"The Ferrari Experience" - what a disaster!

4302 Views 18 Replies 14 Participants Last post by intrepid, Jul 31, 2020

Nigel

Discussion Starter · Jun 8, 2002

I was sooooo looking forward to experiencing everything to do with the so called "Ferrari experience", including being dealt with by a dealer that should respect me for spending £55,000 sterling (in fact both me AND my co-director bought one - total spend £120,000)

Since we paid for them on 10 May, I have had my GTS for a total of 3 days.

It was a week later than it should have been, because the dealer said that they wouldn't let it go unless it was perfect. I reluctantly agreed, but couldn't really argue. The dealer even showed me a list of all the checks they would make on the car.

When i finally got it a week later:

Aircon didn't work
One headlight stayed up
Windows didn't shut fully
Paintwork still chipped
Grille paintwork flaking
Tyre pressures out by as much as 5psi

Oil level below minimum
Different colours (oops, sorry colors) of red on different panels
Window switch fell out of the door
Aux belts squealed when engine started
Roof squeaked like mad, even though they told me it wouldn't

The worse bit was that it is older than they said it was - now I can't allocate my UK personal plate (can't make a car appear younger than it actually is).

The dealer collected the car three weeks ago and told me it would take a week. Every time I called, I was told that I would be given a progress report "tomorrow". Predictably enough, tomorrow never arrived. On Wednesday I was told they were "just waiting for the aircon condenser - it'll be here tomorrow". On Thursday they were "just waiting for the aircon condenser - it'll be here tomorrow". By Friday there were "just two or three jobs still to be done" :x . I still don't have the car and I'm on the point of rejecting it and demanding my money back.

Even the loan car they gave me (Maserati 3200GT - yuk) arrived with an empty fuel tank and a slow puncture which they had the nerve to ask me to pay to have repaired and they would send me a cheque in the post. When I refused, they said they would send a driver to fetch the car and have a tyre fitted. I'm still waiting for that too. (that'll probably be done "tomorrow" as well :roll: )

My three days with the 355 were great, even with the problems. My month of ownership has utterly spoilt the whole experience.

I'm gutted and I've spent a fortune to feel this way.

Someone make me feel better please, before I go and replace my recently written-off Fiat Coupe 20valve turbo with another one. At least the Fiat delaers were EXPECTED to be useless, so I wasn't disappointed.

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tifosi1

· #2 · Jun 9, 2002

I'm not going to make you feel better, but what you need is a good friend to let you cry on his shoulder. You also need a good friend to go beat the hell out of the dealer .

Well, what you need is someome who know Ferrari's and when you have a problem fixes it.

Ship your car to West Palm, send me a air ticket from New Orleans to West Palm. get me a week at a nice hotel.

Magoo and I will fix ALL your problems.

Of course getting the car across the Atlantic will be another problem.

Welcome to Ferrari woning. Sorry your are getting screwed by your dealer.

Mick

· #3 · Jun 9, 2002

How tough would it be to return the car and get your money back? It seems to me there are a lot of problems with this particular car.

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Nigel

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jun 9, 2002

The problems really aren't all that serious - just bloody annoying.

What really gets to me is the dealer lying to me. You expect it from some dodgy back-street second hand car lot, but not from the most famous marque in the world.

The car will be fine once the niggly bits have been sorted (after all, aircon can be fixed, the headlamp and windows will have new motors, the stone chips will be resprayed etc etc).

The only element of this sorry episode that won't be feeling very good at the end of it all is the dealer. They will be given a choice tomorrow afternoon.

A) If the car is sorted (properly) they can either give me several thousand pounds as compensation for the hassle and the fact the car is older than it was supposed to be.

B) Give me all my money back and then get a visit from Trading Standards Office (bit like a retail FBI, but with teeth).

I am not a quitter. When the exhaust manifold cracked on mine and several other Fiat Coupe owners, I bullied Fiat UK into free replacements for ALL cars up to 5 yrs old and 100,000 miles. Ferrari will be easy compared with Fiat.

Just a crying shame it should have happened. The most I had ever spent on a car prior to this was £8,500. When I spent £55,000, I guess I was expecting something a little more exclusive. Sadly it appears that whilst all cars are not equal, all second hand car salesmen are

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'75 308 GT4 (Peter)

· #5 · Jun 10, 2002

Sadly it appears that whilst all cars are not equal, all second hand car salesmen are

Nigel, that couldn't have been said better

(P.S. Just curious - and you may email me privately about this - who was the dealer? Even though I'm Canadian, I do get on a regular basis the magazine: Auto Italia, which has loads of UK italian car retailers listed. There aren't too many Ferrari retailers in the UK...)

