Insider's view: hassle-free used Ferraris

We'd love to be arriving at Ferrari's Nottingham dealership with the intention of buying a car, but we've simply not got the means. We're here to discuss Ferrari's 'Approved' scheme, which gives buyers of Ferraris up to ten years old the same peace of mind of those buying new.

First impressions

It's hard not to regress to boyish schoolboy when entering Ferrari's Nottingham dealership; after all there's an F50 in one corner, a 430 Scuderia and not one, but two very rare, very limited edition 16M Scuderia Roadsters both with 'sold' stickers on them. One is new, the other having already been through Ferrari's Approved programme. I can't imagine why anyone would want to sell it, but such is the fickle nature of the super rich perhaps it was bought for the summer that never really came. It's been through Ferrari Approved 190-point inspection, which might seem rather excessive given the tiny mileage it's covered, but every single car must meet the strict criteria before it can be sold as officially Approved.

Inspection

There's a gleaming red F430 sitting on a lift in the Ferrari workshop - a place so clean it's more like a surgery. To me it looks fantastic. I'd be happy to buy it if I could, though after a ten minute walk around I'm not so convinced. It might only be a few years old - and the mileage not high - but it seems the miles it has covered have been driven hard and looking closely reveals some battle scars. To my untrained eye the paintwork looks fine, though to the skilled eyes of Ferrari's technician and John Kemp, Ferrari's Aftersales Director, it's a bit of a mess - flat spots, rough patches and some overspray underneath pointing to the fact this car hasn't been a stranger to a spray booth.

Peace of mind

Those lucky enough to be in the position to buy a used Ferrari want just the same as everyone else from their purchase. Ferrari Approved gives buyers real peace of mind, with only the best cars sold with Ferrari's approval. Those cars that are certified are all within nine years old, have covered less than 56,000 miles and are not modified with any unapproved equipment. Those that don't make the grade are either restored to as-new standard or sold off, with only the finest examples making it through Ferrari's rigorous inspection process.

History files, new customer experience

Ferrari's Approved customers leave the dealers with a full tank of fuel, roadside assistance, a year's warranty and the knowledge that their thoroughbred Italian has been properly serviced - with all the paperwork and provenance to prove that's the case. Such is the level of meticulous preparation that the inspection takes over four hours, ensuring that every car sold is as good as new.

Finding your Ferrari

Finding an approved used Ferrari couldn't be simpler either - with a dedicated website allowing you to browse stock. There's everything from 550 Maranellos to seriously rare machines like those 16M Scuderia roadsters. We searched extensively for something we could afford, but even the cheapest - a 360 Modena manual in silver for £45,000 - is a little bit out of our reach. Still, it's nice to dream.

Kyle Fortune