i might get lynched but.. anyone here own a fezza!

[Mike Usiskin]

all this talk of thousands of pounds to change a bulb!!! how come C&C mag says you can run a 328 on a grand a year and buy one for approx £10,000!! is it just Bullsh*t

Mike

[Project 911]

all this talk of thousands of pounds to change a bulb!!! how come C&C mag says you can run a 328 on a grand a year and buy one for approx £10,000!! is it just Bullsh*t

Mike

Typical "expert article", that latter one about 328 for ten grand is totally rubbish but first one with running with grand a year is possible. So better not to read magazines, they really are often rubbish
There are 2 sort of owners (IMO as with Porsches), guys who service these themselves (this often results better car) and prefer older ones, and then guys who prefer new ones and get it serviced. Impossible to say that some model would be right. (as like for me 360 was just bit too modern and boring (fast thought) but for somebody else its perfect)

[74rsman]

right
im off to the fezza forum to sell them my 911
:o)

[stuby]

One of our directors had a mint 993 Turbo in Arena Red, ( I mentioned it on here a while back when he was selling it) He was asking 45k for it and did a deal last year with a guy for a mint 355 F1 and some cash - just about says it all really....
Incidentally, he's now on about selling the 355 F1 - what more can one say ???

Stu
(ps. a customer of ours has a Testarossa - its laid up at the moment at Strasse in Leeds cos it needs a water pump - JCT600 (dealers) say new ones are NLA from Ferrari ??? )

[sng45]

JCT600 are absolutely useless ! ( but at least they're consistent with it !)

[stuby]

I know - pleased its not my car ....

Stu

[Ian 2.2S]

"ive always fancied a 328 for everyday
am i mental?"

YES

[JAN]

My bro in law had a 550 marinello. Lovely car, cost around £10-15k a year to keep on the road, would always overheat, cost him a fortune. Lovely thing though.

Few of my friend have 550/575 (and I was trying to buy as well before LHD prices went crazy), on average it costs maybe 2-3k£ per year so your brother must have owned real lemon.
Depends of course how much you drive.

(or if you include petrol, then he must have driven quite a lot)

Sadly, i think you are right, the car was never quite 'right', fingers burnt i dont think he will buy another, sadly.

[Project 911]

Stu
(ps. a customer of ours has a Testarossa - its laid up at the moment at Strasse in Leeds cos it needs a water pump - JCT600 (dealers) say new ones are NLA from Ferrari ??? )

He will continue beeing your happy customer when you say to him that (most likely) water pump can be rebuilt (often done in US who specialises in these) and spare parts are available from Eurospares.
(IIRC for 348/355 water pump rebuilt inc parts was 200£)

I really love Porsches (older ones) and also I love Ferraris, they are totally different so not really point arguing what is the best or what suits everybody.

[veryporky]

I have (not Testarossa though), this is my 3rd.
( I have 348, then went for 360 (I kept 348 for a while and then made mistake and sold it) which wasn't my cup of tea and then got 348 again. This one will stay with me always. )

First I recommend that you go to www.clubscuderia.co.uk , our excellent forum. They won't be money pits when you buy good one, and also (if) you can buy used parts they are cheaper than Porsche ones as less buyers around so it won't that crazy as with early 911's that everything is "super rare" even tens of thousans cars were made... Those parts are actually rare but still you can pick them up very cheaply often (like I bought spare e.g. engine ) And also you can get new parts fairly cheaply (not all, some are very expensive), often same parts were used in other cars as well.
Fezzas generally are reliable if WELL serviced (not all service places are good), and somethingg that they need rebuilt after 50k miles is utterly rubbish. And your car would be really dog if you get over 5k£ service costs. Often older models (pre 360) are actually serviced by owners themselves, I mean good cars but they rarely come for sale. In Testarossas/348's/355's you really remove engine but the whole craddle inc suspension will come off and its very quick job, you can do belts engine in as well but IMO to do proper job, you remove engine (it really isn't big issue, its desiged to be easily removed!)

But I woudn't get it for everyday use, then you are asking for bigger bills and I think it would take a away some of the magic about going for drive. Plus they do get attention so at least I rather take something less "flashy".

But do me one favour, DO NOT believe e.g. what Autocar etc sayw about used Ferraris, and I wouldn't trust sales people too much either. Better to ask from people who actually owns these cars...

I have a good friend who bought a 308 GT4. Now looking straight through the piston to the bits off metal in the sump. He had the manifolds off it and replaced the head to manifold gaskets with after market ones from that fancy upmarket specialist in the Watford area. The manifolds are water heated so that joint is a water jacket seal. The gaskets were duff despite their inflated price. They leaked while it was standing, the engine hydraulic'd on start up and is now history. Nevertheless I think old Fezzas are great, getting into a 911 afterwards always feels a bit cheap and nasty, lovely switch gear and instrumentation, wonderful noise, quick and eager, damn what's that blue smoke

Seriously though Mr Project 911 if you have any leads on a replacement unit for a 308 GT4 please PM me and I'll pass it on to my distressed friend.

[richkaz]

When I used to work in Perivale over 20 years ago, someone nicked my Toyota Supra company car.
The insurance company said they would pay out promptly and like a fool I believed them. They said the cheque would come within 3 - 4 weeks - they lied.
I figured in the meantime I would give my classic Lambo Urraco a treat and use it for work ( my office was on an industrial estate and overlooked the car park.)
Anyhow 4 months later and still waiting for the cheque -------------





















Good points about using this car as a business car

Starting up 220 BHP V8 at 7.0am and watching local cats run for cover
Sitting in traffic jam listening to said V8 positioned just behind my ears behind the glass firewall
Booking as many long distance appointments via country roads as possible


Bad points

Starting up 220 BHP V8 at 6.0 pm leaving work with a headache
Feeling obliged to see off every nutter in a hot hatch
Arriving at an appointment only to find prospective buyer would rather talk cars



In 4 months the car never once let me down and seemed to enjoy battling for honours on the North Circular Road but ---
I don't think I would choose to use something exotic as an everyday car.
Lambo's and Ferraris are wonderfully charismatic but use them every day and you will have nothing special for leisure times.
The sheer size of a Ferrari Rustytossa would put me off daily use as parking spaces seem to be getting smaller ( or my parking is getting worse )
I would have thought something 'quiet' like a 911 derivative would be a better bet.
Richard

[stuby]

[quote="Project 911"][quote="stuby"]
Stu
(ps. a customer of ours has a Testarossa - its laid up at the moment at Strasse in Leeds cos it needs a water pump - JCT600 (dealers) say new ones are NLA from Ferrari ??? )[/quote]

He will continue beeing your happy customer when you say to him that (most likely) water pump can be rebuilt (often done in US who specialises in these) and spare parts are available from Eurospares. :)
(IIRC for 348/355 water pump rebuilt inc parts was 200£)

I really love Porsches (older ones) and also I love Ferraris, they are totally different so not really point arguing what is the best or what suits everybody. :)[/quote]

He's crazy - they have already offered to get his water pump 'rebuilt', but it is not good enough - he's insisting on a new one !!
Looks like having a hell of a long wait...... lol

Stu