Interesting Experience with Houston Ferrari

Needle in haystacks are hard to find. Doing it for free is tough to. Go pay a $10k deposit - maybe non-refundable language - and then you might get a different tune.

The world is online now and you can search all you want and probably find your needle, but it is on you to do the leg work and make the deals. Just the way it is.

If you have a “relationship” with many cars purchased, allows to buy new - whole other thing - then maybe it would change???

My opinion is just that, but at my business I coach my team to take work in, not write free estimates for possible opportunities. Go for the solid deals. Make clients commit financially or have an established relationship before going overboard. We do a lot of small tings for “free” for new people in hopes they come back when ready or have a need for real money making. Little small things when the arrive , but we do not let them price shop us


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The salesman might have had the idea that you were not really ready to buy. I'm sure the exotic car market in general gets enough inquiries from people who would love to own one but are not ready to face the cost of purchase and maintenance. That being said, a salesman should listen to the customer and guide them in their search. Maybe this salesperson wanted to steer you toward a more expensive car. We shopped at two Ferrari dealerships but ultimately purchased our pre-owned car from an independent dealer. You as a customer need to feel that you are respected as a potential client. There are other ways to buy a Ferrari.

 

I did not get a warranty from the independent dealer but part of the deal was to get a PPI (pre purchase inspection) by an automotive shop of our choice. I paid for the PPI. It's my understanding that Ferrari offers warranties on used cars up to a certain age. You can verify this with the Ferrari dealership. Read the fine print. It doesn't cover everything. Also, Ferrari offers some cars as Certified Pre Owned (CPO).

 

Sometimes it's good to post in the regional forums, someone might recommend a salesperson who is better to work with.

I bought my California T from Ferrari of Long Island and Kevin King was great to work with, he made it easy long distance, drove my 911 down to trade in, drove the T back home.

Ferrari CPO is confusing ... that means it's "eligible" for the New Power warranty, but you still have to pay for it if the dealer is not including it at the advertised price. Right now I think you can get two years for the price of one -- $4500 or so. Ferrari of LI included the two years in the asking price of the car I bought. Miller in CT does not, but right now they will do two years for the price of one, etc.

 

Any CPO Ferrari, is my understanding.

 

Both.

 

I think what the salesman was trying to tell you is that Cali 30's (2013 - 2014) are somewhat rare. Less than 3000 of them were built. This car is easy to drive and probably a lot of people still have theirs; therefore turnover is limited. When I looked for my car, I concentrated my search in the Northwest Illinois area. I wanted to be able to see the car first hand. Relatively few came up in this large metropolitan area, so your search may be somewhat hampered unless you want to get a car from a different region of the country. Keep looking, and don't despair! You'll find a car. You may have to compromise some on color or other options, but hunting is half the fun!

 

Not so rare or hard to find.
Choose from 13 cali 30 available at Ferrariapproved.com Many colors, options and miles to choose from. Add a warranty if you like.
you can easily fly out drive home or just review the inspection completed for the extended warranty. And have it shipped to your door.

https://preowned.ferrari.com/en/US/search/used-ferrari-california-for-sale

 

Call a few more places that have cars you are interested in and see if you get a better vibe.
If you are local and can visit, I would make an appointment. At the end of the day, unless you are very handy, someone is going to have to service your F-car. You really want the whole dealer relationship - sales and service - to be positive. If it's a drag, well, why bother. That's just me though.

As stated, I am sure F dealers get a lot of tire kickers. So, anything you can do to establish yourself as a serious customer will help your cause.

FWIW, my wife & I bought our Cali from Miller Motorcars, and likely could not have seemed like bigger rubes if we had just fallen off a turnip truck! They were cordial, answered all our rookie questions, treated us with respect, and eventually we sealed the deal with mostly email and a few phone calls. I'd buy a car from them in an instant.

T

 

tomc is right. Making an appointment to speak with someone in person will show that you are a serious shopper. Do some research on this forum so that you can ask intelligent questions. No one expects you to be an expert, especially since this is your first Ferrari, but it helps to have talking points when you go into the dealer. Choosing a car should be a fun and exciting process. After all, it's a Ferrari!

 

I must clarify that we had positive experiences with the Ferrari dealers in our area. We had a time frame in which we wanted to buy the car, and unfortunately, neither had a Cali 30 for sale. We've had the car serviced exclusively by Ferrari. Everyone we have dealt with has been courteous and knowledgeable.

 

While searching for my 488 I found one in a spec that I really liked and was very interested in. To be honest I didn’t find the salesman to be eager to help me with my first time owner questions and requests about the cars spec. Who knows, maybe he thought I was “just another tire kicker”. The second dealer was very nice and helpful but I didn’t care for the car as much. The third car was just what I was looking for. I offered an easy transaction for a polite and helpful salesman.

 

I got my Cali T from the dealership below in November of last year. Ask for Gil. They are incredibly helpful. It is right across from Ferrari of West Palm Beach.

https://www.marinoperformancemotors.com/used-cars-west-palm-beach-fl/

 

All's well that ends well!

 

If it gets a Ferrari in your garage, then yes indeed!
T