The 458

Author
Discussion

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Yesterday (15:09)
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I just got my thread deleted for including adverts from off the forum, my apologies, I just read the rules and realise I can't ask questions about cars advertised on other sales platforms.

But is it ok to ask if anyone can give me some tips of things to look for if I'd like to buy a good one? Like what to look for and not what to look for and maybe suggest a general way to go about it?
And maybe contact me privately if they have information that isn't ok to post on the forum?

Can I post reg numbers up and ask if anyone knows the car in question?

MDL111

7,847 posts

192 months

Yesterday (16:44)
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I think I have seen questions about reg numbers / history on here - don't think those were deleted

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Yesterday (16:52)
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I posted two on AT and asked if anyone knew them, but it got deleted and the message said I wasn't allowed to solicit responses for wanted cars, link to other platforms or put wanted ads.

MDL111

7,847 posts

192 months

Yesterday (17:08)
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harryblue said:
I posted two on AT and asked if anyone knew them, but it got deleted and the message said I wasn't allowed to solicit responses for wanted cars, link to other platforms or put wanted ads.
yes, I you can't ask if somebody wants to sell you a car or post a link to a non-pistonheads avert.
But I thought asking if anybody knows anything about the car with the plate R448 VLK (my old car, I miss it....) was done in the past. Rules might have changed though or it was just not picked up at the time.

johnnyreggae

3,072 posts

175 months

Yesterday (17:30)
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[quote=harryblue] But is it ok to ask if anyone can give me some tips of things to look for if I'd like to buy a good one? Like what to look for and not what to look for and maybe suggest a general way to go about it?/quote]

Can we assume you have read the PH buyers guide and threads here such as 458 in 2025 ?

MDL111

7,847 posts

192 months

Yesterday (17:41)
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I personally would want the racing seats and the rest of the spec is not so important to me.
Some people like to have the shift lights on the steering wheel and the carbon interior driving zone. I personally prefer the aluminium stuff and don't like the shift lights as I find them irritating at night.
In the UK the service history is quite important and Ferraris require an annual service, so that is something to look for (although subject to price, I would not discount one that has a few missing services).
I think the Ferrari warranty is not great as a general proposition, but you get 2 years (I think in the UK it is 2, tbc) if you buy an approved used car and that certainly gives some comfort if the engine or gearbox blow up shortly after purchase, so I would pay a premium for a car from an official dealer.
they seem to have come down in price a bit and look like an attractive proposition imo.

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Yesterday (17:55)
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MDL111 said:
yes, I you can't ask if somebody wants to sell you a car or post a link to a non-pistonheads avert.
But I thought asking if anybody knows anything about the car with the plate R448 VLK (my old car, I miss it....) was done in the past. Rules might have changed though or it was just not picked up at the time.
I would love a silver one, that's my favourite colour after seeing Chris Harris buy one and drive down to Italy in it.
Do you know where yours is now?

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Yesterday (17:57)
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johnnyreggae]arryblue said:


Can we assume you have read the PH buyers guide and threads here such as 458 in 2025 ?
Mate, I've probably read everything on the internet about the 458 and watched every Youtube video, but they all differ, some people say the carbon zone is an absolute essential, some people don't, some people want racing seats, some people say the comfort seats are best.

It's always good to get a discussion going and get people bouncing stuff off each other so you can weigh up things, reading static articles that might have a few years between them doesn't seem to be as good as a live discussion.

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Yesterday (18:00)
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Does anyone know anything about LY62 YNH, silver with black interior?

MDL111

7,847 posts

192 months

Yesterday (18:08)
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harryblue said:
I would love a silver one, that's my favourite colour after seeing Chris Harris buy one and drive down to Italy in it.
Do you know where yours is now?
that was a plate of my old 355 Berlinetta [which I think was turned into a track/race car]

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Yesterday (18:29)
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I had a 355 but it wasn’t terribly reliable and the AC was woeful for a hot country, so it didn’t last long. My experience was a bit poor to be honest.

I hear a good one is a joy to own, but that a 458 is better.

