Surprises from the previous owner | FerrariChat

Surprises from the previous owner

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by imahorse, Jan 19, 2020.

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  1. imahorse

    imahorse F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 25, 2017
    2,648
    WI
    Full Name:
    Dustin
    Most of us have used cars and let's face it, these cars live very different lives than normal cars. My question to you all is, what are the strangest things you have found in your car from the previous owner? Whether it is laughably poor maintenance, forgotten items, or just anything plain bizarre.



    My surprises on my 360 were 20 year old timing belts despite service history saying they were done and the poorly fitting floor mat was actually out of a dodge minivan.
     
  2. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 13, 2009
    15,875
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Curt
    Mine were 2 tracking devices in the car, a Sony Stereo wired via twisting the wires together and electrical taping it from there, and a missing front under tray. Obvious ripped off on a track day or low curb.
     
  3. RedNeck

    RedNeck F1 Veteran
    BANNED Silver Subscribed

    Jul 8, 2016
    9,875
    The CSA
    Full Name:
    Me
    Mine took months of pleading just to get service records that were actually legitimate (the seller had a used car dealership and an auto repair business, it was his personal car on consignment through the dealership), and after providing me self-printed invoices to his own dealership from his own repair business, I demanded parts receipts, which he provided, and then I was able to verify them with Ricambi. He said he replaced all 8 coils but didn't have receipts since he did it himself....yet the "new" coils all looked like they were pulled from the bottom of the ocean and I had misfires all over the place. Also found that the car had TWO leather headliners adhered to each other a Nero under the original Bordeaux, and after looking at the build sheet, it was apparently like that from the factory...who knows. I didn't until it fell on my head one day. Only put one back when I redid it though. Maybe this one will stay.
     
  4. Bob in Texas

    Bob in Texas F1 Rookie

    Apr 23, 2012
    2,665
    Just East of Weird
    Full Name:
    Bob
    Hmmm..on my 430, there were no surprises, well until I logged on to My.ferrari and found the original build sheet.

    As purchased by me, the car has red calipers, the build sheet spec’d yellow calipers. The build sheet also said the car had ball polished wheels, mine has silver painted. Somewhere along the way previous owners had changed things. I would have really liked the yellow calipers with the car’s blue paint.


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  5. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
    899
    Homosassa, FL USA
    Full Name:
    Ian Joubert
    That is an easy fix!
     
  6. Cigarzman

    Cigarzman F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    #6 Cigarzman, Jan 20, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2020
    When I traded my 430 spider for a 458 spider , I found a 7th gear. I had no idea , no one told me. I was driving in 6th gear on the highway and thought it sounded funny so I hit he paddle thinking it would do some and low and behold 7th gear. Lol.
     
  7. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,741
    North Wiltshire, UK
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  8. vincep99

    vincep99 Formula 3
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jun 8, 2009
    1,929
    On my 88.5 TR when I did the engine-out, the left-hand side cam-belt tensioner idler-pulley bearing fell part in my hand.
     
  9. LP360

    LP360 Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2016
    169
    UK
    Full Name:
    Lee
    When I first got my 360 within a couple of days I removed the carpet to view the fuses, immobiliser unit and was greeted by this speaker wiring... Some previous owner left it in but took me 10 minutes to remove it all. Also removed the centre console and found a few pound coins and euros. :)

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  10. PaulK

    PaulK F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 24, 2004
    4,603
    Michigan
    Full Name:
    Paul
    Right when I bought my car and leaving the sellers driveway, the suspension light comes on and I have no speedo. Pretty sure the seller knew about that one.
     
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  11. Ianjoub

    Ianjoub Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2019
    899
    Homosassa, FL USA
    Full Name:
    Ian Joubert
    About 1/2 mile from the dealership after purchase, a red LED on the steering column starts blinking, I am getting some beeps and buzzes, and some computer voice I can't quite understand. My first thought was a key/immobilizer problem. The car kept running, happened a few more times in the next 30 minutes. I finally figured out it was a radar detector unit.
     
  12. 3POINT8

    3POINT8 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 23, 2014
    4,399
    on my F430 bought from private party - found out the sound system was complete garbage.
     
