F430 - PPI. What to look for?

I'm not particularly qualified on matters 430 but the first thing I would comment on is the PPI. You mention below that the dealer is paying for it and I'm assuming this means they're also arranging for it to be done. That might not be such a good idea. You really ought to appoint someone totally independent to carry out the PPI and have that person report directly to you.

I note you've just signed up to F Chat. Maybe you've been logging on as guest and doing your research for some time now? One way or another you owe it to yourself to do some serious research in addition to waiting for contributions from members.

Best of luck with the purchase. I hope it works out for you and I'm sure you'll enjoy owning and driving your new car.

 

+1

That's the cheapest 430 spider I have heard of. Post the VIN, there are very knowledgeable folks here who know more than you would think down to almost each individual car in many cases.

Normal maintenance is very reasonable. Watch out for cracking manifolds. Ensure clutch is in good shape 6-speed/F1.

Should have been recently serviced with as complete a service history as you can find.

You need to get a full independent PPI from well respected independent or F-Car dealership………good luck…….Steve

 

You might want to post this question in the Chicago section. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=17
Best of luck.

 

Make sure that all hydraulic, oil, coolant and fuel pipes are in perfect condition. The only way to know is to remove all the underfloor panels and extractor. The condition of these panels tells a lot about the car. Look for any traces of liquid on them. Some traces can hardly removed from them and tells you the history of the car. Many engine bays look beautifull from upside but when you get out the side panels and underfloor panels, there can be a real mess which may cause sooner or later troubles.

I would ask also for a complete print out of the Ecu's errors with their SD3. Ecu's keep a lot of data in memory like total hours of engine operation which can be matched with the total of miles (has the car mostly been driven in city? etc). You can also get the info of how many times the rev limiter has been hit. They should run also all the main diagnostic routines on the SD3.

Most of all, I would ask for a cylinder compression test. It's not difficult to do and it tells a lot about the engine condition.

Good luck,
Stef

 

You'll be glad to know there's been no specific "chatter" on this forum in relation to that particular VIN.

 

I should have been more specific. I meant to post in the Chicago area for a reputable person to do the PPI.

 

Was wondering when someone was going to notice this Spider on eBay. The interior seems somewhat scuffed, but otherwise, at least in pictures, car is beautiful.

 

If it's this one: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2005-Ferrari-F430-Spider-F1-Cab-/120673587670?pt=US_Cars_Trucks&hash=item1c18b4d1d6

Carfax history shows half the mileage was put on the car in Fairbanks, Alaska?? WTF, not exactly Ferrari mecca. No pics of any of the goodies i.e. books, tools etc. Is that all missing? I'd really want to make sure I picked that one a part with a very trust worthy and knowledgeable F-guy before I pulled the trigger especially if the price is rather low. Look hard for any paint work too. Good luck.

 

Try Autosprint in Chicago for PPI. Otherwise, you're looking at Lake Forest or Continental Ferrari.

http://www.autosprint-imports.com/

 

An independent PPI is a must. Make sure they check exhaust manifolds and brackets also. This is a big problem with 430s and 360s.