| Author | Message | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 277 Registered: 6-2001 |
Drove my Dino in the wet a lot last summer-no problems at all. Drove the 360 Spider in the rain for a few hours a few weeks ago, and it handled beautifully, very reassuring. No leaks at all. Slight wheelspin on wet takeoff, but no big deal. | ||
| Dave (Maranelloman)
Junior Member Username: Maranelloman Post Number: 161 Registered: 1-2002 |
Mitch, I saw your 355 today over at Moorespeed! Like Mitch, I also drove my car, a 550, in wet weather at TWS. First, it did not melt (perhaps a revelation to some...). Second, what Mitch said echoes my experience, with one exception: I had then-new P-Zero Assimetrico's on the car. These tires are not known to be even marginally adequate wet tires when broken in...and they were really squirrelly that day, new, in the wet. By squirrelly I mean the fronts understeered a LOT more than before the rain came when they were on wet sharp curves. Now, the 550 is a heavy car, and will understeer if you do not brake enough even in the dry. But it felt perfectly balanced on new tires before it got wet, but a little push-happy in the wet that day. | ||
| Ken Thomas (Future328driver)
Junior Member Username: Future328driver Post Number: 125 Registered: 12-2001 |
I think maybe we need to ask the real expert in this area - Micheal Schumacher  | ||
| Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
New member Username: Mitch_alsup Post Number: 39 Registered: 4-2002 |
I drove My F355 in a slight rain at TWS about 4 weeks ago. Other than aproaching the limits a little faster, there was no change in the cars basic behavior, just the rate at which you can approach that limit. A college kid came up and ask for a ride. I ask him "how brave are you?". He got in anyway. On the third lap exiting the carrosel and driving around a big puddle of water on the track, the tail stepped out about 18" on me! A quick correction and it jumped back 18" in the other direction. "Great, I say to mayself, an inverted snap spin". But NO, a quick correction to the other side and the car came back into alignment with the basic direction of the track. I never got out of the throttle, so I look over at my passenger and ask "are you scared yet?" as we dive down into turn 9 at full song. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
Advanced Member Username: Magoo Post Number: 2706 Registered: 2-2001 |
My 308GTS does not leak when it rains. Know your car and use some caution on wet roads as with any car. The GTS is trustworthy to a point, just don't over do it. | ||
| BretM (Bretm)
Advanced Member Username: Bretm Post Number: 2590 Registered: 2-2001 |
My GTS never leaks at all. The only time water will come in is if the window is cracked and you go around the corner, then all the water on the roof comes pouring in. The Ferrari has been fine in the rain, no melting yet. Just watch out for big time oversteer around slow corners, if you so much as touch the gas you will instantly find yourself either facing the opposite direction or towards the side of the road. As long as you drive cautiously it works fine in the rain IMO. | ||
| Norm Plaistowe (Normp)
New member Username: Normp Post Number: 43 Registered: 11-2001 |
If you're talking about a drop top- they'll leak. I drove my Mondial many times in the rain and I always got a little wet, a small price to pay for all the great times when the sun was out. In any other F-car as long as you use your brain you won't have a problem. Remember they all come with windshield wipers, Enzo wanted you to drive in the rain....Norm | ||
| Ric Rainbolt (Ricrain)
Junior Member Username: Ricrain Post Number: 101 Registered: 2-2002 |
In fact (I forgot this) my profile shows me driving the 348 in the rain at high speed... Laguna Seca. | ||
| Ric Rainbolt (Ricrain)
Junior Member Username: Ricrain Post Number: 100 Registered: 2-2002 |
On decent tires, the 3X8 Ferrari is actually better in the rain than most other sports cars, due to the fact that the weight bias is over the driven wheels. I've driven my 308 in the rain quite a bit. Once for a 6 hour road trip that was entirely in the rain. I've also driven the 348 in both rain and snow. The A/C is important, because if it's a cool spring rain, the window will fog up worse than any other car I've ever driven and you need the compressor to dry the air. The GTSi leaks. The GTB I had leaked a little. The TR doesn't leak at all. The 348ts leaks at the corners of the targa top, but not nearly as bad as it used to, since I put the uprgraded seals on it. I'm told the 355 seals kit is even better, but still not perfect. Stability, drivability and other handling is just fine, if you don't induce oversteer from excess throttle (which is tempting to do!!). | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 885 Registered: 6-2001 |
If you dont act stupid usually any car is fine in the rain. The rain is probably fun to explore the limits of the car in a parking lot. | ||
| Jack (Gilles27)
Member Username: Gilles27 Post Number: 263 Registered: 3-2002 |
I got caught in the rain the 2nd day I had my 328. I couldn't have been more pleased, especially since I had been given the impression not to expect great things. The wipers worked like new, and traction wasn't an issue in town or on the highway. When I put up my window, the car began to fog, but cleared immediately when I turned on the fan. That was especially remarkable for me, since I hadn't yet taken the time to study the AC/Heater/Defog controls. Guess I got lucky. | ||
| Marcus Mayeux (Mmayeux73)
Junior Member Username: Mmayeux73 Post Number: 139 Registered: 4-2002 |
I think a previous poster said it best "Your Ferrari is not made out of sugar, so it is not going to melt" hail is a different story! Thank you very much for the feed back frederick. The reason I asked is because I own an Audi w/ Quattro and it handles awesome in dry and wet conditions and I wanted to see how the rear wheel drive F-cars did. I am in no way comparing the two I just wanted to see how F-cars handled in different conditions. -thanks! | ||
| Frederick Thomas (Fred)
Member Username: Fred Post Number: 448 Registered: 2-2001 |
I have been caught in the rain a couple of times in my 308, once it was raining really hard. It seemed pretty steady to me. I wasn't going very fast, about the posted speed limit (65) I would say. The car felt fine, the wipers worked good and and it didn't leak. The only way in would have been better is if I wasn't caught in the rain in the first place. | ||
| Marcus Mayeux (Mmayeux73)
Junior Member Username: Mmayeux73 Post Number: 137 Registered: 4-2002 |
Starting with the 308/328 and so on... Cornering: Lane changes: Speed limit: High speed: so on... |