Dj Dirk

· #6 · Jun 10, 2002

Nigel
i'm sorry to hear that you have to go tru shit like that.
Anyway, when you get your Ferrari back and they send you the bill, just say that you'll pay it "tomorrow" :wink:

And isn't their another Ferrari garage/dealer in the neighbourhood??
even if it is farhter away, it might be worht it.
Because these guys don't sound capable

Magoo

· #7 · Jun 11, 2002

Better times are coming.

Nigel, I hope this helps. When you get your Ferrari to where you want it and start enjoying it you will forget all this nightmare. Stick with it and soon you will feel the Ferrari Passion that grabs you and won't let go. Be patient.

Nigel

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 13, 2002

Thanks for the sympathy chaps

Got the car back yesterday - big grins all round again.

However, I still discovered:

Driver's seat bolts less than finger tight

Front grille not painted or replaced
Paintwork on headlight has a new scratch
Mat securing pins not replaced

I couldn't be bothered leaving the car with them for another three weeks so I'll do the easy stuff myself. Paintwork will be re-done the next time it goes in.

Dealer manager was really grovelly and I managed to screw a pair of the latest Ferrari jackets and the 36,000 mile service (about £1,300 is this right?) out of him for all the inconvenience.

Just got to stop the roof squeaking now. Shop assistant gave me a funny look when I bought a tub of Vaseline (petroleum jelly to you guys)

As the car is seven years old, I'm thinking about using a specialist to service it, rather than main dealer (to be honest my missus could do a better job than these turkeys, but a main dealer service stamp does look good in the book) What experience do you have in the US re specialist dealers, and will it affect the value of my car?

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Andrew

· #9 · Jun 13, 2002

Nigel,
Glad to hear everything is starting to come together on the car. Let us know if the vaseline works.

Nigel

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 14, 2002

Vaseline didn't work

After a great deal of crawling around inside the car, it appear that it is the locating pegs at the back of the roof panel.

There is a small amount of adjustment possible by virtue of packing washers. I removed all of these and the rubber seals squeaked as well. Seems I will need to use more washers to pre-load the roof into the peg locating holes.

Keep you posted.

'75 308 GT4 (Peter)

· #11 · Jun 19, 2002

Nigel,
Service performed by a well-known, reputable specialist should not harm value in any way and in fact could help improve it (ask your local F club for prefered specialists).

albkid

· #12 · Jun 24, 2020

Nigel said:
Thanks for the sympathy chaps
Got the car back yesterday - big grins all round again.
As the car is seven years old, I'm thinking about using a specialist to service it, rather than main dealer (to be honest my missus could do a better job than these turkeys, but a main dealer service stamp does look good in the book) What experience do you have in the US re specialist dealers, and will it affect the value of my car?

A stamp in the service book is meaningless if the work performed was poorly done. Find a professional independent and put your faith in him.

Personally, I would not have demonstrated the patience you displayed and would have cancelled the deal. Good Luck.

JazzyO

· #13 · Jun 25, 2020

I'm sure the OP will appreciate your advide, 18 years after his post.

albkid

· #14 · Jun 25, 2020

I guess I am not up to speed on the new format! I do appreciate the happy face!

Qurico

· #15 · Jul 6, 2020

I am dreaming about Ferrari

mrgrtt123

· #16 · Jul 9, 2020

Qurico said:
I am dreaming about Ferrari

You are probably aware that this is a really old thread?
I hope that admins will close it so that no unnecessary new replies will be created.

tazandjan

· #17 · Jul 10, 2020

Only 18 years old, not too bad.

USADino

· #18 · Jul 10, 2020

Mick said:
How tough would it be to return the car and get your money back? It seems to me there are a lot of problems with this particular car.

+1, the 355 series is a very high maintenance car and you have had just a taste of what is to come.
Just for giggles, perhaps get a quote for the engine out service on your way to pick up a bottle of Gin, you'll need it!

intrepid

· #19 · Jul 31, 2020

USADino said:
+1, the 355 series is a very high maintenance car and you have had just a taste of what is to come.
Just for giggles, perhaps get a quote for the engine out service on your way to pick up a bottle of Gin, you'll need it!

Story would have been - will be - the same thirty years later. F355's are indeed high maintenance cars. I had one, a very special one built for Ferrari collector Peter Kalikow. Beautiful car, wonderful to drive - like a very, very high speed go-kart. But little niggling issues too frequently.

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