Buying a Ferrari has ruined my life | FerrariChat
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Buying a Ferrari has ruined my life

Discussion in '308/328' started by Fairview, Aug 30, 2011.

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  1. Fairview

    Fairview Formula 3

    Mar 16, 2009
    1,109
    Waynesboro, Virginia
    Full Name:
    Jeff Ward
    #1 Fairview, Aug 30, 2011
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017
    For you prospective first time Ferrari buyers, here’s what they don’t tell you. Buying a Ferrari will ruin your life. It has ruined mine. Timing belts are child's play when compared to what my 308 has done to me. I used to be normal, but that has all changed, changed utterly.

    I can’t sleep:

    It is only 6:50 a.m. I have already been out to the garage to take a peek at my 308. I checked the oil, even though I just checked it yesterday. And last night I was up late reading an article from a magazine published in 1978, a Ferrari road test. And what sleep I had was troubled. I was restless, worrying that the screwdrivers in my tool kit are not original- they have black handles- how can that be? Everybody else has those orangey- red handles...

    I am an idiot:

    I am an idiot. I just read online about a guy who has a friend who bought a perfect 20,000 mile 308QV for $23,000, with a recent major service. And he thought anybody who paid more than $23,000 for a nice 308 must be an idiot. I am an idiot. I spent way too much money on this 308. It has over 50,000 miles on it. I have way over $30,000 in it, way over. Plus mine has those black screwdrivers- that's got to be a bad thing.

    I am a goof-off at work:

    My work productivity has gone down. I am distracted. Co-workers dropping by my office must notice when I quickly blink off the Ferrari Chat page, or the parts ordering pages of Ricambi and Superformance. They might think I’m looking at porn sites. What if they do? Will I lose my job? This is getting serious.

    I am becoming distant in family relationships:

    The rest of my family went to see “The Help” this weekend. They wanted me to go along. They said it would be a great movie to see. But it was a beautiful day. I told them I didn’t want to waste a perfect afternoon cooped up in a dark movie theatre. So I stayed at home. Until they left, then I went out for a drive in the 308. It was back in the garage before they got back home.

    I am a highway hazard:

    Somebody is going to get hurt, probably me. This keeps happening all the time. Other cars pull up beside me on the highway. They slow down and look at my car as we drive along. They say things and ask questions. Before buying this 308, I had no idea that people actually talked to each other from car to car while they hurtle down the highway. But they have whole conversations. Other times, cars speed up to pass me. All the occupants of the car, including the driver, turn their heads around and stare at my car. This is dangerous and there is nothing I can do about it.

    I am now a liar:

    Last week an earnest young man in a Honda spray-painted flat back, his cap turned sideways on his head, pulled up next to me at a red light. He hollered over “Great car. I’ve never seen a Ferrari before. Is it real fast?” And I lied to him. So now I am a liar, too. My eternal salvation is at risk. This is serious. This has to stop.

    So a word of warning from someone who knows: If you are a prospective Ferrari buyer, beware. Getting behind this wheel ruins lives. Enter at your own risk.
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  2. Flo400

    Flo400 Formula Junior

    Jun 8, 2011
    358
    Munich, Germany
    Full Name:
    Florian
    #2 Flo400, Aug 30, 2011
    Nice... thank you... as MJ said: "you are not alone..."
     
  3. mwr4440

    mwr4440 Five Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 8, 2007
    57,741
    Bavaria, The 'Other' Germany
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    Mark W.R.
    #3 mwr4440, Aug 30, 2011
    YEP.

    All that is NO LIE.

    :(







    :D
     
  4. Fave

    Fave F1 Rookie

    Aug 12, 2010
    4,157
    Tarana
    Full Name:
    L. Ike Hunt
    #4 Fave, Aug 30, 2011
    Now that you have past the denial stage and started with acceptance the healing may begin.
     
  5. RVL Saratoga

    RVL Saratoga Formula 3

    Aug 27, 2010
    2,421
    Saratoga Springs, NY
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    Robert
    #5 RVL Saratoga, Aug 30, 2011
    LMAO, cute and true
     
  6. Crowndog

    Crowndog F1 Veteran

    Jul 16, 2011
    7,042
    Fairfield,Pa
    Full Name:
    Robert
    #6 Crowndog, Aug 30, 2011
    Guess my life is down the tubes also.......
     
  7. glenv6

    glenv6 Formula 3

    Jul 4, 2011
    1,158
    New York
    Full Name:
    Glen
    #7 glenv6, Aug 30, 2011
    So true! I haven't brought my QV home from the shop yet, and I can't stop thinking about it! I can't wait to DRIVE her for the first time... I have the tool kit and jack kit sitting around the house and I must have looked at those things a hundred times already wondering if they were correct. I searched fchat for every thread on tools, found pictures, compared mine. I thought about starting my own thread, individually noting the details of each tool along with a picture. I registered my serial number on ferrari.com and I go there to look at the same information every hour of every day. Has anything changed? No. Does Montezemolo want to contact me to personally discuss my Ferrari? No...

    I had the same feeling when I bought my first airplane years ago. I must have taken her up ten times a day for months to work off my excitement, but it never did wear off. I eventually had to move into a Hangar Home so that I could peak at the airplane, now my second bird, before going to sleep at night. My wife is a good sport!

    Gotta go, I'm late for work (again)...
     
  8. GrayTA

    GrayTA F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 25, 2006
    15,129
    Deep South
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    PDG
    #8 GrayTA, Aug 30, 2011
    How very true.....





