512TR vs. Ford GT opinions

[cobrar1339]

I need a little help. I have a good friend that is about ready to buy a 512TR. He is in love with end of era V12. He does not want to step up to the price diff in on the GT. He is a long time Ford guy that I think has lost his Mojo. He feels they have about hit bottom and that his risk is minimal.

Help me convince him why he should NOT buy or SHOULD buy the Ferrrari 512TR.

 

[HHGT]

I need a little help. I have a good friend that is about ready to buy a 512TR. He is in love with end of era V12. He does not want to step up to the price diff in on the GT. He is a long time Ford guy that I think has lost his Mojo. He feels they have about hit bottom and that his risk is minimal.

Help me convince him why he should NOT buy or SHOULD buy the Ferrrari 512TR.

Hi Wally, I absolutely love the cars - cheese grater look and all. I also think they have hit bottom and that V12 is absolutely sweet sounding. The maintenance is the downside though, as with many Ferraris. Interestingly enough, the TRs share similar colors with the GTs. My favorite color is yellow and I say if he has the $ buy it and enjoy it. :cheers

 

[MK2_GT]

HHGT is right on the money when he mentions maintenance cost but talk about two totally different animals.
A modern American super car vs. a Classic Ferrari? apples and oranges.

 

[cobrar1339]

I too loved this car at one time. If I had room for a big stable it would be on the list. But if I could own one Supercar?

 

[HHGT]

I too loved this car at one time. If I had room for a big stable it would be on the list. But if I could own one Supercar?

This reminds of what a friend told me a long time ago. He said;
"I wish I can have all these women, but since I can only afford one..... Well, I married her"

Check your pm

 

[BlackICE]

I would love to have one too, except that I don't have the space for it and wouldn't like the maintenance cost. Also after driving my Whippled GT I may feel that it is under powered.

BTY, it is a flat 12.

 

[Shadowman]

I need a little help. I have a good friend that is about ready to buy a 512TR. He is in love with end of era V12. He does not want to step up to the price diff in on the GT. He is a long time Ford guy that I think has lost his Mojo. He feels they have about hit bottom and that his risk is minimal.

Help me convince him why he should NOT buy or SHOULD buy the Ferrrari 512TR.

Alright let's clarify one thing first; the TR is "NOT" a V-12 but rather a flat 12 similar to design as a (dare I say) Subaru.

Now having said this; I have had a few of the TR's in my stable and I like them. They are not terribly quick but they are fast and stable at speed. The cost to keep them on the road is high; even if you do it yourself as the parts are expensive.

With this being known the 512 and the 512M are the best and last of the bunch and he will likely enjoy the gal. I never had any significant issues other than exhaust; there are 4 cats on these gals; two conventional appearing and two that are referred to as pre-cats for the good old USA. On mine I purchased and installed none US pre-cat tubing available through Ferrari (pricey) however they can only be ordered when associated to a car's vin so one needs a friend with a Middle Eastern gal or ?? and the same holds true for the OEM cat delete aka test pipes. The exhaust was always the big issue on these gals as the cats melt down and are expensive not to mention a few fires were associated with them. The other issue was the silly mouse trap seat belt tracks; many disabled them because they are complicated and prone to failure.

I wish him well; I dare say that one can be purchased for a reasonable price and enjoyed. Make certain that the service is current because it is very easy to drop $15k plus for this process alone

Takes care

Shadowman

 

[Gulf GT]

Clearly he hasn't driven both cars. Simply drive the 512TR, and then drive a Ford GT. It's a night and day difference in drivability. Many people can't even sit in a 512TR comfortably, much less put up with way worse visibility, the driving position, steering by “armstrong”, brakes, clutch, shift gate, and on and on... Compared to the Ford GT, it's like getting into something 25 years older, not 10. Now if he's looking for an exercise regimen whenever he drives the car, then the 512TR is for him.

They built way too many variants of the Testarossa to ever make them really rebound in value, so compared to the value of a Ford GT; it's not even a close call either. 10 years of maintenance on a 512TR will cover a lot of the ground between the two cars. They’ve gone from over $200,000 to $100,000 for a reason. They’re a pig to drive, and you’ve really got to work hard to convince yourself you want one to buy one.

