Why so much Cali hate?

Ok, after much deliberation I've decided the Cali is not for me. I had earlier posts suggesting i was thinking about it, and I recently saw one in person as an "event" at the local dealership.

My wife says the only way we'd get one is if it is IN ADDITION to the 430. She (rightfully) suggests we'd be disappointed if we sold the 430 and got one. She also thinks it's just not gnarly enough. She love the 430.
Other friends who were at the event feel the same way. We've all concluded if the Cali were priced closer to 150 or so, closer to the top end SL or Porsche Turbo, etc. it might be a good second Ferrari to have. Otherwise no go.

So.....i'm NOT putting in an order.

 

1000 x 0 = X, solve for X.

 

yep...the 308 is a jewel! all the best of a 246 and a boxer and a perfect driving environment! add the euro air dam and it is one of THE sexiest cars on the planet!

the 328 is lovely too and the $20k comment was a bit out of line a bit of a sweeping comment. a seriously well preserved 308 or 328 won't be had for for that number...certainly not my 10k mile gtb qv that i have owned for 9 yrs. bullfighters 328 would not trade for a penny less than $50k if not more? at the end of the day, pretty cars will always garner more interest from me. am i alone here?

just my defense of the "ferrari badged" 3x8 series of cars.

 

Wow -- respect for your wife. Does she have a twin in San Diego?

 

Nope. Drove my 8 between rain showers, and enjoyed the drive.

 

Very interesting! Thanks for posting!

May I ask you how you would you compare the driving experience to that offered by your 599?

Also, I remember reading somewhere that you might (or will) get the Cali. Would it be to replace the 599? What does it have that your selection of cars (the 599 in particular) doesn't offer already?

Forgive me for all these questions, but your car history and the passion you display on this forum makes your prospective extremely interesting IMO.

Thanks in advance.

 

The California is a true purpose built daily driver. It has all of the elements I require in a car to be used as primary transportation. In light of the current economic conditions it would make perfect sense to trade a 599 for the Cali - new car with warranty, convertible and in the real world of street driving, no performance penalty at all. It has a real trunk, a navigation system that really works, a passable stereo (I only listen to Sat radio) and even a cupholder for my coffee in the morning on the way to the office. The clincher for me is the transmission. It is absolutely flawless in Auto mode and and is thrilling in Paddle mode.

I understand that all of these elements are precisely why many Ferrari fans cringe. This is not your trophy Ferrari, and I think that it is a travesty that so many Ferraris, owned by a multitude of FChat members, are never driven for more than a few miles a month - but I'm sure they are kept spotless and maintained for the next anal retentive owner. If anyone buys a Cali I hope it's because of its driving characteristics as a great GT/daily use car and not because it's a Ferrari.

 

no way in hell

even if you avidly hate the car, that won't happen

 

I think you make some really good points here. However, the fact is that if you drive your Ferrari more than maybe 2500 miles a year your are severely penalized in terms of resale value. Besides, the dealer services will cost you an arm and a leg on the way to racking up those miles.

It's hard to say if the CA will break the mold. Seems like if you put 10,000 miles on one the first year you have it and then sell it that will cost you a lot. Maybe 35K? 50K?

Ferrari needs to get out of this trap, but how?

People don't hate it because it is a daily driver though.

 

Who cares about resale value? This isn't dress rehearsal, you only live once.

 

Man I've heard it all. Now the reason not to like the California is you will drive it too much. What's the point in owning a Ferrari if you don't drive it? Screw the mileage and enjoy living a little. If you're worried about the resale value, your priorities are in the wrong place.

 

Most of what you say belies this statement.

"tangent reason"? I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you meant "tangible", (and not "tangerine"). You would still be wrong, though.

I think you nailed it.

 

+1

To add, I've never experienced the whole walking-on-eggshell fear of resale value --from a group of rich people who own expensive cars-- since joining Ferrari boards.

