456 Reliability ?? Your Opinions requested !!!

456 Reliability ?? Your Opinions requested !!!

Author
Discussion

joelk

Original Poster:

175 posts

255 months

Monday 4th August 2003
quotequote all
Hi there,

I'm considering buying a 456 (approx 1996) and would appreciate anyone's thoughts on their reliability when used as an everyday car.

Also, can anyone suggest what are the 456 specific problems & issues to look out for?

Many thanks,

Joel

Andrew Richmond

1,447 posts

252 months

Monday 4th August 2003
quotequote all
I was wanting a 456 when I bought my 3200GT but was put off the pre 'M' cars (mid 98?)which did'nt have ASR (as the 3200GT does) and from stories of problems. I am told that the 'M' cars are much more reliable but despite the Maserati coupes' pushing down the values of 456 M's, they still seem to cost £60k minimum (5 years old) for which you could have a new 4200GT.

I believe that the pre 'M' 456's have side windows which pop out of the top seals regularly and I have heard stories of engines/gearboxes popping - get a warranty! I don't think that Ferrari will sell you a warranty unless you buy the car from a dealer (hello £10-15k margin!).

sel4.5

32 posts

266 months

Monday 4th August 2003
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EVO magazine covered this within the last 12 months - presumably there is a guide to back issues on their website.

prancing

174 posts

261 months

Monday 4th August 2003
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I have owned my 456 GT for just over a year now with no significant drama's (except fuel consumption). I use the car for weekend or holiday use (4500 miles per year). Get a good Warranty with a Ferrari and it should prevent sleepless nights. The early cars like mine had some remedial work covered by Ferrari UK, door seals should have been covered if the previous owners insisted they where replaced. IMHO the GT is a nicer looking car than the "MGT" although both perform the same task. Bloody fast and room for 4 people.

Good luck

G.

kenyon

1,269 posts

256 months

Tuesday 5th August 2003
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Joe,

I am thinking of changing my 348 spyder for 2+2 Ferrari or Maserati. Check this threads out from Ferrarichat.com.

www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/112/296862.html?1060074289

www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/21/296868.html?1060074391

joelk

Original Poster:

175 posts

255 months

Tuesday 5th August 2003
quotequote all
Gulp ! That list of faults on ferrari chat is fairly lengthy... I'm moving from a TVR Cerbera, due to being fed up with monthly breakdowns - so want something that's going to be 100% reliable - and not going to cost a fortune it something bad does happen.

Maybe a deep breath and a leap of faith is needed ?

kenyon

1,269 posts

256 months

Tuesday 5th August 2003
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Joe,

I think the 4200 GT LHD is a better bet then a 3200 Gt RHD. The 4200 GT has the 360 Ferrari engine in it and I guess all the problems they have had on the 3200 GT would have been resolved. This is same for the early 456 GT compared to later 456MGT .....

I have been looking at DB7 as well. I found a 1999 T LHD DB7 Vantage for £39,000 pounds !!!!!

joelk

Original Poster:

175 posts

255 months

Tuesday 5th August 2003
quotequote all
Not sure about a LHD car in UK... not with my overtaking habits! - Having to get all the way into the opposite lane before getting visibility, in some of the most powerful cars ever built doesn't sound like a good idea for me...

I saw that LHD AM DB7 too - a definate bargain. If you're up for a LHD, I'd be tempted to get a Dodge Viper. Rare as hen's teeth, awesome power and bullet proof reliability.

FYI : The 456 is 1994 with 33k (if that sheds any further light on advice issues).

Cheers!

>> Edited by joelk on Tuesday 5th August 15:18

buster

1,060 posts

283 months

Tuesday 5th August 2003
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joelk said:
If you're up for a LHD, I'd be tempted to get a Dodge Viper. Rare as hen's teeth, awesome power and bullet proof reliability.


......but feels like a lego car to drive

Had a session last year driving them around a track. Not impressed.

456mgt

2,504 posts

265 months

Wednesday 6th August 2003
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If you compile a list of all the things that have gone wrong with a particular model, any model, I daresay you'd have a pretty long list. Some of these will have been remedied and maybe some will be about to happen. Best thing to do is buy from a dealer, with a warranty to limit your liability. I'd be wary of buying the cheapest on the block (why is it so cheap?) but I wouldn't be wary of buying. It's a V12 and a complex beast so take your time and find a good one. I'd beware cars that appear to have had long lists of remedial work.

One of my few regrets is that I fell for all this "massive running costs, poor reliability" guff for years before I took the plunge. Years I could have been tooling around in a Ferrari. Sh1t.

These are really remarkably good cars- they're bloody fast. On the roads near me, the 456 is at least 10-20% faster than my 911C2. You know it's a heavy car, but their handling is benign and they give you lots of warning when you're near the limit. I rate this, since if you take the piss in a 360 it'll punish you, wheras the 456 just seems to shrug its shoulders and pull you out of trouble.


Kevin

Haven't yet worked out how to post from my mobile yet so a bit late to the party.

joelk

Original Poster:

175 posts

255 months

Wednesday 6th August 2003
quotequote all
Thanks for the tips guys... I took one for a test run today. After they put in a new battery it drove really well. A far more sophisticated drive than my Cerbera - and surprisingly, more forgiving.

