Sold my Ferrari Bought a 996

I just sold my Ferrari 328 and bought a 996.I love this Porsche much more than my Ferrari! Are there any other former Ferrari owners out there that are as happy as i am about switching to a 911.

Congratz!!! Now its time for pics :-)

I was at an exotic dealership looking at Aston Martins. I was talking to one of the saleman and he has a client where I live who had a Ferrari and drove it off the side of a cliff. The client came back and bought a Carrera 4S (he had several Porshces in the past). He thought he would be safer driving the Porshce in the mountains in bad weather. He's lucky to be alive.

congrats and welcome aboard...pics are number one priority here...

Congrats!! The 308/328 is one of my Favorite Ferrari's, it must have been difficult to part with. Pics of both cars please!!!

I love Ferraris! The 355 is more comparable to a 996. However, cost of ownership is at opposite ends. Now the 360 Challenge, I can think of no other cooler car! The F1 shifting is the most fun thing on the planet. I wish Porsche could've copied the F1 and made it affordable/reliable, that would've been awesome! And don't forget the sound, I get excited just thinking about it. The Porsche has nothing on this car, sorry. With that being said, I've never driven the CGT, but just looking at it doesn't get my blood going like the challenge stradale.

That's right, Porsche should have made F1 shifting as affordable as Ferrari? Frankly, I prefer the feel of running through the gears on twisties in the country; it's THE reason I drive a stick over Tip or F1 in any sports car....or motorcycle for that matter. Meanwhile, having heard some of the exhausts that fit a Porsche on the aftermarket, it's a lot better that one would think. Granted, Ferrari gets that sound bone stock, but such is life. Anyway, to my eyes, the Ferrari is simply stunning. My father has one (335 spider) and it's a gas to drive. But, maintenance is unreal, and that's coming from someone who pays to service Porsches. Also, while the Ferrari is fast, it doesn't seem to have that crispness that the 996 has. Day to day, and day to track, I think the Pcars is the right choice. But let's put it this way: if you think you get noticed driving a 996 cab around town, you ought to witness the expressions and actions of people ALL around you cruising in the 355.

The 360 has the "crispness" you speak of, it's unreal. As for F1, it's no comparison to the tip system. The tip is crap when compared to the F1, however, the F1 is known to cost $10k to fix for small problems. This is what I meant............................... F1 fun, tip boring. The Toyota people should've taught Porsche how to copy that system and then perfect it!

If the pump on that goes bad, the Ferrari replacement part is $16,000.00 Sorry, thats just damn stupid for 99.9999% of the population. I'd love to have a 348 as my next toy however.....and yes I'm into un-loved cars....thats why I drive a 996

The 348 sucks, been there done that. The performance is terrible compared to the 996. However, the sound is superb.

And the 355 & 360 performance sucks versus my TT. The plain truth is the 348 is the best I could afford for a weekend toy, so my TT will have to stick around as my power bitch

I thought about getting a 355 but my exp with Ferrari is not good.However the only way to decscribe driving my buddys 360 down town is SHOCK&AWEE!!!!!!A guy in a M3 tried to race me once "HE'LL NEVER TRY IT AGAIN!I will get some pics of the 996 asap.Do any of you guys have any exp with the 355 service cost.I really may buy one "maybe".

Shark, the 348 is spectacular looking and is a lot of fun to drive. Remember: although Porsches are driven for precision, Ferraris are driven for passion. I always get a great thrill being behind the wheel of one. Enjoy it as much as you can; there may be a ton of Porsche afficianados here but everyone can appreciate the beauty of la testa rossa.

The 355 will cost more in maintenance than the 360 due to engine out services. The F1 is awesome but can also be expensive if broken.

Yes, Ferrari maintenance can be a killer. Guys have posted repair receipts in excess of $10,000 multiple times for seemingly standard items. Another good point about the 348 (1990-95) is it is the last Ferrari that most think you can wrench yourself, limited electronics, manual transmission, no power steering, manually adjusting seats, manual top, etc. but the interior looks like a 355. Prices go from the low $40s (90-92 Targa with 300 hp) to low $60s (94-95 cab with 320 hp). So no they aren't burners, but the cars of today beat the hell out of ALL the classics performance wise.....but the classics are still worth owning.

Is it really true the maintenance cost on a 360 is cheaper than a 355? By how much?

Well, the 360 doesn't require an engine out service, the cars are generally considered more reliable, and they were made in greater numbers so parts are probably cheaper. However, they are much more complex so its really hard to say. I think the 360 is the best looking modern Ferrari as well.....but out of my league as a 2nd car.

paddle shifters are the work of the devil and have ruined motorsports. Ferrari shoulders much of the blame. and Now Merc has cruise control that will actually brake and throttle for you.

