Advice: F430 or 458?

Hello Ferrari Owners,

I am obsessing about my next car purchase. I'm running all the pros and cons in my head daily. I can't make up my mind so I thought I should see if there are owners out there who have had both who can suggest the right choice for my situation.

I've scoured threads for info on both cars. There are pros and cons to each. Both are fast enough for me so performance isn't really a deciding factor. I have no plans of tracking the car. If I ever did track it that day would be years and years in the future and only happen if I was making enough money to buy a second Ferrari sports car and track one. It's more likely that I would buy a GT car if I later had the funds for a second Ferrari and just track something cheaper if I wanted to get on the track.

What I'm looking for now is a fun spider to drive on the weekends and occasionally on weekdays. I live close to my work so using the F Car to commute won't rack up a ton of miles on it. I want a spider because I've never owned a convertible and would love to put the top down and hear the glorious V8 right behind my head.

I have more experience with the F430 than the 458. I'm technically half owner of an F430 F1 Spider but in reality it's my father's car. I take it home every blue moon.

I currently own a 997.2 C2 6MT, an E90 M3 DCT and a E46 M3 SMG. I prefer to keep them all when I get the new car so I can build a collection of cars. But I'm OK with selling two of them if I have to in order to get the 458 over the F430 (since the 458 is considerably more expensive than the F430). If I get a 458 I'd probably order it new since used spiders are so expensive and ordering new lets you get the exact options and interior/exterior colors you want. I don't mind having to wait for the car to be built. And I know that time is running out on ordering a new 458 since the new model is coming. I'm not interested in waiting for the new model because I prefer to have a N/A Ferrari.

If I get the F430 I would get one with a manual transmission. One of the main draws of getting the F430 is that I could have the last mid-engine Ferrari with a gated shifter. I don't dislike F1. I just like the engagement of the stick when driving around town or going canyon carving. And after having experienced F1 issues first hand I prefer the simplicity of the stick.

Here are the pros and cons of each car based on my experiences and research:

:::F430:::
+Stick shift
+Lower cost
+More "elegant" than "aggressive" looking (at least in my eyes)
+Simpler to maintain (my father maintains his F430 and 612 and could give me free maintenance on an F430 since it's a simpler car and he is familiar with it)

-No side airbags
-Smaller cabin. And most used cars for sale have the power seats that sit higher. I'm not super tall but at 6' my hair nearly touches the roof of the car with the top up. This affects my line of sight and makes the car more dangerous in a rollover.
-Pretty interior but it's less modern than the 458's interior. The 458 would be easier to use on any given day of the week as it has usable navigation and bluetooth.
-Fit and finish doesn't appear to be as nice as the 458

:::458:::
+The fit and finish appears to be better. It's not that the F430 is put together poorly, far from it. It just seems like the 458 was built to an even higher standard. A lot of 458 owners have had previous Ferraris and report that the 458's fit and finish is the best they've ever experienced.
+Side airbags
+Larger cabin
+Interior with modern amenities such as usable nav and bluetooth
+More "exciting" look because more aggressive (I know I listed the looks of each as a pro, but how can you not

I didn't list performance metrics as pros and cons because they both have more performance than you even need on the street street IMO. My Porsche gives me enough performance for the road. I want a Ferrari not only for the performance but for the sound, feel, looks and emotion.

I'm not sure if the soft top of the F430 is inferior to the 458's hard top, or is it actually an asset? Aside from how they look which is better in real life? Some 458 owners have reported complaints with the 458's top when driving at high speed with the top up.

I'm also not sure if the 458's brakes are a lot better than the later year F430s with the carbon ceramics? My Dad's F430 has the steel brakes and I'm not a fan. I would definitely go for an F430 with carbon ceramics or upgrade the steel brakes with larger steel Brembos if I found a good deal on an earlier F430. I would do this not for performance but for safety. The standard steel brakes seem too small for the heavier spider IMO. It's unsettling to me how much pressure must be applied to the steel brakes to stop the car quickly during spirited driving.

It would be great if people who have owned both can provide insights. I love both of these cars. I'm doing very well financially but not swimming in cash right now because I purchased a new home last year and did not sell the last one because it's still not worth what I paid for it at the peak of the real estate bubble. I put a lot of cash into the down payment for the new house and for upgrades. It would be more comfortable for me to purchase the less expensive F430. But it would be exciting to order a new 458. Is the 458 worth the extra cost, given my situation? Or should I do the more financially prudent thing and get the more affordable F Car?

Thank you in advance. FChat is a great community and I value the insights of its members.

 

Thank you. That episode is so funny because they make fun of James.

I have watched that video several times. Agree that the performance of the 458 is much higher. I'm just not sure how much of that extra performance I can use on the street without getting thrown in jail, haha. One reason I like sticks is that you can get more enjoyment out of driving somewhat within the limits of the law by letting the shifting occupy your mind. When I drive my DCT M3 it just makes me want to drive as fast as possible at all times. With my Carrera I can get more enjoyment out of putting around town.

But then again I've never had a Ferrari with a DCT. The 458 is probably a lot more engaging around town than the E90.

 

Thank you. That sounds like a fun mix you have.

I prefer the DCT in heavy traffic and business travel. I was thinking like you when it comes to the F430. I could get the stick convertible and keep most or all of the other cars.