MDL111

7,847 posts

192 months

Yesterday (19:10)
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harryblue said:
I had a 355 but it wasn t terribly reliable and the AC was woeful for a hot country, so it didn t last long. My experience was a bit poor to be honest.

I hear a good one is a joy to own, but that a 458 is better.
well, I don't think it ever broke down (apart from a flat tyre). But I did spend roughly the purchase price on running costs over a 2.5 year / 20k mile ownership period. So it was not exactly low maintenance .... I can't remember if the AC worked ok, mostly drove with the windows down in the UK.
I have not driven a 458, but I am sure it is less fragile even at a similar age to my 355.

Batfoy

1,221 posts

21 months

Yesterday (19:16)
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harryblue said:
I would love a silver one, that's my favourite colour after seeing Chris Harris buy one and drive down to Italy in it.
Do you know where yours is now?
Harris' car is up for sale at DL just now, £160k.

supersport

4,446 posts

242 months

How very strange you see links posted to AT all the time.

Great cars, I loved mine, it’s all you really need speed wise. I never bothered with a warranty and it was fine in the 2 1/2 years and 7k miles I had it. Just routine servicing.

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Batfoy said:
Harris' car is up for sale at DL just now, £160k.
Is that his? I've been looking at it but I didn't realise it was his.

I wonder if CH spends much on his cars or whether he gets in and out of them without spending much, I've bought cars off well known stinking rich famous people and they keep them for a year, spend nothing and then sell them on. It's the normal working man that looks after his cars and spends money.

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

This is driving me mad, everyone I talk to values the options differently and the pricing is like throwing a dart with a blindfold on.

There is a lot to be said by not overthinking it too much, just find one you like and buy it, my only real concern is crash damage, my 355 had been crashed and repaired and it wasn't disclosed.

WCZ

11,093 posts

209 months

MDL111 said:
I personally would want the racing seats and the rest of the spec is not so important to me.
Some people like to have the shift lights on the steering wheel and the carbon interior driving zone. I personally prefer the aluminium stuff and don't like the shift lights as I find them irritating at night. .
racing seats + carbon driving zone is all I'd care about really in terms of spec, shift lights are a nice thing too but not a deal breaker

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

WCZ said:
racing seats + carbon driving zone is all I'd care about really in terms of spec, shift lights are a nice thing too but not a deal breaker
This is what I mean, Chris Harris didn't like the carbon and other people have told me they prefer the more comfortable seats rather than the carbon ones.

I'm actually not that bothered, but I'm not sure it'll be a keeper, so I just want to enjoy driving it, but at the same time choose the right one so I don't get rinsed if I sell it.
I looked at over thirty 930's over the years until I found the exact one I wanted, but that's because it's never going to be sold, my son will get it when I pop off, hopefully in 3-4 decades time.

Batfoy

1,221 posts

21 months

harryblue said:
Batfoy said:
Harris' car is up for sale at DL just now, £160k.
Is that his? I've been looking at it but I didn't realise it was his.

I wonder if CH spends much on his cars or whether he gets in and out of them without spending much, I've bought cars off well known stinking rich famous people and they keep them for a year, spend nothing and then sell them on. It's the normal working man that looks after his cars and spends money.
Not sure what he spent on that particular one but it seems he put 5000 miles on it in his ownership. Before that it had only done 951 in its first five years! Madness.

harryblue

Original Poster:

98 posts

197 months

Batfoy said:
Not sure what he spent on that particular one but it seems he put 5000 miles on it in his ownership. Before that it had only done 951 in its first five years! Madness.
It's got about 14k on it now, I'd probably do less than 2,500 a year, so I could get 4-5yrs out of it and still be in a not bad position, but in terms of investment people have told me once it passes 12-15k miles then it's dead as an investment car, I don't care about that, I'd just be happy to get most of my money back out of it.

I feel like the Spyders are overpriced a bit, most seem to be £160k, except for one at VVS that looks nice at £140k.
I wondered about going in with low bids on all of them that I'm interested in and see what shakes out.