If Ferrari's were "cheap"

and Richard Simmons wasn't gay?

If the Beatles were still back together,

and there was no such thing as cholesterol,

If houses cost a dime,

and women were a falling all over you,

Would you really be posting this question?

 

Richard Simmons is gay?

doody.

 

No, they would still be horrobly expensive to maintain and brake down all the time....or isn't that the ferraris cache ?

 

News to me!

John

 

If Ferrari was just another cheap Italian car, they would all just rust away like the Alfas and Fiats did. Most likely Ferrari wouldn't be around anyway, because low sales volume + low price - racing budget == broke!

Besides, there's plenty of cheap Ferraris out there, and most people really could buy one if they really wanted to.

 

I don't know what is funnier Bill's post or your response.

 

Would that be huge cache of WMDs? I don't think Ferrari has a huge cache of anything.

Now cachet...that they've got in spades

 

Enzo Ferrari would never have let it come to realization. Not over the fact that they were "cheap", but most likely due to not being profitable enough to support his racing team. Setting up the factory to produce such cars would mean dumping funds into a place you know full well Enzo would have not have allowed.

When you think of Ferrari the man, it never really was about the cars, it was about his passion for racing. The cars, though very fine and exquisite only supported his passion.

 

Some Ferrari's are cheap.

308 GT4, Mondial, 400/365.

They get no respect. Is it because they are cheap, or is it that they are cheap because of some other reason?

I've argued time and time again how the 308 gt4 handles better, is faster, etc. compared to a 308 GTB/S. There are also plenty of Mondial lovers on this site.

Each of these "cheap" ferrari's has it fans, but they remain unloved by the general public.

I don't think you can argue that they are ugly, becuase there are plenty of ugly, expensive ferrari's. The 2+2 factor? Maybe, put there are plenty of 2+2 cars that are considered exclusive (i.e., Porsche 911).

Tillman is right about the cheap cars just rusting away, for lack of love and maintenance, like many fiats and alfas. And unfortunately, thats what will happen to many GT4's, mondials, 400's, etc. Too bad, because, "those of us in the know", are the only ones who will know the pleasure and fun of driving them. One day, there won't be many left.

Dom

 

we aim to amuse ;-)

remember folks, the Professor & Doody show will be here all week! remember to tip your waitresses. and do try the veal!

doody.

 

And then ..... they won't be cheap anymore

 

If Ferrari's were "cheap" they would probably be Porsches (i.e. similar value, pricing, attention/care by owners, etc).

 

large cache... Richard Simmons...oh, forget it....

 

Great news. Do you guys valet park?

Yes, Ferraris have cachet because they're expensive.

Cheap Ferraris are called Fiats. I had a mid-engined one. It had no cachet.

Can we talk about something else, like why brake rotors rust?

 

Ferraris can be cheap http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=74823
yet nobody wants this lovely old thing

 

Not all Ferrari's cost $200,000 and can only be afforded by the super-rich.

As cars get older (unless they're very rare) their market values drop pretty dramatically, no matter what origin they are (American, European, etc.). If you are a middle-class living person, and you want a Ferrari...you can probably make it happen. Its just a matter of having the knowledge to know how and what to purchase. You just have to know what your getting yourself into. Some people buy Ferrari's and let them sit in the garage because they're scared to drive them, because of maintenance costs.

What they dont know is they are doing more harm letting it sit there than driving it on a weekly basis. Sure, if Ferrari's were cheap than they would have less appeal, but if they were cheap they also wouldn't be a 1/3 as good as they are, because they wouldn't have the resources or technology to build great cars. Even though it may take more time to get into Ferrari ownership because of the cost...I'd rather it be that way than the opposite.

That way it makes it all worthwhile in the end.

 

ouch!

 

The only thing stiffer than Stone Phillips reading the news is Richard Simmons watching it!

 

I do valet park, yo.

 

Nope, different cars entirely. It's not a numbers thing.

Alfa and Fiat are more like "downmarket Ferrari's" but even that's a stretch.

 

God what a dumb topic.

 

Ah, but he's not asking about Ferraris that are cheap now, he's asking what would have happened if Ferraris were always cheap cars. In that case, Ferraris would be on the same level as Alfas, Fiats and Lancias -- which means, no longer sold in the states, mostly forgotten except by a small fanbase, and mainly just odd.

Frankly, if Ferrari hadn't hit home runs with the 308 and Testarossa, they might have been gone from these shores anyway.