Like others likely I have turned down more money for my car than I wish to discuss. A friend of mine recently sold his 458 to get a 355 F1 after driving mine. Mostly liked the feedback of the transmision and the sound vs his 458. Again opinions may tend to vary
I had a new 360CS in 2004, drove it for 2 years before selling it, and thought it was incredible. In fact, so incredible that I bought another CS two years ago. The second CS was a great car but I didn’t like it nearly as much as I recalled liking my first one. What had changed was a huge advance in paddle shifted gearbox tech. The F1 tech that was magical in 2004/2005 now felt antiquated in 2016. My expectations of what a paddle shifted car could be (especially Porsche’s PDK+) made it harder for me to enjoy the older F1 tech. I still like the rawness of the older F1 shifts but the lag in the shifts and the lack of smoothness from a dead stop took away from the experience. Manual gearbox tech, other than auto blip, really hasn’t changed much and for me that makes the older manual cars more attractive than the older F1 cars. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I can see that specially if driving it hard especially the lag. When I first got my car I never drove in sport mode the shifts felt too hard and too fast. oftain now I am in need of a sport mode 2. Do not notice the jerky ness as long as I do my own throttle control but without your right on. The smoothness and lack of interaction (making it feel more like an automatic) is what deters me from the newer setups. I do miss the stability systems of the new cars though when you make a mistake.
I owned a 1999 360 F1 for less than 48 hours. I ordered it when I bought my 355 in Los Gatos. I kept my 355 because I preferred the F1 setup over the early drive by wire system in the 360. I love the F1 system in my 575M, Ferrari got the F1 system perfected by the time they built the 575M.
Without a set of micrometers it is difficult to determine if the F1 system is well tuned, or just temperamental enough that today it's not fragging out.
I love my F1. I wanted a manual originally...but I couldn't pass on the deal. No regrets. I will say however, it's added frustration and cost of ownership...but it isn't my only toy car. When it's working though, it's much more fun than my gated 550M. The single clutch "archaic" early F1 systems (on all sorts of cars) have a different level of involvement from the driver that makes it truly a unique driving experience. If you're in the twisties in the back country, in my opinion, you want the F1. Unless of course if granny shifting and going for a cruise is your only objective...
Now, do the twisties on a cool summer day in a gated spider and get back to me... In perfect weather conditions, day or night, there is no better 355 (and arguably car experience) than a gated spider on long rolling twisty roads. The spider was built for hwy 1
Drop tops are for luxury cruisers and posers but that's a whole different thread. Personally I did not like how the Spider felt in corners compared to the Berlinetta. Looks wise, it's subjective...and even though the 355 Spider is one of the nicest convertibles (top up and down) there's a hundred cars I'd buy before it (or any convertible sports car for that matter).
In all seriousness, I own all variants and have owned 5 of these at one time in the most desired configurations. I must say that even as a coupe guy, (and a ragtop guy) the 355 spider offers many experiences that other 355s configs simply don’t. I could own pretty much any car out there and my dd Mercedes has every comfort op available and could smoke my 355s but there is just a “je ne say quois “ about the 355 that is a mainline high for me. Just my opinion folks. The gate is great the F1 is the ultimate. I recommend owning both.
The point worth mentioning is the F1 is a racing transmission that was slowed down for a street car. It works best when you floor the loud pedal and start popping gears as fast as you can. Works great in race cars, not so great in street cars. Ferrari deliberately slowed the F1 down to make it street compatible, but it eats clutches as a result. The difference between a F1 and a DCT is beyond night and day. A properly programmed DCT transmission works better than 99% of the drivers out there. When I had my Cayman at the track, I was laughing my ass off. However, a DCT is boring, but efficient, on the street. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
Dale, this is probably the most in accurate post you every made It absolutely works great on street cars and absolutely doesn't eat clutches. I own one. DCT, entirely different technology. Boring? I think not. Drive a 458 and get back with me
Just repeating what Dave Helms told me about the F1 and personal experiences with my Challenge Stradale. Works great on the track, not so great on the street. I would hang my head in shame if I had a clutch only last 20,000. Haven’t driven a 458 and probably never will. Not interested. I have driven Porsche DCTs. If the techs are honest, they’ll tell you to drive it in the auto mode. It is better than you are. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
Well, as much as I respect Dave (just refinished parts for his car) I find that not correct based on my ownership experience. As far as a 458, it just is an amazing machine.
F355 challenge cars are manual, a piece of art and reliable at the limits. So for me manual 911, F355, 550, R8, Lambo etc. Plenty F1’s $60’s, Spider very pretty and best thrill-bargain . Gltu
Dave with all do respect from Mr Helms perspective and ours I do believe they slowed down the transmission for our cars and then started to speed them up again. I also think they were comparing our cars to an automatic and thinking users should be able to drive it like an automatic and have it last. This is just not true but from their persepective all those years ago we can likely understand why they said it was not good for a street car. I dont know that this is what Dave H meant but I feel he is possibly being quoted a bit out of context. You can allways ask him when you talk with him As for clutches lasting 20000. I personally think that is pretty good for a dry clutch driven on the street where cooling is not all ways available espcially in stop and go traffic. A wet clutch not so good
The F1 clutch will last forever. The F1 requires different considerations that the gated to preserve the clutch but they both require consideration or you will eat the clutch on either set up. I’ve got close to 30K miles on my F1 clutch now. I disagree with holding the foot to the floor in all gears for best performance. The first three, a measured lift between shifts, perfectly timed, will garner a faster time. Foot to the floor from 3-6.
Basically what Dave told me, several years ago, is Ferrari had to slow the shift times down for the street cars to make them smoother to drive. Pulling away from a stop light is not the same as accelerating out of a corner, and the slower engagement increased the wear on the clutch. Without slower shift times, an F1 car could run “jerky” on the streets. For those of you with F1 cars, take it to track and floor it. Then pull the flappers without lifting. That’s what the F1 was originally designed for. It works great even with slower chip for the street cars. Then if you can somehow get the opportunity to drive a Challenge car on the street, you’ll discover you can do it, but the car doesn’t like it. The DCT changed all that for the better. Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
I have a hard time comprehending how the 355 F1 was slowed down as mine shifts in a blink of an eye. The key is high RPM's, and sport mode. But, a 458 DCT - it's actually so fast it's funny.
Personally, I love the 458/488 and I have driven a few 458s but I prefer the 355 F1 because there is still full on driver engagement. You can still make mistakes, and claim the rewards that only a manual F1 setup can provide. I would not want an F1 355 Spider however. That car was born to be a stick in that Config.
I can agree with that. 6 speed spider makes more sense to me than the 6 speed Berlinetta. They're all great cars. Just pick your poison and go out and enjoy it.
I do like waking up on the weekend and going "ennie, mennie, mynie, mo". Sometimes the Jeep or the Harley beat out the 355s though LOL! Lately, its been the Hayabusa that has gotten the nod!
