Declassified: Ferrari FF (2011 - 2016) - How Expensive Is It To Own? 

Special thanks to Charles And Dean for their help with this video. www.charlesanddean.com/jayemm-on-cars

Hello. I’ve had both Lusso’s and the FF. This is (with the drive video) a brilliant assessment, but a few things from something like 60k miles in all the cars over the last 6 years which are worth noting if you’re considering any of them. The FF is the best drivers car of the 3. The V12 Lusso by far the worst. The V8 Lusso is much better than the V12, disappointing sound aside and it’s about 25% better on fuel, I regularly get 400+miles out of a tank. It can also be tuned by DMS to make Pista rivalling power which make it much quicker than either of the others. But, the electric steering on both Lussos is total crap, and that’s at the heart of why the FF driving experience is so good. They’re all good ski trip cars, I got all the ski kit and family into the Lusso twice for a trip to the alps and did two solo ski trips in the ff. all cars swallow lots of stuff, my record being (seats down) 6 suitcases, 3 armchairs in bits and a road bike in the FF. The three cars have really different characters. The FF is the most raw, the v12 Lusso with its soft suspension is a bit like a big Mercedes and quite boring, the V8 Lusso is playful and very tail happy, but also suffers badly from the nose going light at autobahn speeds (170mph+) because they removed all that weight from the front, but left the aero unchanged. Overall. Of the three, get an FF.

Have been dailying an FF for about six years now. I do about 10-15k miles a year on mine. Had the PTU issue. The Ferrari price for a new PTU is $50k. I spent $8-$9k on a rebuild and purchased a second failed unit for parts. I also had to buy new pads and rotors last year at ~40k miles. The pads were around $500/wheel and Ferrari wanted $10k per rotor ($40k). I found a new set of four in India for $10k total for all four. The interior dash makes a ton of noise, buttons fall off and the mirror adjust knob broke. The center armrest in the back has a broken latch. Replaced a control arm last year too. It’s still the best 2+2 gt car period. But the maintenance is not for the faint hearted or the budget-conscious. I drive mine year-round and think it’s the best driver’s car. Unpopular opinion, but a good alternative would be something like an M5CS. My suggestion is to get a valvetronic system so the valves can be open at low RPM. Ps- I’ve never done more than 200 miles on a tank.

I was heading to Spa in the summer of 2013. Just short of the track, doing silly speed in an RS6, a Tour de France blue FF came past me as if I was stationary. I still vividly recall the aero wake affecting my car as it blasted past. Met the owner at the track carpark later! Object of desire ever since…the only modern Ferrari to suit blue. Top vid James, keep them coming.

Those Purosangues will depreciate like a bookshelf falling down a staircase.

Mine is insured with NFU, guaranteed 110k value, cost just £400. Fully comp. Plus I normally get 20mpg on a 70 to 100 mile run.. as I said before I love it, rs6 nice car but its not an FF. I really see the FF's appreciating as more people realise how cool and good they are thanks to these reviews. (One of the reasons I bought my FF was down to Jay's original review and others) The buzz of the purosangue will also put the FF back in the spot light.. if you are thinking of an FF.. press the button now, you will not regret it.. Supply is low

I run a 2008 Mercedes CL600- also a V12, also a big two door four-seater. Not as exciting as an FF, but it spoiled me for anything else. James, consider testing one. 🙂

You have such respect for such wonderful cars, their history and what makes them essentially wonderful.

Great idea for a series. Format is pretty much bang on. I’m looking forward to whichever cars will get the JayEmm treatment in the rest of this series.

My FF replaced a 2017 Audi S6 Avant. The Audi was more comfortable in traffic (but still not great as it also had a DCT) and the tech was better. Other than that the FF is superior in every respect.

