My Ferrari...

I like the Ferrari–Leica parallel.

Both brands had their reputations established by purpose-driven, no crap products that were particularly good at their task. As they matured, however, they shifted their focus toward a more boutique (lucrative?) market, and are now known for different things. The brands have been leveraged into all sorts of new directions...'Leica' appears on the lens of low end P&S digicams, etc. The man next to me on the bus wearing a jacket emblazoned with 'FERARRI' probably didn't want to drive his baby in the rain that day...

The mystique of both wears away pretty quickly, and in the end, they're just cars or cameras. I worked at a high-end auto repair shop specializing in Ferraris for an extremely short stint, sweeping floors. There were newer things coming through...a few 456s, 308, an f430. That stuff was kinda cool, but I didn't really pay too much attention to it. When the doors were ripped apart to fix power windows, it looked remarkably similar to the VW Golfs and Passats I used to fix at another job. The really interesting cars in the place were old, or were old racecars. The craftsmanship, finish, attention to detail, and spirit of the old cars (Ferrari or not) was beautiful.

I've never felt much of a connection to newer Ms, but really like the couple Leica barnack cameras and accessories I own. The camera bodies feel like little mechanical gems, and have something special about them, even if they are fairly non-user friendly and goofy. I doubt I'd ever own any type of newer Leica product, and I can definitely say that no newer Ferrari product holds any appeal for me. Perhaps my like for the weird old crap saves me money. I think I've been around enough old 911s to never want one of those, either.
 
Unlike Leica digital M, Ferrari are actually not as bad as people believe in the reliability stakes! Unfortunately they are expensive to maintain and people cut corners which in turn leads to unreliable cars. Service bills at main dealers can be ridiculous simply because the car goes in and is expected to be as good as it can be when it goes out. Every tiny job is attended to unless told otherwise and parts prices are up there!
Just like a Leica digital you need a maintenance fund just in case.
Far better to have a German or Swedish car, fill it up with fuel, change the oil more regularly than they say and wash it once in a while. Same with Nikons! put film or cards in, take pictures, clean them rarely and enjoy the pictures.
regards john
 
...guzzles fuel like there's no tomorrow; is not outstandingly reliable; and costs a fortune to repair. Should I replace my Ferrari with a BMW? Or a Ford?

Well, I would. At least I would fit into the car ....

Like

hamann-BMW-Z8-wallpaper+02.jpg


2014_Ford_GT_Three_Quarter_Final_Shot_1024x778.jpg


Or even better

Mercedes-SLS-63-AMG-by-MEC-Design-1559056567.jpg


(check out the links for image origin)

🙂

That being said, all of them have two wheels too many.

I'm still missing the point though, I guess. For example, complaining about Leica vs. Nikon reliability on this forum is not appropriate, because the camera is a personal choice ?

Roland.
 
It depends which Ferrari it is.

Testarossa: even changing the belts is a hugely expensive service. Not super-high valued on the used market, but an expensive keeper. Verdict: sell.

California Spider SWB: you should be able to get about $10M if it's in good shape, less if it's rusty. Verdict: don't be a buffoon. Sell.

365 GTB/4 "Daytona": so pretty. Verdict: give it to me.

412i: likely to leak oil from everywhere, and might have a 3-speed automatic. Verdict: why did you buy it in the first place?

[etc.]

As for BMWs... just avoid replacing that Ferrari with an M1. Pretty, yes, but you're just trading one type of pain for another. 😉


[All of the above based on hearsay, rumour, and precious little actual knowledge. Don't ask me about Leicas either. Nikons, on the other hand, I know, and they are wonderful. Mostly.]
 
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At this point in life I'm more a destination rather than transportation type of person.
I don't give a damn what you pick me up in as long as I don't have to drive 🙂

Irronically I sold my BMW M5(540) and my Leica M5 within a month of each other.
Now when driving is required I use a little old Toyota ranch truck and occasionally a '61 caddy convertible when in Montana.
Cameras are a different story of course. I look forward to having another Leica M5 at some point but for now .....it's a GF670 and a few others in heavy rotation.


A Digital Leica may be comparable to a Ferrari in terms of service required and value provided.
The Film Leicas are more comparable to Old air cooled VW's in my opinion.
Built to last and although they require service it's never insurmountable or very expenensive.
In other words... you can break it but seldom brick it!
 
I have a MINI (BMW one, all CAPS), and had a modern, Hinkley Triumph Bonneville till recently.

