Later year 355 - F1 vs. 6 speed?

i had a 97 F1 for 2 years. got rid of it for a manual. much prefer the manual for the satisfaction of gear changes. no doubt F1 was faster on the track though. did have a couple of problems with the F1 like a hotel valet getting the car stuck in first gear...

 

have a 98 GTS F1 and love it. didnt want the car at first, wanted a six speed but after driving the car i was sold. when i take the car for a nice run it is soooooooooo much better.

vince

 

Syd,

I too recently agonized over this same decision. After much consideration, talking with owners who have had both, test-driving each tranny....I came to a very firm decision that I am certain was right for me: the 6-speed.

No doubt: on the track, through the canyons and for competitive purposes, the F1 is clearly the winner hands down.

There is some question as to value as well, I've been told by sellers that the 6-speed is more sought after....the F1 being gimmicky and not as popular in the used market. I've had a few F1 sellers tell me it was tougher to move the car and their car was turned down when the F1 tranny came to light. May I suggest you not worry about the resale: when you spend this kind of money, you should entirely consider ONLY what YOU want!!!

F1 maintainance can be an issue too. Again, from what I've been told by owners & mechanics...the F1 will go through clutches much faster: it largely depends how you drive it which determines this. The best you can do it get 80% the life of a 6-speed clutch, most owners will get about 60%, and if you leave it on "auto" and do a lot of reversing....about 30% the life!

The other thing that concerned me was the apparent & large amount of Ferrari owners who went from 6-speed to F1...and then insistently back to 6-speed. You'll meet a LOT of guys who tried it and went back to manual. True, you'll also meet F1 enthusiast who won't go back to 6-speed...but the make up a tiny minority.

I LOVE the shifting, it really makes you part of the machine. I generally have my right hand on the shifter when cruising and I especially like pulling some tall rpm's and then pulling back into the next gear. Some refer to it as the "drama of working the gate".

Oh yeah, and lastly: I've been told Ferrari has evolved the F1 tranny through 4-5 phases since the introduction in the 355...you'll be buying the most primitive of F1: it's a bit jerky, raw and not really the smooth thing.

I don't know what it is exactly, but I can assure you that I am thoroughly certain without any shadow of a doubt that my selecting the 6-speed was the essential and right thing for me. Most guys will tell you that your first f-car should be a 6-speed as well.

And then there's that silly bumper-sticker: friends don't let friends buy F1

Drive them both, I think you'll see....

 

i have not driven a F-1 , so i cant give you any comparison

but i always thought that a sport car should be manual cos it will give you much more fun with that shifting.....

i am definitely a manual guy so my answer is quite simple....6 speed

besides you have one less thing to worry about ie. your F-1 gearbox

 

It truly is a subjective thing. I drove both and bought a F1. I wouldn't have bought a Ferrari at all, but the combination of the looks and performance of the 355 F1 sold me in the first five minutes.

20,000 miles later I'm still enthralled with it.

That said, I believe I prefer the Maranello with the six speed, go figure???

 

I won't recommend one or the other. But whichever one you pick will say a lot about you!

 

I've driven the 1999 355 in both the 6spd and F1. I prefer the 6spd. I've owned 2 360's. One was a 6spd and the other an F1. I prefer the F1 in the 360. While I'm waiting to order my F430, I'm in the process of trying to find a 1999 355 6spd to buy.

 

Syd, I have never owned anything but manuals my whole life. But when I had the opportunity to make a good trade, the car had everything I wanted, color,factory cf package, factory challenge susp, tubi, challenge grill and immaculate service records. It is also f1. I have loved the experience on the open road. If I had to park it on hills or in the city, it would become a nuisance quickly imo, but for my driving needs it is really fun and has been trouble free. I do have a manual in my other car though and in going back and forth, I have to admit, depending on the situation and mood, that there are times I prefer each.

 

Here's the deal...if I owned a 6 speed or F1...this would be the trans I prefer b/c the car is providing so much joy for you and b/c you become personally attached to your baby.

 

Just FYI....it's the same exact gearbox, the only difference is that the F1 operates the clutch and can do the shifting for you, etc as a an F1.

Again: I've met a LOT of guys who went from 6-speed to F1 and then right back to 6-speed. Very few remain charmed by the F1. F1 is great on the track or in traffic...but when it comes to fun and being part of the car: 6-speed all the way.

 

If you do not personally prefer an F1 tranny, you will find that 98-99 six-speeds are relatively hard to find. As I recall, some huge fraction (perhaps 70-80%) of F355s delivered were F1.

 

It's not easy finding a late 99 355 with a 6 spd.

Drive both and make your own decision. I did and went with the F1. I do want the "unfair" advantage of the F1 shifter. hey, if its good enough for Schumacher, what the heck. Plus, my 996TT with the 6 spd is enough for the manula shifter "experience".

