Is It Still Worth Considering a F430 in today's market?

Greetings!

It's been a while since I've visited the forum, especially after selling my 360 3 pedal many years ago before the prices went stratospheric. I sold it for many reasons, among them constant little things that needed attention and took time/money to fix.

Having said that, I miss the gated shifter (and realize that I'll likely never have another) and the enjoyment of just looking at the car. Now, with used car prices, repair costs and parts all expensive and hard to find, I wonder if it's worth considering a F430? I'd prefer a 458, but the cost of those is still far above my comfort level.

I recall friends with the F430 complaining about cracked headers/exhaust issues and the litany of sticky switches, etc. Still, I miss the Ferrari "mystique" and would like your thoughts about current ownership/repairs/etc. I also wonder about pricing - seems to be quite a wide range, as usual, but with fewer shops servicing these cars are you still able to find independents that can service the car, or do you deal with franchised dealerships more often?

Thanks in advance.

 

As someone who just bought an F430 Spider.... Yes its still worth it!

 

Are you asking about F430 F1 or manual?

 

As much as I enjoy a manual transmission, for the F430 and beyond I'd pick the F1, and if I reenter the Ferrari world that will be my choice.

 

At this point, the problems on an F430 are *known* - so you know what to look for (headers, buttons, etc.) - and QUITE LIKELY they've been addressed by now. In fact, I think it would be hard to find one now WITH those problems...

And, if you like "rowing the boat", then it's really the last option available (although I do love my F1).

Kevin

 

If I were in the market I would for sure go for it and to me I wouldn’t pay more than 135k for the right one. I think the market sweet spot is 125k to 135k for F1’s that are well serviced. A supporting vendor on here named Competizione is selling a flawless red on tan F1 F430.

 

Depends on you

I never had a Ferrari, had an NSX, very trouble free

I wanted to try it and got an F430 that needed some interior refinishing and I did some upgrades, got it converted to a 6 spd

Seems there's always something in the wings to do, partially self inflicted (upgrades)

I don't care about any of the stuff at all in terms of repairs, working on it, etc. I love it, I love working on it, I love owning it, appreciateing it, DRIVING it.

It's the greatest, everything about it.

If you don't like working on your car, bring it to the dealer for everything and get ripped off regularly, guess it might suck.

In 3 years, haven't had to have it serviced by anyone other than myself, if I need to, there is an amazing local resource here in mid-Jersey that I'll use.

Good luck with your decision!

 

That value really depends on the year. For a 2007 or earlier I think you are spot on. For an 08 or 09, you will go above that amount.

 

The 430 does have it's up sides. But for me I love my 2003 360 Modena and I got a good one (F1) and have had no issues other than normal maintenance. I considered the 430 six years ago when I bought my 360. For me the uptick in price over the 360 just didn't ring true to me-- and for me I liked the look of the 360 better.

I don't think there will be a big difference in maintenance, reliability, or parts availability between the two cars. The savings will be in the 430 when you don't have to do the timing belts every 4-5 years. But even that is not that big a deal at about $2K to $2.5K. The interiors are about the same and the body of the 430 seems to just have had a slight sharpening up of the angles and, IMO, nicer headlights.

I know you said you were looking at a 430. But if you enjoyed your 360, why not consider replacing that car with another 360 and pocket the difference?
Just my 2 cents...

Regards, Ken

 

I personally would not buy anything in this overheated market. If you hit the pause button for a couple of years, that gives you time to save more, and the 458 prices to settle back down. In 2019 when I was looking, it was easy to get an early 458 with 20k miles for $150k.

 

Thanks to all for the comments - much appreciated. The comment about high prices is valid, but I'm a senior citizen and the time left to enjoy a car like this is dwindling. My wife and I both have arthritis, and its become noticeable and challenging when driving "with intent". Also, getting in/out of sports cars is also less fun than in the old days.

To scratch my sports car itch I bought a 2020 Miata RF Touring manual transmission car about two years ago. I enjoyed it very much, especially the "easy on the wallet" aspects of the car, and in reality I'll never approach the performance envelope of any modern Ferrari any longer. The Miata was fun at all speeds, responsive and surprisingly capable. I enjoyed it very much, but we drove it less and less, again related to comfort/aging.

That's my main issue - do I "dip back into the Ferrari well", or remember fondly the times I had with the car, recognizing that "father time" always wins.

After a lifetime of sports cars/performance sedans and the like, it amazes me that my current ride is a Tesla Model Y. I bought it for its utility, and even though I was tempted to get the all out Performance model, I didn't. That decision seems to be something I should remember as I consider returning to Ferrari. The ease of power delivery in an EV is amazing, always present and upkeep is minimal. We have it for 2 months and I've already passed 4500 miles, many of them on a 2000 mile round trip from home to FL. Charging was a non-issue, and the car did all the things I expected when I bought it. I realize "autopilot" isn't a feature that comes to mind on a Ferrari forum, but it is very helpful and does indeed make the ride less stressful.

Thanks for letting me express my "stream of consciousness" as I try to work through these conflicting feelings/decisions. And as has been noted, with Ferrari prices at these levels making a decision does include recalling the unexpected repair bills/upkeep on my 360. I'm glad I owned it, and "Sophia" and I enjoyed many hours of fun together, and my wife drove that car like a demon. I guess I'd suggest if anyone is thinking about Ferrari ownership, do it when you can still enjoy it fully.

 

This latest post does change alot in my opinion, yes the F430 is still worth it, but is it the best car for you guys? im not sure! im thinking maybe something like a 612 Scaglietti (or a 599 for example) would be more fitting, abit easier to get in and out of, not as low and racy but still giving that Ferrari feeling.

