| Author | Message | ||
| Racer 001 (Mr_0011)
New member Username: Mr_0011 Post Number: 7 Registered: 3-2002 |
"IMHO nothing compares to the visceral excitement generated by the 360 Spider. It is as close to an F-1 car as I am going to get." Same reason I like the 360, Solly. It's so raw and edgy. It's like and F1 car, no F15 fighter jet, for the road.  | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Junior Member Username: Whart Post Number: 167 Registered: 12-2001 |
Yep, 448. love it.particularly the stretch from the top of the hill above tarrytown thru those curves up to the stop sign. after you take a left (the road surfaces to the right, going down to the resevoir, are just too nasty), and go up along the farm, it is scenic, but less fun to drive. | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 606 Registered: 6-2001 |
W hart, is that windy road you describe rt 448? You were within 2 miles of my house and i was actualy over by where u were near phelps. Hopefully i'll run into u (not literally)one of these days. | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Member Username: Parkerfe Post Number: 743 Registered: 9-2001 |
I too like both the 360 and the 550. And the Dino reference to the 360 is a compliment, not an insult. Hey, I currently have a Dino ! But, IMHO for almost the same money the 550 beats the 360 hands down as the car to own. | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
Member Username: Solly Post Number: 258 Registered: 6-2001 |
Could have bought any F-car I wanted (except the F-50) as part of my bonus this year. Drove the 456, 550 (but not the Barchetta) as well as numerous older models. IMHO nothing compares to the visceral excitement generated by the 360 Spider. It is as close to an F-1 car as I am going to get. Liked the 550, but didn't feel the same rush. To each his own. | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Junior Member Username: Whart Post Number: 166 Registered: 12-2001 |
Tino is correct. These cars are quiet unless you install an aftermarket exhaust. The Barchetta is smoother on take up and seems to deliver more low end torque than my 97 Maranello did. It also seems much tighter; it may be a function of a brand new car (i have put 4k miles on it), compared to the Maranello, which i bought used and needed some fettling. I have stayed away from the tuner exhausts on the last couple of cars, cause i seemed to have a streak of bad luck, wherein i was getting speeds for 65 in a 45 and 78 in a 55, based, i think, on the boominess of the exhaust. Now, granted, i have had a few tickets since then too, even running in stealth mode. The whole thing about 550 v 360 does seem to me to be a nonstarter 'cause they are such different cars. Each to his own; there are attributes of both i like. And vendettas fit right in with good ole italian tradition. mille gracie. | ||
| Tino (Bboxer)
Junior Member Username: Bboxer Post Number: 61 Registered: 8-2001 |
Actually the 550 Barchetta is even (engine/exhaust) quieter than a regular 550 because of the top down and tire/street noise. The 550 is already pretty quiet. | ||
| Manu Sachdeva (Manu)
Junior Member Username: Manu Post Number: 119 Registered: 2-2002 |
Woah guys - take it easy. Everyone is entitled to their opinion. If Frank fancies the 550, good for him. If he HATES the 360 he is entitled to do so as is EVERYONE on this board. Hell, if he wants to lead a VENDETTA against a car he doesn't like then that's his right too...... By the way Whart - what a fantastic post!!! A 550 Barchetta? Unbelievable - that engine must sound simply staggering with the roof down - Wonderful! More descriptions of the noise please..... | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Junior Member Username: Whart Post Number: 165 Registered: 12-2001 |
Yee, Gawd. I had forgotten what it was like to drive the 550. Mine has been cooped up all winter (why, there was no snow and the salt brigade was not out in full force either).I took it out today for the first time since November, when i tucked it into the garage for the duration. I had lost the sense memory of what driving it was like. I had been used to the bigger F cars for some time now (maranello before the Barchetta; boxer before that), but it was a revelation. Big clutch push, more power and torque than i'll ever use and i'm out on the two lane roads immediately, getting back the feel. Switch to a country road that climbs up past the Rockefeller estate, north of Tarrytown, push the throttle deep and i'm winging around the curves i take at 60 in the BMW at close to 90, and there's lots more room. Swing down onto 117, stomp on it (now its all coming back to me) and a hard right, onto the entrance ramp of the Taconic. Here it is six lanes, all contoured, cambered right, and i fly. I could be gone in third, but i get the revs up, push into 4th gear, and dammit, let's see why i think i wanted one of these cars in the first place. Braking hard is easy,and even without a tubi exhaust the thing booms and sings, and i'm going faster than i ever would in a normal car, very little wind noise, ease up, OK, back down below 100, fit into the traffic pattern again. Why would i ever think of giving up 12 cylinders. Glad i got that out of my system! | ||
