How's the ride quality?

It was more noticeable before, but after I replaced the front vertical speed sensor, "normal" mode became a lot stiffer. Does the sensor ever need
re-calibration?

 

When did cushy ride become a factor in sports cars?

Ferrari's are sport scars, and as such they are set up to handle. Many times that means that the ride is not going to pamper you. Bentley or Merc for you...

 

I'm sorry, but I have to agree with this. If you want sporty/comfortable BMW has typically had the best ride combo (although I'm old school and don't like the latest crop of BMWs due to design, forced idrive, forced run flat tires, ugly styling in most of the models, etc.) If you have the means, of course the bently is a great looking car too.

The ferrari is a sports car first and foremost (at least the mid-engined V8s). The car doesn't ride bad for a sports car, but if you're asking our opinion and this is a major buying consideration vs. just curiosity my concern is you will not appreciate the car as much as you should given the cost to buy/maintain. And this is nothing against you, so please don't take it the wrong way- a ferrari isn't the right car for everyone of course!

 

So what do you do, put a spare in your trunk? I have a new 7 with runflats and don't know the dif between not having them.

 

Run-flats tend to be considerably more expensive, give a much more harsh ride and wear out much faster.

I'm not fan and would recommend changing them for normal tyres whenever they reach end of life. You would definitely notice the difference ride quality.

Carry a can or two of emergency repair juice for the odd puncture.

 

That is what people without the spare tire kit need to do anyway with a 360. Heck, I put a can of fix a flat in my trunk and I have the spare tire kit, because I don't think I'd ever want to put the spare on- it's more for "show" when the truck is open-ha!

By the way, the new 7 styling is much improved over the original 745i in my opinion (although the car is far too "electronic" for my taste )

 

Run-flats are good - they do get you home - but they have their negatives, too. Besides those already mentioned, a run-flat usually needs replacement after traveling at or near the maximum distance allowed (50-100 miles, I think). So, even if the tire has good tread life left, the sidewall support's shot when you get home. You could probably put air in it, but it may not seal well and probably won't survive another run-flat situation.

If you have standard tires, I think it's smart to keep a plug kit and air compressor in the car (and something to pull out what's stuck in the tire). If you have a safe area to work on the car, plugging the tire has its advantages. You can travel home at normal freeway speeds, and the repair is semi-permanent..meaning there's no rush getting the tire replaced. Of course, a plugged tire is not a substitute for a properly patched or new tire, but it's good enough to drive at normal speeds till you replace the tire. Of course, some punctures can't be plugged.

Tire sealant works, but from what I've heard it makes a mess.

 

hey guys. need a little help here. i got a 2001 spider 360. just change my rear verticle sensor and front lateral sensor. but i can not find the front verticle sensor. i search the internet and it stated plus diagram front verticle sensor is on the passenger front side. i took out the inner fender liner and also remove the inner compartment under the front hood. still i dont see the front verticle sensor. can anyone send me an actual picture of where this sensor is? thanks in advance.

 

Just curious as to why you are changing these sensors out. Are you getting an error code for them?

#4 on the diagram, not sure if you've seen this.
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Both the 360 and F430 ride better than a 997 GTS. Ferrari seem to manage roll, squat and dive without being overly stiff, whereas the GTS was the stiffest car I've driven in a while, horrible.

 

You will feel the road in the 360, no question. It is a drivers car, which means it communicates what the steering and suspension are doing to you. It doesn't dampen that stuff out much. Even though the ride quality is very, very good for a performance car, it's still pretty raw.

 

I think in sport mode the 360 is perfect for our roads.
It's very noticeable when you flick from sport to normal.
Mine sits in sports 24/7.
Cool cars

 

Guys, read the last poster's post. Although he is posting on an extremely old thread he is asking for help with a sensor location. Not ride quality. Let's see if we can help him with his problem.

 

Hi Ray. Where exactly is the front vertical sensor. On my 2001 Ferrari spider 360. The diagram is not very helpful on the internet. I remove the right front inner fenders and still don't see it.

 

Fender inner liner.

 

I have the code.and a picture of the car suspension light yup on instrument cluster. I already remove the right front inner fender liner and the cover accessed to radiator, but I still don't see the sensor. Thanks guys.

 

There are literally so many factors which can and do dramatically change the ride quality between cars (even cars of the same model) that to simply specify a model doesn't really say all that much because not all cars are equal.

1. Kerb Weight of the car being tested [this can vary enormously because of options and trim levels]
2. Tire Brand, Size (especial section height size of rims) plus tire pressures
3. Weight and size of the tires/any aftermarket or optional alloys
4. Ride height and suspension geometry setup
5. Springs, Dampers and Bushes (are they saggy and past their best?)
6. Software Settings for the active ride

.. etc.

On tires, I was quite shocked how much Michelin Pilot Super Sport did to improve the ride quality on the 360. Its a vastly better tire than many of the stock brands in terms of both outright grip, handling, balance and even ride quality too. IMHO one of the best 'all rounders' you can buy.

Having said all of that, if you want a luxury ride quality vs handling your better of buying a different car altogether, perhaps a Luxury coupe? While sports cars have come a long way in recent years with active suspension improving ride quality but they are still biased (thank god!) towards fun and handling over soft ride.

-T

 

Check in the front compartment on the passenger side, open the front Bonnet and remove the windshield wiper cover plate #1 on the diagram. It's mounted to the frame behind the battery cut off switch.

So is the code your getting for a specific sensor, I can't imagine they all failed at once. I had a lateral sensor failure and only needed to replace 1 sensor. The SD 3 scanner pin pointed which sensor was faulty. If your using a basic OBDII scanner then chances are your getting a general error. Your going to spend money for nothing if you do not find the faulty sensor.

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What type of device do you use to read the SD 3 pin? (hopefully not the 20K SD3 device only sold by Ferrari? )

 

I keep my 430 in race mode and it is slightly lowered on factory coils and ride quality is pretty decent. But get on a road that is paved like **** and you will feel every flaw in the road. Overall the ride is enjoyable.

 

I don't notice much difference in mode settings. But swapping from old Pirelli P-zeroes to my new MPS4S was a huge difference. The ride quality has improved dramatically. Oh and keep the tyre pressure on the low side of normal, that improves ride quality a lot as well.