hey fellas, Just a quick short note I've always loved white Ferrari's and just so happen a local buddy emails me today that he has a rare 04 white 360 with a manual tranny for sale! Everything about the car is ideal for me but the only thing that scares me is it has 23k miles, what do you guys think? He does work for a F-car dealer so I would "assume" all paperwork is in order and he told me he just recently did the "yearly" service 4 months ago. I have no idea what that service entails nor what to offer him since he told me to just make him an offer. What questions should I be asking him? Is it normal to ask for all paperwork associated with the car? He is not the original owner so would this be fair to ask? I want to be fair in giving him a fair price that is agreeable to both of us but hoping to seek some advice from F-chat experts. I love Stradale's but the F1 tranny really is a negative for me. Really haven't seen anything else out there that fits my requirements AND my budget. Never owned a Ferrari and this might be my opportunity knocking so advice is much appreciated! thanks
Do your homework just the same regardless of miles. It would be nice to have every service record from birth but in reality that isn't always possible. The last services performed on the car are the ones that are going to mean the most to you. Important things you'll want to know are if/when all the campaigns (variators, etc) have been performed, and when the belts and/or clutch were changed last. Those are the relatively expensive things that would need to be addressed if they haven't. The rest of the details are perhaps less serious but can certainly add up in expense. Things like tires/brakes needing to be replaced, sticky interior parts refinished, does it have all the keys...the list goes on depending upon the condition of the car. It is a 2004 model and should therefore be the best of breed but due diligence is still required. Finally there's the matter of aesthetics/options. You obviously like the white. Challenge grill, exhaust, shields, painted calipers, daytona seats... What are "must haves" and what can you live without? That's all subjective but almost all can be added after the fact if need be. One last note, 23k miles would not bother me in the least. (The new owner of mine has @40k and running like a top) It's up to you and the seller to come to an agreement on what that means in terms of the price though because like as silly as it seems, that is on the higher side for a 2004. Find a good one, the chase is half the fun.
That car is low miles, this idea of keeping Ferraris bellow ten thousand miles is really getting old. Do a ppi, hook it up to a computer see how was it driven, and if the services are stamped on the book then make an offer and buy it if it's meant for you. If you buy a low mile car (lets say a 10,000 miles car) and drive it five thousand miles in a year you'll take a hit. So buy this one for less cash put another twenty thousand, it's the better choice if you want a car you can drive without taking in consideration the mileage. I never care how many miles I put in a car, I bought it and I can't take it to the next life with me. I'll worry about resale and what can I buy next when that time comes and if it ever comes, but not while I'm still enjoying the car. The time to enjoy a Ferrari is every time you feel it in your gut and that time is not meant to save the miles for the next owner, after all, what the hell has he done for you. Good luck with your future purchase and enjoy!
Do you have any pictures? I'd love to see it. I also agree with the other posters. I would buy it at a discount, and drive the heck out of it.
You can drive 360s daily, so expect some to have higher mileage than what used to be the norm, these are the new norm esp as most maintenance doesn't require engine out and is therefore cheaper. Just make sure it has been maintained. Clutch and belts change you need to know in terms of when you compare cars, but it just determines price differences really because both maintenances have to be done at some stage anyway. Drive an F1, there is a reason for Ferrari putting F1 in. Some think Ferrari does it because there is more maintenance cost behind them and therefore revenue. That doesn't make sense otherwise Ferrari would have retained an engine out stance on maintenance and not put a chain into 430s or double clutches. Once you get used to the F1 it is awesome. It leaves you with your hands on the wheel when you are flooring it. Personally I need that as I am not an F1 driver(as opposed to some here(no offense)) and I need all the help I can to look good. F1 is very good, just some extra maintenance but so what.
I recently purchased a 360 spider (2003) from another f'chatter with 57K miles. I've had the car about 2 months and have put another 2k on it. It runs stronger as it matures. It not the miles but how it was maintained along the way that matters. I passed on a yellow 2003 spider with under 13k miles- some may have seen it with ugly giant yellow wheels. I viewed the car in person and found it sadly abused and absent of any documentation, accessories or any indication that the owner cared for this car in any way shape or form. It was sad to see such a nice car trashed. As for the F-1 versus Manual - I had a 2001 F-1 before this and specifically went looking for a manual transmission when going to the spider. I find I enjoy the engagement between myself and the car more interactive - but to each their own. dont fear the miles - evaluate the total car.
Get a solid PPI and buy it and drive it. 23k miles not a big deal and will make you less likely to park it and never use it. Haven't clutches been an issue with the 360's? Have that checked out well. 2004 will be the best year 360 imho for resale later and that 6 speed will be viewed by some as a great thing. I'd like to see pictures as 355 does. I had a 04' 360 Spider White and loved it.
