RE: Ferrari Fever
Wednesday 1st May 2002
Ferrari Fever
Don't buy a Ferrari, buy Ferrari
Discussion
And people complain about other manufacturers (namely TVR)! Never really had the urge to purchase a Ferrari - I have read that Autocar article too many times (£3000 for a service, and that was with an independant too!!!!). Engine is out for anything other than a fuse and things like mirrors and badges are just cringinly expensive....
As a result I will let the seriously moneyed to run them - but they do look nice and certainly go - and they say that Maserati are 100% better now that they are controlled by Ferrari - what the hell would they have been like before?????
Anyone got any bad experiences with Ferraris?
Cheers,
Paul
As a result I will let the seriously moneyed to run them - but they do look nice and certainly go - and they say that Maserati are 100% better now that they are controlled by Ferrari - what the hell would they have been like before?????
Anyone got any bad experiences with Ferraris?
Cheers,
Paul
Buying a used 355 spider was not that bad. Only one of the dealers had an annoying attitude and that wasn't about selling the car to me, it was because I was setting a low haggling price. Fair enough that he might get a little bit pissed off with me!
Other than that all I have ever heard is good news from Ferrari dealers. They visit you to resolve some problems, Free of Charge!
I don't think that they are all that bad. And the sound of that engine and exhaust...
I hope I don't have trouble with mine now, although the Ferrari warranty seems to cover most things except, suspiciously, oil leaks! (Unless I have read the document incorrectly???).
BUT you will need a second car.
Regards
>> Edited by ninja_eli on Monday 27th May 12:11
Other than that all I have ever heard is good news from Ferrari dealers. They visit you to resolve some problems, Free of Charge!
I don't think that they are all that bad. And the sound of that engine and exhaust...
I hope I don't have trouble with mine now, although the Ferrari warranty seems to cover most things except, suspiciously, oil leaks! (Unless I have read the document incorrectly???).
BUT you will need a second car.
Regards
>> Edited by ninja_eli on Monday 27th May 12:11
I think it comes down to individuals experience with different dealers. Mind you, I think you would be niave to expect to run one of these cars on a tight budget !
Having said that, I would still give me right arm to own one (leaving left one to change gear as I would never buy one with the F1 gearbox !).
In the meantime, I'm going to try to hire one for a weekend leaving the running expense to empty someone elses wallet !
Has anyone had any experience of this and what are the age limits (I'm 26 !).
Cheers
Paul
Having said that, I would still give me right arm to own one (leaving left one to change gear as I would never buy one with the F1 gearbox !).
In the meantime, I'm going to try to hire one for a weekend leaving the running expense to empty someone elses wallet !
Has anyone had any experience of this and what are the age limits (I'm 26 !).
Cheers
Paul
Yours is certainly the sensible choice lee and having driven one, perhaps one day when they are 60k!
The chap from Porsche GB looked a bit suprised at the weekend though (dream rides), from about 25 up to 130mph the GT2 Porsche could only pull a couple of lengths out on my 456. I was pretty suprised how well the 456 goes, on paper it should have been blown away!
Bennno
>> Edited by bennno on Monday 27th May 15:09
, its why I got one. 
I have had a 355 for nearly two years now without an ounce of trouble and my dealer Maranello Sales has been out of this world providing a level of service way beyond anything I have had elsewhere. So far in two years the car has cost me £560 for a service plus £170 for a new battery. I think if you use the well known big dealers you shouldn't see any problems. 18,000 mile service in three weeks time, will be interesting to see how that comes out.
Mark
Mark
The only problem I find is that some dealers are BLOODY ARROGANT.
You'll find this everywhere. If a product is exclusive then the salesguys are going to have attitude.
Moreover, I have found (from friends)that the more Ferraris you own (and the more exotic they are) the better the service you receive.
If you have an LHD car - major attitude from main dealers.
If you look young - they think you're not serious.
That's just what I've found.
About reliability - Ferraris are NOT everyday cars. Some of them may be pitched as if they are, but the reality is different. Use them everyday and they break - BUT, use them once a month and they break even more.
They're worth all the hassle though.
You'll find this everywhere. If a product is exclusive then the salesguys are going to have attitude.
Moreover, I have found (from friends)that the more Ferraris you own (and the more exotic they are) the better the service you receive.
If you have an LHD car - major attitude from main dealers.
If you look young - they think you're not serious.
That's just what I've found.
About reliability - Ferraris are NOT everyday cars. Some of them may be pitched as if they are, but the reality is different. Use them everyday and they break - BUT, use them once a month and they break even more.
They're worth all the hassle though.
It's interesting the different expierence people have with dealers and how it can effect their perception of the cars.
When I was 29 and had a Cerbera, my 5th TVR, the TVR dealer were useless and after asking and being promised a test drive in a 4.5 Cerbera, and having it cancelled on me 4 or 5 times, I got fed up and went looking elsewhere. The final straw for me was when I sent my car, early 4.2, back to have the cams changed, they kept it for 3 days and told me it was done and when I got home I found the cam covers hadn't even been off. Aaaarrgghh, strange then that the dealer, based around the Birmingham area, went bust shortly after.
I tried to have a test drive in a Honda NSX, but there are only 7 dealers in the UK, the nearest one to me was further away than the TVR dealer and didn't have a demo car at all. They did very generously suggest that I ought to trust them, that the car was great and that ther was no need to test drive one, and they'd be more than happy to take an order. Errr NO.
I tried to have a go in a Lotus Esprit V8 but my local dealer didn't have a demo car, wouldn't take me out in a used car, and couldn't decide whether they were registering the V8 or the GT as their demo and sugested I phoned them back in a few weeks.
