Ground clearance

Hi, I'm new at this Ferrari thing. Just picked up one of the last 430s (Thought long and hard about a 458, but there was a $100K price difference and I wanted a convertible this summer).

My question is this. I've been driving a Porsche 997S, which has its faults but makes a pretty good daily driver. My 430 ... absolutely sucks in terms of ground clearance. A 1/2" drop causes a heart attack. A 15 degree incline means a creeping up and fighting the F-1 transmission. How do you guys handle the lack of ground clearance? Is there tape or something I could put on the bottom to make this less painful?

 

I believe many use these

http://www.hillengineering.co.uk/catalog/skid-plates-c-13.html?osCsid=fa7771ff5a1737f73f20e1cc6e80d42a

 

Lack of ground clearance and Ferrari's? Do you want a lift kit?

 

lift kit ... not really where I want to go. There was someone with a 360 that installed one, and I can't justify the additional weight or complexity.

Thanks greyboxter, guess I'm going with skidplates.

This f-car thing is going to require some changes. Outside temp gauge ... ergonomics of F-1 paddle and turn signal ... big as* of the 430 .... waking the neighborhood when trying to park the car... can't raise/lower top when moving ...

I guess this all makes sense at 8,000 rpm.

 

I used Fabspeed skidplates on mine with good results. Plenty of speed bumps, gutters, steep driveways, etc around here & my front end would have trashed without them.

http://www.fabspeed.com/ferrari_F430.html

 

Could you post up some pics on the damage to the skid plates?
How big are the speed bumps? We can some MEAN ones here that are at lest a 3" drop off, not a slight incline lol.

 

My car (430) is at factory ride height and I've only scraped the underside of the bumper once in 9 months.

Yes I do actually drive it once or twice a week.