Superamerica

I traded a F430 for a 575M just 3 weeks ago. Are we starting a trend? Why the SA over just a 575? Top? Only has 30 extra HP.

And who the heck are you? Your profile says nothing about you. Welcome to the zoo anyway.

 

Alex (410SA) previously drove a SuperAmerica as a daily driver. I suspect he has more sat time than anyone else.

 

Congrats ! What color ? Post pics !!

 

I don't own one but was able to check one out at the la jolla dealer in california. Nice car for sure. My favorite car (575) with a little more power and an electronic glass roof! Enjoy and please post pics!

 

I also have a 575M and I'm thinking about a F430. I'm curious as to why you made the switch. Did you just need the V12 or is there more to it?

 

I still use use my SA at least a couple of times a week. This is perfect open top weather in AZ right now and it's a great all around car with a real trunk. The X-OST really makes a difference to the character of the car and it sounds menacing under acceleration and it pops like a racecar when downshifting. Mine has the HGTC package so it it is little firmer suspension wise and it's very well balanced.
I have several thousand miles on it, mostly daily driving to the office, gym and errands, so no major lengthy trips. It has been flawless to operate and remarkably well composed in urban driving. I used to think that the Auto function was superfluous but when you are in stop start traffic it is a great feature to have.
It competes for road time these days with the 599 which is truly a remakable achievement by Ferrari, but the 599 is still a closed car, so on a beautiful day the SA gets the nod.

Re the difference between a 430 and any modern V12 Ferrari, there is really no comparison. They are different experiences entirely. I have a CS which I love but it could never be a daily driver. It simply doesn't have enough grunt to be driven at normal urban speeds and the 430, while somewhat improved torque wise over the 360 is still a pig at low revs (this is a relative statement, so please keep the flames for something more meaningful).

 

Excellent analysis, the 430 torque down low is not comparable to the V12s?

 

I had a 430 for about 6 weeks. While very competent it simply didn't have the edge of the CS and it has nowhere near the torque of the 575M and the SA.

I did the Ferrari Driving Experience in Mont Tremblant, driving well sorted 430's with CC brakes and it was a wonderful track car, but again heavier than the CS and less specific when entering and exiting turns.
The 430 is really a great car if you can be in the right gear and near the top of the rev range all of the time but if you allow the revs to drop without downshifting appropriately it bogs down. This literally never happens with the V12's.

 

Thanks for the heads up Alex. One of the things that I thought would make a 430 much better to drive than a 360 was the fact that the Torque increased significantly. However, there is no subsitute for Cubic Inches. While the HP is similar to a 550 the torque still can't touch the Big Cars.

 

So without sounding totally foolish, would you say that if you own a 599, the only reason to get a 430 is if you need the spider? Would you have preferred having the 599 on the track at the Driving Experience instead of the 430?

Besides my 575, I've driven 355's and 360's. The 1st time I'll drive a 430 is at the FDE in May.

 

The 599 is as close as I believe Ferrari can come to the feeling of a mid sized sport car with the packaging advantages and obviously more torquey engine of a V12. The car is simply spectacular. I haven't had an opportunity to put it on a track but I hope to do so in the next few weeks.

However, the 430, and especially the CS are still lighter cars, and in an environment where torque is not critical, like the track, because you can keep the car in the optimum rev range, the lighter cars will be better track cars every time.

The truth , for me anyway, is that I get to the track half a dozen times a year and I have track specific cars that I prefer in that environment. In real world driving however, a V12 will always be the car of choice, and in my garage the SA and the 599 are perfect real world cars for me

You will have a blast at the FDE. The instructors are great and if they get a sense that you can handle yourself, you will get a lot of seat time alone in the car in lead-and-follow setups. That is huge fun - you will never be faster than the instructor in front of you but it is a real adrenaline rush trying to catch him!

 

Thanks for the info, Alex. I can't wait for FDE. I'm sure I'll love it. In the meantime, now I'll have to wait for my name to come up on my dealer's 599 list.

 

410Sa, Have you had the F50 out on the track? If so, does is compare to the 360CS, and the 430?

Jim

 

No, because I really need to have fresh tires on her before I run hard on a track. With all of the regular maintenance issues (of all the cars collectively) in the queue new tires are probably several months away. At least early fall before I get there. The tires are fine for regular driving 'though and I get out in the F50 at least once a week.

 

Do you have to buy those specal Goodyear tires for it, or can you put on someting else?

 

Alex prefers to put Kumhos on the F50, as he told me himself. He uses the money saved for timing belts.

 

hey, mine is 550, so it's little different, but I believe most of the components are the same. My vibration damper(crankpulley) just came apart into two pieces, so if you have a loud irritating noise from the front, check that. it was rubbing onto the timing gear. oh scary...

 

Alex I see your positive comments about 'X-OST' exhaust replacement equipment. As you say the SA is perfect so far; will this cause future problems with any warranty work done by the Ferrari dealer on a non-stock car? There seems to be a perception that FNA is refusing to honour warranty work on modified cars. They seem to be using the 'warranty' as a stick to pressure owners not modify a Ferrari while in it's warranty period. Any truth to this? Thanks
CH

 

Here's a thread in this forum on "550/575 Maintenace Issues to look out for "

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=126228

Hope it helps.

 

The SA has been just fine to date and hasn't needed any warranty work. My guess is that if I needed work on any part of the exhaust system I would be out of luck from a warranty POV, but I'm certain that if there were any other issues FNA would honor the warranty. My experience with them with prior cars is that they often treated cars out of warranty as if they were still covered if the item was something that you could reasonably expect to perform routinely.