I'm looking for anyone who has some ownership or personal experience of the 250 SWB. I am thinking of getting one but frankly it's a massive decision and I don't have any real experience of the car, bar a very short drive, nor do I know anyone who owns one.
I currently have a few cars, most of which I'd have to sell in order to raise the funds. Not ideal but you can't have everything in life, plus the idea of less cars does appeal anyway. So I would keep the F40 and 458 as well as the SWB.
So anyone who had owned or driven a SWB, what do you think? Is the car as great to drive as one might imagine. Forget what is costs because the 'is it worth it' argument will never be settled. It's very subjective.
I think it's a true icon and I also think the price will continue to sky rocket. At least I'm not sure I'm prepared to risk leaving it any longer. Whilst I don't believe it will keep going up indefinitely
I cannot see it getting significantly less and it's too risky to bank on that happening. So perhaps a last chance before they start 5m and not 3m for a good 'no stories' car. Maybe.
I currently have a 275 as well. I love it and it would be a wrench to sell it, but the SWB is arguably even more iconic and perhaps rawer which would suit me anyway. Plus I'd rather trade out of the 275 and buy one back in the future if it's really missed. After all, if the market over the next 5y goes up 100% on the V12s from this era, then I would rather be faced with a 2m 275 than a 6m SWB if you get me. There is a point where I just would not spend that much on a car and I think we are near it now.
So, your thoughts would be appreciated! I'm more interested in people's real experience of the car or views on it as opposed to any financial forecasting as we could all be wrong!

This sounds like more of a Ferrarichat type question

Sell all your cars, and the house, and the missus etc etc and get an F1. Values are on the up, even for the GTR's...

Pistolp, I'm not sure where you are but it might be worth giving The Hairpin Company a call as they have a very nice 250 SWB in stock with a good history and recent restoration. Its also a great colour combo, check this out:

http://www.thehairpincompany.co.uk/car-Ferrari-250...



I have no idea on price but could be worth a call.

By the way is your 275 a 4 or 2 cam, I may know someone who could be interested if it is the right car?

Hi. SWB's are an absolute delight. Really fun to drive being very light and immensely chuckable. The only drawback being the fact that the steering wheel would be more suited to a double decker and if you're seriously tall you're gonna have trouble fitting (I can squeeze in at just over 6ft). Love mine, very easy to drive and reasonable to run barring an engine or axle rebuild.
As for values, who knows? Personally, i think that the market is getting a bit silly but i recognise can still get a lot sillier, and if you really love them, you risk missing the boat (normally those kind of thoughts coincide with a top, ultimately who knows?).
Certainly fewer seem to come to market than in previous years and RHD cars attract a premium due to much lower production numbers.

You'll find it much more of a sporting drive than the 4cam which will seem like a sedate luxury GT by comparison. Other than a properly modified and sorted E-type I don't think there's a more fun classic drive (and even that's debatable).

I've always found James at DK to be very straight and helpful if you need advice. I'm not a fan of the Classiche certification given the seemingly random outcomes (and costs) but somewhat of a necessicity these days on a car of this limited production. I'd rely much more on an independent report.

I'm not sure you can measure driving sensation in terms of price, particularly when comparing to much more modern machinery - much of which involves systems that can dull the senses. What I would say is that the older cars that are responsive, albeit much less powerful, have a character that rewards in other ways

A great choice to make.

Can't contribute, but I do look forward to the possibility of one day seeing a photo of a 250SWB with a can of Bird's custard, or if you must, to keep your own tradition, a can of Heinz beans.

I am going to have to sell too. It might just scupper the whole thing too. As you'll invariably be taking a hit on a couple of cars true worth to then probably pay top dollar for the incoming car. Ultimately that's probably what will happen if and when the right car comes along.
I am just thinking of getting rid of my mega quick stuff as I believe the old classics will not only perform well financially but you can also enjoy more of the performance more of the time without fear of going to prison. I do worry quite a bit about driving fast on the roads and in a 599 GTO or F50 for instance, I just find I am having to restrain myself a lot. That's not always fun.
Old cars are also very rewarding in terms of the interaction and overall experience. Anyway, it's personal preference. But having cars that aren't banzai fast and are rewarding at semi sensible speeds might actually suit me.
Thanks for the input TT. I'd be interested to hear more. Is your car the blue rhd model that was at DK probably 3y ago? Think I sat in that. It doesn't have the bucket seats right? Think that helps with the cramped cockpit that you rightly refer to.
For me it's the holy grail.

I'm here!

I was typing a post yesterday on this thread but wasn't sure I could contribute anything useful, not having had direct exposure to these machines. What I do know is that I keep watching the YouTube footage of the Tour Auto. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEWgxCGQhoU and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgI9q61z93E

If you already own a 275GTB you don't really need me to tell you what the appeal is of these '60ies Ferraris. My experience is limited to 10,000 miles in my 330GTC and a test drive in a 330 2+2.

But TT9's comment on driving eloquently does ring very true with me, and I have become such a better driver by having long (sometimes 11 hour) conversations with the GTC. Slightly changing the pedals to set them up perfectly for heel and toe has really enhanced my driving experience - when I brake hard my foot now naturally ends up on the throttle, double-clutching down is a true delight, especially with the recent gearbox synchro revision. Getting in synch [sic] with a car like this, where everything falls in place, is a true delight. Anyway, this is not about GTCs. But regarding the driving experience, what is great about a multi-million pound classic is that any repair that would need to be done in case something goes wrong is only a small percentage of the value of the car. These cars can be restored. So it makes driving them a little more relaxing since you can't write them off.

Should one buy a SWB? Well, I can't answer for anyone else. My personal view is that I would buy one under certain circumstances. Although I think the shape is gorgeous, I can't see myself buying a steel one. I think they are overpriced. This is maybe a bit silly, but the more expensive ones make more sense to me. Alloy body with a proper racing history is what I would go for. Sure they are 2x the price (at least), but then you are buying Ferrari history and you can do historic racing in it. When I visited Goodwood Revival in 2010, I was woken by 2127GT (parked under my window), second overall in the Tour Auto 1960. I had a chat with the custodian, and the sheer history and presence that car was oozing made me think "yeah, I get that people pay so much for something like this". A steel SWB to me, just IMHO, doesn't offer enough over other classic Ferraris to warrant the price tag, I would rather have an alloy 275 with racing history, a Lusso and a 330GTS for the same money. I mean - the same money, think about it.

So, yes, a SWB for me please but only a truly special one, as the crown of my collection and with a couple of other classic Ferraris to back it up. It would need to be 6 million quid that I would completely not miss.

This is purely my personal view, and if Pistolp sells his cars to own his dream SWB, I can surely understand that. And in fact that would be quite admirable. But I think there is so much more out there, it would be a bit too limiting for me to put the experience into just one car.

Ultimately, it is about the value of enjoyment that you get out of it versus the price you have to pay for that enjoyment. How this equation works out, only the person with the wallet can say.


Onno

+1 I was at the RM sale in Monaco 2 years ago when Chris Evans sold his and remember thinking he must be mental (even to fund a GTO). You seem to have a similar dilema. Do you sell several great cars to buy just one? Depends on how much you enjoy the ones you already have I suppose.

To me the 250SWB is probably the most perfectly proportioned car ever made. It just looks right from every angle.

I could live with selling some of the very modern cars but would I sell a 275 GTB, 288 GTO, F40 and F50 (which I believe you also own)? If running costs werent an issue I don't think I would. You already have a bona fide classic in the 275 so why change it?