Hey guys, mind if I ask a couple noob q's? I'm thinking of going from a 996tt cab to a 360 cab. 1. Can anyone compare the two cars for me? 2. Will any dealer allow me to test drive the F car? 3. The asking price seems to be about 265- what should I expect to pay for an '02- '03 with not too much mileage? 4. What options are most desireable? 5. Is F1 tranny so much better than manual? 6. Where to look other than autotrader? Many TIA. Jamie.
I personally have never driven either but from what i here it goes like this. 1. The Porsche is much faster, Can be used as a Daily driver and is a better all around car. But the Porsche doesnt have the Feel of the Ferrari. 2. Depending on the Dealer. 3. Dont know the answer to this one, Sorry. 4. Bah what do i know im 15? 5. From a friend whos driven the 6-Speed and the F1 tranny 360 has told me the F1shifting feels slow. and that he prefered the 6-Speed, but it comes down to personal prefrance. 6. Dupont Registry etc. Try to Check your Local Ferrari Dealer. Oh and could you pleas fill out your Profile so we know more about you, Like where your located. I hope i helped but im sure you would like more then my answer's since ive never driven either. -Stephan
1. Do a search as the 360 has been compared to everything under the sun on this forum. There will be lots of information there. 2. Dealers will allow a test drive given a certain degree of seriousness on your part. Calling first, showing up in the Porsche and well dressed will help. Jeans and sneakers off the street will not. 3. Lots of info here again in the archives. Demand on 360's is still very high and excellent cars are still fetching more than MSRP prices. Do not expect Porsche levels of depreciation here. 4. Not too many factory options to choose from. Probably Daytona Seats and F1 tranny are the most common ones. Everything else can be easily added by the dealer (Wheels, Carbon pieces, Challenge bits, etc.) 5. The F1 is not better or worse merely different. There are huge variances in opinion here and it is probably best you try the F1 and a Ferrari gated shift manual transmission before plunking down the cash. 6. Autotrader will have pretty much most of the cars being sold by dealers. Local papers sometimes have private sales but there are not a lot of cars out there to start with. Remember that you save the GST when buying private and 7% of 200+ is a lot of money. Welcome to F-chat and good luck with your search. Please fill out your profile as it is nice to know a little about who you are giving advice to.
The F1 is hands down faster than the 6 speed (actual fact based on technical data on the cars). The reason it 'feels' slower is because the brain is not being occupied for that small period of time during the gear change. Lifting the throttle, pulling out of gear, pressing the clutch, etc, while automatic takes up some 'mental space'. It is for this reason the shift feels longer when in actual fact it is shorter.
Dude...when I was 15, I would walk 15 mins out of my way from school on the off chance that a guy who owned a '67 F-bird conv. and a '74 vette would have his garage open just so I could look at the bums of those two cars...The bug bites early and stays for life for some of us!!
LOL ive had a Passion for cars for a long time! But i beleive it all started when my father showed me his Passion. But he never got into it as much as i am now! I hope i can be like you and one day afford such a Car like a 911 Turbo or a 360 Spider! Good luck on your Search! -Stephan
1. I had a 996TT (non-cab) on test loan for a short stint while I was debating purchasing it a while back. It is very fast; however, it basically felt like a very fast WRX/STi. the combo of AWD, turbo power, shifter,etc. makes the cars feel remarkably similar. Of course, the 996 has greater refinement and considerably more ooomph. I still say the general feeling is the same. The 360 is a completely different beast. Off the launch, of course the AWD 996 is faster, however, on the go, I'm sure the 360 easily matches the 911's speeds/acceleration. Pushing both will force you into your seat, and tilt unsuspecting passenger's heads back. They both get to silly and somewhat scary speeds very fast. The 360 feels more stable at speed, but livelier in the corners. The 996TT had a more predictable understeer, but the handling on the 360 is superior for those who wish to put in the driver effort/correction required. The feel of driving in the 360 is a considerable step above that of the 996TT. This is not completely subjective. You'll know once you drive them each. The exclusiveness and cachet of course is uncomparable. In terms of usability and practicality, the 996TT is a considerable step above the 360. YOu can actually park the 996TT, most common places when you go out. You can drive it rain or shine, even snow. The 360 is already a nice active handling car, which gets magnified in wet conditions (and not always in a good way). I personally think the 360 is more like a designer suit/tuxedo. You look awesome in it, but you can't wear it everywhere, and it does make a certain statement. The 996TT is more like a dressy outfit with flexibility to be worn for most occasions, ie. you get the point. 3. I don't know. 4. The 360 is such a car, such a piece of work, that optionless, it is still more than you asked for, and any option is just icing on the cake. Chalk this up to personal preference. 5. I have the F1 tranny and it is awesome! Donwshifts are swift and smooth. Upshifts are quick and clean. Even better under high power too. I have absolutely no complaints on it. Cold mornings, right after startup, the upshifts can be a little like a newbie shifting manual. ie. a little strong on the shift. 6. Try all the high-end automotive dealers. Many guys on this forum will know their names. Hope this helps a little.
That reminds me of all the funny stories about Luigi (ex-F-dealer in Montreal) and his potential cutomers. If you showed up in a Porche, he'd tell you to get back in and get lost. Jeans & sneakers, he wouldn't even let you into the showroom.
Hi Jamie and welcome to F-chat. 1. I have driven 996 TT coupe's but no 360's (Regardless I like the 355's Better LOL 2.(a) Yes, as long as you are serious and if you basically offer to walk out with one of them after you have decided. (Providing the car is a good one) (b)You can rent the 360 Spider F1 from a friend of mine GTA Exotics (PM Me for details or go to their website) 3. Gotta get back to you. But I can tell you its double the price for sure. 03 911 TT cab and 03 Spider are two totally different prices. 4. Options are as Nuvolari puts it. See his post 5. I just hate anything "automatic" although I know it's far from a regular . Sorry. 6. Trader is a good start. Or you can find a good deal through word of mouth. Private Sales etc. Some of the best deals have been made like that Hope this and what everyone else says helps. There are a few Spiders around I can assure you.....and of course dozens of 996's. Once again welcome to F-chat. Vasco
Hi Jamie, I currently own a 996tt X50, and I completely understand why you might want to "upgrade" to the 360. The only 360 I ever driven is the Stradale, which is obvioulsy different. The 996 is definitely faster (at least with the X50 package), but the 360 is a more exciting car to drive. Ya the Porsche is more practical, etc. etc... but when it comes down to it, it isn't a Ferrari. Go for the 360 Spider, you won't be disappointed.
Thanks for the info guys. I was drooling on a couple of these things today at one of the places in Woodbridge. I love the car, but haven't driven it yet. I'm not rich and to stretch to this car I'd have to give up the Porsche and my brand new M3 - both of which I can drive every day. This car would sit in the garage most of the time. It seems there are lot of cars on the market just now. Anyone have any insight into recent sale prices? --Jamie
Dump the Porche, and the M3 and upt for the 360. As for your daily driver, make it the toyota matrix or something inexpensive, you wont regret it.