What does it really feel like to own and drive a Ferrari?

Hello,

This may sound a little strange but I would very much like to hear from forum members what it feels like to own and drive a ferrari...
I'm 23 and for as long as I can remember I've spent at least a portion of every day imagining what it would be like to step off public transport/step out of a supermarket/step out of work and cruise off in a flash red ferrari.

It is an amibition of mine to own a ferrari (shallow I know), and one of the driving forces behind that ambition is the swagger and status that I presume goes hand in hand with having one. I hope I'm not judged harshly on that comment.

Do you get a sense that people are impressed as you step in/out of your sports car?
Do people generally responsd positively when they realise what you drive?
Do the eyes of young women light up...?
Does the thrill of owning a world class car wear off in time?
Is there an overriding fear that you might cause hugely expensive damage to your car with the smallest of errors?
Is there any underlying feeling of guilt that, by virtue of your ferrari, you are more fortunate than the vast, vast majority of those around you?

Many many thanks for your thoughts

 

There is nothing quite like it my friend!

Its a good feeling knowing you own one of the best sports cars ever made!!

Wish you all the best and hope you succeed on your mission to own a Ferrari!! I dreamed of owning one from as far back as I can remember!

I recall telling my Mum when I was 8 yrs old (watching Miami Vice) that I would own a Ferrrai one day and she would laugh at me saying "kids".

Mmmmmmmmm, maybe. Not 100% sure on that one.

Yes, A LOT of people ask questions about the car. They all love it.

Nope, well...........only kids!

NO CHANCE!

Nope, thats what insurance is for.

Not guilty at all. A lot of my friends can afford to buy a Ferrari, but they choose not to.

Thanks for asking, welcome to Ferrari Chat and you take care now.
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

I didn't buy one bc of status or to show off or impress anyone. It was what I wanted. Personal satisfaction is great but I make eye contact with no one while driving or going back and forth to the car. If someone talks to me directly I am more than happy to answer questions and show them the car. I downplay ownership and am generally private about having one.

There is nothing else like it. It doesn't get old.

PS: You're better off hitting the gym than buying a Ferrari if you're looking to pick up females. Most women are turned off by sports cars or they think it's a Corvette.

 

You turn left to go left, and turn right to go right.

It's a car. A much more precise and responsive one than most, but still a car. It goes, it stops, it turns.

It's a little short on cargo space.
Don't carry ice cream back by the engine.

Depending where you live, most Ferraris aren't all that "special". Since the '70s, they're pretty much a mass production car.
They made over 10,000 328s. That's a larger run than the ST-165 Toyota (GT-Four) WRC homologation car I owned.

And rarities generally tend to be appreciated only by those who know about rare cars.
The average road zombie couldn't tell a Ferrari from a Mustang, and couldn't tell a Lancia Delta S4 from a Datsun 210.

And the older ones are not easy to drive. You don't look very impressive hunting for a gear in the gated shifter.

If you're looking for cheap "flash", think about a 30 year old Roller, like a Silver Spur.
They're available cheap. (For a reason.)
That would have the opposite effect. Those who know cars would figure you've got a lemon.
But most people would see the Roller grill and think, "rich b*st*rd!".

I found, long ago, that the only people you can impress with a flash car are those whose opinions aren't all that significant to you.
The women who will like you just for your car are women you don't want.

To this day, my old Alfa Spider still gets more attention from females than the Ferrari.
Of course, since Alfa dropped out of the US market back in '94, only the older females now know what an Alfa is.

The thrill of ownership wears off the first time you get a service bill.

The thrill of *driving* one never wears off.

Never drive *any* car to 100% on the street. There are nasty surprises lurking everywhere on public roads -- potholes, pedestrians, etc., etc.

And never track a car you can't afford to rebuild.

Mostly, I get a feeling of frustration that the vast majority of those around me on the roads have no idea how to drive.


A Ferrari is a car for those who enjoy driving *right*. They understand the friction circle, they know about weight transfer and throttle managment, and they want a car that will do what it's told.

But, like a computer, it does what it's told whether it's right or not.
Compared to a Ferrari (or any performance car), most mundane cars have sloppy steering, poor throttle response, etc. --- perfect for people who aren't very accurate on their control inputs.
(If you're paying attention to your cell phone instead of your driving, you don't want a car that will translate every twitch.)

