Help: 2012 25k miles FF or 2020 911 S (992) 8k miles

I'm as much a Ferrari lover as everyone else here with 4 in the garage but I'm also a 992 C2S owner. As a daily driver...I think up-to-date features, electronics, reliability, lower profile around town, easier to park, no battery plug in needed, etc. make a current German car compelling as a daily driver over an 11-year-old Ferrari.

It is also kind of a shame to keep a V12 tamed within a city environment with little opportunity to stretch its legs. I enjoy being able to drive the heck out of my 443 hp 992 around town without the speed and consequences that go with doing the same in my F8 Spider or 812 GTS beasts.

I'd also say...it is fun to have them all so consider that too

 

Had a 991.2 Carrera S for a while and it did feel incredibly reliable and was easy to use as a daily. It did get boring after a while though and, the tire/road noise coming from the rear was incredibly annoying. Any road-trip longer than an hour I would bring noise cancelling headphones to avoid having to crank up the stereo too much. Also, forget about having a normal conversation with your passenger when going over 65mph.

Eventually I got into a 2018 Lusso and occasionally it is used as a daily. For being a V12 Ferrari it is surprisingly easy to drive around town and is a great roadtrip car (except the gas milage..). Furthermore, the 911 would scrape a lot more often compared to the Lusso (and I don't even have the lift!) when entering parking garages or steep driveways.

One last thing: driving the Ferrari is much more of an event and feels truly special in a way that the 911 never did. So, I'd go with the FF or save up a bit more money and get a Lusso.

 

Fun but hard decision for sure. Have an FF now and have had 911 4s. I live in Boston (US) and weather here is a factor. The FF wins on that.

The FF has real usable rear seats and trunk that makes the car much more functional and convenient. I can actually put my bike in back or throw golf clubs in there, running errands, etc. A real plus for me vs 911. Just end up using it more.

One factor would be proximity and dependability of service and whether you have another car (or availability of loaner car). Getting a part from Italy can take a couple weeks, if it comes at all, but the Germans get stuff here immediately!

i have a 2014 FF which I bought with 5,000 miles — now have 10,000 — the car feels solid and I haven’t had anything big go wrong, but I’ve had to deal with an electrical warning that only comes on first starting car in cold weather (it’s not the battery). The 911 is likely to be more dependable and avail service.

On keeping car tendered, that hasn’t been an issue for me. I often don’t drive the car for several days and have left it as long as 7 days without tender in winter.

The entertainment/NAV isn’t that big a deal for me — more than offset by my next point. I like to listen to the engine anyway, and I just use Waze on my iPhone for NAV. There is an upgrade made by Kenwood — search this site.

id say the FF is more comfortable. I drove the car from FLA to Boston — 3,000 miles — and not once was i tired or uncomfortable.

I still don’t really like the automatic mode on the FF and almost drive manually. If you can, drive it around city in stop and go traffic. I live just outside city and roads are narrow and twisty — the FF is amazing.

The exhaust sound is a bit underwhelming at low speeds/rpms, but OMG does this thing begin to sing at 4000rpm+!! The Porsche just can’t compete on that, few cars can. In a way I like that setup — it’s less adolescent! By the way, hit both shifters to put it in N And rev the engine — everyone’s head will swivel.

which brings me to what, for me is the deciding factor — just how special you feel when driving the FF. It’s hard to describe, but it adds to my day in a way the 911 didn’t.

Part of the experience is that everyone loves a Ferrari. Everyone’s head swivels when you drive by…and they see you coming from 100 yards away…that includes men, kids, women and even grandmothers! They might glance at the Porsche — but they’re so many on the road.

one interesting dynamic — car guys love the Ferrari, including American muscle car guys.

anyway, feel free to ask me anything…and good luck!!

 

Thank you!

I don't think the 992 is that much more quiet then the 991. Check out the Harry's review of the 992 here:

Go drive both if you can before making a decision

 

Also a 992 owner, mine is a 4S daily driver with just about 40k miles. Best 911 I have owned. Love Ferrari, but Porsche makes a hell of a car, unbreakable.

 

Hello Ron and welcome to the forum.

Given that there is a high import duty for exotics in your country, I’m guessing that both cars you’re considering are reasonably rare.

Because of this fact, perhaps I can frame the dilemma in a different way;

Which car would be easier to obtain if you pass on it now and regret it later?

I’m guessing that will be the Porsche since you’ve had a couple already and there are no V12 Lussos where you live.

So, given that Porsche and 911s are a known quantity to you, I would suggest that you buy the FF and live with it to see if it does for you what no 911 ever can. If it does, keep it, if not, move it on and get back into a 911.

 

Tough dilemma. I understand your concern about resale but presumably, the lack of a liquid market in FFs should also mean that you buy at a good price too? How much of a problem being stuck with the FF if you don’t like it will depend on your own personal circumstances and risk tolerance. Unfortunately, we can’t make that call for you.