To me MINI is like M240 when Mini is like M3-M4. MINI looks kinda like a Mini, and carries the go-kart driving characteristics in modern-day standard, but it's a completely different thing. For daily use and traveling the MINI does a heck of a lot better job than Mini and I accept that.

"Modern Classic" Bonnie (at least the carb one like mine) is like M7. Most modern one with fuel injection is like M8. My new-to-me 1966 T120R is.. like Leica IIIf. It's just that Bonnie leaks more than IIIf. I admit that I also have a Ducati Monster, (I don't know, Sony A7?) so I don't have to choose Ferrari or BMW here.

I'd take a digital M or A7 for "practical" shooting, and take IIIf for fun weekend shoot or to a cafe to have a chat with RFF guys.

I guess I like "MINI and Meriden Triumph" approach if I have a choice.
 
I've owned a couple of Porsche Turbos which was an expensive lesson in performance cars. I bought them because the Turbos are supposed to be the reliable version of the watercooled generation of Porsches (see the Shed of the Week pic in my gallery - BTW that was intended as a www.pistonheads.com pun). Well that turned out to be a myth! So I took what equity I was left with out of the last one after taking a beating on both fixing it and selling it and put it into my photographic gear. I had a recent flirtation with the R107 SL Mercedes that's in my gallery but that showed that classics reside better in the minds' eye than on the road. I've gone back to a modern Mercedes (post Daimler Chrysler era). While I am a petrolhead and love cars of character, there's only so much character a poor boy can take. No doubt the current phase of carsense will abate tough and the nonsense will strike again!
 
...guzzles fuel like there's no tomorrow; is not outstandingly reliable; and costs a fortune to repair. Should I replace my Ferrari with a BMW? Or a Ford?

Admittedly I don't own a Ferrari, but several of my friends do. Or used to. One had several. But in the sentence "Should I replace my Ferrari with a BMW?" replace "Ferrari" with "Leica" and "BMW" with "Nikon". Also think about whether the person asking the question has ever driven a Ferrari or used a Leica.

Cheers,

R.


Ah, Roger, whatever Leica is paying you, it's not enough! 😀

If I carry the Leica this is what I drive. 🙂

1969 Opel Diplomat V8 by Wegothim, on Flickr

The car visits the dragstrip on occasion and get in the 11s on the quarter mile. The engine is a high compression stroker Chevy:

Cool! Apart from the wheels, it looks like a complete sleeper. No one would suspect that's a car capable of running 11's. 🙂
 
I would avoid selling Ferrari from the period when the Commendatore was in charge.

I would sell one a 2014 model with no remorse.

Many companies spent decades building a reputation based on substance. Their contemporary corporate leaders seem to rely on leveraging that past To market a brand. The products become a pale echo of their predecessors... all show - no go.
 
Unlike Leica digital M, Ferrari are actually not as bad as people believe in the reliability stakes!

I have a Leica M Mono and it has 30K and two years old and I had a lot more issues with my first 2 Canon 5Ds and now my 2 5DIIs than I have had with my MM at the same time and exposure #.
 
I have a Leica M Mono and it has 30K and two years old and I had a lot more issues with my first 2 Canon 5Ds and now my 2 5DIIs than I have had with my MM at the same time and exposure #.

You don't have to defend them to me, I can read plenty of threads on here and the Leica forum regarding reliability, sensor and parts availability issues. Congratulations on getting a good one that slipped through the net 😀
 
I own a BMW as does my wife. I've driven a Ferrari a couple of times. Apart from being totally impractical for the sort of car neds I have, I had to get into and out of the thing almost on my hands and knees. Give me a BMW M5 every time.

I've owned 3 Leicas M's down the years and sold / traded every one. All film bodies (so none of that cr*p about disintegrating glass / cruddy sensors and having to wait aeons to get replacements) but as well engineered as they were, I never quite took to the ergonomics.

I've got a Fuji XPro1 which does me fine for digital but when it comes to film (90% of what I shoot) I'll stick with Nikon SLRs and Hasselblad MF.
 
That is like comparing a Sunday dinner at grandmother's, to a late afternoon lunch on the Via Brera with a beautiful Italian girl. :angel:

I have experience with both... the Sunday dinners much more reliable.

So, I take it you agree with me that the M5 is a way better option? My friends eventually came round to the same opinion as those Ferraris were just bitches when it came to reliability and talk about high maintenance.....!!
 
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