I like Ferraris.
I know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but why am I in this well !!! I'm a Ferr...
I like Ferraris.
I know sarcasm is the lowest form of wit, but why am I in this well !!! I'm a Ferrari now because I'm red, AND that cheekychicken keeps on at me about cars.
Still reading the ops of Sue26 also.
Member since:03.04.2002
Reviews:27
Members who trust:56
My fiance and I have been considering our fleet of cars, we currently have a Seat Ibiza and a Hyundai Lantra between us. As part of our planning process for the future we are considering a sensible approach, so with this in mind we have taken a visit to our local Ferrari dealer and thought we’d tell you about it.
Our local dealer is Meridien Modena, 77 High Street, Lyndhurst, Hampshire, S043 7PB. Telephone 02380 283404. Fax. 02380 282791. www.meridien.co.uk E Mail :modena@meridien.co.uk
We will tell you some of the history of this remarkable experience, purely from angle of buying a car. The servicing side I will add to this review at a future date.
HISTORY.
Lyndhurst is the capital of the New Forest, and has changed very little over the years. The Imperial Motor Works was created in 1907, and they manufactured heavy agricultural type truck and ancillary agricultural equipment. The premises were typical of the time, perhaps resembling a Victorian Fire Station, and was in keeping with the rest of the town. It remained in business
until the late 1920’s, when like other small motor manufacturers at the time finances were tight.
At this time, New Forest Services was created, an Austin dealership, and gradually evolved into Rupert Murdoch’s News International took control in 1960, also supplying all News International vehicles.
At the end of the 1980’s John Butt and his family took over a very run down motor dealership, thinking of a location for an exclusive high performance car centre. Shortly afterwards they were offered the opportunity to become the U.K. Maserati importer, and business really started to grow, including other performance marques, until in 1998 the control of Maserati passed to Ferrari s.p.a.
It made sense for the U.K. importer of Ferrari to take over the Maserati franchise as well, but the Butt (hahahaha) family retained the Maserati dealership for the South Coast and acquired the Ferrari dealership as well. At this time they developed the dealership, but it was in a conservation area, though eventually plans were agreed upon. Most of the showroom is new, built in a light, Italian style, which we found was ideal for viewing the splendid cars, standing on Italian polished tiles and steel plates. Outside to the rear are the extensive workshops, where new bays were installed to handle the ever growing servicing work.
PRESENT DAY
The staff organise a regular calendar of events for customers and enthusiasts. The launch of the Maserati Spyder was celebrated at the showrooms with a cocktail evening, including an art exhibition focusing on Maserati through the years. Owners fall basically into two groups, those using them for 1-2,000 miles during the summer and those (like my girl-friend and I) who use them much more often, virtually as an everyday vehicle. Meridien has a customer who has covered 50,000 miles in a year. Meridien produces it’s own brochure, as well as having in stock such leaflets as Ferrarinews, and the one’s we were given covered subjects from Michael Schumacher, to the classic Maserati Bora of the 1970’s.
THE VIEWING EXPERIENCE
Well, entering the showroom we were awestruck at the number of cars both in the buildings around the courtyard and in the courtyard itself, new and secondhand, and nearly all were open to sit in, except those already sold. This was an experience not normally allowed at even the International Motor Shows. We saw approximately 30 cars, and I will try and cover a few :-
1. Ferrari 456 M GT Automatic 2001 with 400 miles covered. Rosso Fiorano with Sabbia leather interior piped in Bordeaux with Bordeaux carpets and Nero dashboard and Daytona seats. Aluminium brake calipers, electronic suspension……. 2. Ferrari 360 Modena F1 2000 V registration, 8,000 miles covered, £102,950 Giallo Modena with Nero leather interior, climate control, 18 inch alloy wheels, Scuderia wing shields, stereo system with CD player. 3. Ferrari 355 FI Spyder 1999 V Registration, 4,300 miles covered. £84,995 Rosso Corsa with Nero leather interior and dashboard etc.. 4. Ferrari 512 TR 1995 N Registration 8,000 miles covered £64,995 Well, descriptions continue of all the colours, interiors equipments and so on. By now we were getting used to the minute gear levers with the paddles on the steering wheels, instruments angled towards the driver, sedate statements of luxury and drilled pedals.
Apart from all angles as above, there were also models of the 1990 Testarossa, the 1988 328 GTS, the 1998 348 Spider, really breathtaking !! My un-named girl friend took a particular interest in the 456 model, being a four seater, with a six speed gearbox, and a very elegant front engined car indeed. I did notice however that there were no examples of the 550 model that I had previously road-tested for you.
We then progressed to the Maserati section :-
1. Maserati 3200GT 370 BHP V8- 6 speed There were many of these, ranging in price from £36,995 to £70,000 and with varying levels of equipment 2. Maserati Spyder £68,750 This is the first model to be developed entirely under Ferrari ownership, and at the moment the first cars are the Cambiocorsa versions, while the manual version of the Spyder will be available in May 2002. 3. Maserati Quattroporte 285 Bhp V6 Automatic 1996 P registration £19,995 My Dooyoo girl-friend truly loved this car, a true 4 door exclusive vehicle, 30,000 miles in Verde Tundra with beige leather interior and beige headlining and dashboard, Mocca carpets, Climate Control, 17 inch V8 style alloy wheels, electronic suspension, electric seats, drivers airbag, stereo system and CD player, alarm system etc.
Also in stock were several Porsche, Mercedes, Bentley, Saab and a 1995 M registration Morgan + 4 5 speed manual in Connaught green with Doeskin leather interior, Chrome wire wheels and so on, 11,500 miles only at £18,995.
Truly a very wonderful experience, coupled with seeing New Forest wildlife, what a day !!! Now if you want a new car, Honest MRANDREWSJK here is your man !!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
You can`t beat the trusty old FORD, it`s that good the twokkers keep nicking it, pmpl. :0) yoshie
mumagain 27.04.2002 00:00
Unfortunatley we are restricted to legs, prams and busses, not found a cheap bus for sale yet for our clan of rug rats and 8 year old going on tean, superb review, take care both *Hugs* Chele X ........................ P.S Starting to get back into reading more and when we get word back on here (kind of had a poorly puter, got stuck down with a nasty virus along with the NTLDR bootsector) have to borrow the disk (Too tight to buy it)
very helpful by (96%):
helpful by (4%):
