Faraaz23

How long do you plan on keeping this car? If 3 years or less, are you prepared to take the $20,000 hit ON TOP of the normal drive-off-the-lot depreciation? Do you want something for a weekend car or daily driver? The GTR is going to be technically superior to an old 360. The Ferrari still has the sound, beautiful italian design, and prestige that the GTR will never come close to having. What is more important to you? Good luck, this is a great dilemma to have!


I saw that too... and that show left me actually thinking quite the opposite. While some things like the hand stitching of the interiors and the rust proofing process were neat, other things just show that they need to bring manufacturing to the 21st century. I know a gentleman who's a VP of a german automotive engineering consulting company... he has been contracted by Ferrari before... and the negative things he was telling me about their method was reaffirmed by that show. For example, the mold for every engine block is HAND-MADE. Each block is made from a unique hand-made cast, not the same one. For some reason, I just don't think you can control tolerances as well this way. We may just be talking about a millimeter here and there, but those can be crucial. I think its one thing to hand assemble a motor with machine built parts (e.g. AMG), but actually forming the parts by hand....

On the other hand, you have companies like Toyota who spend 6 months designing a robot just to sand the body of a car or have a quality control policy of <10 defects/million parts

92 SC400

Wouldnt the latter be just the cure for the headache?

rfx45

Read the article on this link: CAN YOU AFFORD A FERRARI?. If every Ferrari will go through that much maintenance costs, or even half of it and it's too much for you, then I think you may have your answer.

Threxx

Ferrari has the name, the looks, and the exclusivity going for it. The main selling points for it are it'll feed your ego, drop panties, and give you a unique driving experience that can't be duplicated anywhere else. On the down side, it'll drain your wallet in a heartbeat, and get completely toasted at any and every form of racing when going up against the Vipers, GT-Rs, and Z06s that you could have bought for the same amount of money. Hell, even a regular ol' LS3 C6 Vette for 45k bucks will leave that Ferrari behind!

I was just about to post that. Granted I do believe you could save a lot of money by only performing maintenance as needed and not as scheduled, and maybe trying to do it yourself or find a good independent mechanic. But still - those cars are just ridiculous in how much money they cost to keep running properly.

I'd say a good rule of thumb is that if you can't reasonably easily afford to buy a Ferrari when it's NEW then you probably can't reasonably easily afford to maintain a USED Ferrari...

rfx45

Is this the Ferrari show/program you guys were talking about?

Part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVhFKobzap4

Part 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDQFBPFbLlk

Part 3: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEllsTIFmwM

Part 4: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLE_e_P7YSY

Part 5: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlAeKZN3dls

cliffud

iTrader: (3)

get a used 308, after the F cars hit 25 years old, they just go up in value.

MadMax96

Maintenance or not, the 360 is a Ferrari, and will always be valuable for that reason.

In 10 yrs, no one will have cared that you paid a $20k markup - so basically after a year or so, it depreciates by $20k, plus some of the MSRP.

I laughed at all the a-holes who paid over sticker for their PT Cruisers. Suckas!!!

I personally think anyone who pays the markup on new cars isn't very wise. But I'm not a rich bastage so I'd never be in that position anyway.

Nospinzone

Is this the Ferrari show/program you guys were talking about?

Yes, that's it, thanks! Between the National Geograhic and the History, Discovery and Military channel, that makes up 90% of what I watch on TV, it had to be on one of them!

Now if you watch that program and see how meticulously they manufacture the engine, and the whole car for that manner, I just don't understand what takes so much maintenance. Especially when you consider most owners don't put more than a couple thousand miles on per year, and they don't race or otherwise abuse the car.

19psi

factory scheduled maintenacnes on ferrari's are very thorough. most of them require engine removal. that is where the cost comes in.
low mileage every year and low stress driving is not a formula to keep a car in good running condition, especially a car designed by the factory to be thrashed. seals harden, lines gum up, deposits form, etc.
i would buy the nissan. ferrari's don't impress me.

D2-AUTOSPORT

I was looking at 360's as well before the Viper and I couldnt find anything decent (01 / 02ish) for less than 125-135 for a F1 Coupe (forget about the spyder). The only cars I saw go near 100k were 99's with lots of mileage and dull colors. If your shopping wholesale maybe thats where the 100k comes in!

In all honesty you don't just buy the Ferrari for flatout speed, because even the F430 is not the fastest of the fast. So yes the GTR would be faster but I personally love the 360, and if I bought one I'd still be happier than I would be with a GTR. I just love the sound of the engine / exhaust, the F1 throttle blip on downshift, and the styling. IMHO the 360 looks as fresh now as it did when it was intro, not dated at all.

If you cant find a 360 and want a reliable exotic and you can spring for another 20-30k or so, get a 2004 Gallardo.

Best of luck with your choice!!

D2-AUTOSPORT

I agree, I was actually told by a tech that works at a independent Ferrari shop that the most reliable 360's are the ones that get thrashed daily. There is a guy with a 02 (I think) that has never had a issue and he drives his car everyday.

garbage85

iTrader: (1)

its my life long dream to own a ferrari, so id take the 360

splitfire

iTrader: (6)

funny me and a friend of mine were comparing NSX amd the new GTR yesterday.. he told me back in 91 they were mark up 100k at dealer and there is only one in the showroom and no one were allow to touch it.. he was 16 back then his dad give him a cashier check he walk in the dealer with his friend and drove the car out at dealer INVOICE which was really cheap back in 1991... he said all the saleman there a **** at him 16 years old guy took their NSX at INVOICE because his dad knows the right people.. so ya its all about the connection

19psi

i was reading somewhere that nissan is not going t allow it's dealers to add on any extra charges. full sticker only. hopefully that it true and it sticks.

jracerlmn

LOL that's not going to happen. Aren't nissan dealerships all independently owned?