All over again

Greetings all
I am a long time reader and lover of the F car's. However they are truly not really in my price range. Nevertheless I have started putting pennies away to get my dream car, after all you only live once right? So here's my question, for those of you that have purhased a used F-car, (no matter what the model was), if you had to do it all over again, woud you buy the same car, or a different car brand altogether. Just loooking for an honest answer to this question as I have no one that I know who can afford one. By the way my plans are for a 2005 or 2006 F-430, which my hearts wants but the pocketes say 2104 Corvett Stingray. now.lol

 

Had many of these sorts of cars for last 35 years.

Bought a 360 coupe 4 years ago - love it. Very good ownership experience. Expensive to maintain but few things go wrong, and they usually cost little to fix.

Older cars I had were much cooler, but something was going wrong all the time and you could not find the parts to fix them.

Also based on experience - buy the nicest one you can find. You'll have a nicer car and spend less money over the duration of ownership and then sale after ownership.

Really nice 308s are still under $40K - that would be my advice for a cheaper car to buy.

 

Great cars for the money - but they aren't a Ferrari. It's like comparing a Seiko to a Rolex. The Seiko is more reliable and accurate, but...

If you want to drive it every day, or at least a lot, a Vette is a great choice. If you want a really nice toy, get the Ferrari.

A new Corvette will depreciate a lot over the next 5 years, a 430 not nearly as much.

If price is the sticking point - check out 360s or 550s.

 

I've owned several Vette's and have a Porsche and an F430. They're all different. If I could only own one car, it would be the Porsche. Owning a Ferrari is a great experience and a highly recommend it as long at the savings account can handle the cost. If not, the Corvette is the best sports car for the money by a long shot.

 

No, they are not.

 

I would buy my 360 again in a heartbeat. otherwise I would have bought a 348.. in fact I may one of these days as a second car in the garage...

 

Yes they are. Saw one locally here on Craigslist $29k.

Ask does not equal sell.

 

I may be in the minority here....

but I think, buying a very good example of any F-car, as long as it is bought at a good price....the cost of ownership is less than just about ANY car out there!!

unless you have something go horribly wrong, requiring a whopping repair bill... costs are quite low.

a well sorted out 430, has already taken the biggest part of the depreciation hit its gonna take...

yearly services... are not that expensive (NO TIMING BELT, like 360's) so only fluids etc...

I think its the best kept secret of any Exotic!! was only a few years ago, you could make money on your F-car....

now, I wouldn't use it as a daily driver.. but for a weekend car, i think its a great deal!!

and to answer your question.. Nothing like owning, and driving a Ferrari!! but on the other hand, when something goes wrong... NOTHING LIKE OWNING a Ferrari!!

 

If that's the case a real nice 360 should only be worth $34,000 max.


Love to see what a real nice $29,000, 308 looks like......Craigslist that says it all

Have a nice day

 

You probably are in the minority on that statement! Nearly every other car is cheaper to maintain. Ferrari pricing on parts and maintenance is stratospheric!

 

I know because I knew the owner and sat in it myself. Kept up on maint. Nice condition. I guess he just needed the $$$. Sub 25k miles.

Ferrari's are worth what people will pay for them. Naturally there are many on this forum that think a Mondial should not be a dime below $60,000.

 

I was going to say something about how you must believe that because you don't drive your Ferrari, then I read the next part of your post and yup, a car that sits in the garage is cheap to own.

Why not drive it daily ? why not drive the best car every day ?

To the original poster, I was looking for a 3x8 for a long time, then decided I could push the finances and maybe get a 355 thinking it would be better for daily driving then a 3x8 as I have a lift and could do my own engine out, the 355 is more modern and in theory better for daily use. Then when the time came, I bought a 360 and never looked back. I am in the minority here, but I do not want a 430, I am very happy with my 360. If I ever got another Ferrari it would be a 12cyl. GT car but that likely will never happen.

 

I just picked up a F430 F1. I would absolutely buy the same car again. Incredible car, already-awesome ownership experience.

The non-exotics (Corvette, Porsche, AMG/M cars) don't compare. While they provide elements of the experience, the complete exotic experience is absolutely greater than the sum of its parts. I've found the market to be efficient and it has priced these cars accordingly.

Do not settle.

 

Before you buy make sure you drive every model you might think about buying. I bought a 550 and I thought I loved it, but I didn't drive anything else. I wish I would have, as I recently drove a 430, and it was night and day different, and I really liked the 430, and would get the 430 instead. Also, a Ferrari is not cheap to maintain. I had my 550 for about a month and my water pump went out. With shipping to the dealer and having the water pump rebuilt, it was almost 5k. And if you do your research, everyone will tell you the 550 is one of the most reliable Ferrari there is. So things do happen, even to the reliable ones, and when they do, be ready to pay up. With a budget to buy a 430 you could get a very nice Vette or 911, I'm not saying don't buy a Ferrari, just know owning one requires more time and money then most other cars.

