5 speed .vs. auto?

I've been thinking about a car in this series for a long, long time.

First of all, I'm not a Ferrari virgin. So I'm familiar with the common F-headaches, etc., and I have a little knowledge about this series in general (rear suspension issues, etc.).

But.....

Can you guys tell me a bit about reliability and repair expense of the 2 gearboxes? I know the internals of the auto are GM, and a competent mechanic should be able to fix it. But what about the 5 speed? Durable? Syncro issues? Parts availability? How much for a new clutch?

I'd rather have the manual, but if it were to take a dump and I found myself with a $10K repair bill, well, I would probably be better off with the auto.

Actually, in this type of car, I would probably prefer an auto if it were not a 3 speed. But the auto gearbox in the 456 has terrifyingly expensive issues. So 400 (or 412) it is. Plus I think they look better.

Hans.

 

Hey Hans!!!

How's it going?

Do you still have your 308 GT4?

Dom

 

I originally was looking for a 5 speed but at the time couldn't find a decent one out there. then I found my car and bought it and couldn't be more happy..every thing happens for a reason..

 

Dom: Better double check your garage. Seems there is a red/black GT4 in mine. Black seats, red piping. Coincidence? I think not. hehe

The old gal is doing well. About 32K miles at this time. But I'm afraid time is running out on the timing belts, and my mechanic just passed away. I don't know where I can take it within some reasonable distance. I don't mind doing most maintenance myself, but I like to defer to an expert on this.

I take it then that you have an auto. As mentioned, I probably would prefer an auto in a GT car, but I think this one needs closer gear spreads and a taller top gear than you can get with the 3 speed. I don't actually know this, but I suspect that the taller 5th gear in the manual would give better mileage (not that we buy these things as econoboxes, but every little bit helps) as well as less wear-and-tear from the reduced rpm at hiway speeds. I've also heard that the acceleration really wakes up with the 5 speed.

I wish I could drive samples of each, but living in the middle of west-nowhere gives almost no opportunities.

Hans.

 

Just wondering, any one look at a more modern GM transmission with four speeds? Since fourth is an OD you could even go with the 4.30 rear gears. It could be the best of both worlds!

 

I was set on a 5 speed from the beginning when I was looking for mine. I drove probably 6 or 7 and then an auto just to see what the difference was like. My impression was that I liked the 5 speed more, but the auto that I drove was in a fairly congested area on Long Island and so I didn't get as much opportunity as I might have liked to really stick my foot in it to see what it was like with more aggressive driving. The 5 speed does have a higher rear end ratio plus the overdrive 5th, so those two factors plus the extra gears means that the performance is pretty responsive at any speed, as long as you're in the right gear. As much as the V12s are known for lots of torque, it really doesn't start to come in until about 3,000 rpm or so and having the manual transmission makes it a lot easier to be in the right rev range if you want to have a little fun.

After 15,000 miles with my 5 speed, I have no issues with the transmission. It is very solid, doesn't show any sign of being fragile and overall seems to be very stout and well built. It is not a fast shifting transmission, especially going up into 2nd, but other than that, it is a lot of fun to drive. No experience replacing the clutch yet, but I've been told that it is about a $3K job.

John

 

"not fast, especially going up into 2nd" LOL. It's a Ferrari, isn't it?

$3K for a clutch is a touch steep, but considering it's an F-car, not to be unexpected. But parts availability?

Hans.

 

I've owned both and auto and a 5-speed.

The auto can be rebuilt by any good trans shop. With the auto it is a very easy car to drive. I thought it was a little slow around town with the auto, but when you're out on the road it comes to life. Its all about rev's.

The 5-speed box will indeed cost a ton to get rebuilt. $10k isn't far off. You need to throw any thoughts of fuel savings with the 5-speed out the window. The gearing is so close you won't be able to keep your foot out of it. The clutch is stiff, but not horrible. It takes more effort to drive a 5-speed, obviously.

If you could compare auto and 5-speed cars in the exact same condition a 5-speed will sell for at least $5 to $10k more because there are so few of them around.

 

Hans
There is a little more labor to pull either 5-speed or auto tranny than most cars. The trans and diff are connected with a torque tube. So pulling the transmission starts with unbolting the diff! There is more to it than that but I think you get the idea. So shop labor on a clutch job will have this labor component in it.
Ken

 

So how durable are the 5 speed boxes? Are syncro replacements common or nearly unheard of?

Hans.

 

2nd gear syncro are the weak link. Input shaft bearing another. But after that, I think the term "tractor-like" fits. Virtually repair free.