Buying into the world of Ferrari ownership is possibly the most exclusive and demanding automotive brand is something we all dream of without realizing the risks involved. Unfortunately, supercars aren't always the best behaved when it comes to reliability.
The key is to buy as new as possible, beg, borrow, even sell a family member to get a current model, the older they get, the worse Ferraris are for reliability. Even the tantalizing prospect of a low miler circa 1980-1990 is asking for trouble, as Ferrari, while designing the most beautiful supercars, didn't always bolt them together properly. Earlier cars are plagued with electrical issues, compounded by high servicing fees, and rarity of parts, any gearhead brave enough to take one of these sumptuous motors on needs the patience of a saint and deep pockets. In an ideal world, everyone should own a Ferrari at least once, if only there wasn't a risk of being stranded at the roadside with smoke escaping from under the hood.
10 Lame Pony - Ferrari 348
Given the lackluster performance, it's hardly surprising to find the 348 languishing near the bottom when it comes to driver satisfaction, even if Ferrari did spruce up the range with a more powerful 3.4-liter quad cam motor. In essence, Ferrari had rolled out a lame pony unworthy of the prancing horse badge, even internally earning the unenviable title of the worst Ferrari road car ever made.
Critically panned for its weak V8 engine producing 300 hp which somehow translated into a disappointing 0-60mph time of 5.4-seconds, a mere tenth quicker than its predecessor. Worse still, Ferrari took a backward step on the reliability front too, with cambelts and tensioners letting go without prior warning, leading to some hefty rebuilds.
9 Italian Thoroughbred - Ferrari 360 Modena
Arguably the first proper Ferrari that could and would stand being driven daily. By the 360s launch in 1999, the Italian carmaker had largely gotten on top of its reliability issues.
Not the prettiest Ferrari, but a stonking driver's car nonetheless, fitted with a revised mid-mounted 3.6-liter V8 punching out 395 hp in entry-level spec, promising a raucous sprint to 60 mph in 4.4-seconds. Ferrari, it seemed, was back, the 360 Modena going on to spawn ever more performance oriented versions, culminating in the lighter and even faster Challenge Stradale.
8 Lame Pony - Ferrari F355
In between the previous good and bad Ferrari's came the F1-inspired F355, boasting a high-revving 40v 3.5-liter V8 sending 375 hp via an innovative paddle operated semi-automatic transmission with the promise of hitting 60 mph in 4.7-seconds. Impressive stuff for gearheads dreaming of Schumacher-esque launches.
High-revving engines may deliver a banshee-like scream up to its 9,000 rpm redline, but do it too often and expect to be replacing valve guides regularly. Added to which, ignoring suspect exhaust noises, and you're asking for trouble, headers are notoriously fragile and can lead to an expensive engine rebuild.
7 Italian Thoroughbred - Ferrari 458 Italia
Early in production, Ferrari's 458 Italia hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons; braking and safety issues forced the Italian carmaker to recall thousands of customer cars under warranty. Factory fixes aside, the 458 is one of the best Ferraris in recent years, despite its highly tuned engine, chassis, and transmission combination owners can sleep easily knowing routine servicing is all the baby Ferrari demands.
Sitting inches behind the cockpit, Ferrari's near burst-proof F136 4.5-liter V8 delivers 562 hp at 9000 rpm, responsible for Italia's 200+ mph top speed.
6 Lame Pony - Ferrari Mondial
Ferrari ownership doesn't get any cheaper than a Mondial, and for good reason, too. It's not exactly a looker, despite Pininfarina's best efforts to produce a grand tourer with strong visual connections to the prancing horse badge. Added to this, a 214 hp 3-liter V8-powered launch model was pathetically slow, wheezing its way to 60 mph in 9.5-seconds.
Shamefully slow is one thing, but adding into the mix a range of random electrical glitches that might vanish overnight does little to inspire confidence. Worse still, mechanical gremlins plagued the V8, gaskets, oil leaks and timing belts all scream buyer beware.
5 Italian Thoroughbred - Ferrari 328 GTS
Sandwiched by two of the worst Ferraris any gearhead could fall foul of, the 328 GTS stands out as a shining example of when the guys in Maranello designed and built proper sports cars.
The resemblance of the 308 is hard to ignore, but look beneath the skin and the two are worlds apart in terms of engineering and refinement. Upgraded suspension carried an improved transmission, to which Ferrari bolted a 3.2-liter V8 motor turning out 266 hp, giving the 328 a top speed of 163 mph.
4 Lame Pony - Ferrari 400i
Ferrari should have stuck to what they did best, exotic two-seaters good when they worked, frustrating when they didn't. In 1976, they rolled out the 400i, a boxy 2+2 that on first sight should have had gearheads running for the hills. Equipped with a 4.8-liter V12 rated at 315 hp resulting in a maximum speed of 149 mph.
Losing out in both speed and desirability, the worst was yet to come. Ferrari's V12 engine proving too complex and notoriously unreliable, on good days oil leaks, iffy electrics and exhausts all cause for concern, on a bad one the engine would just give up the ghost and die
3 Italian Thoroughbred - Ferrari California
Harking back to the good old days for front-engined grand tourers, California gives gearheads a taste of old-school front-rear driving thrills courtesy of a 4.3-liter V8 motor sitting upfront. Oddly, California was Ferrari's attempt to lure in new customers with a cheaper starting price and less demanding handling.
Entry-level pricing and construction bring other benefits too, engines are easier to service and cost less to maintain. Aside from a minor launch recall, California has been near bulletproof, its F136 motor already a proven workhorse in Ferrari's earlier 430/458 sports cars.
2 Lame Pony - Ferrari Testarossa
Bad news for gearheads growing up in the '80s living on a TV diet of Miami Vice showing off Ferrari's flagship Testarossa, the king of '80s glamour was a bit of a sham. Yes, it's fabulously styled, side strakes, vents, and grilles adorning the wedge-shaped leviathan, it's rear a staggering 12 inches wider than the front.
Under the hood, bigger again better, 4.9 liters and 12 cylinders kicked out 422 hp. Unfortunately, this is where the headaches begin. Forget a V12, Ferrari instead used a flat-twelve, necessitating a full engine out process for even the most basic servicing, every 30,000 miles the lengthy and expensive timing belt change is enough to give us nightmares.
1 Italian Thoroughbred - Ferrari SF90 Stradale
Coming bang up to date, Ferrari's engineers have turned over a new leaf in car design. The SF90 is the brand's first proper hybrid supercar and utilizes the lessons learned on the F1 stage within a gorgeously in-house styled body screaming performance.
Retaining V8 power in part, a 4-liter twin-turbocharged V8 mid-mounted complemented by a single electric motor coupled to the SF90s transmission, two further motors attached to the front axle, working in unison dishing out 986 hp. While it's still early days, the SF90 hitting dealers in 2019, there has been none of the usual Ferrari launch recalls normally associated with new models.