Discussion
I am looking at 456 cars at present and have some questions which you guys may be able to help with;
Manual or automatic
GT or MGT
Colours to avoid (if any)
Low mileage 'garage queen' or reasonable mileage car which has been used a lot more (say 40/50k miles)
Budget is £70K. Looking to do about 3/4000 miles per year.
Would I be better to look at the 612 as they are hovering around this level now and there seem to be a couple of nice ones around ?
.
Any help/pointers/assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Manual or automatic
GT or MGT
Colours to avoid (if any)
Low mileage 'garage queen' or reasonable mileage car which has been used a lot more (say 40/50k miles)
Budget is £70K. Looking to do about 3/4000 miles per year.
Would I be better to look at the 612 as they are hovering around this level now and there seem to be a couple of nice ones around ?
.
Any help/pointers/assistance would be greatly appreciated.
I am no 456 expert, but generally speaking I think 40-60k miles might be less troublesome than a very low mileage car. Also if you are adding 4K a year then the low mileage premium will be gone soon (say you buy a 20k miler, then you are adding 20% in the first year)
I read from time to time that parts cost on the 456 are relatively high - something to check.
I would go manual for a 456 (if auto, I’d take a closer look at the 612 - manual ones ridiculously priced nowadays - I think they have aged well - very elegant shape imo)
I read from time to time that parts cost on the 456 are relatively high - something to check.
I would go manual for a 456 (if auto, I’d take a closer look at the 612 - manual ones ridiculously priced nowadays - I think they have aged well - very elegant shape imo)
141 manual RHD official UK GT and I think 61 M GT cars.
mostly dark colours (black, blue, silver), 14 red GTs, 2 yellow
running costs around £600 for annual service, £1200 for campbell (every 3 years)
look for one with a service history - cambelt services are important (and cheap, because not engine out a lot of the V8s of the same era)
use is important, I've done about 2.5k miles a year in mine, and its a lot more reliable because of it.
buy the best you can - I bought private, as the 5 other dealer cars I saw weren't as good
massive torque, so can be held in gears a lot or ran in high gears (6th at 30mph still accelerates for example).
Very good at covering long distances quickly and relaxing doing it - its a GT car.
rear seats good for kids, and adults upto an hour, if they are under 6ft.
M revised bonnet, slightly different interior (dash mainly) and 6 more bhp (not that you'd notice that)
forums (e.g. Ferrarichat) are good at telling your equivalent parts. Tarox do better brake disks for £1k, rather than ferrari at £2.5k for example.
some parts no longer available, but can still be found second hand. e.g front indicators, seat switch assembly.
weaknesses - windows drop in the frames, look for gaps at the top of the rear of the glass. paint around rear wheels in bumper gap is point of corrosion.
headlight motors fail (volvo 480ES part)
had mine 12 years almost, beautiful car that lovely to drive.
Wife won't let me sell it, when I tried a few years ago
PS. There's a buyer's guide I have somewhere - PM me, and I'll try and find it. I used to run 456gt.com, but time got the better of me, so I gave it up.
mostly dark colours (black, blue, silver), 14 red GTs, 2 yellow
running costs around £600 for annual service, £1200 for campbell (every 3 years)
look for one with a service history - cambelt services are important (and cheap, because not engine out a lot of the V8s of the same era)
use is important, I've done about 2.5k miles a year in mine, and its a lot more reliable because of it.
buy the best you can - I bought private, as the 5 other dealer cars I saw weren't as good
massive torque, so can be held in gears a lot or ran in high gears (6th at 30mph still accelerates for example).
Very good at covering long distances quickly and relaxing doing it - its a GT car.
rear seats good for kids, and adults upto an hour, if they are under 6ft.
M revised bonnet, slightly different interior (dash mainly) and 6 more bhp (not that you'd notice that)
forums (e.g. Ferrarichat) are good at telling your equivalent parts. Tarox do better brake disks for £1k, rather than ferrari at £2.5k for example.
some parts no longer available, but can still be found second hand. e.g front indicators, seat switch assembly.
weaknesses - windows drop in the frames, look for gaps at the top of the rear of the glass. paint around rear wheels in bumper gap is point of corrosion.
headlight motors fail (volvo 480ES part)
had mine 12 years almost, beautiful car that lovely to drive.
Wife won't let me sell it, when I tried a few years ago
PS. There's a buyer's guide I have somewhere - PM me, and I'll try and find it. I used to run 456gt.com, but time got the better of me, so I gave it up.
Edited by Davo456gt on Saturday 26th May 18:26
Manual or automatic? I’ve got the auto box and think it very much suits the car. The manual might be a better bet for investment purposes though due to rarety value and appeal. Personally I think it’s not worth the premium.
GT or MGT? There’s a trade off here. I think the pre-modificato car looks so much better. The Daytona style scoops on the bonnet look gorgeous, whereas the M looks a bit bland. Inside you’ve 5 beautiful horizontal dials like a GTO, vs the rather 550 style trio in the M. However, the M is more up to date...