Dont mind the abrupt shifting issue. You will find that there is a sweet spot if you keep the rpm way up there.

There is still something raw enough with the 355 (mine's a spider) that makes you want to work the paddles just to hear it ......

p.s. NEVER WIMP OUT AND USE THE "AUTO" BUTTON. WISH THAT WAS A DELETE OPTION.

 

As modern as the 355 is, I consider it a classic, so a classic manual tranny is the way to go.

 

This thread popped into my mind yesterday when I was driving and though there are things I prefer about each system, one very clear advantage for the F1 is safety. I have always liked having both hands on the wheel and with F1 that is always possible. Instead of reaching for the shifter, I am giving my total attention to the line through the next turn. The focus is very satisfying. Maybe one of these days they will offer a convertible model where you can decide if you want to shift manually from a gearshift or from the paddles. Now that would be cool.....

 

My '99 F1 is a little jerky only when it's cold for a minute or two and even then it's not bad. Once it's warmed up, it's silky smooth. I inquired as to which was more expensive to maintain before my purchase and local mechanics told me they see F1's lasting longer because there is no operator error. Having driven standard transmissions most of my life, I can understand that it takes a while to learn the most efficient way to shift a new car.

Lastly, if you plan on using the car as a daily driver at all, the F1's auto mode is much appreciated when you need to use the phone while driving or if you're stuck in traffic.

 

If you are considering buying an F1 transmission I would recommend the 360s as the F355 was the first to have it. I am not saying it isn't reliable, it does however have a few problems here and there.

Here are some buyer's guides you might consider for a F355 purchase:

http://www.ferrariforum.com/classified/guides.php

OR on amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0007P8KTQ/ferrariforum-20/104-4143609-6955919

 

I have OVER 50k on my 355 F-1

F-1 NEVER a problem.

Original clutch,
WHY ....do not punch it until engaged (you'll feel it at 2 mph)
then bang away 8k plus shifts in sport mode NO PROBLEM!!

I NEVER USE AUTO MODE .IT SLIPS THE CLUTCH TOO MUCH .

You'll burn tranny mounts and motor mounts eventually but the tranny is bullet proof !!

Drive it like you stole it.Throw the coffee out the window and remove the stereo,you'll look like a preppy. LOL

But service it as required . DO NOT CUT CORNERS!!

 

when i was looking at F1 355 a while ago, i have the same concern too but the salesman told that ferrari has many years experenice in F1 gearbox, which they acquired in F1 racing, so despite the F1 gearbox in 355s is the 1st fitted on their road car, its kinda mature!!!!

i have not driven an F1 gearbox in my life, so i am not sure how its feels, but i really wanna know how it should be driven, i have heard mix comments, is it true that you lift off the gas pedal to change gear (in auto mode) same as a manual ie.lift off the gas pedal press clutch change gear???

 

Keep your foot in it when shifting up, it was designed for that. On down shifting unlike a 360 it will not match engine RPM for you but with about 5 minutes practice you will get the hang of doing that.

 

The F1 on the 355 is so easy I don't know why people make such a big deal about it - And it's fun - And I've had no problems with mine.

About the late model part, you can get manual shift (they are both 6 speed) in every year. So, if that's what you want then you have many options. The F1 was available in '97 (I think) and only in the Spider in '99. So if you want the F1 it's gonna be late model.

Just get what you want and what you will enjoy. I've had no problems shifting the F1 and I would guess most people that have driven manual shift cars wouldn't either.

It is definatley my preference because I wanted something I couldn't find in other sports cars. Did I mention it's fun? And no taking your hands of the wheel......... a big plus for me.

 

I had my F1 clutch changed at the 30,000km (3 year sevice)...only 50% worn.

Avoid stop/start traffic.

Avoid using reverse too much (especially when cold or on steep driveways etc).

At it's best on the track.

Only use sport on the track, but not 1st to 2nd (too violent).

Practice makes it much more enjoyable.

Use your throttle like a manual to finese the changes up & down.

It will change up to the next gear at the red line unless you are in sport mode. (Important for track days).

Great fun to use, especially if you get to know all it's nuances.

Cheers,

Andrew

 

Also,

When starting do not alter your throttle setting, until you hear the clutch fully engage. Otherwise you get a lot af clutch slippage/wear.

If you want a faster start, prod the throttle initially and the clutch will engage more quickly.

A racing start, ie full throttle where the clutch engages at 6000rpm is not recommended if you want to look after your clutch AND tyres!

Cheers,

Andrew

 

I'm waiting for the day Ferrari puts an autopilot system in all of their cars. F1 tranny is a step in the right direction towards full automation.
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