Intro/ possible new 430 owner questions.

Read through the FAQ above, shopping for a 360. Much applies to the 430’s.

Drive an F1 to see if you like it. Shop around, there are plenty of 430’s for sale. Many have 10k-13k miles but don’t let mileage be a determining factor. Car condition, maintenance records and a ppi are key to finding one. Try to find one that has the sticky black parts like switches and door handles already refinished. That’s a very common malady afflicting these cars. Check the leather dash for shrinkage.

Ferrari’s require annual maintenance to replace fluids. That will cost you about $1k/ year. Set aside some $$ for repairs as these are not new cars and some things can break.

Insurance: I’d suggest calling your insurance company as everyone’s situation is different. Mine runs around $2k/year (IIRC).

Also do a search on here. There are a gazillion threads asking similar questions as folks begin their search. Lists of good information in those threads.


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That is a tough one to describe. I have owned 3 C5Zs and 2 C6CZs and have driven several C7s and C7Zs on and off track.

I would look at one with miles that has proven to be reliable.

You need to drive a F430 and decide for yourself. The feel of a Ferrari, an F430 in particular, cannot be described in words. Drive one and you will understand.

 

Your vette may be a bit quicker 0-60 and 1/4 mile because a good performing 430 with the F1 will only do 0-60 in 3.8 and the 1/4 mile in 11.7 at best. And if attracting attractive young women is a bonus, then neither will fit the bill... you'd need a Fiat 500 or some electric eco car for that these days!

In any event, the F430 is much more driver-centric, with only the e-diff as a driving aid (derived from Formula 1). A good F430 will make you want to drive it every day and forget about depreciation or investment value, whereas the Vette can be mundane to drive on a daily basis and loses nearly 1/2 the MSRP in one year.

 

When your're ready PING me and I'll send you a check list and I hope you get pre inspection prior to purchase. I love my F430 Spider

 

You can expect to spend some money in the first year depending on how well the car has been serviced. I bought a 2008 coupe with 6200 miles on it. I ended up replacing the TPMS sensors as they were at end of life. I also had the stickies taken care of and replaced the battery. That's relatively small items but it does add up. Oil/filter changes are a necessity each year and the cost will vary depending on who does it (an independent or the dealer). Before I bought the car, the F1 actuator was replaced, the manifolds were replaced, I had all 4 wheels rebalanced and aligned, had the mirrors tightened and a full fluid/annual service done. Afterward I really didn't do much to the car except for esthetic items (PPF, paint coating, etc.). Some of the things to watch for are -

- Exhaust manifolds; notorious for cracking. Make sure car has had the manifolds replaced to the MkII at a minimum
- F1 actuator; can go bad so see if any service has been done
- Loose outer mirrors; easy fix and you can tell if they are loose by simply "wiggling" them. To fix you simply disassemble and then tighten the appropriate fasteners.
- Broken rear tail lights; You can tell if they are loose by "wiggling" them also. Harder fix because you either must replace the light or come up with a way to fix it.
- Drivers side door latch cable; due to water ingress, the cable can get corroded and prevent the door from latching.
- Clutch; My car had 95% clutch life left when I bought it (original clutch). When I sold it after 1.5 years (bought a 458 Spider), the clutch life remaining was 94%. Most clutch wear comes from these cars being driven in the city or stop and go traffic. Driving through town and stopping at the occasional light isn't going to hurt you. Maybe my car was set-up really well but I liked "spirited" driving and the clutch never suffered because of it (but I did not track it).

I would also go for a 2008 car as many upgrades have been done over other model years, although a well maintained 2007 would be good also. A 2009 would be nice but they are harder to fidn as many of those cars were Scuderia's from what I understand.

Lastly, drive a few cars. I was surprised at the differences between various F430's.

Again, this is just my opinion so it's worth exactly what you paid for it. Good luck and you will truly enjoy the car!

 

It’s a totally different beast compared to the corvette. Like others have said your vett will be faster then a well sorted 430 but I would never trade the 430 for one. The Ferrari brings a sense of occasion to every drive that no Porsche, corvette, or bmw ever could for me. Every time I start her up I get excited. I highly recommend the F1, yes it has more points of failure due to its design but it was built for the car. It is every bit as involving to drive as a manual just without the left foot action. That and the shifts are violent and satisfying. Also just because there are more points of failure doesn’t mean it is unreliable.

