F430 6 speed and the 458

In general, I find it amusing when "resale" value gets mentioned in the same breathe as Ferrari. It's only relevant if it's a GTO (the original, not the wanna-be) or F40 (but I'll give the 360CS some leeway here). Otherwise, it's just another depreciating asset.

I chose the 6speed because I wanted to have fun, rather than worrying about being the fastest guy on the road. Also, I had an Alfa 156 Selespeed (or sillyspeed as we called it) and I hated the paddles. It wasn't an issue of smoothness (as dual-clutch would solve that), but rather interactivity and control.

But I'm just a regular Joe. Let's hear it from someone who's not:

“my company car has a paddle-change gearbox, so when I drive for fun, I want a manual.”

- A former F1 world champion upon being asked why he ordered his special edition, 1-of-1, Zonda 760 "LH"

 

Yup you're correct on the having other cars. 6 sp manual I have is in the E46 M3.

 

Sorry WRONG Mayor!!!...but the FACTS tell a different story!!!.....Mark

According to a story by USA Today, cars with manual transmissions are enjoying demand that otherwise hasn’t been so strong since 2006. In fact, 6.5 percent of new cars sold in 2012 have had manual transmissions, which is more than double that of 2007.

In 2006, however, demand stood at 7.2 percent before taking a heavy drop. Now, as demand increases, that change is making some people wonder what is causing the shift.

It can be attributed to a few shifts in market preference, some of which probably affect you. First, many consumers perceive that manual cars are more fun to drive. Second, a stick shift is generally less expensive, something that weighs heavily on entry-level buyers’ minds. Third, as gas prices rise, compact and subcompact cars are becoming the fastest growing segment, outpacing sedans and SUVs.

Not coincidentally, manuals also happen to be more commonplace in those segments, which helps explain the rise in demand. Dodge , for example, observed the increased demand and is putting more emphasis on producing manuals than it previously might have by making 20 percent of its lineup with a stick.

Ford is also ramping up its clutch pedal bearing Focus production after noticing that demand for the cars is hovering around 10 percent verus the four percent it originally estimated.

Finally, people are keeping their cars longer as they become more reliable and a weakened economy encourages people to be more frugal. The surge in manual popularity also coincides with the roughly six-year average that consumers keep cars for today.

 

They could be more fun to drive but.......yesterday is yesterday.
I have had more than 10-15 stick cars, I am a big fan of stick.
However the paddle shift thing is getting better and shifting faster everday. After a few tries I started to migrate and DCT is the last straw. I am completely not interested in a stick now.
I can shift really really fast but when dct is doing a much better job on that part, what's the point of hitting the clutch myself? This is very subjective though =P

 

I am not buying another 6 speed F430. I had Rosa Corsa Tan all right options near perfect F430 6 speed. It was so hard to sell. Its not as easy as you guys think. They get bottom dollar in F430 market. This is from personal experience few months back , not speculation.

 

You can't compare the demographic of "road furniture" car purchasing stats to those of Ferrari buyers. A "real" driver will always go for the manual variant of a "normal" car simply because automatic gearboxes as fitted to most vehicles aren't designed to be exiting or interactive. Sure, they might throw a couple of "manual sports shift" buttons on the wheel, but basically it's a car with an auto transmission. F-cars are automated manuals, exiting to drive in both F1 and manual format for entirely different reasons. Most of the new owners I have met have gone for the f1 as they class it as a higher spec car, and i have witnessed manual f-cars being harder to sell. It's a real shame, as the manual trans is ultra reliable and very interactive.

 

The choice between a manual and an F1 transmission in a Ferrari is purely philosophical. No one can deny the objective speed advantage of the automated gearchange provided by the F1 system. That, however, is not the proper criterion, in my opinion, for choosing between a manual and an F1 transmission. Those who enjoy the interplay of gearshift, clutch pedal and gas pedal will not be swayed by the lightning speed of the F1 gearchange. For them, it is the oneness of the driver and the automobile that is paramount. This is in no way a criticism of the F1 transmission. However, to posit speed of gearchange (the only F1 advantage, unless you find a manual shift to involve drudgery) as the only relevant factor in the choice between the two systems, is to ignore a rich history of driver involvement and satisfaction. It is clear that the manual transmission, for various reasons, is going the way of the sabre-toothed tiger and the mastodon as a choice for an exotic car. That fact, though, in no sense devalues the experience of a manual transmission in a Ferrari. To each his own. I've driven both, and I prefer my manual. No new Ferraris in my future, I'd venture. Fred

 

this is true.


on a side note - Ferrari should develop the transmission regardles, "made-to-order" type of deal.... Not just cut it off cold turkey. But to be fair, it would probably change the dynamics of the car - but something tells me that those to order it wouldnt care. . . If you are in this bracket of having a Ferrari as an option, i dont see why you would necessarily care about the general consensus. I know Lewis Hamilton has ordered a new Zonda F exclusively in manualbox . . . if Pagani can do it, i dont see why Ferrari wouldnt - but they seem more loyal to themselves than to the customers; rightly so, to a degree, but they should never forget where they came from imo

 

Totally agree with all of this post..

 

found this old post and wow how times have changed.

 

Wow! Who would've thunk it.

 

Fun to see this old thread. I still have my car and have received a number of unsolicited offers to buy it. After 10+ years, I still like it. I do sense that much of the demand now is from buyers hoping to make a "good investment" instead of end user enthusiasts. If that's the case, I think lower prices will prevail sometime down the road.

Dave