Ferrari 550 - What Say You Oppo?

"rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S" (rb1971)
02/07/2014 at 15:25 • Filed to: None

As part of my continuing quest for a 6MT exotic, I am going to look at an F550 over the weekend. In the neat light blue color. I would prefer red/tan or silver/red, but I always liked light blue F cars.

Anyone here with thoughts or experience on these? I have done quite a bit of research but have no first person seat time.

DISCUSSION (27)

timateo81 > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:27

A front-engine non-red Ferrari. What's not to like?

JR1 > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:28

Can't say I have had first person seat time but any FR V12 Ferrari is an excellent choice. Would take one over a MR V8 Ferrari any day of the week and twice on Sunday. They just have so much more class especially the 550.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:29

I love the 550 and 575. It's a 90s compilation of the 250 GTO and the 365.

Takuro Spirit > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:31

Seems like only the race cars catch fire, so you'll have one of the least combustible* Ferraris known to man.

Kinja'd!!!

*According to Google Images

quarterlifecrisis > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:32

My experience is limited at liking them, having seen them, and approving of them.

For Sweden > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:33

Send a message to Doug DeMuro, I assume he did some research on these while hunting for his Ferrari.

I don't know of any issues with the F550, but Doug's description of the bronze valve guides on the F355 is going to have this engineer terrified of Italian engines for years to come.

Lumpy44, Proprietor Of Fine Gif > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:33

I literally stood about 3 feet from a Ferrari once, I think they are nice cars.

/counterproductivecomments

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:36

I'm going to be pretty useless to this discussion (like most).

I've always had the argument with those, why not buy a Z06. More reliable and cheaper.

Formula4speed > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:39

Great article I found when I was shopping for one: http://www.forza-mag.com/issues/123/art…

Made me decide to wait until a 575M was available in my price range (or my price range expands to allow for a 575m, haha), but the 550 is still one of the best ferraris per dollar, ever.

Jagvar > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:41

The costs of ownership are astronomical , as this article points out.

Textured Soy Protein > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:45

I like them but they don't really excite me, kind of like every post-DB7 Aston Martin. Styling is a little too restrained for my taste.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > Formula4speed
02/07/2014 at 15:45

So funny! The same article confirmed my view that the 550 is the better one to have. That, and the fact that finding any 575M with a 6MT and the good suspension has been extremely difficult (i.e., I think I've seen 1 optioned like that in 2 years).

Audi-os, amigos > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 15:52

Get the Barchetta instead of the Maranello!

AndersSim - V10'ING > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 16:34

I would recommend the 612 instead, the prices have been dropping insanely the last few years.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > Audi-os, amigos
02/07/2014 at 16:56

Have you seen that top thing? I would rather have the 575 superamerica, but even still apparently the tops break very early and very expensively.

Formula4speed > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 17:09

That's true, the suspension is what swayed me toward 575, but when I saw the prices I headed in another direction. Didn't think about just getting a 6mt 550 and modding, that may be the better plan after all.

Either way they're freakin' awesome cars, especially if you're not planning to track.

Manuél Ferrari > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 17:21

I LOVE IT!

I assume you mean the V12 550.

It was never one of my fav Ferraris until recently.

I used to only see it in the pics but someone in my town has a red one that I've seen a few times over the last few months.

Damn it is a nice car. It's one that you have to see more than once to really get a feel for it. Pictures just don't do it justice. You can't see the curves that well in the pics.

And I think NOW is the time to buy one. Prices can't go any lower. They can really only go up from here.

Very classy car that you can buy and hold for life.

Manuél Ferrari > Jagvar
02/07/2014 at 17:22

All true.

But it's like dating a supermodel. She's going to want to only eat out at the fanciest restaurants and your wallet will suffer. But so hard to say no...

Manuél Ferrari > AndersSim - V10'ING
02/07/2014 at 17:23

True. But I don't think the 612 has bottomed yet. My guess is that the 550 has.

Manuél Ferrari > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/07/2014 at 17:24

So true on the transmission. Most 575M's for sale seem to have the F1.

Leadbull > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/07/2014 at 18:38

Because V12.

Formula4speed > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/07/2014 at 21:31

And gated shifter. And prettier. And real seats. And conveniently sticky interior panels make finding a spot for your cel phone a breeze.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/07/2014 at 23:16

Probably the new Corvette has better performance across the board. I like it (although the interior could use some work, it's better than the outgoing car), but I'm not cross-shopping that against my desire to have an exotic.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
02/08/2014 at 03:48

Personally, I say "hell yeah" to the Z06. But if you're in the market for a Ferrari, and it's a slightly older one, you've researched and know that you're not in it for the reliability or straight performance.

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/10/2014 at 09:31

There's a point to be made that the new Z06 is on the level of exotics!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Leadbull
02/10/2014 at 09:35

God I hate the sound that comes out of Ferrari's

(flame suit on, though we're talking about Ferrari's we should all have one on anyhow!)

Alex87f > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S
02/11/2014 at 02:56

I know someone who used to own one. From what he told me it was both the best an most frustrating car he ever had.

Best because it was just fantastic in every possible way: beautiful, fast, great handler, great sound, incredibly luxurious, etc.

But frustrating because it was so quick you could barely use it, and because it was both fragile and extremely expensive to repair.
Being a Ferrari, it was also absolutely impossible to park outside overnight, but had limited ground clearance so that it could make it in most underground parking lots.

He sold it after a year.