Testarossa depreciation

Re: depreciation: would suspect it's at or near bottom. Largely a computer-free driving experience which may be deemed a plus down the road. Design as iconic to the '80's as a big finned Caddy is to the late 50's. As the 80's come back around, and they will (are), so might the TR.

 

Its not a white elephant, but red.

 

I would buy 4 or 5 at that price.

 

Just to entertain your troll post...If they ever did drop to 5K, I woud buy all 3 thousand or so made and according to you have a ton of burgers to grill as well.
Aint gonna happen...

 

Well in monaco there is one for sale, going for 71,000
and that one is a '90. im sure mine has depreciated too, but im planning on keeping it.

 

Re-read his post, he was joking.

 

Don't forget about inflation.... I can see TR's being north of 100k in 20 years.....

At 3% inflation, a $60k TR would be $102k in 18 years. Your average new car might be $50k then - This would push up exotic prices.

You don't really make money as everything is more expensive in 18 years, but I would expect prices to go up.

 

When I mentioned to FoA co-owner Hugh Stewart that I had read about a TR being sold at auction for $35K, he said "...how many do you want for that price..."

 

Why DID they do that?
A few of us guys were at a local car meet this evening and there was an early Testarossa, used to belong to Pete Waterman of Kylie Minogue management fame... as well as a few other dodgy characters... anyway, i digress

... this car had the hi-mount side mirrors, i think it was a £1200 option to have the passenger side one fitted... and it looks so cool. Far better than down at the base of the window. Why oh why didn't they keep them there?

On another point, someone said "as long as you don't drive them into the ground". What does that mean. I want a 512TR and would do around 10k miles a year, including at least one 2000-3000 mile European trip. I presume as long as it is kept serviced and looked after, they will do big miles like any other big engined car?

No point getting one if I can't drive it is there now?

 

I remembered reading somewhere that the mirror was not really intended to be put up so high, but was put there to accomodate a law stating there must be 100% rear visability through that mirror - Due to the huge wheel arches on the rear, it needed to be that high in order to accomodate the law. Once the law was reduced to 80%, the mirror was moved to where it was originally designed.

I like the look of the single, high mirror also. Looks more exotic. That is one plus for the early TR's. I'm not into the single bolt wheels though.

 

In a couple of weeks, I will have owned my black, creme, 92, 512TR for one year.
I purchased this car last year after I somehow managed to flip my 89 328 GTS on July 3rd.
A very sad day indeed!
Anyhow, few broken bones a couple of days later, once I knew the insurance check was coming, I found this car, and fell head over heals for it.
30k miles, it just had the major service, as well as a new clutch, new brakes, new, tires, Borla exhaust, and was in beautiful condition to boot.
So after a little hagling, with the dealer, I bought it.
It was delivered to me and after a few days, that's when all hell broke lose?
Literally after three days of driving the would sputter, backfire, stall, etc.
The check engine light would come on, as well as the cylinder 1-6 / 7-12 lights and the "SLOW DOWN" warning light.
Well, I'll make a long story short, the car went back to the dealer, they checked everything and of course found nothing, but replaced the thermo couplers, checked the cats, ignition coils, etc, etc, etc...
Back it came, and all was good for a few days (hours).
Then the same **** all over again? Send the car back (flatbed #2) again.
Once again they check things, computers, wiring, etc, etc.
Car comes back and with in hours exhibits the same problems again?

No remember the car had been delivered in July, but I have only had it a few days, cause since it's delivery last year, it has been back and forth from the shop for a total of 2 months. (give or take)

Then by the end of August, when the car came back for the third time, it still didn't work.
So I took things into my own hands and among other things I have cleaned re-set and re-seated the Motronics computers and the problem went away....
Or so I thought?
By the time I got the damn thing back it was time to put it away for the season. (I live in the Northeast) So I really didn't get much chance to test it and drive it....

It looked like things were good this year when I took the car out for it's first spin?
Started right up, all systems go, for a few weeks, and then....
The same thing all over again?

Not sure what to do at this point?
I'm about ready to give up.

The two dealers can't seem to figure it out (VERY RESPECTED)

As if half of the engine shutting down randomly wasn't enough, now the blower fan for the air conditioning / heat has now gone out of whack, and as it spins it makes a awful noise, louder then the engine?
So no AC and it was 98 here in New York this week.
And as of a few weeks ago the car no longer likes to start?

So I have had the Starter rebuilt, as well as a new Solenoid...and still I'm under the hood jumping the solenoid everytime I have to start the car.
Oh, did I forget to mention that the horn stopped working, and there is some sort of rattle under the engine that seems to be coming from the exhaust systems heat shield but I can't pinpoint it?

I gotta tell ya, I love this car, when it works its the greatest thrill ride in the world. And boy does it turn heads!
I have been a fan of the 328 and the TR's as long as I can remember, but enough is enough.
I never had a problem with the 328 in the 5 years I owned it.

My deal with the 512TR is a lease purchase, and I cannot get out of the deal for another 20 months, other wise it would probably be gone!

Paul

 

There is 33,000 miles on it now.

As a matter of fack I took the car out today with a buddy of mine
(who just happens to work on Ferraris) drove for about an hour.
No problems...
Parked had lunch, we took about an hour or so, then started the car
(screwdriver on Solenoid) for the ride home, within 30 minutes of driving home the check cylinder 7-12 light came on as well as the slow down light, and of course the car went into convultions?
So we pulled over waited a few minutes and managed to get home without having to go 20 miles an hour for the rest of the ride, but you never know whne or where it's gonna start up?
I'm afraid to take it anywhere.
I give up?

If anyone has any ideas about "ANY" of the problems I mentioned, I can surely use some help.

Thanks
Paul

 

Paul,
Has the fuse box been checked? My TR lost some power and the drivers side radiator fan stopped working after a day of driving with the the Kansas City group. Didn't start as well and initial idle was quite rough, etc. Found the fuse box was partially fried. In reading other posts here, this is not an uncommon problem with the TR series. Apparently this is a weak link. Had it replaced and thethey reinforced the wiring entering and exiting the box. It's running great now. May be woth a check if not already done.

 

Great Idea...
I don't think I've checked the box, maybe they did at the shop but I'm not sure.
Will look at it this week.
Thanks for the info.
Much appreciated

 

It also may be the Lambda sensor from the cats mis-diagnosing an overheat. This is a common problem on 348s and is simply cured by disconnecting it. No need for it if you don't have cats. If you do have cats it may be a new emission system ECU which are about £300 over here.

When I changed my cats for test pipes mine started losing one bank on fairly frequent occassions. Since disconnecting the sensors, not a thing.

 

I haven't thought of that?
Could it be the same circumstance if I still have the physical cats installed, but there is nothing left in them.
Where I live, we need to have them for a visable inspection, but mine have nothing left in them! So could the same thing be true?
Thanks for the heads up.
Paul

 

It's a 2 min job to disconnect them, or it is on the 348s, very easy to see and get to. Just tape or tie the loose end to a strut and give it a try for a few weeks and see what happens. Easy enough to re-connect and, if you don't have any internals in the cats I wouldn't have thought there would be any danger of them overheating anyway, which would make the warning sensors redundant!

If it does the job, get some rubber "heat shrink" hose and seal the connectors. Or just use some insulating tape.