Automotive

Here is the cause to my sleepless nights.

 I have a 1984 Ferrari 512 BBi, 11k miles, babied. ( I am the orginal owner )

My buddy who in the past few months has been well tempting me with cash / trade / trade plus cash to deal my 512, I thought I would ask the car crazy boys here if you would unload it, trade for a 99 F355 spyder plus cash ?

If I were to trade it what would be a good replacement?

This message has been edited by rmfan on 2012-06-08 19:46:01

I have traded in cars and still hate me .
The 512 BBi is the last one of the 12 cyl Berlinetta Ferraris before the supercar escalation in the 80s. It is a masterpiece and if you are the only owner it is unaffordable . I would consider trading it for a 288 Gto or an F40 than you would get a great deal ....

Have a good week end

Best regards

Luc

I would keep the 512BB, you can always get a 355 Spider later (and for less than what an RM11 costs) but you'll never get a one owner 512BB again and its time is coming at the next economic upcycle, I remember how Daytona's were in the USD 150k to USD 160k range in 2000-2002 and then with they shot up, same thing with the Miura.

.. this 

.. for a 355 + cash ?

Thanks for all the input, I think I will hang on to it and enjoy it more.

The Boxer is definitely undervalued.  Its a car that IMHO is should be a keeper especially as you are the original owner.  Its the last year the BBi was made, and its from a time when these cars were largely hand assembled.  It offers tremendous performance from a car thats more than 25 years old.  This is a car that was the iconic competitor to the Countach.

The 355 is a very nice car, but I would not trade a mint condition, one owner Boxer for one.  The 355 has a reputation for being a maintenance hog, with valve guide issues, header issues, plastic switch gear and buttons that become sticky from being outside in hot sunny weather.  In additon, the 355s are far more common than any Boxer.  I also hear they are more costly to maintain than some of the later V8 Ferraris (360/430) which have access panels so that you don't have to do an engine out service.  Also, the F1 transmissions in these cars can be quite costly to maintain.  If the pump actuator goes, I believe is more than $8,000 to replace...which is significantly more costly than just replacing a clutch (although yes there are manual transmissions available on these cars too).  I've seen plenty of 355s in the last 5 years, Boxers, I rarely see unless I stop at a local Ferrari service shop.

As an owner of a 1989 328GTS Ferrari (which has been in my family since new, it was my father's), I can say its like a member of the family and I'm glad it has remained in the family.  You can always find a used 355, but a 1 owner Boxer (where you are the original owner) is something you will never have again if you sell.  I can see that being a sellers remorse situation after the deal is done. 

Good luck with your decision.

Best regards,

Dino

 

But I don't get sentimental over cars and would usually go for the latest styling / performance / gearbox etc.

be based on sentimentality.

The 355 is arguably the best (and final) evolution of the last "generation" of V-8 mid-engined which started with the 308, before the transition to the "new generation modern" V-8 cars starting with the 360.

Both Boxer and 355 are "old" as in, not the latest, newest model, so no incentive there.

Both are undervalued right now (hard to define undervalued) but the Boxer has more ingredients for a larger upward movement in value.

355's were produced in much larger numbers than the Boxers and over the near future will likely be much easier to find if one were inclined to do so.

From a Ferrari "traditionalist" standpoint, 12 cylinders will always be more "pure" models than 8's (though this may become an antiquated idea much like "the Big Three" in watchmaking brands)

Though I like the 355 body I LOVE the Boxer design.

If I'm not mistaken, both require engine out servicing.

Being the original owner of a (trouble free, vs lemon) car where one knows how it has been treated and serviced, versus the uncertainty of someone else's habits, is worth something, for reasons other than sentimentality.

jmh2c.

TM

... especially because you are the one and only owner..