Ferrari Buying advice?

[Jumpingjackflash]

Good Afternoon,

I also started a similar post for V12's because I didn't realise Ferrari's would be separated in the forum.

I was fortunate enough to see a private collection of Ferrari's on Sunday and it has really has made me want to buy my first Ferrari. Therefore the homework starts now.

I am not interested in insurance costs, depreciation and fuel cost etc because if they concern you then I don't think you should be buying a Ferrari.

I would like to now about service intervals, known issues, problems that WILL go wrong etc?

I am looking at 355, 360 and 430 manual's.

I read that 355's are really expensive to keep Tip Top condition.

Any advice and information would be great appreciated at this point?

[johnnyreggae]

PH have done some good buyers guides there are more at walkersport

Decide what you want (all six you mentioned are very different) read more look at some try some post some

Almost all are annual oil change with a more serious service every 2-5 years according to model

Oh and don't rule out F1 gearbox on the newer models until you've tried it

Edited by johnnyreggae on Monday 20th March 19:27

Edited by johnnyreggae on Monday 20th March 19:27

[Jumpingjackflash]

Thank you,

Walker Sport website and their Links were very helpful and also confirmed my fears about the F355.

I fancied a F355 because that was my favourite car in High School but I may have to look for something else.

[davek_964]

Walkersport is also a good place to buy from if they have what you want. Highly recommended.

The idea that you don't need to worry about depreciation because if you do, then you can't really afford this kind of car is a brave statement - particularly considering that prices have gone very high in the last few years. I bought my 360 about 3.5 years ago - and if I advertised it now for what I paid, I am confident it would be sold by this evening. Nobody can predict the future, but if prices returned to roughly what they were 3 years ago, you would lose ~£20-30k on a 360 which is a sizeable chunk of money.

In any case, nothing particularly has gone wrong with mine in that time and I'm not aware of any serious known problems with 360s. I think 430s have a few issues (manifolds?) to look out for. Ferrari definitely do have something - fabulous cars to drive.

[Yipper]

Older (and some newer) Ferraris breakdown a lot. Manifolds, suspension, electronics, etc. etc. Be prepared for a lot of maintenance and make sure you befriend a local, respected, indy garage.

[griff7]

Jumpingjackflash said:

Thank you,

Walker Sport website and their Links were very helpful and also confirmed my fears about the F355.

I fancied a F355 because that was my favourite car in High School but I may have to look for something else.

I think the 355 is a beautiful looking car but the prices have climbed very high for a good one.I have been looking for one for a while but have not found the right car yet but not really in a huge rush either.There are also some parts that you just can't get anymore and people are paying a lot of money for used parts that may work for a while but then you are back to square one.

[davek_964]

Yipper said:

Older (and some newer) Ferraris breakdown a lot. Manifolds, suspension, electronics, etc. etc. Be prepared for a lot of maintenance and make sure you befriend a local, respected, indy garage.

That idea stopped me getting a Ferrari for quite a while. But in fact, my 348 proved to be much more reliable than I expected - it was old enough (~20 years) that it often needed something sorting out, but almost always minor. The most serious failure I had was the compressor failing I think which isn't really anything that doesn't happen on a "normal" car.

My 360 has been very reliable and although I'm sure things can / do break I trust it as much as anything else I've owned. Cars like this can certainly have some big bills sometimes no doubt - but I don't think they're as fragile as the stereotypical view would have you believe.

[Yipper]

davek_964 said:

Yipper said:

Older (and some newer) Ferraris breakdown a lot. Manifolds, suspension, electronics, etc. etc. Be prepared for a lot of maintenance and make sure you befriend a local, respected, indy garage.

That idea stopped me getting a Ferrari for quite a while. But in fact, my 348 proved to be much more reliable than I expected - it was old enough (~20 years) that it often needed something sorting out, but almost always minor. The most serious failure I had was the compressor failing I think which isn't really anything that doesn't happen on a "normal" car.

My 360 has been very reliable and although I'm sure things can / do break I trust it as much as anything else I've owned. Cars like this can certainly have some big bills sometimes no doubt - but I don't think they're as fragile as the stereotypical view would have you believe.

Not every car ever made breaks down, of course. But there is no doubt older (and some newer) Ferraris have a bad habit of being a pain. A neighbour has a 1980s 308 that spends ~80% of its time being fixed and ~20% being driven. Where I store a car, the guy next to it stores a 1990s F50 that always seems to have some suspension glitch going on. Next to that, there is a 2000s F430 that has neverending problems with the manifold. And a colleague at work has a 2010s 488 that he left at the airport for ~4 days while he flew with his wife on a long weekend, came back to a flat battery and haywire electronics, only to end up arguing with Ferrari about the repair bill who insisted he'd invalidated the warranty by letting the battery go flat (after just 4 days without a trickle charger).

[Mike Brown]

Had my 360 manual 4 years or so and it's never missed a beat, great cars I reckon

[theRossatron]

Mike Brown said:

Had my 360 manual 4 years or so and it's never missed a beat, great cars I reckon

Likewise I've had my 355 for 6.5 years and have never had it breakdown. Worst thing I had was leaking fuel from the top of the tank due a perished seal.