There are those who buy Ferraris for "flash". They don't keep them very long.
(Which is a good thing for those of us who buy them used, when they're cheaper. )

Some buy them as "investments". That generally doesn't work out either.

You buy a Ferrari to drive it. That's the one motivation where you won't be disappointed.

 

All very true. +1

 

I'm 23 and for as long as I can remember I've spent at least a portion of every day imagining what it would be like to step off public transport/step out of a supermarket/step out of work and cruise off in a flash red ferrari.

Have no idea as none of my exotic cars have ever been red!

On a side note the only problem I have encountered is having to differentiate between who you don't want to know and who you don't mind knowing what you drive.

Russell

 

Do you get a sense people are impressed... Most folks, not really. Few folks know what it is... My wife calls it "the white car." She likes the "blue one (914)" better...

Do the eyes of young women light up?... Not really. My wife does ask me though when I plan to drive the thing. My 6 year olds eyes light up though . My 9 year old boys aren't into it...yet...

Does the thrill wear of? Yep... Though it is cool to have one These aren't practical cars. But then niether is a vacation home, a yacht, an airplane, etc

Is there a fear of driving it? Yep. More so a fear of breakdown and trying to find a tow truck. Never happened yet...but I think about it...

Is there a feeling of guilt? Nope. I worked my AZZ off for it...

 

I used to imagine driving a red mondial on the Taconic Parkway back in college.. When I was in my late 20's we approached a Ferrari delaership for webwork and I stood beside this 355 and took a picture beside it "to imagine what it felt like" to call it my own.
Now.. I own my 360, and that feeling is incredible to have what was once a fleeting dream.

I find that "real" people are impressed by you. Your personality, your knowledge, your integrity, the person that you are, and by what *you* bring to the table. Only posers and tools would find you impressive by the car that you drive.

Do people generally respond positively when they realise what you drive? Here I find everyone wants a ride in it and it is a topic of conversation. Despite the "thousands" made.. Mine is usually the first ferrari people sit in.

Do the eyes of young women light up...? So far only children. I have this car because of the person my wife is.. she only gets that way when she thinks about driving it..

Does the thrill of owning a world class car wear off in time? No.

Roads in any car are a minefield...

When you're thankful for any good fortune life brings to you this always enters your thoughts.. Many people make silly decisions, and prioritize their life in ways that do not result in advancement and wealth. My 360 is a toy that I am able to enjoy. I don't do drugs, gamble, frequent places of ill repute.. and as a result *whoa* I have money available for a nice car to enjoy. Other people live their lives as they do.

 

Hi SpearChew!! Welcome to FChat.

I wanted a Ferrari since I was around 9 years old. I absolutely LOVED them. If I saw a Ferrari on any given day it was a "Great Ferrari Day." If I saw two or more the day was simply spectacular!!! As I got older I ended up choosing a profession that would not likely lead me to Ferrari Ownership. I learned to manage my money and at the age of 39 bought my Metallic Black 308. I always thought it would be red, but the black has been spectacular and unusual. My point being - stick to your dreams - never give up.

I dont think that people are impressed with me when they see me getting out of the car - they are impressed with the car though.

Most people dont tend to believe that I really own a Ferrari until they see it in person. I have even been to car shows where other owners didn't beleive it was a real Ferrari. They thought it was a kit car complete with Ferrari badging on the engine.

Most young women dont care. My wife is 15 years younger than I am and her reaction when she saw it the first time in the driveway was, "Is THAT it??"

The Thrill NEVER has worn off for me. I love every moment of it.

Yes, I am always a bit afraid that I am going to do something stupid and mess the car up.

I do realize that I am fortunate in owning a Ferrari, but at the same time I try to share that joy of the car by showing it to others, offering drives, etc.... I think thats part of what I should do as an owner to keep the dream alive for people like you.




PDG

 

No, not with me; with the car only a little. After a while, you simply have to come to grips with the notion that "its just a car". If you do not, you will only have a Ferrari pass through your life rather than being part of your life.

People respond positively if/when you are open and spend the time involving them in your love affair. People don't really care that its a Ferrari, as much as they care that you care; not just about the car, but about them desiring to know about the car.

If this is your motivation, you are saddly informed. Some do, mainly the ones you don't want hanging around (i.e. high maintanence ones).

