PPI recomendation in Southwest CT

Hello Folks,

Happy Holidays!

1st post but a long time lurker.

I am helping with a Ferrari purchase for my boss who is lives out in Michigan. The car is at Black Horse in Bridgeport. I have not read any bad reviews on Black Horse so they may be a honest dealer but an unbiased opinion is a must when committing this amount of dollars in a toy.

Is there a good Indy around? Should I avoid dealers for a 360 or is Miller Sports car a good enough place for a PPI?

I am an aircooled Pcar guy so knowledge of Ferrari shops in the Fairfield county area is limited.

Thanks for all the help in advance.

C

 

Might be with mentioning what model you are looking at?

 

Red line is also in the area but a direct competitor. Worth a call though. Other highly respected indy's include Pocono Sports car, IFS but they are a fair distance away. Not sure if Lombardo motors is set up for a highly detailed PPI but he certainly knows the cars.

FYI, Red Line advertises here and may be a sponsor.

 

http://www.blackhorsegarage.com/

 

I think you implied it is a 360. If so, would go to Miller Motor Cars in Greenwich as they see those cars all the time, and know the weaknesses. Also would not skimp on the PPI and only get a one hour inspection. Get to know exactly what they will check and make it extensive. Cheap insurance.

For the place you mentioned where the car is located, it can be infrequent these days to hear good things about them.

 

If it's the red 360 coupe with the aftermarket exhaust, I am certain that Miller has already done a PPI on the car for another Fchat member, I believe it was Chenglo.

Might be worth discussing the results with him, or contacting John at service at Miller.

Would definitely urge a PPI on this car. Hopefully Chenglo will be able to discuss

 

I know it isn't in CT but if you want to travel about an hour from Black Horse, you can go to Universal Autosports in Long Island, they have Ferrari Certified Techs there and do great work.

If you are talking about the red 360 Coupe with the aftermarket exhaust, I know the owner of that car and he has been neurotic about that car when it came to maintenance and babying the car! http://www.blackhorsegarage.com/cars-for-sale/2002-ferrari-360-modena/

My experience with Miller is that you WILL NOT go into their facility and leave without them recommending some sort of service.

 

Thanks for the quick responses. It is the 360 Coupe with the CF airbox and AP exhaust. I have recommended WWOFM in Spring Valley, NY as a PPI place if Black Horse will agree to let it go that far on a flat bed.

On the other hand, getting a PPI at Miller.. Does it mean that Miller is detailed at inspections or it is just typical Greenwich service dealership practice.

 

Think about it this way, and I'm not saying Miller or any other Ferrari dealership is like this, but would you be happy if someone was buying a car from someone else and then simply bringing it to your dealership for a measly $500 inspection? I personally like independants with trained techs like Universal as an example. Hope Black Horse agrees, it is a great example of a 360!

 

I think you are trying to take short cuts, and it will only come back a bite you and your boss. But it is your decision. Just because it is Greenwich dealership, it should not be a turnoff. Sure they are more expensive than a private shop, but you wanted someone in Fairfield county. Clearly they and other shops are compenent as they know 360s.

Again, take it to someone that really knows these cars. Speak with the owner of the shop and/or service manager and get your own comfort feeling what they will check. Car has all records, let them review them. Make it extensive. It is really cheap insurance. These cars are not inexpensive to repair if something breaks. Much more to repair than a several hundred dollar PPI.

A good friend of mine, has many classic cars, found a car at the location of the 360 you mentioned, he even knew the past owner, car seemed to be great, and was highly recommended by the seller. My friend wanted a PPI, but got pushback from the seller. With lots of effort he got them to yield and car was flat bedded to his independant shop many miles away. He was with the car during the 4 hour PPI, unfortunately, the car turned out less than desirable and needed about 60K worth of work. It cost him $600 for the flatbed, and $700 for the PPI. He was disappointed thinking he really knew the car, but was not an expert to get into the weeds for that particular model. The positive was he saved a ton of money and aggravation not to purchase the car.

To save your back, I think you need to make sure your boss makes the final decision, so you are not caught in the middle. Clearly, I am not dissing the car you are looking at, it can be fine, but if buying an exotic type car, it is pay me now, or pay me later.

I do wish you good luck as this should be a fun experience for you and your boss. But if it becomes force fit, it is time to walk away, there are many nice 360s around, if this is not the right car.

 

Happy New Year! 2 thoughts

1) General comment - I am an "extensive" customer of Universal Autosports and Miller Motorcars (Ferrari). Both are very professionally run, have extremely competent techs and, as I've lived it, seem to always try to do the "right thing". In some ways they have overlaps, in some they are distinctive (eg. warranty work!). They probably have per-capita the most experienced techs around. I have yet to suffer a "Greenwich dealer" experience, whatever that means, whether in Greenwich or Glen Cove! (I did experience one in Norwalk, El Segundo and Torrance once).

2) this particular car, I am 99% sure, had a full PPI done at Miller. I saw the car and heard the report. It was very comprehensive and was done for an out-of-state buyer, if it had been a car I was interested in I would have placed great faith in the report. I had suggested Miller and Universal to the potential buyer; Miller was a much shorter drive.

 

I live in Greenwich so this lay of the land is not foreign to me. I did a PPI on my 993TT out of state which I paid more than $500 and would not hesitate to spend more. I have other cars service in Greenwich out of convenience and will have to admit that it is just adequate. However, dealership services vary and so is each service appointment. I am here not to bash my local dealership.

I did get an email back from Chenglo1. Many thanks to Entropy. I owe you a beer if you are ever in town. It is not my place to disclose his PPI but I will be passing on this car. 360s are plentiful and this is not "the one."

 

Thanks for your comment. I was trying to compare service levels between the Greenwich Ferrari dealership or another Ferrari dealership in NY. We are on the same page!