Whats wrong with the 458

It's why Baskin-Robbins serves 31 flavors...some with nuts.

I'm too busy driving mine to worry about what the "critics" say

 

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Joe and after driving your 458, my F430 felt like it was made in the last century. Yeah, it made me want the 458 even more.

 

Not much. I love mine. You must realize that because someone tests a car and likes (loves) it over another doesn't mean it is a better car. So much is subjective and therefore a matter of choice of the particular individual(s) doing the testing.

Even the statistics don't really tell the whole story. Just because one car will hit 60 MPH in 3.4
seconds and another in 3.0, or the one that does 0 to 60 faster doesn't corner as well as the one that only hits 60 in 3.4, or one has a top speed of 200 and the other only 190 doesn't mean there is anything "wrong" with either one.

It is only testers viewpoint as to which one is "better". And, thats why you test drive a car before you buy. Its all a matter of whichever one is better for you. Don't get me wrong, testers certainly have a place, but it should only be used a guide to help you decide what to look for in a particular car that satisfies you.

 

Some magazines are saying it does not give them that supercar experience that the Porsche still gives, but the 458 would be a better daily driver.

Personally this is sad, because I'd want a Ferrari to scare the **** out of me every time I drove it and give me the most vivid sensory experience, not just be a fast Ford Mondeo type feeling.

Appears Ferrari might have gone too far with making their cars usable.
Pete

 

You need to watch that Top Gear episode.

Take one 458 to their airport test facillity. Turn off all the traction controls and safety features. Drive like a maniac. And end up wondering why a 570 HP 3200 pound car wants to spin and spit the driver out. Also note: The Stig had no trouble matching their fastest time ever.

 

I agree with Pete. The 458 while a better car lost some excitement. I have owned 3 Ferraris, a 360, 430 and now a 458. The other cars had an edge or raw excitement. Someone in an erlier thread said it correctly the older cars were exciting at slower speeds. I cannot imagine a 20-60 year old enjoying the car. At 65 years old I find it mediocre to drive. My 2009 ZR1 vette is faster and drives about the same and I am not a corvette fan.

The 458 will have to be driven at very high speeds to be scary. I am not sure that would even work. Driving thrill versus primordal fear for highly illegal speeds.

On the positive side, a beautiful car with great sound and the least expensive F car to maintain.

Lee

 

Lee, I think part of your issue with the 458 is your surroundings. Living in Florida, I can't imagine you have twists and turns through the hillside and, instead, are stuck going straight from highway to parkway to freeway. Am I wrong in this regard?

 

And I have owned many a 360 and 430 and not sure where the edge or excitement exists in either of them versus the 458. The 360 particularly is a sluggish shifting car which must be driving at the top of the rpm range to feel anything exciting. Drive the 458 at the top of the band while turning through a tree riddled careening back road and I'm excited.

 

Hello Joe great to hear from you. I think that is a fair statement. I must admit I am beginning to like this car more with each day. My wife said to me this morning " for a car you say you do not like you sure can't stop driving it" !

But still just for driving fun I like the ZR1 better because of the power. I like the 458 because of the sound and looks. I find my self playing with the throttle to make those wonderful sounds. The two cars drive alot the same. The corvette has no sound and the exterior design is very dated and boring. Someone posted 2012 the new design would be available.

Lee

 

Whats wrong with Megan Fox ? Does it really matter ?
I guess you have to be lucky enough to drive her, I mean it.

 

Lee, are you planning to attend Cavallino in January? If so, I was thinking about shipping my car down for the long weekend and maybe we could "scare" each other in our 458s!!

 

This is a common theme of the "hardcore" Ferrari drivers.... The goal of auto racing is to go as fast as possible around the track... As Enzo once said, he makes cars so he can race on the weekend or something like that... Its all about going fast. My jeep at 85mph is scary. Look at it this way, in a 360 you were driving scared at 140. In a 430 you were driving scared at 170. In a 458 you can probably do laps at 200 before getting scared... The envelope is just being pushed that much further and the drivers who are not excited with this car are pushing it to the Sunday coffee and look at my car brunch and they just aren't getting that raw feeling on the boulevard...

