The Hollywood Mechanic 17 point FF check

Hood front lip corrosion where the two sections join , happens on all .

 

We should also include the added expense of Doctors bills for stress related issues, Caused by the Video
that Micah published..

 

A great check list for anyone buying an FF or maintaining one!

 

ANOpax is the man when it comes to FF and GTC4Lusso cars!

 

Dear Reg, thanks for this valuable chat!

My FF is from October 2014 and has run 31,000 km.

Apart from normal maintenance (including the battery) and wear, I have had the following special repairs:
- new oil and water pump for € 4,000, paid under warranty by the selling garage;
- new inertia switch shield for € 17;
- replacement EGR valve for € 141.

In addition, I have:
- sticky buttons
- erratic buttons for the seat heating: while the button is set to "0", the display sometimes indicates that the seat heating is on. Turning the button solves the problem.
The buttons for the seat ventilation still work fine.

 

Of course someone can be unlucky and end up with expensive special repairs, but that can happen with any brand or car.
In my opinion, the video of Hollywood Mechanic falls under the heading of 'scaremongering'?

 

That guy better be careful with his badmouthing of Ferrari as they are going to sue him and put him out of business
It’s happened many times before.

 

I’m delighted and thankful that we have Micha and all Indy shops to help and guid us but let’s not forget how
vindictive these corporations can be.

 

New to me car but have a decent history on it:

16,500 mile; 2013 Model year


1 PTU clutch pressure sensors - No - nothing with PTU
2 Wavy front bumper - No
3 Leaking radiator - No
4 AC compressor leak/failure - No
5 Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
6 Valve cover gaskets - Not exactly, had the timing cover leak - Ferrari replaced lots of gaskets and seals - valve cover wasnt listed specifically in the report. Covered under power 15 2
7 Timing solenoid failure - No
8 Heater control valve failure - No
9 Battery - Several over the years - just got a new one
10 Weeping water pump - Yes
11 DCT - Yes, first the speed sensor; didnt fix it so Ferrari replaced the transmission under Power 15
12 Front disc overlap issue - No
13 Rear disc chewed up - No
14 Leaking shocks - No
15 Sticky buttons - Yes, all of them
16 Leather - Shrinkage only on the guage cluster cover.
17 Seat switches - No

 

Here is the checklist of my FF from October 2014 with 31,000 km:

1 PTU clutch pressure sensors - No
2 Wavy front bumper - No
3 Leaking radiator - No
4 AC compressor leak/failure - No
5 Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
6 Valve cover gaskets - No
7 Timing solenoid failure - No
8 Heater control valve failure - No
9 Battery - yes (normal maintenance after 6 years)
10 Weeping water pump - Yes (oil and water pump is 1 unit)
11 DCT - No
12 Front disc overlap issue - No
13 Rear disc chewed up - No
14 Leaking shocks - No
15 Sticky buttons - Yes
16 Leather - No shrinkage
17 Seat switches - Sometimes, but not broken yet (heating)

 

Checklist for new to me Oct 2012 with 37k km and known dealership FSH, still with Power 15 warranty:

1 PTU clutch pressure sensors - No - nothing with PTU
2 Wavy front bumper - No
3 Leaking radiator - No
4 AC compressor leak/failure - No
5 Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
6 Valve cover gaskets - No
7 Timing solenoid failure - No
8 Heater control valve failure - No
9 Battery - I see one 10 years ago and now just got a new one, you would think at least another inbetween
10 Weeping water pump - No, but sweating transmission, dealer says not to worry
11 DCT - Yes, the speed sensor - Power 15
12 Front disc overlap issue - No
13 Rear disc chewed up - possibly, as replaced in 2020 after 20k km. Now at 4% wear after another 17k km so something must have happened with the first pair. Fronts are 40% wear after 37k km.
14 Leaking shocks - weeping RR, dealer says not to worry
15 Sticky buttons - Yes
16 Leather - Passenger side top of dash puffed up now
17 Seat switches - No
18 TPMS - end of life after 12 years (still working but batteries indicating 0%, dealer says replace when no longer working).

