430 Purchase

Transmission mount and motor mounts usually go due to age. After every car purchase good to change the oil and transmission fluid.

 

Haven't had a 4C

Had a 93 NSX, used it as a down payment on my 08 F430 Spider which wasn't even in as nice condition as yours. I also thought I'll never know what I missed if I don't try it.

Would do it again in a heartbeat

I loved the NSX, absolutely incredible driving and looking car, but this is just a whole nuther world

It's incredible on every level, it's beyond a car, it's a a masterpiece of engineering, design, and simply an incredible car to drive. I am invigorated looking at it, and then every second I'm sitting in it, driving it, is sublime, you have to pinch yourself

My 2 cents

 

Engine yes tranny not so much

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The motor mounts are super easy to do. The transmission mount is straightforward, but a far more labor-intensive process. I would go ahead and have all fluids done as well. A lot can happen in 2,000 miles.

You are not crazy at all. I used to own a super fixed up 300ZX. I sold it and missed it. I also used to own a really nice NSX. Sold it and missed it. Always dreamed of a CS. Since buying my Challenge Stradale, both of those voids have been filled and then some. The others were cars. The Ferrari is something more than just a car. Hard to explain, but you will certainly understand once you get your F430. It’s an experience. It’s something very special.

 

I'm on my 2nd 430. Regretted selling my first so much that I had to buy another. You made the right choice!

 

I never had an NSX, but it was one of my dream cars. It was on the short list before I bought my F430. I have zero second thoughts about the decision I made. It's been a lifelong goal to own a Ferrari and it hasn't been disappointing.

 

I am also on my second 430, in a sense, I liked my gated Spider so much I bought a gated Coupe, then realised it was silly to have both. Sold the Coupe and kept the Spider.

These are absolutely fantastic cars. Raw, sharp, fast, glorious engines, but comfortable and good interiors. They are intense, as Ferraris should be. Gearing is perfect for blasting around (less so for touring). The feel as you approach the handling limit is fantastic, in Race. Driving it will make you whoop with joy.

I would definitely change the fluids. I wish I could warn you about things that will go wrong but practically nothing has gone wrong with mine in eight years of ownership, except for the fact that I don't drive it enough. Mine had a super thorough main dealer service history.

I drove the original NSX a few times and while it's a great car, and a game changer for the industry, the 430 is in a totally different league. Some older cars have more fun and low speed feel than new ones, but 430 is brilliant on those.

If someone offered me a free upgrade to a 488 Spider I wouldn't be tempted. Some of that is the manual gearbox but the rest is the sharpness, feel, and engine. Enjoy!

 

I'm surprised no one has mentioned it yet. Replace the battery. Even if it shows 14 volts when driving and even if you have an invoice showing recent replacement. You want to start with a fresh slate, known good battery. You will save yourself so much brain damage if you do. Well worth the investment. These cars are so sensitive to voltage fluctuations and low voltage conditions, it can cause all sorts of gremlins. And all it takes is one time with the lights left on or a door not closed to make the battery suspect for further use in this car. So much so that when I drained my battery once by leaving a key in the "on" position, I didn't even try to revive it. I just bought a new one and charged up the old one for use as an emergency spare. That's my advice!

 

I've owned a couple of NSX's, one of them I dumped around $30K in mods. No comparison to my gated 360.

 

I would sell my 430 before I sell my NSX.

 

I would think selling the NSX itself would pay for the 430 honestly. A 2002 NA2 are going for a pretty penny at the moment so what not just sell it out right and use that for the 430? I have been toying with the idea of selling or trading my 92 NSX but can't seem to find the right Fcar to do so. The goal is to find a Mechanic Special 360/430 and have my sons help with the build (same thing we did together on the NSX).

 

If it carries a rebuilt title I guess but 2002 are still selling high. The this 430 doesn't see like "the one" because of all the things you just mentioned. Would hold off and find the F430 you are sold on and not give up the 2 cars to one.

 

Well, let's get this out of the way I guess....The NSX is head and shoulders assembled and engineered better as a whole car (my opinion) and made to last as a drivers car. That car was the pinnacle of Japanese engineering for the time and made in a way that will likely never be replicated again.

