430 F1 vs manual gearbox

OK, so maybe I am a luddite, but in my test drives of the 430 I enjoyed the manual (old school) gearbox much more than the F1. I can see where on the track the F1 is a huge advantage, and god knows my wife and 16 yr old are praying for it, but am I crazy, or just too old school ?

 

The F1 really grows on you. I think it is the car's best feature.

 

I have owned both.

The manual box is more precise and satisfying to me and I believe that it is more appropriate to the car but it is a pain in the ass in stop and go traffic. The F1 is easy to drive and, of course, you can shift it in it's manual mode. If I was only driving the car occasionally and rarely in traffic I would choose the manual otherwise the choice would be the F1.

 

ferrari designed the 430 around the f1 tranny..no changes in the manual tranny vs the 360...a little bit dissapointing that ferrari doesnt spend any developement on the manual stick shift..., its a good system, but not as good the new porsches, or the hondas, etc....

 

what improvements do you need? It's fairly short has very positive feel and the clutch is not heavy at all.

 

Drive a 997 GT3 RS and you will see that the Ferrari gear box feels outdated. I prefer the F1 in a Ferrari.

 

re-sale, re-sale, re-sale... i feel the same, but you gotta think about re-sale... i'm getting a scuderia, and it only comes with the latest f1 gearbox... i would have had a big dilema if i could order it in manual... and i would have still ordered it with the f1, simply not to regret it at re-sale... i think 9 out of 10 or so are ordered f1... if you plan on keeping it for many years to come, then select for yourself, and for others

 

I avoided F1 when I was shopping, but now that I've seen it in action, I would prefer it.

Not many cars have a true F1 style system... enjoy the exclusivity

 

I have and as good as the Gt3RS is, I prefer my 6 speed f430.

 

action is postive on the 430 6 speed, but it can be notchy, and throws are not long but are not short compared to honda, porsche etc,...the clutch in moderate in effort but i do like the uptake...but i like the porsche clutch a little better as it is slightly less effort and as postive in its uptake...overall the 6 speed in the ferrari is good, but the rest of the car is great and i feel ferrari could have improved upon the 360 6speed...they improved everything else about the car, but left the stick shift tranny the same...being a stick shift guy, i was just a little disappointed it wasnt even better than it is....

 

I got the 6 speed also. Wonder what the effect will be on resale? Anyone know?

Art

 

according to two dealers i spoke to recently, the extra msrp on the f1 tends to hold with resales..also, the f1 tends to sell quicker and easier...with the 6 speed, its a matter of finding a true stick shift guy and sometimes this can take longer...some have postulated the manual stick shift cars may be worth more in the distant future, due to its relative rarity...but we could talking 25-30 years......

 

I don't think there is a resale issue at all; everything balances out. Most people buy the F1, partly because that is what they want and partly becasue Ferrari makes it difficult to order a 6 speed. Therefore at resale time, most of the cars are F1 cars. 6 speed cars are more rare and so are the buyers. My 6 speed 360 Spiders resold in a heartbeat as did my 6 speed 612. I got what I wanted as did my buyers. The price spread was about the same and I didn't have to buy a new clutch in the meantime. My 430 Spider is a 6 speed too. I suggest you buy want you want and not worry about resale.

 

And was the jump to the 430 from the 360 worth it ?

 

According to my dealer and recent 360 buyer's guide in Forza, F1's don't bring anymore than sticks in the used market, especially after the warranty is gone. As a group, used buyers have different priorities. Having the latest and greatest is not so important to them and reliability and personal preferences are more important. One dealer went so far to tell me they pay more for early 360's with sticks than paddles. I see no reason that the 430 market will be any different. If anything, stick shift cars will be even more rare than 360's.

Dave

 

My girlfriend is buying an inexpensive car to practice her manual shift techniques for when she gets her "real sports car" ..... I told her about the F1 and she gave me this stupid look like I was trying to 'dumb down' her abilities........... she replied by saying.... "you can't have a real sports car that is not a stick shift... that is LAME!!!".....

.....those were her exact words....

 

My F430 is a stick shift and I am very happy. I have not been a fan of the F1 in the past when they were much slower than they are now. I have not driven one of the 50 milisecond F1 transmissions and I might like that better. But vs. the older slower F1's, I just think you have more control (and clutch-in neutral) with a stick shift and it's just more fun for me. I agree that resale should not be the issue because it is hard to predict what will happen unless Ferrari phases out manuals altogether. Last year, only 7% of Ferrari production was stick shift, and much of that was in the UK, where apparently manuals are still more popular.

 

this is a no brainer. F1 all the way. Before i drove either i thought i'd prefer manual... but it doesn't do the car any justice in a manual. and its also not a bad drive when going easy.

 

bigtime!

 

No no no...you are not crazy!!

 

None in my opinion....Re-sale will depend more on the condition of the car and how it was cared for.

 

Having had both now. I like the 6sp much, much better regardless of how the car was designed. 95% of owners will never get the car to the limit as per tested or designed - so the performance argument for those drivers making that statement doesn't go far here. 95% of use is under normal driving conditions and the f1 gets boring unless you are going through the gears at high RPMs on each throw...even then it's just not as engaging for me. The sound of the car for a driver not familiar with matching revs with the 6sp will not sound near as nice as the F1.

I've got all the respect for F1 technology and certainly praise it's merits. However, for me it's a simple, certain and clear decision....the 6sp is more engaging, fun to drive and requires more thought and skill to run it properly. I'd gladly admit I made a mistake with the 6sp, but in this case - there's no question how much more I enjoy the driving experience. In fact, I just came back from a great drive and love the car! Couldn't be happier with the 6sp.

Either way, you can't go wrong. They are both fun to drive in their own ways. To each their own, it's subjective.

 

+1

 

+2....

 

Anyway someone looks at it, the stick is gone. Future Fs will be all F1.
Yes,... future generations will not know how to shift...it's happening already. Where and how will they learn to shift?...not on the classics or the 308/348/355 or the few 360/430 since they would be very expensive lessons. Maybe the F stick will sell together with a WBeetle included in the price.