Trade 458 Spider for FF? | FerrariChat

Trade 458 Spider for FF?

Discussion in 'FF/Lusso' started by cavsct94, Nov 13, 2020.

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  1. cavsct94

    cavsct94 Karting

    Aug 26, 2013
    179
    Indianapolis, IN
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I'm close to trading my 458 Spider for a newer FF. Can't have both right now:

    1. More flexibility given I have multiple kids;
    2. I spend more time doing "GT-type" driving than "track-type" driving;
    3. I want to extend my driving season;
    4. I want a V12;
    5. I want to still have a Ferrari;
    6. I want more creature comforts and comfort in general in the vehicle.

    Sound logic? Any pitfalls? Thanks for your feedback.
     
  2. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    I got a ff. simple answer Is NO


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  3. cavsct94

    cavsct94 Karting

    Aug 26, 2013
    179
    Indianapolis, IN
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Well that is discouraging...
     
  4. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    Let me expand the FF is fun but I’d not trade ur 458 with the soul it has for a ff.
    I love my Ff; it’s fast and all but it’s behind tech wise, it needs a custom
    Exhaust to enjoy it inside as the cabin is very insulated, it has the same dct issue as the 458 PLUS PTU issue ( potentially)...
    So I’d definitely keep my 458 if that makes sense.
    Again I love the FF but I don’t find it incredibly special compared to the 458.
    I got twins and they ride in the back but it’s not super easy for the car seats. Good thing about it is I take it everywhere and am never scared to park it in public!
    Others likely will disagree but to me the Ferrari ff is a car one should get when you have another one like a mid engine traditional one.... by all means go try one and don’t listen to me;)


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  5. cavsct94

    cavsct94 Karting

    Aug 26, 2013
    179
    Indianapolis, IN
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Thanks. I plan to purchase another 458, maybe a Speciale, when the financial situation is right for us, in a year or two. Your response makes me pause, however. I drove a Lusso and liked it-- haven't driven the FF-- but the tech looks the same or better than the 458. Had considered an F12, but want the extended driving season and two extra seats... Hmmm...
     
  6. LVP488

    LVP488 F1 Rookie

    Jan 21, 2017
    4,839
    France
    If money is some object (I know for some it does not matter, but there are also ordinary people like me ;) ) buy a 612 and keep the 458...
     
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  7. cavsct94

    cavsct94 Karting

    Aug 26, 2013
    179
    Indianapolis, IN
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I thought about that... can't keep two Ferraris right now. Also, 612 has no 4WD... I want to put winter tires on the FF and keep going.
     
  8. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    Well the tech ... u can put CarPlay. The lusso is, to me, less raw and less fun than the ff. I like it’s back better but not the front. Inside: same but obviously lusso has big screen passenger display that’s newer..
    Get an ff and upgrade navigation...tech wise u won’t have the refinement of a Mercedes like blind spot, lane change assist etc but that is no biggie I presume!


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  9. dustman

    dustman F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2007
    8,930
    I got a Lusso V12, for about 3 months. And right back to a 458 spider. WAY too heavy and insulated. F12 before you consider an FF.
     
  10. cavsct94

    cavsct94 Karting

    Aug 26, 2013
    179
    Indianapolis, IN
    Full Name:
    Mike
    So I’m gathering that the FF is only viable as a second Ferrari and I keep the 458...
     
  11. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    Yes!


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  12. buddyg

    buddyg F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 20, 2004
    5,446
    West Michigan
    Full Name:
    Buddy
    Ding, ding, ding!!
     
  13. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    For all the reasons you listed, it sounds very logical. Do it!
     
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  14. Altoria F

    Altoria F Formula Junior

    Jan 24, 2020
    395
    France
    Full Name:
    P
    I wouldn't say that, but the FF makes me willing another Ferrari for sure!
    I tried a 488 before buying the FF and prefered the FF, for sound, luxury and flexibility.
    I own for years as well 3 highly tuned (chassis + engine) 911TT so no worry for pure performance, nevertheless the N/A V12 is so refined I would really be glad to complete the stable with a 812 or an F12!
     
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  15. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    I personally bought a 355 manual to go along with my FF and I love the experience. It’s slower but great sound and great in the twisties;)


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  16. Altoria F

    Altoria F Formula Junior

    Jan 24, 2020
    395
    France
    Full Name:
    P
    My Pcars are all 3 manual tranny, love them.
    The FF experience makes me willing the same with shorter wheelbase, less weight...
    No true need for faster but to enjoy a V12 with more agility and aggressivity
     
  17. dustman

    dustman F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2007
    8,930
    I’d agree. FF>the turbo Ferraris.
     
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  18. SECRET

    SECRET Formula Junior
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 19, 2007
    934
    Can't speak on behalf of the FF, but being fortunate enough simultaneously own and use the GTC4Lusso and the Pista, I have to say that I wouldn't not be very happy overall if I had given up a mid-engine V8 for a front-mid V12 4 seater. They're so different in so many ways.

    Since the Lusso is very new to me (less than a week), I always think of excuses to go drive it and the honeymoon phase is still very much present. Even so, I find that, ass others have said, it's highly insulated so while the world around you enjoys the lovely V12 sounds, you and your passengers are wafting miles of tarmac with so much as a splash of the ol' cup of coffee or a slight raised voice to speak to each other. While it's nimble, you know you're driving a heavy V12. You feel it when you're turning, even though the car does exactly what you wish almost when you wish. You feel it as you brake even though the brakes do what you please. It's hard to describe, but very obvious when you come from driving only mid-engine V8s (Speciale, then Pista, in my case). The gear shifts are also a very perceivable difference between the Lusso and Pista.

