A question for the wise

[SFV]

I recently celebrated my 39th birthday, and thoughts about what car I must own before I reach the 40th ensued. Thoughts along the line of it would be nice to look back and know I owned something special before I finally hit the big mid life crisis age next year.

So I'm focused in on the Ferrari 550. Average price on the market right now seems to be around £45k, some more, some less. I've been checking out my back issues of Evo and boy do they love this car at the time it came out. But starting to get an old car, given they came out in 1996?

However at an average price of £45k the much newer 575 comes into a similar price range too. Newer is better yes, except it doesn't seem to be in this case? Plenty of criticism of the suspension on the 575 from what I've read so far, and quite a lot come with the f1 gearbox - I think I would prefer the classic Ferrari manual box.

Was there a reason for this post? Oh yes, on my 550 research I just read the Evo August 2000 issue where they took a 550 Maranello down to Tuscany for three days with a Ferrari 360 Modena, Lamborghini Diablo 6.0 VT, Pagani Zonda C12, Porsche 996 Turbo, and a Viper GTS. Given this was 9 years ago, in hindsight they got the order right I think? 3rd place to - 550. 2nd place - 6.0 VT. 1st place - Pagani.

After reading 28 pages on this one road test, I am thinking there are so many good cars out there, is the 550 the right choice for me? Or is there something else I should be seriously considering for 550 money?

[pagejobe]

Hi mate, ive had a little look around and come up with a few options
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/899576.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/895330.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/897036.htm

Highly recomend this one, as i have driven a couple of times, and fell in love with
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/820291.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/928398.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/862567.htm



just put a few that i quickly thought of
the last one has got to be the ultimate choice, but i have been told that they are very tempermental, and will cost about £3000 a year to run with just weekend driving, but you pay for what you get, awesome car (ive driven one and loved it, however the brakes were a bit dodgy on the one i drove)
The maserati gransport is really understated and is a fantastic car with an amazing engine i really recomend that you must go for a test drive and open it up and you will be pumping with adrenaline which is what you want in a supercar. the paddleshift gearbox is fantastic and much better than the previous ones, it blips the throttle on the downchange which first sounds amazing and secondly turns alot of heads.
the bmw looks quite nice however i have not driven one yet and it hasnt made much of an impact on me, the astons are the obvious british choice and i personally would take the v8 vantage as its more chuckable whereas the db9 is just a cruiser or bit it a pretty quick one! i think you could get alot more for your money than a 550, its getting on a bit now and is simiar to the db9 in that it is a cruiser.the bentley is a bit of a beast and again a cruiser but it is absolute luxury and is very imposing in person its pretty quick aswell for such a heavy car but then it does have a 6 litre twin turbo W12 engine! but please go for a test drive in the maserati because although you may not look at it and think "that is my future supercar" and i did the same but then i was encouraged to try it and maserati swindon kindly let me have one for a whole weekend for a test drive! that was amazing! i only thought id get 10 minutes in it! anyway, let me know what decision you make as i am really interested.
Cheers, Josh

[evil_dr_fish]

IMHO in no order:
355
Testarossa (for the pose / experience more than the hoon)
360
Noble
Early 2wd Diablo / vt

I guess it depends on what you want from the car... Are you a big 'hooner' (meeting up with groups of car minded loons and going on ballistic, B Road blasts), Track driver or do you simply enjoy the 'supercar experience' - in which case handling may not matter so much?

There's little point any of us offering our direct opinions as we have made our choices based on our own priorities!

I can guarantee however - there is NO experience on Earth quite like owning a Lamborghini Diablo! (except a Countach or Murci - and then insane money a Zonda or CGT etc!)

[sone]

Looking at Ferrari's myself at the minute. The dealer who seemed to know his stuff told me that a 550 would be his weapon of choice, in his own words a proper blokes Ferrari.