Many small problems can add up.
June 1, 2023 at 3:11 p.m. ET
Buying a used car always carries some risk due to the vehicle’s ownership history. An inspection can catch many potential problems, but gremlins can creep in, leading to expensive maintenance and repair bills. One Ferrari 430 Scuderia owner experienced this with the car’s first service racking up around $14,000 at the current exchange rate (£11,000) in repair costs.
The owner dropped off the supercar at the mechanic before Christmas and received an email about a month later detailing all the issues found. It needed new suspension bits like bushings and rubber gaskets, which I had completed at a different shop. The Ferrari was also leaking coolant and had other issues such as a door rattle, loose taillights, missing door striker inserts and rusted exhaust mufflers.
About a month after receiving the first email, another arrived in his inbox detailing even more problems, which is to be expected once the shop starts taking things apart – more problems are bound to be found. The owner had to replace the thermostat and repaint the cam covers.
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He also did the regular service, which cost around $1,400 (£1,100). It included changing the pollen and air filter, auxiliary belt, oil and oil filter, gearbox oil and key batteries.
The mechanic noted that the car had worn brakes, which did not need to be replaced immediately. The Ferrari also needs new tires and has some poorly fitted interior trim that may not be a problem for long.
The more expensive the car, the more money it usually costs to keep it on the road, which could turn affordable supercars and luxury models into financial nightmares. While $14,000 is nothing to sneeze at when it comes to maintaining a car, it’s a lot cheaper than something as complex and expensive as the Chiron.
The Bugatti’s four-year service interval is the car’s longest, costing $34,000, and includes several services. Service technicians change the front and rear axle oil, spark plugs, coolant, drive belt, hydraulic oil and filter, gearbox oil and filter, engine and much more.
