My first year of ownership

Well, my first year of Ferrari ownership is coming to a close. Owning this Car has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. However, the purpose of this post is not to detail the glory of a furious drive down the backroads, the frantic howl of the engine at redline, the snick snick of the gear lever, or the feeling that every day not spent in the garage staring at your beauty is somehow wasted. Rather, I wanted to focus on the more pragmatic parts of ownership and the unexpected pluses and minuses. My target audience is really the guy who just got his car and the guy on the fence.

Let me first say that, if you are a real Ferrari fanatic, you simply cannot let your life pass you by without having experienced the privilege of owning one of these cars. I use the word privilege not lightly, and with all sincerity. Like many of you, I believe that if G&D himself got into the car making business, he would make Ferraris. There is something unquantifiable about these cars. An energy that is far greater than the physical car. Here are some tips to make your ownership experience a little better:

1. DO NOT BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU READ ON THE BOARDS. Ferrarichat is hands down the greatest car related board I have ever had the pleasure of reading. However, despite everyones best intentions, and despite its value as a tremendous resource, it is also a great purveyor of misinformation. A better bet, is to find an exceptional mechanic and trust him. If you are a DIYer, this board is an exceptional resource, provided you are capable of siphoning out the genius from the B.S. On the other hand, if you read this board and believe everything you read, you WILL become an automotive hypochondriac. These cars are VERY reliable, but people generally don't post to say "Hey, just checking in, no problems this year."

2. GO TO THE EVENTS. Whether it be Cars and Coffee, Concours, Charity events ,etc, GO TO THEM! I have never met a better group of people than I have through my Ferrari. The people who buy these cars and inhabit this board appreciate their good fortune and are very down to earth. I cannot throw enough superlatives at the Ferrari community as a whole. It is a close knit group made up of truly wonderful people. The people have become an integral part of my ownership experience, and I value these friendships as much as I do my car.

3. KEEP A DIARY. Phil T told me to do this and at first I resisted. It has turned out to be an excellent idea. I keep a diary in the garage and every time I come back from a ride, no matter how big or small, I write a quick note in the diary. From time to time I can look back and relive some great drives, troubleshoot issues from prior drives, and keep track of the miles.

4. DON'T BE THAT GUY. Don't be the d#$%bag who gets the Ferrari and suddenly thinks they have found the cure for cancer. Unless you built the car yourself, your greatest contribution to automobiles was cutting a check. The Ferrari does not make you special and it does not make you better than anyone. Do yourself and the marque a favor and share your car with others. When people stop you to ask questions, take the time to answer them, be generous with rides where appropriate, go to charity events, especially for disadvantaged children. Don't rev the car at every stop light, speed on public streets, or act like a pompous pr&ck.

5. KEEP A LARGE FERRARI FUND. Keep far more than you will ever need aside for Ferrari maintenance. It will make your enjoyment of the car so much better when you are not worried about what happens when something goes wrong. Also, if given the choice, overmaintain rather than undermaintain your car---don't wait until something breaks to get it fixed. A lot of the big repair bills on these cars could have been prevented had someone caught the problem at the beginning---before it blossomed into a full blown catastrophe. If you can't afford the maintenance, maybe its better to hold off a bit until you can.

6. DON'T LISTEN TO ANYONE WHO SAYS YOU SHOULDN'T OWN A FERRARI IF ___________. Many people tried to talk me out of getting a Ferrari. I almost listened. Thankfully I did not, but only after much thought. You should have a candid conversation with yourself about whether a Ferrari is really right for you. In my case, I have OCD when it comes to certain things. Hence, I knew that getting a Ferrari, especially an older Ferrari would be a struggle. I am not saying I don't still have my moments of madness, but by buying an exceptional example---and paying a little more for it---I was able to move forward. I've had the car for a year now and granted, I have spent far more on maintenance and upgrades then I ever would have dreamed. I learned a great deal about the car in the process and it is very rewarding for me to bring my car into the shop for its semi-annual inspection and be told...it needs nothing. As for others, I have a friend who owns a Ferrari but makes a very modest income, but whom has made responsible choices and sacrifices elsewhere to bring a Ferrari into his family's life. My point being, if a crazy ba&tard like me can get a Ferrari and my friend who is of very modest means can get one...and both enjoy it to the fullest, then don't be discouraged by those who tell you not to get one because....

7. BUY A MONDIAL---OK, you don't HAVE to buy a Mondial...but I wish you would

8. START AT LEAST ONE TIMING BELT THREAD--- You owe it to yourself

9. DON'T BUY A CAR WITH A CRAPPY INTERIOR...You will be reminded of the fact every time you get in the car. Also, little known secret, cosmetics are far more expensive to repair on a ferrari than most mechanicals.

10. FINALLY, ONLY TWO PIECES OF FERRARI FLAIR PER OUTING. Ask me how I know. I had a long standing rule that I would not buy any Ferrari gear until I got the car...well apparently I have made up for lost time. I have never seen a problem with wearing Ferrari gear, it supports the company and the racing program. HOWEVER, there is that point where you have gone over the line and you'll know it when you see it. For me, it was the moment I got out of the car with my red Ferrari shoes, Ferrari hat and Ferrari shirt and said...wow, I want to kick my own A$$.

Hope this is of some use

 

Thanks everyone for the kind responses!

Mike,
I cannot drive my car without some kind of driving shoe. The pedal box is just too narrow for my fat feet. Without very narrow driving shoes, I literally rip up the carpeting on the side of the dead pedal and can barely work the clutch. That being said, I probably didn't need RED FERRARI DRIVING SHOES...but then, why not

 

As the guys at C&C will attest, I generally do not walk around in my driving shoes. They are not very comfortable to walk in and are a little too ostentatious for me. I leave them in the car and always bring a change of shoes. As a result, whenever I get out of my car I feel like Mr. Rodgers. On a couple of occasions I have forgotten...and my flaming read Ferrari shoes have been the focus of some humor.

However, Lets not make clothing the focus of this thread. Getting bogged down in what other people are wearing is for the E! Entertainment crowd, not me. Its all in fun. Whether you are decked out like the guitarist from Cheap Trick, wear leather pants with fringes or dress like a Hells Angel on weekends off from your Orthodontics practice, who cares. If you are confident enough in who you are, you probably will spend very little time worrying about others are wearing. I have my own rules for what I feel comfortable wearing and, occasionally, I go over the top and get ribbed for it, but you know what, its something for the guys to talk about, it brings some laughter to the room and, at the end of the day, I drive my Ferrari home to my beautiful family. In perspective, life is pretty good if we can spend time chatting on this board. I say, VIVA FERRARI! PAINT YOUR BODY RED AND YELLOW AND DRIVE NAKED!