Anyone switch from a 488 Coupe to a 458 Spider-thoughts? | FerrariChat

Anyone switch from a 488 Coupe to a 458 Spider-thoughts?

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by rocketman, Jun 19, 2019.

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  1. rocketman

    rocketman Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2009
    1,487
    NY & Miami
    Considering making the switch from a 488 coupe to a 458 spider so would appreciate sharing any insight you might have.
    Previously had a Scud so familiar with N/A analog type cars.
    Will be used for fair weather weekend use....no tracking.
     
  2. babwine

    babwine Karting

    Nov 6, 2016
    159
    Boca Raton/Cape Cod
    Full Name:
    Burt
    No brainer! Go with the 458 Spider. Far more fun and as a former N/A owner knows, the sound is sooooooo much better, not to mention redline at 9000. Plus the top goes down.


    Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
     
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  3. dustman

    dustman F1 Veteran
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    Jun 12, 2007
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    Lots of cowl shake and flex. If that doesn’t bother you, it’s an otherwise brilliant car experience.
     
  4. rocketman

    rocketman Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2009
    1,487
    NY & Miami
    #4 rocketman, Jun 20, 2019
    Last edited: Jun 20, 2019
    Appreciate you pointing this out.
    Despite this "weakness" no doubt the 458 Spider is still a very popular choice in Ferrari's lineup.
    I question if the cowl shake and flex is significant enough to warrant me not buying it especially since the car will be used solely for weekend fair weather cruising ?
    Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages ?
    Is there less flex and shake in the 488 Spider?
     
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  5. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
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    There's a lot, and I do mean a lot less cowl shake in the 488 Spider. Look at it this way. When Ferrari did the 458 Spider, they had to significantly soften the suspension. Not so with the 488 Spider. It shares its suspension setup with the 488GTB.
    Considering the fact that you are now used to your 488, I think the 458 Spider could be difficult to adjust to. Yes it does have the n/a sound, but you will have to give up quite a bit everywhere else.
    Seeing that you plan to use the car as a bit of a weekend getaway thing, I can't help but thinking that when you look past the sound, it will simply not be special enough and as good, compared to your 488.
    I'm not trying to say the 458 Spider is bad, because it's not. But as a drivers car the 488 is just on another level.
    Seriously consider throwing a 488 Spider with e.g a Novitec exhaust into your options. It does sound very good and it just drives that much better

    Do I think the 458 Spider is a 488 replacement? No. I think the 458 Spider is an addition to a 488.
     
  6. rocketman

    rocketman Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2009
    1,487
    NY & Miami

    Is the shake/flex present at all times or only when the top is open ?
     
  7. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
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    It's there at all times. It does help a bit to close the top, but it's not a significant difference.
     
  8. rocketman

    rocketman Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2009
    1,487
    NY & Miami
    Can anyone compare how it feels relative to a 2019 Targa Porsche in terms of flex/cowl shake ?
     
  9. Bandit23

    Bandit23 Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    May 28, 2016
    226
    Miami
    I am just thinking out aloud here, @rocketman why not go test drive a 458 spider and see for yourself ...
    There is fuel for thought that you might be going backwards slightly in technology etc - from 488 to 458 aside from the obvious reasons engine wise -
    Why are you not considering a 488 spider is it because you miss the NA sound etc...

    Honestly for your requirements weekend cruising the 458 Spider will serve the drop top experience ...

    Anyway as always that’s my 10 cents ;):)
     
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  10. rocketman

    rocketman Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2009
    1,487
    NY & Miami
    Had no issue with the engine note on my 488 GTB
    Huge price difference, at this time, with the aggressive pricing on low mileage CPO'ed 458 spider's.
     
  11. Bandit23

    Bandit23 Karting
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    May 28, 2016
    226
    Miami
    Ahh that makes complete sense ... me personally I’ll like the coupe in either variation 458/488 I can never get tired of gazing at that engine bay haha!
    Good luck yeah the pricing is aggressive on the 458 spiders
     
  12. dustman

    dustman F1 Veteran
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    Jun 12, 2007
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    100% of time.
    55 mph on freeway and it shakes all over.
    But the sound is epic. Trade offs.
     
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  13. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

    May 29, 2019
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    In that case, I cannot say with hand on heart that I think it's a good switch. I don't think it's like a 911 shake - different and worse somehow. I feel that the steering column is distanced from the car somehow and the whole thing just seems a lot more disconnected. If you drove it daily and got used to it, that's one thing. But as a weekend toy you take out for a backroad blast etc. the feeling of how good the 488 was by comparison will haunt you.
    I will not go into whether the cheaper price makes it worth it, because only you will know.
    Drive one for a few hours at least and see how you feel.
     
  14. italiafan

    italiafan F1 World Champ
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    Love my 458 spider....mutli-thousand mile roadtrips, Tail of the Dragon, even mountain dirt roads (once we got on it we all felt we had to see it through....hilarious expression on pickup-driving 'ol boys seeing a train of Ferraris going through their back woods)....every mile a joy.
    Sure it shakes....never bothered me.....
     
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  15. rocketman

    rocketman Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2009
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    No shake at all with the 911 Targa 4 GTS and never noticed any shake with the GTB......both are solid as rock.
    Good suggestion to try to get one for a weekend and experience it first hand.
     
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  16. TheMayor

    TheMayor Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    Feb 11, 2008
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    I did.

    I didn't like the spider so I guess I'm in the minority.

    To me if feels more like a targa instead of a spider. I felt like I was in a hole. The F430 spider has much more of a feeling of open air.

