From Porsche to Ferrari

From Porsche to Ferrari

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Discussion

BrodyK

7 posts

79 months

Monday 18th September 2017
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I got the Cali 30 even if I initially had a few misgivings due to some negative media stories/forum posts. I was also considering an older F430 Spyder but since I already had several DCT cars, I didn't really want to go back to older automatics (a manual would have been ok). So a very good deal for a late model Cali 30 with very good options (Handling Speciale, sport exhaust, full carbon, etc) and with very few miles came along so I grabbed the opportunity.

Initially, a few car friends teased me for buying an expensive "hairdresser's car". But after testing, everyone agrees that the Cali is actually a very nice car to drive. Photos don't give it justice as its not easy to find an angle so it doesn't look fat as for me, it looks quite sleek.

490hp is NOT slow at all and while it doesn't handle as sharply, I actually enjoy driving it without going crazy fast unlike the 997 TTS wherein it feels like a regular car before the turbo spools up.

I'm still wishing experience a 458. But I'm in no rush and just thinking about driving the Cali gives me some goosebumps which I never get with my other cars.

Edited by BrodyK on Monday 18th September 16:59


Edited by BrodyK on Monday 18th September 17:00


Edited by BrodyK on Monday 18th September 17:01

Thankyou4calling

10,596 posts

172 months

Monday 18th September 2017
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Had a 996 Turbo. Amazing car, used it pretty much daily, never missed a beat. Point to point very little would keep up.

After a few other cars i bought a 360 spyder. Every time I so much as held the key, looked at the car or even thought about it I felt fantastic.

To drive was always an event. It was a bit tempremental but the noise, the drama, the sense of occasion.

Often i would just take it out of my garage on to the drive while i did my chores in the house, catching a glimpse of it was worth the price alone.

Happy days.

bordseye

1,975 posts

191 months

Tuesday 19th September 2017
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Behemoth said:
Except any other colour is almost always more elegant and very often a better choice to reveal the amazing styling work that these cars (usually) display.
I'll give you yellow. What surprises me is the number of undertakers buying black Ferraris - how depressing!frown

jimmyslr

798 posts

272 months

Tuesday 19th September 2017
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bordseye said:
I'll give you yellow. What surprises me is the number of undertakers buying black Ferraris - how depressing!frown
We are all different and that's a good thing. For me I wanted dark colours, be it black, grey, TdF blue and so on. My 612 is large and for me the darker colours look better on such an expanse of metal - mine's a metallic black. On my Scud I was open minded when looking, other than "not red". I ended up with black and a silver stripe. For me that car announced its presence sufficiently loudly in any colour!

Quick edit... Although on the 355 and before, but only the v8 cars, I definitely think red is best. No idea why I flip flop, but there you go.


Edited by jimmyslr on Tuesday 19th September 08:51

Nero77

190 posts

145 months

Tuesday 19th September 2017
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if we are talking colour then my view is that anything 360 onwards should be any colour apart from red. From 355 backwards should always be red!

Behemoth

2,105 posts

130 months

Tuesday 19th September 2017
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Nero77 said:
if we are talking colour then my view is that anything 360 onwards should be any colour apart from red. From 355 backwards should always be red!
Dinos, 308s, 400s, TRs, Mondials all look better in a variety of non red colours or at least darker reds than Rosso Corsa. And that's just the 70s/80s. There is no "should", it's all a point of view smile

bordseye

1,975 posts

191 months

Tuesday 19th September 2017
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Andrew911 said:
I wouldn't want to push any higher than 100K & ideally less than that. Its whether I hang on & hope 458 prices will fall or I guess I also need to consider a Cali or 612 as they would both be within budget. What's people's views on a Cali? At least thats one Ferrari I'll be able to fit in my garage laugh
Dont know whether I can help but as it happens I was at Dick Lovett today and tried both an early Cali and a 458.

The Cali is IMO a lovely looking car and the finish inside in crema was more attractive than the 458. Performance on the road was noticeably more sluggish than I remember my 430 being and certainly that the 458, but that is noit to say that it was slow. It certainly wasnt. Just maybe a few horse down and a few kilo up with the folding roof. The ride was good - just right again IMO. The exhaust noise was much more acceptable than either 430 or 458 but then I dont like excessive noise. Seats comfortable and the gearbox worked really well both in auto and flappy paddle. The roof mechanism looked complex and its bulk took up most of what otherwise would be boot space. Think F type boot and then a bit less.

