Hi All, New member here and about to pull the trigger on my first Ferrari, a huge dream of mine! I've found 2 cars but have a few decisions: 2002 360 Spider - 5k miles - All papers, records, etc. - 1 previous owner - $25k+ in nice clean mods (brembo brakes, H&R springs, carbonio intake, etc) - F1 gearbox - Clean (all maintenance, clutch life, timing belt, etc.) 2007 F430 - 28k miles - All papers, records, etc. - 3 previous owners - 1 minor fender bender accident, bumper repainted, etc. - F1 gearbox - All maintenance has been done, but clutch life is about 35% The Spider is stunning in that it is pristine and has been well cared for. The F430 has that more updated look and design, but has definitely been more driven and "enjoyed". Price wise, they are essentially priced identically, hence my dilemma! What do you all think? Cheers, Mike
Mike, a coupe and a spider are very different. If you have the option of driving both it may help you solidify the decision. Given number of days you would drive the car and of those days the weather conditions how often will you be able to take advantage of the open top? If there is a possibility of wanting to track the car a coupe would be the better choice. Both cars sound good and either one will be driveable and enjoyable. Good luck with your purchase.
I dunno...say you put 10K Miles on before you start to look for your next car. One will be almost 40K on the odometer and not easy to get rid of and the other a mid teen example. So you may pay more keeping the 360 maintained I am not sure. Low clutch is sort of a bother in my mind. Because it's money and time that you can't use the car. Tough choice! Good problem to have! Do you already have a mechanic? Your profile is a bit "light" so it's tough to consider what kind of conditions you will be living with.
Neither. Save up an additional 20% and get a 458 unless its a stick. FYI mods are completely worthless on a Ferrari. You'll be the only person that pays for them. The next owner will ask less because its not original.
I am going with the 360. 1 owner, 5k miles. I know a 430 can be tempting. But think about it carefully.
^This. The 458 is epic, less maintenance, and less likely to cause wallet drain. If the 360 were a stick, the choice would be more difficult.
anyone heard about the dual clutch failures on 458? i am keeping a close watch. 458's less maintenance until that happens.....i dunno enough about it
OP is looking at a 30k miles f430 coupe..it's probably selling for like 90k at most. You need at least 70k more for a high mile 458 it will really be wonderful if u just need 20% more
To drive and enjoy, or to resell later? The low mile 360 may require significantly more maintenance than a somewhat driven 430 so you should be able to drive and enjoy the 430 with less hassle. Doubtful that either will appreciate in the future. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The 360 hasn't been driven enough, I also wouldn't want a Spider, so in this instance the 430 would be my choice.
Gents, Thanks for all the great opinions and advice! Really excited to be getting into an Fcar as I'm coming from a 997.1 Porsche Turbo. I know some of you mentioned my profile being light, etc. So some more details on how I will use the car: - Weekend car - Only take out in good weather - I baby all my cars - At most, maybe 1-2 light track days (at most!) - Spirited driving on backroads Currently have a 997.1 Turbo and a RS6 as my daily driver. And someone commented on both cars being in the $90-100k range, and that's correct. I'm trying to be responsible on price range for my first Ferrari before maybe taking the leap into the next echelon with a 458, etc. I typically drive the weekend car around 5k miles/year so had the same thought someone mentioned which was: - After 2 years, the F430 will have 40k miles while the 360 would have 15k. I'm 100% not buying the cars for appreciation or guaranteed resale, but do have concerns as to whether a 40k+ (I would prob sell after 2 years) would be any less desirable vs. a still relatively lower mileage 360. You guys mentioned maintenance on the 360. Would that apply even in the case with the belt, etc. having been done recently already?
And yes, I absolutely plan to drive both this upcoming week before making a decision, that's definitely the most key part!
If you're coming from a 997.1 turbo, the 360 will disappoint you in every aspect outside of exterior appearance.
I think both are great choices for entry into Ferrari... (not that I have owned any other F other than my 430..), relatively modern, reliable, well priced. If u are selling in 2 years (which is a really short amount of time)... the 40k miles 430 might be at mid 80s, high 70s if u are desperate. The 360 is tough to say tho, I felt their pricing have gone up in the past 2 years. 90-100k for a 360 today might be inflated? Buddy of mine sold his 360 for the same price he paid 2 years ago, he bought it with 4K miles. If the market trend for 360 continues u will be in good shape in the 360, it all just depends how hard the 430 drops which might push 360 lower. But if the 360 corrects back in pricing u might be looking at a 20-30k loss...def think about depreciation. As for maintenance it's hard to say with f cars. U might pay more for maintenance on the 360 but also pay more for repairs on the 430 on the wear and tear items Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
You mentioned occasional light track days. Remember, local tracks and/or clubs may restrict their event to NO Convertibles. Just ask event organizers in advance and know this before you purchase your first Ferrari.
If you truly plan to sell in 2 years, I think both cars would present challenges with resale. With the 430 I would be concerned about the fender bender. That will always hurt you at resale with a Ferrari, especially on a car where literally hundreds of F1 430's are for sale, buyers can just skip to the next car. Also as you mentioned, 40k miles in 2 years of driving is not an easy sell either. With the 360, there was a recent thread on here about if F1 360s are a sub $60k car, as the owner was frustrated to have had had his car for sale for a long time with little interest. It is definitely a buyers market for F1 360s currently. The F1 gear box on the 360 is pretty slow, and very dated by modern sports car standards. This older F1 doesn't appeal to a lot of sports car buyers that aren't loyal Ferrari guys like us.
