How to buy a Ferrari
Scott Rathbun
How do you know if you will like a Ferrari, if you have never driven one? I
think they are very beautiful cars, and have wanted one for a while. The
local Ferrari dealer, wants me to pick a car, setup financing and then I can
drive it. He told me that over 50% of buyers drive the car for the first
time, when they drive it off the lot. That probably works for former
Ferrari owners, but I am not sure if I want a 355 GTS or Convertible, F1 or
6 speed, or maybe wait and order a 360 Modena. I have alot of choices, but
it seems like I have to pick one before I can try it.
Any suggestions?
Scott R.
AMenasce
GUCCIPHILE
>think they are very beautiful cars, and have wanted one for a while.
So it's not love at first sight for you...
Iain Miller
Scott Rathbun <sco...@nospam.me> wrote in message
news:64qP3.12223$ae6.3...@sol.newscene.com...
> Hello,
>
> How do you know if you will like a Ferrari, if you have never driven one?
I
Vic
themselves letting you drive anything and everything. Find another
dealer.
What part of the country are you in?
Fly to another city with an authorized Ferrari dealership that will
allow you to test drive the cars. Spend the extra $1000 to have the car
shipped home (as if $1,000 is going to make a difference). First thing,
start the car and drive it right to the local dealer and say hi to the
salesman. Take a picture of his face and post it here.
Vic
TigerRace1
Who is your local dealer? Where are you? If you have never bought a Ferrari
before, there is no way that they are going to just toss you the keys like a
Mercedes dealer would, but depending on which dealer you go thru you'll get
better treatment.
<<I am not sure if I want a 355 GTS or Convertible, F1 or 6 speed, or maybe
wait and order a 360 Modena.>>
If you can afford it and you prefer the way the 360 looks, I would definately
wait for it. It is a much better car. Faster, more stable, lighter, more
rigid. The paddle shifter is more refined also, but if you aren't going to race
the thing than I would suggest you buy the standard shifter.
Personally, I much prefer the 355 for the street. It is a much more beautiful
car and is an absolute dream to drive.
C.
joebiz
If your local dealer is not willing to play ball with you (assuming you're
getting serious and can project that) just find a rental car and do it up
for a day to see what you think of the various models! I can understand
their reluctance unless they know you have the means to purchase one. I'd
always get the cold shoulder at upscale car dealers because I dress like I
just got back from the South Pacific (have a penchant for safari shorts and
fruity Aloha shirts). Up until a few years ago that all changed when a
Rolex Submariner became part of that attire. They figured I was a step
above the "looky-loo of the day". Kind of a lame-o tool to garner a suck-up
but whatever gets the job done, eh?
I rented a 348ts on Maui and learned a whole bunch of things that helped me
in knowing what problems I would have with that particular model (like the
head, leg, and ass room aches I got after driving the car for an hour).
There are rental agencies in LA that will let you play - at least up to a
355 last time I checked. I'm sure the East Coast has the same sort of setup
somewhere. It's not going to be cheap but then I would rather know all
about the car for a quickie $500-1000 day-hire than sit in your driveway at
home with your new $150,000 chiropractor job-security device! Having
buyer's remorse with a Ferrari would be about the worst thing that I could
imagine happening!
Frankly, I would not buy anything - even a damn cool looking Ferrari unless
I knew it was the car for me in every way. That 348 was a blast to drive
but due to the aforementioned problems for me, I would not consider it for
anything but "glory trips" to 7-Eleven and that's not what I want one for.
I was sitting in a tire store today and read Car and Driver magazine where
they talked about the 360 and the paddle-shifter. The review given on the
paddle-shifter was that it didn't travel with the steering wheel - it was
stationary to the column. They had a pic of the steering wheel turned to
the 45 degree angle and I thought it was kind of a bummer having no idea
that's what it did. But, having not driven one maybe it's not that big of a
deal? There was even talk of screwey shifting done by the computer but how
would one know.
Anyway.... always best to ride on the tires as well as kick them, eh? Rent
one and have fun!
See ya,
Joe :-)
Scott Rathbun <sco...@nospam.me> wrote in message
news:64qP3.12223$ae6.3...@sol.newscene.com...
> Hello,
>
> How do you know if you will like a Ferrari, if you have never driven one?