Thrill, yes, probably. Desire and passion, no, desidely not. This goes back to the "its just a car" I mentionied earlier. It is the passion that keeps you enraptured to wax and polish the car weekly, feed and clean the leather monthly, and keep the car in concourse d'elegance condition at all times.

Well, lets see, 5,000 track miles, 3 spins, 2 off road excursions, able to hang the tail out 15 dgrees without loosing control:: I'd say no.

A little, but I basically root for the underdog most of the time anyways.

 

Ditto...nicely worded

 

This is very much the same way I see and play it

 

"I don't do drugs, gamble, frequent places of ill repute.. and as a result *whoa* I have money available for a nice car to enjoy."

I do all those things and I still have enough money for Ferraris... ;-)

 

My wife and her friends call it my midlife crisis and their husbands all want to go for a ride. I live on a block with 4 911's, more BMW/Benz/Lexus/Rover's than leaves on the trees but Im the only one with a Ferrari and people stop to talk or go for a ride all the time. It always draws looks (keep in mind some are bad looks). I think that if you have swagger because of it you look like a fool. I try and always be humble and try and underplay the car. For me getting the car was a dream come try.

 

You would think that after having 4 of them and driving them for 25 years you would get used to it. You might think it becomes "old hat". But, it doesn't. I still get the thrill.

Do chicks dig them? Simple answer: NO. In fact, I think it's a negative. Want to impress a female with your car? Buy a Mercedes. Why? They can imagine themselves driving it after the divorce.

Do people get impressed with it? Yes and No. Some appreciate it, others don't give a damn and for others (luckily rarely) it's a negative.

So, what's the big deal? The driving experience. Getting in it, starting it, and driving it are so unique from your common everyday car it just brings a thrill. In our normal humdrum lives where everything is a cold and impersonal "Ithis" and "Ithat", it's nice to get something emotional, responsive, violent and -- dare I say -- decadent.

It's my guilty pleasure that I don't feel guilty in owning.

No matter if it's a 308GT4 or a 458 Italia or a 250 California -- it's the driving experience that most will say when driving one "wow... now I understand why you like Ferrari's!"

 

Lol lol lol.

 

I enjoy the daylights out of my Ferrari. Driving it is exciting without having to ring it out. I'm to the point where when I look in the rear view mirror for traffic, I also look to see if I'm on fire. Yeah, I had one of those too.

The car gathers a lot of attention so you need to have extra time to answer questions if you are going to stop somewhere on your travels.

Seems like there's always a teenager around who wants to play in order to get you to goose it. Where I live it's usually a Dodge Pickup.

There's always something that could be done to it. If nothing else clean the wheels.

The car definately has a soul, if any machine has one.

 

.... It's something a little like this....

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_S7AyiVfNdA[/ame]

 

Very well put. Thanks for setting us straight. We all have our own love affair with our Ferraris.

 

I will answer your questions one at a time..

 

I will answer your questions one at a time..

 

I've always wanted a Ferrari, not to be flashy, but to be a part of the Ferrari family. to me its like owning an original - Monet or daVinci... it's a small niche group of people who like Racing - F-1 for me and cars. I've always been a Ferrari F-1 team fan, and so this is my ultimate support for them! I treasure my Enzo autograph and correspondnance MORE than the car, but to me its like being part of the world champion team.

As for the rest:

1. Girls hate the car... un comfortable, no big mirror, A/C is just ok, loud, messes up the hair with no top etc...
2. Only Little boys look at you.... as my wife says every male in the world's head turns to see you when you go by... so its not a chick magnet...that is hollywood.
3. It is expensive to maintain, but it is just a car.... I just drive - which is fun to do.
4. I have no idea if people are impressed or not.... but it is an instant conversation starter.. and you can separate the real gear heads from the fake flakes fast!

The best thing I like about the car is that it has alowed me to meet tons of like minded people - here in Atlanta we have a great group of people who I consider friends that i would have never met otherwise.

If you want a Ferrar because you think you will look cool.... that will last for about a month or so... once you hit reality - cost, pain to use, etc... you have to be an enthusiast to enjoy.

that's why there are so many new cars that are 3-5 yrs old with only a couple thousand miles on them... its not for everybody. its like wine... its an acquired taste.

 

Do you get a sense that people are impressed as you step in/out of your sports car?
I (like others here) didn't buy it to impress anyone, I bought one because I wanted one. I personally don't care what someone else would think.