Colours to avoid (if any): not red or yellow! Not black interior. Best ones IMO have a nice contrast: blue with tan, or silver grey with dark red.
Low mileage 'garage queen' or reasonable mileage car: all about condition I think. There is a premium on low mileage cars but since 456s are costly to maintain (complex, and some parts aren’t available and need to be fabricated) this is only one factor. My view is 30-50k is the sweet spot, not overpriced, but not overworked either.
All that said, my own view is the 456 is possibly the most undervalued car in the world as a great choice. Look at it: a relatively rare Ferrari with a timelessly beautiful design (even the way the bonnet opens is a thing of wonder), luxuriously appointed (leather roof lining!), handles and cruises wonderfully, has one of the greatest V12s ever made up front, relatively practical, and is still available for c£50k. Compares very favourably with the 365 Gtc 2+2 at 300k, and 550 over 100k.
Just think of the maintenance as a conveniently spread part of the purchase cost, and it’s a great buy. Good luck, and post pictures when you get it...
GT or MGT? There’s a trade off here. I think the pre-modificato car looks so much better. The Daytona style scoops on the bonnet look gorgeous, whereas the M looks a bit bland. Inside you’ve 5 beautiful horizontal dials like a GTO, vs the rather 550 style trio in the M. However, the M is more up to date...
Colours to avoid (if any): not red or yellow! Not black interior. Best ones IMO have a nice contrast: blue with tan, or silver grey with dark red.
Low mileage 'garage queen' or reasonable mileage car: all about condition I think. There is a premium on low mileage cars but since 456s are costly to maintain (complex, and some parts aren’t available and need to be fabricated) this is only one factor. My view is 30-50k is the sweet spot, not overpriced, but not overworked either.
All that said, my own view is the 456 is possibly the most undervalued car in the world as a great choice. Look at it: a relatively rare Ferrari with a timelessly beautiful design (even the way the bonnet opens is a thing of wonder), luxuriously appointed (leather roof lining!), handles and cruises wonderfully, has one of the greatest V12s ever made up front, relatively practical, and is still available for c£50k. Compares very favourably with the 365 Gtc 2+2 at 300k, and 550 over 100k.
Just think of the maintenance as a conveniently spread part of the purchase cost, and it’s a great buy. Good luck, and post pictures when you get it...
some good points here i think....
blue, silver possibly black suit the car well i think and seem to be most popular, clearly black a real pain to keep clean and on such a big car its a lot of metal to look after, interior i think that all are fine but personally i would stay away from crema as a pain to keep clean
GT vs MGT..... personal choice a lot of people prefer the external looks of the pre M but some people like the interior of the M, you will pay generally more for an M as newer etc
is a good cruiser personally i dont like going more than 85mph in mine as i prefer to waft along but below that it can be pushed on if required....
interior is a nice place to be, i would say the seats are the best in any car that i have had and i have had a few including a couple of range rovers which most would say are pretty good.
mileage - i would say that 40k-60k is about correct especially if you are thinking of doing 3k-4k a year as you will lose the premium of a really low mileage car
if you like auto's there are a lot about as they are a lot more common than the manuals, opinion seems to be split about how the two options drive so i would say on that point you should pick what you like but the manuals command more money i would say primarily because there are less of them, personally i like the click of the manual gate when you are driving it
blue, silver possibly black suit the car well i think and seem to be most popular, clearly black a real pain to keep clean and on such a big car its a lot of metal to look after, interior i think that all are fine but personally i would stay away from crema as a pain to keep clean
GT vs MGT..... personal choice a lot of people prefer the external looks of the pre M but some people like the interior of the M, you will pay generally more for an M as newer etc
is a good cruiser personally i dont like going more than 85mph in mine as i prefer to waft along but below that it can be pushed on if required....
interior is a nice place to be, i would say the seats are the best in any car that i have had and i have had a few including a couple of range rovers which most would say are pretty good.
mileage - i would say that 40k-60k is about correct especially if you are thinking of doing 3k-4k a year as you will lose the premium of a really low mileage car
if you like auto's there are a lot about as they are a lot more common than the manuals, opinion seems to be split about how the two options drive so i would say on that point you should pick what you like but the manuals command more money i would say primarily because there are less of them, personally i like the click of the manual gate when you are driving it
I'm currently looking for one of these myself, but slightly concerned to read that you can no longer get some parts - Really - Not even if sourced and fitted through the main dealer?
Secondly, I wonder if anyone can tell me please, did the automatic gearbox change or improve on the M model, or was it the same all the way through production?
Finally, while I realise the Manual will probably be a better investment, I usually tend to prefer automatic cars - Is the auto-box smooth in the 456? - Would you describe it as a traditional smooth auto?
