£55k on a 550 or a 612? Vote before reading the thread!
Poll: £55k on a 550 or a 612? Vote before reading the thread!
Total Members Polled: 415
Discussion
I got back to my favourite past time of browsing for my new Fcar to be bought early in the New Year. Have been looking at 550 prices which automatically meant looking at 612s as they've now dropped int the same bracket. My current musings on choice are below, but vote before reading 
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Okay, so as much as I love the idea of a 550, a 612 seems to *possibly* make more sense:
1) Buy cheap sell cheap: at last look there is at least two 612s under £55k, by early next year they (or rather similar ones) may have dropped a bit more. When their predecessors the 456Ms are £35k to £45k for a manual one, *if* you can find a manual rather than the slushbox, how much farther can cheap 612s really drop from £50k or so given that they are a much more modern, reliable and more potent vehicle? I know 4 seater Ferraris don't get an awful lot of love, but would your £45k honestly go here rather than here assuming there were no hidden gremlins on either? 550s, and likely cheap 612s now are all basically depreciating on mileage alone if kept in good condition surely?
2) Performance: there's no getting away from the fact that the 612 is a faster car objectively on paper. People praise the handling of the 550, but fundamentally, the 612 is the same engine/drive configuration and if it's not quite to your liking you could no doubt have the suspension and geometry set up to what you like for not too many notes. And while rare, you could wait and find a manual 612 if it was essential.
3) Servicing/reliability: fundamentally, the fixed price servicing (as a comparison) seems to be basically identical. BUT, modern Ferraris are built better than their predecessors and on average the 612 will be several years younger. Parts may cost a bit more but really it should have less going wrong with it to start with, so cheaper and less hassle.
4) Fuel economy: I know some people think it's a bit naff to mention ("if you're worried about fuel cost you can't afford the car") but that's not the point. The 612 seems to do (on paper at least) about 15% more mpg than the 550, so if you're getting through £4k's worth of fuel in the 612 per year (7 or 8k miles at current prices), you're probably saving £500-£600 p.a. compared to what you'd be getting in the 550.
5) It has 4 seats: personally, half the jollies I get from my Fcar now are when I take other people out in it. Being able to jump in the car with my gf *and* a couple of mates/a couple to do a road trip/day out would be pretty awesome, more the merrier! Can also get them to chip in for fuel then and all
Okay, even after all that I think the 550 is still edging ahead in my mind (if only as it's just a bit prettier!), but playing devil's advocate against it really does make me think!
ETA: just noticed the cheapest 612 is LHD, but rough price bracket still stands
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Okay, so as much as I love the idea of a 550, a 612 seems to *possibly* make more sense:
1) Buy cheap sell cheap: at last look there is at least two 612s under £55k, by early next year they (or rather similar ones) may have dropped a bit more. When their predecessors the 456Ms are £35k to £45k for a manual one, *if* you can find a manual rather than the slushbox, how much farther can cheap 612s really drop from £50k or so given that they are a much more modern, reliable and more potent vehicle? I know 4 seater Ferraris don't get an awful lot of love, but would your £45k honestly go here rather than here assuming there were no hidden gremlins on either? 550s, and likely cheap 612s now are all basically depreciating on mileage alone if kept in good condition surely?
2) Performance: there's no getting away from the fact that the 612 is a faster car objectively on paper. People praise the handling of the 550, but fundamentally, the 612 is the same engine/drive configuration and if it's not quite to your liking you could no doubt have the suspension and geometry set up to what you like for not too many notes. And while rare, you could wait and find a manual 612 if it was essential.
3) Servicing/reliability: fundamentally, the fixed price servicing (as a comparison) seems to be basically identical. BUT, modern Ferraris are built better than their predecessors and on average the 612 will be several years younger. Parts may cost a bit more but really it should have less going wrong with it to start with, so cheaper and less hassle.