The 458 grabbed immediately - I just love that mid engined go cart feel / handling. The engine was noisier that the Cali and the ride was harsher. The performance felt in a different league but my suspicion was that some of that was down to gearing. Havent checked it but I would guess that the Cali has higher gearing for a more long legged feel. Oddly the gearbox was nothing like as smooth as the Cali and at one point when I did a double change accidentally there was a real heavy jerk ( car that is not driver!)

You might like to see the Cali as a more everyday car suitable for touring etc but I would disagree. The luggage space is inferior to the 458. Its only a two seater - no way could an adult get in the back even ignoring the rear backrests sloping forward. More restful to drive maybe.

Ideally I wanted an open top car with a go kart feel to the drive. I'm not up fopr 180k on a 458 Spider so I was hoping the Cali would fit the bill. For me it didnt and I have to chose between a 458 coupe and a 360 manual spider. Or a Maclaren, but thats a different story.

For you and in the light of the 100k budget I would suggest you include the 430 and Cali. I frightened myself out of my 430 reading too much on the www about manifolds etc. But the F1 box is as good in normal road use as the 458 box, the car is pretty, nicely finished inside and has decent luggage capacity. I dont see the 458 getting down to 100k any time soon, not when even 328s sell for that sort of money


Edited by bordseye on Tuesday 19th September 17:32

DavidCBevan

347 posts

184 months

Wednesday 20th September 2017
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bordseye said:
I have just sold my 430 and am thinking of going in the other direction to a Porker. The 430 was beautiful to look at in gleaming Rosso Corsa and there certainly is a sense of occasion in using it as everyone says. My local FOC is a good bunch of people so there is a social aspect too. The car goes like stink and it has handling that rivals an Elise which in my book is brilliant.

So why did I sell? A complex of reasons , and maybe they wont apply to you. Certainly this post will get argumentative responses from others on the forum who disagree or "know better". .:

1/ Running costs are high - mileage related depreciation is about £1 to £2 per mile, fuel 16mpg driven like mother Theresa, service and repair at main dealer £1500 to £3000 pa, insurance £1000, tax £550. Budget a total £5k pa
2/ Against that there has been some price appreciation but are Ferrari prices in a bubble? Fellow member of the FOC bought his 328 at £25k and its now £85k. Another bought new at 110k, value dropped to £30k then came back to £120k. I wouldnt buy now.
3/ The car isnt very useable. No go in multi storeys or parked on city side roads, 195 mph cant be used, so you end up mostly doing 1000/2000 miles a year. A Porker is anonymous which makes it useable.
4/ If you are by nature a witterer ( I am) and read the forums, you will have sleepless nights wondering about exhaust manifolds, replacement clutches, the 19 or whatever ECUs in the car etc. It is, after all, a big red FIAT and isnt built to German or Jap standards.

I enjoyed having the car but the reality is that a Boxter S will do everything that the 430 will do and be useable as well. Problem is - it isnt a red Ferrari so I might yet end up buying another!
Absolutely spot-on IMO. I had a 2006 Boxster 3.2S as my DD, ultra-reliable, cheap to run, 100% usable (even drove it in the snow) never missed a beat. It never felt spine-tinglingly awesome, never turned heads but I probably didn't realise how good it was until after I'd sold it. Bought the 2005 F430F1 spyder and actually owned both at the same time for a short while. The Ferrari ownership experience is like nothing else...high drama, excitement and costs (other than insurance which I think was about £400...or was that my vasectomy?) anyway, everything else about it was expensive, and there was always the feeling something would break or fall off. But you 100% MUST own one, just to experience it...blame Ferris Bueller who said if you have the means...etc.
Don't know about price bubbles...just disregard it. I was lucky enough to buy, run it and sell it on for £10k more than I paid, so (kind of) covering my costs...well if you use my man-maths. However, if I'd lost money on it, or made (like the 328 owner above) so what? You buy a Ferrari because it's what you dreamed of owning until one day...there it is sat in your drive.
Happy memories, don't wait a few years, just buy one.

bordseye

1,975 posts

191 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
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How are you doing at not buying another Ferrari? I'm failing miserably.