 

Timeless design. Modern performance. Yea… still worth ~$150k. Hell, people were near that for a dang C8 corvette with instant depreciation. F430s will continue to appreciate, with small times of temporary declines im sure.


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I've owned my late production 07 going on 6 years and enjoy the hell out of it.!
Its been dam close to flawless with endless amount of joy and excitement to look at or drive.
As many have mentioned it has a timeless design and most likely will only appreciate as time moves on.
I am very fortunate to be able to work on this vehicle myself..and from a technical perspective these cars have a race car engineering concept with a bullet proof design. I've heard it mentioned the heart of a Ferrari is the Engine/Gearbox then they build the car around that.
Get a PPI by someone who knows what they are doing preferably a Ferrari tech....nothing more expensive then a cheap Ferrari.
Good Luck with your search.

 

I have had a lot of cars! Yes there are better, faster more reliable options, but when you consider the badge, the looks, the noise, the drama, the drive and how it makes you feel, I don't know anything better for the money and I'd still choose one today!

Yes mine has spat its dummy out, giving me the 4 most embarrassing hours of my life, and and yes it cost a bomb to sort (I had a lot of work done that I wanted as well) and that left a bitter taste, but I still wouldn't want anything else for the money!

I was going to upgrade to a 458, but I have gone off the looks a bit (don't like the plain rear arches which the 488 addressed very well) and I think the 430 has a bit more raw driver appeal, that's subjective of course, Oh and no engine window in the spider!

Look at it this way - It could be a shrewd purchase as well, buy a desirable sorted car with a nice spec, and it should prove free motoring come sale time so nothing to lose!

 

If you're looking for a last hoorah so to speak, don't wait. If you have the means to pick one up, you won't find a better time. I think we've all looked back at one point and talked about what we could have bought a car for but never did. Time is fleeting and regrets are easy to come by if we just sit and wait to make up our minds. Maybe just make sure getting in and out is not too much of a chore first though and, as others have mentioned, keep the 599 or 612 in mind if you need more comfort.

It's my opinion that we're pretty close to the low point for both the 360 and F430 for prices. I'd love to imagine the 458 getting a bit cheaper but I think the significance of that being the very last naturally aspirated V8 you can buy will keep it desirable for years to come. Prices have pretty much remained the same for the past few years and if you take into account the inflation we've experienced, the values have actually come down since the dollar amounts haven't.

 

As others have mentioned, most cars in the market these days have had the common issues (stickies, headers) addressed. My Ferrari progression was 360 manual -> 355 GTS manual -> F430 F1 and I have been extremely impressed with the F1 gearbox and the overall speed of the F430 on Cup 2s.

The 430 is the sweet spot to me as they are a big step up from the 360 in performance, the prices are still quite low, maintenance costs are less with timing chain vs. belts, and they aren't too terribly expensive to run if you can DIY minor things or have a good indy.

Mine will be coming on the market (2005 coupe, grigio titanio on nero leather, 8.5k miles) in the next couple of weeks at ~$125k if you are still looking then.

 

I reluctantly sold my 430 last fall, and missed it so much I just bought another one. There's never a wrong time to buy a Ferrari.

IMHO if a Ferrari is cheap due to neglect, that's a car to run from. If it's cheap due to higher mileage, but the service and records are solid, I don't personally see the reason to pay for the lower miles. I drive my cars, so miles will get added anyway. Never save your lady for the next guy

 

I bought a gated F430 about a month ago and have been loving it. Was looking at a 488 but in the end really wanted the last of the manual NA V8. I think prices will soften over the next year on pretty much everything but as mentioned by OP also want to enjoy. Best of luck with your decision.

 

I would say it’s whole heartedly worth it. I also do not think the values are high. The price of 430’s in my eyes with the current market is actually low. They did not go up much since the 2020 craziness. You cant even buy a new base 911 for the cost of the majority of F430’s


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Well said. I too am no young buck. But, with that said, there are up sides to that. I bought the car I wanted knowing at my "advanced" age I will own it for a fair amount of time and don't care about resale value-- I drive to enjoy the car (with respect) and ring out every bit of fun I can have with it. I don't worry about every little cosmetic flaw and certainly not about the mileage. When I'm done with the car (either by reaching my expiration date or can no longer drive it safely) my wife will have one more "asset" to dispose of. All good.

My perspective has changed and I find I can enjoy my cars more now than when I was younger when I sweat every detail, every new found tiny paint flaw. I'm no longer convinced I have to have a perfectly flawless, pristine example that I was actually too afraid to enjoy.

When I had my roof replaced on my home the roofer offered the option of 40 year shingles. Needless to say I just laughed and asked to save some money with the 25 year variety. You have to see the advantages at an "advanced" age!

Best of luck to you, Cheers!

And remember, Old guys know stuff... ha!

 

Lencap. Since we are local, happy to meet with you or have you up here (North Raleigh) for a drive in my wife's 430 Spider. It's an '07, silverstone/ crema with F1. At 21,000 miles, I just had fabspeed headers installed at FCI after replacement headers (done at 4,000 miles in campaign) cracking. As someone above mentioned, most of us have had all of the routine stuff- sticky buttons, wheels refinished, etc. taken care of. Also, most owners like us have full records of every dime spent on the car. We used to have the best indy mechanic here in the late Terry Meeler. If you want to talk, PM me and provide your cell.

 

Hi Keith, I've got a silverstone cuoio, silverstone crema sounds amazing, mind posting a pic?

 

This is my wife Janet. I bought this for her about 10 years ago for our anniversary You can't see the yellow calipers. I have the Fabspeed exhaust tips, C Image Unavailable, Please Login apristo brackets and brand new Fabspeed headers.

 

And sending you best wishes John