Testarossa? Anyone owned one?
Discussion
Has anyone here owned at late 1980's Testarossa? I always wanted one as a kid so keep being tempted to try and find a good one:
- what should I look for when viewing one?
- are there any good dealers / specialists to look at the stock of first?
- what are they like to live with? Servicing costs, reliability, service intervals etc?
Are there many differences between the early / mid 1980's ones and the later 1990's ones? I heard the 512 is a better bet for usability, but the Testarossa looks better I think!
- what should I look for when viewing one?
- are there any good dealers / specialists to look at the stock of first?
- what are they like to live with? Servicing costs, reliability, service intervals etc?
Are there many differences between the early / mid 1980's ones and the later 1990's ones? I heard the 512 is a better bet for usability, but the Testarossa looks better I think!
This looks nice:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2740942.htm
Not many in the UK it seems - I'd be more interested in red or yellow. Bright colours...
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2740942.htm
Not many in the UK it seems - I'd be more interested in red or yellow. Bright colours...
In my opinion the 512 TR is the best of the 3 testarossa's with the 512M as ugly as sin. I'm sure the construction was different between Testarossa and 512TR, the original had a rear subframe which supposedly made it a bit of a poor handler, not that i'm an expert, a friend has a 512TR so i got all the info from him. The bigger wheels and subtle design changes on the 512 would make it the choice for me.
John.
John.
Hi there, I'm the owner of this Testarossa which is for sale :-
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2521812.htm
Have a look at this thread for more information :-
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=981...
- what should I look for when viewing one?
Service history and condition are good starting points. Have a PPI done as this will show up any costly repairs that need done.
- are there any good dealers / specialists to look at the stock of first?
There are good specialists all over the country. However, there are never more than a handful for sale at any one time (there were only 400-odd RHD produced, lots have left the country recently, add on the number that have been crashed over the years and I would guess that there's less than 300 in the UK)
- what are they like to live with? Servicing costs, reliability, service intervals etc?
Servicing costs (indy) - annual £ 500-600. Cambelt (every 3 years) - £2k ish. Service intervals - ideally every year. Reliability - I have owned mine for two and a half years and NEVER had any reliability problems with it. Heavy steering at low speed (once you're moving it's not a problem), my clutch is very light, great visibility for driving, roomy interior, good boot space (I can fit in my golf clubs), they are low and wide cars. Due to the height and the long overhang at the front end you do have a problem with grounding the front spoiler quite a lot. The whine from the 12 cylinder engine when you wind it up a little is fantastic, however, you can cruise along at motorway speeds at 2.5k rpm very quietly.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2521812.htm
Have a look at this thread for more information :-
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=981...
- what should I look for when viewing one?
Service history and condition are good starting points. Have a PPI done as this will show up any costly repairs that need done.
- are there any good dealers / specialists to look at the stock of first?
There are good specialists all over the country. However, there are never more than a handful for sale at any one time (there were only 400-odd RHD produced, lots have left the country recently, add on the number that have been crashed over the years and I would guess that there's less than 300 in the UK)
- what are they like to live with? Servicing costs, reliability, service intervals etc?
Servicing costs (indy) - annual £ 500-600. Cambelt (every 3 years) - £2k ish. Service intervals - ideally every year. Reliability - I have owned mine for two and a half years and NEVER had any reliability problems with it. Heavy steering at low speed (once you're moving it's not a problem), my clutch is very light, great visibility for driving, roomy interior, good boot space (I can fit in my golf clubs), they are low and wide cars. Due to the height and the long overhang at the front end you do have a problem with grounding the front spoiler quite a lot. The whine from the 12 cylinder engine when you wind it up a little is fantastic, however, you can cruise along at motorway speeds at 2.5k rpm very quietly.
Edited by JoyZipper on Tuesday 10th May 08:35
JoyZipper said:
there were only 400-odd RHD produced, lots have left the country recently, add on the number that have been crashed over the years and I would guess that there's less than 300 in the UK)
Reading that, are you saying 3/4 of the RHD cars are in the UK? Surely that can't be right, can it? Or are you saying there was 400 UK cars?Pork said:
Reading that, are you saying 3/4 of the RHD cars are in the UK? Surely that can't be right, can it? Or are you saying there was 400 UK cars?
