NON 458/488 owners......which would you prefer and why?

Yes another 458/488 thread!

 

of course, the 488 is gonna be a newer and more advanced car all around. but in my humble opinion, the 458 is last of the NA cars, they sound terrific, They’re still plenty fast enough, and I think the look of them is timeless. I have owned two 430s, one being a scud And 458 spider. As far as I’m concerned, Nothing beats the sound of a high revving and an eight cylinder. I don’t think you could go wrong with either. I just prefer a more Visceral experience

 

But with the same argument, I wonder why stop at the 458, which is already very "digitized" with its DCT and developed electronics wizardry. An older car (even an F430) will have a far more mechanical feeling, at the cost of pure performance of course. And in terms of noise and narrow power band, I believe the 5-valve engines of the 355 and 360 are unmatched.

 

Previously owned a gated F430, Cali 30 and Cali T. Put on lots of miles. Faced the same question couple months ago when I sold my Cali T, drove both cars, chose the 458 Spider. Both are beautiful cars but the extra performance is not really applicable to me on the street and sound and likely resale value tipped the scale for me.

Also strongly considered and drove a fully sorted near mint F430 Spider but could not choose the F1 transmission over the DCT, even given about a $100k price difference. And that was a fresh clutch on that car, too.

 

No wrong answer, but I would likely choose 488. To my eyes, 458 has a more classic style and will still look phenomenal in 10 years, but today I prefer looks of 488. I also prefer interior of 488, and driving experience in 488. 488 doesn’t sound bad, doesn’t sound as good as 458, but it’s not as “bad” as F8. For me, 488 is the sweet spot of price and performance right now.

 

I have heard similar things between a 550 and 575 or a 360 manual and 430F1.

The actual answer is this is a fundamentally irrational purchase so lean into that....the 'better' car is which stirs your soul more, however that may play out

 

Coming from a front engine to where the engine is supposed to be is a huge boost to what you get out of driving IMO. I would choose the 458, I like the older cars because they are not trying to be the latest and greatest, they just simply are...which puts it's all back on you and who you are. All the mid engine cars are worthy IMO. Good luck with your decision.

 

I own a F430 spider, and a 488 (or F8 for that matter) would never even cross my mind to buy, i want noise, and not a vacuum cleaner sound due to turbo's numbing it down

 

I've had the 355, 430, 458, 488 and F8... and the answer is clear. The 488/F8 is SO FAR beyond any of the previous cars, it's not even funny. People saying they want the older cars is because they HAVE them and justify to themselves. There is no comparison-- if you really like cars and performance, there's a reason they're called the 'latest and greatest'. BECAUSE THEY ARE. Get a 488 or an F8 if you can. And lol @ vacuum cleaner... silly people say silly things. They sound excellent.

 

Non-owner 360 guy.. If I were to go between the two I'd do the 488. Newer, more refined for a similar price.

 

Agree. This sounds better than my F8.


Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Friend of mine had a F8 (he sold it now) when he was fully accelerating from a traffic light, i couldnt hear him over my F430 running stationairy (which at the time still had an OEM exhaust)... they are awfully quiet

 

I just can’t see having to rebuild a DCT transmission every ten or so years due to the caustic fluid deteriorating the seals or dealing with the excessively expensive leaking cam cover gaskets on the 488.

 

Here's what chatGPT had to say lol


1. The DCT Transmission “Rebuild Every 10 Years” Claim

• Ferrari’s 7-speed dual clutch (Getrag unit) is not known for requiring full rebuilds on a 10-year cycle.
  
  
• The fluid is indeed hygroscopic and aggressive (it must be changed on time—every 2–3 years, or sooner if the car sees track use). If neglected, it can damage seals, clutches, or mechatronics.
  
  
• With regular fluid changes, the transmission is generally reliable. Failures usually happen from:
  
  • Skipped fluid service
    
    
  • Overheating from track use without cooling upgrades
    
    
  • Electronics (sensors, actuators) rather than the clutches/gears themselves
    
• Rebuilds do happen, but they are rare and expensive outliers, not a standard “every decade” inevitability.
  

2. Cam Cover (Valve Cover) Gasket Leaks

• This is a more grounded concern. The 488’s cam cover gaskets can seep or leak over time, especially with heat cycling.
  
  
• It’s not “excessively expensive” in exotic-car terms (think $3k–$5k at a Ferrari dealer, much less at a reputable independent). Annoying, yes, but not catastrophic.
  
  
• Other exotics in this class (Lamborghini Huracán, McLaren 570, etc.) also have gasket and seal issues over time. It’s not unique to Ferrari.
  

Bottom Line

• Transmission: As long as you keep up on fluid changes, there’s no expectation of a full rebuild at the 10-year mark. The comment makes it sound scarier than it is.
  
  
• Gaskets: They can leak, and fixing them isn’t cheap, but it’s a known wear item on a mid-engine twin-turbo V8 with tight packaging and lots of heat.
  

So the poster is making a mountain out of a molehill. Yes, the 488 requires diligent maintenance, but it’s not plagued with “time-bomb” issues if cared for properly.

 

Chat GPT? Total ********. Try talking to some of the Ferrari mechanics on this board.

 

Well my 2016 488GTB with 15,000 miles runs just fine. I also change the fluids twice a year though. YMMV

 

I’m having a bit of a charging issue with my GTB, but generally, the 488 is a tank. I have a 488C also and Ferrari didn’t even make an F8 challenge so the 488C got basically twice the life cycle out of the platform on the race track. That says quite a bit about the 488 and it’s durability.

 

Well, I hope the data from owners is useful and helpful.


Cheers

 

Well I was responding to bad information. Theres no reports out there of DCT failures being a widespread problematic issue for the 488. I owned a Cali as well, a 2014 Cali30 was my first exotic ever about 7 exotics ago and if someone stated incorrect information about it I stated my ownership opinion, which was smooth as silk for someone who put 11K miles on it in one year.

You're wanting opinions on two cars from non owners which is....an interesting way to research a purchase. You'd find out more by having Chat GPT run a in-depth Pro/Con list and then hitting some dealers and test driving both to narrow it down to what YOU want.

But hey, whatever lol enjoy your research. Have fun and remember, it's just a car, you can always sell it and buy another if you aren't happy!

 

I think the 458 and 488 are fun cars but when out of warranty, you have to go into them with your eyes open. I’m sure you’re aware of these threads; there are lots of them.
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/488-spider-engine-pulled-to-replace-head-gasket-concerns.706143/
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/ferrari-458-transmission-failure.672173/
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/dreaded-488-blown-turbo.690887/