RE: Ferrari F430: PH Buying Guide

[ishay]

How can anybody say you shouldn't buy a 430 because a 458 is better. One starts in the classifieds as £70k the other at £120k. You can't possibly compare the two and the buyer of one isn't likely to be in the market for the other.

[StickBreitling]

Ignoring cost for a moment, the two are different cars depending on what you are after (I've never owned a 458, but have owned a Ferrari from the same generation)
- 458 interior wins hands down. Just a little more solid and well executed. The 430 is more spartan, but it's still a well put together interior. Only the dash dials and the radio show its age.
- 430 design has more Pininfarina curves, 458 is more angular in design. I personally prefer the 430's Enzo style rear lights and the Scuderia style front bumper which perfectly blends curves and aggression.
- 430 is more fun at legal speeds and has more feedback owing to the more analogue nature. The 458 is much sharper in response. Depends on the drive experience you are after. Personally, I like more feedback from the car rather than the more computer-game like experience of the modern Ferrari. A lot of this has to do with the F1 gearbox vs DCT.

[KCW]

I've owned my 2007 Ferrari430 F1 since 2013.I've also owned 5 Porsches, currently a 991 C2S. The Ferrari is quicker, noisier, better balanced and much faster particularly on throttle response, acceleration at higher speed and is lighter and quicker in handling response. Bad points? the switchgear in particular the window switches go sticky; the handbrake needs readjustment frequently though its actually holds well most of the time; the pedals require more conscious effort than the Porsches' and the paint on the rear intake grills chips too easily. Yes you can use it every day, I commuted 20 miles a day regularly in heavy traffic, no problem. I've also done long drives - e.g. 800 miles to Germany via France and Switzerland in one day - no difficulty, although the poor sound system means your 'road music' is ruined. And the beautiful engine note becomes a bit wearing after a couple of hundred miles at speed! Costs? 20 mpg on a cruise; servicing about the same as the Porsche but twice as frequently (every year regardless of mileage, mine at the supplying official dealer always); insurance (multicar policy, full no claims) the same on a 5000 mile per annum cap and curiously less than my Audi A4 2.0 TFSI Quattro estate. Clutch was replaced at 14,000 miles and has 50% to go at 27,000 miles Faults? One air mass sensor replaced for £350 and honestly that has been it. The FI gearbox is hydraulically assisted but it is a single not double clutch so gear changing particularly at low revs is a bit clunky compared to the double clutch Porsche however its still pretty good and the faster you go the better it is - at high revs its super quick and actually quite smooth - nowhere near as poor as some reviews suggest. High speed downshifts are a riot, the sound amazing. There is space behind the seats for jackets and small bags, the nose 'boot' is actually quite good though for cabin cases rather than suitcases. In summary? its not a 458 however at roughly half the preowned price (albeit older of course) it is a relative bargain 'junior' supercar, great fun to drive and that's why I still have it. The price differential to the 458 - much though I love the 458 - is a market perception however in my view the difference is not justified in terms of price proposition, usability, performance and fun.