Alternatives

Although the California and California T are two of the most affordable <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/new-car-deals/make/ferrari">Ferraris</a> of their respective ages, you wouldn't call them cheap – there are plenty of alternative sports cars&nbsp;available at their price points.&nbsp;

For around £50,000, you can pick up a previous-gen <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/audi/r8/coupe/review/n124">Audi R8</a> V10 Spyder. It's an extremely capable machine and one with a sonorous exhaust note, although,&nbsp;being an Audi, it doesn't quite have Ferrari's prestige. It's strictly two seats as well, meaning you miss out on the California's (albeit pea-sized) rear seats.&nbsp;

If you have California T money to spend, consider the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/mercedes-benz/amg-gt/sports/review/n17335">Mercedes-AMG GT Roadster</a>. Again, it doesn't have the Ferrari flair, but you'll be getting a newer car – for £80,000, it'll most likely be a 2018 model.&nbsp;Its V8 is muscular and so is its performance, so it's still plenty exciting.&nbsp;

For all the latest reviews, advice and new car deals, sign up to the&nbsp;<a href="http://pages.haymarket.com/whatcar/wcar-form.html">What Car? Newsletter</a>

If you're interested in finding a&nbsp;used&nbsp;Ferrari California&nbsp;or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Cars For Sale</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed at&nbsp;great prices.

Page 5&nbsp;of 5

Ownership cost

Our recommendations

What is it like?

Reliability

There has been a recall regarding the California's crankshaft. It wasn't manufactured properly and could suffer thermal and dynamic stress as a result. Make sure this work has been completed.

Being a niche car, the California and California T was absent from our latest What Car? <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/news/2022-what-car-reliability-survey/n23397">Reliability Survey</a>. As a brand, Ferrari didn't make an appearance either.&nbsp;

That said, owners have yet to report any major issues regarding the model.&nbsp;

Page 3 of 5

Sports

One of the world’s most famous brands and an integral part of the Formula 1 grid since the first championship in 1950, Ferrari fully lives up to its exalted reputation, producing some of the best sports cars money can buy.

Its entry-level model (although that term hardly seems appropriate) is the Portofino convertible, which is powered by a twin-turbo V8 and capable of blasting from 0-62mph in 3.5sec.

Then further up the range you find the mid-engined 488s, in coupé and Spider forms, and two GT cars: the GTC4 Lusso and the appropriately named 812 Superfast, a V12 monster that can hit 211mph.

FERRARI

CALIFORNIA

There may be sharper&nbsp;modern Ferraris out there, but none are available for California or California T prices.&nbsp;

Used Ferrari California 2009-2017 review

<h3>MPG</h3>

You'll see 22mpg on a good day. The T bumps this figure up to 27mpg.&nbsp;

<h3>Road tax</h3>

The California and California T each come in at £695 per year in <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/car-tax-changes-in-2021-what-do-i-need-to-know/n1153">road tax</a>, unless you happen to have bought one of the final examples that were registered after April 2017 – these attract a flat fee of £180 per year.&nbsp;

<h3>Insurance and servicing</h3>

Have deep pockets for these two things. Servicing is costly and both the regular Cali and the T sit in the maximum insurance group of 50.&nbsp;

Page 2 of 5

Used Ferrari California 2009-2017

There may be more exciting modern Ferraris out there, but none are available for California or California T prices. Exciting to drive and suitably lavish.  

Have at least £55,000 if you fancy&nbsp;an early model. The T tends to go&nbsp;for upwards of £80,000. Final examples from 2017 can rise above £10,000.&nbsp;

Check the value of a used California with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/car-valuation/">What Car? Valuations</a>

Find&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars/ferrari?">used Ferrari cars&nbsp;for sale</a>

The California T is noticeably more modern than the&nbsp;regular California, plus it's faster. However, the normal Cali&nbsp;is more than exciting enough and, by choosing it,&nbsp;you'll save&nbsp;£25,000 (at most).&nbsp;&nbsp;

Customers were allowed to personalise the California almost as they liked inside, so there are likely to be a range of colours and textures on the used market.

