Ferrari 550 Maranello Review - After 23 Years Of Waiting, Does My Dream Car Disappoint? 

Having owned one of these for 12 years (my best car ever), here are a few observations that may be of use to you. 1. Don't use 2nd from cold. Just don't: you'll prematurely wear the synchro ring. This is a long standing characteristic of Ferrari boxes going back to the Ark. You can go from 1st to 3rd without any issue until the box is warm. 2. In normal mode the chassis is not really adjustable on the throttle due to the traction control. Sport still gives a good measure of protection but the difference in cornering response to the throttle is much better. In the wet, however, Sport is a lot more lary - I once had both wheels spinning up in 4th (yes 4th) when attempting some hard acceleration at 60mph (on d/c, of course). No the tyres weren't bald!!! 3. After the first few months I switched out the rear silencers for a Tubi and never went back. Yes it's a bit of a flat BLAAAAAH at idle, but the aural rewards all the way up to the redline are well worth it. 4. Keep on top of the small jobs before they become big ones, every year, including the interior ones. 5. Check for ally corrosion under the bonnet front lip - a known issue, which can recur as well. 6. Air con - use it! It's from the BMW 5 series and lack of use leads to internal corrosion of pipework. Left mine on Auto and it only struggled on the hottest days. 7. Tyres - not as simple as you'd think. The correct PZeros have a very subtle and particular code that leaves most dealers and tyre fitters confused. Speak directly to a Pirelli Performance Centre (but, bizarrely, don't rely on the Pirelli website for tyre info!). 8. The big question - specialist garage or main dealer? There are cowboys and good ones in both camps. Because mine had an immaculate main dealer history when I bought it, I stuck with 2 specific main dealers. I was able to negotiate same prices from them that specialists were quoting, so don't assume main dealer has to be more expensive. Whatever you decide, see point 4. 9. Join the FOC. You'd be surprised how many "ordinary" people have made the financial sacrifice to own one, and you will learn a lot by comparing notes. Plus you can talk cars all evening post-lockdown without becoming the "oh-no-it's-the-pub-bore-man"..! And finally, as a fantastic car to drive & own, the 550 seems to continually fly under the radar. Really strange considering it won Autocar's Handling Day challenge 2 years on the trot and Harry's old lot at Evo voted it their car of the decade. It really was the proper successor to the Daytona and ought to get more recognition. I say this as someone who no longer owns one, so I'm not trying to talk up the market. Good luck and enjoy your "honeymoon"!!

11:18 "... but like many things Italian it will eventually switch sides and start to cooperate" I see what you did there 😉😁

you look Sooo Bloody happy mate I could not be any happier for you.. and on the Classic ford front, I think i might have found my Gem..

Sun in the sky, open B Roads, windows down, Ferrari V12 howling away.... Yep I'd say that's a good day to be alive

Congratulations on going for your 'young boy' dream car instead of a McLaren or something. It takes bravery to go against all kinds of rational reasons and take the plunge into the (possible sweet and awesome) unknown. I hope you enjoy it very much and will continue to do so for a long time. Cheers!

I owned one from 2012 till 2016. I traded it for a 458.. I miss the 550, I spent about $10,000 a year the first 3 years. Lots of stuff to do to keep one from breaking down. The engine is bullet Proof, but the bits and pieces add up. Motor Mounts, ECU, Steering Rack, Major Service was $11,000 at dealership.... the dash pulled away, the sticky bits were fixed, the Brakes, Rotors, A/C. But I loved the car, and to this day I miss it. I like it better than the 458 , but the 458 is only $899 a year to run. Mine 550 was Rosso Barchetta from 1998 with only 11 in the world painted in that color. Smooth on the road, handled amazingly. Sometimes it did ferrari stuff, like the door will not open from the outside on the drivers side. Or after a run on the Tail of the Dragon the car would be so hot, it would not take gas for 2 hours, until it cooled down. The dealership never figured that one out, and that is the main reason I sold it. But, when you crank the car and drive it, all is forgiven. Amazing car.

Something not entirely right with the sound of that exhaust...

I don’t own a house, but I do own a Ferrari 😋 - funniest quote I’ve heard in a while.