HOWEVER - before we set off I checked the oil cap and it had a creamy coffee like residue on the underside. Does anyone know if this is a very bad sign? - Or are there other possible explainations (other than the engine being cooked) for this?

It's a 94, with 37k, last serviced at 31k - with previous FSH.


kenyon

1,269 posts

256 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
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Joe,
Do not buy the car. Cooling water has got into the engine somewhere and will cause the engine to go a creamy colour.

frostie

428 posts

274 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
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456mgt said:

One of my few regrets is that I fell for all this "massive running costs, poor reliability" guff for years before I took the plunge. Years I could have been tooling around in a Ferrari. Sh1t.

Kevin



Very good comment, and I couldn't agree more. I'm on my second Ferrari now and I'm not rich, so owning one consumes most of my spare funds. As long as you set aside a reasonable annual budget for repairs & servicing and have an emergency fund stored away, then its not as bad as people would have you believe. I allow 3k per year which so far has proved about right ( my Cerbera was about 1.5k in contrast ). There are some VERY good specialists out there such as Verdi's ( who I now use ) who are equally as good and more often than not, better than dealers. Reputation is everything to these guys as they can't stick a stamp in your book.

As has been said, buy from a dealer with a warranty, or at least get the car thoroughly checked before purchase. Again some of the specialists offer this service which would be money well spent.

Also a point which is often overlooked is the fact that a car which is 5+ yrs old is bound to suffer the odd problem.

Frostie

355f

515 posts

247 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
quotequote all
well you only have to do a search at ferrarichat.com to see the miriad of problems associated with this lovely car.

Where shall we start??
well the radiators leak in many locations and dont last, as does the electric water pump.
Then there is the leaking electronic dapmpers at the rear (£1100) from ferrari) they go all the time.

Then the power steering problem, not to mention the window reglulator mechanism which is a complete mess, the only way to possibly fix this is the retro fit kit from ferrari costs £2000 plus days fitting.

The warranty will NOT cover many of these items even if its from ferrari uk.

Im sure there will be posts to the effect that these are isolated comments, but speak to ANY independant specialist who is honest and they will confirm it. All parts even by ferrari standards are vv expensive

456mgt

2,504 posts

265 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
quotequote all
355f said:
Then the power steering problem, not to mention the window reglulator mechanism which is a complete mess, the only way to possibly fix this is the retro fit kit from ferrari costs £2000 plus days fitting.

The warranty will NOT cover many of these items even if its from ferrari uk.

Im sure there will be posts to the effect that these are isolated comments, but speak to ANY independant specialist who is honest and they will confirm it. All parts even by ferrari standards are vv expensive

A couple of comments on this:
1) Of the list above, only the rear dampers on mine have been changed and this was under warranty. If there is a known fault I would expect that it be repaired under warranty. Or there'll be trouble.
2) On Prancings' car, the window mechanism was replaced FOC by the factory for the previous owner
3) ALL Ferrari parts are expensive, though I've not noticed any differential between routine parts for the 360 versus the 456.

It's precisely this sort of self-perpetuating stuff that kept me out of a Ferrari for so long. I heard all these stories when I was looking to buy; then I spoke to owners and heard rather differently.

All the right advice is on this thread; buy one with FSH, get it inspected, check the warranty, and if it's a dog, chop it. Whether you do or not is neither here nor there to me; perpetuating biased or incorrect information does bother me though.

456mgt

2,504 posts

265 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
quotequote all
kenyon said:
Joe,
Do not buy the car. Cooling water has got into the engine somewhere and will cause the engine to go a creamy colour.

If this is the case, it should be creamy on the dipstick too. If the dipstick is clear, it's condensation.

355f

515 posts

247 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
quotequote all
well I am an owner!! Ive owned 3 Ferraris including a 456 so I think I know what im talking about!

Good for you that the window mechanism was paid for before you bought the car. The fact is that the Formula warranty will only pay for rectification - NOT the new update and in 2 instances that I am aware Ferrari refused to pay for new shocks on the rear as they felt they were not leaking enough. In otherwords to last beyond the warranty.

355f

515 posts

247 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
quotequote all
I am of course delighted you have a reliable 456 and its a great car and obviously the points I have metioned have not been an issue to you which is great.

I have had the Ferrari warranty on 2 vehcles purchased from dealers and it does not provide the sort of protection that one thinks.

Of course whatever car one has its always 'the best' but that should not cloud ones judgement when offering others advice when the MASS of opinion out there is that this car can be (and this includes cars with FFSH!!!_ a nightmare!

355f

515 posts

247 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
quotequote all
one point I missed!!

A survey! albeit with a very small sample.

The main Ferrari dealer that services my cars look after 11 456 on regular servicing. All these are FFSH cars low mileage.

5 of the cars have had new streering racks
6 of the cars have had new radiators
All excpet one have had the window mech update
7 of the cars the rear shocks have been replaced.

Of course I dont want to give 'incorrect information' maybe other surveys could be done to see??

Best thing to do is to ring a dealer and tell the you have a 456 and ask 'is that a common fault' and there you have your answer!!!

lotusnobles

731 posts

251 months

Thursday 7th August 2003
quotequote all
Can vouch for the radiator

Recently taken one in part ex, '99 S just had new Rad @ 18k miles at a cost of around £1600