You'd think most Ferrari owners have no money by the worry over such a thing. If you lose money on resale because of mileage --then who cares. You're supposed to be wealthy.

 

I think we all here on Fchat value the drive more than the lost $$ of depreciation. We are self selected Ferrari nuts. I put 15,000 miles on a new 360 in 3 years and never looked back. I loved every minute of it. Here we can all say "enjoy today, drive as much as you want", or "damn the miles, who cares?".

But the facts about typical Ferrari owners show a different set of trade-offs. Miles are to be kept low, and the first thing a someone asks when you go to sell your car is "how many miles"?

Again, to the topic of this thread, nobody hates it because it is meant to be driven and nobody is making the argument, "...the reason not to like the California is you will drive it too much." Explicitly the contrary point was made. The question is how will the traditional orientation translate to the whomever is the actual CA demographic? Will Ferrari finally be successful in getting owners to put many more than previously typical miles on their cars?

 

Your seasoned and unbiased opinion is right on the mark, 410SA. Great observations and I concurr, if I may. Gotta see and feel in person before I can make any personal comments. w/ smiles Jimmy

 

Very interesting. Thank you for posting.

Are you trading in your 599 then?

 

Then I would wager that Ferrari has intentionally created a daily-driver, lower maintenance, GT car in the California. Many of the journalists who have driven it concur with that idea and often say it outright.

 

...but what makes the California a better daily driver than a 599 for instance?

-not as expensive to purchase
-double clutch gearbox (is it *that* much better than the 599's superfast in auto mode??)
-smaller and therefore easier to manage in city traffic
-better satnav/entertainment system

Anything else? Is a Cali's maintenance much cheaper/easier than a 599's?

 

Oh, we all agree that this is the intent of Ferrari, to create a daily driver. No wager possible, no one will bet against the obvious!

The point made was will they actually be successful in getting owners to drive them a lot and rack up the miles?

The 612 and 599 are both comfortable enough to be used as daily drivers, but in fact most owners don't seem to.

 

Not a matter of hate. It's all about Ferrari 2+2 depreciation, and nostalgia for the dwindling fleet of nice 308s. Your frame of reference is California MSRP, which is multiples of what a 308 commands. But, we know that MSRP on Ferrari 2+2s flies out the window as soon as the window sticker comes off. Basically, it's irrelevant. Ask the 612 owner who bought his car new a year ago.

What was the original MSRP on the 456 - $200K or so? Marshall Goldman, who prices his cars high, has a pristine low mileage 2000 456 GTA with an asking price of $65K. That's nine years of depreciation, with a little over 1,000 miles a year in use. And an older, average condition 456 recently changed hands in Denver (to an FChat'er) for $39K, which is nice/driver 308 QV territory and less than the nice fibreglass 308 range.

Given all the gadgetry and technology in the California, you can bet on prices softening as the warranty and CPO coverage evaporate, and as the "new Ferrari" halo wears off. Likewise, when the economy recovers, car enthusiasts are going to start shopping for the next classic Ferrari, and by 2019 (or sooner) the 308 will be well into classic status. Those two factors suggest to me that prices will cross, and depending on the economy a decade seems like a reasonable guess.

 

I would think silver would be good color for this car. What did you think of it?

 

He at one time in his "youth" was a carnival worker.

 

That's anyone's guess!

Is a Ferrari in general a car for that? You park in the common parking lot at the mall or supermarket with every other car, and get door dings, dents, etc....

 

Frankly it's nonsensical to talk about any car at $225,000 as a daily driver for just the reasons you stated.

 

I think that "daily driver" is a relative term.

Having a Ferrari as you *only* DD may be problematic...but having it as a secondary DD is reasonable IMO.

For instance, if you're going shopping and you're afraid of door dings (and I can perfectly see why) you might want to take a less "precious" car.

However, if you're going on a business trip or going to work where you know you'll have access to secure parking, why not take the Ferrari if you enjoy it?