Advice for a First-Time Buyer: 458 Spider vs Coupe & Ownersh
Discussion
Hi everyone,
Long-time lurker, first-time poster.
I have finally decided to pull the trigger on my first supercar, and my heart is pretty firmly set on a Ferrari 458. Specifically, the Spider has always been the dream (that engine note with the roof down), though I admit the "purist" arguments for the Coupe (engine visibility, better lines, rigidity) do live rent-free in the back of my mind.
I m looking for some real-world ownership advice to close on the candidates I have shortlisted so far.
My Usage Profile:
Thanks in advance!
Long-time lurker, first-time poster.
I have finally decided to pull the trigger on my first supercar, and my heart is pretty firmly set on a Ferrari 458. Specifically, the Spider has always been the dream (that engine note with the roof down), though I admit the "purist" arguments for the Coupe (engine visibility, better lines, rigidity) do live rent-free in the back of my mind.
I m looking for some real-world ownership advice to close on the candidates I have shortlisted so far.
My Usage Profile:
- Not a Garage Queen: I plan to drive it. Usage will likely be a couple of weekends a month (March Oct) and hopefully 1 or 2 track days a year just to stretch its legs - nothing competitive, just for fun. In total I don't believe we'll go over 2k miles per year and that's a stretch already!
- Financing: I plan to put down a healthy deposit but finance the rest, likely over 4 years with a balloon payment.
- Mileage Sweet Spot: currently looking at cars between 20k-35k miles already clocked in (as to not go above 40k after my ownership). Would you do this differently? why?
- Spider on Track: I want to make sure I can keep the Ferrari warranty. Any advice on how to do this from people who tracks their cars regularly?
- Must-Have Options: I know "Carbon Fibre Driving Zone + LEDs", shields and potential carbon seats are a nice plus that makes it easy to resale. Are there other options I should insist on? Is the front suspension lift needed (I live in central London)? As for colors, most of my candidates are in Nero Daytona with Nero interiors...should I wait for a similar example in Rosso corsa instead? It seems everyone says that's the color that sells like hotcakes (and I obvisouly love it myself but I can always wrap the car during my ownership)
- Financing: Has anyone financed a 458 recently? With the cars now being ~10 12 years old, are lenders still offering decent balloon/residual values, or should I expect a straight HP deal? What is your suggested length for the financing deal?
Thanks in advance!
Edited by gila81 on Tuesday 13th January 22:31
An excellent choice. I had a Spider and loved it, either roof down or rear window down to let air and the noise in.
Your mileage range seems sensible, although I’d probably aim for mid 20k miles but wouldn’t be worried about early 30s. 2k a year is small usage really, and easily clocked up. Definitely wouldn’t be looking for a low mileage car.
I tend not to be fussed about spec, and my head isn’t turned by loads of carbon, all strikes me as a bit daft.
But I’d want the carbon wheel with lights, shields and cruise. Mine never had lift and I never felt it needed it, happily went over speed bumps. Unless you’re going into some crazy steep garage.
Colour is a personal choice, all mine have been Grigio.
Can’t come t on track use or maintaining the Ferrari warranty, I have a great independent and servicing was always entirely reasonable. I wasn’t convinced the warranty was worth it.
How exciting to be on that journey. Enjoy it.
Your mileage range seems sensible, although I’d probably aim for mid 20k miles but wouldn’t be worried about early 30s. 2k a year is small usage really, and easily clocked up. Definitely wouldn’t be looking for a low mileage car.
I tend not to be fussed about spec, and my head isn’t turned by loads of carbon, all strikes me as a bit daft.
But I’d want the carbon wheel with lights, shields and cruise. Mine never had lift and I never felt it needed it, happily went over speed bumps. Unless you’re going into some crazy steep garage.
Colour is a personal choice, all mine have been Grigio.
Can’t come t on track use or maintaining the Ferrari warranty, I have a great independent and servicing was always entirely reasonable. I wasn’t convinced the warranty was worth it.
