First Time Purchase

[BARNEY]

i've always wanted a ferrari maybe just because it was a goal set far ahead but now that i can afford one, or at least think that i can, i've started my search. i've listed what styles appeal to me, how i want to drive it and how much i want to spend. my conclusions are that the 456m, 348 spyder and the 355 have the looks and the price...driving is not much of an issue as going fast isn't high on the list. the feed back that i've gotten so far is that the 348 is ok but only the '95 model and even then it had issues. the 355 seems about the best in terms of mechanical and price and won't bankrupt you to maintain but the model that really moves me is the 456/456m about which i know nothing other than it's a 12 and that's 50% more thing to go wrong. also, for a newer model the price is right in there which makes me wonder why it's so low relative to other models. any help i can get is a plus so please let know any advice you have. thanks

[wyo550]

If I was you, I'd save my money and buy a Porsche (for a sports car that can out-run both 3-series you mentioned). The 456 is cheaper beause it's a 4-seater and there's a snob appeal running against them- even though Enzo Ferrari drove a 4- seater himself.
Your math is wrong on the 12 cyl being 50% more things to go wrong. Engines don't "go wrong". Your cost is when regular maintenance causes a dealer to need to drop an engine to change the spark plugs, etc. And the 456 (like the 550 that replaced it) is a breeze to work on. Fomr what I've heard, one of the 300- series cars you mentioned is a nighmare to work on and the other is unreliable. But I'll let someone else (who knows the details) explain that.

[Beth48]

Needless to say, I'm loving my recently purchased Ferrari. If you're in the market for one, I would give Randy Adams, Inc. a call (New Braunfels, Texas) and see if they have one on the lot. They are a used car dealer and have (or can get their hands on) pretty much any model you can imagine. Having purchased my used car there about a month ago, I can say that they are the best dealer I've ever worked with, and it would be a pleasure to do business with them again. Good luck in your search!

[Friuli575M]

The first advice I will give you is steer clear of Exotic Motorcars in Boynton Beach FL. Way to many horror stories ( I have one too) in dealing with that group.

What type of driving experience are you really looking for? Do you like to attract attention and feel others are appreciating your car (not a bad thing :-)? Do you enjoy crisp sports car handling (doesn't necessarily mean going fast)? Do you enjoy a sporty exhaust note? If you answered yes to these questions then a 456 is probably not the best choice. Of course this is my opinion buy I'll qualify it by saying that I've owned a 328, a 348 Spyder, a 355 Berlinetta, a 355 Spider and a 575M.

The 456 is very subdude in its styling and doesn't get many looks. Other Ferraristas will wave but that's about it. In my opinion the best choice in an 'F' car as far as maintentain, driving experience, social experience and appreciation potential, given what you're looking at, is going to be the F355.

If you're planning on working on it yourself, then I'd agree with the previous post about ease of working on the engine, but if you're going to have it serviced the V12, from my experience is always more expensive.

Hope this helps.

[wt888]

Originally Posted by BARNEY

i've always wanted a ferrari maybe just because it was a goal set far ahead but now that i can afford one, or at least think that i can, i've started my search. i've listed what styles appeal to me, how i want to drive it and how much i want to spend. my conclusions are that the 456m, 348 spyder and the 355 have the looks and the price...driving is not much of an issue as going fast isn't high on the list. the feed back that i've gotten so far is that the 348 is ok but only the '95 model and even then it had issues. the 355 seems about the best in terms of mechanical and price and won't bankrupt you to maintain but the model that really moves me is the 456/456m about which i know nothing other than it's a 12 and that's 50% more thing to go wrong. also, for a newer model the price is right in there which makes me wonder why it's so low relative to other models. any help i can get is a plus so please let know any advice you have. thanks

There are a series of Ferrari Buyers Guides which can be downloaded from:

Ferrari Buyer's Guides - Ferrari Life

which should help answer most of your questions.