By: Brian Silvestro
Car warranties are fairly standard across the industry. Buy a new car, get three years and around 40,000 miles of coverage. In this case, when something breaks, the manufacturer is on the hook. Some companies even offer extended coverage for extra peace of mind once the factory warranty expires.
But Ferrari is not your average car company.
The iconic Italian supercar maker sells highly specialized vehicles with unique use cases. As such, its slew of warranty and certification programs reflects the specific needs of its customers. Ferrari offers no fewer than three different types of warranties, ranging from the manufacturer warranty for new cars all the way to specialized coverage for the hybrid batteries in cars like the LaFerrari and SF90 Stradale. It also has three different levels of certification and authenticity verification
Car warranties are fairly standard across the industry. Buy a new car, get three years and around 40,000 miles of coverage. In this case, when something breaks, the manufacturer is on the hook. Some companies even offer extended coverage for extra peace of mind once the factory warranty expires.
But Ferrari is not your average car company.
The iconic Italian supercar maker sells highly specialized vehicles with unique use cases. As such, its slew of warranty and certification programs reflects the specific needs of its customers. Ferrari offers no fewer than three different types of warranties, ranging from the manufacturer warranty for new cars all the way to specialized coverage for the hybrid batteries in cars like the LaFerrari and SF90 Stradale. It also has three different levels of certification and authenticity verification
Usually shrouded in ambiguity, the company has shared some exclusive details that shed light on how these warranties function, which parts are covered, and which cars qualify. The company has also shared exactly what it takes for a Ferrari to achieve Classiche certification.
The Manufacturer Warranty
Like any carmaker, Ferrari offers a factory warranty program with all of its new road cars, regardless of price or rarity. And like most manufacturers, the factory warranty covers the car bumper-to-bumper for three years, save for regular wear and tear. But that’s where the similarities end.
While your average new car warranty has a mileage limit, Ferrari’s does not. This is an unlimited-mileage warranty. That means, theoretically, any new Ferrari owner can put hundreds of thousands of miles on their car in the span of that first three years and still be covered on anything that breaks.
While we’re sure high-mileage edge cases like this exist, Ferrari was not able to provide any specific examples to Motor1.
Full coverage will likely depend on following strict maintenance procedures carried out at certified Ferrari repair locations. It’s unlikely a dealer will cover the replacement of a new engine if you show up after 100,000 miles and no record of past service. But that’s true of most car warranties.
The idea behind offering an unlimited-mileage warranty as standard is obvious. Ferrari knows most owners won’t drive their cars much, meaning they won’t swamp dealers with warranty claims. But it gives buyers that peace of mind knowing they could drive their cars as much as they desire without worrying about a mileage limit. It’s a win-win.
Extended Coverage Plus
After the factory warranty expires, Ferrari will sell you an extended warranty called Extended Coverage Plus. Think of it as a four-year extension to the manufacturer warranty.
Everything covered by the factory warranty applies here, meaning bumper-to-bumper coverage. Consumables like brakes and tires are not covered, obviously, nor are other wear and tear items.
Not every used Ferrari will qualify for Extended Coverage Plus. To be eligible, your Ferrari must be less than 15 years old and have fewer than 75,000 miles on the clock at the time of purchase. So if you drove the wheels off your car to take advantage of that unlimited-mile coverage, sorry, you’re out of luck here.
Almost every modern Ferrari is eligible to be paired with the Extended Coverage Plus program. All versions of the 488, the Portofino, the F8, the SF90, the 296, the 812, the Roma, and the Purosangue qualify. Even cars like the LaFerrari and the Monza can get the extended coverage. Only a select few Limited-series Ferraris, like the Daytona SP3, don’t qualify.
Ferrari declined to share pricing numbers for the Extended Coverage Plus program, saying that ultimately, the price is between you and the dealer. But expect the cost to differ based on whether you have a V-8, V-12, or hybrid-powered car.
