It’s hard to believe, but given the absolute bananas prices the exotic and supercar markets have been seeing, the Ferrari Testarossa still represents a strong value for enthusiasts dipping their toe into the six-figure “hobby” car pool. Made famous by Don Johnson as his pursuit vehicle of choice in Miami Vice, the Testarossa is still relevant today for its impressive performance made possible by a midship-mounted 12-cylinder engine, and styling achievements by Pininfarina, which is nowadays appreciated by a younger audience that loves its stuck-in-the-80s appearance. Find this 41,200 mile example here on the Broadarrow Auctions website.
Thanks to Barn Finds reader Araknid78 for the find. Now, let’s go right back to the mileage. 41K is an impressive number on any Ferrari, particularly one that has traditionally been put away with moth balls in the glove box to save it for selling at a later date. Kudos to the owner that actually used this Testarossa, which typically appear for sale with less than 10,000 miles. Now, of course, you’re going to see evidence of this use, such as the driver’s seat leather that is pretty baggy at the moment. I’m actually surprised the seat wasn’t professionally repaired before going to auction, but it may have also been the path of least resistance versus trying to get new or re-shaped leather to match the other seats, which appear unused.
The all-important detail with Ferraris of practically any stripe is the must-do belt service. Of course, with a Ferrari, the “service position” involves removing the engine from the chassis, so your labor alone is the price of an entry-level sedan. The auctioneer reports that this car does indeed benefit from the exhaustive servicing to replace the drive belts, which also included axle seal replacement and a distributor rebuild. The listing doesn’t include any invoices or other paperwork documenting this five-figure service, so be sure to ask for that upfront if you’re considering placing a bid. Having those records is essential to getting the best price possible should you decide to sell after a year of ownership.
My favorite features of this particular Testarossa boil down to two key details: one, it’s not red. Silver over palomino leather is a handsome combination and paired with the blacked-out grills that grace the exterior, it’s a very striking car. The other detail I love is how the early production Testarossas came with just one side-view mirror, mounted on the driver’s side. Later cars would get mirrors on both sides, likely because of a dumb lawsuit where someone claimed they collided with another car after failing to check their blind spot. With the kind of mileage that won’t preclude you from actually driving it, this Testarossa looks like an excellent entry into one of the last “affordable” exotic cars.
Any other car that needed axle seals, distributor, seat leather, and many other mechanical needs at 40k miles could be called cheaply built . Imagine if Ferrari built something as reliable as a Honda.
Good point, but it’s probably not so much the mileage as the age that caused these things to deteriorate, especially the leather and the seals. Any 36 year old Honda is going to have parts deteriorating at 40k as well.
A 40 year old dart slant six would still be amazingly reliable.
Doubtful! I was a Honda tech. Between Toyota and Honda, they are the best in the world.
Yes, all 40-year-old rubber parts should be replaced. The fact that they actually were on this car means that it is worth maintaining. Most “40-year-old slant-6” cars probably aren’t. They just leak.
Guarantee you wouldn’t need to replace head gaskets on a slant 6 like I’ve had to do on almost all my 80s hondas.
I have and have had a number of vintage honda and toyotas as well as domestics and many of the domestic inline 6 cylinders were extremely reliable and long lasting. I still have a 78 F250 with the 300 I6, still runs pretty decent and all original
DRV….that is a shallow remark that requires much input for any validity. Suggest you leave your comments for the within your circle of people. Totally uncalled for and certainly untrue!
@doc- I resemble your remarks! “Shallow” remarks are the lifeblood of BF and one of the main reasons some folks visit this page. This is nothing more than a collection of young and old guys and gals hanging out in the workshop having fun.
Physician , heal thyself, doc18015.
I hope the mods delete your comment and mine, too This forum sometimes lacks decorum, but please — no outright denigration.
https://nihilistnotes.blogspot.com/search?q=Monospecchio
Less can be more. The novelty of the single “flying mirror” on the early Testarossas is much admired.
Monospecchio.
Way to go, DRV. My first thoughts exactly, before I even got to the comments. casetractor, it IS the mileage, and it IS cheaply built. If any domestic auto needed a distributor rebuilt at any mileage, the owner would scream to high heaven. Admit it, the only strain on that whirly-gig is the rotor, and the g-forces of acceleration, relative to the gusto of the driver.
Ferraris are just well engineered high speed pieces of junk. I’ve written, on this site, earlier, of sitting in the back seat of a brand new 65/66 4 door Ferrari, just driven, overnight, from the docks of Montreal, to the Toronto Ferrari dealership, and sliding closed the rear passenger airvent door, only to find the white leather covered in a huge rust stain. It was matched by its opposite companion. How’s that for input, doc18015? Is there not some very expensive service required in the first 5 or 10,000 miles? Nonetheless, we can admire its performance capabilities, and, yet, still think “What were they thinking”? (“they being he”).
If you charge enough to qualify for the snob appeal, reliability matters not. Value to such a buyer is a vulgar word.
4 door Ferrari? Please enlighten me
He must be thinking of an early Maserati QP…
Let’s just say that whole comment is about as credible as the purported existence of a 4-door Ferrari in the ‘60s. Those of us who are true old car guys (i.e. have used and maintained decades-old cars as daily drivers) know that after 20+ years, age matters just as much as mileage, especially when dealing with rubber/plastic parts.
Rob, does “outright denigration.” mean expressing one’s honest thoughts?
:>))
I don’t make the earlier comment without mechanical or construction knowledge. I’ve help restore a few manly Italian automobiles and appreciate the art but not the lack of durability.
“…a few manly Italian automobiles…”
So nae burds allowed, then?
Both rear pillars were not primered; how hard and expensive would that be? I found it disgusting, and lost all respect for the man, asice from his engineering genius.
High power and low weight do not usually equal durability. These cars were built to go fast, not to hold up for 40+ years without maintenance.
An F40 memory; the first time that I drove a 2CV racer on a racetrack was at a Bentley owners’ club track day at Knockhill. There was an F40 on track when I was; it was quicker on the straight bits but I was all over it in the twisties – I caught it going down Duffus every lap – but it was so wide that there wasn’t room to get past it!
Duh. Testarossa, not F40. As you were…
A Bentley on the track? Did your chauffer drive while you sat in the back sipping tea? Bet you scolded him when he made you spill some on you lapel. I was born in Jolly ol’ England, so I understand how these things are.
@Grant – Then you should know that Bentleys were serious performance machines until Rolls took over.
Mr. M, Oh I am aware of that point. My sad little piece of satire was aimed at the people I came across in Britain who actually owned them. The best British cars were the simple ones, and the people who drive those, are also the best.
I wasn’t driving a Bentley…
Miami Vice car! (I know it was white)
My dream car when I as 8…
1986 Ferrari Testarossa Monospecchio
Lot 2101 | West Palm Beach | Sold Price: $126,000