Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Good Afternoon

[Britt2Asa (Britt2Asa]

Hi,
 
I will add a few points.
 
Have you sat in any of these cars? Depending how tall and fat you are and  
how long/short your legs are you may find you don't fit well enough in one of  
these cars. (I cant fit in a Countach no matter how I try but a 328GTS was just 
 ok). Try them out first. A steering wheel extender (like a snap-off) makes a 
big  difference for me; I have had them on all my Ferraris and the Alfa.
 
Lastly - a bit radical but why wait? Are you getting younger or more fit?  Bu
y the thing now! You never know whats around the corner where suddenly you  
wait to own the dream and you can't anymore.
 
Suggestion - Sell the MB. Buy a Saturn (the new 4 door saloon is a rebadged  
Opel/Vauxhall Vectra. Boring but not a terrible car). Or buy any other cheap 
15k  car. Take the money difference and buy the Ferrari! I did one better - I 
used a  328GTS as my only car from 2000-2002 so I could afford it.
 
Use the little daily car for the day to day and have a TR for the weekend!  
Better than just dreaming about it.
 
My first ferrari was the 328GTS and I loved it. My 400i is a different  beast 
but also fantastic. One of these days I will get a 512TR or a 550 when I  can 
find LHD version here in England.
 
Good luck.
 
Britt
 
 

Hiya  mate,
As a relitively new Ferrari owner I might have some inside into your  
situiation....

I to am a child of the Magnum series.  For 27  years I have wanted a Ferrari 
with a passion.

Earlyer this year I  spoted one of the road when I was on my way to work one 
day and followed  it for about 10 minutes....
The sound, the look, the total lack of body  roll.. It was the final thing 
that made decide that enough was enough and  the time was right to make the 
scarifices I would have to make to own  one.  So I arrived at work and sat in 
the van for an hour with a bit  of paper and a pen.... I wrote "how I am 
going to get MY Ferrari" at the  top of the page and processed to make a list 
of what I have to sell, clubs  I had to join, new groups I had to join etc... 
people I needed to  call...

Less that two months later I drove my RHD dry sump full Euro  spec 1978 
308GTB in red and tan home.
The EXACT model I had on my list  to buy.

My advice for you is to pick THE model you really want and get  that first. 
Buying a Ferrari is something you for for passion not for  practical reasons 
so don't get a 328 if you are really passionite about a  TR....

So the choice of model is all about passion.... now here is the  irony... the 
choice of which actual car to buy is all about being  practical!

I almost bought a unknown car from the UK, still the right  model.   I was so 
hooked on getting one I almost made a HUGE  mistake looking back.
Then JUST as I was about to pay for that car one came  up here In New Zealand 
3 hours away from me that was perfect, only a very  small amount more money 
(which I would have blown on the UK in  seconds).

So my advice is pick the car you want down to colour and  upholstry and 
proceed to check every one out that comes up until the right  car comes along 
and it will.
If it takes 2 years then that good because  by then you will be an expert on 
that model and it's issues and know the  right car when it comes along.

Well that was a bit of a ramble I hope  some of it might make some sence?

Regards
Gavin
'78  308GTB







> After joining your Ferrari list a  few months ago and being a lifelong fan 
> of these beautiful  automobiles I was hoping to get some really good 
> first-hand knowledge  and information from anyone and everyone who cares to 
> respond.   I am hoping to one day own and care for one of these pieces of 
> art,  honestly it will probably be  a few years down the road but I'm 
>  optimistic that it won't be too long.
> This would definitely NOT be a  daily driver, I have a '99 MB S420 for that 
> but I would hope to drive  the car weekly. I grew up with Magnum's 308GTSi 
> and later the  Testarossa which I still love! There's one in my 
> neighborhood but I  haven't been able to get the guy to slow down long 
> enough to chat  with him about his car! He's always having too much fun in 
> it I  guess?
> I have many questions, but one of my first would be is there  such a thing 
> as a "starter" Ferarri for a beginner someone who is not  a millionaire and 
> not a mechanic. I have seen alot of 308s out there  but many seem to had 
> some hard years and been neglected. I have  looked at a '91 348ts which was 
> very nice and a 360 Modena which was  outta my price range but I still have 
> a"thing" for that 12 cylinder  Testarossa! Am I crazy? Yes, I probably am! 
> Not sure how much of the  maintenance I could do myself, costs, ride, etc. 
> on any of these cars  much less a Testarossa or Modena 360? Should I just 
> start with the  best 308 I can afford and look to buy up from there after 
> enjoying  that and learning about Ferarris or should I go with the dream 
> and  find that special Testarossa? Any ideas that people may have? I would 
>  love to hear them!
> Also, do you think that I'd be welcome at some of  my local Ferarri club 
> events so that I could learn about these cars  even though I don't own one? 
> Have a great day and enjoy those  beautiful automobiles, oh and keep 
> writing in to the message board so  I can live vicariously through all of 
> you!  Thanks  alot.





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