I
> think they are very beautiful cars, and have wanted one for a while. The
> local Ferrari dealer, wants me to pick a car, setup financing and then I
can
> drive it. He told me that over 50% of buyers drive the car for the first
> time, when they drive it off the lot. That probably works for former
> Ferrari owners, but I am not sure if I want a 355 GTS or Convertible, F1
or
Technical
perform a qualified, on-site inspection on Ferrari and other exotics. I find
many wrenched cars that are presented by someone who does not know 3 things
to check on a collectable. I hate seeing a new Ferrari owner taken and this
shouldn't happen. The cars should be "stamped" with a seal of approval of
some sort, but this is impossible.
The best bet if buying new is to wait a few months after the new inventory
arrives. Search the classifieds and you will find a good new car with 1,000
miles on it sitting at a lot in Miami that sells for thousands less than
sticker (plus, plus, plus...)
If you need help in locating a dealer that will provide you with a test
drive, give us a ring.
Looking for parts or technical help?
www.partshouse.net
MC
but are stationed in such a way as to facilitate easy access no matter the wheel
angle. And the computer only steps in to "assist" with the shift if somehow the
driver has managed to rev the engine into an incompatible rhythm with the
shifting he/she has in mind. It's pretty tough to f--- up, actually; all you
have to do is accelerate or decelerate, and hit the up or down paddle in
accordance with your rate of accel/decel. The computer actually determines
whether the rpms are correct for the shift desired, and makes the necessary
matches - the driver doesn't have anything to do with that.
IMHO - and I'm not saying you're this at all, I don't get that impression, but
this is my first post here and I feel anticipatory - all these newly
Internet-rich people who are flooding the nation's Ferrari dealerships to plunk
down their money: PLEASE take a damn driving class. A Ferrari owner should be
a Ferrari fanatic! If you're not, but a Mercedes, PLEASE. Or, at least, spend
more of your money to keep your Ferrari in top-notch shape so that when your
soft ass tires of it and you sell it, I can take my pick of nice cars. There's
nothing worse than a wannabe Ferraristi driving six miles to the glamour
restaurant of the day, and then six miles back into the garage, weekly. Or
worse, a Ricky Racer like that guy who totalled his F50 (!!!) at Willow Springs
a couple months ago at Ferrari of Beverly Hills' 360 Modena introduction party -
learn how to drive the car and even then, take care of it! You're not Stirling
Moss!
MC
joebiz wrote:
George Genel
not a rickey racer and what happened was just a simple accident. I also
frequent Willow Springs and its a great place to learn about your car.
Luckily some of us are fortunate to be able to explore our limits and
talents in these fine machines.
MC <mcwr...@postoffice.pacbell.net> wrote in message
news:380F93A0...@postoffice.pacbell.net...
MC
nearly cried. Regarding the rest of what I said, I'm sure you can see my
intent. Too many ferraris end up in the hands of people who don't know what
they have (even, perhaps, the Sultan of Brunei). Extreme wealth will always
exist, but common sense often lags far behind!
Chris Williams
large enough that you can hit them in all but the most ridiculous
situations. They were just trying to find something to complain about in an
otherwise nearly perfect car.
Their point about the computer was that they felt it was mis-adjusted and
was "shifting hard" or shifting too slowly. Why didn't they discuss it w/
Ferrari and ask them to see if it was out of spec? Again, they just wanted
to have something, anything, negative to say.
This is just an example of the problem with people who "test drive" a car.
With something like the F1 shifters, you really have to live with it to love
it. I was a bit clumsy with it at first, but now can shift as
second-nature, either really hard and fast under awesome acceleration, or as
smooth as silk when the wife is in the car or the coffee cup is between the
knees <g>. They are always just right there, and are a dream.
I know of not a single person who has lived with the F1 for very long who
even thinks of going back to the std. tranny. I just love the thing.
As to the original question, I bought my 355 F1 Spider never having driven
it, but having a) talked with a bunch of other people who owned them, b)
ridden in several, and c) received assurances that I'd lose nothing but the
deposit if I hated it when it arrived. (c) wasn't a problem <g>.
khalid
<<<Mark Dutton <dut...@wave.co.nz> wrote in message
news:7us56i$kcs$1...@news.wave.co.nz...