Cheers for the kind words Pete. I think that in the beginning there were 400 odd UK RHD cars (apologies). I seem to have the figure 439 stuck in my mind.
... and they are certainly an occasion every time you drive them. I live in Harrogate which is not short of posh cars... but the TR always draws happy smiley people around it.
Difference between a series 1 Testarossa and a series 2 512TR... about £20k. If you have that budget then I am sure people will go into more detail about the differences. Yes, I would love a 512TR as they are an improvement, as all later models are... but I don't have £60-70k.
Hopefully mine will be back this week after a VERY impatient wait for its shiny new exhaust. Sadly, after waiting so long for it, I am probably going to have to sell it after Le Mans as I no longer have a garage
Difference between a series 1 Testarossa and a series 2 512TR... about £20k. If you have that budget then I am sure people will go into more detail about the differences. Yes, I would love a 512TR as they are an improvement, as all later models are... but I don't have £60-70k.
Hopefully mine will be back this week after a VERY impatient wait for its shiny new exhaust. Sadly, after waiting so long for it, I am probably going to have to sell it after Le Mans as I no longer have a garage
I agree that the 512TR is the better car but no doubt a good 1988 - 1991 Testarossa is such great value at the moment and the differences are small compared to price premium of 15 - 20,000 for a TR. They make 328's at 32 - 36,000 look expensive in comparison and the berlinetta boxers which the testarossa was developed from are all now 90,000++. So they are definitely cheap but for how much longer in the ever hungry classic car world.
Back in the early 90's I had a 928gt and a relation of mine had a beautiful low mileage 1991 testarossa which I used to regularly borrow. I had some fabulous drives in that car it was beautiful it made you feel very special, it was pretty damn quick to. I eventually swapped my 928 in for a 5000s countach which I loved to death but it was never as easy to live with as the testarossa. Looking back I am glad I bought the countach but if I had bought a testarossa instead I would probably have used it a hell of a lot more.
I do not know your location but if you do want one Terry Keyes at TK motorsport at Silverstone is very very knowledgeable and sensibly priced. I am sure that he would do pre-inspection report on any potential purchase and he will look after the car well for you.
You only live once go buy a nice one you will not regret it and I doubt you will loose any money on it.
Buy and enjoy you know you should.
Back in the early 90's I had a 928gt and a relation of mine had a beautiful low mileage 1991 testarossa which I used to regularly borrow. I had some fabulous drives in that car it was beautiful it made you feel very special, it was pretty damn quick to. I eventually swapped my 928 in for a 5000s countach which I loved to death but it was never as easy to live with as the testarossa. Looking back I am glad I bought the countach but if I had bought a testarossa instead I would probably have used it a hell of a lot more.
I do not know your location but if you do want one Terry Keyes at TK motorsport at Silverstone is very very knowledgeable and sensibly priced. I am sure that he would do pre-inspection report on any potential purchase and he will look after the car well for you.
You only live once go buy a nice one you will not regret it and I doubt you will loose any money on it.
Buy and enjoy you know you should.
That's the thing Jamie, they are such great cars to drive and immensely beautiful to look at. There are so few of them about that I cannot help thinking that if I sell mine now then the next time I look in a couple of years time, they will have gone the way of 512s and be up in the 50-60ks.
I remember looking at 512BBs back in 2005 and they were £35-40k! As you say, they are now £90k.
512TRs were similar, now they are £60-70k.
But... is it worth spending £150 a month on garaging just to be able to keep it, I just don't know
Cars eh?
I remember looking at 512BBs back in 2005 and they were £35-40k! As you say, they are now £90k.
512TRs were similar, now they are £60-70k.
But... is it worth spending £150 a month on garaging just to be able to keep it, I just don't know
Cars eh?
Here in New Zealand is a very low mileage example http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Ferr...
What do you reckon of the car? It's well over my budget, it would be cheaper to source from UK and ship it over.
What do you reckon of the car? It's well over my budget, it would be cheaper to source from UK and ship it over.
mark387mw said:
Here in New Zealand is a very low mileage example http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Ferr...