Never heard of you before, but discovering you in your dream car makes me very, very happy. Congratulations man ! I hope you will keep on enjoying it for a long time !

Needs an exhaust, sounds like an e46 with a hole in the back box 😂

Love it! I have a new appreciation for the 550 Maranello...and the spec you’ve held out for is absolutely Villa d’Este perfect! Buy the dream car YOU want...that’s my takeaway. Proud and very happy for you...love your channel!

"Those figures might not seem too impressive." Err...in whose world is 485bhp and 420lbs torque ordinary? A beautifully understated Ferrari.

So chuffed for you... I remember about 20 years ago driving my 1.1 fiesta looking in my rear view mirror and seeing a black 550 Maranello behind ... it looked so menacing, came by ... and sounded awesome beautiful machine to my eyes

Congratulations on getting your dream car! I fell in love with the 550 Maranello in '97 when I first saw it in Road and Track. Its shape has aged beautifully.

Absolutely adore that raspy exhaust note. Great car you got Jay!

In these days of stress , discontent and constant disappointment and just outright shock of the the state of the world in which we live arrives a slice of life, 21:15 long, of someone just enjoying themselves with something they’ve truly lusted after, earned and fully appreciate has added some levity to an otherwise miserable midsummer Monday. Thanks James for making my day immeasurably more enjoyable.

There's something magical about 90's to early 2000's ferraris I can't quite explain

This was my favorite car playing NFS 3 Hot pursuit

"But like many things italian it will eventually switch sides and start to cooperate" I'm italian and i just fell off my chair after hearing this joke.. which is actually true. HAHAAHA

Always liked the style of the 550 and the rear end is particularly stunning. Only complaint would be that in this day and age the wheels look a little lost in those big Arches but in the mid to late 90s they were probably just right to be fair. Nice to see one for a change instead of a 355. Hope all is well and you're enjoying it.

Just love seeing someone really happy definitely made me think I should get my dream 911 👍😎

Looks awesome, good to see a RU-vidr who hasn't bought another German generic whip. You bought the car because you like it, that deserves respect.

100 k subs! congrats well deserved

I clearly recall the 550 being launched and the first reviews announced it as being so good it was a game changer, that sort of greatness doesn't go away with time.

I see it suffers from the sticky buttons. All that rubberised coating starting to decay

The shot where you could hear the induction over the exhaust - with a different pipe this is going to sound AMAZING. With the current exhaust it’s a bit raspy. Not that it matters, what matters is congratulating you on buying your dream car and wishing you the very best. You need to take this round Europe, I mean that’s why it was made 👍

I have to urge you to look at Clarity Coat, the spray-on alternative to PPF. It has several advantages and you can also check it out in real life as Freddy "Tavarish" Hernandez used it on his Murcielago project build for the last SEMA show. It's easily touched up - it can be buffed and polished like any other car - you can use a ceramic coating on top for extra durability if you want - it can be peeled off and redone if too bad - it can even provide a colour change under the right circumstances - all the good features of wrapping and plasti-coating combined! A car like yours deserves a beautiful paint finish but also to be driven regularly. This means that some form of paint protection is obligatory as there's only so much paint/clear coat that you can remove over successive paint corrections over the decades - I'm assuming you plan on keeping it for decades...!

Still one of my favourite Ferrari ever!

Sounds raspier than an E46 M3

It's ace when you see a top bloke get his dream car! What a massive moment it is if you can pull it off!

Wonderfull. I'm really happy for you. I felt the exact same way when I got the Tuscan. We both buy from the heart. Numbers and figures dont add up to feelings. I'm happy to hear your excitement about owning something special. Enjoy

I'm not in the habit of subbing to You Tubers but I found myself enjoying the descriptive flow and careful craftsmanship of your videos, much like I did reading Henry N Manney back in the day or Dickens at his best. First rate.

I stumbled on this video, Jay, while recovering from a milder Covid issue, and it was a "glorious" time. It made me love life just listening to you loving life ! Watched this after your review of the 355, so it was like a mini-series. Your descriptions are enjoyable but also very informative and with logical conclusions, much similar to the way my brain judges things. I was finishing your thoughts before you said them. Great minds think alike !! thanks again, Jay, you made me laugh with Ferrari joy.