The F430 has amazing engineering as well, but it's mostly in the engine/drivetrain/suspension. As with other Italian, low volume cars, the other items can be a hodgepodge of borrowed parts and fixes and shortcuts that don't take into account the longevity of the items (i.e. the sticky buttons). These cars mostly suffer from not being driven. Seals dry out, things don't get exercised enough, etc. These usually are picked up by new owners who are excited to drive a car that may have been sitting for some time.

My 08 was meticulously maintained by the previous owner and only serviced by Ferrari regularly it's entire life. That doesn't mean I didn't have a laundry list of things I found that needed to be done (and still do). Those that store these cars or drive them infrequently, might not care. Those of us that use them regularly tend to find more things wrong that need to be fixed. You rarely have the luxury of knowing if you're buying from someone that just wanted to be a Ferrari owner or someone that loved and cared for the car and knew the sounds and smells intimately.

Unless you have a sizeable budget, don't focus on everything being 100% right. Just make sure you have the options you want and the car has been looked after with no skimping on service items. A good starting point if you will. Unless you want red, the cars that fit your wants list may be few and far between. Expect to go into any purchase needing to spend a bit more to iron out issues that the previous owner bypassed or wasn't bother by.

I love my F430 but concede that there's a lot to be desired in how Ferrari went about things with building/designing it. Fortunately, I like tinkering and making it better as I go along is part of the fun for me. Better for me anyway. To others, there is no better than stock but that's a different conversation.

Just my opinion anyway.

 

I bought my 08 last July.

- Deck lid struts were shot and wouldn’t hold up the deck lidwell. Replace for a $100.
- Rear tail light posts was cracked. Epoxied it back together and got a replacement light ready to go for when it fails. $250
- Dash vents were popped - pulled dash myself and replaced with Rizzos vents. $250 + $350 for leather guy to work the leather for me
- Full service - replace all fluids (brake, oil, coolant, f1, gearbox) $2000

Some weeping out of the passenger side valve cover gasket - leaving it for now. May get to it this winter, might not. Will do plugs at the same time.

Car has been great. My bigger problem is the mods that I’ve made and wanted to make… that’s the expensive part! Kline headers, kline exhaust, tune from Trev360, exhaust valve controller.

Next is high flow cats, maybe some challenge wheels, etc.

I’ve spent 5-6 times more on modifications than required maintenance/mechanical fixes.

I’m with Joe on this - this is a full hobby for me. Owning, driving and wrenching/learning. I find the car pretty easy to work on, especially with all the help from the many folks here.

I’d focus on finding the car you like based on the specs you want. Good service history and its condition are very important as well. Then enjoy it!

 

Wow. They’re quite a bit NSX owners and ex NSX owners, me being one of them. I know Paul here from Prime and Andy. Didn’t know the rest. Sold my NSX a long time ago though.

 

Different strokes for different folks

I thought no car could be better than my 93 NSX, may still be true

That said, about 30-45 seconds into my F430 test drive, it was the easiest decision I ever made.

If you've driven it and don't feel that way, maybe try some other cars? Not being a wise guy, maybe it's just not your cup of tea.

And if you're going to compare views, this is the best one imho


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I'm "Chromatose" on Prime.

 

Forgive me, if I don't remember, as I left Prime over 10 years ago. You're local, did we ever met? I was fairly active in NSX Club back in the days. But that's over 20 years ago.

 

My 430 has no squeaks or rattles, and shifts brisk and crisp as it's properly set up (PIS, Royal Purple fluids). This particular 430 looks very familiar however. Would you know if it was sold out of European Exotic Center in Tampa maybe a year ago? Maybe not the same car, but an Fchatter looked at buying that one and it was tracked pretty hard once upon a time, and put away wet so to speak. I don't mean to speak ill of this car, but your description doesn't match my ownership experience and I've had 2 of them now. My current car has 42k miles on it, and it's tight as a drum. I'd maybe test out another one if were you?

 

Which makes me remember another good point, if you see a car you're interested in, post it up here. There's a good chance someone might know it and/or know the history.