How secret do you keep your car collection? | Page 2 | FerrariChat

How secret do you keep your car collection?

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by PMiranda, Apr 28, 2021.

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  1. 3POINT8

    3POINT8 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 23, 2014
    4,399
    The only thing i would add here is that not everyone (myself included) completely "earned" their Ferrari. There's some luck and circumstances here. There are many, many people that have worked just as hard, if not harder than any of us have, and have made the best financial choices they could but have not had the opportunities or good fortune that we have had. So its just not a matter of "work harder and save better and you can be like me." I think its important not to lose track with that and be a little understanding when you roll up in a $250k car.
     
  2. Admiral Goodwrench

    Admiral Goodwrench Formula Junior

    Mar 2, 2005
    688
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Robert Phillips
    Dear Paul,

    Ever hear of rail guns....

    Best regards,

    Robert
     
  3. Dave Bertrand

    Dave Bertrand Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2005
    770
    Castle Rock, CO
    Quite true. Well put.
     
  4. buddyg

    buddyg F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 20, 2004
    5,446
    West Michigan
    Full Name:
    Buddy
    Excuse my ignorance but what model is that?
     
  5. NeuroBeaker

    NeuroBeaker Advising Moderator
    Moderator

    Oct 1, 2008
    38,744
    Huntsville, AL., USA
    Full Name:
    Andrew
    1955 Ferrari 500 Mondial Scaglietti Spyder Series II - chassis 0556, engine 0446, titled as 0446MD.

    All the best,
    Andrew.
     
    Atlantic likes this.
  6. 020147

    020147 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2006
    3,649
    Midwest
    I’ve found keeping my 488 a secret to be futile. Though I make a point of not mentioning it to people I meet. I am getting mobbed in public when driving it this year, there’s always someone waiting for me outside the store etc. That didn’t happen last year. I went to grab a burger at a drive in and was engulfed in kids. I let them sit in it, take pictures and was thanked by their parents.

    The neighbors will talk. Period. I live in a nice place, with a half mile long driveway, but I’m still the only guy with a Ferrari around. The neighbors assume I know every other “rich” person in town, it’s kind of funny really. I don’t post about it on social media. I only go to FCA events.

    But I also don’t let the car own me, I use it. I use its for what it’s for; driving it. I park it at the hardware store, the grocery store, etc. It takes me where I need to go and I get the benefit of the enjoying the drive. The overall response is very positive. Should someone not care for my car they can get stuffed. I don’t tell others what dreams they should or not fulfill and only ask for the same in return.
     
  7. Admiral Goodwrench

    Admiral Goodwrench Formula Junior

    Mar 2, 2005
    688
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Robert Phillips
    Buddy, Andrew gave you the basics, for lots more, search on youtube for "the Admiral's Ferrari"

    Best regards,

    Robert
     
  8. Redneck Slim

    Redneck Slim Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 10, 2011
    1,440
    Palo Alto,CA,USA
    Full Name:
    Walt Kimball
    I live in Silicon Valley where very expensive cars are a common sight. I have no problem with hostility even in the rural areas where I do almost all of my Ferrari driving.
     
    shifter likes this.
  9. JohnnyRay

    JohnnyRay F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 2, 2014
    2,866
    Central FL/NW WI
    T o this day, I'm known as the guy with the black 68 GT500...even though I have not owned it for decades. Drove that car everywhere..in season of course!
     
  10. PMiranda

    PMiranda Formula Junior

    Jul 23, 2004
    574
    Austin, TX
    Well my plan to fly under the radar with a non-red Ferrari didn't work since the neighborhood busybodies were out this morning when the transporter pulled up to unload it. I'm too happy to play with the new toy to worry, though. Everyone that stopped by to chat was surprised but nice about it. Pretty much everyone just wanted to get a ride when it stops raining :)
     
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  11. Admiral Goodwrench

    Admiral Goodwrench Formula Junior

    Mar 2, 2005
    688
    Santa Fe, New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Robert Phillips
    Andrew, one minor point, the chassis should have been stamped 0556/MD in the normal manufacturing sequence but either for tax or Carnet reasons the owner requested it be stamped the same number as the 1954 735 Sport he traded in, which was 0446. So the chassis is stamped 0446/MD ( not restamped) as is the motor. That was a very confusing matter when we started the historical research as the 0446 number was clearly a 1954 design (front leaf spring suspension, 4 speed transaxle, narrow valve included angle) but the car had all the hallmarks of a mid 1955 design (coil spring front suspension, 5 speed transaxle, tipo 111 wide valley motor).

