360 Spider / Modena

I can't comment on the waterproofing of the top.

I will say that the rear window does become cloudy / wrinkled over time. I have been told it is relatively simple to replace - you could probably find the answer with a quick search.

Spider or Modena is a pretty big decision - if you have the chance to drive in decent weather, well, a spider is pretty hard to beat.

 

The plastic window will dull and get scratched over time, but can be restored/maintained pretty well.
There is quite a bit of air noise when driving at highway speeds, but it is tolerable. The mechanism is very complex and if a cable breaks or a switch or motor gets fried, it can be expensive to fix.
But.....on a sunny day, with the top down, it is heavenly!!

 

What he said

 

big difference in price as spiders command a much higher asking price. though i'm a coupe guy i do once and a while yearn for a convertible on those perfect 65 degree days.

spider also has more moving parts. when buying a car like this if you are on a budget i'd buy a car with the least electronics possible to minimize the chance of a costly repair.

 

I am biased towards the spider since I own one. With that said if you do get a spider, store it with the roof up. I have found the top wrinkles less and the plastic window creases less doing so. Also keep the fluid at proper level, operate the top with the engine running. Last thing, flush the hydro system for the top every couple of years.

 

There are a lot of disadvantages on a Spyder as compared to a hard top. This applies to all convertibles, not just Ferrari. Just some things off of the top of my head:
- Structural rigidity is compromised
- more road noise
- more squeaks and rattles
- plastic glass will get foggy and eventually crack, needing replacement
- seals need to be lubed regularly
- top is not as water or air tight as a hard top
- top needs to be cleaned and sealed every so often with special products ie. Ragg Topp
- mechanism can fail, and expensive to fix
- less safe in a rollover
- susceptible to vandalism

That's all I can think of off of the top of my head. Either you are a convertible person, or you aren't. If you like them, it is worth all the possible negatives. If you are not sure, you are probably better off with a hard top.
I had a convertible Porsche. I'm happy I bought it, but I'm done with convertibles, never again. However, I think it's something that everyone should own at least once in their life just for the experience. I wouldn't get a Ferrari though, it's too expensive. I would probably get a used Porsche or M3 just to get it out of my system.
You will probably get a better answer from the Fchat guys who have owned both, a Hard top and a spyder. They will be able to give you specifics on the Ferrari that may be way better than the "average" convertible. It's possible that all of the above issues that I pointed out won't apply to the Ferrari.

 

There are also advantages. If you live in a place that has nice weather, there is NO feeling like a soft top. Vandalism is vandalism, I don't buy that. The resale value IS higher.

But, admittedly, mine has now had 2 issues since purchase in November. The first was a microswitch issue, the second just came up with a strange squeak on closing.

If youre on a budget I'd stay clear from the convert top. If you have a little extra to spend on bills, then I'd go ahead and get the spider. Roof-Off driving is the best way to enjoy the car in my opinion.

I'll buy another convertible for sure...

 

+1. You either are or aren't. One thing though, compared to "regular" convertibles. Since most Ferrari owners only use their cars for "special" drives and usually on nice days, most of the potential negatives are less bothersome and you may be the type for whom open air motoring makes the experience that much more special. For instance, vandalism risk is higher with a spider, but most people don't park their cars long on special drives or in areas where you might otherwise be exposed to more risk with a DD convertible. Same thing for squeaks and rattles. Since you won't likely be DD your spider, you are more likely to drive only in nice weather with the top down, so squeaks and rattles are less bothersome (you only tend to hear them with the top up). Upkeep of the top isn't difficult because again, most Ferraris, even coupes, are not driven in the rain, or parked for days in open parking lots, which is where spider tops take a beating.

Finally, a spider gives you the choice of open air motoring while you can never do that with a coupe. Many spider owners always drive with the top down and raise it only when parked mainly to reduce UV exposure or risk of bird droppings. Of course you can't do anything about the structural rigidity or safety issues, but on the modern Ferraris, the differences between coupe and spider are minimal, as they were designed from scratch with the idea of a spider version in mind. I find no regrets getting a spider version of the 360. I will admit the coupes look better, though.

