has a 1998 355 and has had a ton of problems with her car, including sticky switches, cat failures, cracked rear eindow and a myriad of transmission issues.

My advice is to get rid of the 599 and buy an older, simpler car. You can still have a great driving experience w/o all the complicated electronic issues and go as fast as you want. Plus...every time that I'm out in the Boxer, I get looks everywhere...especially from little kids who just stop whatever they're doing and point at the car.

It was always my dream to own a Ferrari and the Boxer was my ultimate choice for looks and fit. I don't regret anything that I've spent to buy the car or to perform the required maintenance. I have my work done at a local shop which services many models of sports cars and their charges have always been very reasonable.

Give Ferrari another chance...and forget the other junk out there. If my budget was low, and I'm not rich by any means, I'd buy a Velociter rather than an Yaris jes based on looks and performance! Best wishes for whatever you purchase next...

 

I have found that "Dealers" may not be your option when it comes to servicing Ferrari's.
I bought my Ferrari it had been serviced from day on at a large dealer (I will not name names) and to be honest the workmanship I found was abysmal. I would look around and take the advice and recommendations for NON-DEALERS from people on this forum.

 

Steve, I think we might be living parallel lives. Your story in your first paragraph mirrors my exact experience. Only difference is I absolutely do regret that experience. Not so for any of the Ferraris I’ve owned. For them it’s unconditional love . Thanks for your comments.

 

Hey Paul

I'm asking this in all seriousness.

What does that mean "forum ghosted"?

I've never heard that term before.

Sid

 

"Ghosted" is when someone comes around and shows interest in a person then disappears without notice or explanation.

 

Come on guys can't you see that the OP has been a naughty boy and his mother is not allowing him to play here anymore.

 

No worries Sid,

Basically, when folks will post a thread, and then you have a bunch of folks respond, then they disappear.

 

Are you insane?

 

Lol, not even a McLaren F1 costs that much a year to maintain per F1 owner Flemke. This was back in '04, but prices have not really gone substantially higher unless someone is ripping off an owner like that owner that sold his saying how much he (over)paid for stuff. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=226&t=116008

 

He probably meant 2-3k.

 

I tried to call him out and got banned for a day...

e.g. the "steering column leak": like blinker fluid, the steering column doesn't have any fluids that can leak. That the "steering rack" (which can leak for cars not driven) wasn't mentioned indicates either no clue about anything automotive or a language mistranslation. If he's not late for school and an actual owner, wouldn't be surprised if an unscrupulous mechanic took him for a ride.
Leaking shocks in a 599 is an issue that is well known and a PPI would have alerted him to the issue. Same as the "Drivers Control Module". What module is that? Window control module? AC control module? Nothing uncommon to someone who knows what they're getting into versus surprise from the "I DRIVE A FERRARI" crowd who has no clue about cars in general.

 

several years ago I bought a 1995 F355 berlinetta while it was at Ferrari New England for a full engine-out service. Valve-guides and other important updates had been done earlier thus the full engine out service charge was about $8,500. paid for by seller.

$20-30K annual budget is utterly absurd.