 

I have had my 16M for a few months now. Fabulous car in every respect. So far, totally reliable. Intense, brutal and nasty. Exactly what I was looking for. MUCH more intense that a 458. I could have bought a very nice 458 coupe for what I paid for the 16M. I'm really glad that I went with the 16M. The 458 is just a little too refined for me. The most fun so far has been pulling up to a guy standing next to his new Stingray in a group of admirers and having the Vette totally disappear. I just laughed and laughed as his pride and joy was totally ignored. I don't think that he was too happy. I have the feeling that the Vette guy won't be inviting me over for dinner any time soon.

 

I would buy my 360 again! I am not sure I will keep it forever but for this time in my life it is great. I would love to live someplace else with it though; to have more road choices!

 

As much as I like my 360 I wish I bought either a F430 or Gallardo due to much better interior and horse power

One of these will be my next car


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Purchased my 2003 360 F1 Spider just 4 months ago with only 10,000 miles, pristine condition and I love my car. The best car I have ever driven and owned.

However, maintenance and repair on Ferrari's are very expensive so whatever you end up buying make sure you have funds set aside for maintenance and repair.

Oil change at the dealer: $500.00.
All fluid flush / 2 year service: $2,000.00
5 year service, belt replacement: $5,000.00.
Clutch replacement: $8,500.00 - $13,000.00 depending on what other parts needs to be replaced.

I drive my car every chance I get so most likely I will need a new clutch next year.
I started saving money already for a new clutch ready for next years replacement.

Not cheap to repair and maintain for sure........but the smile my car puts on my face every time I drive it is priceless. I consider it money well spent.

Dan

 

"Not cheap to repair and maintain for sure........but the smile my car puts on my face every time I drive it is priceless. I consider it money well spent"

What Dan said.

But if I could have afforded a 430 I would have bought one.

Regrets on the 360? No way. Amazing machine.

Apart from code P1154 hahahahaha

 

Like many people I guess I chose to economise on some areas of my life in order to buy my first F car at age 36

6 months ago I purchased privately a 2001 360 spider 6 speed with 6500 miles on the clock.

It's been an expensive time so far, the car had been unused long term prior to my purchase so all sorts of little niggles have popped up, the latest being the a/c system failing.

To answer the OPs question I would definately have a 360 again, I think though that i would have bought one in the UK where there are a number of respected independants rather than in DXB where I am limited to the main dealer and 1 other garage... both know this limitation and hence mark prices up accordingly.

As I posted in another thread today I love the car and don't mind spending the money to keep it tip-top but I hate being ripped off and the continual price-gouging is actually taking the shine off the ownership for me which is a shame.

For reference I had a Corvette prior to the F360 and the 2 are poles apart, I wouldn't have another Vette again for love nor money as it was so unreliable as to be useless.

 

I have owned my 360 for 6 months and absolutely love taking it out, sharing it with loved ones, etc. A drive down to the beach can really clear your head and get your creativity flowing!

Although I have not had any issues come up w the car, I am always listening and looking for something to go wrong because of all the time I've spent here on tapatalk! Lol.

Next car may be a 599 or a California.

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I love my 99 Modena. The only thing I would do differently would be to get a 6 speed. I love the F1 system but miss the pleasure of a smooth shift that a good hand leg coordination produces.
Alan

 

Thanks all for the opinions and advice. I really apprecaite it. I have owned a Vette in the past and though nice for the cost, I don't think its going to quency my thrist for a true exotic car that I have had in my heart since my teens. Now in my 40's. I will continue to do my research and if a good deal come through for my b-day this fall, I think I am gong to pull the trigger for an 2006 for my B-day, even if I have to finance a small portion.

 

I will defenitely buy my 2002 F360 Modena again....the only thing that I regret is why I didn't got it earlier!!! It puts a big smile on my face every time I drive her...and I confirmed that a couple of weeks ago, when while exiting from a Cars & Coffee event, a kid snapped several pictures of my Fcar and then posted them at the Facebook page of the event...I appear on the pictures with a smile from ear to ear...

 

After owning two Dino 246 GTs for over thirty years, I added a three-pedal F430 Spider in 2011, and last month I traded one of the Dinos on a 458 Spider. I own other less-exotic cars (M-B and Porsche) and have driven most of the Ferrari models over the past thirty-five years. I can honestly say that nothing quite approaches the Ferrari ownership and driving experience. My current three Ferraris are miles apart from each other, but each possesses a personality and a mystique all its own. The Dino is a relatively low-powered go-cart of an automobile, with superb handling, a lovely-sounding engine and a sculptured body worthy of a museum of modern art. The F430 is Ferrari's first leap into the digital age, with the manettino and e-diff. The 458 is the latest expression of Ferrari refinement and power, though to some it is too refined and lacking in raw edginess. You can't go wrong with any Ferrari. Buy the model that suits your budget, and enjoy it to the maximum. The opportunity to switch to a more advanced or powerful model will present itself, at which time you will be in a better position to appreciate the newer technology. Good luck in your search! Enjoy the quest for the right car, and you will be rewarded when it finally appears. Fred