Prospective New 430 owner
Discussion
Hello everyone,
I am thinking of dipping my toe into Ferrari ownership, however, after owning and only being interested in Porkers for several years I have to admit I have no knowledge of the F430 so I'm interested to hear any helpful hints and advice on buying and also a low down on real world running costs. I'm sure this topic has been covered many times before so if there's a link available that would be great.
Many many thanks in advance,
Kevin
I am thinking of dipping my toe into Ferrari ownership, however, after owning and only being interested in Porkers for several years I have to admit I have no knowledge of the F430 so I'm interested to hear any helpful hints and advice on buying and also a low down on real world running costs. I'm sure this topic has been covered many times before so if there's a link available that would be great.
Many many thanks in advance,
Kevin
Having been a serial Porsche owner for years I've just bought an F430 having had a (very) brief flirt with a new Cayman S.
Best advice - go and drive one if you haven't already, you'll soon find the cost of ownership questions melt away from my experience.
Lots of ownership threads on here but phone won't let me post the links but if you search 'F430' you'll turn up plenty of reading material.
Dedicated Ferrari Forums worth a visit too.
Best advice - go and drive one if you haven't already, you'll soon find the cost of ownership questions melt away from my experience.
Lots of ownership threads on here but phone won't let me post the links but if you search 'F430' you'll turn up plenty of reading material.
Dedicated Ferrari Forums worth a visit too.
Small world indeed. I had a Cayman S (first Gen but post-facelift) and then a 996 Turbo, moved country and had a 981 Boxster S on order. As usual, I went daft with the online configurer and put down a deposit on a highly-specced Box. Then I had my eureka moment and realised with that money, I wasn't a million miles away from F430 prices (at least where I am now in the Middle East). I'd always hankered after a F430 and this was my chance. Like so many before, I'd love a 458 but prices are still holding up above my level and to my mind, a 430 delivers so much of what the 458 brings, but at a much lower price point.
I've only had it a week but my god I've never been so smitten by a car. The Turbo was brutally fast, but now I get to 60mph with so much more drama it's like chalk and cheese. The noise, the feel..it's everything I hoped it would be. It's just so much more special all round (to me anyway - Porsches are amazing cars and I'm not slating them).
On the downside, I am far more self-conscious of how I drive the thing - I need to be careful not to let 'clutch worry' overtake 'driving pleasure'; plus the repair and service bills may prove to be higher, though I had a bad time with the Turbo so it might not be too dissimilar for me; and there's no doubt that stop-start traffic is not the best place for the car, whereas both Porsches lapped it up with ease.
But I don't regret it for a second, I love my car. Getting from A to B is now an event in itself for me, whereas the Porsches were a comfortable and easy way to get to B very quickly with minimal fuss. I'm absolutely no driving hero and I'm sure drivers more skilled than me could wring lots of performance out of Stuttgart's finest to make each trip an event as well, but for my abilities (and beyond), the F430 is an utter joy to climb into, hoon around in and frankly just to look at in the garage.
I've only had it a week but my god I've never been so smitten by a car. The Turbo was brutally fast, but now I get to 60mph with so much more drama it's like chalk and cheese. The noise, the feel..it's everything I hoped it would be. It's just so much more special all round (to me anyway - Porsches are amazing cars and I'm not slating them).
On the downside, I am far more self-conscious of how I drive the thing - I need to be careful not to let 'clutch worry' overtake 'driving pleasure'; plus the repair and service bills may prove to be higher, though I had a bad time with the Turbo so it might not be too dissimilar for me; and there's no doubt that stop-start traffic is not the best place for the car, whereas both Porsches lapped it up with ease.
But I don't regret it for a second, I love my car. Getting from A to B is now an event in itself for me, whereas the Porsches were a comfortable and easy way to get to B very quickly with minimal fuss. I'm absolutely no driving hero and I'm sure drivers more skilled than me could wring lots of performance out of Stuttgart's finest to make each trip an event as well, but for my abilities (and beyond), the F430 is an utter joy to climb into, hoon around in and frankly just to look at in the garage.
