360 model year changes?

Hello - I've done some searching, but haven't found any answers to my question. I'm sure this is an easy one...

What changes have occurred for each model year since the introduction of the 360 in '99? Aside from age, is there a reason why I might want to consider, say, an '01 vs. an '00? Unless you feel others might be interested, I am only concerned with the coupe, specifically the 6-speed models.

Thanks - Andy

 

While the 99 was their first year and may have been prone to many problems, it was also the most powerful and lighter of the bunch. For one, the headers are different on 99 than others, there are no secondary air pump with plumbing and the added precats. Also the 99s have less of the side panels in the engine bay, i.e the bottom ones are missing.

 

What 4i2fly says is true however in many ways the 360 was a clean sheet car and many, many things have been improved over the life of that car. There have been so many software versions for the dash board alone that I can't keep track, reinforced engine mounting brackets on the frame, improved trans mounts,improved software for the motor, improved software and hardware for the F1 trans etc etc etc. I could sit here and ware out my key board listing them all and that would only account for the items that the factory bothered to tell anyone about. For these reasons my advice on buying any Ferrari model is to buy the newest one you can get.

 

My mechanic tells me that the 99 is the one to one. You can put in the later software, and get most of the improvements, but the 99 makes the most HP, is the lightest, and the fastest one.

Without the air injection and precats, it also has the best sound with the stock exhaust system. The areas of alleged flaws are all correctable. If you're getting the car for the performance, its the best year.

Art

 

The factory even has a fix for the broken frames on the early ones, of course there are only 3 places in the country that do it.

 

I never heard of the broken frame? Is there a particular place, how can you inspect it, and I suppose the owner is sol since it is out of warranty!

 

In a service bulletin dated Jan 2002 the subject of frame cracks is addressed.
It is on cars prior to assy #4076. The problems were blamed on poor design early motor mounts. I am not convinced of that but in any event they did redesign the frame. The only reason I bring it up is to underline the desireability of later cars. Many, many design improvements happen, big and small over the life of these cars. They are important and not always able to be easily updated. In the case of the frame repair/reinforcement the parts will only be sold (just like any other structrual part for the 360) to one of the authorized body shops. At last count there are 3 of them in the US (NY, Houston, Orange Co).

This is also one of many examples why these cars be inspected by people that know them.

 

Buying the latest model you can afford is rarely a bad move, but sometimes little (idiosyncratic) things will make stretching the finances that little bit more worth it for you. Is there a list anywhere that details changes to the 360 each year?

Thanks again for any help.

Cheers - Andy