The 458 could be used in heavy traffic since it has the DCT. The cost of it might force me to sell at least two of the other cars, including the Porsche. Then I wouldn't have a stick shift car to drive when I feel like having that engagement. But if the 458 is just so damn amazing that I shouldn't pass up the opportunity to order one in the exact config I want then I could do that and buy another stick shift car later.

I guess there really isn't a "wrong" decision. I'll probably be happy either way. First world problems, haha

 

I was just reading another post and it reminded me that the 458's rear window goes down.

Man that could be the killer feature that makes the extra cost worth it. Even if it was a cold night I would leave the window down to hear the last N/A Ferrari V8 sing.

 

On some days I like how the F430 looks better.

But other days I like the 458 better.

I definitely think the 458 is one of those cars that grows on you over time. When the F430 came out I liked it immediately. But I didn't like it any more over time.

When the 458 first came out it looked a bit odd to me. But with every passing day I like it more and more. If this pattern continues I'll end up eventually liking the looks of the 458 more.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean to be annoying. I'm a newbie and hadn't seen this subject posted yet. I tried to search to find similar threads but must not have done it right. I'll get better at searching and try to avoid posting redundant questions in the future. I have driven both and like them both. I just wasn't sure if the 458's improvements made it a lot better to own since we don't have one in the family that I've got to drive a lot.

Maybe the best thing to do is just work harder and buy one of each

Thanks for the advice and for wishing me luck.

 

Thanks so much for the feedback and the advice. I haven't driven the 360 but I imagine it does feel similar to the F430. The base chassis is the same. The engine and suspension was modified on the F430 but the cars have a lot in common. Even though the body panels were changed the resemblance is so strong.

The 458 is stunning. Especially the cabin. Ordering one new would be awesome because you can pick the color of the stitching and the piping.

I'm glad to hear how much you're enjoying your car. You're right they're all special and all offer a different experience. The big advantage of the F430 is that it has already depreciated. If I went that route then I could later get another f car. I'm lucky to have a 4 car garage and some extra storage nearby as well. I could add a used 458 at a later time or go for a 360 or 599/612. If I got a new 458 now it would be quite some time until I could add another car.

The 16M is very intriguing. I have only driven the base cars. Never driven a Scuderia/16M. I should check to see if there is one nearby to check out. It's really not that much more expensive than a later year F430 spider with carbon ceramics. I've seen them for as low as $220K, so quite a bit cheaper than a 458 Spider. And a lot more rare.

Good things to think about, thanks for your help!

 

Thanks so much for the feedback! I think about the 16M all the time but have not driven one. Now I will drive one for sure. While it doesn't have the F1 in the 16M is probably very engaging. I've read about the violent shifts of the Scud/16M in race mode and they sound awesome. And the 6 speed single clutch transmissions are engaging in general. I can drive a DCT in auto mode and forget about it but I always drive any single speed paddle shift transmission manually.

The 16M seems like a good investment too. I doubt it would lose much value if I don't put a ton of miles on it. I live 5 miles from work and have other cars so the annual miles wouldn't be that much.

Thanks for seconding this idea. It really seems like a good idea. Given the cost savings compared to a new 458 spider I could potentially add another car later on. After seeing how happy my dad is having multiple Ferraris I know I want to make that happen one day too.

Cheers

 

I haven't driven a 360 spider but I should give it a try. Great time to buy one as I doubt they'll get any cheaper than they are today.

Thanks!

 

Thank you for the help! Your car looks great

I've never felt so stuck before. They both excite me and turn me on, just in different ways. It's like being in love with two girls at the same time.

The 458 does look more contemporary. The rear 3/4 is just breathtaking. I'm glad to hear you like the hard top.

I might just need to flip a coin I still have some time since Ferrari is still orders on the 458.

Thanks again!

 

Thank you. That's what I'm trying to figure out. I can make either happen, but the 458 will be tougher. I would need to finance a good portion of the 458's cost. I'm OK with that as long as there is no pre payment penalty on the loan. The newer car is better in almost every way. If it was available with the stick it would be a much easier decision for me. Since it's not I'm trying to figure out whether it's better to do the financially responsible thing and spend less or stretch things a bit but have the once in a lifetime opportunity of ordering the last N/A Dino successor to my exact specs.

Everyone's advice has been helpful. The good thing is that there seems to be no "wrong" answer. Everyone loves their Ferrari. And everyone who has the 458 thinks it excellent so it will be worth it if I stretch my budget. I'm glad to see that the 458 feels just as good to own after months or years of ownership as it feels during the test drive. It seems like for once the glowing press reviews were not exaggerated.

 

Thank you so much. I've driven the 458 but only on a test drive. Hearing your feedback helps a lot given that you have both the Scud and the 458.

Seeing your feedback made me realize that it's worth the cost to rent a 458 for a weekend to take on a road trip. That's the only way to get a better feel for how awesome it is to own before purchasing one.

Thank you!!

 

Good point. I'm sure he will be happy to trade if I get a 458.

I've decided to rent a 458 for a weekend. I think it's worth the cost. If I feel like I can't live without it after spending a couple days driving it on the open road then I'll know it's worth the higher cost.