June, 7th, 2016
Actually, we wanted to take time before issuing the second part to this thread. Actually, our intention of this thread was –and still is- to provide the owners of the “sticky”-threatened cars with a proper solution in Europe. One has not to be a Postmaster General and used to customs to recognise that shipping of goods, even if owned privately, holds a grab bag of potential troubles in stock. However, within the Ferrari-community one has a good chance to meet several really odd fish and this is what happened to us as reaction of a very few people to the first part of our “Sticky-Thread”.
Being an economist himself, Matthias Urban shows full understanding that the appearance of a potential rival in business is very different compared to winning the lottery jackpot, but it’s going too far to react with statements like “every Mercedes workshop can do it” or “if it is that company I assume, their products are not too good”. Gosh, bromides and judging without facts may belong to you – that’s something we just do not need. To make it even more funny for that guys, we will provide the contact data for the workshop on request for people who are looking for an offer the get their sticky parts refurbished, just leave us a message at info@f-register.com and you’ll receive contact data incl. a recommendation within the next 24 hours so that your request will reach the owner of the workshop directly.
A minor replacement of shabby parts before stickiness occurs
Ok, this introduction had to be made, but, now, let’s focus on the thread itself again and become serious and stay calm. How to we continue? First of all, let’s investigate an option on the F355 beside the complete refurbishing for those, where stickiness has not started –we sadly have to say: yet-. The HVAC panel around the temperature regulator often is the first part that becomes shabby and rippled. Superperfomance, an internet shop in the UK, offers a replacement of the HVAC panels, available for Centigrade as well as for Fahrenheit. The first picture of today’s Slide Show show the panel installed with turning knobs that have begun to turn sticky after a year of installation of the panel. The panel’s price is £46 plus shipping and a fair investment if the complete refurbishment is not needed yet.
Stickiness is here and what to do now?
The refurbishment of sticky parts is a good task for periods of chilly weather as the things you need are: time (what’s obviously wrong as a date arrangement with the workshop who does the refurbishment comes first) , manual dexterity or a good and reliable mechanic – finally we are talking about Ferraris and not handicraft work on a Beetle or a 2 CV.
We found it easier to remove the sticky parts after we removed the seats before. This is a good opportunity for leather care. Matthias does it annually and bi-annually the seats are removed to take care of them outside the car and to have more space in the car to do leather care to the dash, the door panels and the rear panel. Having done that one can start to remove the sticky parts. Be sure to wear disposable gloves – it is easier to litter them than to clean the hands with chemical cleaner.
Be “armed with” a camera and do pictures of the parts when they are still in place and picture all of the parts one by one after removal and before packaging. Matthias packed every sticky part separately and wrapped it (no too tight) with air cushion foil. If you look at the pictures of our today’s Slide Show you will find pictures of the parts before being foiled and packed and pictures of the parts unwrapped and you sure will know why wrapping is relevant.
Be aware that once the sticky parts are removed it will be difficult to drive the car, therefore, the removal work should be done at storage as refurbishment will take up to eight weeks!
Work starts now! Remove all parts that need to be refurbished. Be critical, it is better to remove parts as well that only show minor infection. Matthias took the advantage to remove the soft finished triangles of the side windows, the inside door handles and the upper and lower coverage of the steering column. These parts looked good at first glance, but looking around the ignition lock it was very clear that omitting them was not an option. Please note that the knobs for the electric mirrors are covered with a different finish and to our knowledge show no sign of stickiness, they look the same before and after refurbishment. Do not forget to include the ashtray, even if it was never used. Again, be aware, with every turning knob or pushing knob there is a connecting wire - therefore, the involvement of a good and reliable mechanic is no joke, but a good advice.
When all parts a removed and packed for shipment the time planning with the “renovators” should be done. As mentioned above, we are happy to provide you with the contact data. We are talking about a Dutch vintage car dealer who is focused on Ferraris and actually has a dozen F355 in stock. People over there take nit-picky care of the cars and they use an Italian workshop for refurbishment, what means that they are working as an intermediate on refurbishing sticky parts. To date we know of individuals who uses the service as well as we know about official dealers who do so and the result, to be viewed on the parts of Matthias’ car a speaking for itself.
After up to eight weeks the parts return and one has to re-install them and connect the connecting wires properly.
We would be happy to help many of you with this thread and we highly appreciate your experience in writing and/or pictures. If there is any question left, do not hesitate to contact us.
PS: F-Register and all people associated with F-Register do not have any financial or commercial benefit for promoting sticky repair!
June, 5th, 2016
Over the next day we will share with you the experience of our founder, Matthias Urban, who is a proud and nit-picky owner of a 1998 F355 GTS since 2005. The car is driven on season plates and has seen rain two or three times on rare and unavoidable occasions during Matthias’ ownership. The car is maintained strongly during the half year it is not road registered in a heated and monitored workshop by a marque specialist without any hurry.
From 2013 onwards Matthias noticed a very typical issue with the F355 starting: stickiness! Our Subscribers and users know Matthias as being an expert on Ferraris and his task to find out reasons and cure for stickiness. He had already often heard about that issue and learned that there are a few specialized workshops around the world to refurbish the infected parts.
What is “sticky”?
Ferrari has used a certain satin soft finish for all parts of the cockpit that are not of glass, carpet or leather. When of certain age the satin soft finish begins to fade and to sweat. This all happens within a very slow process that gets more and more dynamic during time. In the subsequent stage of stickiness one can watch the change day by day. Starting with the finish to turn from soft to shiny and the sweating output of the finish gets sticky and sticks to anything, if fingers or cloth, with black blurs. The finish of the centre tunnel begins to become rippled. Acetone is said to be a solution – but, you have those little pictograms everywhere that would get lost…
Today’s Slide Show shows the parts on a F355 as example.
The first to address was the official dealer for sure. The workshop supervisor, a very nice guy, told that the issue is well known but options for repair by the Factory are not available, he stated: “Whenever I order an original replacement for sticky infected parts and open the bag, they are as sticky as the parts they should replace”.
Who is effected?
The cars infected are more or less good to limit. It is unclear, if the sticky-issue is already infecting the 348-Series, but we doubt that for the moment. It is very clear that every 456, F355, 550, 575 and even F50 are victims of infection. This sums up to 20,500 cars at the minimum. We have hints that even the 360-series is infected and that F430s feature switches covered with soft finish as well.
What’s next?
Follow this thread when we report about how Matthias found a vintage car dealer in Europe to avoid shipping to the States and expenditure of the customs. Furthermore, it’s time to compare rates and to evaluate time exposure.