Same comments here I came from C4S and Boxster S and although Porsches are great, they dont deliver what Ferrari does, I own a manual 360 by choice I like the rounder looks to the F430, dont get me wrong I like the F430 very much to. Search for engine reliability for Porsche and then do the same for 360/430 and see the difference, Ferraris are very reliable and they dont cost a fortune to maintain, sure if the worst happens then its going to cost a little more, but my goodness you cannot compare, as has been said many times the Ferrari is en event in itself, the smell the noise the looks the whole caboodle, I am considering another Boxster for the winter months because I dont want my 360 on our salty roads and I will enjoy the Boxster but on a one to ten scale if the 360 is 10 the boxster is 4 only my humble opinion mind, anyway good luck if you can find one go for manual, longer clutch life and easier to maintain, no complicated ecu or such and a good old fashioned clutch that can be replaced or serviced by most garages.Mike
AcesHigh said:
Small world indeed. I had a Cayman S (first Gen but post-facelift) and then a 996 Turbo, moved country and had a 981 Boxster S on order. As usual, I went daft with the online configurer and put down a deposit on a highly-specced Box. Then I had my eureka moment and realised with that money, I wasn't a million miles away from F430 prices (at least where I am now in the Middle East). I'd always hankered after a F430 and this was my chance. Like so many before, I'd love a 458 but prices are still holding up above my level and to my mind, a 430 delivers so much of what the 458 brings, but at a much lower price point.
I've only had it a week but my god I've never been so smitten by a car. The Turbo was brutally fast, but now I get to 60mph with so much more drama it's like chalk and cheese. The noise, the feel..it's everything I hoped it would be. It's just so much more special all round (to me anyway - Porsches are amazing cars and I'm not slating them).
On the downside, I am far more self-conscious of how I drive the thing - I need to be careful not to let 'clutch worry' overtake 'driving pleasure'; plus the repair and service bills may prove to be higher, though I had a bad time with the Turbo so it might not be too dissimilar for me; and there's no doubt that stop-start traffic is not the best place for the car, whereas both Porsches lapped it up with ease.
But I don't regret it for a second, I love my car. Getting from A to B is now an event in itself for me, whereas the Porsches were a comfortable and easy way to get to B very quickly with minimal fuss. I'm absolutely no driving hero and I'm sure drivers more skilled than me could wring lots of performance out of Stuttgart's finest to make each trip an event as well, but for my abilities (and beyond), the F430 is an utter joy to climb into, hoon around in and frankly just to look at in the garage.
From another Scottish F430 owner working in middle east... lucky b@stard. Dubai must be the perfect place for hooning around in a Ferrari. I'm in Saudi.. I wouldn't bother here with the standard of driving so low and the roads in such a state but Dubai.. awesome! I've only had it a week but my god I've never been so smitten by a car. The Turbo was brutally fast, but now I get to 60mph with so much more drama it's like chalk and cheese. The noise, the feel..it's everything I hoped it would be. It's just so much more special all round (to me anyway - Porsches are amazing cars and I'm not slating them).
On the downside, I am far more self-conscious of how I drive the thing - I need to be careful not to let 'clutch worry' overtake 'driving pleasure'; plus the repair and service bills may prove to be higher, though I had a bad time with the Turbo so it might not be too dissimilar for me; and there's no doubt that stop-start traffic is not the best place for the car, whereas both Porsches lapped it up with ease.
But I don't regret it for a second, I love my car. Getting from A to B is now an event in itself for me, whereas the Porsches were a comfortable and easy way to get to B very quickly with minimal fuss. I'm absolutely no driving hero and I'm sure drivers more skilled than me could wring lots of performance out of Stuttgart's finest to make each trip an event as well, but for my abilities (and beyond), the F430 is an utter joy to climb into, hoon around in and frankly just to look at in the garage.
Hey Craigwww...the world keeps getting smaller. I can only imagine what KSA is like but honestly, it's not nirvana here - there are speedcams absolutely, and I mean absolutely, everywhere here. Far worse than the UK. It's so bad I've been posting on the Middle East thread asking for a road, any road, that's decent and devoid of the things. Naturally I'm not condoning illegality...but for those moments when you 'inadvertently' go over the limit, the fines really mount up. Official wands are waved and the locals' fines vanish magically, but expats get it in the neck. I've heard there's some good roads out Oman way, so I'm googling Kalba Pass etc.
