Going from F430 to a 991TT

I went from a 2001 996TT to my 2007 430 spider with a 6 speed. I ordered both new and found the 430 to be a more sensual experience. I have 34k miles and almost all have been back roads or high speed freeway. I can be in the country in 2 miles from my house.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

Thank you for sharing your story. It's always interesting to read user experiences as they are somewhat similar to all who own an FCar. They aren't the cheapest miles, that's true.

Your story can be applied to owning a motorcycle also. For the reasons you mentioned, I sold my CBR 1000RR at 2011 and I have no regrets. You can always buy another if you want back in.

 

Best wishes with your 991TT. If there is ONE car and only one car that I have in my garage it is a 911 Turbo (in a stick for me IMHO).

If you do get another Ferrari one bit of advice: get one with high miles and a few dings in it. I've found the more perfect the car, the less owners actually drive it and the more they worry about dings, loss of value, etc. etc. In essence, if you don't have to worry about the perfection of the car, you can enjoy the car!

 

I'm learning this right now with my 430. I paid more for a clean, lower mileage car but tend to worry more in general =)

 

Interesting post. I'm the flip side of this situation. I have owned my 911 (albeit, not a TT but it is a 6 speed not a Tipronic) for over 17 years. It's a beautiful white/gray color combo with less than 50K miles on it. Always garaged, only driven for pleasure and frankly, like the OP 430, folks are totally amazed that it is now 21 years old. The styling is timeless, very recognizable (not that that matters to me) and the condition belies it's age by a far stretch.

But after a 17 year relationship, I'm feeling like I'm ready for a change. My research and you folks here all have indicated that the 360 is probably the most reliable car Ferrari has ever made. I have a great mechanic that has worked on them-- so not worried about that. I have to say the 360 styling for me is a knockout. Not too over the top-- And that mid engine placement under glass slays me.

But with all that said, I know my 911 inside out. There is literally no major service required by the factory maintenance book. Foolproof cam chains not belts. The car has no achilles heel to speak of. It has been a wonderful car. So what I'm wrestling with is driving enjoyment. Like the OP it's not the $$ to repair or the upkeep. But nothing saps the fun out of the joy of ownership like little niggling problems that keep the car off the road and you out of the driver's seat.

So, here's the question: Do you guys think the 360 will frustrate me? Do you think as a pleasure car used sparingly it will disappoint by making too many trips to the repair shop?
I will jump in my 21 year old 911 and drive it 500 miles tomorrow on a "trip" without thinking twice. Do you folks believe I can do the same with a "really nice" 360 that is well kept and well maintained? Or should I have my flatbed guy's number with me at all times?

Ken in Florida

 

Frustrate you, hmmm probably. It's Italian!
But it's sound, shape and overall driving dynamic makes up for it.
I came from many years of Porsche ownership. Three F cars later I love my 360.
It's a tradeoff. Your trading some reliability for a bigger driving grin.
Buy a really good one. Or frustration will turn to hatred quickly.
Slightly over service it given you like spontaneous long drives.
Get to know it so you can spot trouble before it costs you. 360s a pretty easy...especially 6 speed manuals.
Drive it regularly and with spirit.
Be prepared for more gawkers. Down side to me from my Porsche days.
Drive it for a year and see. You can always go back to Porsche if not for you.

 

I think as my post above alludes the problem with Ferrari's IMHO isn't the car.. it's the owner. If you come to Ferrari ownership with this high and mighty belief that "for that amount of money it should be perfect", you're going to be let down. I think enough owners really don't know cars. They'll talk about the 0-60 times, blah blah blah but unlike the owner 50 years ago they've never changed a set of spark plugs. They come, they write the check and then complain how unreliable the cars are and how expensive they are when someone else is telling them what's wrong with their car. I actually get more irritated when my Porsche has issues because I know that it "shouldn't"!

You won't need the flatbed provided you actually drive it. It's not some mysterious entity. If you expect everything to be "perfect" on the car this is going to be an expensive and frustrating experience. When you take a racing car designed for after race tear down, its not going to be a camry. Mine has been as reliable as my 986 Boxster.. actually more reliable. My 986 has been on a flatbed once when the clutch line blew at a stoplight. My 360 has never been on a flatbed.

 

Having owned my car for 10 years and 34K miles, I think you would be better off with a high mileage 430 6 speed. No belts to be worried about. The cost of maintaining my car has not been any different then my 996TT that I had for 28k miles. I do not track my car but do drive very aggressive on back roads. I had a ferrari service manager tell me the only engine problems he has are with cars that are tracked

 

Always curious on how people approach F-car ownership. Living in Chicago and owning an F-car would be somewhat frustrating. The only Porsches I find interesting, but out of my price range, are the Carrera GT and the 918.
It is a little tiresome when people gawk, or try to race with you or simply act stupid but that I"m willing to put up with.
Curt brings up an interesting approach to Ferrari ownership "A few dings and high miles, and you will enjoy it more" . There is some truth to Curt's philosophy which I use on my 190SL
As they say different strokes for different folks.

 

great advice

 

I went from a 997TT to a 06 F430 ... I kept the F430 for over 3 years and drove it 17k miles. Unlike yourself, my F430 handled semi-daily driving duties well. I drove it almost daily for 3 years even in the rain - and aside from regular oil changes and tires - the car held up fine. I eventually traded it in for a 992.1 C2S 7MT and I miss the F430 a lot - I wish I had the space for both cars.

