Going to test drive a 2005 F430 tomorrow | FerrariChat
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Going to test drive a 2005 F430 tomorrow

Discussion in '360/430' started by 1919A4, Apr 21, 2011.

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  1. 1919A4

    1919A4 Karting

    Apr 21, 2011
    115
    Saint Petersburg FL
    #1 1919A4, Apr 21, 2011
    My first time driving a Ferrari. Checked on insurance....OK :) Yes I'm nervous. Did a search on what to look for on this sight....no luck. I know its here somewhere. Can someone provide a link or advise or insight? Thanks in advance.
     
  2. blackbolt22

    blackbolt22 F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Sep 25, 2007
    5,808
    Boca Raton, FL
    Full Name:
    Mr. Anderson
    #2 blackbolt22, Apr 22, 2011
    Just drive first and then come back with questions. Decide if you want a F1 or manual transmission. Try to drive both if possible .
     
  3. 1919A4

    1919A4 Karting

    Apr 21, 2011
    115
    Saint Petersburg FL
    #3 1919A4, Apr 23, 2011
    OK Drove the F1 F430 yesterday. Here are my comments and questions.

    1) Power and handleing were what i expected..and my expectations were high.

    2) Cockpit was more roomy than i expected. I'm 6'4" and I was comfortable. Steering wheel and controls were easily accessable. Plenty of headroom in the coupe. I sat in a spider and never was able to get the seats adjusted to where my vision wasn't occluded by the top of the windsheild. I don't understand why but it seems the coupe is for me.

    3) Downshifting when coming up to stop signs was jerky....however I attribute this to lack of driver experience. It seems very important to be educated on the correct way to drive this car. Why do people say different cars drive differently??? In what way?

    4) Could not get left rear-view mirror adjusted to where I could see adequately but maybe there is another way to do this beyond the electric controls.

    5) Huge blind spot on left. WOW!

    6) Overall impression: excitement.... reminds me of the feeling you get with a new girl you've got the hots for.

    7) As an aside, after the drive we noticed a few very small chips on the hood which the owner said was not there before we went on the drive. I could see white underneath the red. She said she would fix this like it was no big deal. Is this common? No other car That I have owned has done this so easily. Maybe it was a statistical abberance. Is repair easy/just through the clearcoat?
     
  4. big_guy

    big_guy F1 Rookie

    Sep 9, 2007
    3,190
    Ontario, Canada
    #4 big_guy, Apr 23, 2011
    The downshifts should not be jerky.
     
  5. TheMayor

    TheMayor Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    106,149
    Vegas baby
    #5 TheMayor, Apr 23, 2011
    Depends on what you're used to. If you're used to a standard auto slush box, it's jerky. Personally, I like the downshifts as they are what I would call "positive" or "aggressive". Go around a corner and downshift and you'll understand why it is the way it is.

    Also, I never use Auto. I downshift myself. If you use Auto or don't downshift yourself, it can seem weird that it picks when it picks to make shifts. You have to get used to it.

    As to the other quirks with the F430, none of them are a big deal IMO compared to the overall feel and driving experience. I have no problem with the mirror. Maybe it's been moved improperly. It may just need a manual push of the mirror to get it right again.

    The one thing you have to remember about the F430 is.... the more aggressively you drive it, the better it feels. It's not a great boulevard cruiser or stop and go traffic machine. But, on the open road when you can let it sing, it's magnificent. That's what it was made for.

    If you don't want that, then buy a Mercedes AMG. That's what they were made for.
     
  6. hardtop

    hardtop F1 World Champ

    Jan 31, 2002
    11,294
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Dave
    #6 hardtop, Apr 23, 2011
    The paint sucks and chips easily.

    Dave
     
  7. lamontlawyer921

    lamontlawyer921 Formula Junior
    Owner

    Jul 1, 2010
    990
    The West Coast
    Full Name:
    Scott
    #7 lamontlawyer921, Apr 24, 2011
    To the OP, the blindspots take a bit of time to get used to, but you do get used to it. I adjusted my mirrors to SAE recommendations as someone on this site suggested, and I has improved my comfortability a bit in changing lanes on the crowded So Cal highways where I am. The F430 is a very fun car...i put a good 150+ mi. on mine yesterday with a couple of windy roads, etc...the car is pure race car...
     

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