100,000 miles in my 360
Discussion
It has taken me 11 years but yesterday afternoon I reached another milestone in the Fiat.
100,000 miles (160,000 km - roughly 100K)
You'll be pleased to hear it didn't self destruct or melt into a brick of metal.
I'm on my third clutch in all that time (manual)
If anyone wants any further specifics I'm happy to elaborate on the running of it over the period.
Excuse the rubbish Iphone pics - had to pull over rather sharply
100,000 miles (160,000 km - roughly 100K)
You'll be pleased to hear it didn't self destruct or melt into a brick of metal.
I'm on my third clutch in all that time (manual)
If anyone wants any further specifics I'm happy to elaborate on the running of it over the period.
Excuse the rubbish Iphone pics - had to pull over rather sharply
OK chaps, I'll try to set out what has needed doing over the years and my experiences.
Its a 1999 LHD Manual Coupe.
Usage:
- Motorway driving, great number of European trips including visit to Maranello
- City commuting consisting of 3 years of central London commuting every day come rain or shine
- Plenty of country road blasts, PH road trips, Le Mans and Vmax
- Number of track days, on average one a year
Servicing and parts:
- Annual servicing including cam belts with Hill Engineering tensioners every 3 years. I have basically stuck to the recommended service intervals etc throughout.
- Number of discs, pads and of course tyres. I have found Bridgestones to last twice as long as Pirellis.
- Ball joints: replaced twice up front and once on the rear.
- All coils replaced over time. Weak spot and they tend to go once and a while. I always carry spares.
- Several batteries
- 2 new clutches with Hill engineering uprated clutch release bearings (80,000 km and 145,000 km)
- 1 clutch slave cylinder found to be leaking
- 1 new battery alarm pack
- 1 waterpump found to be leaking at around 120,000 km
- 2 reconditioned manifolds. Another weak spot on the 360. Each side replaced around 100,000 km
- 1 drive shaft and 1 wheel assembly replaced due to an accident with a rather large hole in the road
- 1 door solenoid
- drive shaft seal replaced when it finally was worn out and leaked at around 140,000 km. Gearbox out job for a £20 seal.
- 1 Hill engineering uprated clutch release shaft found to be worn down completely at 159,000 km. Original sent to Hill engineering as we simply could not find a fault with it. They can crack but no sign of that here. Hill finally was able to measure it to find it had worn down evenly, something you cannot see with the eye hence letting out oil and not sealing round the release bearing properly. this has not been seen before but likely to be due to the extended city use and pedal movement
As you can see it is practically only wear and tear items apart from a few bits and pieces and an accident with a hole in the road.
I can honestly say hand on heart that the car has never ever let me down or stranded, abroad or in the UK (apart from a flat battery in my garage once or twice)
General upkeep:
- Always garaged
- Lots of Zymol Ital and Gliptone leather care
- Regular washes but no detailing or anything of the sort (the car is well known on PH and people that know it will confirm it still looks fresh)
- Front bumper sprayed twice for stonechips. No other paintwork has been carried out (could do with sorting stone chips again and a few other marks)
- 1 weeks worth of trying to persuade 2 black bird chicks to leave my engine compartment alone as they had taken up residence in there:
In general:
I can honestly say its been an absolute joy. You all know the stories about Ferraris being oh so fragile, breaking down all the time and costing a fortune to run and bla bla bla. Well, here you go, evidence to the contrary
I'm a firm believer that cars need to be driven and have done my best to that effect.
For potential purchasers/new owners a few tips beside the usual buyers guides (PH of course and Tim Walker from Walkersports)
Find a good independent mechanic. Someone who actually cares about your car rather than the potential £££ in the company coffers.
I use Paul Coster from Prestige Autocare who knows the car inside out. Personally I would not use anyone else and there are plenty of other PHers that use him including Bachi who is now on 96,000 miles on his 360 spider.
I'd say budget for £2000-3000 per annum max in case of belts, big service, ball joints, tyres come at once. Other than that I'd say £1000-2000 a year should do it if you've bought wisely.
