A Future Tale of a Used 458

I was reading about what a technological marvel the 458 is and how much computerization and electronics there are to make this the driving wonder it is.

Our 348's are between 16 and 22 years old and we are all aware of the maintenance and other issues that arise from the model's ownership. I consider the model a comparatively low-cost Ferrari, which is sort of hard to wrap your head around.

I was discussing 458 ownership recently with an owner, a self-described aggressive driver, about his wear and tear maintenance and was taken aback. Brake shoes and rotors to be specific. Wow. Two sets of shoes at $2500 each and rotors at $20K.

This got me thinking of an exercise. What would these cars look like in 15 years? What kind of maintenance and upkeep costs do you think a 2nd or 3rd owner might be looking at?

Do you think someone like Dave Helms will have a gold kit or similar product for them by then? Will Dave have retired altogether to finally enjoy himself with his low-maintenance 348 or will keeping the 458 on the road give him a new challenge? What factory issues will people like him have identified that would be addressed/corrected by the market?

Will Ferrari maintain its fanatical grip on the maintenance of these cars by controlling the technical and maintenance information?

It's mind boggling to think about. It leads one to believe that, despite the capabilities of the car, its technical complexity is not going to allow it to survive for very long. Buyers of used Ferraris are somewhat used to higher maintenance costs and we 348ers can mitigate this by using our knowledge base, friends and our own tools. Can this happen with models like the 458 or will the lack of knowledge and huge cost of replacement items doom it?

Comments?

 

Fact of the matter is that owners will not be able to service these cars in the future. What happens when the LCD screen on the dash breaks? Can't take a wrench to it.

How about the gearbox? Probably too advanced for even a good backyard mechanic to work on.

Engine will most likely last a long time.

Forget the electronic aids. They will require replacement.

I think that even though these cars are fantastic, they will be troublesome to work on yourself.

Buy a 6 speed 430 . With steel brakes.

 

Well time will tell...but they said the same thing of the 355, especially the F1. But truth is many owners can service these cars very well themselves. Yes the 458 is in a whole new league...but with time people will learn the weak points and how to fix those.

No question the rotors are scary...if (no, not if, WHEN) I get a challenge stradale first thing I'd do is take the carbon rotors off and save them, using iron for the street. Hopefully as production goes up cost will go down, waaaay down

 

Judging what will happen 16 years from now today, it is easy to say that there is no way a DIYer could service a 458....but a lot can happen in 16 years...just look around you, everything is coming along so quickly in such a short time

 

Awesome thread!!

I was thinking about this very issue today but not just on a Ferrari, but all cars.

Todays "conveniences" such as traction control, GPS, Sport Mode, electric start, heated seats, fancy stereos, complicated braking sytems, computer controlled this and computer that, Rain Sensing Wipers, Self Parking, etc.... will some day be absolute nightmares. These systems will fail an when they do....holy $hi7!!!!!

My mothers Hundai will cost more than 348 to service when that tranny takes a dump, let alone the 458.

 

I am a Brembo dealer and they already have a 'fix' for the CS rotors, with a direct steel replacement.

They also shared with me that when Ferrari's 'exclusive' on the parts run out, the prices will drop.

Frankly, unless you are a lunatic, the CC rotors should last an extremely long time. I have tracked my CS plenty of times, and with 13K miles it has 4% brake wear. I am not a 'soft peddler' either. I am an instructor.

The real problem with the newer cars, is finding an SD2/3 unit at a realistic price. That will make it less of a challenge. but at $16-$20K right now, it doesn't work for the DIY guy. Hopefully our friends in China will clone one.

 

I am thinking that all of this technological nonsense that is going into these cars will, in more than one way become their own downfall - not only will it kill the resale value but it'll also put a damper on their popularity.

 

It's a bit like modern Lamborghnini's.

Without a LaRa or LdAS computer system, you can't properly service a Lambo and they cost $10K plus.

Then again, in 16 years time when the iPad 18 comes out, there may be an app that you can download that will allow you to remotely service your 458.

 

+1. If people keep driving them, there will be people servicing them.

 

Everyday I thank the heavens that I stuck it out and bought my 360 with a stick.

My 30 year old 928 has taught me alot about electrical gremlins. The first commandment: where there is a connector there shalt be corrosion. Thou shalt exameneth the connector first before thine ECU.

OTOH ECUs have been known to fry as well on FCars so there goes that.. Just remember that if it's a factory tech or a backyard tinkerer, the same screws and nuts and bolts need to be removed to service something on the car.

Devices such as the SD2 and SD3 have been replicated to a degree with the Leonardo devices, themselves half the price of a new SD2/3. Everything is modular on the newer cars, it breaks and you replace the module. Diagnosis is the difficult part. For some of this you might not even need an SD3 and the OBD2 reader will even be sufficient.

I think the 458 will follow the 360 and the 430. Only question is now well with the eDiff and F1 hold up. When they get cheap enough.. I might just try to make a stick version! ;-)

 

Hard to say what the future will hold. There is a critical tipping point where technology advancements will dictate what the used car market will tolerate.... and I am far from smart enough to predict that. Brakes are of no concern, as Ingenere stated, the after market will take care of that.

My concern is parts availability.... what will remain a "Unit Replacement" and what will that cost Vs individual parts? There are no longer hand held software testers, they are all plugged into the Net. In time Ferrari will be required to release some control of the engine management portion of the diagnostics and make that 'service' available to the aftermarket but rest assured, the service will not be for the budget minded. That stated, Ferrari will not be required to release diagnostic capability to proprietary systems in the cars......
The other side of the argument is Ferrari will be able to control the quality of repairs far better when they make all of the decisions of what a given car requires. They can diagnosis the car, real time, from SpA via the Net.... From a technical stand point, how can you get any better than that?! Will the person on the other end of the keyboard feel the same compassion for an individual owners problems and personal budget as a local Ferrari service person, be it a dealer or an independent, standing across the counter from the owner? I don't know, it is a very interesting question and technology and time will tell how it works out. Sure hope they have PC Matic running full time!

It's a good time to be an OLD guy in this business, and I still have a lot of problems to solve on what will soon be called "Vintage Cars". Heck, I am still trying to convince Kris that velcro'ed in side window's and the Buckboard ride of the IMSA 348 will be enjoyable for a weekend cruise, I have my own set of problems!

 

If there's money to be made repairing electronics and gizmo's someone will do it. I'm not worried about it.

Look at how many people are really qualified today to work on and properly Weber Carbs or Spica or Lucas mechanical fuel injection in 70's Alfas and Maserati's.

It's skills like these that also fast disappearing in our modern world of "buy a new part instead of fix it". Yet, somehow they still survive.

 

LOL!!!!!

 

Well then, based on this discussion and current 355 prices, I guess I should offer about $35K for the next used F458 I see?!

 

You lost me...

 

What's an F458?

F355
F50
F430

348
360 Modena
458 Italia

 

Yeah, but this is what people said about things like power windows and door locks and cruise control back in the 70's.