Absolutely fantastic James. Really enjoyed this video and the format. Very interesting and informative and what a stunner of a car it is. Looking forward to the rest of this series. Well done 👏🏻 👌🏻👍🏻

I have an FF and can tell you it's one of the best Ferrari of all time...I have had other Ferrari as well but this is the only one I am unwilling to part with....it is a 4 seat f12...I find most people seem to love it anywhere I go and because of its rareness most people have never seen one before....will only keep going up in value I believe

I love it. I mean all things this channel. It’s completely different to any other car channel on RU-vid. I need this channel as I can’t afford a new ‘high end’ car but can afford things like this FF. I use this channel for this exact reason.

Great video as always. Very informative, great visuals and of course that glorious sounding engine. Looking forward to the rest of the series.

Really enjoy these more detailed 'real world' videos, especially for the slightly older cars, so often overlooked in reviews. Great video, hope there are more to come.

Your staccato ‘newsreader’ narrative is so you! Makes me laugh a bit, but please never change! It’s so you! And packed with more information that I tend to get from the News these days…! Great series. Nice one.

This is a wonderful review, Jay. Loved the in-depth nature of the episode.

As always love your reviews, the detailed explanation of the mechanical details are especially interesting, more of that please… Even though most of the people who are watching will never be able to afford a Ferrari, the information is fascinating and applies to many of our fantasy cars…..

This is just the video I needed about FFs, as I was giving this car serious considerations. Thanks for covering.

Great content! I've wanted an Esprit since the Bond movies of the early 80's. I think everyone will have a personal grail and relate to this series!

Brilliant video, I"ve been waiting for something as detailed as this for a long time and I hope to buy an FF this year and run it as my daily driver. Very excited!

Great video and as always plenty of useful info. Well done. Hope to see more....

Great format, looking foward to see more cars from different brands

Great series! Definitely stands out from all the car reviews everybody does. Would absolutely love it if you cover your maserati quattroporte and F430!

Great video been looking for a series like this.

The sound recording on the fly by shots makes it sound like an F1 car. Extraordinary!

Love this series! Hope to see more of this

Love this concept for the series! You deserve more subscribers and views! Happy new year, be well!

Enjoyed the review, thanks also for adding in a finance indicative quotes, very helpful!

This is great content! Keep declassifieds coming! If you can make it relatable to global markets (especially USA), it’d be appreciated!

Absolutely fantastic video and series idea!

This was helpful and I like the format! I'd like to see one section listing the most common failures and how likely they are

great video, very informative, i would still pick the FF over all the alternatives given. i love these series

Brilliant! TOPGEAR meets pistonhead buyers guide - you have found your other niche! With your first two videos, I was buying one in the Xmas downtime, but the size, gearbox and running costs brought out the man maths. I thought M5Cs and 991.2 turbo s were expensive, but this is in a different league! Please keep these videos coming, otherwise I will be a ruined man through my future car puchases!! (I just calculated going to/from France skiing would be around £850 with a light right foot!! Ex ferry, tolls etc)

Great video and great concept. It reminds me of the ford fiesta st alternatives 😂. Never really thought of comparing the rs6 to the ff. Secondly as always the information you provide gives a really clear picture of all aspects that come with buying maintaining driving aka living with a car. Thank you very much

Great segment on the FF, and I like the format. The front and rear gearbox issues were somewhat vague to me when I was car shopping back over this past summer, and my lack of knowledge about the PTU and fixes kept me from getting an FF and instead going with a 2019 Aston Martin Vantage (AM6). I also watched your Vantage video as well, which was a help. I love my Vantage, but I might someday pick up an FF or GTC4Lusso. If I had seen this info, I might have been less weary of getting an FF. That said, it's good to know that some of my concerns were based and the front gearbox is a potential major problem as some of the forums had indicated.

Brilliant idea for a series. Can't wait to see more

Best edit to date. Keep the great work going.

Brilliant Mate ,oh my mate has got a 22B Impreza,love the channel and HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU AND ALL YOU'RE SUBSCRIBERS 👍🏻

A VERY informative review James. I love it. It might be a bit verbose for some (I’ll admit I really like the driving clips and interior shots with you talking), but for the person who is actually shopping for these cars I’ll bet it’s exactly what they’re looking for. Very tastefully done as always!