    Best regards,

    Robert
     
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  12. Need4Spd

    Need4Spd F1 Veteran

    Feb 24, 2007
    6,645
    Silicon Valley
    Collection? What collection? LOL


    Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
     
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  13. paulchua

    paulchua Cat Herder
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 1, 2013
    15,983
    Menlo Park, CA
    Full Name:
    Paul Chua
    Love it Admiral!!
     
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  14. rocket50

    rocket50 Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 9, 2004
    1,240
    Nashville
    Full Name:
    Rod
    Owned my 328 for two years now and don't do any social media about it. Neighbors know because it is kind of loud. I have given a few neighbors a ride but try to sneak in and out of the neighborhood if possible. Garage down immediately when I pull in. Hate when people walk by when washing it. Never gotten any negative response to my face though.

    I own a small business and never drive it there or share that I own it with employees. I can hear it now. You drive a Ferrari so I need a raise. No need to deal with any of that. The reason I left my regular job and started my own business was so I could own a Ferrari one day. Not apologizing but also not sharing.

    My slightly immature daughter tries to use it against me when she wants something. Sorry. Not happening. Earn it on your own. Don't get me wrong. Her needs are well taken care of. Just not gonna go buy her the latest I phone for no reason other than want.

    I have found that different car gatherings have different responses. The local one in my small town is more good old boys and since my car isn't American, no one even talks to me. Can feel the disdain when I used to go there. Don't bother going to those anymore. Two of the bigger ones in the area, everybody wants to talk and ask questions. Those are fun. The local FCA meets seem more like penis measuring contests and clearly with a 328, mine is kinda small by their standards.
     
  15. Scott98

    Scott98 F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Nov 3, 2004
    2,732
    Weston, FL
    Full Name:
    Scott
    I just bought my Ferrari and have been driving it everywhere. I don’t make excuses and I don’t care what other people think. I bought it to drive and enjoy and that’s exactly what I’ve been doing. I’ve driven it to work, picked my daughter up from school and took her to tennis lessons all in less than a week of ownership. In fact, I decided to treat the interior with Leatherique the other day which meant I had to park it outside in the sun in front of my house all day for the best results. Didn’t care what the neighbors thought.
     
  16. RMSK

    RMSK Rookie

    Jul 31, 2020
    28
    Louisville
    Full Name:
    RMSK
    It's interesting when I drive up in the 812 vs when I drive up in the roller, same basic price but different vibes you get
     
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  17. Stams

    Stams Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 30, 2020
    491
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Sean
    I will preface this by saying I go live in a gated community where people like their privacy and there is a 488 spider, F430, and several 911s and mclarens in the neighborhood. I don’t know any of them.

    I am a new owner of a 458 and belong to a private Facebook 458 group and this group.

    I don’t want anyone to know I have it but of course my friends have found out. The response has mostly been positive but I get the sense that many of my friends rationalize it as me having a midlife crisis. The bottom line is that she either brings out the light or brings out the shadows in people. And I can’t control that. I just try to be the light.

    No one at work knows and I will not ever share that with them. This has been a very hard year for a lot of people and I just can’t see how it could be any sort out of positive.

    I have taken her to a car show recently and the kids loved her. I just want to check out the culture and maybe find some people who want to drive. Her purpose is spirited drives in the mountains in the early mornings. No police, clear roads, and minimal attention. It has been an incredible ownership experience so far for someone who likes their privacy.


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
  18. jc1

    jc1 Formula Junior

    Feb 9, 2021
    266
    Greenville, SC
    Full Name:
    Joey (2012 458 Spider)
    Buying my first fcar any day now when the right one turns up…. Anyone here work in sales? Any advice or experience should a customer or client get wind of the car?
     
