is a ferrari useable?
Discussion
bordseye said:
Having test driven 430 I'm very interested in buying a V8 Ferrari but one issue has kept coming up when I have been doing my research - the attitude of other road users, jealousy,and vandalism. So I find myself wondering if I could use a Ferrari other than for the occasional trip to a country pub for lunch.
Sure its not a shopping car but would you dare take your P&J to Tesco? Would you park it on a city side street during the day? At night? Would you use a multi storey park in one? Do you get fed up of never being allowed out of side streets. Do you get random abuse from pedestrians?
In short would I be better off in something more anonymous like a 911?
I've driven my car every day for almost a year now :Sure its not a shopping car but would you dare take your P&J to Tesco? Would you park it on a city side street during the day? At night? Would you use a multi storey park in one? Do you get fed up of never being allowed out of side streets. Do you get random abuse from pedestrians?
In short would I be better off in something more anonymous like a 911?
Edited by bordseye on Sunday 12th April 20:55
The attitude of other road users : 100% thumbs up, camera phones, windows winding down, conversations at petrol stations - you're not shy are you ?
Jealousy,and vandalism : My fear before I bought (but I'm a petrol head so s*d it) but nothing, all positive.
So I find myself wondering if I could use a Ferrari other than for the occasional trip to a country pub for lunch : Mmmm, occasional no, often yes! My car is my daily drive - I like to get the most out of the ownership experience.
Sure its not a shopping car but would you dare take your P&J to Tesco? No. Waitrose though.... seriously, I park it like I park all my other cars, out of the way of everyone else. And yes I take it to the supermarket.
Would you park it on a city side street during the day? Nope. Not in any car.
At night? Double nope. Not in any car.
Would you use a multi storey park in one? Yes, particularly for the noise. The nose is high enough but the wheel to nose end is quite long so you have to be careful of inclines e.g. speed bumps (going down rather than up). Just go slowly.
Do you get fed up of never being allowed out of side streets ? Mostly I'm waved out!
Do you get random abuse from pedestrians? Only smiles, pointed fingers, camera phones.
In short would I be better off in something more anonymous like a 911? I've never owned a 911. The advice I had from someone that did was that you get all the issues you are concerned about.
Have fun!
I have a F430 Spider. I like it but I prefer driving my RR Vogue 95% of the time!
I love owning a Ferrari, but most of the time I'd prefer to be relatively anonymous, don't really like the attention when stopped at traffic lights, have windows down or at gas stations!
The performance is great, but this is speed performance, not important daily performance factors such as visibility, practicality, comfort, etc.
The noise is incredible, but a lot of the time I like cruising around listening to my music ... and the F430 speakers suck!
The car looks stunning, but I'd rather something that is more of a daily driver for when I go to Tesco.
Etc, etc.
The funny thing is my Range Rover cost more than my F430 Spider, but obviously a Ferrari gets a reaction like little else on the road and it's definitely my 'special' car despite being cheaper, older and even having a smaller V8 than my daily driver! I don't care what anyone says, drive a regular sports car - e.g. a 911 - and then afterwards drive the Ferrari and you will be sure that the F430 is absolutely a super car. As such use it as a super car, enjoy it on the best days of the week/month/year, don't put up with it as a daily driver.
They are fantastic special day cars, terrible regular day cars. My opinion after 7 months of ownership and 1.5k miles!
I love owning a Ferrari, but most of the time I'd prefer to be relatively anonymous, don't really like the attention when stopped at traffic lights, have windows down or at gas stations!
The performance is great, but this is speed performance, not important daily performance factors such as visibility, practicality, comfort, etc.
The noise is incredible, but a lot of the time I like cruising around listening to my music ... and the F430 speakers suck!
The car looks stunning, but I'd rather something that is more of a daily driver for when I go to Tesco.
Etc, etc.
The funny thing is my Range Rover cost more than my F430 Spider, but obviously a Ferrari gets a reaction like little else on the road and it's definitely my 'special' car despite being cheaper, older and even having a smaller V8 than my daily driver! I don't care what anyone says, drive a regular sports car - e.g. a 911 - and then afterwards drive the Ferrari and you will be sure that the F430 is absolutely a super car. As such use it as a super car, enjoy it on the best days of the week/month/year, don't put up with it as a daily driver.
They are fantastic special day cars, terrible regular day cars. My opinion after 7 months of ownership and 1.5k miles!
Hi,
I have driven my F430 pretty much every day for nearly a year now. Brilliant car.
I wouldn't leave it parked for any length of time on a side road, but have once or twice for short periods, generally somewhere vandalism would be noticeable by others were it to happen... Typically I look for a 'proper' pay garage then park on the last floor (added benefit of hearing the revs bounce around the walls
)
Side road thing has never happened, but the other day a guy actually stopped on a roundabout to let me on
Longest tour I've done was 4 days from north of England to its new home here in France, but found the 'boot' pretty reasonable for two of us for that time.
I do go through my tyres pretty sharpish, and did a full set of HE ball joints at not an insignificant cost. Minor service last week for €1000 which It thought was pretty good and none of the "you need to fix this or that" feedback that I was expecting, so that was refreshing.
Get it, you'll love it
TC
I have driven my F430 pretty much every day for nearly a year now. Brilliant car.
I wouldn't leave it parked for any length of time on a side road, but have once or twice for short periods, generally somewhere vandalism would be noticeable by others were it to happen... Typically I look for a 'proper' pay garage then park on the last floor (added benefit of hearing the revs bounce around the walls
) Side road thing has never happened, but the other day a guy actually stopped on a roundabout to let me on
Longest tour I've done was 4 days from north of England to its new home here in France, but found the 'boot' pretty reasonable for two of us for that time.
I do go through my tyres pretty sharpish, and did a full set of HE ball joints at not an insignificant cost. Minor service last week for €1000 which It thought was pretty good and none of the "you need to fix this or that" feedback that I was expecting, so that was refreshing.
Get it, you'll love it
TC
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