Yes, you can daily drive a Ferrari F12, but it requires accepting costs and inconveniences that most car owners never face

The Ferrari F12 Berlinetta is a 12-cylinder grand tourer built between 2012 and 2017, designed to cover long distances at high speed. Unlike a track-only supercar, it has a trunk, a passenger seat, and a real windshield. Owners do daily drive them — to work, to restaurants, to track days. But "can" and "should" are different questions. The F12 will cost you roughly $3,000 to $5,000 per year in routine maintenance alone, demands premium fuel, requires specialized service, and offers almost no cargo space, poor visibility, and a ride stiff enough to feel every pothole. Insurance runs $2,000 to $4,000 annually depending on your age and location. You will also spend time explaining to mechanics why their standard tools do not fit, and to parking attendants why you cannot fit in a standard space.

The real question is not whether the car works as a daily driver — it does — but whether you are willing to pay the price and accept the trade-offs. Most F12 owners do not daily drive them. They keep them garaged, drive them on weekends or to special events, and maintain them carefully to preserve resale value. A daily-driven F12 is a statement that you value the experience of driving the car more than you value its resale value or your wallet.

Key Takeaways

  • Routine maintenance on an F12 costs $3,000 to $5,000 per year and must be performed by Ferrari dealers or specialists, not your local shop.
  • The car requires premium fuel, has a 12-gallon tank, and returns roughly 10 to 12 miles per gallon in mixed driving, meaning frequent fill-ups and $3,600 to $5,400 annually in fuel costs for typical commuting.
  • Insurance, registration, and storage in winter climates add $2,000 to $4,000 annually on top of fuel and maintenance.
  • The F12 has no back seat, a small trunk, and a stiff suspension that transmits every road imperfection, making it uncomfortable for commuting and impractical for cargo.
  • Depreciation, repair costs after accidents, and the need for specialized parts mean a daily-driven F12 becomes expensive quickly if anything goes wrong.

What Maintenance Actually Costs on an F12

Ferrari recommends service every 7,500 miles or annually, whichever comes first. A basic service — oil change, filter replacement, fluid checks — runs $1,500 to $2,500 at a Ferrari dealer. Brake fluid replacement, required every two years, costs $800 to $1,200. Spark plugs, which should be changed every 20,000 miles, run $1,200 to $1,800 for the set because the engine sits behind the seats and requires significant disassembly to reach them.

Tires for the F12 are Pirelli P Zero performance tires, sized 245/35R20 front and 285/35R20 rear. A full set costs $2,500 to $3,500 installed. They wear faster than standard tires because the car weighs 3,273 pounds and produces 730 horsepower — you will replace them every 15,000 to 20,000 miles if you drive normally, sooner if you push the car. Brake pads last roughly 20,000 miles and cost $1,500 to $2,000 per set. If you need transmission fluid, suspension work, or anything involving the engine internals, costs climb into five figures quickly. A transmission fluid change runs $2,000 to $3,000. Suspension repairs start at $3,000 and go up from there.

Fuel Consumption and Tank Range

The F12 has a 12-gallon fuel tank and a 12-cylinder engine that produces 730 horsepower. In mixed city and highway driving, you will see 10 to 12 miles per gallon. That means a full tank gives you roughly 120 to 144 miles of range. On the highway at steady speeds, you might stretch it to 15 miles per gallon, but in stop-and-go traffic or spirited driving, expect 8 to 10 miles per gallon.

The car requires 98-octane premium fuel in Europe and 91-octane minimum in the United States, though 93-octane is recommended. You cannot use regular unleaded without risking engine knock and potential damage. At current prices, filling a 12-gallon tank costs $45 to $60 depending on your location and fuel grade. If you drive 12,000 miles per year — a typical commute — you will spend $3,600 to $5,400 on fuel alone, assuming an average of 11 miles per gallon. That is more than most people spend on fuel for their entire household.

Insurance, Registration, and Storage

Insurance for an F12 depends on your age, driving record, and location. Drivers under 30 typically pay $3,000 to $5,000 per year. Drivers over 40 with clean records might pay $1,500 to $2,500. The car is a theft target and a high-value claim, so insurers price accordingly. You will also need comprehensive and collision coverage with a low deductible — a $1,000 deductible is standard, but a $500 deductible adds roughly $200 to $400 per year.

Registration varies by state. In California, registration on a $200,000 car runs roughly $500 to $800 per year. In New York, it is similar. Some states charge based on vehicle value, others on weight or engine size. Check your state's DMV website for the exact formula. If you live in a cold climate, you will also need winter storage — either a heated garage or a storage facility — which costs $150 to $400 per month for six months, adding $900 to $2,400 annually. In warm climates, outdoor storage with a car cover is an option, but UV exposure and weather will degrade the paint and interior over time.

Practical Driving Limitations

The F12 is 187 inches long, 76 inches wide, and sits 51 inches tall. It will not fit in a standard parking space in most garages. Many parking structures have height restrictions of 6 feet 6 inches; the F12 is 4 feet 3 inches tall, so it clears, but the width means you need two spaces or a very wide single space. Valet parking becomes a negotiation — many attendants refuse to park supercars because of liability concerns. You will spend time explaining to parking attendants that you cannot fit in a compact space, and to security guards that the car is yours and not stolen.

