Ferrari 360-Will it fit in the garage or leave on the drive?

[Timwestlondon]

Hoped I could ask for some advice (yes another 360 prospective owner I hear you groan)!

I've been hankering over a 360 for some time and potentially look to buy next summer.

Two questions

My first question is realistic garage space required for the car. We spent 3 yrs looking for a house with a garage, now has come the time to develop the property and either use the garage as intended or use the space for other things (boring utility room, extra loo etc).

Currently there's a wall splitting the garage in two (front half with original garage doors, back half a study) so I can't do a test fit!

Garage dimensions 4960mm length, 2500mm width wall to wall. Current garage door opening 2120mm.

Published figures for car dimensions are 4480mm length, 1923mm width.

Am I being realistic, thinking it'd fit without being stupidly tight - I'm 6ft 3 so the door will need to open a reasonable amount to get out.

Saw a recent picture of a 360 in a smallish garage on the forum, but just thought I'd get opinions from any current owners.

Second question - the alternative, leaving the car (assume spider) on a gated driveway. Can these cars really cope with being left outside in the UK weather, with/without a car cover? I've read about mould appearing in the front boot from cars being left outside, as the seals arent great, understand they're a lot different to regular mass produced cars.

Any feedback would be much appreciated!

Happy motoring,

Tim

[ThreesixtyM]

They're fine to be left outside, no problem at all. However I'd recommend a very good cover. As you say the window seals can leak and mould isn't a great smell in your Ferrari. Can't remember off-hand where my cover came from. Drop me a PM if you're interested and I'll find the details for you. I can remember the cover cost more than my first car though...!

[911Thrasher]

Mine use to live outside, never had a problem, always started and ran nicely.

Surely I wasn't the only one: around my block there is 1x 575 and 3x 360 spider also parked outside all year long.

They are good reliable cars.

[subaqua]

If the garage is a tight squeeze you can always drive up to the garage door and roll the car in the last couple of yards and reverse the process on the way out as long as your drive isn't steep. Saves getting stuck... or grazing door on the garage wall but may not work on an F1 tho

[johnnyreggae]

It depends if your garage door is central - if you drive in very close to the left you'll maximise the space for the driver's door to open - my recollection is this needs to be about 18 inches minimum - so if you measure from the left of the garage door frame to the inside garage wall on the right you'll need the car body width plus 18 inches to be able to get out - just....

Or leave the car door closed and clamber/jump over it

[voicey]

I have a single garage - I drive the car part the way in, shut the engine off, leave the handbrake off and get out. The car is then rolled into place and the rear wheel chocked. I just couldn't leave the car out on the street in London - I'd be forever worrying about it.

[davek_964]

Your garage is about 40cm wider than mine inside, and a 360 seems to be about 30cm wider than my 348. It's definitely not the easiest thing getting in / out of my car when it's in the garage, but certainly possible - and getting it into the garage usually takes a bit of adjusting backwards / forwards to get as close to the left hand wall. It's not a major problem though.

[andrew]

has no-one yet invented a slide-in slide-out electric car tray ?
it's got to be easier and less risky than pushing/climbing/parking close ???

[sidned]

Mine lived outside all through last winter.



It's a car and will be fine outside. I even drove it in the rain once. Just make sure it has a good layer of wax twice a year and it will be fine.

[andrew]

sidned said:

Mine lived outside all through last winter.



It's a car and will be fine outside. I even drove it in the rain once. Just make sure it has a good layer of wax twice a year and it will be fine.

it looks like the cat stopped to piss on your rear wheel

[marky911]

Must have been a Lambo fan.

Top marks for not being anal about the car though Sidned!

Edited to add - OP Tim,
nothing helpful to add but, I'm hoping to make to the move to a 360 next spring too, also coming from Porsche ownership.
Good luck in getting one. Lets hope we're both in here in 6 months time comparing photos.

Edited by marky911 on Wednesday 12th October 20:38

[mattdaniels]

Car width = 75 inches
Single garage width = 84 inches
Sloping driveway, so car has to be driven in.
Getting in and out is "amusing". The doors are very long which does not help.

Edited by mattdaniels on Wednesday 12th October 20:51

[Beedub]

mattdaniels said:

Car width = 75 inches
Single garage width = 84 inches
Sloping driveway, so car has to be driven in.
Getting in and out is "amusing". The doors are very long which does not help.

Edited by mattdaniels on Wednesday 12th October 20:51

lol thats awesome!!!! Heres me thinking my little ///M car is difficult to get in and out the garage :-)
Respect for that one, imo its worth putting them away if you can, if you cant??? Dont worry about it!!

[Craigie]

Is it not easier to reverse in?

Reverse through the doors then aim passenger side as close as possible to wall to maximise the width at drivers side? Surely easier to judge using mirrors rather than driving in?

[Timwestlondon]

Guys, this is brilliant, absolutely priceless examples!

The car will be an F1 spider, so I couldnt push her into the garage, but a fair suggestion.

I'm impressed they're as resistant as exampled living outside, especially even in the snow (minus the cat pee)!

The example garage photos have really helped too, being 2.5m, means an extra 10 inches to the posted pics. Garage pictures = evidence to explain to the wife! The more the better!

Really appreciate everyone's comments - great forum and members.

Cheers,

Tim

[Midds]

Drive in, drop the top and jump out dukes of hazzard style

Simples

[Adz man]

andrew said:

has no-one yet invented a slide-in slide-out electric car tray ?
it's got to be easier and less risky than pushing/climbing/parking close ???

Possibly the most intelligent thing I've heard you say

[mattdaniels]

Craigie said:

Is it not easier to reverse in?

Reverse through the doors then aim passenger side as close as possible to wall to maximise the width at drivers side? Surely easier to judge using mirrors rather than driving in?

I don't "just drive in", the car is as far to the left as possible to maximise the width on the drivers side if you actually look at the pictures.

Also 360 spider is a difficult beast to reverse due to poor rear vis. Combine it with the F1 gearbox and the uphill slope in to the garage and it becomes a no-brainer to go in forwards, and aim the passenger side at the wall to give you as much space on the drivers side as possible. I've stuck a mirror on the end garage wall to the left, so that as I drive in I can get the near side rear arch as close to the garage door frame as possible as I drive in - I can't use the nearside wing mirror as it has to be folded in.

Re. the other suggestion to "hop out the top" - they are not supposed to be stored with the roof open, so even more contortions would be needed to get out of the car then lean back in to shut the roof

Edited by mattdaniels on Thursday 13th October 07:03

[mattdaniels]

Timwestlondon said:

I'm impressed they're as resistant as exampled living outside, especially even in the snow (minus the cat pee)!

Sidneds car is a Modena. I would not want to leave a Spider outside through the winter in the snow.

[Audi 525i]

mattdaniels - are you a full-time gymnast or have you a PhD in body contortionolgy?