buying my first Ferrari - a 458 - tips
Discussion
Hi all,
I am an avid petrol head having owned a number of super cars in the past - Lambo's, 911's, Aston Martins & a McLaren. I have never owned a Ferrari, and it is time to make this right!
The one for me, i have decided is the 458 - always loved this car, most importantly its naturally aspirated - which is a big deal for me - simply don't like the turbo charged stuff!
Would love to know the key things to look out for in respect to spec - important options which effect resale etc - now i know most people say you shouldn't buy the car for the next owner, but i'm sorry, these things matter to me, so would appreciate if you could let me know the "must have's". and things to look out for / avoid with a 458.
thanks for the help.
Cheers.
I am an avid petrol head having owned a number of super cars in the past - Lambo's, 911's, Aston Martins & a McLaren. I have never owned a Ferrari, and it is time to make this right!
The one for me, i have decided is the 458 - always loved this car, most importantly its naturally aspirated - which is a big deal for me - simply don't like the turbo charged stuff!
Would love to know the key things to look out for in respect to spec - important options which effect resale etc - now i know most people say you shouldn't buy the car for the next owner, but i'm sorry, these things matter to me, so would appreciate if you could let me know the "must have's". and things to look out for / avoid with a 458.
thanks for the help.
Cheers.
'Tips' = previous threads many of which fail to agree on the necessity of lift !
eg https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
eg https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
nbot said:
Hi all,
I am an avid petrol head having owned a number of super cars in the past - Lambo's, 911's, Aston Martins & a McLaren. I have never owned a Ferrari, and it is time to make this right!
The one for me, i have decided is the 458 - always loved this car, most importantly its naturally aspirated - which is a big deal for me - simply don't like the turbo charged stuff!
Would love to know the key things to look out for in respect to spec - important options which effect resale etc - now i know most people say you shouldn't buy the car for the next owner, but i'm sorry, these things matter to me, so would appreciate if you could let me know the "must have's". and things to look out for / avoid with a 458.
thanks for the help.
Cheers.
I would give Gary O'Dea at ( H R OWEN London ) a call he's a TOP MAN he will give you ALL THE HELP YOU NEED !I am an avid petrol head having owned a number of super cars in the past - Lambo's, 911's, Aston Martins & a McLaren. I have never owned a Ferrari, and it is time to make this right!
The one for me, i have decided is the 458 - always loved this car, most importantly its naturally aspirated - which is a big deal for me - simply don't like the turbo charged stuff!
Would love to know the key things to look out for in respect to spec - important options which effect resale etc - now i know most people say you shouldn't buy the car for the next owner, but i'm sorry, these things matter to me, so would appreciate if you could let me know the "must have's". and things to look out for / avoid with a 458.
thanks for the help.
Cheers.
Scud shields, carbon fibre drivers zone, LED carbon steering wheel, fully electric sports seats (bucket carbon / gold rake seats I found too uncomfortable to drive cross country but would be nice if a track car IMHO), electric folding mirrors, Sat Nav (even though its s
t you need it for resale!) and the 20" forged alloys.
Everyone will have their own opinion as you can probably see from the responses so far so go with what you personally like
t you need it for resale!) and the 20" forged alloys. Everyone will have their own opinion as you can probably see from the responses so far so go with what you personally like
I started out a long voyage looking for a cheap basic LHD with a rubbish spec if it was cheap enough. The basic car is so fundamentally awesome that none of the expensive tat they sell you makes a whit of a difference to the driving experience. Except maybe the leds and the seats. So if you can save £50k by having a high mileage LHD poverty spec 458 you will have essentially the same experience and can also buy an Atom and some secondhand luxobarge to cover off all bases.
I ended up after multiple scams and meeting the Mafia in Eastern Europe and having to get solicitors involved to get my deposit back from a certain garage of ill repute 9 months later buying a RHD one with carbon buckets, carbon inside everywhere, extra striping and stitching, kick plates, the upgrade JBL stereo (it even has a quite useless DVD player), camera, park distance (oh yeah actually that's useful), really quite lovely 20' upgrade wheels, shields (actually a must), sat nav, ipod, extra leather inside and perhaps more that I've forgotten.
The lesson, just go and bite the bullet and buy one you like with a warranty. Don't overthink it or take too long. If resale is important, buy an easy to sell colour with decent spec. If the experience is all, get a low spec yellow or silver lhd one (with a warranty). I actually wanted yellow even though the dealers will tut tut but the yellow lhd one I wanted to buy in Eastern Europe came with me in a hole in the ground.
I ended up after multiple scams and meeting the Mafia in Eastern Europe and having to get solicitors involved to get my deposit back from a certain garage of ill repute 9 months later buying a RHD one with carbon buckets, carbon inside everywhere, extra striping and stitching, kick plates, the upgrade JBL stereo (it even has a quite useless DVD player), camera, park distance (oh yeah actually that's useful), really quite lovely 20' upgrade wheels, shields (actually a must), sat nav, ipod, extra leather inside and perhaps more that I've forgotten.
The lesson, just go and bite the bullet and buy one you like with a warranty. Don't overthink it or take too long. If resale is important, buy an easy to sell colour with decent spec. If the experience is all, get a low spec yellow or silver lhd one (with a warranty). I actually wanted yellow even though the dealers will tut tut but the yellow lhd one I wanted to buy in Eastern Europe came with me in a hole in the ground.
so I have found a potential car - its done 20k miles, black with some good spec - still has some Ferrari warranty left on it - LED carbon driving zone - front and rear sensors - bucket seats for me are not a must as I do a lot of European road trips, mountain pass and twisty countryside tarmac in Wales - I do some track days, but this is by no means going to be a track only car - it has front and rear sensors and nav - scud shields full main dealer history etc etc.