How exciting to be on that journey. Enjoy it.
Its only a few days into 2026 so this may still be relevant......
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
So I have narrowed my search down to two specific cars. I d appreciate the collective wisdom on which of these two "paths" makes more sense, and some advice on living with them in London without a private garage with power.
Option A: The "Value" Spec
Spec: Nero Daytona (Black), Carbon Racing Seats (Goldrake), Carbon Steering Wheel + LEDs, Scuderia Shields, 20" Chromed Shadow Wheels, Factory Reverse Camera.
Stats: 2013, ~37k miles.
Price: ~£135k.
History: Full Main Dealer history, but has done very few miles (~100 total) in the last 3 years.
My take: Seems like a lot of car for the money given the carbon options. High mileage protects me from depreciation if I add more miles, but the recent inactivity worries me a little. Am I being paranoid?
Option B: The "Peace of Mind" Spec
Spec: Rosso Corsa (Red), Carbon Racing Seats, Front Suspension Lift, Carbon LED Wheel, PPF applied.
Stats: 2013.
Price: ~£155k.
Warranty: Comes with Ferrari Power15 Warranty until Jan 2027.
My take: "Unicorn" spec with the Lift + Carbon Seats + Warranty. However, it has 6 previous owners and NO reverse camera.
The Candidates
Option A: The "Value" Spec
Spec: Nero Daytona (Black), Carbon Racing Seats (Goldrake), Carbon Steering Wheel + LEDs, Scuderia Shields, 20" Chromed Shadow Wheels, Factory Reverse Camera.
Stats: 2013, ~37k miles.
Price: ~£135k.
History: Full Main Dealer history, but has done very few miles (~100 total) in the last 3 years.
My take: Seems like a lot of car for the money given the carbon options. High mileage protects me from depreciation if I add more miles, but the recent inactivity worries me a little. Am I being paranoid?
Option B: The "Peace of Mind" Spec
Spec: Rosso Corsa (Red), Carbon Racing Seats, Front Suspension Lift, Carbon LED Wheel, PPF applied.
Stats: 2013.
Price: ~£155k.
Warranty: Comes with Ferrari Power15 Warranty until Jan 2027.
My take: "Unicorn" spec with the Lift + Carbon Seats + Warranty. However, it has 6 previous owners and NO reverse camera.
The Questions
- Which Car would you go for and why? Does 6 owners on Option B scare you for some reasons?
- Has anyone fitted the Antigravity H6/Group 48 Lithium-Ion battery to a 458? I will be parking the car in a secure communal garage in London where I cannot use a trickle charger. The car may sit for 4-6 weeks at a time. Does the "Re-Start" reserve feature actually work reliably to jump the car after a month of sitting? Any issues with the car's alarm/tracker if the battery goes into "sleep" mode?
- For Option B (and maybe A), I need to add a reverse camera and ideally CarPlay/AndroidAuto without cutting the dashboard. Can anyone recommend a specialist in London/Surrey who can do the "License Plate Light" camera and integrated CarPlay mod? Rough cost I should budget?
- Last but not least: I am assuming that, should I be going with the car with the active Power15 Warranty, I can skip having the car go through the comprehensive inspection by an authorized Ferrari dealer: correct?
Edited by gila81 on Monday 26th January 15:16
I own a 458 spider with a similar spec to your unicorn spec and it’s been fantastic to own, I don’t have the reverse camera but have f + r sensors which are more than adequate. I think if you’re doing any road trips, the front lift is more useful.
Try the carbon seats to make sure they suit you, they force me to put more hands on the wheel as the bolsters get in the way of my shoulders.
It’s not simple to add the reverse camera as you need to remove the cluster to add a video input and it’s about £3-4k.
Try the carbon seats to make sure they suit you, they force me to put more hands on the wheel as the bolsters get in the way of my shoulders.
It’s not simple to add the reverse camera as you need to remove the cluster to add a video input and it’s about £3-4k.
