Comments on: Part II: Ferrari Road Trip

By: G

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:45:06 +0000

Yes, a model with a full (and hopefully pampered) maintenance record is what you want. That said, such a car’s purchase price will be at least 50% higher.

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 18:27:17 +0000

Gunnar, IIRC it was a 1979 and the actual mileage was about 10,500, which works out to be around 380 miles per year. What kind of condition do you think anything made of rubber is in? Things like hoses and belts are pretty straight forward to change, but the great unknown are the dozens of rubber seals hidden away that might be bad. Worse there failure might be Chinese drip torture with one failing just after you replace another.

I might summon the courage to drop the engine out to change the cam belt and the various engine hoses, but the thought of a Ferrari transaxle spread across the garage floor is expensive. Not to mention those pesky engine seals.

I’d much rather the same year/model with an average use of 1000-2000 miles per year with a complete service history.

A few years ago an acquaintance purchased a BMW R80G/S, a bike he’d long lusted after. The one he found was a 1981 with about 4000 miles. He bought knowing what he might be getting into and the following winter the thing was all over his garage as he replaced everything and anything that was rubber.

By: Gunnar

Gunnar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:50:32 +0000

Oooo, buy it Jim!

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:24:51 +0000

Jay is the second Ferrari owner that I’ve read about in the last several months whose tackled the major service on his own, so maybe it is possible for mere mortals to tackle it, as opposed to say a valve adjustment on a Ducati. Just intimidating as hell.

Let’s see the auction results in Sport & Exotic Car, had a 308GTS with 11K miles on it going for the price of a well equipped Miata…

Time well spent Gunnar.