Power15
Think of Power15 as a sort of “catch-all” warranty meant to cover Ferraris up to 15 years old that might not otherwise be covered by the two warranties above. It covers cars with up to 56,000 or 75,000 miles (depending on the model).
While Power15 isn’t bumper-to-bumper, its coverage is fairly extensive. Offered on a per-year basis, all of the big stuff worth worrying about is taken care of. Here’s the full list of items covered by Power15, per Ferrari:
• Cooling and injection system
• Engine
• Braking system
• Steering and suspension system
• Air conditioning
• Electrical components
• Retractable hard top
• Exhaust and emission control system
• Gearbox and transmission
Step up to the “Main Power15” package, and this warranty will even cover routine maintenance like oil changes. You’re still on the hook for wear and tear items, though.
It’s through this warranty that LaFerrari owners can have their complex hybrid systems covered. The battery pack is a particularly expensive failure point for these cars, and as such, the warranty costs a bit more for LaF.
While no other hybrid Ferrari battery pack is currently covered by the Power15 program, the company does offer an extended warranty specifically for batteries found in plug-in models like the SF90 and the 296 GTB.
As with the Extended Coverage Plus program, Ferrari declined to share exact pricing, as it’s the dealer who determines final numbers. But like that program, pricing varies depending on car, drivetrain, and whether there’s hybrid systems involved.
Three Levels of Certification
Ferrari Approved
The first level of Ferrari certification isn’t so much a badge of honor as it is an assurance that you’re buying a car that’s all up to date on maintenance and in proper working, original order. It’s essentially just a certified pre-owned program, where dealers perform a 101-point inspection and verify the car’s history.
Ferrari will repair or replace anything that’s not right before offering it as a Ferrari Approved used vehicle. If you want a way to break into the brand and still have the opportunity to access warranty coverage, this is your best bet.
Premium Certificate
Think of the Premium Certificate as a certificate of authenticity for your Ferrari. Having one tells the world your car is fully up to date with the latest and greatest parts, and most recently serviced by qualified experts.
Obtaining a Premium Certificate is no easy task. The car must be unmodified and in good working order. Any parts that are outdated must be replaced with better versions from the factory. All scheduled maintenance must be up to date. Any outstanding recalls should be resolved. And, of course, all of this servicing must be done by qualified Ferrari technicians.
Only when a car turns 10 years old can it receive a Premium Certificate from Ferrari. Weirdly enough, the certificate itself is totally complimentary—there’s no cost to having one issued for your car. But considering all of the money you have to spend on maintenance to get your car to qualify, it’s not exactly free.
Ferrari Classiche
Ferrari Classiche is the final form of authenticity for a Ferrari. Available only once a car reaches 20 years old, it’s the ultimate representation of a car’s overall health and originality.
Securing Classiche certification takes the Premium Certificate process several steps farther. Ferrari looks at five key areas: Chassis number, body number, engine number, gearbox number, and rear axle number. A car can only achieve Classiche certification if three out of five of those numbers are original to the car. Additionally, a bevy of different parts are checked for originality and good working order.
There are a handful of items that can disqualify a Ferrari from Classiche certification, even if it passes the above assessments. A modified exhaust system or non-factory sized wheels, for instance, would be disqualifiers. Repaints are permitted, so long as the new paint color was offered for the car in-period.
Ferrari says Classiche certification can cost anywhere from €3,000 to €18,000 (roughly $3,200 to $19,500), not including any work that needs to be done to restore the car to its original state. If the car already has a Premium Certificate issued, then Classiche certification can be granted free of charge.
Depending on the age and historical significance of the model, research must be performed to verify the car’s authenticity. In some cases, Ferrari goes as far as performing full metallurgic and dimensional checks of the chassis to make sure it matches the company’s historical records.
There’s a great deal of work involved in Classiche certification, but it’s always worth the trouble. The certificate has long been a measure of a Ferrari’s originality and provenance, often mentioned prominently at auctions and in for-sale listings of the most desirable prancing horses.
August 15, 2024