456 Auto v Manual

Hi guys.

Recently joined and I am after some opinions.

My father is looking at buying a 456 which I am more than happy with as its one of my favourite cars of all time. Stunning looking car but subtle and understated.

My personal preference would be for a manual in dark blue but the vast majority of cars on sale seem to be autos.

I know that many people think that you shouldnt have an auto box on an f car and for me the classic gearlever in the polished gate is a big part of driving one.

Does anyone have any opinions after having driven both?

My father is looking for a more relaxed powerful GT car rather than an out and out racer so I guess the auto would be good for blasting over Europe but I think the manual would be more fun and possibly hold its value better in the future (I hear the auto boxes are a little on the pricey side to replace if they go pop)

Thanks in advance

 

If the auto goes a replacement is 56K IF you can find one. That doesn't include labor.

 

Let's say you had a 456 with the Ferrari extended warranty and the auto goes... I wonder how they would replace it, if there are none to be found.

Also, does anyone know if the window problems apply to all 456's or just up to a certain point in production ?

 

56K?

For a transmission?

Is that in PESOS??

 

*Definitely* the manual if you intend to drive it rather than just cruise. IMO, the auto box is not very good, ruins the driving experience and makes it feel slow. You can still cruise around in 6th since there's just so much torque. Don't know if you've seen that piece by Jeremy Clarkson in the DB7 where he starts it in 4th and goes all the way up to 130. You can do that in a 456 too. Sixth is good for 30mph up to Vmax.

Go with the auto if there's a lot of stop/start stuff. If the worst happened and the auto did go pop, I would get it fixed by an independent auto transmission specialist, such as King Autos here in the UK, rather than go through a main dealer. This is what the main dealers do, so I'm told. All V8 gearboxes get shipped out to a specialist near me.

When I was looking, mine was the only manual M on sale in the UK. You have more choice now.

 

Thanks 456 MGT.

He called me today to say he has gone for an auto. Silver with 17K on it.

I would have preferred a manual but I think the auto will suit him better.

Looks like a few trips to the continent are on the cards :0)

 

Yeah, Napolis said once that the automatic gear box is tens of thousands of dollars to replace.

Still, congratulations! I hope he enjoys it. It is an extremely beautiful car.

 

just a thought, but if you did trash your auto tranny in the 456, would you not be able to replace it with a manual? and if so wouldn't that be a lot cheaper as well?

 

I recently had the priviledge of "babysitting" a 456 automatic with low miles. It was dark blue/tan; a beautiful car. But,

 

I recently had the priviledge of "babysitting" a 456 automatic with low miles. It was dark blue/tan; a beautiful car. But, THE CAR DROVE LIKE A TRUCK! TERRIBLE SHIFTING. Someone told me that the transmission is a GM or Chrysler unit. Not sure which. I find that hard to believe but the person that told me knows his Ferrari stuff.
I would hope that all 456 auto's don't drive like this.

 

I would be interested in knowing if it is a GM or some other manufactures unit. Then you can get parts for it if you know where it comes from. I have been considering a car with an automatic....but if it is GM unit then it should be fixable for a lot less than $56K.

 

I believe the problem is that it is a Ferrari-manufactured transmission. If it was a GM product, as in the 400s, it would be much less of an issue.

I recall reading that Ferrari couldn't find an existing transmission which could handle the torque of the 456.

 

i have a 2000 456M GTA, 7.5k mi tour de france blue i will sell you if you want.

 

The alst time i had a 456 in the shop I looked at the trans case. On the right side of the case it does have FERRARI cast into the aluminum. The case and outer designe of the trans may indeed be Ferrari,but the internals are more then likely another manufacturer. Ferari I don't think would have the time of resources to build their own auto trans from scratch. G.M. has long been thw world leader for auto transmissions so it may very well be a g.m unit in side there. Oh..and the G.M. TH400 series trans could eaily handle the torque of a 456.

 

FYI, from Road & Track Sept 1996, First Drive, Ferrari 456GTA:

"The all-new 4-speed transaxle, rigidly linked to the engine by a tube housing the propellor shaft, has been developed by the Ricardo company. Though it is epicyclic, the gearbox is different in principle from other automatics in which the shifts are obtained by progressively closing a clutch (or a brake) while another is progressively released, which inevitably absorbs some of the power put into the box. The Ricardo system is designed in such a way that the brakes are replaced by free-wheel devices. There is no need to finely synchronize the operations (opening one clutch or brake and closing the other), and consequently, there is no power absorbtion during the shifting process, which is also said to take less time."

 

I would strongly recommend the 6-speed.

I currently own a 5-speed Mondial and a 6-speed 456GT and absolutely love both.

The feel and power transfer on the 456 with the 6 speed is amazing. The thing just keeps on accelerating, and sixth is an acceleration gear, not just an overgear to reduce rpm's at high speed.

Try to buy a car that has had the window misalignment issue addressed on factory warranty.

I have seen a fly yellow 456GT for sale in the U.S. (on black leather) that sounds interesting and is competitively priced. Cannot quite remember the magazine I read the ad, maybe Robb Report.

Happy Motoring!

 

Thanks for all the helpful replies guys.

As I said he has already bought a silver GTA.

The manual would have been my preference but he is more into cruising rather than really hard driving (61 years old now).

The car looks lovely with dark charcoal interior and is supposed to be mint (only 17,000 miles on it). Picks it up in about a week.

I live in Britain by the way (Wales actually). I think my father will be planning a few trips to the continent with the car. He already has a 400i and we did a trip with the owners club 2 years ago, 3000 miles in 8 days including a trip to the factory.

Looking forward to repeating it in the new one