550 Experiences?

[northernboy]

OK, first of all, anyone who previously responded to my previous query about owning and running a 911 turbo, please forgive me. I am not a serial enquirer, but a change of situation, and perspective, is pushing me Ferrari's way.

Basically, I reckon that if I don't run something like a 550 soon, it might never happen (by the time I next get to do it, I fear that they will have been legislated away), and I want to find out as much as possible about ownership. I'm selling my current crop of cars to move back into Town, and will be starting, cash in hand, carless, in the summer.

So, here it goes, I'd be looking at getting one of the more reasonably priced secondhand RHD UK 550s (so quite an early one), having it properly serviced, and running it as my only car (I take the tube to work, from the outskirts of London). Can anyone tell me if it really is a sensible proposition for this? I'd be doing runs to Newcastle, to Tesco, and to the pictures in it, as well as the odd (very occasional!) track day.

Are they comfortable on long journeys, relaxing like a GT, or wearing? Are there any little, or big, niggles, and any common faults that I'd have to put up with.

My biggest requirement (over and above it doing what it was meant to, which is giving a hugely rewarding drive, massive power, and making me smile) is absolute reliability. I don't mind if I need it plugged into a cahrger in the garage, but really worry that they suffer the sort of gremlins that afflicted earlier cars that were kept for weekends. Will I come back to it in a car park to find sodden carpets? Will the electrics slowly fry themselves, starter motors die, or synchromeshes fall to pieces?

Will my first vaguely exhuberant traffic light grand prix leave me needing to spend £10k on a new clutch, or will a little bit of sense and care leave me with a car as reliable as my Audi S4 was?

Any input at all gratefully accepted, good bad or indifferent. As I said, I know the drive is phenomenal, what's the actual day to day life like, though?

Cheers

[granville]

A quite fabulous proposition, I must say.

The first Ferrari to be 'built properly' if you believe Clarkson and certainly a useable tour de force by any standards.

Chaps at Stratstones say they're easily as reliable as the German jelly moulds and quite frankly, I wouldn't disagree.

Your only problem is the default 'key along' the flanks when somebody mistakes you for an errant Tory boy outside Conference... (Sorry, feebly couldn't resist! )

Do it!

[ramasys]

NorthernBoy, as an existing 550 owner I can say with 100% certainty that you'll love the car. 550s are fabulous beasts to own (looks, performance & reliablity) provided you service it correctly and regularly check fluid levels, like oil. Over long distances, the drive is effortless with massive torque in practically any gear. You do not have to drive it fast to feel the power but there's plenty on tap to satisfy even the zaniest of speed freaks. Be careful though, the 550 can fool you into thinking that its not going fast .... until you look at the speedometer. If you opt for Deytona seats, you'll drive in complete comfort with brilliant lumbar support. I used to own a TVR Tuscan Sp 6 and after enduring endless reliability problems and electrical gremlins - its fairly obvious where the extra dosh you pay for the 550 goes. If I could make a criticism of the car it would be the lack of exhaust note in standard form. However, this is solved by fitting a pipe-only TUBI to the rear exhaust section and either a cross-over or straight pipe to the centre section. Either configuration (straight pipe or cross-over)is devastating and totally transforms the sound and perfomance of the car. I went one further and also added an induction pack to boost BHP and augment the sound - not that a 550 needs more BHP - but I have taken my tunning to a level where some might not venture.

>> Edited by ramasys on Saturday 13th December 18:01

[northernboy]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful, and reassuring.

It really does seem to be the car for me. I am just going to have to see whether I really feel able to hand over that amount of cash to someone. All my previous cars have tended to be something that, in theory, I could replace if I did something monumentally stupid that both invalidated my insurance and wrecked it at the same time. This has meant that, no matter how pretty, I'd happily use them whatever I was doing.

It certainly wouldn't be the case with this though.

I suppose the main worry would be whether I was happy leaving it outside the multiplex while I sit filling my face with nachos. No good having a world beating car if I'm scared to actually use it.

[456mgt]

northernboy said:

I suppose the main worry would be whether I was happy leaving it outside the multiplex while I sit filling my face with nachos. No good having a world beating car if I'm scared to actually use it.

Have to say that I think the ultimate solution to this dilemma is to use the Ferrari much of the time, but have a junker on hand to do the crap jobs. A lot of thought has gone into that simple statement, believe me.

I've been going through all this using the 911 as my everyday car, and this means using it for everything. Normally it's not a problem. The angst comes from leaving it in airport or railway station car parks, or using it on business trips where you need to go low key, or simply when you're not in the mood.

You can get decent, high miler cars for a couple of grand- they're effectively disposable and cost less to run than say replacing a wing mirror or set of brake pads ie. in the context of running a Ferrari they cost nothing.

This is the solution I will try once my Stradale has arrived. That, and the 456 will get used 90% of the time, with something like an old Audi or a Merc when I need to leave the car somewhere shit.

Kevin

[ramasys]

Agree with 456mgt. I use a Golf GTTDI as my business car. There are just times when pulling up in a Tubied 550 (exhaust blaring 100 decibels and spitting flames) just isn't appropriate. With the amount the car costs me to own/run plus the attention it gets, I would not at all be comfortable leaving it overnight, unless it was secure parking with CCTV. Its just not worth the grief. That said though, nothing puts fire in my belly like the 550. It just works so well at at levels. Its brutual when you want it to be or refined when the ocassion calls. I reccomend you purchase one if you have the chance NorthernBoy or you'll be haunted by 'what-ifs'. Just have a cheap backup as a second car and you won't lose sleep worrying unnecessarily.

[northernboy]

I don't really want a second car if I can help it. What I've found recently is that when I go down to the garage intending to use my "best" car, for a bit of a blast on the way to an errand, I tend to end up taking the sensible saloon. That's why I want something like the 550 this time around. If I was going to get a car that wasn't for everyday use, It'd be something hugely more extreme than the Ferrrari.

I suppose there may be no alternative if I truly am going to be scared to use it, but that's perhaps telling me that I shouldn't be buying one yet.

Some serious thought callled for I think.

[456mgt]

northernboy said:

I don't really want a second car if I can help it. What I've found recently is that when I go down to the garage intending to use my "best" car, for a bit of a blast on the way to an errand, I tend to end up taking the sensible saloon.

Not if it's a 10 year old Merc with shiny, hard plastics and strange smells. If your backup is half decent then I agree with you- it's less hassle using the runabout. The challenge is to stick religiously to a small budget and not be tempted to regard the nail as an enthusiasts purchase, but as insurance; shop around for the cheapest.

[anjum]

Northernboy - the 550M, in my opionion is the best usable Ferrari made. Period. I racked up 16,000 miles in 3 months - and loved every minute of it - and it works really well - and is very comfortable, whilst still being entertaining.

Just make sure you get all of the mods (i.e. wheel studs etc.) if you hoon a lot it in around tracks.

You'll not regret it - just enjoy!

Anjum