Touch-screen sat-nav, a satellite tracking system to pinpoint the car if it's stolen, tyre pressure monitoring, electric heated seats and the full gamut of Formula One-derived traction and stability aids, plus carbon-ceramic brakes are all included.

Our favourite Ferrari California:&nbsp;California

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<h2>What we're looking for:</h2><ul><li>Ride comfort shouldn’t be sacrificed at the altar of handling sharpness</li> <li>Plenty of power from a melodic engine</li> <li>Handling that doesn’t come at the expense of a back-breaking ride​​​​​</li> <li> Practicality is not essential but nice to have </li></ul>

Driving fun is right at the top of any sports car buyer's priority list, and every one of our award candidates has backroad entertainment coded into its DNA.

A few examples you'll see on the used market have racked up more than 50,000 miles, which is a lot for this kind of car. Have a good look around these examples (or any example, for that matter) and make sure there isn't too much wear and tear attached to them. If you can take it for a test drive, do so and make sure everything is ticking away&nbsp;as it should.

The Ferrari California wasn't initially welcomed with open arms. Some didn't believe it was a "real Ferrari", because it was the cheapest model the iconic Italian brand made at the time. As time went on, mind you, many people warmed to its charms.&nbsp;

For starters, its engine is sublime. The 453bhp 4.3-litre V8 not only sounds incredible, but it propels this convertible&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/best/sports-cars/n24412">sports car</a> from 0-62mph in just 3.8sec. You also have&nbsp;its quick-shifting dual-clutch <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/advice/buying/automatic-gearboxes-everything-you-need-to-know/n17022">automatic gearbox</a> to thank for this pace.&nbsp;

In the bends, there are sharper Ferraris out there, such as the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/ferrari/488-gtb/coupe/used-review/n23822">Ferrari 488 GTB 2015-2020</a>, but the California stiff offers up&nbsp;an extremely capable and exciting drive. It makes a commendable attempt at being a comfortable grand tourer, too, although there are alternatives better suited to this kind of work – the <a href="https://www.whatcar.com/bentley/continental-gt/sports/review/n24424">Bentley Continental GT Convertible</a>&nbsp;is but one of them.&nbsp;

In 2014, the California was heavily revised to create the California T (pictured above). It gained a different look, as well as a different engine. Now a&nbsp;twin-turbocharged 552bhp V8, the 0-62mph time came down to 3.6sec. All of its predecessor's&nbsp;great handling qualities remain.&nbsp;

These qualities are enhanced in models with the&nbsp;Handling Speciale (HS) package. Gearchanges are marginally quicker and&nbsp;the ride is firmer, meaning it corners with less body lean than the standard car.

The driving position in the California and California T is especially good, with the wheel (on which most frequently used switches are mounted) positioned right where you want it.&nbsp;

You can get Californias as&nbsp;two-seaters with space for golf bags or suitcases in the cabin, or as a two-plus-two complete with child-seat mounting points.&nbsp;Being realistic, though, it's a two-plus-one at best. There's a 340-litre boot with through-loading into the cabin and it shrinks by only 100 litres with the folding metal roof down.

If you're interested in finding a&nbsp;used&nbsp;Ferrari California&nbsp;or any of the other cars mentioned here, head over to our&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whatcar.com/used-cars">Used Cars For Sale</a>&nbsp;pages to find lots of cars listed at&nbsp;great prices.

Page 1 of 5

Used Ferrari California 2009-2017 reliability

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A few examples you'll see on the used market have racked up more than 50,000 miles, which is a lot for this kind of car. Have a good look around these examples (or any example, for that matter) and make sure there isn't too much wear and tear attached to them. If you can take it for a test drive, do so and make sure everything is ticking away as it should.,,There has been a recall regarding the California's crankshaft. It wasn't manufactured properly and could suffer thermal and dynamic stress as a result. Make sure this work has been completed.,,Being a niche car, the California and California T was absent from our latest What Car? Reliability Survey. As a brand, Ferrari didn't make an appearance either. That said, owners have yet to report any major issues regarding the model. 

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