Just my 2 cents...........

Tony..................

 

Well, for starters, the 458 falls short of that true, raw F experience because it;

-- only comes in F1, none of that clanky gate shifting
-- needs minimal service, less of those jaw dropping bills every 6 months
-- shifts almost flawlessly, none of that jolting, neck snapping stuff
-- can be driven more than the usual 3K miles a year bc it's capable of doing so
-- starts and runs with smooth predictability rather than shuddering, questionable starts
-- holds you plastered in the back of yr seat under WOT due to enormous power
-- feels like a jet instead of a jet driven railroad car.

I'm quite happy to leave behind those true, raw F virtues, just like I'm happy to leave behind camping in a tent on a regular basis. Don't get me wrong, camping and tenting can be challenging and fun -- on occasion.

 

the 458 also falls short by:

-- having a good turning circle so 7 point U-turns are not required
-- having the ground clearance to clear speed bumps, meaning access to more roads
-- having a boot big enough to carry more than a toothbrush
-- the build quality to hopefully compete with something like the R8

One thing that many reviews have highlighted about the 458 is its spread of ablilities, from being a great road car to being great on the track. Very few cars achieve this. Some of the new performance road cars are now failing track day noise requirements!! Where/how do you use a vehicle like that?

 

Mate, we are talking about a road car. I want to have fun for what I would buy a Ferrari for, ie. driving on public roads where you can't do 200!

So why would I pay all that money to buy a car where the fun is not accessible 99% of the time?.

An F40 is really fast too, but it's (apparently) a dramatic and involving experience at all speeds. Thus much better value for money than a 458.

But yes a lot of this car be blamed on technology, but Ferrari need to remember that they are building road cars and that their customers want their $'s worth. If somebody wants to buy a race car, they should buy the GT2 version for example. Mazda get it when they updated the Miata/Mx5 and ensured they did not improve the chassis grip because it was fun as it was.
Pete

 

Emmm... well, quite a lot was lost with the NC. Times are changing, for Mazdas and for Ferraris.

Anyway, those magazines are comparing the standard Ferrari 458 with the ultra-radical Porsche 911. When they compare it with a 911 Carrera 4 or an Aston Martin, the 458 becomes the most breathtaking car in the Universe. So who cares, everything is relative.

 

OK, here's what you guys can do to fix what's "wrong" with the 458:

1. Always drive the car is CST-off mode, to eliminate those pesky driving aids interfering with your enjoyment of the car's natural dynamics.

2. Lower the car by an inch or two with cheap replacement springs - this will improve the look by decreasing the space between the tire and the wheel well. It will also mess up the suspension geometry so the handling will be less predictable and more exciting/scary. As an added benefit, it will be tougher to clear speed bumps, like in the good old days.

3. Add a big wing to the rear end - but mount it UPSIDE DOWN so it actually decreases downforce, thus replicating the poorer roadholding and less stable attributes at speed of older Ferrari models.

4. Contact a local tire shop and get a hold of some used tires, preferably with no tread left at all. Don't worry about balancing them. This should be cheap. Benefits will be a more exciting ride, you will be closer to the edge of the control envelope at all times.

With these simple changes, which in total shouldn't cost more than a few hundred dollars, you should be able to successfully replicate the excitement generated in previous models of Ferraris!

 

Lol. Too funny!





QUOTE=Wildcatter;140122069]OK, here's what you guys can do to fix what's "wrong" with the 458:

1. Always drive the car is CST-off mode, to eliminate those pesky driving aids interfering with your enjoyment of the car's natural dynamics.

2. Lower the car by an inch or two with cheap replacement springs - this will improve the look by decreasing the space between the tire and the wheel well. It will also mess up the suspension geometry so the handling will be less predictable and more exciting/scary. As an added benefit, it will be tougher to clear speed bumps, like in the good old days.