As an avid car-review viewer from the States, as well as an English teacher, your delivery and use of precise diction is incredible. Only other person I’ve ever noticed this from is Chris Harris. I appreciate the videos; they definitely helped to push me towards the purchase of my s2000

Pretty sure I saw you out driving this beauty near Halstead at the weekend. It looked and sounded majestic. And I could hear it well over the sound of my 981 Boxster S ! Congratulations and well deserved. Keep up the great content.

Although I am not a Ferrari fan at all I have watched your recent purchase with great interest. To get 'the car we have always wanted' is such a lovely thing and your enthusiasm and honesty about the car is lovely to see. I enjoy your reviews of more affordable cars, particularly to go at them with an open mind and honest appraisals. Keep them coming!

Nice one James glad you like it. Congrats on hitting 100k subs too!

This is a timless beauty. Never gets old. Just a pure classic. And that Ferrari music that comes out of the exhaust can never get old.

“...like many things Italian it will switch sides and cooperate” I literally choked on my foood. Lol!!!

I bought one in 2005 and have used it as my daily drive ever since. Best thing I have ever driven. Won’t ever sell. Will keep and pass it on to my son.

I've always loved the 550. In my humble view certainly a candidate for most beautiful car ever made. Congratulations to you sir.

Great review James! I ve been trying for the last 7 years to get a Ferrari but always pull out last minute. Being a Porsche 911 air cooled owner, it s very hard to go on.... yet I decided to go for one... my biggest doubt right now is.... 550 or 355.... I drove a 355 last week and I was a bit disappointed, mainly due to driving and wheel steering position... maybe 550 is the right one... but need to test drive it first... thanks for your great videos and congratulations once again!! 🤗🤗🤗

18mpg on a run! Eeeeeeek! How long before we see JayEmm on Cars in association with Shell? Seriously though, congratulations on realising your dream.

The best car I have ever owned. In 2010 it sat beside a 2008 599 GTB in my garage. When I moved, one had to go and it was a tough choice but the 550 is so much more engaging and analogue to drive that it was bye bye 599. I still stand by the decision ...

19:50 "go on my son", haha brilliant. Congrats James, you are a breath of fresh air amongst the majority of RU-vid car 'reviewers' who are mostly egotistical, nauseating, self-absorbed toss-pots. You, however, always make the cars the focal point of the video (except your shirts ;). You, Harry Metcalfe, Steve Sutcliffe, Tiff Needell and Chris Harris are my go-to car content. Awesome editing too btw. Thanks

I’m a young guy and the 550 Maranello is my ‘dream car’. A beautiful understated design inside and out, gated manual, in the late 90s/early 00s sweet spot of plenty of power, handling and creature comfort but not the level of technology that’ll cripple it in years to come. Didn’t have handling bred on the Nurburgring, plenty of space inside as well as in the boot, and far from the most expensive of that type of car to upkeep and maintain. For me, it’s the ideal usable exotic car for short drives around town or proper grand touring.

inching this 550 to better health and looks is going to be great fun to watch.

This will sound weird but I appreciate that your shirts are actually tailored to your size, the sleeves fit you perfectly. So many people today have a quarter of their arms showing while driving. You’re sitting there looking like Mr. Dapper himself.

Lucky you! Congratulations on the new car! This has always been one of my favorite Ferraris. I can remember reading the car magazines back in the day when this came out and lusting after it. I even still have the 1/18 scale die cast model I bought when I was in 10th grade.

Congratulations and welcome to the club! I'm 7 years into 550 ownership and I haven't soured on her at all. She's a glorious machine. I will say this - once you change the exhaust out, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner...

Man that car's exhaust is hurt. I've heard Subaru's with a more pleasing exhaust note. Once you get it replaced you are going to love how that thing sounds.

Great review James. Congrats on teaching a very deserved 100k subscribers. Yes please to the text based sat nav video... should be hilarious 😂

Have to agree with you regarding how nice they are even when you aren’t going fast. I never thought I would enjoy pootling around but you are right. Good to see you have bought a high mileage one so you can enjoy it rather than worrying about putting miles on it. Mine has done 70k miles and barely feels run in. Enjoy and looking forward to some more of your videos.

