Ferrari Mailing List: Re: 456 gt search

[Britt2Asa (Britt2Asa]

Ah yes, just read this post....one of the main repairers over here in the 
midlands has had parts MADE by machine shops in Birmingham because as Dennis 
says 
they won't sell parts! They can be rebuilt and repaired but as Dennis says 
Ferrari won't sell you the bits!

BTW the window "update" will not fix the problem. The part design is the 
problem and they will continue to break...and break....and break.... (over here 
its a 1000.00 fix). Still a beautiful car and cheap enough to buy in the UK; 
just costs a fortune to fix when it goes wrong.

As a good friend told me who has had one (and a 550, and a F40, and a F50...)

"The 456 will break for no reason at all, it will just fail while the 550 
feels like it only goes wrong when its something thats worn out or time 
expired. 
My 456 continued to break nearly every time it was out while the 550 was a 
robust and reliable car if you kept up with the maintenance"  This guy 
definitely 
kept up with the maintenance to!


Britt



> Specifically on the 456, the automatic has a VERY big downside.  Yes, it's 
> a
> modified GM transmission, but Ferrari (and its dealers) claim that the unit
> CANNOT be rebuilt, and that you need to order one from them.  $20k+.
> Insanity.  Now, I suspect that like any other automatic, especially one
> built by GM, you can take it to any reputable shop and they can work magic
> with it.  
> 
> Otherwise, I'm led to believe that the car is fairly robust.  You need the
> window update ($5k+), but most should have had that done by now.  I think
> there has been a 456 buyer's guide, either in Forza or in Sports Car Market,
> worth checking out.
> 



BR in the UK
1986 328GTS (LHD 89,940km) Died August 19, 2006 Shrewsbury UK
1980 400i (RHD 72,000 miles)
Searching for the right 512TR
2003 BMW 530d
1991 Alfa Spider S4