Good Morning, I have been lurking on this forum for a while, but haven't posted. A few years ago I made the decision (with my wife's full approval) that I would buy a Ferrari for my 50th birthday. That milestone is now less than a month away, and I have begun looking at cars. A week ago I drove a 328 and was quite taken with its directness and mechanical personality. This week I will be looking at a 456M, which I also expect to like. I realize these are two completely different cars and offer very different driving experiences. My concern about the 456 is the potential cost of ownership. Both cars have apparently been very well maintained and major problem areas known for these cars addressed. But will ongoing maintenance be a deal breaker for the 456? It's not only cost; it's also potential downtime if the car spends too much time in the shop.
I've had a 308, a Mondial, and now a 456. I'm so new to 456 ownership that I can't give you much insight into long term cost of ownership, but so far so good on all three--if you consider a couple grand a year on maintenance to be "good." The more of your own trouble shooting you can do, the better. But unless you're a pretty solid mechanic, I'd encourage you to find someone very good locally whom you trust. That makes all the difference. And, of course, spring for the $500 or so that it costs for a thorough pre purchase inspection. The more you know about what you're getting into, the better. If it turns up some unacceptable problem, walk away and keep looking. It's worth the wait for the right car. I think any of the 308-based cars (308, pre-1989 Mondial, 328) or a 456 can be great first ferraris because none requires an engine out for basic, routine maintenance. The 360 is also a good candidate for that reason. Personally, I'd avoid a testarossa or a 355 or Mondial T for that reason. The need to drop the engine every 3-5 years for belt service really drives up the cost of ownership.
I haven't spent much upkeeping my 456M but when I look back, I spent huge money to get her to the point where she needs nothing. For this reason, I agree wholeheartedly with the recommendation to get a PPI done. It's smart money spent. That said- I've owned a 328 and 456. and still own the 456. It stands to reason that a 12 cylinder has to cost more to upkeep than an 8- and the 456 is largely a more sophisticated/complicated and later generation vehicle. The two cars are so different- you really ought to decide which one meets more of the needs of satisfying your idea of owning a Ferrari and then seek out an example that works for you.
I now own my second v12 F. First one being a manual 400. Now it is 550. You can t imagine the relief. Trouble free car and always running if I want to. No maintenance issues. Even the belt change is affordable at 1100 euro at Ferrari Dealer. I would advice to go for the V12. There is nothing like it. And (personal opinion) I like the 456 much beter then any mid engined F.
Two ongoing issues with the 456. One of them major. 1) window gap - ppl rarely drive in the rain or with the windows up, so this really shouldn't be an nussiance. 2) valve guides - make sure the previous owner has documentation of them being replaced and corrected properly. This of course is the major issue. But as long as you build it into the purchase price or verify that the example you're purchasing has had it resolved - I say move forward!!! If you're going to own one Ferrari its gotta be a front engine v12. Take it from someone whose owned a 328 and can affirm it's a great car - but nothing beats the soul and sound of a 12 cylinder Ferrari!
456s can be expensive to maintain, so it is best to spend more at the outset to get a car that is fully sorted. You've probably done a search and found the long list of things to watch for. Valve guides are going to be a $10K expense, so make sure your PPI covers that issue. Not every car got a bad set of guides but enough of them did (Mine went out at 48K miles).
Is the valve guide issue common on both the 456 and the 456M? For some reason I thought the valve guide issue was one of the items sorted out with the 456M. Jim
*sigh*, I wish. It's pretty random as to whether any particular car got one of the bad batches or not.
I was under the impression that valve guides became an issue with the M series, but not the original.
Same guides on the 456 and the 456M. Ferrari changed them out on the F355 to sintered steel, but not on the 456, 456M, or 550. Image Unavailable, Please Login
