Do f-chatters get a passing grade?

For one thing the information available at least pertaining to my 348 was well UNDERSTATED. Anytime I needed a question answered etc, there was no shortage of assistance. As a resource, I found Ferrrarichat far exceeded my expectations.

Now, can you tell me if it is really necessary to change my belts every 3 years?

 

My timing belt would have broken several months after FChat told me to change it.

 

Proactive rather than reactive.

 

thanks to the 348/355 Brotherhood, I now own a Lotus

 

Troy,

(from this relative newbie's chair) I love internet forums. I just hate the people on them. Most forums devolve into which group can be the biggest jerks to the newbies or the other groups.

My life expectancy on a forum is usually about 5 days. I've been here a few months and holding.

This little hunk of the world is a bit different. Sure there are some jerks and a bit of pack mentality here and there, but honestly very, very little. -- Less than any other board I've been to... Sure rifledriver has a bit of fun with the timing belt threads (lol) but the tolerance for that same question is astounding.

Even on the "How to buy a Ferrari" post from the 23 year old kid, people IMO gave him his due until he well proved himself to not worthy of any respect at all.

So yes, I think Fchatters are more than welcoming (and helpful) to most newbies but I do wish some of the newbies would use the search feature.

 

I have to say the overall accuracy of advice is pretty good. Very few things I take with a grain of salt. The search function takes a little getting used to. If you use the advanced search and choose a specific section, it narrows the search. Entering your keywords in quotes does not refine your search. The question is choosing the right section. I bought my 360 because it was in my price range and I know several people that have owned 360's and other Ferraris. They gave me a good idea of true cost of ownership. What to look for and what to stay away from. Someone is usually willing to try to help you with whatever your questions are. F-chat is the best.

 

I can only go on my experience from my purchase of my Mondial. I asked no questions, made no posts that I recall. I read all the stickies, many hours, many nights. I went though many posts and read others q&a. It was all this reading and research that allowed me to feel comfortable that I was making the most informed decision I could. I've spent as much as can be expected on a new to me Ferrari on just maintenace issues to bring an old car up to driver status. Without ESP there would be no way to know how my specific experience would turn out. If someone had ESP and told me exactly how much I would spend in my first 1.5 years I'd never have made the purchase and no one would have been able to convince me that as of today I'd have no regrets with all the money I've poured into it. I give the resource known as FerrariChat and A. Really no surprises in ownership based on my reading. Now that I've said this I should go research my first post and see the date to make sure I wasn't a total tool.

 

Each of the Ferrari models have thier respective ranges for annual maintenance and landmine costs You'll read about people debating how much money you should have in reserve for a 355...some say they are money pits, others haven't had much trouble at all. One of my good friends just recently spent 5-figures in addition to his Major Service because of a bad header which lead to ruined exhaust valve guides. Other Ferrari models have similar stories and it usually boils down to you get what you pay for. Best case is this Forum provides the reader and potential buyer both ends of the spectrum. Anyone pondering the purchase of a Ferrari should understand that a large outlay of cash will happen...some sooner than others, some more frequent than others...but it will happen.

 

I wouldn't own my F-car if I didn't have the 308/328/Mondial community's support... I prefer to DIY my maintenance and they've got virtual reams of instructions for just about every job I could want to take on. Before turning the first bolt on my car, I already had the confidence that I could take care of it in most situations.

Reading through various threads about shopping for one's first F-car, there were enough threads and posts to know when details were exaggerated... there's always a voice or two of reason in most threads. I'm not going to name any names though

 

I discovered FChat after I bougth my car, but IMO FChat is VERY resourceful to both current owners and potential buyers.

 

So, you were properly advised on FChat.

Give us time.

 

If you ask about potential issues when buying a 348/355 and don't come out white as a ghost afterwards, you're not getting very good information from that forum.

Honesty is the best policy. I think more owners posting here follow that rule. You may not like what you hear, but at least it's something you should hear.

 

I'd say the forum is fairly accurate, if anything a bit conservative when factoring in the costs of ownership.