[Marcellosans]

Good morning:

I'm thinking of buying my first Ferrari.
I'm looking for a 550 or 575.

I've seen this ad on AutoScout24 for a 550 at 65000 EUR
Auto usate: Ferrari, 550, FIORANO HANDLING PACKAGE AutoScout24 pagina di dettaglio

Year 1998 40000 km color blue tour de france

The car looks wonderful, but the price is little bit high compared to models of same year.

Maybe, for that price is worth buying a newer 575..

Any suggestion??

Thanks
Marcello

This is the description:

Exterior: azul Tour de Francia
Interior: cuero Conolly crema con piping azul, volante rosso, moqueta azul con piping beige.
Especificaciones WSR (World Speed Record)
FHP Fiorano handling package completo: suspensión, dirección, backets de carbono, barras antivuelco, cinturones de competición, etc.
Placa del primer propietario.
Escapes Koenig.
Libro de revisiones, facturas, distribución hecha en Octubre y embrague hace 1000kms.
Documentacion española e inglesa.
Unidad única, rigurosamente original, perfecto estado.


Blue Tour de France exterior, combined with magnolia hide and blue stitching and blue carpets piped in magnolia, ex-royalty, German delivered, Spanish and English papers, many special features:
-World Speed Record specifications.
-Complete Fiorano handling package: suspension, brakes, bucket seats, roll bar, harness seat belts, etc.
-Owners silver plaque.
-Factory bordeaux steering wheel.
-Koenig stainless steel exhausts.
Only 24.000miles, full service history, belts and clutch done 1.000mls ago, very good condition.

[Boxer]

Nice car, nice spec. Price at higher end of the market but not over the top depending on the condition.

I would check the service history very carefully. I was never impressed with any of the Ferrari dealers in Spain or Portugal.

[tazandjan]

Marcello- Welcome to Ferrari Life. That particualar car is one of 33 World Speed Record cars built by Ferrari to commemorate setting world speed records in specially modified 550s. Thirteen of the cars came to the US and the rest stayed mainly in Europe. It is the rarest of all the Maranello models, even if it ended up being not much more than a trim package with all the Scaglietti racing accessories fitted. These included the Fiorano Handling Package (stiffer springs, thicker rear anti-roll bar, steering ECU, shock ECU, and red calipers with Pagid Orange 4-4 racing pads), the racing seats, four point harness, and padded roll bar.

If the car is in good shape, it is a very desirable car. Hopefully it will work out for you. We know all the potential problem areas with the 550 and can help you if you decide to proceed.

[Marcellosans]

Thanks Taz

The car looks wounderful..
I'm reading all the posts about the 550 And the 575.
I'm just wondering if for that money it's better to buy a newer
575.
Maybe the 575 is less expensive to mantain and being
an improvement of the 550 should have less problems..
Am I wright?

[Barry]

Welcome to Ferrari Life Marcellosans.
Lovely 550. Not sure about the steering wheel colour, but the rest is very very nice . Hope it works out for you. The 550 is a magnificent V12 GT.

[tazandjan]

Marcello- The 575M did fix most of the problems found in the 550, but we have learned how to apply the same things to the 550. Among these are 575M motor mounts, plenum hoses, etc. The shock issues are also easily fixed.

To be honest, there is not that much difference functionally between the 550 and 575M, except most 575Ms come with the F1 system. The 550 you found, however, is a rare car in a beautiful color combination and will tend to hold its value better than a normal 550 or a 575M. Up to you whether to pursue or go for a newer 575M. Prices are overlapping on the two, so condition is more important than model type.

[550JM]

Lovely car marcellosans, although I agree with Barry about the steering wheel...Seems a bit strange, but to each his own, matter of taste I guess.

Didn't we see this interior in another thread here on FL? I do remember seeing this exact colour combo....?

[wetpet]

great looking car. Taz, are there any identifiers for this version? nameplates, ect?

[tazandjan]

Ed- Affirmative, there is a data plate identifying the 33 World Speed Record 550s. Carbon has most of the serial numbers, I would imagine. For a mass produced car, this is one of the least publicized and least known models. Somewhat like the Scaglietti/Schumacher 456Ms, although those seem to generate little premium since they were just 456Ms and not delineated like the WSR 550s.

[JazzyO]

Originally Posted by Marcellosans

Maybe the 575 is less expensive to mantain and being
an improvement of the 550 should have less problems..