If the unicorn spec one is main dealer I’d go for that one. The Power 15 might not cover everything, but if something went wrong I’m sure they’d try to help out as every chance they’d have the car back from you in future and you might buy from them again. Also, the race seats are very desireable imo.
I only had a fantastic experience with Ferrari, purchasing from Graypaul but also events and experiences with Meridien.
I only had a fantastic experience with Ferrari, purchasing from Graypaul but also events and experiences with Meridien.
The second one is £20k more but has a much better spec and 12k fewer miles. I would go for that one.
6 owners isn’t an issue. Pretty typical
Mine doesn’t have the reverse camera - never felt I’ve needed it.
Lift isn’t needed for speed bumps but is often needed for car parks or hotels in Europe.
I bought mine with a very similar spec - a bit more carbon - for £150k on 15k miles in 2021. So I doubt your one will depreciate by much in your ownership if you’re adding 2k miles a year. Keep up the ferrrari servicing.
The warranty inspection cost - on renewal you can negotiate to have that fee waved.
Good luck and enjoy - it’s an amazing car.
6 owners isn’t an issue. Pretty typical
Mine doesn’t have the reverse camera - never felt I’ve needed it.
Lift isn’t needed for speed bumps but is often needed for car parks or hotels in Europe.
I bought mine with a very similar spec - a bit more carbon - for £150k on 15k miles in 2021. So I doubt your one will depreciate by much in your ownership if you’re adding 2k miles a year. Keep up the ferrrari servicing.
The warranty inspection cost - on renewal you can negotiate to have that fee waved.
Good luck and enjoy - it’s an amazing car.
Just read a couple of your other questions.
The battery will go flat after 2 or 3 weeks. You might well suffer from warning light issues as they are very voltage sensitive. Can you not store it in a secure garage like CarsUP ? I use them and they are very good. I’ve had my car in Nice with them for 4 months and they have London sites - Kings Cross etc. would be much more secure and can stay on trickle charge. About £250 a month fee.
The inspection - I think you must get it fully inspected by Ferrari even with the warranty. The warrranty is great peace of mind - or phone up that main dealer to ask about the car. Get the Indy to organise that for you.
The battery will go flat after 2 or 3 weeks. You might well suffer from warning light issues as they are very voltage sensitive. Can you not store it in a secure garage like CarsUP ? I use them and they are very good. I’ve had my car in Nice with them for 4 months and they have London sites - Kings Cross etc. would be much more secure and can stay on trickle charge. About £250 a month fee.
The inspection - I think you must get it fully inspected by Ferrari even with the warranty. The warrranty is great peace of mind - or phone up that main dealer to ask about the car. Get the Indy to organise that for you.
Lots of useful advice on here already, I'd echo the lack of need for a lift or camera
Personally I'd not bother upgrading to carplay, the screens tiny and difficult to see when driving, std the car has bluetooth for calls and if the ipod connector is fitted (or can be added) you can then stream music, external Nav etc. I use an ipad mini mounted on a cupholder mount, fits perfectly under the HVAC controls, can post a pic if helpful
Don't know about the anti gravity batteries but if you're really stuck then although not ideal there is a quick release on the battery earth, it's behind the passenger footrest and you could disconnect/ reconnect as required, general wisdom is on reconnect you need to run the car for 10 mins with things like HVAC off to allow sensors to reset
Personally I'd not bother upgrading to carplay, the screens tiny and difficult to see when driving, std the car has bluetooth for calls and if the ipod connector is fitted (or can be added) you can then stream music, external Nav etc. I use an ipad mini mounted on a cupholder mount, fits perfectly under the HVAC controls, can post a pic if helpful
Don't know about the anti gravity batteries but if you're really stuck then although not ideal there is a quick release on the battery earth, it's behind the passenger footrest and you could disconnect/ reconnect as required, general wisdom is on reconnect you need to run the car for 10 mins with things like HVAC off to allow sensors to reset
I wanted to say a massive thank you for the advice so far! After much deliberation, I think my favourite is the Rosso Corsa with Ferrari Warranty - just a clarification through that this is currently not being sold through a Ferrari/Approved dealer.