3. Add a big wing to the rear end - but mount it UPSIDE DOWN so it actually decreases downforce, thus replicating the poorer roadholding and less stable attributes at speed of older Ferrari models.

4. Contact a local tire shop and get a hold of some used tires, preferably with no tread left at all. Don't worry about balancing them. This should be cheap. Benefits will be a more exciting ride, you will be closer to the edge of the control envelope at all times.

With these simple changes, which in total shouldn't cost more than a few hundred dollars, you should be able to successfully replicate the excitement generated in previous models of Ferraris![/QUOTE]

 

You guys are missing the point.

Surely when somebody graduates to a Ferrari they want a more demanding driving experience not just faster? I would only buy a new model Ferrari if the car expected/demanded more of ME.

That is where the reward comes as a driver, not just being able to go faster.
Pete

 

I know what you're saying, but why would Ferrari spend millions to make a car slower and more difficult to drive. It goes against competition in motorsport. Lexus had this standpoint with the LFA (driver involvement over the fastest available tech) and it wasn't well received by many. It's counterintuitive for a manufacturer of supercars to build them slower

 

Ferrari will no doubt build a Scuderia or Stradale version of the 458 for those who desire a bit more rawness ;-)

 

By god peter has it I am sorry to say the 458 is just a boring car to drive for fun, getting groceries okay.

The Mosler in my bunch does it all. Is is faster than a Ferrari and has better aceleration. It is a little more expensive than the 458 but not much. The specs are 600 hp with 2452 lbs. In my view they are what a ferrari should be. In their day this is what the 360 and 430 where, again in their day.

Peter has said it perfectly. It is sad that New corvettes (2008 or newer) drive as good as ferraris and the ZR1 is a much better car to drive at 1/3 the price. My Lotus Elise sport which is made for racing. My car is #8 of 50 Lotus made for racing is so much more fun.

In my humble view Ferrari has lost its way.

FYI my dealer is bring the F40 down for me to look at. It is out of state so it will take some time. I will keep you posted. I called it off but called him back last week. i am still not sure what I will do.

Also in a side bar when I bring the Mosler to the Orlando cars and coffee it causes alot of car buffs excitiment. The 458 much less so.

So if you want a better car for less money look at a ZR1. If you want a better car Mosler is it, awesome looks and great performance

Someone mentioned Aston martan. I have a 2009 Vantage convertible. I like the car but it is a grand touring vehicle. A sporty car for gentleman. It does not claim or pretent to be anything else. It is beautiful!

lee

 

Sorry Pete and Lee, the reward comes as a driver in coming in first. There is nothing wrong with the 458, just ask a professional racecar driver. I have spoken to more than a dozen professional racecar drivers that have driven the 458 on the track. They all say the same thing. The 458 Italia is the best sports car that they have driven, it is as close to Formula One car that is road legal that you can currently get.

3 pedal cars are going the way of the drum brake and there is a reason. You are quicker with technology than without, period end of story. You are not more engaged with a manual, you are encumbered by a manual and you have less control of the steering and you tend to have less connection to the car by having one hand on the wheel and one hand on the stick. There is a reason that racing technology has left 3 pedal cars in the dustbin of history. Technology wins races, and drivers that manipulate technology win more races.

Unless you can get the 458 on a track and run a lap with the tacometer bouncing between 7500 and 9200 the whole way around, you have not truly experienced the 458. For those of you that have done this it is an experience and a thrill that you probably have never experienced before and you surely will never forget.

Lee, I understand from your posts that you have not had a chance to truly experience the 458 Italia, if I were you I would at least try that before dumping it. But if you don't want to, that's fine too. Just rest assured there is nothing wrong with the 458, it is one of the few supercars that can thrill at the track and yet can be setup with the click of a button to take you to the Opera. It is unique in that it can do both equally well.