Now hang on, I'm thinking about spending £50k on a car with them, they know me and know I'm serious, and they want me to phone them, no. I've since bought an Elise and had similar expierence from this dealer so wen't elsewhere again.
Then I went to Graypaul to look at Ferraris and the differance was astonishing. They didn't know me but were quite happy to spend and afternoon taking me out in a variety of cars and I eventualy bought a 355 from them.
The subsequent service, with free collection and delivery anywhere in the UK on their covered transporter, was exemplary.
When I was 29 and had a Cerbera, my 5th TVR, the TVR dealer were useless and after asking and being promised a test drive in a 4.5 Cerbera, and having it cancelled on me 4 or 5 times, I got fed up and went looking elsewhere. The final straw for me was when I sent my car, early 4.2, back to have the cams changed, they kept it for 3 days and told me it was done and when I got home I found the cam covers hadn't even been off. Aaaarrgghh, strange then that the dealer, based around the Birmingham area, went bust shortly after.
I tried to have a test drive in a Honda NSX, but there are only 7 dealers in the UK, the nearest one to me was further away than the TVR dealer and didn't have a demo car at all. They did very generously suggest that I ought to trust them, that the car was great and that ther was no need to test drive one, and they'd be more than happy to take an order. Errr NO.
I tried to have a go in a Lotus Esprit V8 but my local dealer didn't have a demo car, wouldn't take me out in a used car, and couldn't decide whether they were registering the V8 or the GT as their demo and sugested I phoned them back in a few weeks.
Now hang on, I'm thinking about spending £50k on a car with them, they know me and know I'm serious, and they want me to phone them, no. I've since bought an Elise and had similar expierence from this dealer so wen't elsewhere again.
Then I went to Graypaul to look at Ferraris and the differance was astonishing. They didn't know me but were quite happy to spend and afternoon taking me out in a variety of cars and I eventualy bought a 355 from them.
The subsequent service, with free collection and delivery anywhere in the UK on their covered transporter, was exemplary.
Both Maranello and Graypaul were fantastic to me. Funnily enough they were not arrogant or in anyway "funny" towards me even though they knew how young I am (24). Maranello didn't even want to see my drivers licence for the test drive!
Graypaul are a great dealership and are real enthusiasts. Guy there called Andrew was really accomodating and tried really hard to find me the car that I wanted. He even gave me his mobile number for outside hours.
I found one of the guys at Whitehouse Ferrari to be an arsehole and JCT were not as good as the others, but I think thats because they swap their staff from dealership to dealership and so the salesmen don't get a chance to build a taste for Ferrari.
In all, I found the Ferrari dealerships the best I have come across. BMW are w**kers until they get some evidence that you have money, Porsche were arrogant and didn't want to know, Lotus just wasted my time.
I would definitely recommend buying from a Ferrari dealership, their prices are not that much higher than buying privately (15%), and when you consider the peace of mind of a Ferrari warranty its well worth it. Very exciting cars, leaves a big grin every time.
Graypaul are a great dealership and are real enthusiasts. Guy there called Andrew was really accomodating and tried really hard to find me the car that I wanted. He even gave me his mobile number for outside hours.
I found one of the guys at Whitehouse Ferrari to be an arsehole and JCT were not as good as the others, but I think thats because they swap their staff from dealership to dealership and so the salesmen don't get a chance to build a taste for Ferrari.
In all, I found the Ferrari dealerships the best I have come across. BMW are w**kers until they get some evidence that you have money, Porsche were arrogant and didn't want to know, Lotus just wasted my time.
I would definitely recommend buying from a Ferrari dealership, their prices are not that much higher than buying privately (15%), and when you consider the peace of mind of a Ferrari warranty its well worth it. Very exciting cars, leaves a big grin every time.
I think these posts underline the point that experience varies from dealer to dealer with Ferrari too.
My missus thinks that all car dealers are crap because saps like me BUY the cars, they don't need to be sold. They still need to get stock turnover though, and the stats say that 80-90% of buyers of a used Ferrari will go on to buy a new one at a later date.
I bought both my cars from Maranello's, from the same guy (Chris Hewitt), and he was great with me both times. They have looked after me since then too.
My missus thinks that all car dealers are crap because saps like me BUY the cars, they don't need to be sold. They still need to get stock turnover though, and the stats say that 80-90% of buyers of a used Ferrari will go on to buy a new one at a later date.
I bought both my cars from Maranello's, from the same guy (Chris Hewitt), and he was great with me both times. They have looked after me since then too.
i once read an article by Jeremy Clarkson describing his experience when he bought his 355. Apparently when he came to sign on the dotted line at a desk there was no chair on his side of the desk, only on the salespersons side, he had to kneel down to buy the car, i love that image of having to kneel to buy a Ferrari and I so hope its true!
A Ferrari maindealer told me that they'll never judge a customer by its appearance, because those who look worst pay in ca$h 
Sadly those people try to offset their lack of social integrity by showing wealth, etc. with a Ferrari, which causes a bad image for Ferrari drivers in my environment.
I would never like to be seen in a Ferrari, unless it is more that 20yrs old or finished matt grey
(Sorry to all who paid cash for their Ferrari)
Sadly those people try to offset their lack of social integrity by showing wealth, etc. with a Ferrari, which causes a bad image for Ferrari drivers in my environment.
I would never like to be seen in a Ferrari, unless it is more that 20yrs old or finished matt grey
(Sorry to all who paid cash for their Ferrari)
Go on then, who's going to put them out of their misery?Gassing Station | Supercar General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff