What do you guys like better???? I have a stick in both my daily drivers now my 350Z and my M3. But what do you like for every day use better? I was really caught decideing this when I bought my M3 and had a hard time try to decide? When it comes to a new car I am still in the same boat. Not sure what I will go with 360 or 430 but I was planning to get one or the other for my vacation place?? They will not get driven too much but I have really always wanted an F car!!! Any help on which method of gear selection you guys prefer and why????? THANX
Depends what you are into....Manual for the purists they say, but I LOVE the F1, a little of the best of both worlds, I guess.....Once in a while I miss that clutch, but its not too often!!!!!!!
if you go 360.... get the stick for sure.... F1 blows. if you go 430.... you MUST get the F1... Phenomenal, exciting, all the feel of a stick without having to grab your stick...
the f1 on the 430 has been VASTLY improved in smoothness and speed. I think it's like 54 milliseconds or something, don't quote me on the number. It's pure F1 by definition.... same gearbox as in the Enzo. Quick, sharp shifts, smooth and a ton of fun. The 360 was very delayed, even to the point of being annoying, ,,,, like, shift, wait, grimace, engage, hear exhaust again.... grrrr. The F430 is in the next gear as soon as you tap that paddle. I have driven manual cars my whole life, in fact have only owned 2 automatics... LOVE the manual cars but the F1 in the F430 is so much fun and sooooooo responsive, I LOVE IT!
unfortunate on the 360.. I tried it once.. and it felt like over a second to shift.. the f430 I heard was indeed quick.. It's too bad the 360 was that slow.. I would want to go that way.
Like others have said, its all a matter of personal choice. For me, I hated my 360 F1 and loved my 360 stick. I need the extra level of control. I often zip up to 8500 and then push in the clutch to go into stealth mode for a few seconds. Pulling both paddles for neutral for the same effect just isnt natural and doesnt cut it for me. I often use my cars around town and my F1s, F430 F1 included, still does dumb things at slow, lazy, speeds. Within hours of taking delivery of my new F430 Spider F1 a few weeks ago, I told my dealer to get my stick allocation because I wanted out of the F1 so bad. My advice: drive both cars in both configurations multiple times. Dont buy until you do. Good luck! Tim
I have 6 spd in F430 and SMG in M5. Nothing beats the SMG for speed in shfiting. If you plan to track the car then the F1 is the way to go. Anyone can pull paddles and make a perfect fast shift. The car will even rev the motor a little for downshifts. There is no art of drivng to an F1. I love the manual on the F car for enjoying the art of making perfect up and down shifts. I do not plan to track the car and there is no traffic where I live. I do not think I could live with a clutch in traffic. I also feel the long term costs on a F1 will be much higher then a manual.
Try the 360 in Sport mode. It shifts very quick at high rpm in full throttle. Mine does shift a tad lazy at low rpm part throttle. I wouldn't see the need to shift any quicker when just cruising.
I am really starting to think I would enjoy the manual alot more. I really like the idea of rowing the gears through that gated gear box I guess. On the other side my dad is over 80 and I think if I got any car that had paddles he would at least want to try it out once. I on the other hand am just not too sure I could take it mentally, physically as well as financially if he did. THANX guys
Just finished the first 500 miles on my 360 spider F1. All of my previous sports cars have been sticks. Personally, I LOVE the F1. There is an art to making it shift very smoothly, around town, and as stated previously, in sport mode, above 5500 rpm, @ wot, the shifts are sufficiently quick. Under these conditions is the only time you really need a quicker shift, so I think it's all good. I'm loving the F1! I say go for the F1.
If you're getting an F430, I think you should go with the F1. Although the stick is very fun to drive in any car but with the Ferrari, you should go for the F1. You should experience the Ferrari response and magic with the F1 gearbox... Believe it or not, you'll think yourself as if you are in an F1 car. And I should that the F1 F430 would be much more appropriate and fun and responsive on a TRACK .
