Author: Developer

What is the importance of paintwork on a used Ferrari?  What does it mean and what should you look for?

Looking for paintwork is very important when you are looking to buy a car, Ferrari or any other manufacturer.  Paintwork can tell a lot about a vehicle and its history, and in turn, affect the car’s value.  First, what is paintwork and how do you know if a car has it?  Paintwork put simply is a panel or portion of the car that has been repainted.  This could result from a variety of different things, years of rock chips, fading from the sun, tree sap, or a car accident to name just a few.  Determining if a car has paintwork can be done in one of two ways; one is by simply looking at the car, and the other is by using a paint reading tool.  Some paint jobs are obvious while others require a special tool that will measure the thickness of the paint.

How exactly does paintwork affect the value of the car?  This can be complicated to answer and really depends.  If the paintwork is the result of a bad car accident, then the car accident will affect the value of the car more than the paintwork will. While this probably seems pretty obvious, you must keep in mind that not all car accidents are the same and some may not affect the value that much.  For example,  your used Ferrari 308 may be parked next to another vehicle that pulls out of its spot and lightly brushes against your Ferrari scratching the paint.  While this type of accident is minor and is not going to cause mechanical concerns, the value of the car could be affected if the accident receives a Carfax and the next buyer does not properly investigate the Carfax.  Even further, in some instances people do not even report accidents so looking for paintwork is really necessary when buying any used Ferrari.

Paintwork can also affect value due to the originality valuation, which of course depends heavily on the specific Ferrari you are looking at.  Some Ferraris are much more valuable in their original condition with all their dings and scratches.  Some models will also bring a much higher valuation with all the original parts over one that has been maintained and may look much prettier asthetically.  I always advise anyone who does have paintwork performed for scratches, dings, or wear issues to get documentation of all the work done so it is not an issue down the road.

Just like artwork, vintage jewelry, or any other luxury good that can be collectible, there is no answer that is true across the board.  Therefore, when you are looking for a used Ferrari or any other exotic car, be sure to ask about paintwork and based on the answers, you should be able to evaluate how it should impact the value, or your purchasing decision either positively or negatively.

Where you can purchase a certified pre-owned Ferrari is a common question and concern for people looking to buy only the finest examples of used Ferraris.  Quite frankly, certified pre-owned vehicles by all manufactures have become a very popular alternative to buying a brand new car.  Certified pre-owned vehicles tend to be a terrific value, often a better quality than a standard used car, and they will give the buyer the peace of mind of an extended warranty to help offset any future costs that the car might have after purchase.

Many buyers value the extended warranty the most from a certified pre-owned vehicle, but the real reason these vehicles are of better value is because of the reconditioning process the vehicles undergo to become certified, not the warranty.  Manufacturers have a list of requirements that dealers must meet to ensure the vehicle is qualified for certified status, this could include various items such as, engine standards, miles, age, etc.

So, the question I like to ask is, what is more important, the extended warranty on the used Ferrari Testarossa, or the level of reconditioning and service that was done to make sure the Ferrari is in impeccable condition for the next consumer?  To me, this is not just obvious, but this is also very similar to what I do when I am purchasing Ferraris for my dealership.  I examine the service records to determine the car’s condition, where the service was done, who performed the service, the parts used, etc.  This helps me to determine the value and gauge if my Ferrari technicians will need to do more work outside the normal process all our vehicles undergo before sale.

The next question I have my clients consider is, what if there was a dealer who reconditions their used Ferraris the closest to perfection that is possible with the car.  In addition, what if the dealer was so confident in the condition of the car, and all the reconditioning that was performed, that they offer a certified program that mirrors the manufacturer’s program?  Further, what if the technicians reconditioning the Ferraris were master certified Ferrari technicians, some carrying a name known from coast to coast because of the unique talents with Ferraris?  My final question is, should you be looking for certified pre-owned Ferraris, or the Ferrari with the best value?

While not every dealer will do all mentioned, and not every dealer will have renowned Ferrari technicians, I wanted to illustrate the actual, important issues when looking at buying a pre-owned Ferrari, and the important benefits of a certified vehicle.  In closing, be sure to look at all Ferrari dealers when you are shopping for your next pre-owned Ferrari 360 because there are independents Ferrari dealers that offer certified programs replicating the manufactures program.

 

Replacing your Ferrari clutch is certainly not a minor Ferrari service expense and so it is definitely wise to be conscious of how you are driving your Ferrari, and the wear and tear it is having on your clutch.  There are also different wear factors depending on whether your Ferrari is an F1 transmission or a true-gated, six speed manual.  Driving a six speed manual you have much more control over the wearing of the clutch; you know when you are riding the clutch, you can smell when you are burning the clutch, and you know when you are simply wearing the clutch.

