Does It Really Cost $3000 For a Ferrari Tuneup?

[jyl]

Lately I've been reading about the "bargain" used Ferraris. I keep hearing that a tune-up on a 12-cyl Ferrari motor costs $3000 ($5000 if you change the belts). Why is that? Do plugs, cap, wires, etc cost $3000? Are the motors not DIY-able?

[tabs]

If U have to ask what it costs...U can't afford it!

If ia tune up cost a buck 98 everybody would have one and the exclusivity factor of the marquee would be gone....

I know with a RR, U really needed to have someone familar with the car....any mistake could be very costly...and even the shops who specialized in them cut corners....and people who could very well afford to maintain them DIDN'T....

I was LUCKY and found a guy who loved them, never cut corners and was reasonable...he went outa business...and the thing still ate me outa house and home....

Thats why I love my Ford F150...you get in, put gas in it and your on your way....

Get the idea....a car is transportation.. not a dependent that you can't even write off on your taxes...(Try telling the IRS you need a Ferrari for everyday business)

[Britwrench]

There is no such thing as a "tune up" for any vehicle. Scheduled maintenance and repairs are all there is. It depends on what year the Ferrari is. Early V-12s take time, later V-12s take time. Valve adjustment on say, a Daytona takes a long time purely because of the amount of parts that need removing. The distributors always need disassembling and checking, all of the carbs need cleaning so on and on....
Later cars have more electrics and most have timing belts.

As Tabs said, "if you have to ask, you can't afford it"

The early 308 and some of the V12 cars are DIY Ferraris, anything late isn't.

[jyl]

I was looking into the 80's fuel-injected 12-cyl, such as in the 400i or the 512BBi. I wonder if those are DIY-able.

I suppose for a car to be DIY-able, there needs to be good parts availability, good shop manuals, not too many expensive "special tools", and good support (like PP) - in addition to the car being not a nightmare to work on.

But people think 911s are hard to work on, and many PP'er do their own maintenance. Are Ferraris much less DIY-able than Porsches?

[Britwrench]

The 400i is Ferrari's version of the Chevrolet Caprice Classic.
The BB512i is a good car, biggest job is timing belt replacement, which is engine out.

Personal opion is if you want a DIY Ferrari, the 308GTB (or GTS if you want a "targa" ) or 328 are ideal.
For a V12, then the 365GTC/4 works well, it has the later "side draught" Webers and can be worked on.

[dd74]

$3,000? No. Not at all. I've heard it's $4,500.

[red-beard]

Ask Wayne, he bought one....

[Yellowbird RS]

I pay 4-5k evry year for tune-up my 348 spider , my brother have a 360 and he never pay mor than 3k but my father used to have a 456 big 12 cyl. and he never pay less than 5k Now I'm in backorder for a 430 they said are cheap than all previous cars my that just swap to a Maserati quatroporta same engine than Enzo.(No service done)

[Britwrench]

The new 430 uses a v-8 engine from the Maserati, it doesn't have timing belts anymore.

If the 348 did limited mileage, how can a service, no such thing as "tune-up" be $4-5K?

[Cdnone1]

My friend and business partner has had several 12 cyl ferrari's. His present one is a 550. the reason most Ferrari owners don't DIY is to protect keeping their original or extended warrenties
IE the warrenty is void if you do not use Shell (F1 sponser) Ferrari oil avail only thru a dealer at $19.99 a quart for 12 or so quarts. I't just not worth the risk of trying to document you DIY and you did it right to keep you warrenty
At factory prices for parts,gaskets etc and labour at $200 plus an hour $3-5K can happen pretty quick
steve

[speeder]

Originally posted by Cdnone1

IE the warrenty is void if you do not use Shell (F1 sponser) Ferrari oil avail only thru a dealer at $19.99 a quart for 12 or so quarts. I't just not worth the risk of trying to document you DIY and you did it right to keep you warrenty
At factory prices for parts,gaskets etc and labour at $200 plus an hour $3-5K can happen pretty quick
steve

OUCH-OUCH-OUCH!! That's my azzzhole!!

I guess it's good for some sector of the economy, ie. rich people need to spend their money, mechanics buy a lot of trucks and jetskis, etc...

[Rick V]

Now hold on speeder I am a mechanic and i neither own a jet ski or use a truck as a daily driver. ( I do own a truck as everybody should)
sorry I just couldn't pass on the shot. It's all good

[speeder]

Rick, Right you are, brother! I just don't like to feel like I'm buying him a new snowmobile every time I leave the car.

[Cdnone1]

I've got the best Ferrari ownship program there is.
Get a friend who will buy one, insure it and pay for all the maintence and lets you drive it pretty much when ever you want
steve

[asphaltgambler]

Ferrari parts prices make Porsche parts prices look like a bargain! Also very little tech data for a DIY or independent shop for the later stuff.

[CarreraS2]

At a shop a basic service costs that much.

I found that many Ferrari prices are a ton more than Porsche parts, some are ok, but what really kills you is having a shop work on the car.

It's like they have a monopoly on the service market, and a secret cartel or agreement to keep the labor prices outrageously high.

I found one guy who was a lot more reasonable than the others (Eugenio's), but he was too far from me and very booked. Every local shop stuck to the secret cartel ripoff price list.

I think the 3 series Ferraris (and probably lots of the others, too) are reasonably affordable, IF you have the time, space, tools and inclination to learn to DIY on a "take the engine out" kind of level. I don't think it's a big deal - not much different than working on a 911. There are lots of web sites documenting everything from tuneups to changing timing belts to complete engine rebuilds on the 3 series cars.

You just have to want to do it. I found that those days are behind me.