The Ferrari also handles very differently from the vett. For one the vett feels large in comparison with that long hood dangling out the front. The Ferrari feels like it’s a part of you with a great seating position and the low hood allows you to place the car better on the road. The vett feels somewhat like a brute but a very capable one at that. The Ferrari dances around the road almost feels like the car is on its tip toes.

The exhaust note is an easy win for myself that flat plane crank winding out is just pure ecstasy. The vett does sound great and is one of the better sounding cars out there today. Just different strokes for different folks.

The Ferrari will also bring a whole lot more attention. That may be a bad thing or a good thing depending on your preferences. One thing Ferrari ownership has done is given me a sense of pride to be able to be a part of the brand. All the other brands never did this for me but at the same time a Ferrari was always a dream of mine. It’s the only car company in which I will wear its clothes around. I still do have a spot in my heart for Porsche though.

As far as maintenance goes a safe bet would be 2-3,000 a year assuming you do some of the maintenance yourself. Make sure you find a good Indy though because if you go through an F dealer this will go up tremendously. One thing is to make sure you drive the car if you let it sit for long periods of time it will develop more problems. I drive mine every single weekend and enjoy the hell out of it. They were built to be driven not to sit under garage lights.


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Great info and much appreciated from a fellow enthusiast looking for his first F-car!

 

Since I am getting comments about my long replies, I will try and keep this brief. I love Corvettes, (my last was a 2016 Z51 like yours OP), and the very first thing you will notice is that though they are not that different in size the 430 will feel smaller, and more angle and precise (even though on paper it probably is not). Contrary to what many think it takes some getting used to (and practice), to get the F1 working the way it should, it is more than just pulling paddles. My advise find a dealer with a good reputation (there are some on here or I or someone else on here can help with that), since I think (and I have a lot more experience with this part than most) the most important aspect of finding your first Ferrari is finding a good well maintained car that up to date service, and it owners have threated it well. I have been here a pretty long time and if there is one mistake people have made it is thinking the price is the most important thing, it is not. Good luck to you. Oh and by the way girls just love wild orange Kia Souls, with Hamster Shields.

 

I bought my 3 pedal coupe new August, 2005. By Ferrari standards, it has been very cheap to own. I've spent about 10K on routine maintenance which includes one 10 year/30K service. Service is relatively cheap in my area however. It now has 29K on it. Issues have been very few. The headers and rear main seal were replaced under warranty. Nothing much since. Still has the original clutch. I do not baby it, it has been tracked. Paddle cars will cost a little more to service and can be more problematic but techs tell me they're pretty reliable too. IMO, the main thing that separates Ferraris from other makes is steering feel and communication from the road generally. Of course, mid engine cars feel different from other layouts, especially at turn in. 430s should be at the bottom of their depreciation curve and with plenty to choose from, now should be a good time to buy. Good luck.

 

I was in your position 2 years ago, I’ll probably never buy another new Corvette...I’ve got the Ferrari bug! The F1 system on my 2005 F430 has been flawless, and it has the early F1 pump..so don’t worry about that either. Buy the best car you can afford, mx records are the most important. As long as the car has had proper annual services, you should not worry about anything. I did spend some money on my car after I bought it to fix the sticky interior parts, and swap out the factory exhaust manifolds for headers. Good luck in your search....

 

Excellent advice given above...!
Spend as much time you can inspecting and researching your future F430....it will be time well spent.
Not sure if its been mentioned but be sure it comes with complete owners manual and leather pouch, two sets of keys, tool kit complete, and tire service kit...and lets not forget the car cover, seat covers, steering wheel cover and Ferrari bag it should all be stored in....Ferrari flashlight and Ferrari battery charger.
If any of these items are missing replacing will be costly ask me how I know...
Now for the best note of all....The F430 is not just a nice car it is a outstanding machine that will you internal happiness like you never experienced.
Warning there will be no cure for the addiction...
Welcome to the family..!
KD//