Pista Owners Question

Lost my interest in the Pista after continued run around sand the price is to high and it won’t hold the value just like the 488


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Hey Dusty,

If you have resale on the brain, go poverty spec. There have been many examples of Pistas going for $100-150 over. It appears that the Pista may be rarer vs the Speciale. Little chance that you will have any downside $$.

Having driven a Performante I can understand your stance. Wonderful car. I am sure the vert version is wonderful-er.

I will consider adding a Perf down the road. H-Ps will make for dream used cars.

However, the Pista really is on a different level. If you were to drive them both back to back you would probably still love your H-P, but you would feel the Pista was operating at a higher level. It is. It's not easy to express in words the difference. In my opinion, everything about the Pista is just....more...vs the H-P (or McLaren) The H-P feels more 'removed' vs the Ferrari. There is an immediate connection to the Pista that is missing in the H-P. Not only emotional. Physical. When you drive the Pista with even slight anger the cars true intent becomes clear. The Pista experience is almost overwhelming.

forgive what I am about to say...just trying to express the differences...I am sure you have had a knock out glass of wine, or a hand made suit made to your exact specs or maybe a meal prepared by one of the best chefs in the world. You have probably traveled private, or maybe international business class...in other words, you have experienced the best that man can provide. That is what Ferrari is vs all the rest. They are the best that the world has to offer in every way.

Hope this helps.

 

hah...you remembered. Yes, we met there. and YES get the Pista.
It appears that Ferrari has changed the formula. All the guys assuming the Pista etc would follow the same pattern as the previous cars will be proven wrong next month. Ferrari is going to change the formula and the Pista is going to be something more special than even the Speciale.

 

I was initially hot on the Pista, but no love from the dealership. I was basically told I couldn't get one under any condition. I did get a private showing (with a few others). Eh... it's a nice car, but I think it suffers from the same issues as the 488 GTB - unpleasant exhaust note. I did end up getting a 488 GTB and sold it after 6 months, simply because I felt it fell flat compared to the 458 - or even compared to the fun of a 360 or 355. Just couldn't warm up to the exhaust; the 488 seemed to lack some of the Ferrari magic for me. I mean, not totally, but enough to make me not really ever fall in love with the car. The 355, the 360, the 458, those were all wonderful cars that made you feel great after coming back from a drive. I used to take my 458 out anytime I was having a bad day and it always put a smile on my face.

Driving the 488 was just the opposite for me. I always came back with a headache and the only thought I had after driving the 488 was "I just don't like this car" and "I think I'm going to sell it". My girlfriend got so tired of me complaining about the 488 and pondering if I should or shouldn't sell it, she finally just said "Why don't you sell it and re-buy your old 458". I remember thinking to myself, "Yeah, why don't I do that..."

For me, the 488 is to the 458 as the F430 was to the 360. Just something the Factory quickly popped out in order to sell more cars. The 488 just felt like a messed up 458 with a loud turbo motor in it. For me, again, and this is personal, it just left me wanting the 458 back; not thinking "wow, this is a quantum leap forward". Yeah, it was faster. Yeah, it stopped better. But that was about it. It was not as easy to live with, nor as fun to drive. It almost somehow didn't feel "Ferrari like" in a strange way.

What's the point of having a car - let alone a Ferrari - if it just puts you in a sour mood when you drive it?

I test drove an 812 Superfast. Holly cow. I had more fun driving 3 miles in the 812 Superfast, than I did driving over 1000 in the 488 GTB. That says everything right there.

As far as the Pista, when I decided to sell the 488, the dream of somehow getting a Pista died along with it. Actually, the idea of getting a Pista vanished after about 300 miles of driving the 488 GTB.

Did any of you guys watch the Mr. JWW series on classic cars or whatever he posted there a while ago? He drove the F40, the 360 CS, the 430 Scuderia. I mean, come on, if you watch those videos and listen to the 360CS or the Scuderia, then listen to a Pista and compare it to how your average F40 sounds, you gotta ask yourself: "what the F went wrong?" Why doesn't the 488 sound more like an F40? Maybe if you put straight pipes on a 488 or Pista, it will sound amazing, but I just don't know.