    This morning, I stood outside to have a listen to the cold start with the valves open (Capristo controller) for the first time. It's so beautiful that Enzo himself likely sheds a tear of joy from up above. It is also shockingly different than how it sounds inside the car. A demonstrative example of the level of insulation going on in the car. That said, as it is my new daily, I could hardly imagine making it much louder simply to overcome the insulation, as firing it up on a cold morning at 6:30a already feels a bit of a un-neighborly thing to do!

    All said, I wouldn't trade in the Pista for a Lusso.
     
  19. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
    Full Name:
    A.B
    I think it's a really personal call. I just don't get all the 458 hype, especially the flexing Spider. It's a 10 year old car and it sure has some flaws. Soul? Depends on what soul the driver attributes to it. I think it lacks power and rigidity, the brakes are less than impressive. The chassis flexes and the throttle is twitchy with poor modulation.

    The FF is of the same vintage too. It has some pro's and con's. It is not quite as fast in a straight line, but very close. It is not a car you track, but still very fun on the back roads. It has a more sporty nature than the Lusso, but feels too firm for me to be a perfect GT. It bangs about a bit at low speed, and rattle and squeak a bit. But as a drivers car, it is a very nice car, and for its bulk it is spectacular. When it comes to which would feel more special to me, the FF wins. It seems much more coherent and like a car that targets its gosl very well. This is what gives it the "it". What is "it"? Don't know, but it is there. The V12 is part if that, and so is its split personallity. It does things you would not expect, and to me that is very seductive. The 458 is overall a very nice car, but it does not do anything outside of what I expect it to do in a positive way. The FF is a fun car you drive with a smile, knowing you got something special, and the 458 does not do that to me.

    Lastly, don't forget that usability is part of what can make it more fun. You get to enjoy it with others, and do things you would not be able to do otherwise. This last thing can make up for a hell of a lot, so that is important.

    And if you know that you will get a Speciale down the line, what's there to think about? FF and Speciale vs. 458 Spider and Speciale. To me that's a total no-brainer as the Speciale fixes most 458 flaws.

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  20. Natkingcolebasket69

    Natkingcolebasket69 F1 World Champ

    I think your answer is very nice and coherent. I love my FF but the build quality isn’t stellar. People love the panoramic roof but I have it on my s63coupe with a magic button that makes it dark in a few second so I don’t see the fuzz.
    I think all depends what u look for. I recently was a passenger in my friend’s 720s on a track : I was bored. It was fast but not fun. Same thing in a 488. 458 was more fun to my senses.
    Actually the 2 cars I have had which to this date are my favorite are my old TR and my 355. Not the fastest, but the sound, the raw feel, the fact that at the limit I thought they were going to kill me i loved that. The ff I love it but I’m not moved by it, I looked down and I’m like OMG I’m doing 120mph
    As u pointed out it’s also a bit firm, even worse with my novi springs ;)
    In the end it’s like u said : it’s about personal wishes, what you want out of the car.


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  21. Nospinzone

    Nospinzone F1 Veteran

    Jul 1, 2013
    7,346
    Weston, MA
    Full Name:
    Paul
    I think some of you guys are just comparing the two cars in a vacuum. Read the 6 things the OP wants in a car. Except for #5, the 458 doesn't meet any of those.

    The only pitfall I see is the possible, but unlikely, chance of a PTU failure.
     
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  22. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
    6,023
    Hopefully some place nice.
    Full Name:
    A.B
    Thank you and likewise. The thing about a cars "soul" has,a lot to do with the driver. These cars are not living things, and soul is something we gi e them. This is why it is personal. Some things we agree upon, others not. I have a penchant for split personallity cars that surprise me. I adore the 488's ability to go from Lusso levels of comfort to mid engined canyon carver in less than a second. That is fun for me. I feel a stronger kindship with the 488 in some aspects than I do with the Pista. The Pista is very, very good, but I expect it to be. The 488 is more like, "this nice ànd comfy... Should not be able to do what it does". That is what I find charming about both the FF and Lusso. Cars that seem to defy logic some how, or make me smile because they turn out to be more than I expected. Same goes for the 812. I initially thought "souped up F12", holy crap was I wrong. I do love the Testarossa, and it is on the list.

    But the OP needs to drive them, because we are all different:)



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  23. cavsct94

    cavsct94 Karting

    Aug 26, 2013
    179
    Indianapolis, IN
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I know these things are very subjective, but I do appreciate all of your efforts to steer me on this... If I pull the trigger, it will likely be at least 2-3 years before I can fill the 458 gap with something akin to it, so my sole Ferrari will be the FF during that period of time.
     
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  24. ANOpax

    ANOpax Formula 3

    Jul 1, 2015
    1,125
    The Netherlands
    As a FF and Cali owner and former F355 owner I have to agree with what Il co-pilota and Nospinzone have been saying. Your requirements pretty much rule out the 458.
    So look at it in isolation: Is the FF a good choice in its own right even when not placed next to a 458? You betcha.

    A 458 will not satisfy your wish list in any way. And if a speciale is your ultimate car, then try the FF for now and in 3 years time, the choice to trade it for the speciale or keep it and get a speciale in addition will be obvious.

    There are plenty on this board who have had an FF and wouldn’t come back to it. There are also plenty who have sold their FF and regretted it. The FF gets under your skin. I regret selling the F355 for the FF but would I go back the other way? No way! But when the time comes, I will get another F355 to complement the FF.

    My wife and I are both agreed that if we ever fall on hard times, the FF is the last car to be sold...
     
  25. andyrichter

    andyrichter Karting

    Jul 18, 2017
    186
    Oahu
    Did you drive the FF? Curious of your opinions.
     

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