360 Spider as a daily?

Hey guys, I'm seriously considering (it's almost decided) getting a 360 Spider to use as my daily driver in about 1.5 months. Just wanted to find out how many people on here use their 360's as dailies and learn about any potential issues. Also, is there an aftermarket metal hardtop that I can buy for the colder months? Thanks!

 

Search old threads for this question as it has been asked often.

I dont' know of a removable metal hardtop a la Porsche for the 360.

 

Great car. I dont use mine as a daily driver, I imagine the lack of visability while reversing and a feeling similar to abandoning a small child when I park up in town might suggest a cheap daily hack is also required. If your daily driver keeps you out of town, then an excellent choice if you have the pockets for it.

 

A few things that may make it's use as a daily driver annoying:

1. Ground clearance - scrape scrape scrape the nose. Makes me tense whenever I sense an impending scrape which, in NYC, is about every 15 minutes.

2. Visibility out the rear with top up. Big blind spots makes point and shoot moves difficult in traffic. Height of the car also means nobody sees you if you are behind any other car or truck.

3. Attention - car always gets attention whether parked or in motion. This can be bothersome.

 

i think if used as a daily driver it would be very expensive to maintain. The maintenance is very expensive and has to be done on a routine basis. Just doing the clutch once every 1-1.5 yrs as a daily driver you would need to spend 4-6k. I would think that would be the least of your worries. Things will break down and need to be fixed. In my short ownership that i had for about 4 months now, I realized it doesn't matter what you can pay to buy the car...because the maintenace is the same whether you paid 250 or 50k with the 360's. I already spent 8k since i bought it bringing it up to date. Yes, a PPI was done and everything checked out before purchase too. You just got to remember that the maintenance is critical on these cars..other wise you hear stories of ferraris catching on fire. That is not worth saving a couple bucks.

 

Ground clearance and EVERY driveway is a problem. There are plenty that you simply will not be able to get in/out of without significant damage.

Plus when you go to the gym and the spots are all for super compacts. THEN the only open spot is between the mini van and the 70's vintage beater. You will be thinking, YEA that is where I wan to park; then you will drive home to the nice safe garage.

 

just curious what all worked did you do to your car

 

if a PPI was done did it reveal the 8k in maintenance? I have owned my 360 for 3 years and 10k miles driven and I have paid about 6k (one belt change) in total

 

well i guess its a hit or miss...some are good some you're not as lucky. I did the clutch the clutch bearing, engile oil change, brake pads and put a clear bra on the hood. Trying to inspect it itself cost me about 1k. cause monitor had some problems. Again I just think these cars are complex and anything can go wrong at anytime. Car runs well now but it had to be done. There are some such as mamavakos that are just very fortunate....I hope mine is like that for the next three yrs now.

When i did the PPI clutch was at 40% and the brake pads were fine. according to the report...1k later i had to do all this.

 

I would say my experience is pretty normal, not fortunate.. these cars routinely just need the standard maintenance.. here and there throughout years and thousands of miles things will come up.. O2 sensor, and knick knacks that you spend money on.. but for instance you just listed a bunch of standard maintenance stuff and even stuff that is just your decision (clear bra) that isn't required..

the stuff you listed shouldnt need to be done again for 20k-30k miles and years down the road.

 

In the latest issue of Forza there is a company advertising a removable hard top for the 355 Spider... I suppose it is possible they could make such a thing for a 360 Spider.

I don't have my issue handy but if need be I could probably scrounge it up...

 

There's one for the 355 by Jett Tops. But no 360 model. http://www.jetttops.com/
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mamovaka what you say is true. I hope i don't have to do exp maintenance for a while. I guess i got stuck with a non maintained car and it was time.

 

you should shoot the man who did the PPI for you..

because at 40% the clutch had 10-15k miles possibly left in it (if F1, if stick even longer) so clearly since you had to do the clutch again so soon there was something off with that reading.. unless you drive 20 miles in reverse backwards immediately..

also, it needed new brake pads and all these other wear items? why didn't the PPI mention all of this?

I am at 16k miles and STILL on my first clutch (about 45% left) still on my original brakes/rotos.. (50%left) etc. etc.

I don't understand why the PPI didn't tell you this car needed pretty much everything done to it soon?

 

If you go through clutches every year or so, there is something else going on.

 

I dirve my 2001 Ferrari 360 F1 Spider (Rossa Corsa) every day !

 

One simply must make a decision to use as as daily driver or not. As mentioned, the maintenance costs will rise, as will some body work with the scrapes, dings, etc. One annoying thing for me was not being able to open the boot without needing to turn on the car and pushing the button on the center console. Why oh why couldn't they put a release on the fob. Whatever, they must have figured it out because all the modern Ferraris have a boot release on the key. She will certainly have some wear, but what the heck, you only live once and the world will implode in December, 2012, so I say go for it!!!
BTW, I personally would be very reluctant in NYC as Rob mentioned. I live in the country (originally from NYC), so it is much easier to get those stallions out running!

Ray

 

Pano, I am assuming the 6k was not just for the clutch, but yearly maint, which typically runs about a grand. A clutch job should be less than 4k at the most (actually much less), IMO.

 

I drive mine every day I can, except rain days. Could, but don't like having to wash the car constantly. People seem to think it's a sin to have a water spot on a ferrari. Maybe they're right. So the Cayenne comes out when it's rainy. The only issue I have with driving the spider everywhere is, sometimes, the attention gets a bit much.

 

3k for a major (belts)
3k for yearly services

6k total about

 

Drive 360 spider every day, already I'm the highest mileage in its 3 owner history... don't care... rain shine whatever it does not matter, they are built to last. Zero problems except occasionally the roof gets half up and needs 30 seconds to reset and have a another go.

Other problem was that a magpie pecked some of the paint off

blighter.

Only days I dont drive it are when Im hung over, or if its a very long journey. Driving these when tired and hung over is not good fun.

BTW you can also fit 3 people in... had my girlfriend and her friend both in last week... one squeezed behind the seat, the other in front. Two rules, dont go fast, dont get caught?

Nath

 

You can fit more than that! 3 strippers say what