Snow and my Ferrari - i think i broke it!

[Jacyn]

Hi Guys,

I have a red F360 and went round a friends house. On the way down it was a clear day and whilst i was inside the snow hit..

On the way back it went insanely snowy and i went round a corner and it slide out and the engine concked out. Is this normal?

Then i got it started after resetting everything it worked again but it had a bleeping noise all the time. WHats the noise for?

It took age to start and then i couldnt get up a small hill in heavy traffic although every other ar had no trouble. I had to get some guys to push me up..

Finally when i got out the car i smelt almighty clutch burn and it still makes the bleep. Any ideas??

And why is the car so awesomly kak in times of low grip??

PLease help

Jacyn

[Peter101]

I bet that was embarrassing, hope you get it sorted.

[andy355]

is it an F1? if so sounds like a clutch/gearbox warning buzzer

[bromers2]

The buzzer/beeping is the clutch over heating and slipping - sometimes happens in reverse going up hill.

[Jacyn]

Yeah it is an F1.. does that mean a new Clutch? I gotta be honest its a bit fiery/hard to drive unless its fairly dry and not as fast as i thought it would be..

[sjn2004]

Jacyn said:

Finally when i got out the car i smelt almighty clutch burn and it still makes the bleep. Any ideas??

And why is the car so awesomly kak in times of low grip??

When you drive very slowly with a F1 style car the clutch is always slipping, creating wear/friction and heat. As I imagine from the conditions, I'd guess your clutch was slipping all the way home due to little throttle input.

Not sure about the beep.

Big wide tyres and hard rubber = little grip in snow.

[Sarnie]

Is it so suprising that a rwd sports car is poor in the snow????

[Jacyn]

Thanks for your feedback guys.. I let it cool down and it seems fine now.. Although i havent taken it out for a long drive due to weather..

Its not surprising its bad.. but its not bad its an utter death trap.. I would never take it out in the snow but it couldnt be helped when i was out. Is the F430 a more usuable car in the wet? Or best to go for something 4 x wheel drive like a gallardo..

This is my first sports car and i have only been driving 5 years and 1 year on a provisional so im not a good driver either..

[jon-]

Jacyn said:

Its not surprising its bad.. but its not bad its an utter death trap.. I would never take it out in the snow but it couldnt be helped when i was out. Is the F430 a more usuable car in the wet? Or best to go for something 4 x wheel drive like a gallardo..

I'm afraid you're fighting physics. A AWD vehicle like a Gallardo would be marginally better, but then so would a manual 360.

You're trying to cut through snow on ultra wide summer tyres which don't have either the right compound to remain soft, of the block pattern to even start to bite into snow.

If you feel the need to use your Fcar in the snow fit a set of winter tyres, the Continental ExtremeWinterContact are probably the best bet in the sizes you're looking for but in reality, leave it in the garage. A £1000 ford ka will be a far better cold weather car, and probably far more enjoyable in the snow than any supercar (you can get 90 degree yaw on the handbrake )

[andrew.]

Jacyn said:

Or best to go for something 4 x wheel drive like a gallardo..

the gallardo is very predictable and stable in the snow
but, once you've got over the initial amusement of it all, it's frustrating and not really that much fun
as sort of suggested above, i prefer the fiesta in the snow ( although somehow i've managed to stretch the handbrake cable )

[jon-]

andrew. said:

although somehow i've managed to stretch the handbrake cable

I better not let the girlfriend see this, she might twig why her cars handbrake isn't as sharp as it once was

[andrew.]

jon- said:

andrew. said:

although somehow i've managed to stretch the handbrake cable

I better not let the girlfriend see this, she might twig why her cars handbrake isn't as sharp as it once was

it's the cold weather : the cable contracts overnight and then expands when the exhaust warms it up

[notax]

Jacyn said:

Thanks for your feedback guys.. I let it cool down and it seems fine now.. Although i havent taken it out for a long drive due to weather..

Its not surprising its bad.. but its not bad its an utter death trap.. I would never take it out in the snow but it couldnt be helped when i was out. Is the F430 a more usuable car in the wet? Or best to go for something 4 x wheel drive like a gallardo..

This is my first sports car and i have only been driving 5 years and 1 year on a provisional so im not a good driver either..

I have a F355 F1 and they are designed to slip the clutch a lot when started from cold. As a result you are advised to let the car run for a few minutes before you drive off as the clutch won't then slip and will last a lot longer. When a clutch is under duress it will smell as it gets hot but generally once they cool down they are ok.

As well as snow and the wet you may find your car slides easily even in the dry if the tyres are cold. Be sure to warm them by driving a few miles before doing anything to test their adhesion.

As you are a relatively new driver I would strongly recommend an advanced driving day. This will improve your confidence in the Ferrari (and other cars) and make you both faster and safer. I am a rally driver and have been driving high powered cars for years but still learn a lot whenever I take professional instruction. For a very cheap day with nothing to hit search Andy Walsh driving days - under £50 a day. His tuition days are also excellent but from memory £2-300. Superb value either way. Don Palmer is also highly recommended.

No idea where you are based in the UK but if you are in southern England you are welcome to get in touch and join in the various runs I organise

[lambo_xx]

Jacyn said:

Thanks for your feedback guys.. I let it cool down and it seems fine now.. Although i havent taken it out for a long drive due to weather..

Its not surprising its bad.. but its not bad its an utter death trap.. I would never take it out in the snow but it couldnt be helped when i was out. Is the F430 a more usuable car in the wet? Or best to go for something 4 x wheel drive like a gallardo..

This is my first sports car and i have only been driving 5 years and 1 year on a provisional so im not a good driver either..

Yes the Gallardo is much better in the snow. I mean it's no range rover but it's pretty good considering. I bought a 430 spider in December and it's a brilliant car but I must admit it's dire in the snow. My driveway has an incline (not that much though) and the 430 really struggles to get up it, where as the Gallardo doesn't.

[ferdi p]

You've been driving 4 years & this is your 1st sports car & you find a 360 'not that fast' !!
Maybe you left the handbrake on ?

[SpeedYellow]

Driver training, driver training, driver training!

A well driven 360 is a quick car if driven properly, certainly faster than you can use fully on public roads and is very well planted and even driftable IF you have the skills and practice (not something to do on public roads) but over all is an easy to drive supercar.

If it snows or there is a chance, don't even try and drive it without winter tyres on, in most European countries you'd get in trouble with the police for trying without them!

As for rain and in the wet, with the traction turned on (out of sport mode) and a sensitive right foot they are still very fast and driveable.

Way before you think of changing it, get some driver training and learn what it's capable of.

Not being harsh, but the problem is with your driving not the car!

[Jacyn]

"Not being harsh, but the problem is with your driving not the car! "

I wouldn't find that harsh.. id find it honest I guess i jus need some education. I never really get it the full throttle as it has let me down a few times. It slides out a bit to the side and ASR pops up on the computer. Is that dangerous?

Bottom line is my driving aside i love the look of the car and the feel in the dry.. i just dont want to damage the poor thing!