With an F1 transmission, it is much harder to determine when certain driving methods are wearing the clutch, and avoiding the huge expense of premature replacement is definitely of importance.  Here are a couple of tips from our master certified Ferrari technicians on limiting the wear with an F1 transmission.  First and foremost, limit driving your Ferrari in reverse. Driving an F1 Ferrari in reverse is the one thing that will cause the most damage to the F1 clutch.  Second, make sure you never back your Ferrari up a hill or up unleveled surfaces in reverse; this is a sure fire way to burn out your F1 clutch very quickly.

My recommendation, from years of driving experience with an F1 clutch, is to drive the car in sport mode; this will help increase clutch life.  This is not verified information, it is solely based on personal experience with our Ferraris, but we can confirm that driving in sport mode certainly does not wear your clutch any faster.  And let’s face it, this is absolutely the most fun way to drive an F1 transmission!  The other recommendation is to make sure you have your regular Ferrari service so a master certified Ferrari technician can examine your F1 system to ensure everything is functioning properly.  Sometimes a technician can catch something in the transmission that is causing extra wear on the clutch.  As always, regular Ferrari service is the best way to prevent any premature issues, but hopefully these tips will help you to maintain your Ferrari better in between service visits, and also prevent any major clutch issues.

It’s time for your annual Ferrari service, do you really need a Ferrari technician to do the work, or can it be someone who works on all exotic makes?   Simply said, yes, you really should have a Ferrari technician and let me illustrate why this is.

Many people comment, “oh a car is a car, anyone can change the oil or fix the breaks.”  While this may be true for some manufacturers, this is definitely not true for Ferraris.  In fact, after many years of experience, it has been proven over and over that this could not be any further from the truth.  There are many nuances and intricacies when it comes to servicing these handmade pieces of art.  Take the bolts for example, there are specific ways bolts need to be tightened and specific ones for particular models; risking something like a bolt not being properly tightened could cause a bolt to loosen and cause further damage.  There are even some Ferrari models that are similar in all aspects except for a slight change in a part that may not be noticeable to someone who is not trained to look for it.  Again, this may not seem like a huge deal, but small variances can lead to larger issues.

In addition to assembling the Ferrari properly, there are specific Ferrari diagnostic tools that will scan error codes and other messages, and a technician will be required to understand them.  There are generic scan tools on the market, that many believe can accurately diagnose check engine lights, etc., but this is absolutely not the case.  One can only imagine what can happen with a misdiagnosis and the end cost of correcting the error.

We have discussed before that it is not just the Ferrari services you do, but more importantly, who performs the services.  As a Ferrari buyer, I would actually prefer to buy a Ferrari that has not been serviced at all, than to have one serviced by someone who is not an expert.  Nine times out of ten, that will just lead to a larger expense correcting the errors made.  Always, always investigate who will be doing your service and make sure they are qualified.

Ferraris are synonymous with words such as beauty, speed and power. Unfortunately, they are also synonymous with sticky buttons and leather shrinkage on the dash. Anyone who has ever owned a used Ferrari knows that at some point the buttons will start to develop a tacky feel and the leather on the dash will start shrinking. We are often asked about these issues and the good news is that we have had many years of experience dealing with these problems and have solutions whether you are having your Ferrari serviced, or doing the work yourself.

First, shrinking leather is not a problem that is unique to Ferrari. Many luxury and exotic cars that have fine leather covering a lot of surfaces can end up with damage that is mainly caused by being out in the sun. The harmful rays of the sun cause the leather to shrink and shrivel up leaving damage that is prevalent when looking at the car. Tinting your windows can help prevent some of this, but the best thing to do is buy a $20 windscreen deflector to use when your car is parked outside. Many are not a fan of the deflector, but they will prevent much of the sun damage and literally save you thousands next time you have your Ferrari serviced.

Ferrari sticky buttons…the ever infamous sticky button problem. We have spent years and countless hours trying to find a perfect solution to resolve this issue. Removal of the stickiness is an extremely time consuming process that literally take hours. In addition to your time and patience, there is also a level of skill required to ensure that you remove only the tackiness and not the words on the buttons, or something else.

Where exactly does this stickiness come from? Ferrari uses a rubberized product that, when heated or continuously charged, can cause the rubber to melt and become tacky to the touch. There is much speculation as to what actually causes the buttons to melt and become sticky, but at the end of the day it happens to all of them. How do we fix this? There are many products on the market that claim to fix this problem, but there are a few things to consider when selecting a product. First is effectiveness of the product, many products will only do a decent job and you will spend hours trying to remove the stickiness. For example, many people spend hours using lemon juice. The other issue experienced with many of these products, that you must be extremely careful of, is the possibility of the product being too strong and damaging other items. We have seen cars that have had strong acidic products used, leaving no graphics on the button, or worse, damaged leather. One product that we recommend and use on every single car that comes in for a Ferrari service is Jax Super Soap.

