Ferrari 360 – General Buying Tips
Here is a list of general buying tips when shopping for your 360 Modena.
1. Demand to see the service record and maintenance history on any 360 Modena you look at. The first question you should ask the salesman is whether or not the car is due for service. This is particularly true for the major services at 15K and 30K miles. The car is due for its 15K service at the 5-year point regardless of mileage. At these service points the timing and cam belts must be replaced. These services can run around $4K - $7K. If you are getting a particularly good deal on a 360 Modena, it may be because it is due for a major service. If it is, be sure to work it into the price of the car. If the car has any holes in its service history, move on.
2. Get the car personally inspected by a Ferrari certified
mechanic. Any trustworthy dealer or private seller will allow you to take the
car long enough to get it checked out. Only a trained mechanic can detect
everything that may be an issue – things you won’t see. Don’t ever use a
mechanic that is hired by or associated with the dealer or private seller –
even if the service is offered for free. Have the mechanic tell you how much
clutch life is left and that the exhaust manifolds are structurally intact.
3. If the deal is too good to be true, then it is. You should not be paying less than $100K for a 2004 with similar mileage and optioned like mine and no less than $80K for a 1999 of any ilk.
4. Never buy the first car you see. Look at and test drive many.
5. Be sure that the car has all of the original books, tools and records. Things that often go missing are the battery tender, seat covers and the key fobs. You should get two keys and 3 fobs – one red master fob and two black fobs. You use the black fobs and put the red fob in a safe place. If you are not given or lose the red master fob, an expensive re-key of the car will be necessary.
6. Always try to talk to the original owner. Be wary of cars that have had too many owners – e.g., more than 4 in a 5 year period.
7. Try to get a car that has been driven less than 2000 miles a year on average. For a 2004, that would be a car with less than 10,000 miles on it. Mine came in just under that at 9800 miles.
8. Talk to the mechanics that have serviced the car. They will be listed in the service record.
3. If the deal is too good to be true, then it is. You should not be paying less than $100K for a 2004 with similar mileage and optioned like mine and no less than $80K for a 1999 of any ilk.
4. Never buy the first car you see. Look at and test drive many.
5. Be sure that the car has all of the original books, tools and records. Things that often go missing are the battery tender, seat covers and the key fobs. You should get two keys and 3 fobs – one red master fob and two black fobs. You use the black fobs and put the red fob in a safe place. If you are not given or lose the red master fob, an expensive re-key of the car will be necessary.
6. Always try to talk to the original owner. Be wary of cars that have had too many owners – e.g., more than 4 in a 5 year period.
7. Try to get a car that has been driven less than 2000 miles a year on average. For a 2004, that would be a car with less than 10,000 miles on it. Mine came in just under that at 9800 miles.
8. Talk to the mechanics that have serviced the car. They will be listed in the service record.
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