4) Fuel economy: I know some people think it's a bit naff to mention ("if you're worried about fuel cost you can't afford the car") but that's not the point. The 612 seems to do (on paper at least) about 15% more mpg than the 550, so if you're getting through £4k's worth of fuel in the 612 per year (7 or 8k miles at current prices), you're probably saving £500-£600 p.a. compared to what you'd be getting in the 550.
5) It has 4 seats: personally, half the jollies I get from my Fcar now are when I take other people out in it. Being able to jump in the car with my gf *and* a couple of mates/a couple to do a road trip/day out would be pretty awesome, more the merrier! Can also get them to chip in for fuel then and all
Okay, even after all that I think the 550 is still edging ahead in my mind (if only as it's just a bit prettier!), but playing devil's advocate against it really does make me think!
ETA: just noticed the cheapest 612 is LHD, but rough price bracket still stands
I'm genuinely intrigued by the responses to the poll (and also loving my newly acquired power to actually post a poll...mwah ha ha ha ha!)
I would have expected it to be running about 2:1 in favour of the 550. Would have been interesting to do a split as above, but with twice as many options, say a set for those who had owned/currently own an Fcar and those who don't.....would have been interesting to see the difference
I would have expected it to be running about 2:1 in favour of the 550. Would have been interesting to do a split as above, but with twice as many options, say a set for those who had owned/currently own an Fcar and those who don't.....would have been interesting to see the difference
Cerbieherts said:
appy too..
The 612 is far more useable from a reliability point of view. 550's have gearbox issues (mainshaft bearings) as well as suspension actuators, torque tube bearings, suspension bushes, engine mounts, cooling system issues....Not saying they are unreliable, these are worst case scenarios, but should be considered none the less. Obviously the tech In the 612 is later generation, hugely expensive failures haven't come to light, but the car isn't very old yet...
If you want to pile miles on it is say go for the 612, the 550 is quite mileage sensitive...
Personally...I love the 550, that would be my choice just based on the fact that I'm a sucker for the older f-cars!
Very interesting, thanks The 612 is far more useable from a reliability point of view. 550's have gearbox issues (mainshaft bearings) as well as suspension actuators, torque tube bearings, suspension bushes, engine mounts, cooling system issues....Not saying they are unreliable, these are worst case scenarios, but should be considered none the less. Obviously the tech In the 612 is later generation, hugely expensive failures haven't come to light, but the car isn't very old yet...
If you want to pile miles on it is say go for the 612, the 550 is quite mileage sensitive...
Personally...I love the 550, that would be my choice just based on the fact that I'm a sucker for the older f-cars!
And for slight O/T comparison, how would you compare 550 reliability on the whole to 355 reliability? i.e. which ones would you see in for unscheduled work more, bearing in mind that (judging by number of cars for sale on PH) there seem to be about twice as many 355s as 550s floating about?Bluebottle911 said:
Oh dear, has someone stolen your saucer of milk? I was simply saying that, as well as voting in your poll, I had actually made the decision to buy a 550 and, by a curious coincidence, I did so on the same day that I read your thread; and that a 612 had not figured in the decision process that led to my purchase. I then made a tongue in cheek gibe about 612s, because of their size, which I did not expect anyone to take seriously, let alone as a boast about my car ownership: the fact that I do own more than one car is hardly anything about which to boast in a form where many people do exactly the same, and in many cases far more expensive ones than mine.
I'm very sorry for any offence caused, I thought the smileys made it clear I was only joking. Please accept my apologies! 
That'll learn me for trying to be funny on the internets
Edited by Mario149 on Sunday 7th October 08:28
paul0843 said:
I can see attraction of 550, a 2 seater v12'and owned one for over 4 years,but
i must admit 612 is growing on me..
In the right colour,with the right wheels the look awesome
and more modern than 550..
If i was in the market for a v12,i would not discount them.
For similar money you will also have a car nearly 10 years newer
Had a dark grey 612 pull up next to us on Wandsworth roundabout today, did look the business. They look far better in real life than in pictures. I still think the back end is not nearly as good as it could be, but it is growing on me. I think the fundamental problem is that nothing I get is going to be as pretty as my current 355 i must admit 612 is growing on me..
