Am I Crazy or Not?

[speedracer]

it's tough to justify the cost of a hobby, but if it won't bankrupt you or the family, why not go for it? you can always resell it if needed. for the time it is yours, drive to other places on your bucket list.

Yes, it is tough to justify almost any hobby, but I agree with your point, if it doesn't bankrupt me, why not go for it?

And I happen to think a Ferrari is a great investment. With just a couple of small, quick downturns in their history, they seem to keep on climbing in value, so if I could keep it in nice shape, it should bring a nice return. Part of me wishes our Spiders would do that, but then it would lose it's easy affordability.

[DanD]

BTW, the reason I didn't pull the trigger is because I have way too much going on in my life right now to justify any kind of solid commitment to the care and maintenance of a Ferrari. I will not pay to have one maintained for me.

Right now I am in the middle of a couple of serious work projects that take a lot of my energy, plus I am in the middle of restoring my 1840 farm house. If I were very comfortable with my work life, and my home life was totally under control, I could see having a 308 type of car to play with. As it is, just sorting out a spider 2000 is taking up a fair chunk of my Spring, when I have so much on the plate for the rest of the Summer.

Here is a link to a thread that a friend of mine has posted on another forum. http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=507999

If you have the time, energy, and excess finances to spare, maybe you should go for it. I ran Porsches for a dozen years, ( I still have one. ), and I never regretted it.

[DanD]

just swap the engine in your 124 for one with 140-150bhp, and you'll be smiling from ear to ear at fraction of the cost for next several yers

I have driven a lot of fast cars in my life, and I still find Fiat Spiders to be really fun cars and very engaging to drive.

[speedracer]

BTW, the reason I didn't pull the trigger is because I have way too much going on in my life right now to justify any kind of solid commitment to the care and maintenance of a Ferrari. I will not pay to have one maintained for me.

Right now I am in the middle of a couple of serious work projects that take a lot of my energy, plus I am in the middle of restoring my 1840 farm house. If I were very comfortable with my work life, and my home life was totally under control, I could see having a 308 type of car to play with. As it is, just sorting out a spider 2000 is taking up a fair chunk of my Spring, when I have so much on the plate for the rest of the Summer.

Here is a link to a thread that a friend of mine has posted on another forum. http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=507999

If you have the time, energy, and excess finances to spare, maybe you should go for it. I ran Porsches for a dozen years, ( I still have one. ), and I never regretted it.

Sorting out a car like a Ferrari is really the scariest part of this whole proposition to me. I know how much money and time my Spider cost me to sort out and make right, so I know getting a Ferrari right might be daunting. Careful shopping for a Ferrari will be extremely important because if I don't choose wisely, my dream could quickly become a nightmare.

I'm just not as gutsy as you or your buddy are to work on a Ferrari myself, and as another poster said, people want to see documentation from a certified Ferrari mechanic, or else resale value could suffer. So I will have to use a certified mechanic, again adding cost.

Thanks for the link to your friends 308 adventure! I'll be looking through it with great interest...

[81SPIDERMATT]

don't forget to rev it up .. that is another car that likes to be near the red line

[timspider]

wow, great info. What I have to add is not car related, but life related. I'm 55 this summer and my Dad passed at 78 last year. He started talking about getting a convertible for he and my mom to have some fun with a couple decades ago. He never did it. When I saw my Spider last year, parked road side with a for sale sign, I knew I had no business getting that car. But there sat this little gold spider every day as I drove by.
I went back and forth about how irresponsible this would be, blah blah blah.
I have since exhausted a good deal of my savings purchasing and upgrading stuff as needed. Luckily, this is an affordable car to work on. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made.
I guess what I'm thinking is: life is short, do the stuff that moves you.
If the maintenance won't break you, get a Ferrari. Drive it. Love it. Sell it at a profit later if you want out.

[speedracer]

wow, great info. What I have to add is not car related, but life related. I'm 55 this summer and my Dad passed at 78 last year. He started talking about getting a convertible for he and my mom to have some fun with a couple decades ago. He never did it. When I saw my Spider last year, parked road side with a for sale sign, I knew I had no business getting that car. But there sat this little gold spider every day as I drove by.
I went back and forth about how irresponsible this would be, blah blah blah.
I have since exhausted a good deal of my savings purchasing and upgrading stuff as needed. Luckily, this is an affordable car to work on. It's one of the best purchases I've ever made.
I guess what I'm thinking is: life is short, do the stuff that moves you.
If the maintenance won't break you, get a Ferrari. Drive it. Love it. Sell it at a profit later if you want out.

Excellent post Tim.

I think that sums up my feelings very well about purchasing a car like a Ferrari. Life is moving along quickly now, and even if by God's grace, I'm given 30 more years, they are very likely not to be as good as my last 30. So it is getting time to get serious on this. Strange as it sounds, I to think this is more life related than car related.

Sorry to hear about your Dad...

[DanD]

I think you have figured it out. The key is selection.

[DanD]

I feel like I have to add this. Buying a car should be like dating. Take out a lot of cars, and don't rush into anything. If you feel like you have found a keeper, put a deposit on it, and get a pre purchase inspection. Do your research up front. Don't play catch up after you buy the car. Join the most recommended forum for your model, and read up. Take the advice.

Most importantly, find a trusted mechanic before you buy. This guy will make or break your experience.

I understand that you feel like you have to do this now. Just remember, if you want something really bad, that is often what you will get. Have fun and enjoy the process. If you miss out on one, there will always be others.

[Daniel]

I've loved Ferrari's since i was just a boy the looks sounds inside and out I drove a 308 years ago it was a tight
fit for someone 6'1, less room if i recall correctly then a spider on the inside. It's still a good looking car imo.
I also did some looking into ownership of a Ferrari even spoke with a Ferrari shop about normal maintenance
they charged 5k to change the timing belt every 30k miles. I was told the seals need to be changed everytime
the belt is. I really find that hard to believe but when it comes to higher end products companies, salesmen,
shops etc all want a piece of you wallet pie! I'm sure the seals would be fine based on other engines lasting much
longer then that. A good part of the labor is pulling the engine out to change the belt so the fee is up there.

About the comments owners newer vs older models, how the perception is cast on down from the newer
Ferrari's being the better car so the owner is let's say stuck up about it? this isn't always the case but who
cares. If we all start falling into that stereo type typical mentality then where does it end? I for one don't
want to be like that no matter what I own or how much money I make, win, lose, inherit or just get blessed
with. If God wants some people to have more then others there might be a reason for it and it doesn't
bother me. I've never had an easy life but i work hard and If I can afford something nice I shouldn't be judged
by an object that happens to be mine. Some people can be jerks about their cars, homes, toys, money, power
etc but we shouldn't be focused on what others think in the first place!. I may own a Ferrari 1 day maybe not
but if i do it's not to fit into any mold or class it's because i love sports cars and have from my early years,
I had a fascination with cars in general. I used to have a poster on my wall of a 308 growing up before i could
even drive.

I hope you enjoy your future Ferrari maybe 1 day Ill be there as well!

[fiat218]

I would love to own a viper