Can a few of you seasoned posters help a Ferrari Chat newbie out, please? The moons are finally in alignment, my wife has given her permission, the money is in the bank, and the last moving violation has dropped off the insurance report, Im ready to buy my first Ferrari a 550 or a 575. (After all, can it really be a Ferrari if its not a V-12?) After reading a number of the threads posted here, it is obvious that the one thing I must do before purchasing any used Ferrari is to get a pre-purchase inspection. My problem is I dont exactly know the details for getting this to happen. For example, lets assume I see a 550 Im interested in listed for sale on ferrariusa.com and the car is being offered by Ferrari of San Francisco. Do I need to track down a Ferrari expert in the Bay area not Ferrari of SF itself, but instead an unbiased third party to perform the pre-purchase inspection? If so: 1) how would I go about locating such an expert in the Bay area (I'm not from there), and, more importantly, 2) how would this expert get access to the 550 to actually perform the PPI? I mean, seems like Ferrari of SF wouldnt be too happy to let the expert take the car for awhile, nor would they be inclined to give this expert access to the car at the Ferrari of SF facility to perform the PPI. How does a PPI get done? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!
Welcome and best of luck finding your car. 1 - To find a qualified shop for PPI in any area, simply search the regional forums for recommendations or make a new post if needed. The locals will hook you up. 2 - You are not the first person to have a car taken to a PPI. Most reputable places will work with you to get the car from A to B for a PPI. The Ferrari community is small chances are the shops know each other. Anyway, best of luck and enjoy. -dsd
Good Luck in your search ! I am also looking for a 575, but figure prices will come down some over the next 2-4 months, so will likely wait till dead of winter.... Three comments- based on experience- that I would give you : 1. If you are looking to buy a car and the owner won't ( reasonably ) work with you on a PPI, don't walk away....RUN the other way.... 2. Anyone buying a car like this, for this sort of money, that doesn't get a PPI done has a)more money that brains or b) is very trusting ( and likely to get burned ) and/or c) will get a PPI done next time ! 3. I live in FL. No matter what I buy (Ferrari-wise),no matter where it is, I will get a PPI done, and I will get Damian at Fusion Motorsports in LA to do the PPI. I will fly him there, pay his ticket and a day ( or day and a half ) of his time. It will cost more than the " average " PPI, but when you are spending this sort of money, and you can get 100% surety as to what you are buying, it is worth every penny IMHO. If you'd like to talk to Damian you can reach him at 818-773-9636. The best. Just my 2c worth ! Good luck again and let us know what you get !
Steve Ahlgrim -- google him -- was my consultant. After I found a few cars in the ads, he called the owners/dealers and received the service reports. We narrowed the choice to 2 cars and I bought him an airplane ticket to go see them. In person he checked them thoroughly and phoned me with his recommendation. I bought the car and never had a problem--and I drove it alot. What I paid him in a fee was far less than an expensive problem--if I had purchased the wrong car. A good consultant is an invaluable part of the process. I have not talked to Steve in a few years, but I know he is around. Next car I buy, I will call him again.
Here is the suggest for North Californias http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=160491&highlight=san+ramon+crall 925 552 9700 Brian Crall Co. San Ramon
