550 Maranello buying advice

[monsieur_x]

Hi,

Does anyone here have experience of how much these beauties cost to run? I'm interested not just in the "normal" running costs, but also the likelihood of something major going wrong and putting a big dent in my wallet. I'd be looking at the earlier cars (2000 at the latest) - are there any issues with these, and is it worth getting a warranty and if so how much do these cost?

Secondly, can anyone recommend a good dealer/specialist who will give a proper test drive (i.e. a good half hour on a variety of roads, not just 5 mins around the block). Would you recommend paying up for peace of mind from a dealer, or going the private route?

Third, any driving/owning impressions would be much appreciated, especially if anyone's tried some of the options e.g. the Fiorano pack.

P.S. I've tried searching the archives but not turned anything up - if this topic has been discussed before, then I'd appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction, cheers! Great forum btw.

[ninja_eli]

Hi,

Does anyone here have experience of how much these beauties cost to run? I'm interested not just in the "normal" running costs, but also the likelihood of something major going wrong and putting a big dent in my wallet. I'd be looking at the earlier cars (2000 at the latest) - are there any issues with these, and is it worth getting a warranty and if so how much do these cost?

It will cost a lot to put right, but I guess you knew that already? Yes a warranty is IMO worth getting. For that car it will cost you £1300 or £2000 (approx) for a 1 yr or 2yr warranty respectively. If the car is just out of warranty you can get additional benefits from an extended warranty too. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a lot of money, and can act as a prepurchase warranty too! Speak to Scuderia Systems.

Secondly, can anyone recommend a good dealer/specialist who will give a proper test drive (i.e. a good half hour on a variety of roads, not just 5 mins around the block). Would you recommend paying up for peace of mind from a dealer, or going the private route?

I used to think it was worth the peace of mind getting a car from a dealer, mainly because of warranty. But with the introduction of the POWER warranty mentioned above, it seems you can get any Ferrari warrantied, as long as it has FFSH. BUT, having looked at some of the private prices being asked, they are not far off the dealers prices. You might save 3 grand. Again, in the grand scheme of things, is it worth saving 3 grand for your time and headache of getting a car privately, as well as those hidden costs. Only you can answer that. Me, probably not, but then again I'm no good at buying or selling cars, I love them too much...

Oh, and for a test drive pop into Maranellos. They will take you for a good long test drive. And they have plentiful stock of 550s... and need to sell some

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Third, any driving/owning impressions would be much appreciated, especially if anyone's tried some of the options e.g. the Fiorano pack.

P.S. I've tried searching the archives but not turned anything up - if this topic has been discussed before, then I'd appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction, cheers! Great forum btw.

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Manu can help with the driving impressions, but I suspect you'll find a lot in the archives at:

www.ferrarichat.com

Good luck with your search, and email Manu for some clips of Frostie's 550. On second thoughts, if you want to salvage some patience, don't do it

[bennno]

I think its a case of buy it from a dealer if you cant afford to do so then look for another car.

My 456 had an 8k service just before it was delivered, included in this price was £2900 for a ferrari warranty.

MHT are superb and have a 550 for sale for £56k ish.

Bennno