Considering a 430 Scuderia. Need advice.

This just sums it up... I've driven faster, more powerful, more expensive, more modern... But the Scuderia is unique as a package. Just drive one. I do want to add a Speciale though...

 

its almost as if Schumacher himself helped design the car. Oh wait, he did!

 

OP, you have many very well informed opinions here. One thing you said sticks in my mind; that you are looking for the rawest experience for 200k or thereabouts. I'm sure you have considered this, but you generally get more raw by going back in time, not forwards. For instance, I love the Scud as a driving experience, but in terms of raw, my F512M is on another level. No power steering, no traction control or any safety net at all, no Manettino, no Bumpy Road button. No e-diff. No e-throttle. And so on.
M is too expensive but I believe you can get a 512 TR in the US for your budget. These are 12 cyl cars of course. Many others in this vein. But still, the point is that newer cars may be amazing, but they're not really raw. 458 Speciale has not much more raw steering feedback than a Mercedes, and less than a 430.

 

Nobody can form an opinion on the scud without driving it. Most intense and thrilling driving experience I have had. You can't measure it or explain it.

I've never driven a CS or Spec...but have driven all forms of F, P, L, M-cars. Nothing has come close...

 

+430 for this review. Cars compared to women... but hey, most of us love those two things!

 

I drove both, the CS and the Speciale: the Scuderia is the unique symbiosis of both. This car has the power of the modern F136 engine in its back and the rough but perfected (F1-SF gearbox!!) racing car character of the CS. I would never change the Scud for one of the two. If a V8 NA mid engine car from Ferrari then the Scuderia.

 

I love the CS, Scud, and GT3RS. I currently have many examples of each. When recently asked about my top five cars, I had to choose between the 16M and the CS. I chose the CS. When you mentioned raw, it is this piece of the character of the Challenge Stradale that make me opt for it over the 430 Scudderia. The shape is more perfect, and the flightiness of the rear end more adventurous.

The collector cars are the CS and the 16M.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, the RS steering feel is the best of this group, and her manual transmission makes it an altogether different experience. I reach for the Ferrari keys more often, but I love having those manual RS cars available.

If I could only have one of the three, I would keep the Challenge Stradale over the RS and the Scud. The 16M is a different price point so not really a valid comparison. Compare that to the 4.0 RS and I'd have five 16M's and no 4.0's. Hypothetically.

 

the scud is only fun on track -but 997.2RS is fun all the time. I owned both - but kept the porsche

 

I have, and had, numerous amazing sports cars from Ferrari/Porsche/Maserati/Corvette and have had the pleasure of spending hours at a track driving a Maserati MC12, Enzo, and Veyron...my 16M is the most exciting car I have driven with the possible exception of the MC12 and Enzo.
The 458 Speciale comes very close in excitement, but truly excels only in that it does so many other things better.

I would go for a Scud.

 

I have a scud and 997.2 GT3, and have a fair amount of seat time in the 997.2 RS. To me the RS premium wasn't worth it for how I was going to use it as a semi DD. They are very different cars, and I would have a hard time parting with either one. If I could only keep one though, it would be the scud.

Try and drive both. They're so different, you'll know which one speaks to you.

 

I owned a Scud for just over 6 years until recently when I traded it for a Speciale. Below are my thoughts on your questions:
1 - not my experience. My car spent quite of time in the shop for common cosmetic issues that I wanted to take care of (fogged headlamps, yellowing engine carbon, wavy dashboard, sticky buttons). Other than the replacement of the front suspension in order to eliminate noises and replacement of a worn out piece on the steering column to eliminate a dead spot (common issues as well), I did not experience any mechanical issues (engine, transmission, electronics, etc). Rock solid in that regards.
2 - yes it is. The Scud gear box in my opinion is the best attribute of the car. Simply spectacular. So engaging and full with emotion. This is the item that I miss the most and the item that I wish the Speciale could match. DCT might be faster, progressive, smoother and easier to maintain but in my humble opinion, is not as pure as the F1 in the Scud, particularly the upshifts at high RPMs.
3 - maintenance is not bad. I took the car for service once a year to the local Ferrari dealership and spent about $1,000 for the service plus any additional stuff (i.e cosmetics mentioned above).
- I guess that depends on how you drive the car and how hard you are with the brakes. I understand CCBs should last a long time but I believe they last less than what people think. If you take the car to the track, they will perform really nicely but will wear out.
5 - I think between $205k - $215k. I believe my car went for the upper limit of that range a few months ago.
6 - I have not driven a GT3 RS, so I can't advice on this. I have driven my cousin's GT3 and I liked it but unless there is a significant difference between the GT3 and the RS, I would take the Scud all day.

 

I've had my 16M for over 3 years and it currently has 18,800 miles on it - I put half the miles on the life of the car. My personal experience:

1. No major repairs at all. Just $1kish annuals.
2. A resounding yes as every owner has mentioned. The 60ms SFII gear shifts are a bang to your back that is so quick...there is nothing like it.
3. $1k annuals
4. My mechanic (Eugenio) has maintained my car and says my CCB's are absolutely fine. I've tracked the car only one time.
5. Seems $200k +\- $10k
6. Absolutely not. Very different cars. I almost picked up a 997.1 GT3RS couple years ago to replace my Exige S260. But kept the Lotus for more raw pleasure. I do have CGT so not too sure if I'd pick up an RS.

Couple of other points...I've driven my 16M from SoCal to NorCal twice for Monterey car week. My wife and I have gone on several dates in it as well and she feels fine in it in terms of comfort.
You MUST put on the S Line exhaust to wake up the car and achieve the high pitched F1 sound that it was meant for. I took my 16M and S260 back to back on track one day. I felt much more comfortable in the Lotus with more precision in handling. However, the 16M suspension was not adjusted and had significant understeer (as it probably is set up that way from factory).
The car is absolutely special!



Sent from my 16M