California T or Portofino - owner's feedback, real world

[Mr Squarekins]

Hi,

i'm retiring soon and fortunate to be able to consider an approved used Ferrari as my 'retirement car'.

It'd be my retirement 'daily' (whatever that means, I don't know yet). Wife has a Golf if we need to park in cities.

I'm really keen for some owners thoughts and experiences please. Ok to live with? Reliability? Considerations?

It will be silver, grey, blue or black, not red. Either a Portofino or a California T. Thoughts on ownership?

I currently have a bmw i8, so am used to some impracticality.

Keen to hear if positive, or a nightmare!

[willy wombat]

I’ve had a Portofino since January 2020 (delivered new). Fingers crossed, nothing has gone wrong. Just back from the South of France in it. It’s an excellent touring car provided you pack reasonably (if you accept that you will not have the roof down when transiting a to b you can get a large suitcase and a couple of suit carriers I the boot and squashy bags on the rear seats.

[johnnyreggae]

There was a good Cali thread a couple of weeks ago - and there are many more previously

Having said that I'd keep the i8 although I understand the idea of a retirement treat

[andyr]

Portofino is a significantly better car, I think. Portofino M even better. But of course more expensive and with steeper depreciation

[Plainview23]

Harry did a good review of the Portofino, well worth a watch, seemed quite a big step up from the Cali

[Mr Squarekins]

I agree, Portofino is probably a better car. I think that from the rear it's a better looking car too. M will probably be a bit too pricey though.

Need to decide on whether to sell i8 or keep too.

[BananaFama]

There's a post in supercar spotted thread .27th June says the scuttle shake in a Portofino was terrible with the roof down .
Bloke sold it after just 3 months because of it .

[Mr Squarekins]

BananaFama said:

There's a post in supercar spotted thread .27th June says the scuttle shake in a Portofino was terrible with the roof down .
Bloke sold it after just 3 months because of it .

Thanks, just looked at that.

[willy wombat]

For some reason can’t find that post (link?). I wouldn’t say the Portofino is particularly bad for scuttle shake with the roof down. It’s certainly no worse than my 458 spider (which has noticeable ss with the roof down on a bumpy road). Both cars are noticeably better with the roof up.

[456mgt]

My wife has a Portofino and my impression is that it's a really good touring car. The metal folding roof is superb and the wind deflector with the roof down one of the best I've ever experienced, even at high speed. I bought her fitted luggage for her birthday (not Schedonj) and you can easily pack for >week. This was I thought a thoughtful and useful gift, but that's clearly a man thing because she wasn't super impressed.. Anyway we've been down to the south of France in it and had several weekends away. We have had 4 people in it too, with the roof down, but it's short journeys only a la 911.

Can't say I've noticed significant scuttle shake, but it's not a car to drive with your hair on fire. It can do it, it's just not its forte. We did look at the 'M' but concluded it was a way to keep the model in production rather than a real step forward.

[willy wombat]

That’s an interesting reply. I also looked at the M but it didn’t give me anything more (I don’t need “race” setting in a Portofino). I am going to a Roma spider launch event later this month but I am disappointed that Ferrari has gone that way. I feel that this is also a stopgap as I had hoped that the Portofino replacement would incorporate the 296’s hybrid technology. Also a canvas roof is no good for me as, when touring, you inevitably end up on occasions parking somewhere you’d rather not and a canvas roof is far too easy to put a knife through.

[AB]

My business partner had both a Cali T and a Portofino at the same time. Bought the Cali first and added the Portofino.

Being quite honest, I didn't get on with either of them, mostly to do with all the controls being on the steering wheel and the bloody things beep too much.

I never found either particularly relaxing to drive and when I got back into my 911 TS I knew I'd made the right choice when I discounted the Ferrari.

Portofino definitely a step up on the Cali T, both in terms of looks and tech but how much of a step up I'm not sure given the price difference (He paid just over £100k for the Cali (2015) and just over £160k for the Portofino (2019) last year.

A small thing, but being able to raise and lower the roof without having to pull over is an advantage in the Portofino, as was Apple CarPlay.

As of last month, he's sold the Portofino to Amari https://www.amarisupercars.com/stock/details/2019-... and kept the Cali. Can vouch for this one, it's in amazing condition and a beautiful colour (I know you said you don't want red though).