 

Checklist for our daily driver 2014 FF with 30K miles:

1 PTU clutch pressure sensors - PTU replaced at 17,446 miles (2022)
2 Wavy front bumper - No
3 Leaking radiator - No
4 AC compressor leak/failure - No
5 Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
6 Valve cover gaskets - No
7 Timing solenoid failure - No
8 Heater control valve failure - No
9 Battery - replaced at 9,255 miles (2019), and 14,982 miles (2022), and 29,921 miles (2024). Living in Arizona over the past few years is probably not helping battery life given the heat in that engine bay.
10 Weeping water pump - No
11 DCT - DCT wiring harness replaced at 23,935 miles (2023)
12 Front disc overlap issue - No
13 Rear disc chewed up - No
14 Leaking shocks - No
15 Sticky buttons - No
16 Leather - Recovered leather on instrument binnacle at 15,002 miles (2022) and front edge of passenger headliner repaired at 29,921 miles (2024)
17 Seat switches - No
18 TPMS - No

Miscellaneous:
- LH Belt hander (extender) replaced at 4,973 miles
- Oil pump seals replaced at 11,842 miles
- Right passenger seat motor replaced at 29,921 miles

We haven't had most of the problems cited by Micah. We previously owned a 2012 FF which we sold at 24,000 miles, and it was honestly even more reliable. Those records are at my other home so I don't have access to them right now.

 

Hey Team FF --
Huge thanks to all on the work that's gone into this.
Now going into my 4th year on that Rubino Micallizato one here up in CT. Serviced thru Miller Motorcars Greenwich.
Bought independently as 3rd owner under 7yr/15yr, and no issues except for:
Standard Battery Replacement - I expected to replace it it every 3+ years, so replaced it when I bought it and it's been fine since.
I've driven it about 2k/yr and it's got about 24k on it now after I took delivery almost 4 years ago. I do annual dealership warranty extension.
Discs: -- this whole thing about maintenance means if you don't drive it, they will not work as well. Mechanic's advice: Drive the brakes clean.
Yes, before I bought it, I saw it had a sagging headliner, I had it fixed independently for maybe $3k?
Leaking Shocks -- no, not yet, but that happened on my 456MGT, and so it goes. Still miss the '99 RossoBarchetta 6-speed to this day.
Sticky Buttons -- wouldn't be a true Ferrari without garbage sticky buttons.
Leather -- yeah, around the A-Pillars and Dashboard, you're gonna get a little bit of softness/separation here and there -- oh well, too bad.
Seat Switches - maybe a really rare instance of fake pop-up in binnacle that Seat Heater/HVAC is running. Don't care.
That's about it.
I mean, It's had 2 annual Dealer Service Inspections and sure, there's a cost -- but really? like a country club member - I could complain, but reeaaaally?
Get over the little bits and it's been AAA+++
Huge thx to Hollywood Mechanic for the free lessons on all this -- that's a whole separate thread, but huge thanks to these guys who are following these beasts so when they break, there can and may be alternatives after the 15-year is up. I'll have that talk when my 15-year ends in 2027.
PTC

 

May as well throw my reply from the other thread in here

Consider yourself lucky 2013, 32k miles

PTU Rebuild - Yes - $10k
Wavy front bumper - Yes haven't fixed
Leaking radiator - No
AC compressor leak/failure - Fixed when doing PTU
Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
Valve cover gaskets - Yes - $8k for entire top end rebuild
Timing solenoid failure - Part of Rebuild
Heater control valve failure - No
Battery - Yes - Relocating to trunk now
Weeping water pump - No
DCT - Yes - $18k for rebuild
Front disc overlap issue - No
Rear disc chewed up - No, Just rear pads replaced - $1600
Leaking shocks - No
Sticky buttons - Yes haven't fixed
Leather - No shrinkage, but probably someday soon
Seat switches - Were not working when I got the car, somehow working now

Add on the 15k exhaust and I'm out $50k+ in about a year and a half of ownership, if you can even call it that... car is in the shop more than on the road I've only been able to drive it 2k miles

 

Both of my FFs are gone, but after putting a combined ~45k miles on them here's my experience.

