Just got my first Ferrari

Hello everyone! What a fantastic website! Awesome information and stories. I have a story too! I'm JC, and last weekend I made a dream I have had for over 30 years come true: I bought a 308 GTSi. I was in Orlando about 3 months ago and saw a silver GTS parked and it got me thinking again about my dream. That thinking turned into a search along with education about the car. After talking with several owners I decided it was time.

I got serious and after missing out on some good deals I finally found a 1983 GTSi QV in the northwest. I had the PPI done by a very reputable shop and nothing major turned up. I already had a trip planned to the area so I was planning on a test drive. It would be the first time I ever drove one so I was looking forward to it.

Well, I got more than a test drive - the owner let me borrow it for 3 days! OMG. I put 250 fantastic miles on it and was sold after the first mile! So now it is mine. And to show the car that I respect it I'm having a major service done just to be safe, along with suspension and steering adjustments. I'm having her relocated to sunny central Florida in a few weeks via enclosed truck, just in time for the cooler weather.

I plan to keep in touch with the previous owner and the great shop that's doing the work (Alfa of Tacoma), as well as get involved with the local Ferrari club here in Florida. It's like I'm joining a new "family" - pretty neat in my book. I know ownership will be expensive but I will never forget the feeling I got when I drove it last weekend. It will be worth every penny because life is short and I just checked-off another of my life's "to-do" items. And that item will keep getting checked-off again and again, everytime I drive it!

 

Thanks for the great replies! I will post pix ASAP!

 

Finally got some pix to post. These are pre-purchase but the car looked identical when I drove it.

http://jcinflorida.shutterfly.com/26

 

My baby is still in Seattle at the shop! She's all ready, but the shippers can't pick it up until early January. No Ferrari for Christmas for me here in Florida 8-( Oh well, good things come to those who wait, right? Maybe Santa could pick it up on his way...hmmmm. I wonder if he has a cell#?

 

It is a true test of my patience... I bought it over 2 months ago and have not seen it since! I am pretty sure I own it ... I have a piece of paper that looks like a title with my name on it ... it feels like I own it ... just finished paying off $8K for all kinds of wonderful major service items ... but where is it? I know where it's not - its not in my garage! A certain "carriage without horses" keeps delaying pickup from the shop in the Northwest. I would go get it myself but there's 3,000 miles of winter between Seattle and Florida! I guess I will wait a little longer but I am wondering if this is normal. So I put my little 308 GTSi model in the spot where the real one should be (see pic). Maybe one morning I will go out into my garage and that little red car will have grown up...
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Thanks everyone for the ideas and support! If it were summer I would have had no problem going to pick it up. I used to live in Seattle and in San Diego (Encinitas), and have made that very dog-leg drive in Feb 1989 except I was driving a U-Haul!!!! I had to put chains on that truck going over the Siskiyou pass. I wonder if a Ferrari has ever had chains on it? Seems wrong doesn't it? The good news is I sent the "Carriage without Horses" packing and contracted with Exotic Car Transport in Orlando today. They are picking up the car tomorrow! OK, in all fairness, I lucked out that they happened to have a truck in Oregon. But hey, that other company has had my info since mid December and still has not been able to even give me a pick-up date. Enough! So my hope is that my little red 308 QV model in my garage will be all grown up by the end of the month! Wooooohooooo!!!! Another Florida Ferrari on the way. And to us Central Floridians, "Florida" means "Ferraris Love Open Roads In Disney Area" Oh yeah!

 

Yahoo! They picked it up this morning and its on its way to Florida! Now I'm starting to get excited. Meanwhile, something has been going on in my garage with that little 308...


Just wait till daddy gets home!
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The shipper said 7 - 10 days so I'm hoping I get it next weekend. We'll see but at least its finally headed toward Florida!