Great episode as usual. Almost would think a Giulia QF would have been the "sillier" option for the FF. Love this format

An excellent video James, thank you. I started watching it thinking that the FF had no appeal for me but ended thinking that I’d rather like one if funds allowed. Thanks for all the great content you’ve put out in 2022, you and Harry M are at the top of the tree IMHO.

Love the format of this review/series. Would definitely like more content. Maybe a panamera S, or a Quattroporte/gran turismo next?

Always loved these things, everything about them just makes sense. Beautiful!

Had a 2013 FF. Beware of the DCT. When it fails you’re looking at $20k for a rebuild or $40-50k for a brand new one from Ferrari. It happened to me and is a ticking time bomb on several Ferrari models

Really enjoyed this video. Great information on all aspects of the car. A perfect compliment to regular car review videos. Having worked for an exotic car dealer in the past I’ve driven these and all the competitors and one day hope to be able to afford a used one. Would love to see a video on the W209 Mercedes CLK which I think is massively underrated having owned one for 7yrs.

Other then your McLaren F1 video, which was extraordinary, this is your best video for quite a while and I enjoyed the slightly increased focus on facts and figures. Looking forward to watching more of these videos in 2023!!

Great idea for a series! Liked the in-depth nature of the episode - as far as I’m concerned unless you really get into the detail it’s not worth doing. I thought this was well judged, with lots of detail, and enthusiasm for the car.

Great content ! I have always dreamt of an FF since it was launched. Own a bunch of cars and wanted to replace my 330d with one, would complete with my 3.8RS 997 but in the end went with a Sport Turismo, too afraid of the cost and complicatedness of FF ownership.

Excellent info! Great to have a much better idea of what the buying and running costs would be!

The only comment I’d add it that Chris Harris of Top Gear, has bought a FF & loves it. He rates it & he also rates the Mondial 3.2 which he also owns, as I do with mine. Chris Harris has bought these two Ferrari with his own money, and when he does that the car will be worth owning.

Great video as usual Jay. One way to improve the format could be to add the named video sections. So if you wanted to as a viewer, you could skip to specific sections. I like the format and the detail you go into it’s great 👍🏼

Very informative and helpful. One thing I’d add is that I think some would say the Porsche Panamera is an alternative. The FF would still be my choice though as a proud member of the Tifosi. Thank you for sharing this series of videos! Look forward to more!

Great episode. Keep up the good work!!!

Just stumbled on your video, and you've done a really great job on it. Cheers.

Jay fantastic review, one of your best! I’d now love to own a Ferrari FF but if only. May have to go for alternative choice of RS6 😂 Keep up the good work looking forward to the next instalment

yooo just started watching your videos, love this declassified series!

Cool I like this. Please go on doing this kind of car reviews. I’ve been watching your channel for some 4 years now. Only criticism of this format is that people outside the UK will find the bits about financing and insurance pretty useless. I really appreciate the detailed description of what will break and what won’t and the associated costs. Btw who the heck goes to the pub by car? Here you won’t even drive a car the following day after going to the pub!😅 Thanks and happy new year from Sweden.

This is a great series can’t wait to see more!

Absolutely excellent review. Great job!!!

This was a great video. I've wanted an FF since they came out, and still do.

All the very best Jay, hope you have had a mega christmas.

This might very well be the best wagon/shooting-brake ever. It mixes Ferrari specialness with the practicality of a wagon. It’s just so gorgeous too, f12 in the front, wagon in the back

A great video and a good balance of a facts. Good work sir. That car is a work of art.

Love the 'real-life' running costs section. Surprised that the FF wasn't much more TBH. Great review - THANKS

Thank you for producing such helpful and informative films

Always love your reviews and your ending title music:)

Good video. One of the very very few cars that could attract me out of my Maserati Granturismo MC Stradale. Glad to see that car did eventually get featured at the end of this video.