I am doing my due diligence now, but a couple of comments from the dealer have raised my eyebrows (even if I think they are done in good faith and out of too much caution to avoid putting their client in a potentially bad/weird spot with the official dealer they bought it from). Nevertheless I would appreciate a sanity check from the hive mind to see if this is standard "grey market" behavior or a genuine red flag.
The Situation: The car is advertised with a Ferrari Power15 Warranty valid until Jan 2027. When I asked for the "190-point Inspection Report" (the green/red PDF that Ferrari generates to activate the warranty), the dealer seemed unaware of it/unable to provide it.
The "Red Flag" Comment: I mentioned that they might want to call the original supplying Ferrari main dealer (who seemingly serviced/warrantied it recently) to verify the history. The seller seemed to have been fine and ask them to try and figure it out with the main dealer but the independent dealer mentioned that they would prefer "avoiding letting the main dealer know the car is being sold through an independent, as this could mess with the warranty or cause it to be revoked."
My Questions:
Is there any truth to this? I know Ferrari frowns on flipping new cars (Purosangue, etc.), but surely a 2013 458 Spider is free to be sold anywhere without the warranty being voided?
The Warranty Verification: If the Power15 is genuinely active, can I/the indy dealer just call any Ferrari service department (e.g., Leeds or Exeter) with the VIN to confirm its status and check for exclusions? Or is the "don't ask, don't tell" warning actually valid?
The Inspection Report: Is it common for independent dealers not to have the physical paperwork for the Power15 inspection if the warranty is already live on the system? What should I tell them so they know what to ask the main dealer for?
Thanks again for the help.
I am doing my due diligence now, but a couple of comments from the dealer have raised my eyebrows (even if I think they are done in good faith and out of too much caution to avoid putting their client in a potentially bad/weird spot with the official dealer they bought it from). Nevertheless I would appreciate a sanity check from the hive mind to see if this is standard "grey market" behavior or a genuine red flag.
The Situation: The car is advertised with a Ferrari Power15 Warranty valid until Jan 2027. When I asked for the "190-point Inspection Report" (the green/red PDF that Ferrari generates to activate the warranty), the dealer seemed unaware of it/unable to provide it.
The "Red Flag" Comment: I mentioned that they might want to call the original supplying Ferrari main dealer (who seemingly serviced/warrantied it recently) to verify the history. The seller seemed to have been fine and ask them to try and figure it out with the main dealer but the independent dealer mentioned that they would prefer "avoiding letting the main dealer know the car is being sold through an independent, as this could mess with the warranty or cause it to be revoked."
My Questions:
Is there any truth to this? I know Ferrari frowns on flipping new cars (Purosangue, etc.), but surely a 2013 458 Spider is free to be sold anywhere without the warranty being voided?
The Warranty Verification: If the Power15 is genuinely active, can I/the indy dealer just call any Ferrari service department (e.g., Leeds or Exeter) with the VIN to confirm its status and check for exclusions? Or is the "don't ask, don't tell" warning actually valid?
The Inspection Report: Is it common for independent dealers not to have the physical paperwork for the Power15 inspection if the warranty is already live on the system? What should I tell them so they know what to ask the main dealer for?
Thanks again for the help.
Edited by gila81 on Friday 30th January 13:49
Sounds like nonsense to me. I’ve never heard that before. I bought mine through an Indy but also spoke to the main dealer. They were completely fine in discussing the car - Graypaul - who I have had excellent dealings with for 5 years.
The warranty inspection report - the Indy won’t have access to that. It’s on the main dealer system. TBH I’ve never seen one of my ones - just that it passed for warranty. Really this report is more for the dealer to check the car.
The second comment from your Indy about voiding the warranty is nonsense. So much so I might just walk away. I mean, it’s total nonsense and basically misleading.
