Best Ferrari for home mechanic?

355, TR, 348 all would need a hoist plus a stand so you can change the timing belts if you were doing it by yourself. These models have the whole suspension, engine, trans carriage drop out from the bottom. While you have the engine out, you might as well check everything so that you don't have to pull it again if you have a problem. (like a water pump leak). You would also need to get the manuals so you are familiar with how it works. Do you have a lot of tools or just some basic ones? Also depends on how much work you are planning on doing. As you get into the newer cars, you will need a tech with a tester to be able to clear codes, reset parameters, etc.

To be honest, the cars that we rarely see in the shop are the 456, 550, 575.

Remember also that these cars are becoming older, and are not driven as much as a daily driver hondas, toyotas etc so there will be some problems but that goes with any car you buy. There were so many vehicles produced, so when looking for one hold out until you find the right one for you that is in the condition that you want. Too many people buy on impulse and don't know what kind of car they are truly getting.

Jon

 

The 348 is fairly DIY friendly. All services can be done in your garage with hand tools and floor jacks, including engine-out. Relatively low entry level cost, too. A large contingent of DIY owners willing to help is an important consideration as well. Check out the 348/355 section!

 

Photo of a 550 Maranello toolkit
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I know it's not your preference, but for "best Ferrari for home mechanic", the usual response is either a fuel-injected 308 or 328 or equivalent Mondial.

I suppose that the 512 BBi and the early Testarossas would fall in a similar category.

 

550 is front-engined, as Ferraris were for many, many years. There are many who prefer them for a host of reasons. . . Aside from classic styling attributes, relatively flatter depreciation curve of 2-seaters, torque and so forth, zstyle's note about frequency of shop visits should be taken into consideration.

Mid-engine Ferraris, which are a comparatively recent permutation, have similar-sized kits. In any instance, it depends on the model/year. You will find there are models in this range which are easier to service than others, be it DIY or otherwise. Even if you do narrow it down to one model, be patient, as this will lower the amount of downtime, and reward your patience with uptime.

 

I did the major on my 87 TR at my home garage without a lift. The TR does not have a complex computer or anti-lock brakes. It is basic mechanics. some of the later Ferrari's could get complicated with computer problems. The Ferrari Chat will be your friend.




Ago

 

Ferrari F430 coupe w/ 6 speed manual. No valve adjustments. No belt changes. No carbs. No F1 pump. Mostly aluminum and composite so rust is largely not an issue. All of them are fairly new and should last another decade easily before major problems occur. At that point, either pay up, replace with used parts, or dump it.

But it obviously is not $50k. Yet.

Until then, I would argue for 1985 308GTB. No engine outs, but do have valves and belts to do. Fuel injection means very few problems in that area. Coupe (GTB) mean leaks or cosmetic wear and tear on the exterior top should be a concern. May have slow windows which can be remedied. Nikasil liners in the engine means the engine should hold compression for a looong time if used regularly. Still mostly mechanical in nature and very low tech, even the switchgear is mostly mechanical compared to the 328 (second choice IMO).

 

I've never owned one, but like you, I have a visceral pull for the TR. I know I could do the mx on it myself, but the question then becomes the drive/maintain hours ratio. There's nothing complex or bizarre about the normal mx on the TR and it's got a lot going for it on the road as well.

The only thing I'd be concerned about would be the non-normal repairs of the trans or internal engine kind. That could get pricey real quick.

I wouldn't let the routine mx of any of your models determine what you get. I would say you've saved, and worked, and made up your mind to invest in a Ferrari with eyes wide open. If you will be happy with a TR, then get the TR and when it's time to do mx, grit your teeth and git-er-done.

The only reason I didn't buy one when I got a Ferrari was the then cost of the buy-in for the TR. My second choice would be the 348 spyder. It looks amazing today for an aged platform.

 

Ferrari has been selling mid-engine road cars for a lot longer than it didn't sell mid engine road cars.

 

Doing the labor yourself is one thing, but the cost of parts can drain you dry. If you're not in a financial position to pay for the high cost of parts, perhaps you should hold off for awhile before biting the bullet. Parts ain't cheap!

 

Given your background and budget ($50K + $10K reserve), you will have no problem owning a Ferrari in that era.

I've had a 1990 348 TS for more than a year now, and looking back things have panned out pretty much as what I had expected or better. The engine runs strong, transmission good, electronics / ventilation so-so, but the clutch gave me a fair bit of problems - nothing insurmountable and all I did was followed the tech tips on this site - especially Ernie's write-up. I even had a custom diaphragm made at Friction Materials for $85 if you would believe it.

(This is my first post - I initially was not sure how long I was going to keep the car for. But now that I've had it for a year and had a major service completed, she's a keeper)

The car came with a brand new clutch installed by a Ferrari dealership 4 months prior to my purchase. At the time, seeing a "new clutch assembly" on an invoice for $4K meant the entire clutch was new as I really knew nothing about clutches except how to drive one. Little did I know the release bearing / flange / triple seals were not part of that assembly (clutch assembly is already at $3K before labor - with pressure plate, clutch plates and flywheel inside). So having read up on this site, I took the clutch apart and replaced the release bearing / flange / triple seals, etc. And prior to it I had only basic automotive repair skills.

As mentioned I did have a major service done on the car - I was very tempted to do the work myself given what I had read here but decided to let an independent specialist shop do it because their price was competitive to the point where it was not worth my time especially given the complexity of the task. I've put on another couple thousand miles since then and zero problem.

Tools wise, I find my BMW X5 required way more special tools than my 348.

Parts wise, they are definitely a lot more expensive than anything else. On a regular car, $300 gets you the entire clutch or aftermarket, but the Ferrari one is 10 times that. Even the release bearing itself on the 348 is $500, and typically you need the flange as well - another $600.

So your $10K reserve may not go to the Ferrari dealership for repair per se, but will most definitely contribute to parts - partially anyway. Even the annual fluid change - 11 quarts of Redline oil plus other fluids can run you close to $500 including shipping (especially up here in Canada with brokerage fees - I paid around $300 just for the Redline engine oil + gear oil).

They say taste in cars is generational - I'm 39 so I was a teenager when my 348 was made. Given you are a few years older, I am not surprised you also like that era of cars. I have considered all 4 on your list - personally I like the 348 the best, but I do remember hearing the Testarossa in person and the sound was out of this world (not just loud). I don't "mind" the 355 but it doesn't look as bold to me. And the 456 - I have 2 young kids so that could have been the right car too.

Finally, in terms of user friendliness - I would definitely vote for the 348. The 348 was built in an era where there was some automation / computing power but not too much - it has ABS, and ECU diagnostics readout without requiring tools - both good things. But no OBD II, power steering or traction control (makes it feel like a raw track car). The 355 tends to have expensive issues (valve guides), Testarrosa is a 12-cylinder so more parts and complexity. Dunno about the 456 maintenance wise.

On the other hand, like my other hobby aviation (I'm a private pilot), you can't think solely in terms of dollars and cents, because you can't justify it no matter how you slice and dice it. For example, it always costs less flying commercial than in a small plane but cheap fare is not why we fly in the first place. Add in recurrent training and the math just goes right out the window - to the point where I don't even do the math anymore. So you do have to think with your heart - personally I like the saying that it's better to have a Ferrari in the garage waiting to be worked on, than not having owned one at all.