    PDG
     
  9. PAP 348

    PAP 348 Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Dec 10, 2005
    100,199
    Mount Isa, Australia
    Full Name:
    Pap
    #9 PAP 348, Aug 30, 2011
    Lol, mine too! :p

    Great read, thanks for posting Jeff! :D
     
  10. Fairview

    Fairview Formula 3

    Mar 16, 2009
    1,109
    Waynesboro, Virginia
    Full Name:
    Jeff Ward
    #10 Fairview, Aug 30, 2011
    Last edited: Aug 30, 2011
    Thank you. Glad to do it. My psychiatrist said it would be therapuetic to write about my feelings. He may be able to reduce my medication. I have very little control over my impules- right now I'm thinking about ordering that set of four new Konis...
     
  11. Robz328

    Robz328 F1 Veteran
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    Mar 16, 2009
    6,299
    ATL, Georgia
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    Rob Hemphill
    #11 Robz328, Aug 30, 2011
    Ferraris are fun!
     
  12. Robz328

    Robz328 F1 Veteran
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    Mar 16, 2009
    6,299
    ATL, Georgia
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    Rob Hemphill
    #12 Robz328, Aug 30, 2011
    The thing about productivity and work is to know what's expected of you and exceed it...If you are in a blue-collar job, you won't be sitting at a computer...other jobs usually understand your professional requirements and dictate your environment enough for you to know your boundaries...


    ...so enjoy the Ferrari and get back to work!
     
  13. flyngti

    flyngti Formula 3

    Jul 16, 2009
    1,236
    Snohomish, WA
    Full Name:
    Eric L
    #13 flyngti, Aug 30, 2011
    So true. It's a sickness. At least you're getting help :)
     
  14. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2006
    15,761
    Cerritos, CA.
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    Mike
    #14 miketuason, Aug 30, 2011
    We should form a group or a club called "People who's life is ruined by a 308" cause I will join the membership. :)
     
  15. Robz328

    Robz328 F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 16, 2009
    6,299
    ATL, Georgia
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    Rob Hemphill
    #15 Robz328, Aug 30, 2011
    What about us 328 guys?

    We experience tha same evil, too...

    ...carist!
     
  16. dailyferraridriver

    dailyferraridriver Formula 3
    Owner

    Nov 12, 2010
    1,402
    New Jersey
    Full Name:
    Erik
    #16 dailyferraridriver, Aug 30, 2011
    Completely agree -

    I've been leaving my office early - 4pm, just to drive for 2-3 hours a day around town - trying to find some twisties. Having the car outside my office distracts me enough to make any excuse I can think of to leave.

    I don't have the same risk of being fired, as I am an owner, but at the same time, when I leave, I'm sure work suffers.

    I dread the snow - what happens when you can't take them out for a ride?

    Erik
     
  17. billg

    billg Formula Junior

    Jun 7, 2006
    307
    New Orleans
    Full Name:
    Bill Grady
    #17 billg, Aug 30, 2011
    Excellent writing. Thanks. We could use a lot more of that.
     
  18. billg

    billg Formula Junior

    Jun 7, 2006
    307
    New Orleans
    Full Name:
    Bill Grady
    #18 billg, Aug 30, 2011
    Get the $300 ignition key.
     
  19. DNJS328

    DNJS328 Formula Junior
    Owner

    Aug 25, 2011
    323
    Arlington, TX
    Full Name:
    Don P.
    #19 DNJS328, Aug 30, 2011
    I guess the 328 guys get to chime in as well. I just got mine delivered late yesterday afternoon. My first Ferrari. We drove it all over last night and what a ride. She drives like nothing else I've ever driven. I keep opening the garage door just to make sure it's real.

    While waiting a week for the delivery truck to arrive I read the owners manual cover to cover and examined every fact and every article I could find. I am one of the lucky ones as the tools are the orange/red color and they all have "Ferrari" etched on them.

    I have never had people stop me just to get a picture of my car. Then again, I've never owned a Ferrari before.

    And now look, I'm on F-Chat instead of working. It is a bad influence, but can you find one better?
     
  20. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2006
    15,761
    Cerritos, CA.
    Full Name:
    Mike
    #20 miketuason, Aug 30, 2011
    absolutely! we're all in the same family.:)
     
  21. Crowndog

    Crowndog F1 Veteran

    Jul 16, 2011
    7,042
    Fairfield,Pa
    Full Name:
    Robert
    #21 Crowndog, Aug 30, 2011
    My wife the therapist is willing to start a fchat/Ferrari support group. It will be online and of course as a ferrari owner she will allow a discount. heh he he...
     
  22. BigTex

    BigTex Seven Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 6, 2002
    79,321
    Houston, Texas
    Full Name:
    Bubba
    #22 BigTex, Aug 30, 2011
    The black handled screwdrivers are from a later 328 tool roll.

    Yours should be clear orange handles.
     
  23. jcinflorida

    jcinflorida Formula Junior

    Oct 24, 2009
    331
    Melbourne Florida
    Full Name:
    John
    #23 jcinflorida, Aug 30, 2011
    If it inst FChat, its checking eBay for new 308 part listings. Ugh... it is a sickness. Maybe I can outsource all of this and just spend time driving the car :cool:
     
  24. andyww

    andyww F1 Rookie

    Feb 7, 2011
    2,775
    London
    #24 andyww, Aug 30, 2011
    My wife is starting to get worried about me as she has caught me a number of times cleaning parts of my 328 which its not possible to see...
    You know what its like, you hear footsteps approaching the garage, and back away from the car but she knows full well what you have been up to...there is no hiding the symptoms of OCD.
     
  25. Robz328

    Robz328 F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 16, 2009
    6,299
    ATL, Georgia
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    Rob Hemphill
    #25 Robz328, Aug 30, 2011
    OCD is fun!
     
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