You gotta be kidding me!

Man. Now this was a vent thread. Whew!

Another way you could look at it is this. The more you fire it up and drive it the better off it'll be. I know my 308 is much happier when driven regularly.

Just a thought to ease the sting.

Dane

 

So what was the cost of the service that got you in such a tizzy?
I mean after owning 72 cars, you had to have some clue, right?

 

So did you just take you car in and say, perform a 30k service on it?

Just wondering, because your owners manual does not show a 30k service.

The service at 31,250 miles is the following....

Replace engine oil
Check gearbox and differential oil level
Check battery connections and charge
Check brake fluid and clutch
Check brake wear, pads and rotors
Check belt tension, alternator, waterpump, A/C
Change air filter
Check spark plugs, rotors, ignition connections, & replace if necessary
Check timing belts for wear and condition
Replace fuel filter
Check air/fuel mixture
Check steering rack, rod ends, drive shafts, lube
Check and lube hinges, bonnet, engine, doors
Check frame structure and body panels.

What did you have them do?

 

wow. no wonder you are angry. i would be too. if you have any mechanical skills at all, perhaps next time you can do some of the service work yourself, and learn some new tricks on ferrari's in the process.

i cannot fathom why the a/c comp was so much/ NAPA sells them for less than $300 and several small shops around here said they can rebuild mine if i ever care to fix the a/c in the Dino or the GTB. take her out, fill the tank and flog her all afternoon. make her pay you back in smiles.

 

250 for a distributer cap wasn't that bad must have been aftermarket. Now if you wanna talk expensive lets talk about my $800 alternator for my 348 that I must assume Tiffany & Co. is fashioning out of platinum for me.

 

Frank, ? you cant get a local shop to rebuild it? are the new ones propietary to Ferrari? seems everything is AC DELCO "something" and fixable.

sheesh, another reason to keep the old carb cars........

 

Sounds like someone hasn't priced Mercedes Benz parts lately...

 

sell it, i ll give ya 8500 cash.

 

That sounds like a TR 30k mile service! I guess this is why I am scared of buying an Fcar. The biggest bill I have ever plunked down for a car has been $1400. You have a right to be mad.

 

Took it to get rebuilt we had a hell of a time getting a voltage regulator even the Nippondenso plant in TN wouldn't sell a regulator I finall found a cross reference number in UK but they wouldn't sell to the US so we matched that number up here, it worked for 5 minutes I got tired of playing around with it after 2 weeks and just ordered a new one. I know people claim to have had them rebuilt tso there must be a way.

 

You're furthering the case I'm pointing out! Don't those types of prices just send you through the roof??? Afer all, it's an ALTERNATOR, not an engine block![/QUOTE]


But it's platinum isn't it . Yes it's rediculus but I didn't buy it because parts were reasonable. I bought it because I wanted it and could afford it . Priced right and reliable never entered into the equation.

 

It's a BOSCH alternator, on mine....

Magneti Marelli disributors are $800, NOS....so a cap at $300 is about right.
Reoriginals in Houston has them......avoid the 8 cyl Euro version! Unless you already own one!

Don't really have much to add.........there's a good reason they sell so many Corvettes! LOL!

"And just remember, Al.......when you hear a funny noise, you'd better bring it in, 'cuz when I tell you what it's gonna cost, it won't be funny anymore......."

A certain experienced local Fcar technician, who shall remain nameless.......

 

I've gotten to the point that I almost enjoy the challenge of finding parts off ebay and such that Ferrari would have you think were made with platinum or some other sort of precious metal. It is ridiculous that service parts that are interchangable with many different cars (fuel pump comes to mind) are so blatantly expensive.

 

I have often wondered the same thing parts are parts. I knew what I was getting into so the only person Im upset at is "me". I have a 91 348ts, w/ 33k. Now I'm in the need for the head light switch that's in the colume. I did a search and got only one reply and the price was $856.00 usd. It's a gawd *amn head light switch. I had the 30k done about 400 miles ago and it was about the same price 7k, I had to replace the water pump at a cost of $800.00. So $7800.00 and some change. WTF its is a glorified Fiat!!! I also in need of a rear wheel bearing, what the *uck thats going to cost. All I have to say is
1991 348ts for sale . . . cheap!

 

Sorry, but everytime I walk into my BMW or Mercedes dealer, I'm equally stunned at parts prices. I don't think either the 7 (e38) or "E" (W210) ever cost less than $1000 when they were in for service -- regardless of what was wrong.


I'm in the damn business, and I can tell you, the margin ISN'T being made at my end of the supply chain.

 

I started losing faith in Ferrari when the local dealer up the price for head gaskets to $450, EACH. Used to be a "reasonable" $220/ea. It blows, you have to search the country to get parts b/c some ******* at FNA decided to do a part number update and reassess prices.

I just finished rebuilding my jeep's engine, went to the local parts store and picked up a head gasket for ~$40, it's similar to new 308s construction wise (built in o-rings, etc.). Granted it came in a no-frills Felpro cardboard box vs. the hologram covered El-ring packaging. I guess the hologram justifies an 800% markup. And keep in mind the jeep has 6 cylinders vs. the 308s 4/bank, and it only needs one gasket vs. the Fcars 2. I know supply and demand, but WTF?

I think the only way to enjoy it is just do everything right the first time and then drive it. Working on it will only make you frustrated when dealing with FNA and the dealerships.

 

When I first got my 308 and was intimidated by working on it myself I took it in to an independent have a tune-up and the clutch done. $4k later the clutch/flywheel was replaced and the car still ran poorly. (In other words, I was raped). I had to learn how to synch carbs so I could make the car run right. I learned right then that the only way I could afford to continue to own a Ferrari would be to learn to service it myself. I bought a lift for my garage and never looked back. Now I'm so nuts that I have two of them and they are only worked on by me. When I search for parts I'm CHEAP and I hunt around! The minute someone says "$300 distributor cap times 2" I say "Electromotive ignition!"

Birdman

 

Birdman,

What type of lift did you buy? A link would be great as well. Thanks!

Dane

 

Maybe, but I've had BMW, Benz and Porsche and the car would have had to have been in dire straits to need a $7K trip to the dealer. And they didn't break particularly often (except the BMW went through power window switches left and right ... than left again - under warranty, thankfully.)

I can't imagine what's so unique about a 348 alternator that it would cost $800. But I'm not a mechanic by any stretch, so I could be wrong.

 

You have to get away from the OEM price structure if you can.......thankfully, after rebuilding distributors ONCE they were trouble free.

Then to make up for the peace and quiet, we bought a SECOND Ferrari! LOL!


"No, mom, that's not an EXTRA Ferrari, it's a SPARE Ferrari!"

You gotta really be into the history of the Marque, or it is NOT worth it! IMO.

I drive for Bandini, Fangio, Alboreto, every time I turn the key. Because I am here to do so......and they, sadly, are not!

 

Or three.

These car's aren't for everyone. If you're no longer happy with it, sell it.

I sold my 911 because it was "boring"...