On any rational basis its stupid of me to consider buying another Ferrari after the last experience, and when a Boxter will do everything I want, but buying another mid engined Ferrari is where I will end up.

DavidCBevan

347 posts

184 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
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bordseye said:
How are you doing at not buying another Ferrari? I'm failing miserably.

On any rational basis its stupid of me to consider buying another Ferrari after the last experience, and when a Boxter will do everything I want, but buying another mid engined Ferrari is where I will end up.
I guess its a case of every day I wake up and decide I'm not going to buy a Ferrari today. It doesn't mean I won't buy one tomorrow!

I'm Ok if I don't think about it. Then I'm in Chelmsford town centre watching the parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary and I start looking for when a '430' comes by and I have to fight the urge to tell the stranger stood next to me...I used to have one of those. Sometimes I toy with the idea of a Maser as a DD because it kind of sounds like a Ferrari...sometimes I think well I've not tried an AM V8V yet, or an R8 as a DD... then I think I'll get myself a 997 and retro mod it, go all tartan with the interior and indulge a Fuchs fetish.... But its still not like buying another of Maranello's finest is it?

My name is David. I am a Ferraraholic.

Behemoth

2,105 posts

130 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
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bordseye said:
a Boxter will do everything I want, but buying another mid engined Ferrari is where I will end up.
Last time I looked at a Boxster whilst waiting for my Cayenne to get serviced, I noticed how difficult was to even take a glimpse of the engine. It struck me that Ferrari would never do that and in fact have taken to glazing the engine cover so you can see it effortlessly. It speaks mountains about the differing attitudes these brands have, even if the end product often aims at similar target markets.

bordseye

1,975 posts

191 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
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DavidCBevan said:
I guess its a case of every day I wake up and decide I'm not going to buy a Ferrari today. It doesn't mean I won't buy one tomorrow!

I'm Ok if I don't think about it. Then I'm in Chelmsford town centre watching the parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary and I start looking for when a '430' comes by and I have to fight the urge to tell the stranger stood next to me...I used to have one of those. Sometimes I toy with the idea of a Maser as a DD because it kind of sounds like a Ferrari...sometimes I think well I've not tried an AM V8V yet, or an R8 as a DD... then I think I'll get myself a 997 and retro mod it, go all tartan with the interior and indulge a Fuchs fetish.... But its still not like buying another of Maranello's finest is it?

My name is David. I am a Ferraraholic.
I doubt we are alone.

bordseye

1,975 posts

191 months

Thursday 21st September 2017
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Behemoth said:
Last time I looked at a Boxster whilst waiting for my Cayenne to get serviced, I noticed how difficult was to even take a glimpse of the engine. It struck me that Ferrari would never do that and in fact have taken to glazing the engine cover so you can see it effortlessly. It speaks mountains about the differing attitudes these brands have, even if the end product often aims at similar target markets.
I doubt they are similar target markets since one is half the cost of the other and is recognised as a daily driver. And sorry to disappoint you but the 458 doesnt have the glass engine cover. Just the 430 and 360.

Kyodo

727 posts

123 months

Friday 22nd September 2017
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bordseye said:
And sorry to disappoint you but the 458 doesnt have the glass engine cover. Just the 430 and 360.
The Italia does!

Behemoth said:
Last time I looked at a Boxster whilst waiting for my Cayenne to get serviced, I noticed how difficult was to even take a glimpse of the engine. It struck me that Ferrari would never do that and in fact have taken to glazing the engine cover so you can see it effortlessly. It speaks mountains about the differing attitudes these brands have, even if the end product often aims at similar target markets.
The Boxster comes with a very usable rear boot. The real reason Porsche wouldn't expose the engine on the Boxster - why bother? Produced in greater numbers for a very different market, most people don't care. I love my Boxster but would take the boot every day of the week and remember, it's a boxer engine, mounted low in the car.

smile

JayK12

2,321 posts

201 months

Monday 25th September 2017
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Its a tough one this. I once had a 360 Spider Manual a number of years ago and it was amazing. It had a few niggles now and again, some things would stop working periodically, rear brake lights, the CD player would over heat. It would like warming up a bit before driving off. It had a Tubi on it, and my god the noise, that noise along with 8500+rpm was addictive. For all the cars failings the smiles it gave when screaming through the rev range were unmatchable.