[Jumpingjackflash]

I currently own a Aston Db9 manual, 996 turbo manual and RR Silver Spirt. I used to own an NSX. I don't mind paying for servicing and wear and tear etc but I really can't stomach the thought of paying for an engine out for a timing belt. As I said I am starting to do my homework and will work out what Fezza is best for me.

[davek_964]

Jumpingjackflash said:

I currently own a Aston Db9 manual, 996 turbo manual and RR Silver Spirt. I used to own an NSX. I don't mind paying for servicing and wear and tear etc but I really can't stomach the thought of paying for an engine out for a timing belt. As I said I am starting to do my homework and will work out what Fezza is best for me.

If I remember correctly, engine out timing belt change was about £1500 on the 348 every 3 years compared to about £750 for an annual (Indy prices).

Compared to general running costs and your comments about ignoring depreciation etc that seems an odd thing to be that bothered about. Particularly since cars of that age will inevitably benefit from having additional stuff done which may only be noticed with the engine out anyway.

[mike01606]

davek_964 said:

That idea stopped me getting a Ferrari for quite a while. But in fact, my 348 proved to be much more reliable than I expected - it was old enough (~20 years) that it often needed something sorting out, but almost always minor. The most serious failure I had was the compressor failing I think which isn't really anything that doesn't happen on a "normal" car.

My 360 has been very reliable and although I'm sure things can / do break I trust it as much as anything else I've owned. Cars like this can certainly have some big bills sometimes no doubt - but I don't think they're as fragile as the stereotypical view would have you believe.

^^This^^
360 F1, 5 years, no real issues, certainly no breakdowns.

People don't generally go on forums to say how reliable their car is.....Apart from threads like this!

[100 IAN]

Ferrari's up to and including the F355 need to have their engines taken out to replace the cambelts every 3 years.

The cambelts on 360's can be changed without needing to remove the engine, so 3 yearly cambelt service costs are lower.

F430's (and subsequent models) have chains and not belts so there isn't the 'big' 3 yearly service bill.

Having said all of the above, buy the one you desire the most as if saving a few quid is your aim buy a KIA.

[F355GTS]

mike01606 said:

^^This^^
360 F1, 5 years, no real issues, certainly no breakdowns.

People don't generally go on forums to say how reliable their car is.....Apart from threads like this!

Agreed Mike, I've done over 140k Ferrari miles in the last 20 Years, both V8's and V12's and only had a few niggles, one failure and no breakdowns as in failed to get home - for Years I've read stories of how unreliable Ferraris are but it's not my experience

[Durzel]

If you go in with your eyes open and do plenty of research you should be fine.

As with any used car you should go in remembering that they were once £100k+ cars. They don't suddenly cost buttons to run or repair because they are dipping into more sensible car territory.

[rubystone]

Yipper said:

Not every car ever made breaks down, of course. But there is no doubt older (and some newer) Ferraris have a bad habit of being a pain. A neighbour has a 1980s 308 that spends ~80% of its time being fixed and ~20% being driven. Where I store a car, the guy next to it stores a 1990s F50 that always seems to have some suspension glitch going on. Next to that, there is a 2000s F430 that has neverending problems with the manifold. And a colleague at work has a 2010s 488 that he left at the airport for ~4 days while he flew with his wife on a long weekend, came back to a flat battery and haywire electronics, only to end up arguing with Ferrari about the repair bill who insisted he'd invalidated the warranty by letting the battery go flat (after just 4 days without a trickle charger).

I guess I've just been lucky then?....

[Camlet]

rubystone said:

Yipper said:

Not every car ever made breaks down, of course. But there is no doubt older (and some newer) Ferraris have a bad habit of being a pain. A neighbour has a 1980s 308 that spends ~80% of its time being fixed and ~20% being driven. Where I store a car, the guy next to it stores a 1990s F50 that always seems to have some suspension glitch going on. Next to that, there is a 2000s F430 that has neverending problems with the manifold. And a colleague at work has a 2010s 488 that he left at the airport for ~4 days while he flew with his wife on a long weekend, came back to a flat battery and haywire electronics, only to end up arguing with Ferrari about the repair bill who insisted he'd invalidated the warranty by letting the battery go flat (after just 4 days without a trickle charger).

I guess I've just been lucky then?....

I must be lucky too. I've several Ferrari, including some earlier models. With regular servicing none have missed a beat. Per the F50, if your friend left the front lift in the raised position and switched off, hey may well have had problems when he returned to it weeks later.

[anonymous-user]

Yipper said:

And a colleague at work has a 2010s 488 that he left at the airport for ~4 days while he flew with his wife on a long weekend, came back to a flat battery and haywire electronics, only to end up arguing with Ferrari about the repair bill who insisted he'd invalidated the warranty by letting the battery go flat (after just 4 days without a trickle charger).

You made that up right? Which dealer?

[Durzel]

I've had electrical gremlins on a 458 after a few days off trickle charge to be honest, including a terrifying "engine failure" message, but not a completely flat battery. That has to be nonsense about the warranty though, no offence.