To sum everything up, our overall recommendation is to make sure you service your Ferrari in a facility that has factory certified Ferrari technicians because we advise removing the parts and then repairing the damage on the dash and sticky buttons. This will completely avoid further issues of chemicals spilling on other parts of the vehicle and causing damage. If you are doing the work yourself, then we highly recommend using Jack's Super Soap because the acid free product will not damage any other part.

Technology drives so much of our world today and this is especially true in the world of Ferrari service.  What is the difference between technicians today versus technicians from 30 years ago?  That is like asking what the world was like before Microsoft or social media.  Simply said, there is a lot that is different.

A classic, pre-owned Ferrari that was manufactured in the 90’s will clearly have different technology within it vs. the later and current model Ferraris.  If you go back even further to rare and vintage Ferraris, there will be zero computer components in them.  For example, the 1985 Ferrari 308 4-valve has no computers in it at all, meaning there is zero ability of scanning with computers to diagnose the service issue.  This also means that the repair will be either a rebuild or a mechanical repair, which brings us to the most important difference between technicians of today vs. 30 years ago:  Technicians with decades of experience have the knowledge base required to fix the pre-computer-era cars.  They have seen a lot and have been in many different situations with these older cars, and this is something that is crucial when you are dealing with a car of this calibre.  Often, I think of the analogy of selecting the doctor I would want to perform heart surgery on me; is it the surgeon with 30 years of experience, or the med student fresh out of residency?  Some may find this analogy absurd, but to many, Ferraris are not considered “cars,” they are “works of arts”.

Another big difference between Ferrari technicians with decades of experience relates to the one issue that always comes up with Ferraris a few years old: Parts.  Experienced technicians are likely to have one of two benefits when it relates to parts, the data base to source rare parts for older Ferraris and/or the ability to make the part.  As Ferraris age, the parts become discontinued and scarce which requires someone who knows where to look to find the parts.  Technicians who have been around for years have grown networks with companies all over the world to source parts.

In some situations, we will have a client bring their car in for their annual Ferrari service and we will discover there is a part needed that cannot be located.  When this happens, the only option is to actually make the part.  A Ferrari technician with a few years experience will likely not have gained the experience to machine the part from scratch, as it is also unlikely they will have the experience with that of an older Ferrari model.   Machining parts from scratch requires much experience and knowledge, and that is not something every technician (even those with years of service experience) can do.  In addition, you will also need to make sure that the service center has the machines needed to make the part.

There is always great value to anyone who has years of experience in any industry.  When it comes to the vintage Ferrari world though, experience isn’t just a want, it should certainly be a need.  When you are scouting Ferrari service centers, be sure to investigate the shop and the technicians credentials to be sure your Ferrari will receive the proper care.

Two of the biggest challenges people face when owning an older or classic Ferrari can be maintaining and servicing their vehicle. Sometimes, the older the car, the harder it is to find someone who knows how to properly work on it.  To make matters worse, it can also be very challenging, if not impossible, to find the proper parts for the vehicle. So, what are you supposed to do you do when this happens?

The first and best place to go for these types of resources is usually the specific make or model's owner’s club. For example, if you are looking to buy a pre-owned Ferrari 360 and you want to find out about service and parts availability, the most useful information can usually be found on FerrariChat.com or the Ferrari Club of America’s webpage.  Websites like these are often full of enthusiast members that you can chat with to easily and quickly get your questions answered.  In addition, there are often vendor sections where you can find dealerships advertising Ferrari service and/or parts.

You will also find that there are very few Ferrari service centers across the country that specialize in servicing and restoring older models.  Often, these service centers scour the world looking for dealers and former dealers who have collections of parts from when they sold their stores looking to dispose of those collections.  What happens when the part is discontinued and no one can locate a part anywhere?  In very rare cases, you can find a technician that has been working on cars for so long that the familiarity they have gained with the required parts and special tools has enabled them to manufacture and make the parts on their own.  A great example of this is one of our own technicians, Wade Williams. Wade has been working on Ferraris for over 25 years and often times when an order requires a part that is no longer available from Ferrari, Wade will make the part on his own. This example is rare because, not only do you need the technician with the ability, you also need the special machines to make the parts.

Owning a classic, pre-owned Ferrari is something dreams are made of.  We only suggest you further enhance that dream by doing research on both the service and parts’ aspects beforehand so you will know exactly what you will be dealing with when it is time for your Ferrari Service.  Some cars may require shipping across the country while others need the manufacturing parts, or both.  Either way, it is always best to know this upfront.