Standard of driving here is also an eye opener. In all seriousness I've seen an accident/bump/crash, or its aftermath, almost every single day since I moved here. Saw 3 separate ones today alone and I'm in a business district. There's no such thing as a braking gap, if you indicate to change lane others take it as an excuse to close up, cars veer straight across 4 lines to make the highway exit at the last minute etc. Kind of getting used to it but it's no dream location for an F-car (at least for those who want to drive them not just pose along the beachfront).
Still, shouldn't grumble - cheaper to buy the car here in the first place, no road tax and fuel about 25 quid to fill the tank.
Never been to Saudi before but my visa came through recently and will be visiting now and then for work in the coming months, so maybe see you someday!
Apols for hijacking thread with Middle East chat...!
Standard of driving here is also an eye opener. In all seriousness I've seen an accident/bump/crash, or its aftermath, almost every single day since I moved here. Saw 3 separate ones today alone and I'm in a business district. There's no such thing as a braking gap, if you indicate to change lane others take it as an excuse to close up, cars veer straight across 4 lines to make the highway exit at the last minute etc. Kind of getting used to it but it's no dream location for an F-car (at least for those who want to drive them not just pose along the beachfront).
Still, shouldn't grumble - cheaper to buy the car here in the first place, no road tax and fuel about 25 quid to fill the tank.
Never been to Saudi before but my visa came through recently and will be visiting now and then for work in the coming months, so maybe see you someday!
Apols for hijacking thread with Middle East chat...!
AcesHigh said:
Hey Craigwww...the world keeps getting smaller. I can only imagine what KSA is like but honestly, it's not nirvana here - there are speedcams absolutely, and I mean absolutely, everywhere here. Far worse than the UK. It's so bad I've been posting on the Middle East thread asking for a road, any road, that's decent and devoid of the things. Naturally I'm not condoning illegality...but for those moments when you 'inadvertently' go over the limit, the fines really mount up. Official wands are waved and the locals' fines vanish magically, but expats get it in the neck. I've heard there's some good roads out Oman way, so I'm googling Kalba Pass etc.
Standard of driving here is also an eye opener. In all seriousness I've seen an accident/bump/crash, or its aftermath, almost every single day since I moved here. Saw 3 separate ones today alone and I'm in a business district. There's no such thing as a braking gap, if you indicate to change lane others take it as an excuse to close up, cars veer straight across 4 lines to make the highway exit at the last minute etc. Kind of getting used to it but it's no dream location for an F-car (at least for those who want to drive them not just pose along the beachfront).
Still, shouldn't grumble - cheaper to buy the car here in the first place, no road tax and fuel about 25 quid to fill the tank.
Never been to Saudi before but my visa came through recently and will be visiting now and then for work in the coming months, so maybe see you someday!
Apols for hijacking thread with Middle East chat...!
Ah didn't realise Dubai was heading so staunchly down the speed camera route! Saudi is the same, most are mobile at the moment, 4x4s parked up at the side of the road with cameras mounted in the back. But they have just rolled out a new state-of-the-art monitoring system for junctions which also monitor speed. The good news is this is only concentrated in the main cities, outwith that there is endless unwatched desert road and the traffic police here are a joke. Their driving is worse than most other half-asleep drivers and they blatantly ignore serious dangerous driving and speed. I overtook a marked traffic car at 110mph+ on a single carriage way by accident and they didn't bat an eye. Standard of driving here is also an eye opener. In all seriousness I've seen an accident/bump/crash, or its aftermath, almost every single day since I moved here. Saw 3 separate ones today alone and I'm in a business district. There's no such thing as a braking gap, if you indicate to change lane others take it as an excuse to close up, cars veer straight across 4 lines to make the highway exit at the last minute etc. Kind of getting used to it but it's no dream location for an F-car (at least for those who want to drive them not just pose along the beachfront).
