2012 458...5 owners. Too many?

2012 458...5 owners. Too many?

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Discussion

fridaypassion

Original Poster:

9,397 posts

235 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
So I've done a deal on a 458 from a main dealer hopefully for collection this week. Ran a hpi check for curiosity wondered if it had stocking finance in it. It didn't but it does have 5 owners which means 6 when I get it. Now I work in the trade I sell sports cars and in the area I operate in although it would be a talking point it wouldn't hinder a sale. I will keep the car for 2 years and at that point make a decision to either buy a warranty extension or trade in for something like a GT3 which I would also do via a main dealer.

Do I worry about this or not? Ferrari is a new thing to me it's a big purchase for me and I can't afford to make a balls of it!

ANOpax

922 posts

173 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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You haven’t told us which year the car is;

If it’s an early 458 then it’ll be 10 years old. So 5 owners over 10 years is an average holding period of 2 years. Seems to be in line with your intention to hold it for 2 years as the 6th owner...

fridaypassion

Original Poster:

9,397 posts

235 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
2012 17500 miles

swanseaboydan

1,770 posts

170 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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Funnily enough - I’m thinking of px ing my California for a 458 ( both non turbo v8s). When you buy a used Ferrari It’s amazing how many owners they clock up as most buy them to scratch an itch then get something else. As long as it has been serviced by Ferrari group dealers Though it should be ok. The only thing stopping me getting a 448 is the lack of space in the cabin. I’m tall and the California is big and spacious inside as there is no rear engine bay to stop the seats sliding back. Would love to hear how you get on with the 458 though especially if you are over 6 ft tall, cheers, dan

RT964

291 posts

85 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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I wouldn’t worry about it - the number of owners always seems to be high on Ferrari’s (and other similar makes) after a few years. Think this is down to the number of people who only buy these cars for a summer season, and so you can quite quickly rack up the owner numbers.

My car is a 2011 and has 6 previous owners (the first owner only had it for 30 days, so suspect he was a flipper !). Most of the others had the car for 12 months or less and only one of them kept the car for longer than 3 years. It had only done 8875 miles when I bought it, so it’s not as if It had mega usage during any of the ownership periods !

Any pics of your new car ?

andrew

10,090 posts

199 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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if you're not that bothered about driving the thing, then keeping for a couple of years and a couple of thousand miles, then flogging when a service is due or something drops off appears to be commonplace smile

fridaypassion

Original Poster:

9,397 posts

235 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
Cool put my mind at ease a bit as I say not an issue in what I trade in day to day but I have zero idea about the Ferrari market. I'll post pics when I get it don't want to jinx it!

Stickyone

34 posts

54 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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My soon to be delivered Cali T, bought from a Ferrari Main Dealer has 4 previous owners, so I will be the fifth. It’s a 2016 and just 4 years old. This isn’t unique, in fact it seems to be common place for a Ferrari. The previous owner of my Cali had it from Aug 19 to Jun 20. It’s not even a question that seems to be asked, and the dealer has already said they would be keen to have my car back when they entice me into a Portofino/458/488 in the future.

So bottom line, it appears that condition/service history/options list are much more important than number of owners. This is from my perspective anyway.

fridaypassion

Original Poster:

9,397 posts

235 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
Yeah the other thing it will always be chopped in I wouldnt sell the car myself either through the business or privately. My thinking was I'll get my arse handed to me on price regardless!

Taffy66

5,964 posts

109 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
quotequote all
Never turn down a great car just because its had five owners in eight years..This is very typical of 458s and other high end cars like Porsche GT3s/RSs etc..The first owner probably sold it for 'overs' as there was a two year waiting list on 458s and so on..The one problem you might have when you come to sell is some Ferrari main dealers won't retail it themselves such as H R Owen..Most others such as Dick Lovett etc don't have a problem with many owners.

Regy53

282 posts

138 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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most of the cars i looked at was 5 owners also .

There was one ferrari at JCT with one owner but that never really bothered me much it sounded nice but could of been one owner who tracked it from new?

dereksharpuk

179 posts

175 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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fridaypassion said:
So I've done a deal on a 458 from a main dealer hopefully for collection this week. Ran a hpi check for curiosity wondered if it had stocking finance in it. It didn't but it does have 5 owners which means 6 when I get it. Now I work in the trade I sell sports cars and in the area I operate in although it would be a talking point it wouldn't hinder a sale. I will keep the car for 2 years and at that point make a decision to either buy a warranty extension or trade in for something like a GT3 which I would also do via a main dealer.

Do I worry about this or not? Ferrari is a new thing to me it's a big purchase for me and I can't afford to make a balls of it!
Nope. Assuming the car has only been sold thro the Ferrari network, the more the merrier. It will have been restored to new each time. Not so with a private or Indy sale. Then Caviat Emptor rules.

