I have been looking on this board for a few items around the 612. Here they are: 1. Can someone please give me their thoughts on the 612 as a daily driver 2. I am looking for one to replace my 550/575-are they radically different? 3. How are they from a service and reliabilty perspective 4. What are the strong vs weak points from an owners perspective(Interior/Exterior/options) 5. Market related-Prices seem to be falling fast-they appear to be an amazing buy 6. Seat of your pants speed and feel vs. 550/575 or just in general 7. F1 vs 6 Speed Thank you very much in advance for your feedback...612 are around but there are far less people with them or experience with them than I thought.
Based on my fairly limited experience so far: 1) Phenomenal! That's all I can say. Probably not the best if you do a lot of in-town commuting, but for highway driving, the best car I've ever driven. 2) Don't have much experience with a 550/575, but far superior to the 456. 3) So far, so good. There were a lot of early problems with the F1 transmissions, but I think they've sorted that out, especially on the new cars with the F1A. My car has been perfect over the first 1500 miles. 4) I haven't really noticed any weak points. The A/C could be better, but that may just be an issue with my car. And it's still better than the 456. 5) Yes, they do seem to be a good buy, but they are still depreciating sharply. Don't expect a 612 to hold it's value. 6) Very fast-- especially compared to the 456, which was not a slow car. And it drives much smaller than you would expect. Really a great driver. 7) The F1A is awesome. I wasn't impressed with the previous generation F1, though. Of course, if you want F1A you basically need to get a new one. I'd definitely test drive the F1 and make your own decision, especially since you have experience with the 550-- I don't think the manual will be much different from the 550.
The questions I can answer: 1. Spectacular as a daily driver -- really a luxury car as you sit inside of it. My wife won't let me part with it! Very tractable engine, ride is not harsh, just lovely. 2. Don't know about 575 -- I replaced my beloved 512TR with the 612. Obviously two very different cars -- the 512 was a real beast, huge low end torque, no driver aids of any kind, stiff suspension to put it mildly. 3. I had real problems at first with the gearbox, but the clutch position sensor recall seems to have solved the problem -- trouble free since that time (knock wood!) 4. I love having a nav system in a Fazzaz, but the display is pretty much useless. Sound system (Bose) is the best of any car I've owned. I have, and love, the optional modular wheels -- I don't like modulars as a rule, but they really make the car look more purposeful in my view. We actually took adult friends out to dinner in the car -- the rear legroom is not bad at all. 5. 2+2s have not fared well in Ferrari history with regard to resale value -- but it's a great car 6. Civilized, but has some grunt. You don't get the "squatting and then being fired out of a cannon" feel as with the 512TR, but the car does hustle. I am quite certain that it is considerably faster than the 512 on the track. Seems that you have to rev it a bit higher to get to the power band, but as the engine is a 575 variant I'd guess you're used to that. Newer cars are, in fact, better -- both faster and more comfortable. 7. I loved the metal shifter gates on my other Ferraris and like the direct feeling of connection that a manual box gives, but the F1 box (early glitches aside) is fantastic. You still have to feather the throttle a tiny bit to get a smooth upshift, but the downshifts are seamless and sound great. I drove a 430 Scud on the track recently -- its upshifts (at 60 ms) were mind-blowingly quick. The 612, at 200 ms, is really good -- but you can tell the difference. Hope that helps. I originally bought the 612 as a stop on my way to 599-land, but may end up keeping the car after all and begging hard to try to complement it with a Scud -- the two would make great bookends. 12 cylinders rock! Best, Gary
read the various threads on the car. great daily driver daytona seats not the best once campaings are doen very reliable F1 it's a cruiser not a slammer
Why don't you like the Daytona seats? Mine has Daytona seats, and I've done a few 3+ hour trips-- so far so good.