What do you reckon of the car? It's well over my budget, it would be cheaper to source from UK and ship it over.
Personally wouldn't touch it without a full checkover. These cars NEED to be driven, they do not like not being used. Trust me on this one. I had a major service recently at the cost of over £6k and it drives like a brand new car, mileage on these cars is a good thing.What do you reckon of the car? It's well over my budget, it would be cheaper to source from UK and ship it over.
There’s not really much to add to what’s already been posted about but what I would say is to take your time and look at a few cars. The difference between getting a good one and a bad one will be clearly seen in your wallet pretty quickly. There may not be a lot of good cars on the market at a given time but they do come up regularly so don’t feel pressured about missing out on a particular car.
One other thing to take into consideration is the garage space you mentioned. They’re WIDE, just under 2m so make sure you have enough space. I had to get another garage when I got my 512 after a month of trying to manage a normal sized garage.
One other thing to take into consideration is the garage space you mentioned. They’re WIDE, just under 2m so make sure you have enough space. I had to get another garage when I got my 512 after a month of trying to manage a normal sized garage.
Sorry to Butt In, I am new around here by the way!!
I bought a Testarossa a couple of years ago for the very same reason, had the standard issue on my wall as a kid, drew piccys of them and always fancied one.
If you are going to buy the car to use regularly DON'T, they are extremely hard to live with, Stunning to look at, iconic even.
If you want to open the garage and look at it, maybe drive it 500 Miles a year then do it... Thats what I do with mine. If you want a car to drive then buy a 512.
Before you start test driving any, go and drive a Mark III Cortina to get a feel for how they handle, then post your credit card details up on here so everyone can rinse you for money. Thats how driving and owning one feels.
I bought a Testarossa a couple of years ago for the very same reason, had the standard issue on my wall as a kid, drew piccys of them and always fancied one.
If you are going to buy the car to use regularly DON'T, they are extremely hard to live with, Stunning to look at, iconic even.
If you want to open the garage and look at it, maybe drive it 500 Miles a year then do it... Thats what I do with mine. If you want a car to drive then buy a 512.
Before you start test driving any, go and drive a Mark III Cortina to get a feel for how they handle, then post your credit card details up on here so everyone can rinse you for money. Thats how driving and owning one feels.
Gobs
te said:
te said: Sorry to Butt In, I am new around here by the way!!
I bought a Testarossa a couple of years ago for the very same reason, had the standard issue on my wall as a kid, drew piccys of them and always fancied one.
If you are going to buy the car to use regularly DON'T, they are extremely hard to live with, Stunning to look at, iconic even.
If you want to open the garage and look at it, maybe drive it 500 Miles a year then do it... Thats what I do with mine. If you want a car to drive then buy a 512.
Before you start test driving any, go and drive a Mark III Cortina to get a feel for how they handle, then post your credit card details up on here so everyone can rinse you for money. Thats how driving and owning one feels.
I bought a Testarossa a couple of years ago for the very same reason, had the standard issue on my wall as a kid, drew piccys of them and always fancied one.
If you are going to buy the car to use regularly DON'T, they are extremely hard to live with, Stunning to look at, iconic even.
If you want to open the garage and look at it, maybe drive it 500 Miles a year then do it... Thats what I do with mine. If you want a car to drive then buy a 512.
Before you start test driving any, go and drive a Mark III Cortina to get a feel for how they handle, then post your credit card details up on here so everyone can rinse you for money. Thats how driving and owning one feels.
Gobste said:
te said: Before you start test driving any, go and drive a Mark III Cortina to get a feel for how they handle, then post your credit card details up on here so everyone can rinse you for money. Thats how driving and owning one feels.
I take it you weren't too keen then 
You must have had a wicked Cortina I had to use mine for a week on the daily 90 mile round trip to work a month or so back and, have to say that after that week felt a lot more affinity for the car than just driving it now and again.
They are really a very easy car to drive once you get used to the size. They are never going to give one of the smaller spritelier models a pasting round the twisties, but on the straight, let's just say they give a fairly brutal impressive in the back that just seems to keep on going.
Yes... there are a few newer and not as pretty cars that go faster... but that's not really the point is it
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