Still, shouldn't grumble - cheaper to buy the car here in the first place, no road tax and fuel about 25 quid to fill the tank.
Never been to Saudi before but my visa came through recently and will be visiting now and then for work in the coming months, so maybe see you someday!
Apols for hijacking thread with Middle East chat...!
Accidents are horrendous and part of everyday life here, this month alone I have seen two dead bodies in cars and one on the road. When they have an accident here, they have a big one. Driving is a risk here, I have narrowly avoided cars driving the wrong way up a motorway, cars parked on the inside lane of a motorway as they converse with a driver parked on the hard shoulder and countless acts of stupidity that only someone mentally unstable would peform. Add to that the fact that no one wears a seatbelt including young kids and it makes for an interesting time on the roads.
There's roads here that I wish I had the F430 for but the vast majority I am happy having a big 4x4!
Drop me a pm if youre ever in KSA near Al Khobar and I will take you for a 'pint'.
Thanks to everyone who have replied so far, can anyone shed some factual info on running costs, the car would cover 3-5k miles a year, no track work?
I had a look at a car last week that had just sold a couple of hours earlier of me turning up, just sat in the car did feel rather "special" certainly compared to my recently sold 997 GT3 so the next step will be a test drive, I'd like to try both manual and F1 box, any pro's and con's
I had a look at a car last week that had just sold a couple of hours earlier of me turning up, just sat in the car did feel rather "special" certainly compared to my recently sold 997 GT3 so the next step will be a test drive, I'd like to try both manual and F1 box, any pro's and con's
In my ownership 2009 F430 F1 spider:
All Ferrari main dealer
Annual service £1000
Major mileage Service ( every 3rd year if doing less than 6,000 miles p a ) £2000
Rear Tyres £600 every 5,000 miles
Apart from that hope nothing goes wrong out of warranty as it will be expensive. I spent circa £1000 on a couple of little things to keep the car 100%. Ferrari extended warranty is circa £2500 pa so you pays your money and takes your chance
Having moved onto a Lamborghini LP570-4 Performante Edizione Tecnica my old 2009 F430 spider is up for sale at Meridien for £95k so if anyone is interested in that price range I can vouch for it being 100% absolutely mint with all Ferrari history invoices etc..... Beautiful car and hard to find in that condition, spec and history
I'm sure the first person to see it will buy it and was surprised it wasn't up for £99k TBH
Hope this helps and good hunting, if you find a good un you won't be disappointed
Agree with other posters comments about new cars being too clinical hence why paying more for an old Lambo over the more modern and faster McLaren MP4 12C and Ferrari 458. Lambo was so much more FUN than the other two and thats from a Ferrari enthusiast who went to buy a 458.
Go drive them and see which one ticks most boxes for you and how you use the car is my advice
All Ferrari main dealer
Annual service £1000
Major mileage Service ( every 3rd year if doing less than 6,000 miles p a ) £2000
Rear Tyres £600 every 5,000 miles
Apart from that hope nothing goes wrong out of warranty as it will be expensive. I spent circa £1000 on a couple of little things to keep the car 100%. Ferrari extended warranty is circa £2500 pa so you pays your money and takes your chance
Having moved onto a Lamborghini LP570-4 Performante Edizione Tecnica my old 2009 F430 spider is up for sale at Meridien for £95k so if anyone is interested in that price range I can vouch for it being 100% absolutely mint with all Ferrari history invoices etc..... Beautiful car and hard to find in that condition, spec and history
I'm sure the first person to see it will buy it and was surprised it wasn't up for £99k TBH
Hope this helps and good hunting, if you find a good un you won't be disappointed
Agree with other posters comments about new cars being too clinical hence why paying more for an old Lambo over the more modern and faster McLaren MP4 12C and Ferrari 458. Lambo was so much more FUN than the other two and thats from a Ferrari enthusiast who went to buy a 458.
Go drive them and see which one ticks most boxes for you and how you use the car is my advice
slippery said:
Interesting that you say that about the Lambo. You often hear people say that the Gallardo is past its sell by date, yet to me it looks like it could have been launched yesterday. I'd have to have a look at one if I was considering something in this bracket.
