BIG Dilema

[355fiorano]

I've had a kid recently which is absolutely fantastic BUT that poses a big problem with the Ferrari situation ... I'm having (bad) thoughts about getting an FF and if I do, one of my other ferraris will have to go. Having 4 is not a viable option.

The problem is I am very attached to each one for its own reasons and being of a manual/no nannies mindset, I know I'm not going to love the FF as much as any of the ones I have. But if I want to do anything involving my current cars, like hooning around or participating in supercar events over the weekends etc I need a 4 seater as I cant really go on my own and leave the family behind.

My current cars+sentiments:

308 GTS - My first Ferrari, had it for 20yrs + . This I could never sell as its like family now and I love that its a targa, has a sweet engine with low down torque that revs beautifully and progressively to 8k RPM and one of the most beautiful shapes EVER
355 GTB Fiorano - Had it 15yrs. Love it to bits. One of I think 4 manual factory spec RHD fiorano cars (and of a total of only 18 RHD fiorano factory spec cars in total) with every extra. Its just so useable, beautiful but fantastically fast and balanced when you push it. Also drop dead gorgeous and I would never be able to find something like this for sale again in all likelihood
CS - Had it 2 yrs and I cannot even consider letting it go as I've only done 4k km. OK its F1 but apart from that its the best car driving experience outside a race car you can have. I also think that unfortunately these are going to get so expensive in the next few years, I would never be able to afford my way back in.

So what r the choices:
1) Keep them and forget the FF or using my current cars much for a long while
2) Sell one but which one could I part with ?

I'd be interested to hear opinions ...

[355fiorano]

I should have said that daily is a Range Rover and the missus doesn't drive (!)
If I got an FF it would mainly be to go for drives and supercar events as a family so not really my daily car (although my daily is actually the "tube" so all cars are weekend only)
The older 4 seaters, although attractive as they are manual have never really attracted me. In reality I had a convulsive reaction when the FF was launched and thought it may be the ugliest car on the planet alongside the Panamera but its grown on my somewhat (the panamera hasn't).
Went to see and FF yesterday but did not drive which I need to do to see if it could be a substitute for one of the others. I did drive the lusso when it was launched but although it was mighty fast, it was too comfortable and the 4 wheel steering felt like the car was aquaplaning in the wet on the uneven B roads. I am hoping with the FF you dont feel the nanny systems and its more raw.

[355fiorano]

ghost83 said:

Clearly you’re doing very well to have 3 Ferrari’s and the Range Rover would 1 more really hurt?

I think the FF is lovely personally

I certainly wouldn’t give up any of them just add to the collection

Edited by ghost83 on Sunday 21st January 14:22

I am definitely leaning to keeping what I have and waiting for later in case I can afford the FF in addition ... however with nursery and school fees coming up its not very likely ... I' should probably just be thankful if I get to keep my three in the coming years!

[355fiorano]

GarethRR said:

Keep the 2 seaters buddy and buy a Alfa QF - that's what I did and it is bloody marvellous - its like a 4 seater CS!

I do love Alfas. Use to have a Sprint green cloverleaf back in 1991, then a 155 Silverstone special edition (with all the wings to homologate their BTCC entry), then the 166 V6 and each was superb. The new breed look fantastic and the QV is especially appealing but this would not qualify for the "supercar" type events so the RR has to stay as the main family run about even if its the 4.2L supercharged and even with the lightest throttle feathering I have not seen anything above 13mpg on any trip .. Thought I'd use it to go skiing but its cheaper to book business class by plane and get a cab to the resort than take the RR!

[355fiorano]

WCZ said:

even if you keep them all and buy an FF, I think you'll like it a lot and then end up with 5 ferraris you are unwilling to sell !

If only I could ....

[355fiorano]

Zadkiel said:

ANOpax said:

In order of rarity....

F355 Fiorano
360 CS
FF
308 GTS

So in theory you should get rid of the 308. But I appreciate the sentimental value of the 308. If you really can't part with it, then get rid of the CS as you don't have as much history with that car as the others and you could always buy another as sufficient numbers were produced.

I have recently had a similar decision to make and swapped a 355 which had sentimental value for a 4 seater in which the whole family can travel.

So if it were me, I'd probably swap the CS for an FF and concentrate on creating memories with a car which involves the family too.

That says it far better than I was going to so I agree with above. I understand your logic behind wanting a Ferrari for the whole family and to me it looks like the CS is the one to go.