After being a longtime Porsche fan/owner (964, 993), I finally got behind the wheel of a Ferrari and haven't looked back. I have owned a couple of newer Ferraris (355, 360) but I prefer the feel of the older cars. I currently have a 328 GTB that I enjoy more than any other car that I've owned. Porsches are great cars and I'm looking at getting a 996 for a daily driver (maybe another 993) so don't think that I'm ripping on them. I just enjoy driving a Ferrari more, especially when the road gets twisty, as I find them to be much more involving and direct. Btw, the service on the 360 is barely different than the 355 because although the engine doesn't have to come out of the car for service, it takes nearly as much time to remove the seats and firewall compartments as it does to remove the engine from the 355. Also because it is much more complicated, many of the fixes are not cheap.

I like F-cars and P-cars. But Even if I had a couple of mill in liquid funds I am just too practical to own a ferrari. I want something that is not horrendous on reliability or cost of ownership My dream garage would be a bit boring - probably all porsche

I can understand that. To be honest though, every Ferrari that I've owned has been extremely reliable. However, cost of ownership, when you consider the service costs, are pretty high.

I have a red 1988 328 GTS for those few nice days in the summer and a silver 2002 996 Targa as a daily driver - winter included (which is usually cold up here in Alberta but so far not this year). The Ferrari is by far the most exciting driving experience of the two - the sound and feel are incredible. It has a raw feel, and no radio (couldn't hear it anyway). It is a bit slower overall but feels faster. The design is beautiful and timeless. There are switches and dials located everywhere inside with no apparent thought to ergonomics. The Porsche is a fantastic car but it is not the same emotional experience at all. It is easier to drive and much better built and designed. It is also quieter and far more comfortable on long trips. Of course it is also 14 years newer so the technology is that much better. I love them both and find that most of my friends with Ferraris (new and old) either also have Porsches or they really respect them - after all the 911 is probably the most perfected sports car ever (a bad idea executed perfectly)!

The thing that throws me off about Ferraris is the price to maintain one. Knew a guy with a 355 and he drove it a lot. He ended up trading up to a 360 and drove it just as much. The difference is he had a stable of cars and could afford to pay 10k plus every 6 months. I don't see the limited production as a benefit to anyone. I see it holds the value well for the current owners, but makes the cars that much less attainable to the people who might be able to afford a used one otherwise. Personally if I could get any, I'd get a 360 just because of the performance. But spending 15k on a routine service would really burn me up. Also consider this, if you are a high performance shop owner and can do the work yourself, if you do and go to sell it, it will not be documented as being serviced by an authorized ferrari tech. But then again I've never driven one, and if I did, I might just crap my pants and do anything I could to get one.

This is exactly the point with Ferrari. I chose a 996TT for a few reasons but one important one was I had no exclusivity with the Corvette I had, they are freakin everywhere. I wanted to feel special, to drive a great car that not everybody can have. And so far so good, in the 4+ months I've owned it I have not seen another 996TT on the road (in Houston Tx).

I understand the exclusivity, but in the end it means you need to be rich to own one, not an enthusiast. Plus they are steadily becoming exclusive cars instead of exotic cars. The F1 paddle shift...... "shift like Shumacher" to me it is a way to offer their product to lazy rich people who don't know how to drive stick. I really don't think they should make $50k cars. The Corvette has that market and the Ferrari really does not need to compete with them in their market. I think they should have a sub 100k car. About $85,000 Think bare minimum, completely impractical 2 seat 400 hp car without power options. If they sold 10,000 worldwide, it would be exclusive enough, but still still more attainable to regular people. Like if Ferrari followed the Elise formula to build a coupe. Also it should be made to be much more reliable and have lower maintainence costs. Considering Corvette sells like 25k units a year, you really don't see a Brand New 2005 Corvette all the time. Think if you cut that in less than half, it would still be exclusive, more so when you consider 25% would be not in the US. Here is what I think they should have in the line up 1 $85,000 front V8 engined 400-425 hp rear trans hardtop 2 seater 10,000 units Manual trans only cloth interior, no sound deadening...... 2 stripped down 430 at or below $130,000 with manual trans only 3000 units 3. the normal F430regular production numbers 4. I think the F575 replacement should be a real barnstormer, and very lightweight. regular production numbers 5. The 612 should have been priced less than or very close to the F430. regular production numbers 6. the enzo shoulda had a manual and dare I say it, less power and less electronic assistance. Instead of making the Ferrari 612 a more prestigous alternative to the BMW and Merc large 4 seat sedans, it is priced well out of their range. Also look at the resale value of the 456 and it's predecesors..... almost like they are the forgotten sons. The most expensive car in the regular line up, yet the lowest resale value. Not too bright business wise. Would it be so bad if you saw 2-3 Ferraris a year instead of 1 every few years? I think it would make it more desirable. Because they are something when you see them in pictures, but seeing one in person, and that exhaust note, that is an experience. Honestly I could count on my hands how many Ferraris I have seen on the road in my life. And I drove past a Ferrari Dealer on my way to/from work for years. There is such thing as being too exclusive. I think it would do nothing but good for the company to follow a plan like the one above. For the people who only care about the exclusivity of their precious exotic, they should also want other people to be able to enjoy the experience. If I could just barely afford a Porsche turbo, and Ferrari had an alternative with a similar price, but less power, cloth interior, no power options and even no stereo, I would go with the Ferrari (if it was affordable to maintain). But this is of course just my .02