I ask this as friend of mine once took me out in his Maserati (think it was a 4200), you had to change gears with paddles on the steering wheel, it was awful - It's not like that is it?
Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Allister
Secondly, I wonder if anyone can tell me please, did the automatic gearbox change or improve on the M model, or was it the same all the way through production?
Finally, while I realise the Manual will probably be a better investment, I usually tend to prefer automatic cars - Is the auto-box smooth in the 456? - Would you describe it as a traditional smooth auto?
I ask this as friend of mine once took me out in his Maserati (think it was a 4200), you had to change gears with paddles on the steering wheel, it was awful - It's not like that is it?
Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Allister
Mulsanne-Speed said:
slightly concerned to read that you can no longer get some parts
Are you saying that every last little part is always available for your Mulsanne ?Also if its such a big issue how can you reconcile it with owning your 430 which is newer and already (just like every other car beyond a few years old) has some unobtainable parts ?
Mulsanne-Speed said:
I'm currently looking for one of these myself, but slightly concerned to read that you can no longer get some parts - Really - Not even if sourced and fitted through the main dealer?
Secondly, I wonder if anyone can tell me please, did the automatic gearbox change or improve on the M model, or was it the same all the way through production?
Finally, while I realise the Manual will probably be a better investment, I usually tend to prefer automatic cars - Is the auto-box smooth in the 456? - Would you describe it as a traditional smooth auto?
I ask this as friend of mine once took me out in his Maserati (think it was a 4200), you had to change gears with paddles on the steering wheel, it was awful - It's not like that is it?
Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Allister
This isn’t the first old Ferrari I’ve had where some parts aren’t available. They didn’t make that many, so you just have to wait for some to come available or have them made. Secondly, I wonder if anyone can tell me please, did the automatic gearbox change or improve on the M model, or was it the same all the way through production?
Finally, while I realise the Manual will probably be a better investment, I usually tend to prefer automatic cars - Is the auto-box smooth in the 456? - Would you describe it as a traditional smooth auto?
I ask this as friend of mine once took me out in his Maserati (think it was a 4200), you had to change gears with paddles on the steering wheel, it was awful - It's not like that is it?
Any help on the above would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks
Allister
Re the auto box, it’s a General Motors one so long legged, easy and smooth. No nonsense with flappy paddles or endless gear changes, the engine has so much torque it doesn’t need to change that much anyways.
Mulsanne-Speed said:
The Mulsanne is a 2016 Speed model, so yes, I would certainly hope that every single part is still available - The 430 Spider was sold last year.
You want to try a mid 1990s Maserati.Edited by Mulsanne-Speed on Saturday 23 June 18:48
Oil filter - no
Fuel filter - no
Wheel bearing - no
Headlights, bumpers, door hinge, boot contacts ....
The list goes on and on......
Mulsanne-Speed said:
Thanks 67dino, so am I right in thinking that you can get them from the main dealer eventually, but you may just have to wait for production?
Thank you also for sharing your thoughts on the auto gear box, that sounds perfect.
No worries. Don’t know about manufacturing, I think if there are none, there just are none. I’ve certainly had parts in the past we just couldn’t get and so we’ve refurbished old ones, and others where a local engineering firm has made them. But I’ve always found that garages used to dealing with these classics expect it, and can usually advise on what to do. Haven’t yet been completely stumped, just occasionally it takes longer/costs more. Thank you also for sharing your thoughts on the auto gear box, that sounds perfect.
Mulsanne-Speed said:
Wow del mar - How do you get round that?
Don’t drive it, and if you do don’t crash !!!Maserati don’t make filters, I like the challenge of trying to track Down what other cars use them. Main dealers can’t use pattern parts, so a n oil change is becoming an issue !!
There are a couple of breakers and some independents have had things remade- at a cost though !
Biturbos weren’t made in volume and were always unloved.
I have a 550 and have never had an issue with regard to parts supply, Ferrari’s are more popular and as they have more value people will make parts.
Just buy it, what is the worst that could happen .......
Never had a problem getting parts for me 456 GT. Eurospares have most parts in stock. There may be the odd thing like interior trim or rear windscreen that are not available, but you can often get stuff of broken cars again from Eurospares. Most of the parts that you will need for servicing or general running are from other cars anyway so you can source them, you just pay more for the same part in a yellow box with a Cavallino Rampante on it !!!!!! Brake pads from Mercedes, headlamp motors Volvo, electrics boshe, shocks you can get refurb by Bilstein. Gotta get a manual!!!
as number 46 says..... daveo on here is an expert ay knowing what the different parts are.....
if you are after an auto there's plenty about a lot more than than manuals and they are also generally cheaper as more common / less desirable etc.....
but also as number 46 says and you decide to go for a manual i know a good one for sale ;-)
if you are after an auto there's plenty about a lot more than than manuals and they are also generally cheaper as more common / less desirable etc.....
but also as number 46 says and you decide to go for a manual i know a good one for sale ;-)
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