360 timing belts, whats the real story?

The belts are made by Dayco and for other cars they usually cost maybe $50 so why are they price at $140+ for Ferrari ?

Does anyone have the cross reference number , it would be interesting to see quay other cars they fit

 

Its true, trust me.

 

Welcome to Ferrari ownership and the "Ferrari tax". Everything car related or otherwise goes up to the "rack rate" once you're identified as an owner...

You should hide your car if anyone is coming to your house to give you an estimate for work....

 

I do and I try and avoid the Ferrari taX like the plague . In the 348/355 section they are the cross reference parts thread .

We need that here . As example, I know the belt can be found for a third of the price.

 

The same belt at a third of the price? Please share info. I am soon to do a 50000km service
and I plan to get most of the parts here http://www.superformance.co.uk/index.htm
Good pricing and I dont have to pay tax since its a EU country.

 

I have called Ferrari of north america and we had long talk about that subject and he concluded that the orginal spec are safe as long that you are not racing the car.but my feelings are the same that they can go a lot further they say.It more of a money maker for Ferrari

 

John- The truth is there is a recommended belt change interval by the guys who have the only statistically significant numbers on Ferrari belt failures, Ferrari. But nobody besides you cares when you change your belts.

 

Guys, belts on a 360? I think mine cost $1200. We are not talking about a TR where they are $6k+ or a 355 where they are $5k I believe.

JUST DO IT!

 

This should be the only post in this thread...talk about much a ado about nothing. A belt job with pulleys (or whatever folks like to call them) is circa $1800 every 3 years. That is a whopping $600 per year. It's the literal rounded off penny of Ferrari ownership costs (depreciation, interest or tvm, other maint, insurance, breakage, et al.)


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My 2 cents....

I just had my 360 in for a complete belt service and I was talking to the mechanic about the timing belts on a 360. He stated the need to service your belts every 3-5 years is not needed its totally dependent on how the car is stored i.e. temperature and humidity. If your car is stored in a climate controlled garage with relativity normal humidity your car will be fine for 10-15 years. If your averaging 2-4K miles a year not on a track pegging out your tachometer. This particular guy has been a ferrari tech for 15 years and has only seen 2 belt failures, and they were 355 cars, not 360's. The 360 have a Kevlar reinforced belt that will with stand the most extreme conditions.

The other side of the argument is what's 2K to protect your 70-150K dollar car.... Nothing pocket change, so change the belts so you don't have to replace a 30K dollar engine, Its an insurance plan.

I had my belts done on my car and it only had 4K miles and 5 years on it since the last belt service.

I would never let lack of timing belt services hinder buying a 360, you need to look at engine compression and title history...

 

How is it a money maker or Ferrari?

They don't sell the parts and they don't do the work.

I'm confused.


They build and sell cars. Period.

High service costs keep people from buying cars.


They recently went to great costs to design new motors for the entire line up to eliminate belts.


Your theory is completely without merit or logic.

 

Just so it's clear, I have the belts changed on my 360 every 3 years without question.

However, I've been wondering if the Dyco branded belts as good as the OEM belts?

 

I think they're thinking specifically revenue for their Dealership network. "Ferrari Authorized work" It also lets them find other things that could be wrong with the car. Assuming the same car resides in a geographic area for 10 years regardless of anal retentive owner.. 5 years: $2000 belt change x 2 = $4000 in gross revenue for the dealership while at 3 years its 3 belt changes $6000. 30% increase in revenue for a given car at 3 years per belt and bearing change.

 

And that is a net negative for Ferrari Spa.


If it was not they would be designing cars that required more maintainence, not less.


For those poeple who have never spent the couple of decades in a Ferrari dealer that I have the entire idea is ludicrous and only reveals a true misunderstanding of the factory dealer relationship.

Ferrari doesn't give a **** about the dealers. If you don't like being a dealer, step aside we have a long list of those who do.


Ferrari makes money selling cars......period. Everything they do, every decision they make is to that end and no other.

 

OEM belts are Dyco production too. It has a prancing horse logo and a Ferrari mark on it as a bonus. These kevlar belts are very strong but unfortunately tensioner bearings (oem SKFs) and phase variators are not.
I saw more than a hands' finger number 360s that broke variators in last 5 years. And a few numbers of 355s & 360s whıch have locked tensioner bearings. To be honest i never saw a 355&360 with a broken belts till now.
In all worst scenario cases; risks and results are same; 20 or 40 valves with guides, head gaskets,etc. + labor cost.
And of course if it is Friday 13th valves may touch the head of your pistons which will be more catastrophic and expensive. So every 3 year or 50 000 km. it is safe and cheaper to change 2 belts (184 986)+2 tensioners (181 264) and 2 variators (190 042). Bottom line number for parts is 800 usd approximately in europe and may be it is 1000-1100 usd in US.
So i think there is no need to put your 60-70k usd car under risk because of this tiny amount.

 

+100.

 

You're putting new variators in a 360 every 3 years?

Ummm... No.

 

Yeah, seems a bit excessive alright. How long before the cams give up from that manipulation?

 

430’s don’t have belts.......

 

Ok... misread the quote...360 belts had to be done... my bad!!