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"!!

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..

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

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.

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 !

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.

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!

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

100 k subs! congrats well deserved

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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. 👍😊

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.

Great content, great cars. Well done, buddy. Keep it up. Massive congratulations for living the dream - life's too short to just dream these things, well done for making it happen. Strong shirt game also.

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.

Great job, enjoy & thanks for taking us on the journey,

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...

This was my favorite car playing NFS 3 Hot pursuit

Great car and review. Well done with the 550. Great it's a user too. I did a tour of Scotland in my F355 a few years ago, including Applecross, the rear tyres were down to the canvas when I got home to Dorset. Wonderful. As a Ferrari owner for 12 years now myself, there's no going back. Welcome to the club. It is very special.

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

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

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!

"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

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.

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.

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 👍

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

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.

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.

Good lad! Great seeing someone so happy and enjoying the moment. Well done.

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!

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.

Brilliant vid. Love your style mate, very easy going and clear to understand. Really happy for you that you’ve managed to bag yourself a V12 Ferrari. Thanks for sharing, would love to know what the running costs are long term. All in all I’m looking forward to traveling on this journey with you. 😁

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

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

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"

Incredible... admiration for you as you know. A dream that you’ve made come true through hard work and a fantastic brand 👍🏻 Make sure in pencilled in to see this ✅

Hope you enjoy many great miles in your dream car J. Looking forward to more content on it.

Well deserved mate, keep up the good work!

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

Great vid AND THIS ONE IS YOURS... good good and good, all the best.

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

Great review, great car! Cracking job chap, keep it up!

i remember driving behind one (in traffic) many years ago and thinking what a lovely car. It was in blue which really suited it

Wow mate you made it 100k subs been here for ages nice to see your dreams come true. BTW the 550 is also my favourite car of all time would love a yellow one.

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

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.

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.

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

100k on the subs on your own car review 😀Congrats on both the subs and the car 👍 Have never owned a V12 of any margue - but have had all the others, inc the flat 4&6 cylinder engines. Happy right now with the NA V8

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!

Congrats on 100K!

Great to see how happy you are with it!

Loving the new intro graphics James!

Sounds raspier than an E46 M3

Great review. I enjoy your commentary.

Love your enthusiasm - great video!

Very happy for you! Enjoy in good health!

Great to see you’ve realised your dream. All the best and enjoy your 550.

Well deserved, keep up the great work

One of my 3 all-time favourite Ferraris. A great car and a great review. Enjoy your Fezza, James!

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

Reading about this car in Evo Magazine made me want one... very jealous James. Congratulations and another great video! 🏎

So glad to see that you've bought my dream car. I fell in love it all those years ago when I first clapped eyes on it. Thanks for taking us on this journey Jay, hope you get some tubi's on her 😁😁😁😁

Awesome video! Liked and subscribed straightaway - live the dream 👍

Congrats on the purchase. Reminds me a little of my porsche 928 s4, big engine out front, leather everywhere and Windows down to listen to exhaust note, they don't make them what they used to!

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.

So happy for you! Congrats on a dream fulfilled!

Congrats and well done; you've earned it. Enjoy, and may the repo man never come calling.

Really nice car:-) Congratulations!:-D And I must say, I really like listening to you talk about cars:-)

Great video mate well done

Congrats JayEmm... living the dream

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

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

Mate, I am truly full of awe for you. Congratulations

Loving the funky shirts! And the frequency of reviews!

Just an insanely pretty car.. I have always loved the look of the 550.. And the front engine rear drive with a manual.. Approved. Love it!!!

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

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.

Scotts channel great. Good shout out !

Good on ya mate, livin the dream! 😉

Great review! That's my sort of Ferrari - front engined V12, manual gearbox, red with cream leather. All I need now is to afford one! But I'd need to sell my house, so credit to you for buying such a fantastic car - enjoy.

Great review !!

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...!

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.

550 steering is an absolute delight...possibly its best feature...and feelgood is sky-high too, ESPECIALLY when just ambling around, windows down...sometimes just changing gears for the hell of it! (On any kind of spirited run, 3rd and 4th pretty much suffice). The exhaust note is partly a function of it running as a pair of straight sixes (No mixing), and partly to do with Luca de Montezemelo's

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

Another good video content cheers

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

Beautiful car James, congratulations on obtaining your dream car!

Congratulations. Excited to see some big Europe trips, what this car was designed for. Maybe some Top Gear style races?

Simply simply lovely !! Well done mate 👌