I am buying a 612 as well as my first Ferrari. My wife and I have driven a 575, a 612 stick, and a 612 F1A back to back with a F430 during our quest for our first F-car. The 612 is the way to go in my opinion. The 575 felt very sporty and "tight", but the 612 felt faster and more comfortable, and I really like the 2 back seats. Then when we drove the F430 and the 612 back to back, I had decided within a minute that the 612 was for me - I really thought it was just as fast, just as fun, but way more spacious, luxurious, and I actually prefered the V12 sound to the V8. It really is amazing how nimble it feels despite its size, and it is huge if you ever see one parked next to a 550/575. The depreciation is a downside, but a) they all depreciate, and b) you need top get the car you will enjoy the most out of, and if it is a 2+2, then so be it. Also, I am not so sure the 612 may not far differently than past 2+2's - the production numbers are going to be fairly low, and dropping as each year has passed - and if you look at all the 2+2's in Ferrari history, it has the most timeless look, though the 456 is not bad either. Regarding the stick vs F1, I have been torn myself, but after driving the F1A, I found it to be just as fun as the stick, and I actually found myself enjoying the driving more. The shifts were fast and smooth, and I agree that if you lighten the throttle slightly, they are perfectly smooth. We need to accept F1 as the future, and it is not a bad thing to accept. I am also leanring that the 612 is actually extremely popular by their owners and has the highest # of repeat buyers of any F-car, and during my visit this summer to Maranello, I gathered how much the Ferrari factory people really look at it as their flagship and take incredible pride in it. Additionally, the various sport packages that have the sport exhaust (HGTC, HGT/2, GTC, GTS) have a sound that is just beyond delicious - no need for a Tubi. And the monolithic wheels look just gorgeous on it, though I personally am not a fan of the new standard glass roof however.
While employed at a Ferrari dealer, I was able to get considerable seat time in a 612 and limited - but some - seat time in both a 550 and a 575. Thus, while I'm not an owner, I do have some experience, and I'll answer the questions with which I have a good perspective. 1. The 612 could legitimately be used as a daily driver. It doesn't cause a ruckus on the road (whereas an F430 draws a crowd), it's relatively quiet unless there's an aftermarket exhaust, it's easy to drive at low speeds, and everything about it is user-friendly. Lots of people say it has a "true backseat" but I'm 6' 3" and if you're anywhere as near as tall as me, good luck. For smaller people or children, maybe. 2. Yes! Haven driven all three in a relatively close span... the 612 and 550/575 would be similar to non-car people in that they're all powerful front-engined V12s made by Ferrari, but the 550 and 575 are much more raw by comparison. The 612 will feel like a luxury touring car compared to the hard-edged 550 and 575. Plus, the 612's interior is so much more compelling than the 575's - truly light years ahead. My take is that from a driving standpoint, the 612 is the more complete - but not necessarily better - car. 5. Part of this has to do with the vehicle's styling and simply its place as a 2+2, V12, front-engined Ferrari. Prices are falling fast and will continue to fall fast, even where they've already fallen quite a bit. Don't take this as an indicator of the vehicle's abilities, which are simply astounding. 6. No comparison - the 550 and 575 have more of a 'seat of your pants' feel. I only got to drive exotic cars for a few months while employed this summer at a Ferrari dealer. While I will never forget any of my experience in a 575, I will someday soon forget what it's like to run a 612. Its driving experience blends in with a lot of other cars. With that said, it's still enormously capable, unbelievably fast, and possesses razor-sharp handling... but the 575 is the more raucous car. 7. Good luck finding a 6-speed, and then be prepared to lose a ton of money on depreciation. I personally enjoy manual transmissions, but being realistic, an F1 transmission is the only logical choice in a 612. I remember someone on F-chat saying they tried to order a 612 6-speed and were flat rejected by Ferrari. That sort of sums up the manual's place in that car. Good luck! The 612 is a wonderful car, and all told, I'd rather have it than a 575. But, you do give up some of the 575's rowdy charm for a more grown-up, subtle cruiser.
ddemuro-That is a great reply and info.. I have a great deal of time in 575's and 550's..The 612 is an amazing car and great for daily driving and really getting on it.. The real test will be to get some seat time in the 612. The 550/575's and 612 are pretty available but I do agree the 612's are really coming down. Very torn as I hate to give up a 575 for a 612 if the car does not evoke the same passion and excitment. Still pretty torn as it would be nice to have my family join on a drive to Santa Barbara vs going it in 2 cars.
A couple of comments: 1) The 6-speed manual is no longer available on new 612s, and hasn't been for some time (since at least the Sessanta). 2) I wasn't a big fan of the glass roof either, until I actually got mine. Now I like it quite a bit. I was concerned that the car would get too hot, but I didn't find it to be a problem at all. And it really opens up the interior.
I love my 612 for daily/family weekend driver. Mine is manual and love it, less trouble down the road and very limited numbers. They will depriciate a lot, but that's life... Best car I have ever had in terms of driving feel and usability.