Happy to elaborate further should anyone need any more info.
What a car, what a sound and what a joy to own
Its a 1999 LHD Manual Coupe.
Usage:
- Motorway driving, great number of European trips including visit to Maranello
- City commuting consisting of 3 years of central London commuting every day come rain or shine
- Plenty of country road blasts, PH road trips, Le Mans and Vmax
- Number of track days, on average one a year
Servicing and parts:
- Annual servicing including cam belts with Hill Engineering tensioners every 3 years. I have basically stuck to the recommended service intervals etc throughout.
- Number of discs, pads and of course tyres. I have found Bridgestones to last twice as long as Pirellis.
- Ball joints: replaced twice up front and once on the rear.
- All coils replaced over time. Weak spot and they tend to go once and a while. I always carry spares.
- Several batteries
- 2 new clutches with Hill engineering uprated clutch release bearings (80,000 km and 145,000 km)
- 1 clutch slave cylinder found to be leaking
- 1 new battery alarm pack
- 1 waterpump found to be leaking at around 120,000 km
- 2 reconditioned manifolds. Another weak spot on the 360. Each side replaced around 100,000 km
- 1 drive shaft and 1 wheel assembly replaced due to an accident with a rather large hole in the road
- 1 door solenoid
- drive shaft seal replaced when it finally was worn out and leaked at around 140,000 km. Gearbox out job for a £20 seal.
- 1 Hill engineering uprated clutch release shaft found to be worn down completely at 159,000 km. Original sent to Hill engineering as we simply could not find a fault with it. They can crack but no sign of that here. Hill finally was able to measure it to find it had worn down evenly, something you cannot see with the eye hence letting out oil and not sealing round the release bearing properly. this has not been seen before but likely to be due to the extended city use and pedal movement
As you can see it is practically only wear and tear items apart from a few bits and pieces and an accident with a hole in the road.
I can honestly say hand on heart that the car has never ever let me down or stranded, abroad or in the UK (apart from a flat battery in my garage once or twice)
General upkeep:
- Always garaged
- Lots of Zymol Ital and Gliptone leather care
- Regular washes but no detailing or anything of the sort (the car is well known on PH and people that know it will confirm it still looks fresh)
- Front bumper sprayed twice for stonechips. No other paintwork has been carried out (could do with sorting stone chips again and a few other marks)
- 1 weeks worth of trying to persuade 2 black bird chicks to leave my engine compartment alone as they had taken up residence in there:
In general:
I can honestly say its been an absolute joy. You all know the stories about Ferraris being oh so fragile, breaking down all the time and costing a fortune to run and bla bla bla. Well, here you go, evidence to the contrary
I'm a firm believer that cars need to be driven and have done my best to that effect.
For potential purchasers/new owners a few tips beside the usual buyers guides (PH of course and Tim Walker from Walkersports)
Find a good independent mechanic. Someone who actually cares about your car rather than the potential £££ in the company coffers.
I use Paul Coster from Prestige Autocare who knows the car inside out. Personally I would not use anyone else and there are plenty of other PHers that use him including Bachi who is now on 96,000 miles on his 360 spider.
I'd say budget for £2000-3000 per annum max in case of belts, big service, ball joints, tyres come at once. Other than that I'd say £1000-2000 a year should do it if you've bought wisely.
Happy to elaborate further should anyone need any more info.
What a car, what a sound and what a joy to own
Bebs said:
Happy to elaborate further should anyone need any more info.
Do you mind elaborating on how you've found driving the LHD in the UK? Did you buy it from the continent or was it already imported? I'm actually seriously considering a LHD as most of my driving will be done in Europe and just some weekend runs in the UK. Thanks.
What a superb reassuring article, I am no expert but I believe that the way the engines. Built and the gearbox to I see no problem in getting mine to that one day, I would like to know where to find your mechanic and he can look after mine, thanks for posting this, and johns 355 get another Ferrari, thanks Mike
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