Do people generally responsd positively when they realise what you drive?
For the most part. Every once in a while someone will think you are snob. However, if the car hasn't changed you...

Do the eyes of young women light up...?
Ahh...no

Does the thrill of owning a world class car wear off in time?
Ahh...no. Previously I had a 71SS Camaro and that wore off. I've had my Ferrari for 10+ years and still look forward to driving it each week.

Is there an overriding fear that you might cause hugely expensive damage to your car with the smallest of errors?
You know...its a car and its insured.

Is there any underlying feeling of guilt that, by virtue of your ferrari, you are more fortunate than the vast, vast majority of those around you?
I've worked hard just anyone else has the ability to do. I saved and saved and finally was able to purchase what I wanted.

 

Sorry, when I first read this post I thought it was a troll.
I just can't help myself, so here are my childish responses:

Do you get a sense that people are impressed as you step in/out of your sports car?
>>> Yes indeed. Since I have a small penis I need something to impress people when I get into and out of my car. The Ferrari really pays dividends here.

Do people generally responsd positively when they realise what you drive?
>>> Yep. I find that women, in particular, want me to autograph their breasts.

Do the eyes of young women light up...?
>>> Not just their eyes, but their most intimate of body parts as well.

Does the thrill of owning a world class car wear off in time?
>>> Yes. Which is why I buy a new Ferrari every 3 months or 50 miles. Whichever comes first.

Is there an overriding fear that you might cause hugely expensive damage to your car with the smallest of errors?
>>> No, not really. It just means that I get to have a new Ferrari sooner than I normally would. See answer to previous question.

Is there any underlying feeling of guilt that, by virtue of your ferrari, you are more fortunate than the vast, vast majority of those around you?
>>> No guilt at all. I feel that I am better in every way than most people around me. Given my large inheritance, I really tend to look down on people with less money than me.

And now for the real responses:

Do you get a sense that people are impressed as you step in/out of your sports car?
Do people generally responsd positively when they realise what you drive?
Do the eyes of young women light up...?
>>> I actually take delivery of my 355 today. So I will report back when I have some experience. However, I hope people don't respond at all. I am introverted and really don't like to draw attention to myself but have wanted a Ferrari since I was a young boy.

Does the thrill of owning a world class car wear off in time?
>>> I own a couple of other nice cars and the thrill of driving those cars never wears off. So I don't think owning a Ferrari will be any different. I suspect the Ferrari will be the most spectacular drive of all.

Is there an overriding fear that you might cause hugely expensive damage to your car with the smallest of errors?
>>> No, not really. I am a track rat with a dedicated track car and think I have above average driving ability compared with most of the block heads driving on the street. I can correct errors and unless I drive the Ferrari like an idiot, I don't anticipate making any costly mistakes.

Is there any underlying feeling of guilt that, by virtue of your ferrari, you are more fortunate than the vast, vast majority of those around you?
>>> Not at all. I have worked my A$$ off since I was a kid. I sacrificed my 20s and 30s in the hopes that as I reached the age where I am at now (49), I won't have to worry about retirement and I would be able to have my fun then. In essence, I payed early so I could play late.

Cheers.

 

I guess if having a flashy car is your goal, a "Magnum red" Ferrari will get the job done. I bought black (metallic) because I loved the car (328) but didn't want the attention.

I never had a problem with the "flaunting wealth" perception, maybe because I live in San Diego and there are a lot of $100K Mercs, BMWs, etc. on the roads. A Ferrari here is a nice ride, but it's not going to change anyone's day (unless it's a classic, in which case you almost never see one on the road).

As others posted, women don't really care in general. Young guys always asked questions about it.

While I always enjoyed driving it, at some point I accepted it as a car and the "OMG it's a Ferrari!!" attitude went away. With the newer models, they are actually a lot more "normal" and I find it hard to sustain much excitement about them -- I think the Porsche GT3 RS is probably the modern sports car of choice at the moment, although the 458 Italia is a close second.

I still think the 308/328, Daytona, Dino 246 and a few others are very beautiful cars, but if you're just in love with the badge then yes, that wears off.

I would say you should own a Ferrari two-seater at some point, because they do feel different than German cars, and every car guy needs to experience it. Just don't expect a perfect car or a life-changing event.