Pretty sure our 550 Maranello didn’t have such a “raspy” exhaust

Congratulations on the purchase. Easily my favourite post 288GTO Ferrari. Great to see someone truly enjoying the sensations of owning and driving a special car. We are so blaisé these days...Best if luck!

I had the. Pleasure of five laps in a 360 spider and five laps in a 550 both manual It was a birthday present from my wife It was awesome I wanted to take the 360 home lol

One more F550 review I will watch again and again besides the one by Harrys garage) thanks, Jay!

One of my all time favourite cars as well. Still after one.

We have gone in opposite directions. Sold the 360 and bought a 220 Elise. So far missing the Ferrari experience but driving fun has doubled without worrying about putting mileage on! However love the 550, very nearly bought one instead of 360. Cheers Martin

You definitely made the right choice Mike, my brother has had 5 Aston Martin Vantages all new all with various mechanical issues some serious, (there is always a reason why a vehicle drops so dramaticly in value on the second hand market ) That aside you sit so low it's a nightmare to judge the road, although he still has a DB9 Volant which he loves and will never sell. He also has had a number of Ferraris and currently has a Portofina, but his all time favourite was the Ferrari 575 not so similar to yours for comfort, ease of use, and upkeep, with a somewhat discreet look to it (well compared to the boy racer Ferrari body types.) Its the only car he ever regretted selling. He won't touch McLaren for the lack of quality control. Ps love your enthusiasm and vids.

I know a few people below have commented on the great sound your car makes, but I am not in agreement. I was actually quite disappointed in its sound for a V12 Ferrari. I hope you put a nice tubi or capristo on it or something to make that car sing properly. It is a beautful car with a gated shift in red and that is something you cannot put a price on. I love that you are living your dream, that-a-boy Jay! I aim to live my Ferrari dream soon too :)

Happy for you, man. Go on, enjoy it all =). And yes, this is much more characterful than a modern Mclaren, even if a Mclaren may be faster and more comfy. There are a million of those already.

The car is an incredible spec! Congratulations! I looked up a video of the exhaust note of the 550M it sounds a little bit off. You might want to look into it

Congratulations. Had a similar feeling when i bought my EVO 6 back in the day ..

Congratulations on your beautiful front engine rear drive v12 childhood dream come true. Enjoy every second of it because you deserve it and you earned it!

this was brilliant. really honest review of a v12 ferrari i have also been fond of over the years. i too lust for the 550 over the 575, and even over a 599. sure, this isn't warp speed fast, but it is a true FR V12 Ferrari with a classic 6speed gated shifter that has plenty of pep in its step. congratulations on a beauty mate!

Farty exhaust though, with a tinny metallic ring as revs rise. Change to something beefier if you can. Edit: Does sound a bit better on the drive past, I'll admit.

"But, like many things Italian, it will switch sides and start to cooperate." 😆 By the way, the Maranello has long been a dream car of mine, as well. I think Ferrari's been chasing this grand turismo design high - unsuccessfully - ever since.

Indeed the best 550 review on RU-vid!

You sound so pleased with your purchase. Great review, you so did the right thing avoiding Finchingfield. Its been metal there for the past two weeks. Mind there have been some lovely cars making appearances. Keep an eye out for the wide bodied Bentley recently purchased from Silverstone auctions.

Congrats Jay --- I've been watching you since you're Lotus Evora 400... I bought one after your videos....and ironically... I was just searching for a 550... and I "refound you"

Front mounted V12 engine, rear drive with a long bonnet could so easily have been an XJS, so congratulations for using your car knowledge and passion to pick this beauty.

Had a 430 Spider back in 2012/13, loved it but I simply couldn’t afford to own it. I was petrified every time I drove the bloody thing! Fuel, servicing, any damage etc. I purchased Two (company bankruptcy) as an investment. Both cars were a little more than One brand new 458 at the time, both spiders with nice specification and low miles. No brainier! Sold the first one within a week and decided to try to keep the 2nd. I sold my Lotus Elise so essentially I had a free F430! One of my biggest regrets is selling it later but as I said I was petrified of using it! Never really pushed it other than on long straights but the occasion of the car was nothing less than spectacular! I’m back in a 2015 Lotus Elise S now, couple of years and I’m seriously thinking a California 👍 Fantastic review, your giving me an itch that I need to scratch.

