Update on Purchase

SO..... here it goes....... I feel a little screwed again (2nd Ferrari purchase). as in my past post I purchased a 355 spider. Before and during the purchase I was inistant on it having recent service... I was assured by the manager and the sales person that it was just serviced... I said major they said yes. So... when I got my paperwork it said major 10/07. So I asked where is the current. After much malingering I am told oh that was the service and a year and a half is recent. So I keep checking, the oil hasn't been changed since 10,2006. They say well it hasn't been driven much and it still looks good!!!! Then the next day the right turn signal stops working and they say they will fix it but OF COURSE THERE WILL BE A CHARGE!!!! I told them they need to make this right and they are still thinking..... Let me emphasize I was very clear about RECENT service and both the salesperson and the manager said it was. Turns out the only service was tires and brake pads

LET ME KNOW

 

Sorry to hear it.
Buying a previously-owned Ferrari ought to be one of the most fun experiences in life. Yet, sometimes it isn't.
Obviously something like a turn signal can go out at any time. But it isn't a good sign so soon after buying it.
Hopefully the car dealer will make things right. Good luck.

 

Let me emphasize , purposely purchased from a Ferrari dealer to avoid as I was told"the broker screw overs". The turn signal did not work as I drove away. Stopped told the salesperson, he said no problem. Now its well see what wrong

 

A 10/07 major service is current. Its next timing belt service would be due 10/10, based on normal miles driven in a Ferrari. Oil is always changed with a major service.

I would be surprised if the salesperson didn't take care of your turn signal issue. Which dealer is this? (Is it in Florida?)

 

Yes a year and a half ago is relatively recent but I was told it was done recently as in March;however it turns out this was just tires and breaks.... I would have not paid as much if I had known the service was already a year and a half into its life, I was clear ,direct and to the point about this... this is more of an honor thing... I asked and I was promised that it was just completed, not a year and a half ago and I don't prefer to go this was but a verbal contract is a contract...The owner has 20 million dollars in collector ferraris in the showroom so I am surprised at their lack of attention to a few thousand dollars. It may be a low purchse now but they are going to be losing a 430 customer in 3 years when my alimony stops!!!!!LOL

 

one more example of why if it's good to get assurances, it's gooder to get 'em in writing.

Or, possibly have a tape recorder going during discussions. Dictations gadgets are available that easily
fit into a shirt pocket.

A 'discussion' with the dealer involved, that includes Fchat awareness, might be productive.

 

Maybe, but is any of the $20m -his- money?? Displays are nice, but not always what they seem.

 

Sorry to hear about your experience with Ferrari of Tampa. Was excited when I visited them recently and thought they were going to be a top notch dealership. Let them know you are active on F Chat and your recent posts are beginning to generate some interest. If they are not credible I will personally service at Reeves when I return to Fl.. Reeves a Porche dealership has serviced many of a Ferrari for years and helped me out many times when I lived in Fl. with honest personable service. Also C 2 Design is good. I wouldn't waiste too much time with the salesperson , go quickly, to the top and tell them what you expect. You bought a quality car and you expect service to reflect such. Don't care if the turn signal broke after delivery, it broke period, at or shortly after delivery. --Fix it! As to major service ,tech. they are correct that it is current, but they are deceptive in their wording. Lack of integrity= shotty=stay away! Good luck, hope all goes well, drop a line as to outcome!
Docf

 

Oil change should be easy to keep a paying customer happy.

I'm just not feeling the love in this deal.

 

...sorry to rain on your parade a little bit, but a 'verbal' contract is practically worthless. Unless there was an independant witness to the conversation, no judge would find on the basis of 'he said/you said'. The sad truth is that dealers are just crooks with better suits. I live in Phoenix....let's just say that nothing you say surprises me.

 

You didn't look at the service records until after you bought the car?

The word "recent" is obviously 100% subjective.

As suggested by some others on this thread, you simply don't take car salesmen at their word.

Hopefully you're able to resolve some of your issues and the car is so good that you'll be able to easily put the buying experience behind you.

 

When I bought my 355 F1 GTS from Ferrari of Washington in Oct 2007 the salesman went to the service department, pulled the very thick service folder, handed it to me, found me a comfortable chair, walked away and let me go through for it as long as I wanted to. Then he got the service manager to answer the few questions I had, and I knew exactly what had and had not been done to the car.

In your case, if the salesman did not offer to show you the service records, then you should have requested and insisted on seeing them. Both of you fell short of doing "due diligence".

 

I have bought many , many cars , not very many used and I must say what hppened to you was a very exceptual purchase. You obviously had met a salesperson with exceptional integrety. a quality not found much today. It's a point well taken, however for most buying a Ferrari is a passionate decision and logic goes out the window. I know it was for me 5 times and thank God I was never screwed on a Ferrari purchase.
Docf

 

Sorry to hear what happened. You would think that in this economy the dealers would take care of all customers and not piss them off. You may have done this already, but if not you may want to look at all the records to see what has been done and what hasn't.

 

Ok last post on this, I looked up on their website: ad for car says "fresh major service" does this imply 1 1/2 years ago or am I being ignorant to assume that fresh means very recent? Sorry once again just a trusting midwest guy... but never again...

 

I would of assume it was done just recently as in about a month ago, i hope they take care of you, they better!

 

As we found out with a recent President, words as simple as "is" can have different meanings to different people. Same goes for "fresh" and "major".

Always, always ask for written proof of car salesmen statements about major services that show dates and exactly what was done. Oh, and it must be obvious now that the time to examine these papers is before the money changes hands.

Your best strategy now is to be politely but annoyingly insistent on getting what you want, the turn signals fixed and maybe a free oil change.

Your "major" service has depleted by 30% out of a 5 year interval but I doubt that you will get much return on that claim. 30% of a major service is $1,500 out of a $5,000 cost and that $1,500 is not a big percentage of the cost that you are likely to have paid for the car. It's not fun but swallow that and move on with your life. You probably negotiated far more than that difference off the asking price anyway, didn't you?

 

It's open to interpretation. It probably doesn't mean 10 years ago, and it probably doesn't mean last week. But who knows.

As a second time Ferrari owner, you might have asked to see the paperwork before buying the car. I had the selling dealer on my mine fax out the most recent timing belt service receipts for my 328 before I bought it. I looked them over, figured out what had been done when, and made an offer.

 

you need to see ALL the tools, records

You also need to get ALL the sellers promises in writing

and of course a PPI by an independent mechanic