Ferrari talks about building a "California" model for $100k, but to do so will send their other models into a depreciation tailspin. Exclusivity is why they can charge $16,000 for an F1 fluid pump or $60 per sparkplug. They and Fiat know exclusivity sells Ferrari as much as anything else. You say you don't see many C6 Corvettes, and I didn't see many C5s either in my first couple years of ownership.....then they were all over the place and I knew there was some magic lost......they weren't as special. I want seeing a Ferrari to be a special event.....hell, like it is seeing another TT

This is what is great about talking to other people....... you get their opinion and thoughts, and get to completely disagree with them Lol, I am going off numbers alone. You would also need to take into consideration the fact that 90% of Ferrari owners don't drive their cars. Of course it would be more frequent with a lower priced vehicle. But look at Aston Martin. THey were the meaning of Exclusive to the point that many enthusiasts didn't know what they were. Now they plan to make 10,000 cars a year, does that make their older cars worth less? Actually they have risen in prices due to the higher profile. Now I understand that Ferrari has a high profile, actually the highest in automotive speak. But to 99.9% of the population, new or used it is unobtainable. By one count the new cars are offered to current owners and and are gouged like crazy, and by the other count, to buy a $30,000 1979 328 you will need to budget for repairs. By making it visible to more people, it will be seen as something to work toward, not "something I can't have". You should also consider, the production capacity has been locked for how long? And the population has grown how much since then? It would be much rarer than a Vette, because it would be that special car that is locked away and driven on special occasions by 95% of the people who own one. Plus the people would want to maintain it well and keep the miles down to keep the value up. If it is the most expensive car you can afford, you don't want it to depreciate too much. I think the majority of people that would buy such a vehicle would treat it like an Enzo or better. Even Low mile C4 vettes come up for sale and are worth a pretty good price for what they are. Anyway, I think it would do great things for Ferrari.

Its a cool discussion Astons do have some cachet, I considered one earlier this year.....but they depreciate WAY more than Ferraris. Yes, as AM increases production the prices will fall. Look at the 993TT vs 996TT......there were 6X more 996TTs produced and despite being superior are depreciating more rapidly.......because of the supply AND cars like the Boxster, Cockster, and pepper are decreasing the exclusivity. Ferraris are priced within the realm of many, like you said from a $30k 308 to a $150k 360 Spider. I'm not a rich man, but I could buy a 355 Spider or 360 coupe without a tremendous effort. Is not like we are discussing $400k Carrera GTs or $900k Enzos. Most people could buy a Ferrari of some sort if it was a big enough priority. Hey, I'm just an ugly fat man of limited earning potential with a microscopic johnson....I need a special rig

TMI my friend TMI!!!!!!!!!!! They (purists) also said the watercooled porsche 911 would ruin the company. Resale value is one thing, Porsche itself is making much higher profits than ever. Granted they now need to find a way to stay exactly where they are so they don't lose too much exclusivity and therefore will have no reason to charge 70K for a base 911. Personally I think the companys' bottom line is much more valuable than the resale value of last years model. Also, the 996 TT is still a very exclusive thing. Used I have seen them as low as 65k. That is still a good chunk of change, considering they are 6-7 years old, that is also not too bad. Not like a 1999 Caddy, whose msrp was 50k, and is now worth 7500. Maybe an exageration, but not by much. But they have also been built and touted as the every day driveable exotic, which they are. They are a practical car many times over when compared to many other exotics. Yes, many can afford a Ferrari, but the maintainence costs alone scare off almost everyone who could afford one. We'll see what I actually end up buying next year for me. For my business I will be buying a C5 Vette, a 2005 Mustang V6, an older Boxster, and a 2000 Bmw 330 coupe. Don't ask! Since I'm not a paying sponsor I can't tell. Right now if I was to place an order or buy I would consider the AMV8, a 911 base coupe (special ordered since they don't come without options) a Gallardo (lambos have always tugged at me) A ZO6, or just wait for the Lexus V10 coupe, or the Infiniti GTR. Considering the ZO6 is the most powerful, least expensive and from what I have heard an astonishingly awesome driver, that is probably what I'd go for. Yeah, it's not as exclusive as the TT, but I get a funny feeling and break out in a rash when people stare at me. Ok jk, but people looking at me for what I am driving is so far down on my list that I can't find it. And yes, I have driven some high line cars in the past and gotten the looks, it does nothing for me. But I tell you when I hit that apex and power out right on Que, oh man that is a feeling.

ok, so I really wouldn't consider a Gallardo for purchase, but I sure as hell would test drive one!!!