Labor rate can be such a hot topic when having your Ferrari serviced.  It reminds me of when people shop for a lawyer, everyone wants to know the hourly fee.  In my opinion, however, I believe that when dealing with anything of importance, the total cost for the job is what is important, not the hourly rate.  I want to know going into a situation that my Ferrari Testarossa is going to cost $6,000 to fix, not that it will be $225 per hour because I have no idea how many hours it will actually take.  Labor rates, parts prices, etc… all of these items are irrelevant to my end goal of a perfectly running Ferrari.  Along these lines, I want to feel and know that I am addressing everything on my exotic that needs to be fixed.  Pre-owned Ferraris are not just cars, they are assets that need to be managed and cared for like you would with your stock portfolio.  And as you would with the investment firm you interview to manage your assets, you need to do the same with the shop that services your Ferrari or Maserati.

In today’s technology driven world, you can readily access the information you need to shop around.  If you take your Ferrari in to have a timing belt replaced and are quoted a total cost for the job, it’s easy for you to call around for another quote.  In addition, this would be the time to use all the information on line to learn more about the Ferrari Service Centers you are considering.  Find out who will be servicing your car and what their credentials are, does the shop stand behind their work (online reviews are extremely helpful), and what will your service experience be like? Do I have to wait months before I can get an appointment to come in? Will they provide me with a free loaner? How will they take care of my car while it's there?  Questions like these can end up adding to the bottom line, which is why there is so much more to consider when choosing a service shop than simply asking what the labor rate is?

In addition, find a place that is willing to invite you into their shop and show you the problems they see so that you too can verify that you're only fixing what needs to be fixed. Unfortunately, the auto industry has earned its reputation from there being a lot of  dishonesty that takes place. However, there are also many extremely honest dealers who make great partners, and you will be able to tell exactly who those are when you look at all these factors.  The world of exotics is very different than traditional cars in a sense that these vehicles are about peoples passions and love.  Not only do the owners love their  Rolls-Royce, but more often the mechanics themselves will have a love and admiration for the vehicle and its craftsmanship as well.  When you find a shop that shares your same passion and appreciation for these true works of art, you will know without a doubt that you have found your shop.

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Often, we find ourselves discussing with our clients the fears when it comes to owning a Ferrari, Maserati or other exotic, with the biggest fear being about service. Who is going to service their exotic? Where can they service it? Do they automatically take their car to the franchise dealership because they assume they will provide them with the best service? Can they find a good independent shop that can provide them with the comprehensive service needed to maintain the value of their investment? These are all very important questions and, with many of our clients residing all across the U.S., we make sure they are armed with the important information they need to find the best Ferrari service shop in their area for their car.  There are a two main areas to investigate when researching a service center: the technician who will be servicing your exotic, and the actual shop itself.

When it comes to servicing your Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls-Royce or any other exotic, the level of experience of the technician working on the car is one of the most important things to consider. If you have a factory trained master technician working on your car, the odds are you are in the right spot.  A master technician is someone who has completed many trainings and certifications, meaning they have years of experiences with the quirks of a specific make and models.  That being said, someone does not have to be a master technician to be a great technician. There are many technicians that are highly qualified and talented with less certifications. It is just very important for you to get to know the person who will be working on your car and what kind of training and experience they have had.

In today's world, we have also seen many factory trained technicians with decades of experience not limited to franchise car dealerships anymore, which brings us to our second main point as to whether you should choose a franchise or independent dealership for your Ferrari service.  More and more we are seeing many technicians, who have spent decades with  franchise dealerships, looking for major changes and partnering with independent shops to help provide better services to clients.  It is actually not uncommon for independent shops to have many technicians, with decades of factory training of different makes, all in the same shop.  Examining the technicians of both franchise and independent shops is critical for this reason.

Another perk of the technology driven world today is that you can have a world of knowledge about a dealership before you ever step foot inside their business.  Looking for service for your pre-owned Ferrari or Rolls-Royce, you can look online to determine a dealership’s reputation.  Online reviews are a great source that tell you much about a dealership: Do they have positive reviews from other clients? Do they stand behind their service? Have they invested the hundreds of thousands of dollars in factory diagnostic tools that are required to service your car?  Examine the types of cars they typically sell and service, and make sure the make of your exotic is not a one off for them.

Servicing your Ferrari or exotic shouldn’t be stressful and the good news is that it doesn’t have to be. Consider all of the questions we’ve discussed and you should be able to determine the right Ferrari service shop that will provide the best care for your cherished 308.

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