 

[SYCO GT]

I've only driven one Ferrari, a F550. Granted it is no 512TR, but I personally did not like the shift gate action, and it did not feel anywhere as nice as our Ford GT's.

Plus maintenance and parts are brutal.

I've always loved the look of the 512 though, even if it is over the top, but that's half the charm of it.

 

[cobrar1339]

Thanks guys

Keep em' coming.

I have run with a couple around Willow Springs and drove one there, but never on the street. You really do not notice the steering or clutch too much on the track, but he is not going to use it as a track car. The C5 Z06 was much faster, but the 512 felt more refined and stable at speed. Not so in the corners though as it wanted to step out, not as much tire.

 

[AlohaGT]

First, this Fcar is not a supercar. There were about 10k examples of these variants made, dating back nearly 25 years. Though the Red Head was reengineered as the 512 TR, it's 17 year old technology, at best. The FXX, Enzo, F50, F40, 288 GTO are supercars, not this Testarossa, IMO. The acquisition price is only the first capital outlay.

 

[Jim H]

The sound of a 12 cyl. Ferrari is very nice...

The maint. of a 12 cyl. Ferrari can be very expensive...but folks normally maintain these cars...

The 512 TR's are about 418 HP vs about 340 to 380 for Testa Rossa and Boxer models...

A Z06 or Ford GT will run and hide from a Ferrari 512 in most contests

But the fit and finish and interior of a Ferrar 512TR are above average...

I hope your friend will enjoy the car...The Boxer 512's have started to increase in value...The 512Tr's are a better car, but because they share the Testa Rossa body, and there are lots of these, they may not go up in value for awhile...(my opinion)

 

[B O N Y]

The TR's will NEVER become collector cars, they built way to many.
They are autobahn cars, wide as an oil tanker... they never fit to super car category, F Super cars are the F40, F50 and Enzo's

 

[Fubar]

If he is a Ford guy and looking at older cars anyway, tell him to consider a Pantera. That will likely be my next auto investment.

 

[FORDGT001]

The 512 TR is a Dinosaur, I had one back in the day and theres no comparison with a FGT.

 

[cobrar1339]

He's been there done that on the Pantera about 15 years ago.

His current Stable

66 Hertz Shelby - Resto not complete
Mercury Cyclone Big Block
72 R Code Mustang 1 of 1 car
996 C4
03 Cobra
67 Shelby Vintage Racer Coupe - project keeper

Departed
429 SCJ Drag Pack 4speed 70 Torino
70 Cross Boss - Boss 302 Yellow


Looking to sell one to get the 512TR and use the rest to finish another project. He wants to do a cash deal, but thinks he is short on getting a GT. May condsider selling two for a GT.

He would consider a clean high mileage ( 20-24kish )GT at the right price.
I think it's a mid-life crisis for him right now.

 

[cobrar1339]

The 512 TR is a Dinosaur, I had one back in the day and theres no comparison with a FGT.

My feeling exactly when compared to a GT. But still the last of the 12 cylinders, which for some reason has him all excited.

Gonna get him to drive my GT next weekend and try to talk him off the ledge.

 

[Gulf GT]

But still the last of the 12 cylinders, which for some reason has him all excited.

Lots of guys that have never owned a Ferrari get sucked in with that thought, and many regret it later if they drive anything else. If he wants a Ferrari, tell him to get a nice 360, as they are a far better car and more fun to drive. Better yet sell two and get the FGT. How many cars can he drive at a time anyway? His current collection screams out for an FGT to be added in. 512TR's are very hard to sell once you own it.

 

[junior]

Owning a Ferrari is not an issue, maintaining it, well.... it's a whole new ball game

 

[Gulf GT]

A Z06 or Ford GT will run and hide from a Ferrari 512 in most contests/QUOTE]

Uhhh... a 512TR can't even keep up with a modern standard Porsche Carrera. A ZO6 and a Ford GT are several seconds a lap faster on any track long or short, but they have the benefit of being 10 years newer so that is expected. Porsche turbos of the mid-1990s era are way faster than a 512TR on a track. And build quality is a farce. I lived and breathed these machines for years, along with early Lambos. They make look great, but build quality is not that great. I remember electric window switches would fall out when I pressed them to roll the window down.