Who went back and forth deciding on a 360 Hardtop or Spider?

Top is controlled by 7 hydraulics rams that are known to fail and also to be a pain in the ass to repair. The top itself also wears and is very expensive to replace.

If you live somewhere with nice weather at least 4 months of the year and don't care about a small reduction in chassis rigidity, I think the Spiders are very cool.

Being in GA (rainy winter, hot summer, short fall and spring), it didn't make a ton of sense for me. But if you are somewhere like West Coast or Florida where the weather is quite nice for long stretches of the year, it is a totally different experience.

 

Love the top down looks and experience. I presume some add’l complexity and potential failure points w that top, but I really don’t see threads about it… so perhaps top is super reliable.

 

Even with 5 months of winter here I wouldn't trade my Spider for a hardtop.
Less rigid, leaks a little in really-really heavy rainfall, a bit more wind noise? Meh!

Nothing like a Ferrari with the top down.

 

The 360/430 Spider capote (soft top) system can be prone to problems if they've been neglected. If, however, the top is maintained properly and it's a very DIY proposition, it can work perfectly every time.

As for the hydraulics, the three typically failing rams located in the soft top are easily replaced, again DIY. The four main body cylinders are much more robust and overbuilt compared to the puny rams in the top that fail and will likely never need service.

So don't be subject to the fear mongering of those who are afraid of their tops. There's nothing like an open air cruise in these beauties!

I wrote an article on how to replace the elastics in the top that may be interesting.

https://www.ferrari360.org/2020/09/capote-elastic-bands-and-more.html

I live in Memphis and there are plenty of great weather opportunities to drive open air here, unlike Georgia where it's all doom and gloom.

 

Since you live in the desert, buy one with a broken top for less and eventually DIY a top repair.

 

Have you owned a convertible?
I don't' have any specific Ferrari experience however it seems one is either a convertible person, or not.
We have one here and it's top down even in the winter. Just crank the heat, seat heaters, and neck warmers. It's fantastic.
A convertible is all about the top down experience.

It's a Ferrari, so not like it's a logical purchase anyhow. Just buy what you like and enjoy it. Fix it when it breaks. Smile.

 

Why do you think a coupe would "better fit your needs"? Can you elaborate?

/

 

Security.
When you park you have to worry in some areas, even nice areas, some jerk could do damage to the interior with top down.
Hot seats, don't forget to flip seat forward to keep from burning legs on a hot day.
Less rigid, stronger frame as they age, I would assume rockers starting to sag could/maybe be an issue.

Coupe all day.

 

If you spend the money for a nice carefully maintained 360, you don’t need to worry too much about the top. Did the oil in the rams just get topped up whenever it was low, or did they flush them out periodically and get fresh fluid in there?

However if you’re looking for a bargain, I recommend avoiding Spiders, and for that matter, F1s as well.

 

However if you’re looking for a bargain, I recommend avoiding Spiders, and for that matter, Ferrari's as well.

 

These cars are 17-20 years old. Even a well-maintained top will eventually wear out and need replacing, and it is isn't cheap.

Like I said, it is an additional layer of complexity vs a coupe, but can be worth it if you are able to drive with the top down often. I had an S2000 and always drove it with the top down (even in rain!), but I was a kid then. We have maybe 6-8 weeks of nice spring weather (filled with pollen) and a similar period in the fall. You can of course drive the car around with the top up, but that defeats the purpose of buying a Spider over a Coupe in my mind. I bought the car to drive 5-8k miles per year, not to have it sit around waiting for a "perfect" day to take it out and use it.

Compare Atlanta (or Memphis) to northern California where it is ~75F and sunny every day for 6-7 months in a row and you will maybe understand my argument better.

 

The attention factor goes up with a convertible, which is a negative for me.

Other than that, your senses are heightened in away a coupe can't match (I have one of each, neither is a Ferrari).

 

I've owned 1 convertible in my life. Top got slashed for a $10 CD player. Never again.

 

The 360 and 430 Spiders still have glass over the engine. I love that! Later Ferrari convertibles do not, due to the extra space the hard tops require.

I'm impressed by the FChatters that worry about the fabric top when they park their cars! I worry so much about where to park my car anyway that the cloth top does not add to that. It is door dings that worry me more than a slashed top, so I'm pretty careful where I park it.

I love driving the 360 with the top down; the music of the engine and the open road is terrific. Having said that, Oahu is a pretty good place for a convertible, and not everywhere has that advantage.

 

As someone else said, you’re either a convertible person or not. Some of the preference is based on local weather. If it’s unbearable to have the top down most of the year, a convertible is probably not a good idea. But it’s great top up or down! And don’t let it keep you off the track!

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I feel it truly depends on the car and which one 'speaks' to you. I am an avid collector (20+cars) and have spiders, coupes,targas,etc.I always go in with an open mind because when I am set on a coupe, I find an awesome spider... Buy the car that has the best condition and maintenance that you can afford. Nothing is more expensive than a cheap exotic that needs "a few neglected items"
So a local spider that is pristine, maintained and local - beats a coupe that is far and has issues...
The car becomes 'yours' after you own her and you get the experience from being the custodian of these really cool cars.
My two cents
vdm

 

Coupe all the way, I'm a convertible hater.

All convertibles eventually leak, hardtops don't. They require maintenance and have more parts to break, hardtops don't. They have more chassis flex, not good for a performance oriented car. They have more wind/road noise. They have a weird body lines and silhouettes with the top up.

Ok, I'm done complaining now.

 

Sometimes I am jealous of the spider guys...like when 3-4 months have gone by and it's time to condition my leather again as per the manual. It is a neck straining, back breaking exercise in a coupe but I think it is much easier to do regularly in a convertable! Still the more pure driving experience is in the coupe for me. IMHO of course but I think the car looks better too. Disclaimer: not really a convertable person.

 

Can’t go wrong with either.

 

This is such a worthless thread.

OP hasn't provided any context, and a whole bunch of people want to spot off about why they hate spiders or why they hate coupes.

/

 

I’ll add one other reason for the convert: when you drop the top, the engine is directly exposed to your ears…magic at 8500 rpm’s…


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Why don’t you just buy a Modena with a factory sunroof? Problem solved.

 

I have had mine for 17 years now. It works perfectly every time and the top looks new. It’s parked next to my 458 and non car people think it’s the newer of the two all the time. That said, I keep my cars in perfect condition in every way.