Discussion
no must haves really apart from the F1 box for most buyers of 430s. prices are mileage sensitive but there is also variance in condition even among main dealers.
other options are nice to haves. i like the carbon interior as the standard metal looks cheap. racing seats, daytona seats, shields. sat nav is a rubbish becker unit. carbon brakes were standard from 2008 i think.
other options are nice to haves. i like the carbon interior as the standard metal looks cheap. racing seats, daytona seats, shields. sat nav is a rubbish becker unit. carbon brakes were standard from 2008 i think.
Mostly personal preference on these cars...
For me I did not want Red carpets, black look so much better.
I also wanted sports seats, never been a fan of standard seats, plus you then get nice carbon backs.
F1 unless you are specifically after a manual is a must
I also wanted carbon ceramic brakes because it was an expensive option, I wanted to try them and I like not having to clean my alloy wheels
For me I did not want Red carpets, black look so much better.
I also wanted sports seats, never been a fan of standard seats, plus you then get nice carbon backs.
F1 unless you are specifically after a manual is a must
I also wanted carbon ceramic brakes because it was an expensive option, I wanted to try them and I like not having to clean my alloy wheels
Agree re the carbon dash.
I have standard brakes and happy about that as if the ceramics crack that's £,££££ ! I hear ceramics only work well when warmed up but are of course magic on the track and won't really wear it tear. Pro's and cons I guess.
For me the most important thing was having yellow paint
I wish I had heated seats but I don't. Front and rear parking sensors are pretty handy.
I have standard brakes and happy about that as if the ceramics crack that's £,££££ ! I hear ceramics only work well when warmed up but are of course magic on the track and won't really wear it tear. Pro's and cons I guess.
For me the most important thing was having yellow paint
I wish I had heated seats but I don't. Front and rear parking sensors are pretty handy.
There aren't many must haves, F1, shields I'd guess, plus carbon inserts, as said alu look a little plastic.
I looked at a lot of different spec'd car to find a fully loaded one, most are the details that make it feel a bit more plush.
Leather rear bench and roof liner, contrast stitching, electric daytona seats, seat piping, yellow CCB, CS alloys with titanium bolts, iPod, hifi up grade, heated seats, nav & Bluetooth, oh and if you ever want to put a child seat in the front passenger airbag deactivation is handy.
I looked at a lot of different spec'd car to find a fully loaded one, most are the details that make it feel a bit more plush.
Leather rear bench and roof liner, contrast stitching, electric daytona seats, seat piping, yellow CCB, CS alloys with titanium bolts, iPod, hifi up grade, heated seats, nav & Bluetooth, oh and if you ever want to put a child seat in the front passenger airbag deactivation is handy.
My 430's a manual. I've a paddle shift option on my automatic daily driver (Merc) and because the 430'll be getting upgraded soon I've tried to bond with the paddle shift, but somehow I just don't get a buzz out of it at all.
Ok, being an old fart is probably 50% of it, but the paddle shift seems more like a computer game than a driving experience. Dunno. Just prefer manual I guess. And I don't think I'm alone in that. Every couple of weeks I take the missuses porker out for a blast to remind it it's a sports car, and it's a manual too. I just find stickshift more engaging.
I'm actually having a problem parting with this 430. We've become very attached. Strange. Maybe once in a lifetime you meet a car you shouldn't sell. Certainly a new one on me, as is the 'still-not-bored-with-it' feeling after several years of ownership. That's unique in a lifetime of owning motors.
Anyway. Wouldn't worry too much about manual/F1.
Ok, being an old fart is probably 50% of it, but the paddle shift seems more like a computer game than a driving experience. Dunno. Just prefer manual I guess. And I don't think I'm alone in that. Every couple of weeks I take the missuses porker out for a blast to remind it it's a sports car, and it's a manual too. I just find stickshift more engaging. I'm actually having a problem parting with this 430. We've become very attached. Strange. Maybe once in a lifetime you meet a car you shouldn't sell. Certainly a new one on me, as is the 'still-not-bored-with-it' feeling after several years of ownership. That's unique in a lifetime of owning motors.