£135k
what do you guys think? worth a look?
https://www.hertfordshiremotorcompany.co.uk/used-c...
cheers.
£135k
what do you guys think? worth a look?
https://www.hertfordshiremotorcompany.co.uk/used-c...
cheers.
Edited by nbot on Tuesday 11th September 14:36
As above.. looks decent for the money.
You'll never get a consensus on options really. Most of what has been written above re: CF seats, CF zone, 20" alloys, etc is where I stand on it, but the real absolute essentials in my eyes are shields & nav. Nav is - as stated above - crap, but at this level it is expected. Shields are quintessentially Ferrari and can't be retrofit without replacing the wings.
2011-on cars had updates to the dash that allow the "analog" speedo to be on the left display. 2010 cars don't have this and it can't be retrofitted.
2011-on cars have the 7 year free servicing, though now irrelevant for the car you've linked.
2011-on cars had updates to the exhaust software (less popping, some see this as a negative)
2012-on cars had suspension software and hardware upgrades (last I checked this is a £10k retrofit).
You'll never get a consensus on options really. Most of what has been written above re: CF seats, CF zone, 20" alloys, etc is where I stand on it, but the real absolute essentials in my eyes are shields & nav. Nav is - as stated above - crap, but at this level it is expected. Shields are quintessentially Ferrari and can't be retrofit without replacing the wings.
2011-on cars had updates to the dash that allow the "analog" speedo to be on the left display. 2010 cars don't have this and it can't be retrofitted.
2011-on cars have the 7 year free servicing, though now irrelevant for the car you've linked.
2011-on cars had updates to the exhaust software (less popping, some see this as a negative)
2012-on cars had suspension software and hardware upgrades (last I checked this is a £10k retrofit).
Edited by Durzel on Tuesday 11th September 16:06
nbot said:
so I have found a potential car - its done 20k miles, black with some good spec - still has some Ferrari warranty left on it - LED carbon driving zone - front and rear sensors - bucket seats for me are not a must as I do a lot of European road trips, mountain pass and twisty countryside tarmac in Wales - I do some track days, but this is by no means going to be a track only car - it has front and rear sensors and nav - scud shields full main dealer history etc etc.
£135k
what do you guys think? worth a look?
https://www.hertfordshiremotorcompany.co.uk/used-c...
cheers.
looks good value to me £135k
what do you guys think? worth a look?
https://www.hertfordshiremotorcompany.co.uk/used-c...
cheers.
Edited by nbot on Tuesday 11th September 14:36
don't discount the bucket seats, I really struggle with lower back ache in most cars but find them absolutely brilliant (no problem doing 1400 miles in 3 days a few weeks ago)
WCZ said:
shields, racing seats this is all you need, it's a special car as it is
This is absolutely right. Shields and seats are the only two things that really make any difference to selling a car. All the carbon and stuff you will never ever get back if you've bought the car new and will make very little difference to a sale too unless the buyer is down to a couple of otherwise similarly priced cars.nbot said:
so I have found a potential car - its done 20k miles, black with some good spec - still has some Ferrari warranty left on it - LED carbon driving zone - front and rear sensors - bucket seats for me are not a must as I do a lot of European road trips, mountain pass and twisty countryside tarmac in Wales - I do some track days, but this is by no means going to be a track only car - it has front and rear sensors and nav - scud shields full main dealer history etc etc.
£135k
what do you guys think? worth a look?
https://www.hertfordshiremotorcompany.co.uk/used-c...
cheers.
Here's what I have on this car:£135k
what do you guys think? worth a look?
https://www.hertfordshiremotorcompany.co.uk/used-c...
cheers.
Edited by nbot on Tuesday 11th September 14:36
For sale through Lancaster Ferrari in May 2013, 6,500 miles for £164,000 then £160,000
For sale again through Lancaster Ferrari Colchester in March 2015, 15,150 miles for £149,830, reduced to £144,830 at end of May, then to £142,830 in mid-June 2015. Then transferred to HR Owen and offered at £144,950. Sold in August 2015.
Beginning of November 2016, for sale again through HR Owen Ferrari, 17,612 miles at £144,950. Reduced successively to £141,950 then £139,950 at end of November 2016. Sold in November 2016.
End of October 2017, offered for sale by HMC (Herts), now with 20k miles, for £143,999. End of November 2017 increased to £149,989. Jan 2018 reduced to £142,949. End of Jan 2018 reduced to £139,989. End of Feb back up to £143,989 then, mid-April, briefly to £144,989. End of April back to £139,989. Since then up and down below £140k (lowest being £133,989) to current £134,989.
FWIW I have also seen it plenty of times, the first time being at one of Chris Evans' Mulberry gatherings the day after it was first registered.
OP it's a buyer's market out there. If I were you I would find several examples which fit the bill (even if the asking price is beyond your budget) and do not be afraid to put in an offer significantly below asking and walk away when they refuse. There is very little liquidity in the market place and now we are approaching the end of the season so you can let them fester and in a couple of weeks I'm sure they will see a bad offer is better than no offer. Works particularly well if the car is on SOR with the dealer.
Good luck!
Good luck!
Wow!!! i am extremely impressed by this intelligence! how on earth do you know all this!? A very very useful update on the cars history and movements.
thanks for sharing this with me, much appreciated. I am happy its has largely stayed within the Ferrari dealer network!
thanks for sharing this with me, much appreciated. I am happy its has largely stayed within the Ferrari dealer network!
Edited by nbot on Tuesday 11th September 17:10
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