  19. jjtjr

    jjtjr Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2016
    668
    Vermont
    Full Name:
    john truskowski
    I would think that it would be very difficult to keep any car a secret. When I got mine, I didn't go around telling people that I bought one. Instead, I just drove it wherever I felt and didn't make a huge deal about it. Sure, inevitably someone would say "did I see you driving a Ferrari the other day?" I wouldn't lie to them, I would just say "yeah that was me, just out for a drive in the nice weather" and that would usually be it. I feel that if someone has a problem with what vehicle you drive or where you live, then that remains their problem. When someone I know shows me their new car or any other purchase they made I always show them respect and congrats on their accomplishment, because after all it belongs to them, they paid for it and are free to do with it as they choose.
     
  20. PMiranda

    PMiranda Formula Junior

    Jul 23, 2004
    574
    Austin, TX
    If you aren't too picky about price, then you can just stalk the preowned listings on Ferrari's website. It shows dealer inventory for the whole country. Also YellowCompass can put you on their list of buyers with your preferences. I had talked to my local dealer and one other, higher-volume dealer and they were looking out for what I wanted but I ended up just lucking into seeing what I wanted on the national website one fine afternoon.
    Of course you can set up a notification on the classifieds here, and even pony up a few bucks to make your own WANTED post here.
    If you can swing it, having cash at the ready will help so you can close a deal when you see the right one, but most people are pretty fair about holding it for you with a modest deposit until you can get the funding in the right place and do a PPI. I had previously learned the hard way that some banks won't do a wire transfer except to a title company so I made sure to have enough money in one without that limitation.
    Happy hunting!
     
    jc1 likes this.
  21. willrace

    willrace Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Oct 21, 2006
    32,908
    North Tay-has
    Full Name:
    Kurt
    Most of my family didn't know for several years - my Dad was told in about 2013, my sister in 2018 or so, even though she'd seen it without knowing it was mine about a decade earlier when she was directly behind me at a traffic light (I thought I was busted), and another time she caught a flash of "something low and white" moving at the back of my driveway once when she drove by. Fortunately, there were cars behind her so she couldn't hit the brakes and check it out. I told her it was the neighbor's Miata, who "was getting something done at her house, and couldn't use her own driveway".

    You can hide a car, you just have to be creative and diligent......... and it will eventually come out to some extent.
     
    Texas Forever likes this.
  22. jjtjr

    jjtjr Formula Junior

    Aug 29, 2016
    668
    Vermont
    Full Name:
    john truskowski
    I got away with keeping it quiet for just over a year and I was also creative. A co-worker saw me driving it on a Saturday, and confronted me about it on Monday. I didn't have to even reply, because another co-worker started to argue with him about me owning Corvettes and that he probably mistook the car as a vette. After the argument I realized that I hadn't even said a word in reply. But the cat eventually got out of the bag.
     
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  23. Y not

    Y not Karting

    Sep 22, 2018
    207
    Full Name:
    G2
    One senior customer knew because we had been on Motorsport hospitality together. He summed it up better than I ever could. “You are an advocate for your company with us. But you are also an advocate for us in front of your company, therefore we want successful people”.

    The cars are my switch off from work, so I never bring the two topics together.

    I always think coworkers can easily be competitors at some point.
     
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  24. alexandra-ny

    alexandra-ny Rookie

    May 1, 2021
    33
    Southampton, NY
    Full Name:
    Alexandra
    Life's too short to worry about keeping cars or success/wealth a secret but I'm very careful about flaunting them. There are some friends we meet up with by taking a cab rather then driving and by using cash instead of cards. Don't bring it up in conversation but don't deny it, and I try to be honest and open if questions are asked, within reason. People will find out one way or another but you don't need to make it obvious. Unless it's strategic. There have been occasions where having the supercar outside the building focusses minds. God I hope that last part doesn't come across as narcissistic as it sounds when I'm reading it back...
     
    mattexplore, VAF84, niccmann and 2 others like this.
  25. ross

    ross Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 25, 2002
    36,210
    houston/geneva
    Full Name:
    Ross
    its too hard to hide.
     
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