| Racer 001 (Mr_0011)
New member Username: Mr_0011 Post Number: 6 Registered: 3-2002 |
Frank: The 360 rules. Just face it. ;) :p | ||
| martin J weiner,M.D. (Mw360)
Member Username: Mw360 Post Number: 361 Registered: 5-2001 |
Give it up ,Frank.Your vendetta against the 360 is getting very old and tiresome. | ||
| Brian Kennedy (Kennedy)
New member Username: Kennedy Post Number: 20 Registered: 3-2002 |
Frank, although I don't consider the 360's Dino-likeness a negative, your implication that the 360 is not *all* Ferrari is lame. In fact, the 360 is far more like the F50, the ultimate Ferrari, than it is like a Dino. With good pics, the similarity is even more striking... even some of the subtle lines and details are similar...  | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
Member Username: Timn88 Post Number: 604 Registered: 6-2001 |
wm hart, would you ever consider getting rid of the 550 barchetta? i'd have some trouble doing that. Its such a beautiful machine, and its rare as hell. | ||
| Jason (Jason)
New member Username: Jason Post Number: 21 Registered: 11-2001 |
What a silly discussion, both cars are the best in their categories, GT and sports car. I don't understand the constant arguments on this. As far as calling the 360 a bad car, just use the current market as an indicator of how most people feel about the car. The used values for similar mileage '99 360s and '99 550s are nearly identical. That says everything about how well liked the car is considering the 550's MSRP was ~$60k more in '99. | ||
| Manu Sachdeva (Manu)
Junior Member Username: Manu Post Number: 116 Registered: 2-2002 |
Frank, I totally agree... However, the 360 is simply fantastic too. Remember guys there is no rule which says you can only own one car..... | ||
| wm hart (Whart)
Junior Member Username: Whart Post Number: 164 Registered: 12-2001 |
They are two very different cars; like comparing apples and Germany. I usually only have 1 F car at a time (expense, and given the money, i'd rather have 1 good 1 than two mediocre ones); recently had the opportunity to consider selling my 550 barchetta for money+ 360 spyder. Aside from the fact that the money wasn't enough, i still have some trepidation about going back to an 8 cyl car, although the 550 is a bit of a barge; i like the smaller tossable quality of the 3-cars. I guess the only answer is to have both. Would have a daytona plus, say a dino or 308, but those cars are getting old and i drive these things. Maybe a 360 and a boxer, hell, i don't know, but for now, i think i am hanging on to the 550 b. In the meantime, 550 Maranellos are a pretty good buy; i've seen some 99's at prices lower than the 97 was a year or so ago. | ||
| Racer 001 (Mr_0011)
New member Username: Mr_0011 Post Number: 2 Registered: 3-2002 |
I'd take the 360 thank you very much. It's a mid engined, high revving, F1 style, racy machine. Exactly what I want from a Ferrari. They make great GTs, no doubt, but I love what the 360 is, and that's MUCH more than the sum of it's parts. | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Member Username: Parkerfe Post Number: 741 Registered: 9-2001 |
Willis, my, my aren't we touchy. I never "slammed" the 360. While I dislike the 360s looks, I realize it's the best Dino since the 246. Hey, I can dislike something and still acknowledge it has virtue. I don't like spinach but understand its good for me. The 360 just doesn't compare to the 550. | ||
| Modified348ts (Modman)
Junior Member Username: Modman Post Number: 120 Registered: 11-2001 |
Nah.. just stick with the 8 | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
Member Username: Willis360 Post Number: 599 Registered: 8-2001 |
It's alway interesting to hear your periodic slams against the 360, Frank. Enjoy your 550 when you get it. I'll probably have a V12 car along side my 360 by then. | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Member Username: Parkerfe Post Number: 740 Registered: 9-2001 |
Well I got to drive a 2001 550 today when I went to pick up my 348 Spider. I have previously driven a 360 coupe. IMHO you guys paying those big bucks for a 360 are nuts ! The 550 is 10 times the car the 360 will ever hope to be. PERIOD. It drives better, sounds better, is more comfortable and looks better than any Ferrrai since the 365GTB Daytona. Any car whatsoever for that matter. And it is a front engined V12 just like God and Enzo intended Ferraris to be. I have made up my mind to get me a 550 soon. It is the opinion of the service manager at FOA that the 550 prices will drop to $100k or so once the 575 replacement comes out in 2004. That's when one will be mine! by the way, according to him the 550 is the most reliable Ferrari he has seen in his over 15 years working on Ferraris. |