The maintenance costs are very similar, basically the same. And there are few problems with the 550, even if there are as Taz mentioned the solutions are well known. My car is completely standard, 10 years old, and given me very few problems in 50,000kms. The main thing is that they are older than 575's, and because they have been cheap for longer, more people with too little money have been owning them. It's getting harder to find a good example. But if you find the right car, and pay a bit more, that will pay itself back to you. This goes for the 575 as well, of course. Find the right car, the one that speaks to you, and you'll have a wonderful time together. Still love mine.


Onno

[Marcellosans]

To boxer:
How can I check the service history for a car that is abroad.
Does Ferrari owns a database with all the service works done
from approved mechanics?
The service book that come with the car can be falsified?

The steering wheel looks very strange... It's like a new mount
that has been upgraded and does not come from the factory.

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by Marcellosans

To boxer:
How can I check the service history for a car that is abroad.
Does Ferrari owns a database with all the service works done
from approved mechanics?
The service book that come with the car can be falsified?

The steering wheel looks very strange... It's like a new mount
that has been upgraded and does not come from the factory.

I would ask the seller to send you a copy of all the service invoices. If the work was done by Ferrari, then they will have a record of it on their system.

[bay]

Originally Posted by Marcellosans

Good morning:

I'm thinking of buying my first Ferrari.
I'm looking for a 550 or 575.

I've seen this ad on AutoScout24 for a 550 at 65000 EUR
Auto usate: Ferrari, 550, FIORANO HANDLING PACKAGE AutoScout24 pagina di dettaglio

.

I think the VN is 113179 !
550 Maranello dark Blue/crema ZFFZR49B000113179 black & crema dashboard bordeaux steering wheel !

[tazandjan]

Bernard- Thanks for the info. I am sure Carbon will really like it. That is a pretty rare car.

[bay]

Originally Posted by tazandjan

Bernard- Thanks for the info. I am sure Carbon will really like it. That is a pretty rare car.

Taz , i think , it is no a reel WSR ?

WSR VIN 113518 (?) , 115492, 117145, 117415, 117419, 117430, 117431, 117670, 122194, 122195, 124572

[maurodev]

Originally Posted by Marcellosans

Good morning:

I'm thinking of buying my first Ferrari.
I'm looking for a 550 or 575.

I've seen this ad on AutoScout24 for a 550 at 65000 EUR
Auto usate: Ferrari, 550, FIORANO HANDLING PACKAGE AutoScout24 pagina di dettaglio

Year 1998 40000 km color blue tour de france

The car looks wonderful, but the price is little bit high compared to models of same year.

Maybe, for that price is worth buying a newer 575..

Any suggestion??

Thanks
Marcello

This is the description:

Exterior: azul Tour de Francia
Interior: cuero Conolly crema con piping azul, volante rosso, moqueta azul con piping beige.
Especificaciones WSR (World Speed Record)
FHP Fiorano handling package completo: suspensión, dirección, backets de carbono, barras antivuelco, cinturones de competición, etc.
Placa del primer propietario.
Escapes Koenig.
Libro de revisiones, facturas, distribución hecha en Octubre y embrague hace 1000kms.
Documentacion española e inglesa.
Unidad única, rigurosamente original, perfecto estado.


Blue Tour de France exterior, combined with magnolia hide and blue stitching and blue carpets piped in magnolia, ex-royalty, German delivered, Spanish and English papers, many special features:
-World Speed Record specifications.
-Complete Fiorano handling package: suspension, brakes, bucket seats, roll bar, harness seat belts, etc.
-Owners silver plaque.
-Factory bordeaux steering wheel.
-Koenig stainless steel exhausts.
Only 24.000miles, full service history, belts and clutch done 1.000mls ago, very good condition.

Hi Marcello, welcome !

It is a pleasure to see a fellow Italian here. The guys on FL are fantastic and in the last couple of months helped me a lot in buying a 550, which, btw, I am going to take possess of during this week end

ciao
Mauro

[tazandjan]

Bernard- I have not seen the car, but it sure sounds like one of the 33 WSR cars, but definitely not one of those that actually set the records. Those only had about 30 liter (?) fuel tanks. Somewhere along the line, they were probably updated by the factory and sold, but not sure about that. If it has the plaque, I would tend to trust that it was one of the 33 with the package. Would probably have to ask Maranello to know for sure.

[Marcellosans]

Thanks to all for the informations

Mauro, I have followed your new purchase through
FL.
I see that you Are going to be in Perugia soon..
I'll ask you more infos when you'll get the car

Ciao Marcello.