Just phone the dealer on the last service / warranty and speak to them. This wasn’t a problem when I did it and I spoke with the main service engineer.
I had an issue with the mileage recorded on one MOT. My car looks like it was clocked as they recorded the mileage when it was in km at the time. The dealer put my mind to rest even though they weren’t selling the car !
Please feel free to keep posting questions here - happy to help a prospective 458 owner.
The warranty inspection report - the Indy won’t have access to that. It’s on the main dealer system. TBH I’ve never seen one of my ones - just that it passed for warranty. Really this report is more for the dealer to check the car.
The second comment from your Indy about voiding the warranty is nonsense. So much so I might just walk away. I mean, it’s total nonsense and basically misleading.
Just phone the dealer on the last service / warranty and speak to them. This wasn’t a problem when I did it and I spoke with the main service engineer.
I had an issue with the mileage recorded on one MOT. My car looks like it was clocked as they recorded the mileage when it was in km at the time. The dealer put my mind to rest even though they weren’t selling the car !
Please feel free to keep posting questions here - happy to help a prospective 458 owner.
The thing about the warranty being revoked is a lie it woudl make me wonder if they've seen the report and it has something you wouldn't want to read, also bear in mind no warranty items such as brake discs etc will not stop a warranty being added nor it seems will missing services, on that point do you have a brake disc wear report?, if not it's a definite must as you could be facing a circa £12k bill to replace all disc/ pads
It's unfortunate but contacting the dealer will probably result in a 'we can't supply info due to privacy laws' response but it's worth a try
It's unfortunate but contacting the dealer will probably result in a 'we can't supply info due to privacy laws' response but it's worth a try
Thanks all, everything you said is what I also expected but wanted to check with more seasoned owners!
Re: warranty, I understand that the standard "Warranty Certificate" will not show you any extra info as it is supposed to be a single page confirming the car has "Passed" and the warranty is active. I also understand this can be checked with a VIN number and that same check can help understand if the warranty has any exclusions (unlikely but possible).
Said so, I have been told I could also ask for the Workshop Inspection Report (which sits in the dealer's file to justify the warranty pass) that would contain more info on the actual inspections and their results. I have been told to specifically ask for the "Detailed Technical Inspection Sheets" or the "DEIS Scan Report."
As per your comments, given I am sure I can quickly verify the Warranty status (and I will NEVER proceed with the purchase without confirming this), I am more interested in getting some extra info on the CCM brakes status (given they can pass but still be close to end of life). But perhaps in this case it is just better to book an Independent Specialist PPI report and ask them to check the brakes (and not just visually inspect them!)
Re: warranty, I understand that the standard "Warranty Certificate" will not show you any extra info as it is supposed to be a single page confirming the car has "Passed" and the warranty is active. I also understand this can be checked with a VIN number and that same check can help understand if the warranty has any exclusions (unlikely but possible).
Said so, I have been told I could also ask for the Workshop Inspection Report (which sits in the dealer's file to justify the warranty pass) that would contain more info on the actual inspections and their results. I have been told to specifically ask for the "Detailed Technical Inspection Sheets" or the "DEIS Scan Report."
As per your comments, given I am sure I can quickly verify the Warranty status (and I will NEVER proceed with the purchase without confirming this), I am more interested in getting some extra info on the CCM brakes status (given they can pass but still be close to end of life). But perhaps in this case it is just better to book an Independent Specialist PPI report and ask them to check the brakes (and not just visually inspect them!)
Break disc wear is normally around 1% per 1000 miles as a rule of thumb.
Rear discs can wear more as the traction control uses breaking.
So my car is 18k miles and around 13% wear. Basically unless there is a problem they should last out the car.
You really must get a full inspection done - as I think you are. And really go into detail on the documentation - servicing etc.
Just walk away if there is anything bothering you. There will be other examples to buy.
Rear discs can wear more as the traction control uses breaking.
So my car is 18k miles and around 13% wear. Basically unless there is a problem they should last out the car.