So yeah, no Pista for me.

I personally think the 458 Speciale will end up being a much better investment longer term and more likely to appreciate than the Pista. But what do I know. Also, for me, it just seems like the criteria for getting a car like the Pista these days isn't so much based on the love of raw Ferrari cars or how many cars you have owned, but more like how much you'll play ball with the dealership as far as jumping through whatever hoops they want you to jump through. I mean, I know there is always going to be some of that, and that's fine to a point, but I was sort of shocked that - after having owned a number of Ferraris, and being a customer at the dealership, I wasn't given any hope to get a Pista. Not even later in the cycle. Just a flat out "never gonna happen".

The odd thing is the dealership has been very awesome otherwise, as far as cars and allocations. So why so difficult with the Pista? I don't get it. I suspect it's going to put people off after a while and could result in the Pista just being a side show, but not something as in focus for people as the Speciale was or perhaps some of the other more raw models.

Ray

 

Don't forget the Geneva Auto show is less than a month away. Isn't Ferrari scheduled to announce the replacement for the 488?

Ray

 

Naturally it's all subjective but I took delivery of my Pista last week and it's incredible. I've driven Ferrari Challenge and The Pista is easily the closest to that level of bonkers fun I've driven. I was also surprised how much better (and meaner) it looks in person vs pictures.

I read a some people complaining about the sound and I'm surprised. When I started the Pista for the first time, everyone stopped what they were doing and came over to comment on how mean and incredible it sounded. How loud do those people want it to be? I like a mean growl at low RPM and a good howl at high. However, I don't want my cars so obnoxiously loud that I'm embarrassed to drive them through neighbourhoods at night. I also don't want headaches after driving them all day. I think the Pista has just the right amount of "this car will tear your face off" and "let's not wake the neighbours three miles away".

So to your specific questions:

Worth it? - No question.
You enjoying? - Not as much as I want to (damn rain)
Market still above msrp? - I think so but that's crystal ball stuff. How great it would be if I could predict markets!

 

I don't think so: "According to Automotive News, the new Ferrari won't be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show next month, but it will have an unveiling event of its own later on."

From: https://www.autoblog.com/2019/02/15/ferrari-new-v8-hybrid-supercar-this-year/

 

Evidently the 488' face lift 'will be presented at Geneva with on line reveal in the next few days.

Then the hybrid 'icona' $$$$$ series will be announced sometime after May ,aka Big Brother.

The real 488 replacement not on the horizon yet.Well, supposedly anyhow.

 

I know it is difficult to be told a car that you want is not available but for some reason Ferrari dealers have been saying this from the beginning. For some reason Ferrari seem to have told its dealers that Pista will be heavily under-supplied. This could either be a lie or the truth because there are various other theories as to why they would produce so few. It does seem that many dealers believe it enough to turn good customers’ business away.

 

I think it's going to be one of those sitatuions like with the 430 Scuderia: a first it's all "no, no we can't get you on the list" then closer to the end of the cycle, the dealers will be reaching out saying, "If you still want a Pista, we can spec one for you".

Hard to really know at this point

Ray

 

Hybrid blah. The last thing I want is a more complex Ferrari.

My sister just bought a Hybrid Rav4. Those things are great when they are brand new and under warranty, but what about 10 or 15 years down the road when some 'now no longer made any place in Italy' battery pack needs replacing? No electric cars or hybrids for me, thank you very much. I'm subscribed to a channel on YouTube where they discuss trying to get a Tesla serviced and it's hilarious.

Ray

 

Sounds like a dealership/geography thing. In Europe the situation is more fluid. But with the flood of new models coming which are crowding out the Pista space (facelift, little brother, big brother, little brothers cousin/uncle/aunt etc) it won't surprise me if some people move on to the next new thing even before the last new thing is even delivered. That might create a slot for you. Good luck

 

You might be right. Let's not forget Ferrari is now a publicly traded company and has to keep shareholders happy. As for me, even if I were offered a Pista, I'd turn it down. The 488 and the Pista just aren't cars I like. I have a slot for an 812 Superfast (and also whatever replaces the 488), but I'm moving and starting a new company, so right now (sadly) I don't even have time to enjoy a new sports car. I'll be locked to a desk coding for the next 2+ years haha Won't be much time for anything else.