    The HVAC is terrible for the spider, especially in a warm climate like mine. The AC in the spider is not as good as the Coupe (which already is not great) because the tubes inside the dash are smaller. It blows less air because of this. And the air vents do not rotate to blow on you so it's just wasted in the cabin if the top is up. If it wasn't a perfect 70 degree day you sweated your butt off in it. (yes, I know -- I'm becoming an old geezer!)

    But my biggest issue is the car is softer. My 2012 coupe had a more lively transmission. Ferrari said they believed spider customers would want a less harsh ride. I wanted a MORE thrilling ride. So I guess we didn't see eye to eye. They have a different exhaust as well. The spider is not as loud as the coupe.

    There is some cowl shake. My roof would squeak on hard bumps. The passenger seat belts would rattle on the back of the CF racing seats. I had to buckle them up to prevent a constant "clack, clack, clack" over every bump.

    The coupe just looks better to me as well. The spider is a bit clunky looking from the rear. Too many compromises. That's not a reason to not buy it, but it just is.

    I did like that you can put down the rear window glass at anytime. And if you put it up when driving with the top down it did cut down on turbulence in the cockpit.

    It is still an amazing car. Don't get me wrong. But the coupe to me was better aside that on the perfect day you could take the top off. I didn't think it was worth the extra money and the negatives it brought with it.

    So you can shoot the messenger --- but you asked! Just giving you the flip side to someone who had both.
     
  17. rocketman

    rocketman Formula 3

    Oct 1, 2009
    1,487
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    Thank you.....your evaluation is much appreciated and just what I was looking for.
    Not sure I am willing to accept all those compromises for the handful of days that I can drive with the top down in the Northeast.
     
  18. dustman

    dustman F1 Veteran
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    Jun 12, 2007
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    Mayor nailed most of it.

    I like the spider looks better. And my 15 spider was FAR more lively and exciting than my coupe or speciale. Exhaust note had pops and crackles.

    Kinda miss it actually, despite the flaws.
     
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  19. boobernackle

    boobernackle Formula Junior

    May 28, 2016
    951
    Yes, significantly less flex and shake in the 488 Spider, but it's still there.

    Go with whichever choice is your heart's desire, just make sure to drive a 458 Spider beforehand.
     
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  20. tekaefixe

    tekaefixe Formula 3

    May 10, 2012
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    The 458 Spider is a car to have fun, to enjoy.
    It’s not like a pista, super focused on being fast and superb traction/dynamics.
    Yes it flexes and the thing that bothers the most is the sometimes hard movement in the steering wheel.
    But, the more you drive it the more you get used to it and the shake bothers you less and less. About the 458 Italia being louder I don’t agree, the spider is much louder and with a better sound than the Italia. Compared to the 488 eheh well, the 488 doesn’t sound as good by a mile.
    The 458 is so good that it’s more expensive than some 488’s and these will continue to depreciate and the 458 Spider will not.
    It’s the last Pininfarina Ferrari and the last NA V8!
    Test drive it in a twisty road, top down and it’s like you’re driving an F1 from 2012.
    You won’t care or even notice it shakes because of the fun you will be getting.
    488 is boring in comparison.

    Please drive it and decide, reading these posts pales in comparison!
     
  21. Il Co-Pilota

    Il Co-Pilota F1 Veteran

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    Please show me a 488 Spider with the same milage as a 458 Spider, that has sold for less than an equivalent equipped 488 Spider.

    Also I think it's pretty safe to say that you nor i cannot say with that much certainty that the 458 will not depreciate. Until now, the 458 Spiders has depreciated like everything else in the Ferrari lineup, and from where i sit, it looks like that will continue.
    There were so many thousands of cars made, so the notion of one being so rare and exclusive that it will not depreciate, is pretty far fetched 458Sa? Yes. 458 Spider? No.
    Yes it's the last n/a, and yes, it says Pininfarina on the side. But fact is that people move on, and many like the newer technology and the 488 sold well overall.
    And even if the price itself of a 458 Spider turned out to stay steady for the next 10 years, inflation means that our money is worth less, which also equates to depreciation
     
  22. tekaefixe

    tekaefixe Formula 3

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    People that have the SA don’t really drive it making the spider the open to have.
    Good luck trying to sell a SA with 100.000km.
    I wasn’t comparing the 458 Spider to the 488 Spider. I said the 488 coupe is cheaper.
    And again drive both and tell me which one gives you the more fun, specially drifting them :)
     
  23. agrun

    agrun Formula Junior

    May 24, 2009
    699
    FLA
    You do have the right idea, that even a few nice days in the NE will make the spider the way to go. While 458 is far better priced, the market is dropping rapidly on 488 spiders. I had 2, a 2017 and 2019, recently traded the last one for a pista and just got out with my skin. There are plenty available now and good deals can be found as 488 spider owners are headed for the exit to trade up. I can tell you from personal experience on 2 488 spiders, the market is far different today than when I traded the 2017 for the 2019. Very soft market regardless of asking prices. Make a few lower offers where you are comfortable and see what happens. Dealers have these cars on consignment and owners don’t want the cars sitting around. Any reasonable offer is welcome because it’s a very quiet resale market right now. I would not trade down down for 458. You can also wait a bit longer until tributo emerges, 488 drops quite a bit more. Then strike. Should not be huge increase from your coupe. You will enjoy 488 spider much more than 458, which can be a bit of a brute in comparison and you know first hand how nice and easy the coupe is to drive. Don’t go backwards here. Go for the open top, but stay true to 488
     
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  24. tekaefixe

    tekaefixe Formula 3

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    This, if you want a more boring car.
     
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  25. dustman

    dustman F1 Veteran
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    Jun 12, 2007
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    ^ this.
     
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