Thank you

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rodog
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Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2003 5:59 pm
Location: evansville, indiana

Thank you

Post by rodog »

Just a note of thanks to all who post on this site and to the creator of this site.
As someone who is not yet an owner of a Ferrari (planning within the next 1 year or so- when I finish my residency training) I find all the info - very!!! useful. I have since high school wanted a sports car. I spent many hours over the summer's and after college working in a body shop that specialized in Corvettes. I remember driving one with a 454 in it- what an experience. I can only imagine what a Ferrari is like. I presently own a 1988-jetta gli 16v- my german headache (190,000 miles) but I love it. Will probably "piece it together forever". I am thinking of a 2+2 330 or 365- thoughts, advice - etc.???

Thanks greg
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tyang
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Post by tyang »

Hi Greg,

You're welcome! I'm the carzy one building this 330 America, along with this website. I'm glad you like it, and hope you find a car!

There is a ton of advice on this forum, but the advice there is to offer is no different from any other classic car you would think about purchasing.

1. Buy the best that you can afford.
2. Have a third party mechanic inspect the car.
3. Realize that restoring a project car can easily cost more than the car is worth, especially when it comes to 2+2 Ferraris.

The third piece of advice does not mean that I condemn restoration projects, but understand that you have to be realistic when jumping in. Just take a look at what I've been through. I'm still having a great time, but there are days that I wish I had a completed car already!!!

Tom
JAshburne
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Post by JAshburne »

[quote]Hi Greg,

You're welcome! I'm the carzy one building this 330 America, along with this website. I'm glad you like it, and hope you find a car!
[/quote]

Tom

"Carzy" What a great word you have just coined! Carzy is someone who is crazy about cars. ;-)

John Ashburne
1983 400i 5 speed, silver/black
Ruedi
Posts: 50
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2003 4:02 am

Post by Ruedi »

Good advice, Tom.

I would add the following items:

1. Join a local club. See if you like the people. Their experience with mechanics and body shops is invaluable. They may point you to a solid car that is not yet officially for sale by the owner, and/or help you avoid buying a really bad one.

2. Make friends with other owners of the specific cars you have in mind. Listen to their stories. See if they give you a ride -- or even let you test drive the car yourself. Get a "feel" for the cars, so that you know whether the one that you consider buying is complete and feels "normal".

3. Learn to understand the market. Do your homework. Subscribe to Sportscar Market Magazine (see http://www.sportscarmarket.com ). When the time comes, upgrade the subscription to a Gold membership that gives access to the aution database. Read all of Michael Sheehan's articles -- repeatedly, if necessary. See http://www.ferraris-online.com/Articles ... _main.html

4. Know your limitations. Know what you can and cannot afford -- and what you can and cannot do yourself. Learn to anticipate when you're in over your head and need professional advice. Err on the safe side. See if you find a pro that allows you to work on the car while acting as supervisor. Expect that you will need twice the money, three times the space, and four times the time you originally thought you'll need.

5. Know your motivation. Do you want drive the car, or do you want to work on it? How long can you wait until you can drive the car? How good is "good enough" for you? Believe me (or Tom, for that matter), once you're two years into it, answering the question "when is the car ready?" that you'll be hearing a lot from your friends and family becomes somewhat irritating when you have to answer "I don't know!".

6. When buying a car, take along a friend or somebody who knows you well. Give them the cash (or the checkbook) for the down payment, and ask them not to give it to you if they think you're too excited or doing something stupid. Don't rush the decision.

Good luck,

Ruedi
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330GT
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Post by 330GT »

The Sports Car Magazine is an excellent source of information, particularly about auctions. However I would also recommend getting a subscription to the Ferrari Market Letter (http://www.ferrarimarketletter.com) when you get serious about a purchase. It has the most ads for Ferraris for sale than any other single publication.
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