  13. 3POINT8

    3POINT8 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 23, 2014
    4,399
    on a porsche 911s - found a bunch of arby receipts
     
  14. basscase415

    basscase415 Karting

    Jun 10, 2017
    87
    CA
    Shortly after I bought my 360 Spider, I found an empty mini-bottle of Jim Beam underneath the passenger seat. Previous owner was mature and owned the car for 12 years.

    Good times.
     
  15. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 22, 2014
    6,339
    Houston
    Yeah. :(
     
  16. salbrech

    salbrech Karting

    Dec 20, 2013
    103
    #16 salbrech, Jan 20, 2020
    Last edited: Jan 20, 2020
    While test driving my 96 F355:
    - battery shorted @8000rpm and 100km/h on full acceleration, not even the hazards worked anymore :-(

    a few hours AFTER I bought it I realized I missed checking a few things:
    - found two dash bulbs being missing. CEL and airbag (both alarms were active !!!). Airbag module: needed resetting (200USD). CEL: two plugs on engine were swapped
    - found car overheating on speeds <60km/h, Cooling fan did only move randomly with electric motor on (plastic clutch broken)

    My first trips were quite a disaster, also I experienced all the little issues the F355 is famous for :). Luckily all could be fixed for minor cost in the first 2 months of ownership. Diva is performing flawlessly now since 6 years (touch wood) and I am so happy I did not bin it right after purchase (which I wanted several times back then).

    Best regards from Switzerland
     
  17. jcurry

    jcurry Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 16, 2012
    21,378
    In the past
    Full Name:
    Jim
    87 911 bought from original owner in SoCal 3yrs ago. Gentleman was ~70yo. Rolling papers stashed under the passenger floor mat.
     
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  18. 19633500GT

    19633500GT F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 9, 2010
    11,926
    Blueberry
    Full Name:
    Muffin-Tops
    A Mountain Dew can under the seat

    37 year old timing belts on my GT4

    and on my GTI VR6, what I DIDNT find the guy who bought it from me called me and said “um, did you know there was a NOS switch hidden under the radio spot?”

    no clue lol
     
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  19. tomc

    tomc Two Time F1 World Champ

    Apr 13, 2014
    25,865
    DFW, Texas
    Full Name:
    Tom C
    Found a little jewelry box like you'd put an engagement ring in under the passenger seat of the 911 we bought after we got it home from Houston. Empty!
    T
     
  20. Rosso328

    Rosso328 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2006
    6,795
    Central FL
    Full Name:
    Paul
    On my 328 I found that the thermocouple in the catalytic converter had the wires cut, and the wiring pulled out so that a quick visual inspection wouldn't look obviously wrong, and the 'slow down' light on the dashboard had been disconnected so that it wouldn't stay on and alert someone (me) that something was wrong. I can't prove which previous owner did that, but if I could have...
     
  21. JaguarXJ6

    JaguarXJ6 F1 Veteran

    Feb 12, 2003
    5,459
    Black Hawk, CO
    Full Name:
    Sunny
    On my recent F430 purchase I jumped in with no PPI, today I discovered it had MK2 manifolds in excellent shape and I found a piece of tissue wedged into the corner of the shroud over the cluster to dampen a vibration.
     
  22. JJ

    JJ F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jan 6, 2010
    11,335
    PA
    Full Name:
    24601
    A yarmulke and a brass bookmark thanking the previous owner for his years of service to the Jewish people. They are mine now.
     
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  23. daytona355

    daytona355 F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Mar 25, 2009
    12,655
    London
    Full Name:
    Sid Korshak
    Money in various cars..... nice Ferrari branded torch that doesn’t work..... pair of silver high heels in the glovebox of my 599, size 5, so shame I didn’t see the legs that rode in on them..... glasses, CDs, various pens and other trinkets
     
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  24. G. Pepper

    G. Pepper Three Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Mar 15, 2012
    33,723
    Texas/Colorado
    Full Name:
    George Pepper
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  25. A348W

    A348W Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2017
    1,741
    North Wiltshire, UK
    only you Sid would find high heels!!!!
     

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