You really must get a full inspection done - as I think you are. And really go into detail on the documentation - servicing etc.
Just walk away if there is anything bothering you. There will be other examples to buy.
The disc wear considerations can seem a little overwhelming.
Maybe just speaking to the last servicing dealer will be sufficient as they will have given an opinion on both the disc and pad condition, as well as the bolts.
As long as the cars not been tracked, normal wear on the discs is as described above, and almost the lifetime of most cars.
That said the pads do wear and I've seen examples of pads being left too long and the studs damaging/scoring the CCM's.
I think the pads should be changed at a maximum of 50% wear and not something to scrimp on (I think this damage would be visible to the eye).
Normal wear is simply calculated and not measured. I think most of us know that the only true measure is to weight the CCM's and compare to the as new weight. In practice, I've never heard over anybody actually doing this, although I'm likely wrong!
Maybe just speaking to the last servicing dealer will be sufficient as they will have given an opinion on both the disc and pad condition, as well as the bolts.
As long as the cars not been tracked, normal wear on the discs is as described above, and almost the lifetime of most cars.
That said the pads do wear and I've seen examples of pads being left too long and the studs damaging/scoring the CCM's.
I think the pads should be changed at a maximum of 50% wear and not something to scrimp on (I think this damage would be visible to the eye).
Normal wear is simply calculated and not measured. I think most of us know that the only true measure is to weight the CCM's and compare to the as new weight. In practice, I've never heard over anybody actually doing this, although I'm likely wrong!
A useful tip I was given by my friendy Ferrari technician when shopping for my 488 was when it comes to the brakes, the surface of the disc must be smooth and shiny like that of a steel one. WRT to the pads, 50 percent wear is a good benchmark for renewal, but be aware thay are circa £1500 per axle.
gila81 said:
Thanks all, everything you said is what I also expected but wanted to check with more seasoned owners!
Re: warranty, I understand that the standard "Warranty Certificate" will not show you any extra info as it is supposed to be a single page confirming the car has "Passed" and the warranty is active. I also understand this can be checked with a VIN number and that same check can help understand if the warranty has any exclusions (unlikely but possible).
Said so, I have been told I could also ask for the Workshop Inspection Report (which sits in the dealer's file to justify the warranty pass) that would contain more info on the actual inspections and their results. I have been told to specifically ask for the "Detailed Technical Inspection Sheets" or the "DEIS Scan Report."
As per your comments, given I am sure I can quickly verify the Warranty status (and I will NEVER proceed with the purchase without confirming this), I am more interested in getting some extra info on the CCM brakes status (given they can pass but still be close to end of life). But perhaps in this case it is just better to book an Independent Specialist PPI report and ask them to check the brakes (and not just visually inspect them!)
As others have said disc wear can be low unless the cars been tracked where it increases massively, also the discs are prone to delaminating and the bolts holding the carbon disc to the bell rusting and expanding causing the disc to crack. The factory wear reading is an algorithm based on number of applications, pedal pressure and duration, it isn't very accurate and an experienced physical inspection will give a much better indication of actual conditionRe: warranty, I understand that the standard "Warranty Certificate" will not show you any extra info as it is supposed to be a single page confirming the car has "Passed" and the warranty is active. I also understand this can be checked with a VIN number and that same check can help understand if the warranty has any exclusions (unlikely but possible).
Said so, I have been told I could also ask for the Workshop Inspection Report (which sits in the dealer's file to justify the warranty pass) that would contain more info on the actual inspections and their results. I have been told to specifically ask for the "Detailed Technical Inspection Sheets" or the "DEIS Scan Report."
As per your comments, given I am sure I can quickly verify the Warranty status (and I will NEVER proceed with the purchase without confirming this), I am more interested in getting some extra info on the CCM brakes status (given they can pass but still be close to end of life). But perhaps in this case it is just better to book an Independent Specialist PPI report and ask them to check the brakes (and not just visually inspect them!)
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