 

i do want a own a 911 one day just because it'll be nice to have a great sports car that i can feel more comfortable using every day. if/when i do buy one i will most likely get a convertible for the reasons you stated above. just to have one for a while. as i said earlier when the weather is just right it's a nice feeling to be cruising around. very therapeutic.

 

I recently changed my Alfa Spider for a 360 Modena. In Italy, there is apparently a smaller price differential between the berlinetta and the spider than there is in the U.S., so price was not a consideration when I rejected all Ferrari Spiders from consideration.

What put me off was the constant fight to keep my Alfa Spider top working. The design and operation of the Alfa and Ferrari tops are quite similar. Yes, cruising around (and the Alfa Spider is definitely a "beach cruiser" as opposed to any sort of "sports car") with the top down is wonderful in the right weather. Having it stuck open (or part way open), when the weather changes is not so much fun.

And repairing it, which I'm guessing is cheaper on the Alfa than on a Ferrari, wasn't much fun either especially since finding someone who really understood the mysterious ways of the electro/hydraulic top was a mystery in itself. Plus, the long distance delivery, pick-up, and waiting time associated with multiple top repairs was a HUGE waste of time, considering that most of those events weren't really repairs. They were just visits to the dealer who fiddled with the top long enough so that the intermittent fault of the week went away for a few cycles, only to return when the Alfa was in my garage. I grew to hate that top even though I liked the car itself.

I was actually surprised at how my state-of-mind suffered when the top didn't work. It was like having a sick child. I just wasn't willing to put up with it any longer and I didn't want "convertable-top-failure-depression" to ruin my first Ferrari experience.

I will add that my wife didn't like riding in the Alfa because she was constantly worried about a top malfunction. But she absolutely loves the Ferrari. That counts for something.

Of course, that's just me (us). You may be able to shrug off malfunctions without falling into deep psychosis.

 

As a spider owner I couldn't agree more

 

Convertible top failure depression.

Man that hits me where I live. Currently replacing a bunch of parts that got bent when a piston failed. I think after this repair I’ll be done and it’ll be fixed…

Still tho - when it’s right you can’t beat it.

The top is definitely diy able if you’re handy tho.


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I drive with my top up a lot actually and when the windows are adjusted properly it doesn’t leak. I daily drive a ragtop jeep and my jeep leaks worse. The noise is also better than my jk.

A sunroof car might be an interesting in between but taking it out and storing it is a pain also.

I have almost everything that is possible to fail break on my top. It’s manageable but either have 10-15k in reserve or dyi. It’s not hard just need to be patient some little pieces are a righteous pain to get in and out.


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I didn’t know a Spider commanded more of a premium in the current 360 market which I think is incorrect. Only 1,810 Modena’s ever touched U.S soil versus 2,389 spiders. The Modena has much better complete lines not to mention a ton less potential headaches due to the top.

 

Ownership bias= whatever variant you own is worth more

 

I think it honestly comes down to what you are into. If you really love that open top experience, go for it.

That being said, I'm not buying people saying that spiders are worth much more. If there is a price difference it isn't much. The top is another potentially costly failure point. They also look more difficult to work on. I will admit, they do look good with the top down.

In the end, I think that the pros and cons are negligible to the point that it all comes down to what you really want.

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Step 1: Buy a Spider.
Step 2: Find a Ferrari mechanic that specifically knows how to work on a 360/430 spider top.
Step 3: Have hydraulic leaks, fork out $10K to remove the entire top to get to the main ramps.
Step 4: Swear to buy only coupes from now on.

 

5. Buy ANOTHER Spider.

 

My 360 top of flawless. My 355 top, another story.


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Yeah but the days when it’s good…you can’t beat a spider…had it out this morning 75 degrees and sunshine Image Unavailable, Please Login


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