Why a 50% Hit Means Nothing
I note an interesting division in my stream of phone calls and emails. Buyers of pre-Boxer era Ferraris ask about future appreciation, while buyers of the late-model V12s—the 456s, 550s and 575s—ask about further depreciation. If I’m unable to comfort owners of the late-model Ferraris, I can at least explain new Ferrari depreciation in detail. […]
Serpentine Issue, Straight Answer
Maintenance has always been a large part of owning a Ferrari; if you are mechanically inclined, consider an older car you can work on yourself. Either that, or seriously research some of the service requirements on newer cars—timing belts for example. When do they really need replacing? Let’s consider the advantages of knuckle-bashing first. Back […]
The Madness of Crowds
Back in the May 2004 issue of SCM, I wrote how muscle cars—Hemis in particular—had soared past comparable Ferraris. In May 2005’s SCM, I noted that prices for muscle cars and post-war American show cars had risen faster than anything since the Ferrari glory days (glory if you got out in time, Titanic-sized disaster if […]
Can You Afford $10.27 Per Mile?
Answering daily phone calls and emails provides a never-ending supply of topics on which to pontificate. The “real-world” cost to drive a late model Ferrari is one of the more frequent questions I’m asked. I recently sold an unusually well-documented 1998 550 Maranello, S/N 111317, with 36,200 miles to a client in the jet aircraft […]
Building a Replica 250 SWB by the Numebrs
For those who missed the first round of hiring at Microsoft, a Ferrari replica offers the chance to own a classic Ferrari with the right looks, sounds, and performance, at a fraction of the $2.5m–$3.5m cost of the real thing. You won’t get into the Monterey Historic races, but you can show it on the […]
Don’t Let Restorers go to School on Your Car
Thanks to this column, I’m often the Dear Abby or Ann Landers of the Ferrari world, and I get many emails about restorations gone wrong. Unfortunately, by the time I’m contacted, it’s usually too late. The most frequent problem is simply overeager Ferrari owners picking the wrong shop for the job. There is no lack […]
Cheap but not Inexpensive
The last fifteen years have been the best ever for new Ferrari sales, which means that the number of late-model used Ferraris on the market has also never been larger. The allure of getting a $100,000 or more discount on a Ferrari that is only a few years old is nearly irresistable, but the magnificent […]
Eight Ferraris to Aim For
The FXX is the latest Ferrari supercar, and in all ways but one trumps every Ferrari sold to the public before it. It’s failing? It is a track-only car, and is not designed to be driven on the street (although you can bet enterprising enthusiasts everywhere will find a way to slap dealer or test […]
F is for Ferrari and Also for FUN
The majority of first-time, 12-cylinder Ferrari buyers have $50,000–$100,000 to spend, and while that won’t buy you much more than a keyfob for a collectible vintage Ferrari, it’s plenty for a modern flat-12 or V12. Ferraris in this price range are bought for looks, performance, and pride of ownership, not as investments. Here’s a summary […]
New Faces, New Tastes
Collectors are fetishists who keep like-kind things; stamps, bits of string, samples of different types of barbed wire—or vintage Ferraris. Recently a new type of supercar collector has emerged who’s broadening the boundaries of the hobby. In the old days, a small Ferrari collection would include like-kind cars, such as a 275 GTS, a 275 […]