I am not sure about the rarity comment. Rarity implies price appreciation but the 355 Fiorano is not as well known/appreciated/valued as a CS. It was an option only in the last year of production (around £8k I think) that was not taken up by the vast majority of buyers and was a half way (or maybe a bit less than half way) house between a challenge spec car and the standard. As the fiorano parts were readily available (i.e the Challenge ECU, Thicker/Stiffer Roll bars, lower springs, quicker rack, wider track, cross drilled disks, lower springs and a couple of other bits) and when the cars were at £30k-£50k, many independents offered to put some or all these on standard cars as it was affordable. Now of course that the prices have gone up and there are very few parts left its not economical but there must be quite a few cars that have similar features. For a CS however, the conversion from a standard 360 is a lot deeper and goes much beyond trim and ECU but titanium engine bits etc. It is also much more recognised as a landmark car and in my estimation, in terms of rarity and future value I think we will see the day when they will go to levels where the F40 is now (and I hope that is not soon so I can enjoy it before I am too scared to take it out for a drive). I cannot see any version of the 355 coming close.
From a driving perspective, the CS and the 355 are soooo different but given the choice between the two keys right now I would take the CS .. maybe because I've driven the 355 much more. On the other hand I cannot have 2 of the 3 cars with paddle shifts. My heal-and-toe skills will dissapear and admittedly the 355 is sweeter to heal-and-toe vs the 308 ... but the 308 has so much more feel ...
Honestly I can go on for ever ... and never make up my mind.

I will go for a test drive of an FF so i have a better understanding but I really think I will most likely keep what I have and wait ... unless the FF blows me away and then ???

[355fiorano]

ANOpax said:

Few people test an FF without being blown away.

I wouldn't take it as a given. I drove the lusso and it was not for me. Same with the 612 and even the 488. I would not swap one if my cars for those so the jury is out on the FF...

[355fiorano]

MDL111 said:

I am not sure I would worry about future value too much - the CS is currently very far from F40 values and we might well have already seen the top of the current up cycle in 2016 with prices having stagnated/retracted since then (cars in general, not the CS in particular). Currently I see the likelihood higher that an F40 will be 400k-500k again than that a CS will be a million (both not in our immediate future). In any case I think the high 6-digit CS - if ever - will happen in the following upcycle or the one after that, so it might well take 20 years until then - which is way too long a time period to really factor into today’s decision making imo

I sure hope it takes a long time so I can enjoy it for as long as I keep it... About 12 years ago however, I was bidding on a 288GTO that was up for sale at £170k (with cash + the 355) but we didn't agree on the numbers so deal was not done.

Edited by 355fiorano on Thursday 25th January 14:43

[355fiorano]

MKnight702 said:

You are missing several much cheaper solutions.

1) Teach the wife to drive, then you can take 2 cars to the show

2) Fit a tow bar to the RR, then trailer the Ferrari of the day to the show

3) Only take one person per show on a rota

The first option is actually a good point but I never let anyone drive my cars so I will have a hard time doing that, especially when she just jets her license and is on P plates! I have thought many times about a trailer but being in central London I don't know where to put it and don't fancy paying for yet another garage space to keep it. It also kills the fun about driving there and back and day events like Goodwood breakfast club/Salon Prive etc its not a solution. i have mainly thought about it for track days though. Wife/kid rotation is not likely to go down very well with either of them!

On the funny side of how to read the options you suggest:
1) Get your wife to crash one so then it leaves a space for the FF (and in that case its pot luck which one goes)
2) Substitute actually driving the cars with towing the cars and the family round
3) Divorce

[355fiorano]

I must say as much as I tried to like the 456 I have never liked its looks. Having said that, it certainly did not give me the convulsions the FF did when it launched but somehow the FF has grown on me while the 456 never did. I have had a few drives in 456s and also felt driving wise it was not for me.

As for the 288 I do regret it in that the 288 was my pin up car and the ultimate goal was to own one. It does now look highly unlikely. At the current prices however i would have not had a choice but to sell it, as financially it is so far out of my league I could never enjoy thrashing it or even maintaining it properly as the spare parts must be extortionate.

[355fiorano]

Andy I think what you wrote above articulates my current thinking very well.
I took both the 355 and CS out yesterday (albeit in central London so not much of a "drive") but they are just so nice and different I would miss either of them deerly if I sold ... whatever the replacement I think.
I'll still go and try an ff but I do think that ultimately I'll try and hold what I have and if possible add another ... off to buy a lucky dip now

[355fiorano]

Ok so i was casually browsing looking at FFs and scrolling down I see this

Admittedly this is the first time I have ever seen a Tesla price as I'm not interested in the slightest but Whoa ...