Brilliant and Informative!!! More Declassified’s, Please!!!

Very good review! Keep on going!

Very good video. Hope for more in this "new" series.

This is the first video of that that I have watched and I have to say that this video is really great: continue like that

This is a great idea for a series 👍 like the detail. I had the pleasure of driving one of these for four days once they are epic. The infotainment in the one I had was really bad so must have been an early one but who cares when you have a v12 like that

Great start to the series 🥰🙏

This is a very comprehensive review on the FF - Nice work Jayemm!❤

Nailing the content again James. I love my FF and your videos on these cars are spot on! My insurance is £1,200 a year. I’m 40 years old with 12 years no claims on this policy, 17 years on my other car.

A lot of useful information! Thank you.

A great informative video. Thank you.

Excellent advice, that I probably will never need but great to learn it

Love this video, great deep dive and an honest look at them. Would have to give myself a slap if I found myself wandering to an Audi in place of something more exotic. Life’s too short to be the same as others down the golf club…

Very good James - thank you 🙏🏻

Great review as ever Jay! It's a lot of car for the money but can't help but feel an RS4 or RS6 might be a better choice, re costs and reliability. Mind you if it's one's first Ferrari, it's not a bad way to get into the brand, I still think the F355 would be my first Ferrari purchase though!

this was an awesome video on my favorite Ferrari ,so many facts spilled its actually ruined my dream car because of how many ff produced ,one day ill still own one ,supa awesome video keep it up

Interesting change in direction James. Whilst watching I was taken back to the Achilles heel of the 996 generation - RMS and bore scoring. Whilst i owned one I was forever thinking of the chocolate teapot analogy and realised that I have a rather risk averse personality! In highlighting that the FF has a problem with the main and front gearboxes, I wondered if it might help viewers understand the likely costs to have an insurance policy covering both components from Ferrari (I thin you have covered this) and from the specialist insurance companies (if they exist). This may be too detailed but my logic is that the cost of repairing these components could be so significant that an understanding of insurance costs to manage the risk would be helpful for the Declassified type of review.

Great series. Just watched the DB9 and came back to this one.

Happy new year jayemm....lovely video....very detailed information..

You can see the Purosangue’s evolution ❤my joint fav alongside the 812.. Great real world review thank you

Good stuff James, I would love to see an Aston db9 on this series since they are glorious v12 GTs for a 3rd of the price of that FF and that makes it a very tempting offering.

Great idea for a series. For comparison it would be good to get an idea of the total cost of ownership over 3-4 years. I understand that this will always be a point in time for finance/depreciation/things that break, but it does give a better idea for real world man maths.

This and your other FF videos has got me considering this now, with the F12!

Great review and love the concept of the series! Having said that seeing the monthly HP costs has made me realise I need a serious step up in salary if I ever wanted something like this!

Very good and informative review as usual. Thanks again for the entertaining videos. I wonder if you might be better served by having a 2 car comparison for this format. I realize that involves more work. Perhaps enlisting help from JayEmm Friends might help. The memory of the original Top Gear comparisons videos are a formula that I enjoyed very much. The contrast of cars and reviewer personalities made for an engaging rooting interest.

Great idea for a series!

Top vid James!

From the States - Thank you, James.

Loved this style of video! I would recommend maybe adding timestamps, would help people search out the exact information they need without having to watch the whole thing

The 612 is my favourite Ferrari, but that FF is sweeeeet

Hopefully a Jensen FF for comparison next time Jay/! Thanks for review, enjoyed that, & good info! 🙏🙏

Really like this type of video - if you do a wide variety of cars you could do a video summarising them, maybe some sort of League Table of Financial Irresponsibility

When the FF came out, I thought it was an awful idea for a Ferrari. But now, several years on, and now that I am several years older, I think it would be an awesome V12 Ferrari daily. I'll take mine in blue with tan interior, with full exhaust, intake, tune, wheels, and upgraded high end stereo.