FezSpider

1,067 posts

239 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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Bought my f355 spider 14 years ago with 8 previous owners. 14 years later I still have it and it's always been a great car.
All this "is 3/5/6 + owners to many" is stupid imo, as well as the is "3,000 miles on the clock to many" rolleyes

anonymous-user

61 months

Sunday 21st June 2020
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I think it is a problem, not one that can’t be sorted over time, but a problem nonetheless. People who keep cars for just a short time never bond with them. It shows a lack of interest in the car other than it being a shiny toy to play in. Problems often don’t get sorted, they often just get hidden. Cars with multiple short term owners owner are often carrying issues that take at least two services periods to emerge and be rectified. Someone must eventually sit with it when the music stops. Not a problem if you plan on keeping it for a while, and will cherish it and care for it, but can be expensive if not. The price should reflect this, and generally does.

fridaypassion

Original Poster:

9,397 posts

235 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
quotequote all
Its a good deal and it's from a main dealer so I'm sure any issues will be dealt with. The service was due in September so they have brought that forward and doing now so that's saved me the hassle too.

Saweep

6,629 posts

193 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
quotequote all
swanseaboydan said:
Funnily enough - I’m thinking of px ing my California for a 458 ( both non turbo v8s). When you buy a used Ferrari It’s amazing how many owners they clock up as most buy them to scratch an itch then get something else. As long as it has been serviced by Ferrari group dealers Though it should be ok. The only thing stopping me getting a 448 is the lack of space in the cabin. I’m tall and the California is big and spacious inside as there is no rear engine bay to stop the seats sliding back. Would love to hear how you get on with the 458 though especially if you are over 6 ft tall, cheers, dan
I went from a Cali to a 458 Italia.

I'm just over 6'4". Spiders are marginally too small but the coupe was exactly just big enough inside for me.

Of course, a lot depends on whether you have a long torso or legs or whatever.

Go sit in one?

garystoybox

813 posts

124 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
quotequote all
Saweep said:
swanseaboydan said:
Funnily enough - I’m thinking of px ing my California for a 458 ( both non turbo v8s). When you buy a used Ferrari It’s amazing how many owners they clock up as most buy them to scratch an itch then get something else. As long as it has been serviced by Ferrari group dealers Though it should be ok. The only thing stopping me getting a 448 is the lack of space in the cabin. I’m tall and the California is big and spacious inside as there is no rear engine bay to stop the seats sliding back. Would love to hear how you get on with the 458 though especially if you are over 6 ft tall, cheers, dan
I went from a Cali to a 458 Italia.

I'm just over 6'4". Spiders are marginally too small but the coupe was exactly just big enough inside for me.

Of course, a lot depends on whether you have a long torso or legs or whatever.

Go sit in one?
I agree. I had a California T on loan for 2 weeks a couple of years back and at 6’3" and 34 inside leg found it tight, uncomfortable even with the seat pushed fully back. Nowhere near as much space as my 458 Italia in which I couldn’t even reach the pedals with the seat at its most extreme position (even with full electric seats). If you want a Spider though definitely will need carbon race seats as I can just get fully comfortable with them in my 488 Spider.

swanseaboydan

1,770 posts

170 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
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Yes - I’ll try and sit in one soon - picking up my cali from dick Lovett as is having some work done there ( under warranty ) So if they have a 458 spider will try and sit in it - maybe test it - has to be a spider though as it’s all about getting the roof off for me !

theRossatron

1,028 posts

239 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
quotequote all
thecook101 said:
I think it is a problem, not one that can’t be sorted over time, but a problem nonetheless. People who keep cars for just a short time never bond with them. It shows a lack of interest in the car other than it being a shiny toy to play in. Problems often don’t get sorted, they often just get hidden. Cars with multiple short term owners owner are often carrying issues that take at least two services periods to emerge and be rectified. Someone must eventually sit with it when the music stops. Not a problem if you plan on keeping it for a while, and will cherish it and care for it, but can be expensive if not. The price should reflect this, and generally does.
Anyone else picture Benedict Cumberbatch saying this?

Edited by theRossatron on Monday 22 June 16:49

Superleg48

1,525 posts

140 months

Monday 22nd June 2020
quotequote all
thecook101 said:
I think it is a problem, not one that can’t be sorted over time, but a problem nonetheless. People who keep cars for just a short time never bond with them. It shows a lack of interest in the car other than it being a shiny toy to play in. Problems often don’t get sorted, they often just get hidden. Cars with multiple short term owners owner are often carrying issues that take at least two services periods to emerge and be rectified. Someone must eventually sit with it when the music stops. Not a problem if you plan on keeping it for a while, and will cherish it and care for it, but can be expensive if not. The price should reflect this, and generally does.
This is rubbish.