The interior is cramped. There is no back seat. The trunk holds roughly 13 cubic feet of cargo — enough for a small duffel bag or a couple of grocery bags, not a week's worth of shopping. The windshield is small, the side windows are small, and visibility over the shoulder is poor. The suspension is tuned for performance, not comfort; you will feel every pothole, every seam in the pavement, and every expansion joint on the highway. Road noise is loud. The steering is heavy. In traffic, the car is tiring to drive. A 45-minute commute in an F12 is exhausting in a way that a 45-minute commute in a Camry is not.

What Happens When Something Breaks

If you hit a pothole and damage a wheel, a replacement Ferrari wheel costs $1,500 to $2,500. If you scrape the side on a parking structure, body work starts at $5,000 and climbs quickly depending on the damage. If you need a new bumper, expect $3,000 to $5,000 plus paint and labor. If the transmission develops a problem, repair costs run $8,000 to $15,000 or more. If the engine needs internal work, you are looking at $20,000 to $50,000.

Parts are not stocked at local shops. A Ferrari dealer must order them, which takes time. If you need a part that is no longer in production, you may need to source it from a specialty supplier or salvage yard, which adds cost and delay. Rental car coverage is usually included in insurance, but you will be driving a Hertz economy car while your F12 sits in the shop for weeks. The longer the car sits, the more likely you are to encounter additional issues — fuel system problems, battery drain, tire flat spots — that add more repair time and cost.

Depreciation and Resale Value

A used F12 purchased for $150,000 to $200,000 will depreciate roughly 8 to 12 percent per year depending on mileage, condition, and market conditions. A car with 50,000 miles will be worth significantly less than one with 10,000 miles. High-mileage F12s — those with 80,000 miles or more — are harder to sell and command lower prices because buyers worry about unknown mechanical issues and upcoming major service costs.

If you daily drive the F12, you will accumulate miles quickly. A 12,000-mile annual commute adds 60,000 miles in five years. At that point, the car will be worth 30 to 40 percent less than when you bought it, and you will have spent $15,000 to $25,000 on maintenance, $18,000 to $27,000 on fuel, and $10,000 to $20,000 on insurance. The total cost of ownership over five years could easily exceed $50,000 to $75,000 beyond the purchase price. That works out to $10,000 to $15,000 per year in running costs alone, before you factor in depreciation.

Who Actually Daily Drives an F12, and Whether You Should

Owners who daily drive F12s tend to fall into two categories: wealthy collectors who can absorb the costs without thinking about them, and enthusiasts who accept the expense as the price of driving a car they love. Most F12 owners do not daily drive them. They keep them garaged, drive them on weekends or to special events, and maintain them carefully to preserve resale value. A daily-driven F12 is a statement that you value the experience of driving the car more than you value its resale value or your wallet.

If you are considering daily driving an F12, be honest about your budget. Can you afford $5,000 to $8,000 per year in maintenance and fuel without stress? Can you handle the inconvenience of a stiff ride, poor visibility, and no cargo space? Can you accept that a minor accident will cost thousands to repair? If the answer to all three is yes, then you can daily drive an F12. If not, consider a used Porsche 911 or Corvette instead — they offer similar performance with lower running costs, better practicality, and parts availability at standard repair shops.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often do I need to service an F12?

Ferrari recommends service every 7,500 miles or annually, whichever comes first. If you drive 12,000 miles per year, you will exceed the mileage interval and need service twice per year. Each service costs $1,500 to $2,500 at a Ferrari dealer.

Can I take an F12 on a long road trip?

Technically yes, but it is uncomfortable. The 12-gallon tank means you will stop for fuel every 120 to 150 miles. The stiff suspension and small windows make highway driving tiring. The trunk is too small for luggage. Most F12 owners reserve the car for weekend drives or track days rather than multi-day trips.

What is the cheapest way to own an F12?

Buy a used F12 with higher mileage (40,000 to 60,000 miles) from a private seller rather than a dealer, which saves 10 to 20 percent on purchase price. Keep it garaged and drive it sparingly — 3,000 to 5,000 miles per year — to minimize maintenance and tire wear. Use a Ferrari specialist for service rather than a dealer when possible, though this is not always cheaper, just sometimes faster.

Will an F12 fit in my garage?

If your garage is at least 19 feet long and 8 feet wide with 7 feet of clearance, yes. Most residential garages are 18 feet by 9 feet, which is tight but workable if you are careful. Measure before you buy. If you park outside, the car will need a car cover to protect the paint from UV and weather.

Is an F12 more reliable than other supercars?

The F12 is generally reliable for a supercar, but "reliable" is relative. It has a long history of the 12-cylinder engine, and most owners report few major issues if the car is maintained on schedule. However, any supercar is more likely to have unexpected problems than a standard car, and repairs are exponentially more expensive.