New to Ferrari

Welcome to Fchat. It’s a great resource for anything Ferrari

I agree with you on the 458/488 conundrum to an extent, the naturally aspirated 458 does seem to hold its value at the moment very well, but certainly here in the UK, so does 488 as it’s still the current model. That said, I expect both to drop a little once F8 deliveries get going in any real number. The ‘protected’ car really would be the Speciale, or the Pista, depending on your preference NA or turbo cars.

Have you thought about 599, or California T/Portofino as your ‘waiting’ car? Both have some great advantages, both are really good cars, and one of them even has the ‘Enzo’ V12!

 

+1 - you would do well to spend some time in the 458/488 section looking at other similar threads

 

Ahhh, THE bridge car! Do a 458, and if you can do a Specialle, that will be even better.

 

Getting a na car will be much different from the F8. Do the 458. Maybe a spider if you are getting a coupe or vice versa.

 

Buy an F12 so you can experience the other side. They are a crazy bargain right now.

 

Since you are a first time buyer unless you know someone at your local dealer you may have to wait a long time for a spec built F8. Depending on the dealer, you may not get one at all. I would ask you the same questions I'd ask someone looking for any car, like what do you want the car to do. You have no location on your profile so I don't know where you are located or if you would even be able to use the extra power the 488 offers. If it were me (and it is because I am looking to add a 458), I would go with the 458 only because it serves my purpose for the car. I would ask what experiences you have with sports cars, and what type of driver you are. Also have you ever driven a 458/488 or any Ferrari for that matter. I am not trying to insult you OP, I ask these type of things to anyone who starts a thread like yours, and I would also suggest taking a trip to your local dealer and finding out whether they will even take a deposit on a F8. You are going to be safe on resale with red (though I have had enough Red Ferrari's and am looking for white or blue this time), and options it is hard to say, some people like lots of carbon fiber (I don't ), others like the fancy stitching, but for the most part it is personal taste. There are plenty of cars people put up on here that I say why would someone do that, but it is their car and their money.

 

The biggest difference in the jump from NA to Turboed is obviously the pull. 458 IMO is stunning, a perfect car, but owners still mention the need to double downshift if you're going to find any torque. So the daily driveability of the turboed cars is better. Though you also lose the gorgeous exhaust note with the turbos. I was really surprised how much mechanical music was lost from Cali 30 to Cali T, but the gain in performance with the turbos was well worth it. They also seem to have changed the TCU for the Cali T, where the Cali 30 was geared more aggressively to shift at higher RPM presumably to counter the traditional lack of torque, the T seems more normally geared, less jerky. Very smooth drive. While I haven't driven the 488 I've heard the same is true 458 to 488. I'm not one to want to buy Fcars new, not really quite my budget. But if I had the wherewithal the only reason i would order new would be to take delivery from the factory and drive across Europe, bucket list. Either 458 or 488 are going to be amazing drives, especially if you're new to the marque. Unless you're one to need to spec your car down to every detail and don't mind that depreciation, F8 is the third variant riding on the insanely successful 458 platform and I just don't see paying the premium for new. When the 458 came out I was singing a different tune wishing I could afford new, was a game changer and still is.