Fast forward and im currently in a Boxster GTS Manual, its a sports car not a super car, but its fantastic in its own right and would put many supercars to shame on the twisties, the smiles for £££ is really good. Its new, 60K and you have modern tech, you have car that's new and not rough around the edges and doesnt need much maintenance, it handles so well on X73 suspension, you can really lean on it, its so well balanced. It doesn't rev out past 7800, and the noise is more of a roar but still really loud.



The cars give you a different feeling, the GTS comes alive when in the twisties, its so sure footed you really get that WOW feeling. The 360 soon as you started it, you were like this is special, it doesn't handle no where near as good as the GTS but when driving slowly it feels really special.



I've always been a Ferrari fan, and recently started looking at 430 Spiders/Coupes again, but its 25K more for a car that's 10 years old, already done 40K miles, a billion owners vs 1 year old, 7K miles, and the 430 will need maintenance, where as the GTS, get in, add fuel drive hard, wash, garage. At Passione Ferrari this weekend there were some really rough examples of 430's, some showing rust, it really put me off thinking it could be some time before i find a decently one.



Its a tough call, for now the GTS will stay, i will continue browsing the interweb and looking at Ferrari's, and every morning wake up with a different plan of what car i want :lol:

Edited by JayK12 on Monday 25th September 11:20

jackal

11,248 posts

281 months

Monday 25th September 2017
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Andrew911 said:
Interested to hear about your stories from Porsche to Ferrari ownership. What you have changed from to which Ferrari & why & how the ownership experience differed.

I have owned several porkers - most recent being a 981 Spyder & currently I have a 997.1 turbo. All of mine have been DD. I think i might have one more porker in me before a change (have a LOI since last year for the next GT4). By then will hopefully be taking early retirement so got me thinking what toy would i want in retirement. Can't stop looking at 599's & also quite like F430's - haven't driven either or any Ferrari tbh so can't compare with Porsche.
Just do it. Nothing quite like a focused 911 IMO but the modern day Ferraris are just incredible. Reliability and technical prowess as good as a Pork but a totally different world in terms of sonics/presence/specialness. Took the plunge this year myself (was always on the cards, just a matter of when) and am totally made up. Until Porsche make a premium 200k+ supercar i'll be sticking firmly with Maranello.

JayK12

2,321 posts

201 months

Monday 25th September 2017
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jackal said:
Just do it. Nothing quite like a focused 911 IMO but the modern day Ferraris are just incredible. Reliability and technical prowess as good as a Pork but a totally different world in terms of sonics/presence/specialness. Took the plunge this year myself (was always on the cards, just a matter of when) and am totally made up. Until Porsche make a premium 200k+ supercar i'll be sticking firmly with Maranello.
Surely a Boxster Spyder vs F430 will be a tough choice, the Spyder sounds incredible and looks awesome too....still not a Ferrari buy a tough call maybe? Against a 458 it's a different league but also a big jump.

Behemoth

2,105 posts

130 months

Monday 25th September 2017
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Kyodo said:
The real reason Porsche wouldn't expose the engine on the Boxster - why bother?
I totally agree. The ones that do care are likely to be the ones that buy Ferraris. The Enzo's designer said "the engine is probably the most beautiful part of any automobile. An engine really shows the identity of a company". Sports or supercar, I can't forgive a manufacturer hiding the engine. Until they are just boxes of batteries smile

Nano2nd

3,426 posts

255 months

Monday 25th September 2017
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JayK12 said:
Its a tough call, for now the GTS will stay, i will continue browsing the interweb and looking at Ferrari's, and every morning wake up with a different plan of what car i want :lol:
glad thats not just me then lol

Kyodo

727 posts

123 months

Monday 25th September 2017
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The Boxster is simply brill. It has been since day one. I really shouldn't drive a modern one as I'd want it. For now, my 986S alongside our F1 Modena does just fine smile All boxes ticked!