tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post9144280759547327159..comments2024-03-28T15:33:17.736-05:00Comments on Bayou Renaissance Man: The perils of owning an Italian carPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10595089829300831372noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-73710018094559544542011-03-17T00:49:20.511-05:002011-03-17T00:49:20.511-05:00My secret fancy car lust is for something only mar...My secret fancy car lust is for something only marginally more reliable: A 1980's Jaguar Series III XJ12 in British Racing Green. I'd be spending all my time under the hood trying to keep the thing in tune, but it'd be so worth it.Cybrluditehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02222195374935367060noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-86798744767704398002011-03-14T18:12:19.144-05:002011-03-14T18:12:19.144-05:00Fiat Abarth... been there, done that; GAVE the car...Fiat Abarth... been there, done that; GAVE the car away... And that was IN Italy.Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-83402244704283152662011-03-14T11:00:29.027-05:002011-03-14T11:00:29.027-05:00I have always lusted after Ferraris, particularly ...I have always lusted after Ferraris, particularly the ones of the 80s and 90s, which were extant when I was coming of age. The Testarossa, 348, etc. <br /><br />Not long ago I checked eBay Motors to see the prices of such vehicles. Surprisingly, some of them were well within my financial reach. Not the astonishingly beautiful Testarossa or the tremendous F40, but the more pedestrian Ferraris, such as the 348, the Mondial, and the 308/328s. It was like discovering a slightly older supermodel in your neighborhood. Slightly past her prime, but still gorgeous, single, and you think you have a shot.<br /><br />Then I looked into the maintenance requirements. If you are unaware of these, look into the Ferrari "Minor Service" and "Major Service." Well, turns out that supermodel still has a taste for designer handbags and expensive vacations. Every 15,000 miles or so you'd be needing to do MAJOR work to one of these pasta rockets.<br /><br />So much for that dream.<br /><br />Oh, and Peter, I don't remember if you ever made note of it, but it was not long ago that a young man sold all his earthly possessions, and invested the remaining $90,000 or so into a Lamborghini Gallardo (it would have amounted to about a down payment) and drove it cross country. Well, he didn't keep up with the maintenance, and 90K miles later, he needs some rather extensive engine work (IIRC, it was about $40,000 worth). So he had a massive car payment, an unusuable exotic, and nothing else.<br /><br />Dude could have bought a Porsche 911 outright for that money and he'd have had just as good a time.<br /><br />http://jalopnik.com/#!5559767/i-sold-everything-to-buy-a-lamborghini-and-drive-across-the-countryThe Raving Prophethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08830254881182697135noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-44227924299438640442011-03-14T09:27:53.694-05:002011-03-14T09:27:53.694-05:00For a minute there i thought I was reading about B...For a minute there i thought I was reading about British motorcycles....ravennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244999628674918029.post-52238039248853262002011-03-14T06:47:48.256-05:002011-03-14T06:47:48.256-05:00Fix It Again Tony.Fix It Again Tony.Nebrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05974591864059776528noreply@blogger.com