 

I have almost 33k miles on my 360 spider. It stranded me needing a flatbed only once, when a rebuilt alternator decided to quit on me. The alternator is common with a lot of GM cars, I think, so this could have happened to anyone, and shame on me for saving a few $ and putting in a rebuilt when perhaps a new one would have been a better choice. Is it expensive to maintain? Yes. One would think things like ball joints and tie rod ends would last longer than 30k miles, but these things needed replacement (and I've learned to use Hill Engineering parts; if they make them at all for a given application, it's because the OEM parts are ill-designed). And of course belts every 3 years. But it's way more fun than a Porsche to drive!

Back to the OP, I understand your decision. I'm fortunate to have space for both, so I DD my 991.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thanks for the input guys. All good points.

For me the perfect car is no longer an obsession. I kept (and keep) my 911 in excellent cosmetic shape. I'd replace the front lower rubber lip on the GT2 spoiler (not even visible to most) when it got scuffed, no matter how hard I tried-- the H&R lowering springs make the car look great but...
and I took pride in doing the oil changes, brake and clutch bleeding, valve cover gaskets, etc. myself.

Now at my advanced age (not that I'm decrepit or anything), If I get a really nice car (20K to 40K miles) it will probably be my last one since as you can see I keep my cars for a good long time. No more worries about resale, not too concerned with normal wear. I accept nuances of all my cars. I have a few and they all have aggravated me at one time or another. As Curt said, when you go through a car and get everything addressed you just feel like it "shouldn't" disappoint. But they all do. I get that.

The F430 is a nice car but the artist in me just concludes that every time I see a 360; Ferrari really hit it out of the park. Not too over the top, perfect lines and very classic--- kind of why I like the 911's.

I kind of feel badly since I just don't get that excited to take the 911 out for a drive. Still a great car and I take for granted how reliable it has been --except for almost getting stranded hundreds of miles away from home because of a faulty DME relay. Minor but still, hundreds of miles away from home!

Getting a 360 is going to happen. I just got to be patient and find the "right" car to me. Sadly though I really cannot justify keeping the 911 and having both cars splitting driving time which is already less than about 900 miles a year. So saying goodbye to the old girl is still tough after 17 years. The times we had...

Again, guys, thanks so much for the input and I look forward to joining here soon with my new "girl" in the garage.

 

360s and on are pretty reliable (for their age).
But, you buy a Ferrari for adventure, not peace of mind.
It's a decision you make with your heart, not your head.

I get the appeal of a 911tt, it was on my shortlist of cars when I got my 360. In the end, I decided the Ferrari would provide me with a more unique experience and more of an occasion to drive. My Audi A5 already fills the need for a sterile, reliable, ubiquitous daily driver with back seats.
Not that many ppl can say they've owned a Ferrari relative to those with porsches.

 

"Not that many ppl can say they've owned a Ferrari relative to those with porsches."

And there it is. Life is to live-- and adding experiences we are lucky enough to afford ourselves is really the point, isn't it.

Cheers to all and I look forward to my "Ferrari fulfillment"

 

Exactly. The best reason to buy any model FCar is: YOLO. You only live once. If you have the garage space and the money, you should do it.

360 gives you a lot of bang for your buck. Very affordable right now, including gated manuals (collectable and pure joy)! And as said above, the exterior design of a 360 is a true classic. More you look at it, more you love it. And time only increases this feeling. They took ideas from all the classic models that came before it, like 275 and combined them to a timeless masterpiece.

It's not many cars you can own that makes people aged 3-100 walk up to you and say "Such a beautiful car." And this happens every time it's parked somewhere and you are standing in close proximity, feeling privledged to own one and watching every other person taking a picture of the car with their cellphone. Same thing all over the world. It's pretty awesome to have one.

 

I'm quite the opposite. My F430 is relatively low mileage at 11k but I'll take mine on a Home Depot / Target Run without thinking about it. I didn't buy it just to stare at it (which I do quite often) I bought to drive and enjoy it. I'll probably stay relatively low on my miles as it splits Michigan Warm Weather time with 4 Corvettes.

 

I've had these cars for so long and driven them virtually every day that I am not quite getting the, "I live in the city", "I drive 3 miles to work", "People take my picture" and I'm upset.

The fact that we are able to make something like a Ferrari(s) happen should be celebrated, and I don't get the, "OMG I can't put miles on it" nonsense. If you want the car to work.... drive it! It will actually function better than just looking at it and obsessing over dust and miles.

I have had the pleasure of 308s, 348s, Mondials, Testarossas, F40 and a Stradale to have lived with me. They have been to work, the track(s), Home Depot and trips and they have been very reliable for the most part. I have done virtually all my own service work and as a result they have been fairly inexpensive to run. The worst 'challenge' was a starting issue (CS) that took guys from 3 continents to help me sort (thanks 360Trev and Eric @ immofixer), that turned out to be a $6 relay on the immobilizer board and a $75 alarm siren module.

If you are getting one of these to look at, get an Amalgam model (they are big, expensive and you can pet it), the service costs are cheaper. If you want a great driving experience, buy and drive a Ferrari. The hobby will include getting to know the car and if you don't mind getting your hands dirty, expanding your automotive knowledge base. I think that is way better than dropping it off and writing a check anyway.

 

I've put over 12k miles on mine over the past year and it's been great. The seats a little uncomfortable and you have to watch for potholes...but man what a car to drive regularly.

The more I drive it like a normal car - honest to goodness- the better it seems to run. Most of the "delicacy" people feel about modern Ferraris is entirely in their heads.

 

Took mine for a 300 mile run today

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

Amen Bro. You've summed up my feelings and reasoning nicely.
"I like cars that need me" Jay Leno