2012 after 32k miles
1 PTU clutch pressure sensors - Yes
2 Wavy front bumper - Yes
3 Leaking radiator - No
4 AC compressor leak/failure - No
5 Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
6 Valve cover gaskets - No
7 Timing solenoid failure - No
8 Heater control valve failure - No
9 Battery - Yes, two and then went with the antigravity and haven't had problems with it (doesn't seem recommended though, whatever)
10 Weeping water pump - Yes
11 DCT - Yes, speed sensor
12 Front disc overlap issue - No
13 Rear disc chewed up - No
14 Leaking shocks - No
15 Sticky buttons - Yes but all replaced
16 Leather - Binnacle
17 Seat switches - Yes

2014 after 28k miles
1 PTU clutch pressure sensors - No
2 Wavy front bumper - No
3 Leaking radiator - No
4 AC compressor leak/failure - No
5 Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
6 Valve cover gaskets - No
7 Timing solenoid failure - No
8 Heater control valve failure - No
9 Battery - Replaced immediately with Antigravity and haven't had a problem.
10 Weeping water pump - No
11 DCT - No
12 Front disc overlap issue - No
13 Rear disc chewed up - No
14 Leaking shocks - No
15 Sticky buttons - Yes
16 Leather - No
17 Seat switches - No

For the cosmetic items, it looks like age and environment play a part. Everything else, just age and use. Just the name of the game!

 

I just realized my list was on the original thread.

ANOpax, here's my report on my 2015 FF with 26,000 miles (I noted the differences in bold).

“I’m gonna tell you everything that WILL fail before it hits 12 years old.”

My FF is 9 years old. Let’s see if he’s right.

PTU clutch pressure sensors - No
Wavy front bumper - No
Leaking radiator - No
AC compressor leak/failure - No
Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
Valve cover gaskets - No
Timing solenoid failure - No
Heater control valve failure - No
Battery - haha, it’s a consumable but I agree that LiFePo isn’t the answer.
Weeping water pump - NO
DCT - No
Front disc overlap issue - No
Rear disc chewed up - No
Leaking shocks - No
Sticky buttons - Yes
Leather - Headliner at the top of the windshield drooped, had to have it re-glued
Seat switches - NO
PTU oil line burst - yes
Parking brake lines frozen - yes (due to winter salt)

I guess I’ve just been lucky also.

 

+1 for the 2012 on PTU oil line burst.

 

I so much want to edit my entire earlier response and do it again from #1 thru #17 because I believe after owning two of these beasts over 14 years that you just feed them what they need and yes my front may be wavy, but I'm also under the warranty so, for example, if my guys say, hey, you should leave your brakes but definitely redo your hoses..... that's what I do. So under Warranty, YES, huge awesome checklist, but as an FF owner and driver, we all need to understand this car is a giraffe freak of nature. Get over all the cosmetics. The funny warped bumper. The saggy whatever. The scratch here or the ding there. Get over all of it. These things if you get them sorted are trading 12cyl F1 Platform AWD Hatchback $175k for a $330k car in my very humble opinion.

 

The responses to the list are simply statements of fact, no one is complaining about this or that. It is an inventory of issues that are claimed to be common and, given the responses so far, not all of them are that common. Some people like their car perfect so will replace any item that is not. Some, like you evidently, don’t care. Horses for courses I would say.

 

well what if you had paid $400k for one? perspective matters.

 

2014 with 37k miles. Owned for close to three years, ~7k miles per year. Answers comport with all service records from new.

1 PTU clutch pressure sensors - no
2 Wavy front bumper - no
3 Leaking radiator - No
4 AC compressor leak/failure - No
5 Loose steering (tie rod ends) - No
6 Valve cover gaskets - No
7 Timing solenoid failure - No
8 Heater control valve failure - No
9 Battery - Yes, but when I bought it I automatically put in Interstate AGM, still good to go.
10 Weeping water pump - no
11 DCT - no
12 Front disc overlap issue - No
13 Rear disc chewed up - No
14 Leaking shocks - yes, just one - replaced
15 Sticky buttons - Yes, but all replaced
16 Leather - no
17 Seat switches - Yes. Have replaced two so far.