>How can you buy anything other than a 355! It is the most beautiful Ferrari
>of all. Simply fantastic!>>>
You mean the cheapest FERRARI (am with you F355 is fantastic) but it's not
the most beautiful ferrari of all (maybe it's your opinion) but What about
the F550 MARANELLO .... think of a word that's a more higher level than
fantastic (un describable) and then you can say it for the F550 .......
it's really some thing ..... (i can't explain because it deep from the
heart) ... It's a car with Soul ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
! ! ! ! ! ! yeah have you ever heard a car with a soul .... it's the F550
;) any way (this maybe my opinion and others may have some thing els to
say) ThanX
Khalid
1998 BMW 740IL
1998 AUDI S8
kha...@uae2001.com
AQX
>>How can you buy anything other than a 355! It
>>is the most beautiful Ferrari of all.
"Eye of the beholder", I guess. To me the 348/355
line looks dumpy, particularly after the naked-
female lines of the 308/288GTO/328 line. The
360 is a step back in the right direction.
>What about the F550 MARANELLO .... think of a
>word that's a more higher level than fantastic
>(un describable) and then you can say it for the
>F550 .......
How about "Chevrolet Corvette C5 at five times the
price (plus less-comfortable seats and less luggage
space)"?
AQX
MC
after they come out with some 800-horsepower, bat-winged, gelatinous-looking
paint, god-knows-what model to keep up with the other exotics who are losing
their minds, I'll be standing on my driveway worshipping my Maranello.
khalid wrote:
> <<<Mark Dutton <dut...@wave.co.nz> wrote in message
> news:7us56i$kcs$1...@news.wave.co.nz...
> >How can you buy anything other than a 355! It is the most beautiful Ferrari
> >of all. Simply fantastic!>>>
>
> You mean the cheapest FERRARI (am with you F355 is fantastic) but it's not
> the most beautiful ferrari of all (maybe it's your opinion) but What about
> the F550 MARANELLO .... think of a word that's a more higher level than
> fantastic (un describable) and then you can say it for the F550 .......
Mark Dutton
RiaElso
per day with 50 miles and $1 per mile after that. They said they had just
rented the car today
joebiz <joe...@email.msn.com> wrote in message
news:ORK$6R6G$GA.357@cpmsnbbsa05...
wayne lambright
one.. just tell the sale man.. you need to drive one.. dont let him jerk you
around.
--
Wayne Lambright
415-902-0522
Http://lambright.com
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Ephraim48
without worring about any of the stuff that has been mentioed here. Although
there are models that far more expensive than any Ferraris, many alfas are
extremely afferdable. If you like driving - sporty driving - nothing beats an
vintage Alfa!
MoRonMann
alone a 6C! Nevertheless, having owned several Alfas over the years, I have to
agree that a '65 1600 Veloce would be a nice car to have. I'm just not willing
to give up my Mondial Cab for it. Four extra cylinders and 7800 RPM, top down.
Hmmm. Lets face it, Italian cars have a certain artistry that is unmatched by
every other nations offerings. My 911 C4 is worth considerably more then my
Mondial, but the Mondial sits in the garage; the Porsche gets the driveway. I
can only fit one, and Italian mistresses are oh so temperamental!
Viva Ferrari! Viva Alfa! Viva Italia!
Ron
1986 Mondial Cab
(Red/Tan/Black of course)
Rich
Rich
Rich
Rich
Rich
Rich
Art
Rich
MC
but then you post and repost your message until we can all recite it by rote! If
you're so interested in getting information back from "Ephraim", I suggest you send
him an individual e-mail. Wake up!
Rich
Rich
Rich
Rich
Rich
Rich
Rich
Bert
Rich <delt...@telenet.net> wrote in message
news:80bm38$q3h$2...@Usenet.Logical.NET...
foobar
> worse, a Ricky Racer like that guy who totalled his F50 (!!!) at Willow Springs
Well, this is no F50, but just a few years ago in the Salvage section of Auto
Trader, I saw a 355 (forget exact year and model) that was T-Boned by a semi-trailer
truck.... It was for sale, as a whole, for $19,500... with 62 original miles.
<sigh>
Foo