Question about a 456

Anyone have any information about this 456?

VIN: ZFFWP44A8Y0122358

Thanks!

 

Marshall- All I have is that she is Grigio Alloy/Blu Scuro.

 

Thanks Taz and guys,

Here is the car in question, I was in the bay area so I went and looked at yesterday. I meet the seller's agent at Starbucks in Santa Rosa. I drove the car and inspected it very carefully with a high powered flashlight. Under the hood there is some weeping along the bottom edges of the head covers and along the bottom of the plastic belt covers. Inside the car the leather interior was in very good shape except a small rubbed area under the gear shifter. All plastic vents, buttons and levers are sticky. Some of the control panels such as trunk release were cracked and both ash trays were broken. Apparently the grand kids like to crawl in to the back seat. The dash was re-done by Ferrari of San Francisco. Headliner and seats were in good condition. All glass was clean and the outside of the car was clean and straight too. All body panels, hood, trunk and doors had the appropriate gap and operated normally. The hood looked free of defects, but the paint looked slightly faded from the rest of the car. The tires were new and the right rear rim did have about 4 inches of curb rash. The window trims did have some fading in the corners. The trunk rubber seal was torn on the right side from the owners golf clubs. In the truck was the tool kit and most items were out of place, but seemed to be there. The spare tire looked new and the jack was in it's leather bag still in the plastic. I did not see an air can. There was a large silver rectangle soft side case that I thought was a dvd case. I did not open it thinking it was of personal affects. Then later I saw the same case in another trunk of another car. Does this stay with the car and what is it? The car had just over 9000 miles and has spent most of it's time in Palm Springs where the owner loved to play golf.

The agent who showed me the car was selling the car on behalf of the owner. I did purchase a carfax and it showed only 2 previous owners and about a dozen emissions tests. No maintenance was reported on the car fax. The car did pass all of the emissions tests. The agent did not have the title and no documentation or manuals for the car. First the agent told me the seller was signing and FedEx-ing the Title to him and the manuals for the car needed to be picked up at the seller's winery. The agent did have some service records on his phone for me to review that were sent from the seller's wife. He did have one paper invoice from Ferrari of SFO for a replaced radiator plug, seal and oil change. The invoice did have a minor inspection report that stated the head gaskets need to be replaced, there was moisture in right front orange running light that I missed and a few very minor items. The invoice was dated from last December.

I did negotiate the price $6000 lower than asking price, but I need to see the manuals and documents for the car. The agent then called the seller and the seller agreed to my price. I felt the offer was about $2000 higher than what I wanted to pay, but it was a 456M GT with unique paint and low miles would justify this premium. We set a date for this week to sign documents and to pick up the car. I asked if he wanted a cashiers check or to do a bank transfer. We agreed on a bank transfer. After I left, the agent called the seller to ask about the manuals, supposedly they were in the glovebox with the extra key fob. Silly me for not looking in the glovebox.

Today the agent sent me a text claiming another buyer had looked at the car 2 days prior to me and had called him tonight and offered him $3,000 above my offer cash! The agent asked for my opinion and he doesn't know if he should contact the seller about the new offer.

Now I am concerned, first I found the car on craigslist, but I did find an older ad on a local website from a private seller. Second, the car supposably been for sale for that last 3 months (the older ad), but there was no Title and manuals/documents for the car and three; a supposed counter offer has been presented to the agent.

Dose this seem legit or am I being hustled?

Any advise would be helpful or will the real buyer please present yourself?

Thanks,

Panda
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I would use the old ad and contact the owner directly and find out what is going on. Too much tap dancing.

 

+1 and make everything contingent on a PPI. Taz, the source of your blu scuro data seems flawed.

 

Allan- Yup, it was Matthias' book.

 

"The agent asked for my opinion and he doesn't know if he should contact the seller about the new offer."

Is that an invitation for a bribe? My vote is hustle - I like Taz suggestion

 

I have been texting the Craigslist number, which I now understand is the agent. Yesterday I was told there was "one offer and another possible". I will be in San Francisco this week but do not want to get in a bidding war. My plan would have been to view the car and then see if Tony at T&R Automotive would do a PPI , if I liked the car. As an attorney , though, it sounds like you made an offer which was accepted. Do you have any text or email confirming price and acceptance? PM me to discuss in more detail if you like. I'm really looking for a 95 or later 456 GT but this one did catch my eye. Great conversation here. Would be nice to see a clean transaction whoever gets it.

 

The agent is unable to come up with any documents for the car. I keep asking him to see the manuals and a title, but he wants, "a large deposit". When I told him, "no deal', today he said he took a deposit last night without talking to me. There is no trust here.

Caveat emptor,

Panda

 

When I buy a car, I gotta feel comfortable with the deal. There was no comfort here....Another one will come along that you will like better will. I looked for years for the right car...Be patient my friend

 

Threads that end like this are so effing depressing.

 

Thanks guys, I appreciate your input. The agent had the audacity to send me a picture of the deposit check for $9000. Who writes a $9000 check without seeing the car's documents? What I found strange is the check was written to the agent and not to the seller. I feel sorry for the guy who bought this car or he is out 9 grand without a car. I felt that I was used as leverage in this questionable transaction. It's just too weird.

 

Panda this is for the best, a transaction that ends up being so manipulative gives nothing but a bitter taste.
When I looked for both my 456s I end up purchassing them from private individuals who are passionnate like us and the quest was quite an enriching experience.
When you deal with vendors/brookers/agents you are facing with an agenda THEIRS. Of course there are some quite known and reputable ones but the price of the cars they deal with is also higher accordingly.
I am a firm believer of "pay now-pay later" so I went looking for the "special one" and its owner was firm on the price so it cost me all included $ 70,000 , it was way more than my inteded budget.
Then again how much do you evaluate a peace of mind?
There is many members on this chat who have outstanding well maintained 456s and one of them might condider selling it or knows of a fellow enthousiast owner who might so my 2 cents worth suggestion is to consider this avenue.
Good luck with your quest and I sincerely hope that from now on you will enjoy it.

 

+1. If and when I do decide to part with mine, I will post it here first and invite anyone SERIOUSLY interested to call Craig at The Jag Shop who has serviced my car for the past six years. The prospective buyers will know they will get an honest and candid opinion (and they won't even have to pay for a PPI, although they are of course free to get one).

 

Thank all of you for you kind words of encouragement. It's much appreciated.

Marshall

 

I agree with Denis about purchasing a car from Ferrari Chat members. I posted that I was searching for a low mile 456M in Grigio Titano or Ingrid color and was offered one with 17K miles with impeccable service history that needed nothing. I went by the service reports sent to me and the photos, but thats about it. Didn't need a PPI and when the car arrived, it was just as I expected. May not be concours but certainly excellent condition with no mechanical work needed. Very happy!
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Robert- 575M wheels, too, nice.

 

+1. That looks like a nice cupholder installation, too. Any closeup pics of that?

 

Allan,
It's a Carbonio cup holder, google it, fits 550 and 456.
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Nice! and one less part to get sticky.

(Looks great over nero leather; however, IMO, it would be gawdawful on cuoio over sabbia, though )

 

Nice car. Thanks for sharing.

 

As you can see Panda there are quite a few jewels around so take your time and enjoy.

 

Panda, you're welcome!
Robert