Why does "everyone" prefer the 458 over the 488?

I'm a 488 owner and have driven a 458. I REALLY don't understand why it seems that "everyone" on this forum recommends buying a 458 over a 488, even when they are virtually the same price. I know you will say it's the "last naturally aspirated V8" blah blah. Yes it may sound a little better than the 488. But the 488 still sounds good, especially in manual mode with high revs. The 488 is newer, better tech, more reliable, faster, handles better, and looks better. The only 458 that looks as good as a 488 is the speciale, which is insanely expensive. In my opinion, the 488 is the best value modern mid-engine Ferrari supercar and should ALWAYS be chosen over the 458 at a similar price.

 

It’s just traditionalism.

Look at initial reactions to the 296. People are coming around now.

 

They're probably the same in terms of reliability.

Looks are subjective. I own a 458 and prefer the Italia's looks over the 488. However I prefer the Pista's looks over the Speciale's.

Not really. Maybe a low mileage 458 Spider in a 2014-2015 model year is. Asking and selling price aren't the same.

 

Turbo problems are starting in the 488 and are not cheap to repair. There are soooo many threads on this topic. Just drive your 488 and enjoy. It still is a special car.

 

I like the cleaner look of the 458 over the more aggressive styling of the 488. Just like I like the look of my e90 m3 over my f80.

 

BMW chassis code F80, not Ferrari F80 I presume.

I remember back when Andy Grove was in charge of Intel and he was asked what he thought was the biggest impediment to the computer industry. He joked that it was the limited number of three letter acronyms (TLAs).

 

Ignore the opinions of random people in this forum. There are enough of these cars that the prices tell us what the real opinions are. People are voting with their wallets.

 

Who is "everyone" homie

 

Agreed, I couldn't stand the low torque in the 458 and it felt like a fast isolating luxury car. There was no edge to it (loved driving the Scuderia for this reason, that was dripping with character like I expect from an exotic). So I bought something else at the time (supercharged V8 with torque everywhere) and will consider a F8 in the future if I ever get the money together and it depreciates some.

 

If the torque is too low you might need to downshift
My fastest, torquiest car is my Tesla so everything else I choose for fun!

 

Yup……you want torque…..get a Plaid (used ‘24’s can be had for ~ $75k). I don’t like the bucktoothed look of the 488 front. I don’t like the busy rear of the F8. My 458 is my 11th Ferrari and I went back to it for the clean looks and the classic Ferrari n/a sound. If I want pure speed and tech, I drive the Plaid.

 

my guess is this thread goes for 14 pages and we all repeated our same positions

 

458 has a more even power band so its more predictable. No turbos, no blown turbo issues. Just the right amount of power to use WOT and enjoy it before you hit going to jail speeds. The interior styling while older is better and the only thing a 458 is missing is carplay which can be added. Exterior styling is also much better IMO. The 488 tried but didnt quite make it as an upgrade in the looks department.

But the biggest reason, and the reason they are so close to the 458 prices is the F8. Everything the 488 got wrong, the F8 got right. If youre going to make the jump to a turbo car everyone would rather have the F8.

Side note, my M5 is faster than my 458. Top speed and HP isnt always what makes a car fun to drive.

 

i skipped the 458 and went to a 488 imo much better car huge improvements only thing i preferred on the 458 was the exhaust but 488 was the winner

 

And a 488 with inconel exhaust craps all over a 458. It sounds much cleaner and yes the drivability and power is worlds apart. The 488 looks grew on me so much I bought one over a 458, crazy how tastes change!

 

On the other hand, it was vocally predicted by the 458 aficionados that the 458 would soon cost more than a 488 - but as far as I can see, it actually never happened (of course a delivery miles 458 may cost much than a beaten up 488, but that's not a real comparison).
The latest 458 are priced closely to the earliest 488, but one has to remember that when it was introduced, the 488 was actually priced very close to the outgoing 458 (I know because I got one of the earliest 488); Ferrari had not yet implemented its policy of huge price increases (pushing the limits of what customers are willing to accept).
Regarding the F8, it's an improvement, but the price difference will fade IMHO; currently it's perceived as almost new - justifying a big price gap with 488 - but a few years from now, one will only pay for the actual differences which, not being huge, will not make a huge price difference (I like the smaller steering wheel and the added power of the F8 btw, but it was not enough for me to add the asked money).

 

@amazingtrails se what you started? LOL

 

Definitely not everyone. I've had every mid/rear engine V8 since the 355, except the 360 because I literally hate them inside and out aesthetically lol... and of the 5 different models, the 458 was my LEAST favorite by far.

 

And which model was your favorite and why?

 

I don’t know how anyone could think that even a modded 488 sounds even remotely close to as good as a fully stock 458, let alone “craps all over it”.

 

A 488 with inconel system sounds better to me, much cleaner tone, like it's not trying as hard. Don't get me wrong, I was a huge 458 fanboy but it's just not all it's cracked up to be. I've driven many of them and they just don't do anything better than a 488 and they cost pretty much the same so might as well go for the 488. The 488 is faster, tighter, better handling, more aggressive looks, more tech, etc. Again, Im a huge 458 fanboy but I'd still take a Pista over a Speciale given I could afford one lol.

 

Favorite is the F8- It's leagues ahead of any other V8 they've made. order top to bottom = F8, F430, 488, 355, 458

 

Nonsense….The 488 is the best Ferrari they have ever made period . Ever. No contest. From inception. Never made one better. All the other Ferraris are losers. Trust me. Everyone knows this. They should be a billion dollars.