In the right colour,with the right wheels the look awesome
and more modern than 550..
If i was in the market for a v12,i would not discount them.
For similar money you will also have a car nearly 10 years newer
NickKerigan said:
I voted 612 - and then put my money on it...
I saw this yesterday and died a little inside when I realised there'd be an 80% chance it'd be sold by the time I was in a position to buy 
it's a bit low miles for my liking but you can't have everythinghttp://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
ingelow said:
touche
Now I appreciate that by the sound of things, you're not going to want to tell me this (ahem), but given you've seen the TDF car at McGurk, what did you think? It sounds like I'm in a similar position to you, but I can't get up to look at it until next week at the earliest. Did you get a chance to drive it?
I think on paper the WSR Anjum has is probably more desireable, but I've never had a chance to sit in one and at 6'4 I'm not sure the roll bar won't cause me some issues? Not had experience of the racing harnesses either for that matter - what are they like to live with (Anjum I realise I should have put this in my PM, please feel free to answer by PM if you'd rather?).
Thanks all
I've seen it and it's a complete dog...honest....wouldn't touch it with someone else's barge pole....and it smells....a lot....and it's missing philangees (both of them)....and the pictures were photo-shopped it's really green with pink polka dots. BUT, you're in luck as I know someone who has a lovely blue 355 going up for sale in a couple of weeks at half the price of the aforementioned monstrosity Now I appreciate that by the sound of things, you're not going to want to tell me this (ahem
), but given you've seen the TDF car at McGurk, what did you think? It sounds like I'm in a similar position to you, but I can't get up to look at it until next week at the earliest. Did you get a chance to drive it?I think on paper the WSR Anjum has is probably more desireable, but I've never had a chance to sit in one and at 6'4 I'm not sure the roll bar won't cause me some issues? Not had experience of the racing harnesses either for that matter - what are they like to live with (Anjum I realise I should have put this in my PM, please feel free to answer by PM if you'd rather?).
Thanks all
On a serious note, unfortunately I have not been to see it so couldn't tell you. And at the earliest I can't get up for a couple of weeks so you've got me
Easy tiger I've placed the deposit and agreed a price subject to an inspection which I'm trying to sort now.
With profuse apologies to ingelow, it's the TDF and tan McGurk 550 I mentioned above
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
I have been up in the Abingdon/Newbury region the last couple of days. I managed squeeze a visit in last night as other than that it was going to be 2 weeks before I could get back up. It's my perfect spec right down to the Tubi so I thought "b*ll*cks to it" and made an offer.
For the record, their Silver/Bordeaux colour combo one looks epic in real life as well. The pics don't do it justice. If you even think you *might* be able to get on with a bordeaux interior, then any car with that colour combo is worth a look. Not a massive fan of the roll cage, but if they'd been more similarly priced, I would have been happy to have either in principle
I've placed the deposit and agreed a price subject to an inspection which I'm trying to sort now.With profuse apologies to ingelow, it's the TDF and tan McGurk 550 I mentioned above
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
I have been up in the Abingdon/Newbury region the last couple of days. I managed squeeze a visit in last night as other than that it was going to be 2 weeks before I could get back up. It's my perfect spec right down to the Tubi so I thought "b*ll*cks to it" and made an offer.
For the record, their Silver/Bordeaux colour combo one looks epic in real life as well. The pics don't do it justice. If you even think you *might* be able to get on with a bordeaux interior, then any car with that colour combo is worth a look. Not a massive fan of the roll cage, but if they'd been more similarly priced, I would have been happy to have either in principle
jdw1234 said:
That looks really nice mate. Love the interior (contrast between cream/blue).
Are there any seats in the back or is it purely a luggage rack? (Was it an option one or the other?)
These are strictly 2 seaters, although I suppose it's not beyond the realms of possibility that some Sheikh somewhere ordered a custom one with 911 sized seats in the back for the petite extra wives Are there any seats in the back or is it purely a luggage rack? (Was it an option one or the other?)
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