I love the 550 and look forward to seeing more of your ownership experience!

Brilliant bit of quip... "Like many things Italian, it will eventually switch sides....". I LOL'd a bit hard at that bit.

There appears to be a typo in your video description Jay. It caught my eye because I remember also falling in love with this Ferrari and buying an issue of Road and Track back in '95-96 because this car was on the cover. This is not a 1990 car.

Nice car Jay and congrats on a new Ferrari ownership. My dream Ferrari is the F488, hopefully one day I will own one. For now I'll just settle with my 997.2. Enjoy your new car!

Congratulations on the Ferrari! The description has the model year wrong I think, though, haha.

So happy for you! Congrats on a dream fulfilled!

Congratulations!!! The 550 it is an icon!

The only Ferrari I don't like in red, but that's only because I've lusted after a Grigio Titanio with Nero or Bordeaux since the day I first laid eyes on the 550, the last car Ferrari made that can actually be considered pretty. Gorgeous, enjoy it

Love this car Jay, but that exhaust sounds like a bucket of bolts. And that quote "Like most things Italian...." had me howling.

Might I make a suggestion. If you are going to blur out a number plate I suggest you do it totally. "1 VWP" or "1 VMP" is readable from the front end comparison shot.

Nice car Jay, not my cup of tea but no matter, we are all different and its always good to get something you have lusted over for years. I had my Cobra then sold it a few years later to help fund a house sale. I may get one again but hanker after a TVR also .... I used to visit the factory on business in Blackpool and new Peter Wheeler (not like a best mate, more business) but always lusted after their cars despite their frailty

congratulations on the gorgeous car and 100k subs. Both well deserved, you are a man of great taste. The sound of that gated shifter is sublime

Absolutely love it. standard exhaust? I thought these got panned at the time for sounding rubbish & muted, but this sounds great!

Classy move @14:25. Plus points to you for being considerate to cyclists. Chapeau, kind sir!

Thank you James you have given me the love for cars back with your reviews. I have just had my car back from my specialist where its been for 3 months because of covid and I’m so happy. And look at it differently now seeing your vids. I’m hoping to see if I can get my Q7 on your channel one day. 👍😊

seats adjustments broken for a bit - very good mate. Congrats on the purchase - i remember Evo labelling it as one of their favourite ever cars in one of the old issues.

I might be weird as I don't normally like Ferrari's, but the 550 has always been an exception... superb choice, you lucky bugger! 😁

Twenty years ago, I saw a black Ferrari 550 Maranello on the streets. The styling quietly exudes performance, class, and appeal. To this day, it is the most impressive car that I have ever seen in person.

The 550 is special and the color combo is great! Congratulations on crossing 100K too!

Excellent purchase! Lovely car and a great film, you make a lot of sense with your observations and comments so for me please keep the films coming.

The fuel consumption is pretty good for the age. My E60 M5 struggled to get better than 18mpg (US gallons) and typically average 12. The engine was spectacular, I drove it quite sympathetically (i.e. I never thrash it) and yet the fuel economy was catastrophic. The worst thing of the E60 M5 is the SMG gearbox though. This 550 is so amazing.

Congratulations well done mate proof hard work pays off

Respect for willing to drive the car on track and how it's meant to be driven. Most would see one of these as an investment and leave it beneath a cover locked in a shed

Lovely car - beautifully designed, superb interior, not too loud and totally devoid of bling. Your a lucky guy, J.

Luuuvly. How’s that dry clutch? I had a Ducati with one, and it was rowdy. Congrats man, that’s special.

Now that you’ve sorted your everyday ride what are you planning to have just for the weekends then 😉.

I love it. Just look how beautiful and elegant it looks! If I could buy this gorgeous machine then the first month I would just sit in the garage and admire it with a huge smile on my face.