Theres no getting away from the fact that it was launched circa 10 years ago but the later 2009 LP models were substantially reworked and updated. The interior is all audi switchgear so works properly but looks a little dated compared to the latest McLaren and 458 stuff which still isn't safe from criticism.I think its one of the most beautiful cars made along with Ferrari F355 and Astons Vantage/DBS and still looks razor sharp and modern now.
TBH I drove a 458 and McLaren back to back with the Gallardo and whilst you could argue the other 2 were better pieces of engineering with their dual clutch gearboxes and outright speed they were not as FUN as the Gallardo.
It simply looks and sounds epic and you can get 90% of that by spending half as much as what I actually did on a very late special edition.
I came from a F430 spider and still have a F355GTS ( which I will never Sell ) so I am a real ferrari enthusiast so I'm as surprised as anyone that I didn't buy the 458 but for what I want the car for the Gallardo was the best.
I would go as far to say its a potential classic and my past record of buying ( but unfortunately selling ) cars would back this up. As Jeremy Clarkson said he bought classics but simply got the timing wrong
Amen to that! If I'd just kept hold of the old Fords I've owned I could have cashed them in for a Lambo! I am hoping to get myself something exotic next year and went to Brooklands last week for another go in the SLS. I loved that car, but later that evening a white 13 plate Gallardo was parked outside the hotel and I have now been distracted completely! 
What started as a toss up between the Merc and a V12 Vantage could now take a totally different path!
What started as a toss up between the Merc and a V12 Vantage could now take a totally different path!
Edited by slippery on Monday 4th November 19:55
slippery said:
Amen to that! If I'd just kept hold of the old Fords I've owned I could have cashed them in for a Lambo! I am hoping to get myself something exotic next year and went to Brooklands last week for another go in the SLS. I loved that car, but later that evening a white 13 plate Gallardo was parked outside the hotel and I have now been distracted completely!
What started as a toss up between the Merc and a V12 Vantage could now take a totally different path!
Yeah I drove a V12 Vantage thinking I may bag the last manual version but apart from its looks I was very disappointed. Even the noise wasn't as good as I had hoped and the clutch was really really heavy and I struggled with the seating position only being 5'9" tall as the gearstick was way back to make comfortable changes relative to my seating position.What started as a toss up between the Merc and a V12 Vantage could now take a totally different path!
Edited by slippery on Monday 4th November 19:55
Never driven a SLS but it looks mad if you can make a deal at a good price. They didn't sell well versus list price so they "look" a bargain now but I'm sure there are still deals to be done
Edited by GRBF430F1 on Monday 4th November 21:22
They are into sub 100k territory now, which is really at the very top end of what I would be prepared to spend. You think they look mad until you look at a Lambo. Then you realise that they actually look pretty sane! I looked at the price of Gallardos as soon as I saw this one and then started to realise how easy it is to upsell yourself, as entry level is temptingly sensible and therefore attainable sooner, but then there are good reasons to go 2006 on and more good reasons to go 2009 on. When they time comes, I'm just going tohave to take a week out and go and look at the options.
I've owned a 911 for many years and this year added a F430.
They're really, really different cars. Surprisingly so. The 911 is anonymous, there's always eyes on you in the F430 and mine's in a subdued colour! The 911 can be used as a real workhorse and is more practical.
Running costs; well compare 20-30mpg and 2 year/20,000 mile service intervals with 10-20mpg and 1 year/6000 mile services. Insurance will be more on the F430 as well.
Owning the F430 is an experience for sure but it's very different from owning a Porker in my experience. Not sure I've completely bonded with the F430 yet, I need to get it out a lot more next year.
They're really, really different cars. Surprisingly so. The 911 is anonymous, there's always eyes on you in the F430 and mine's in a subdued colour! The 911 can be used as a real workhorse and is more practical.
Running costs; well compare 20-30mpg and 2 year/20,000 mile service intervals with 10-20mpg and 1 year/6000 mile services. Insurance will be more on the F430 as well.
Owning the F430 is an experience for sure but it's very different from owning a Porker in my experience. Not sure I've completely bonded with the F430 yet, I need to get it out a lot more next year.
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