Hi!
Glad you're interested in the 400 series!
I've recently got a 400i, it's a lovely car to drive. Don't worry about the gearbox, it looks after itself and if you want brisk acceleration it'll just change up only when you lift. Otherwise it's quite refined and will change up at 30mph , will just woof along and sound rather like a Harley!
The build quality is much better than people say, the doors are nice and heavy and shut properly and the leather interior is great. I've got several Mercedes of the sixties and seventies so I can compare!
In fact, the level of luxury is rather closer to a Rolls than to a Merc.
Some bits seem to be hyper expensive, others not so, depending on whether Ferrari at the time dipped into other folk's parts bins. For instance, some ignition keys are in fact a BMW design, which a competent locksmith can get blanks for, without involving main dealers, and cheap!
I live in Europe, and the car's just as much at ease on a 4-lane highway as a country lane, though in the latter it tends to get uncomfortable on long drives. The suspension is a delight, though, the chassis really talks to you, you feel it in the steering wheel!The engine's a work of art, makes the good old v8 Merceds look like a truck engine...
So dont be put off by the scaremongers, get a good one and have fun!
P.S: the fuel burn is closer to that of a 747, but that's not too much of a problem across the pond where a lot of the 400 live!
Cheers
Eric
Mercedes 230Sl '66, 300SE Coupe '64, 350 SLC '73, 450 SLC '78... Ferrari 400i