One more thing on the F1, already covered in other threads but to repeat... There was a major TCU upgrade late-ish 02 that dealt with some of the earlier complaints about F1 performance, someone that has had extensive seat-time in each may wish to chime in...
thanks for the wealth of info - I appreciate it and will talk to the owner tomorrow and ask him for some pictures and if I can get permission to load them since it is NOT my car. This will be my first F-car so I'm pretty excited though a lot of buddies keep telling me to just pony up some extra dough and go for the modern F430.... how much hp/torque is the F360? I've never driven a manual Ferrari but have some limited time behind the wheel of a friend's F1 tranny car. It feels light years ahead of BMW's SMG and SMGII tranny but still I enjoy the 3-pedal car. I guess I just like shifting gears on my fun weekend cars. I love driving my s2000/NSX pair every chance I get but regret doing the auto in my wife's IS-F Do KBB and Edmund values hold true or how do I know it's a good deal? I've seen low mileage CS Stradale's (2004 models) go for $149-160k range. Having the LAST year of any model car is nice but was hoping for something under 10k range initially. Good thing is this guy is the manager at the F-car dealer so this looks more promising. TIA
It all depends on what you are going to use the car for. The 360 is a highly capable car and the extra 40-65k you would have to spend for a good 430 spider wouldn't be worth it if you are not hammering the car to it's limits all the time. The 360 spider is highly capable and no problem top down above 165mph. The cars are fantastic fun and a well taken care of 360 could last years and years. The torque of a 360 is found above 7k rpms. It feels under torqued and a little under powered until you get into the higher rev's. It really depends on the pricing of this car. I agree with the post above asking what the interior color is. Black has a great chance of resale where blue could take a while. There was a blue interior 430 spider that was for sale well above 14 months and I have no idea what if finally dumped for. You also can't compare a 360CS to a Spider or a Coupe. Totally different animal with a much different following. They should be 15-30% more expensive than a 360 Spider and almost double most coupes.
Tia, I am a ex-S2000, Comptech autorotor Supercharged NSX with weight reduction that weights 2792lbs on scale, and 600rwhp Supra owner. The 6spd 360 is a blast to drive, it is much faster than people give it credit for. It handles like a S2000 with nearly twice the power and much more nimble than a NSX. I know you, you are an old timer from nsxprime. If you are in the area, I can show you how it stacks up with my friends GT-R, my GT-R will be here in April. I would even let you take my 360 out for a spin. A white 6spd 360 is ultra rare, it is so beautiful with challenge grill and CS wheels. I daily drive my 360, it is bullet proof and you will get to meet amazing group of people just as NSX crowd. The 6spd 360 with dry carbon sports seats and fixed seat rails is almost as light as US SPEC Challenge Stradale with AC. You definitely got to test drive it. It is so similar to your white NA-2 NSX, but more than 100lbs+ lighter, easier to handle, more interior room, more storage room, way more stable at high speed, stiffer in sport mode, and has 110 more hp in stock form.
This sounds like it could be your car. I would highly recommend your first being a 3 pedal car. The gated shifter is now gone and I am so glad I decided to get the manual transmission for my first one. Good luck.
The car is white exterior and has tan leather interior which is not my top choice but it does look classy. I think he replaced the seats with CS seats. My first mod if I do get this car would be a set of CS wheels or maybe the F430 split 5-spoke wheels, are those hard to come by? I can't tell if he lowered the car but that would be my next mod. h2oskier: Much appreciate your reply - I'm actually looking at a 360 coupe, not spyder. The F430 or CS cannot be compared I know, just looking at various cars Argento6spd360modena: Wow I guess the F-car and NSX world's are both very small. Have we met before? Thank you so much for you kind offer, I would love to meet up and talk cars, I will shoot you a PM since I will be back in town after the 10th of this month. blackbolt22: I agree, no matter how fast the F1 tranny shifts, I'm not going to race the car, just want something to enjoy on weekends. I'm saddened Ferrari built the 458 with no manual option (not that I am in the market for one but it seems they are forgetting some guys like manuals no matter what like me) tech4ferrari: thanks, you have a PM
Dont worry about the 23 k miles. My 360 spider has 61.000 km's on it. No problemo Would love to see some pics aswell
So the serial number is 137791? Does it still have the aftermarket 16M-style stripe? It has sport seats, front and rear Challenge grilles, red calipers and a Tubi exhaust, right? It's seen a lot of miles in the last 18 months; what's the service history on it?
Yes this is the car - I will see it on Friday and report back. I do not know the service history or anything else about the car at this moment. You guys probably know more than me....