[Bazooka Joe]

Of the California, California 30 and California T, the T is definitely the one both from an update point of view (prep and ground work done for the Portofino) and visually. As you say the front end works and has aged well. The 458 style lighting strakes and the curve of the front wing to echo the 250TR really work on it. Seems to be a 30k gap between Cali T and early Portofino and IMO Cali T is aging best. My fear for Portofino is that you'll always have the one that isn't the 'M'

[Mr Squarekins]

Not so bothered about additional performance at this end of the scale , so an M not important.

I can really see the appeal of this versus a 992 Porsche. Grey looks especially nice!

https://youtu.be/gdcNcSvRmZw

[swanseaboydan]

Not had a portofino but had a California then a California T - both nice cars.
I saw a lovely portofino in dick Lovett Swindon today - a Taylor made one in I think ‘ rosso rubino’ like a dark metallic red - it was lovely . They have a few Cali T s and a few Portofinos in. I’d go there for a look if I were you.

Edited by swanseaboydan on Monday 10th July 15:52

[swanseaboydan]

For a Long motorway cruise the portofino or Cali T is super comfy - especially if you are tall. The magnaride suspension is amazingly smooth and comfy. A 911 is more cramped over long distance ( done 400 miles in mine this weekend ) but easier to manoeuvre around town. Also, it doesn’t stand out as much - if you want a quieter , more under the radar, life then go for the Porsche - you get a lot of questions about the Ferrari!
The Cali T has good ground clearance- fine over speed bumps and looks amazing with the top up as well as down. The portofino is a slightly better looking version of the same car in my opinion- amd I think it is gorgeous. Go on - treat yourself!!

[Mr Squarekins]

swanseaboydan said:

Not had a portofino but had a California then a California T - both nice cars.
I saw a lovely portofino in dick Lovett Swindon today - a Taylor made one in I think ‘ rosso rubino’ like a dark metallic red - it was lovely . They have a few Cali T s and a few Portofinos in. I’d go there for a look if I were you.

Edited by swanseaboydan on Monday 10th July 15:52

Thanks. I've been looking at them on the Approved Used site. There's about 50-60k between a Cali-T and a Porto. Some man maths needed now.

[swanseaboydan]

Yes - it’s all in the spec

[MaverickV12]

Mr Squarekins said:

It'd be my retirement 'daily'

Interesting that you are talking, "Ferrari", as a retirement car. I've had some exotica over the years and ended up with Ferrari, the problem is the, "unspoken", issues with ownership.

Ferrari is no BMW, you said you have an i8, BMW are made to be, "everyday" cars, the Ferrari, no matter which one, is not entirely a, "daily". I have no idea of your mileage, but if you're doing about 12,000 a year, then you need about 2, or even 3 Ferraris to run one every day. When the old girl goes in for servicing, say goodbye for a month or so, anything goes wrong, say goodbye for a month or so, you get a big problem, say goodbye for a few months.

No idea how Fit you and the wife are, but you will be sat on the floor, so get used to getting into a funny low car. The wife and I, "very often", have a laugh and a giggle as we park at the local Mall, people see the car pull up and we start laughing trying to get out.

Suspension will give you a rough ride, Bumpy Road, "helps", it, "helps", its still rough, but wow you can go around a corner like the damn thing is on rails, but going in and out of a Urban Environment with potholes and ruts, is ..... well, it is ....


Every time you fire the old girl up, it is a FanFare of Crescendo, and if you have StartStop, then that is just a bundle of laughs ..... at your local Mall, Crescendo, outside your house at 05:00 in the morning, Crescendo, waiting in traffic, Crescendo. Everywhere you go, a FanFare will play.....

i8 draws attention, I'm sure, this will have people taking photos. I'm ok with it, but the wife likes it low key, so she drive a Golf, she won't drive the Fezza on her own because of the attention.

I have a big petrol truck as well as the Fezza, its just, "lush", to drive, its quiet, its kinda fast and above all its, "super comfy', the Fezza is, "necessarily uncomfortable", .... oh you can't fault the, "look", but the words, 'comfy", and, 'Ferrari', don't really sit together .....

[Mr Squarekins]

Thanks. This is the real feedback that i'm keen to understand. I hope to be doing around 15k mikes per year and am trying to gauge a Modernish Ferrari, versus a brand new 911.

I can't be doing with lots of problems, but equally am trying to find something 'worth having'.

My i8 has been faultless over 5 years. Part of me thinks if I buy a Ferrari and it lets me down alot, i'll kick myself.

Plenty of time to look, try and consider though. No rush. Really appreciate what you're saying. Very much noted!

Edited by Mr Squarekins on Wednesday 12th July 18:27