The only way to get round that is an extended test drive in highway and traffic conditions. But if you’re regularly driving in traffic (as posted above), no Ferrari is going to be easy as they are all horrible in stop/start/low speed situations.

Much as it pains me to say this, I don’t think a Ferrari (any Ferrari) is a good idea in your environment and for your use case.

 

Try to drive both cars.
I think that after the test drives the choice will be very clear (Ferrari ).
Don't worry about the navigation etc. It can be easily replaced, or go for a younger one with Apple Carplay.
I cannot judge how valuable the car will be in your country, but in any case you are driving a unique and rare car.
You will not regret the Ferrari!
Good luck with this difficult, but also luxurious, choice.

 

Let's remove the Lusso T from the challenge. Nice car, don't get me wrong gere, but judt plain NO.

I think Chris Harris put it nice "I just want to do stupid things" and then got the FF, and he seems to like all Porsches... I would also like to point out that the FF is just wonderful to drive, it is just special. A Porsche is well mainstream... And the only thing that might be a bit sensitive is the PTU, but now there is starting to be alot cheaper to rebuild, so just do not overthink the risks, just drive the FF and have that sensational special feeling...!

 

For me a Lusso TTV8 is not a V12, pure and simple.

 

Hello, it's a good comparison. We're talking about two cars with completely different characters and from different eras. The 992 Carrera S is a great car and there's really not much to say about its technology and driving quality. However, if you ask me, I'm not a big 992 fan, I like the 991.1 and 991.2 generations much more. As for the FF, when it first came out (2011), I didn't like it like some people (it might have been because I was in my 20s at the time ), but today, the idea of a Ferrari with a V12 N/A engine that you can drive daily would be very enjoyable. Also, yes, maybe the FF may seem like an old generation now, but the Ferraris from 458 onwards (FF, F12 etc.) are still fresh and valid cars in terms of technology and design in my opinion. Again, my personal opinion is that the peak of the automobile industry is the 2010s, because that was the year when cars with the best combination of pure driving pleasure and technology were produced, so I may be a little biased. In short, my choice would be a well-used and well-maintained FF.

 

The FF is amazing but it’s a very long car. I know some people drive stupid long trucks and huge suvs but the size is the only thing that would keep me from dailying it in a city.

I think you can get used to the overall size but the doors are pretty long too so it could add a little complexity to your day to day that wouldn’t be a huge deal but might get old.

 

This is an interesting thread for me, because I have been thinking about an FF/Lusso versus a 991 (probably) Carrera 4S. Either way, all wheel drive is part of my requirements-- while we don't get snow here all that much, I do frequently drive through mountain passes which do. And I'd like to be able to take the car skiing.

Another issue, for me, is golf clubs. I'm not sure that golf clubs will fit easily into the 911, other than the front passenger seat, but they should fit without any issue in the FF/Lusso.

 

I can take 4 sets of clubs if I lower both rear seats in car. I can take 2 sets of clubs with 4 adults by lowering the middle section and keeping the drivers there.

I have a lusso and I golf a lot !!! 200 rounds a year

 

It’s 2" shorter than a Honda Accord.

 

yeah kind of amazing sedans are that long now. too long for my taste but obviously not everyone agrees with me since they sell well.

i personally prefer shorter vehicles, ymmv.

 

The driving experience with the FF is elevated to a whole different level by the V12. Honestly, that's really what it is all about. The 911, any 911 except perhaps a GT3 RS, will feel much more mundane by comparison. Being honest... aside from the V12, the FF does not perform exceptionally well compared to more contemporary vehicles which fulfill the same mission (very fast all wheel drive GT with 4 seats). My 2019 Mercedes E63S will wipe the floor with the FF on a twisty back road... it's just a more advanced vehicle from every standpoint, and it has enormous power. That said, I love my FF just as much because it is special.

The issue with the FF is that it is maintenance-intensive, and is highly vehicle specific. You MUST have access to a competent independent Ferrari mechanic if you want to be happy owning this vehicle, and the vehicle you buy must also not be a mess... and many of them are. Multiple owners who could not afford them, deferred maintenance, beat on, and so forth. If an FF does not have meticulous service records, and proven provenance (not wrecked, retitled etc.) stay away from it. Even if it is meticulous, you should still plan for very expensive potential repairs pertaining to the PTU and the DCT.

It seems you live in a country where it is very hard to obtain and maintain a car like this. Perhaps it is not the best option. A more modest, workmanlike 911 might be the better option in your situation. The wrong 911 can also be a maintenance nightmare, so one must be careful there too.

I would pick whatever car seems best supported in your country and go from there...

 

It’s not a tough choice at all.
Objectively the 911 is a better daily driver and a lower risk purchase.

However, the FF blows it out of the water if you follow your heart. The V12 simply cannot be beat. Do you want fun and reliable or exciting and unique?