Anyway. Wouldn't worry too much about manual/F1.
I love my elec Daytona seats and the stitching looks wonderful.
However the stitching from the dash can reflect onto the windscreen so will take a while to get used to. Saying that, my stitching is yellow so it's a bright colour and may not be noticed if stitching is in other colours.
Had mine two years in Feb and like above post I cannot see myself ever losing the love for it.
iPod connection important to me and fairly easily done if its not there already. Agree with Stu about airbag option. Mine has it but it is not on the paid options list in the paperwork. Airbag key operated via opening passenger door.
However the stitching from the dash can reflect onto the windscreen so will take a while to get used to. Saying that, my stitching is yellow so it's a bright colour and may not be noticed if stitching is in other colours.
Had mine two years in Feb and like above post I cannot see myself ever losing the love for it.
iPod connection important to me and fairly easily done if its not there already. Agree with Stu about airbag option. Mine has it but it is not on the paid options list in the paperwork. Airbag key operated via opening passenger door.
I have had 3 new 430's and the last one was by far the best, it was a 2008 F1 Spider, the carbon disc's were so superior with no warm up or dust problems but may be a concern say 5 years down the road, had carbon driving zone with carbon steering wheel, carbon challenge style rear segment(grille) and all the usual options, super car.
Need to try the seats before you decide. The sports seats are real marmite seats. You will either love them or hate them. My wife thought they were the most uncomfortable seats she had sat in (and she finds the seats in a Elise really comfortable). There is a design flaw in that the bar that operates the recliner goes across the seat. Depending on your back shape that can be agony to sit after a very short period of time. The Daytona seats do not look comfortable but once set up they are really comfortable (and yes they passed the wife comfortable test).
If you speak to dealers you will find that the sport seats comfort issue is a common complaint.
As to must haves it depends whether you are buying for youself or resale. The only real must have is the shields but I think every one has this. I do not think a Ferrari dealer would accept an order without them! A safe resale is red, cream leather and red or burgundy carpets. If you do not want that combination then the next safest is black with black. If you look at reasle prices dropping out of this combination makes it more difficult to sale it would appear. It seems crazy but having black carpets instead of the red or even having the red rev counter instead of the yellow has an effect.
I have the carbon brakes on mine (a 2008 spider) and they are brilliant even from cold. I would say the most responsive I have had on a car.
At the end of the day most things are personal choice. One persons favroute colour is another persons worse.
If you speak to dealers you will find that the sport seats comfort issue is a common complaint.
As to must haves it depends whether you are buying for youself or resale. The only real must have is the shields but I think every one has this. I do not think a Ferrari dealer would accept an order without them! A safe resale is red, cream leather and red or burgundy carpets. If you do not want that combination then the next safest is black with black. If you look at reasle prices dropping out of this combination makes it more difficult to sale it would appear. It seems crazy but having black carpets instead of the red or even having the red rev counter instead of the yellow has an effect.
I have the carbon brakes on mine (a 2008 spider) and they are brilliant even from cold. I would say the most responsive I have had on a car.
At the end of the day most things are personal choice. One persons favroute colour is another persons worse.
I owned a 430 Spider F1 for two years (2006 - 2008). Shields are essential. Re F1 vs manual - try and drive an example of each as it really comes down to what you prefer. I loved the F1 box (I had it on a previous very late model 355 Spider and have it on my current 599). My personal preference is for the Daytona, electric seats. I had the ordinary brakes (not carbon ceramic) and found them absolutely fine on the road but they could fade a bit (and smell) on a track day. I now have the ceramics on my 599 and they are great. Even if you have let them cool down a bit you just have to shove a bit harder and they bite just fine.
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