Ray

 

If you have enough exotic cars that add up to over a million then get rid of all of them and go for the hypercar.( Senna, 918, P1, etc. and to a lesser extent TDF).

The mid range exotics pale in comparison to the hypercars (quality vs quantity thing).

 

Never driven and also not on the list to get one, but I can give my thoughts on where the market will head.

I think if you get an allocation, and don’t mind tying up your cash for 6 months, then no reason not to go through. Put a few hundred miles on it just to taste and then return it to the dealership to foster the relationship and even make a small buck. Who knows, maybe you will end up loving the car and it’ll be a keeper for you. Why lose on the chance of having that happen? While I don’t think the Pista will hold value as well as the Speciale, I don’t see it going below MSRP for trade-in if your ownership is relatively short.

Do note that all the signs point to production numbers for the Pista being significantly higher than the Speciale. First, the Spider won’t be limited. Also, there’s a guy on this forum that seems to work for one of Ferrari’s parts suppliers. Based on the sales orders he’s received, he expects somewhere around 5-6K Pista cars. Of course, internet is always unreliable, but he did predict similar things for previous models long before the public received any information and he seemed to always be close to the mark.

 

HP is a VERY hard act to follow. Its simply brilliant and IF Lambo do a STS RWD (limited one) it will be "otherworldly". However if you have the means and you are a car guy - why not. Pista won't disappoint and in fact IMO I think it will be brilliant.

 

funny, I read and was told (as were many others) that the Pista will sell in fewer numbers vs the Speciale.

 

I don’t know if I’m reading this wrong but it seems that the people who have a Pista are thrilled with them and the people who couldn’t get one don’t like them.

 

Yes roma1280, yet another thread turned into a love/hate the Pista thread. The Pista owners think it’s the greatest car of all time and they’re only going to make like 900 of them so it will fosho sell for $250k over sticker and the non Pista owners think it’s too expensive and sounds like crap and has too much power. Most importantly, it’s the same 8 people saying all these things across 29 Pista threads.

Dustman - I’m not a hater or lover, but I don’t think the Pista is that special to where it will command a premium for too long. So, I’d base my decision on timing of delivery.

 

Lol. Which 8?

 

I would wait until Geneva. Its only a couple of weeks . The FL 488 most likely will be the same as the Pista but more on the Luxury side. If it looks like the Pista and has the same engine why pay the extra for a Pista ?

 

My take on it is more like this:

Some Ferrari owners care most about having the latest Ferrari, while others care a whole lot more about having an amazing motor in their latest Ferrari. I fall into the latter category, so how the motor sounds is very important.

Personally, I feel like a great deal of Ferrari owners these days aren't as much car enthusiasts or gear heads, as much as they are just simply rich people. Nothing inherently wrong with that. However, it does change the landscape and that's got to be affecting how it goes at the dealership these days as well. Here's a perfect example: I had my 458 parked at Casa Ferrari here in Monterey a couple years back and this beautiful black F12 pulled in and parked along side of me. I got to talking with the owners and said, "Wow, your car looks really stunning in Nero Daytona". I just got a puzzled look back and then they said, "Oh, is that the color? I didn't even know what color this was, hahaha".

wow

So, if you don't even know what color your car is, are you really going to care about how the motor sounds? Probably not. Those type of Ferrari owners just want whatever the latest, greatest, hardest to get Ferrari there is. "I don't know anything about it, but I know it's the newest one!"

If those are the sorts of customers Ferrari is catering to now (when it comes to giving out select cars, such as the Pista) then sure they are all going to be thrilled with their 'nobody can get it' Pistas - at least for a while. But as soon as the next new thing rolls down the assembly line at Ferrari, those exact same people are going to be flipping their Pistas at the dealerships faster than they can say, "how many cylinders does this car have again?"

Ray