CloseIm currently looking for a used F430. This is my first Ferrari and the car of my dreams. I am currently looking for a red F430 spider. Ill be visiting my local dealer this weekend, and Im curious as to what I should watch out for and what I should look for when buying such a high maintenance exotic car. Any help would be appreciated.
Dec 7, 2011 2:49:03 AM
All the Ferrari 'experts' will tell you to get a PPI and make sure that all of the recalls have been done and the car has complete service records. There was an exhaust manifold recall on earlier 430's that could run you a lot of $ if not fixed so check into that too. The emissions warranty should cover that though. Remember that the 430 has chains and not belts so maintenance is less expensive than earlier cars but you're still looking at a complete fluid change annually.
Make sure you get the options you want and shop around for the right car. Good luck in your search.
Dec 7, 2011 6:57:42 AM
....and not only on F430 . A friend of mine wanted to sell his 599, that he bought one year ago 2nd hand. The drop was just so big, he decided to stay with it.
And I know of another guy who is trying to sell his F430 since spring and still did not manage to find a buyer. They are 134 F430 to sell on the Swiss auto scout site ( in a country of 8 millions ) 
--
997.2 C2S, PDK, -20mm
The 430 is not as a high maintenance car you think. The car is built much better than previous models. The service intervals are not much different than Porsche's.
I would look for a low mileage car with the most recent built date and hopefully with a remaining warranty on it. If you opt for a higher mileage car consider an extended warranty. While Ferrari's are better built these days, they remain very expensive to repair.
The car is a blast to drive and I am sure you will enjoy every minute driving it. Good luck.
Don't expect to find a certified, late year, mint, very low mileage (2k or less) nicely optioned Spider for less than $200k + + at a FL dealer ..2005, 2006 w/ 5k miles plus, low optioned car; different story but you're still looking at $150k... If it's a 2005, 2006 check for CCM's (carbon ceramics) they weren't standard till 2007/08 (?).. Think it was around a $19k option in 2006. Also, I love the carbon fiber interiors including steering wheel, driving zone/ center consule, a.c. vents, side sills, engine compt, etc. Rosso Corsa is the nicest "Red" imo for a Spider.
NY metro same thing in terms of pricing. I'd buy from your local Ferrari dealer (as you mentioned), not a reseller... Look for a car that was originally purchased and 100% serviced by the dealer you're buying from ...The dealer may not have the car in stock but some of their best customers will have a car that they're going to trade in for a 458, 458 Spider, etc. Instead of settling for current inventory, ask about possible future low mileage, local trade in's that might be coming in over the next few months, whatever when the new Spider is out...... And ask to see all service records & like the guys mentioned check that all "campaigns" updates have been done. If it's certified they will/should be.. I'd even try to speak w/ meet the original owner if at all possible. You might be interested in a 458 Spider later, maybe ask about that too, they like doing trade-in's, it's how they survive..
Maintenance on my F430 has not been that much more than my 911.
Ferrari Long Island/ Fort Lauderdale is now owned by the same person/ co so you have more options, more inventory, potential incoming, nice cars not on the market yet considering it's the same dealer really. .... If you want a contact there, the Sales Manager that sold me both my F-cars & can help you via Ferrari Fort Lauderdale send me a PM.
Good Luck/ Happy Hunting!
Thank you for all the feedback. Hopefully Ill find the right car from my local dealer and form a relationship for future purchases and maintenance.
Red 430 Spider, Tan or Black interior - carbon fiber interior, CCM, check for all recalls and warranties. Anything must have options or other checks? Would anyone possibly have an option list, curious to see. Thank you
Leather rear shelf is one of those I prefer. I also love my racing seats but they stopped making them in 2006 and they're probably more fitting for a coupe... The nicest interior cosmetic option imo though is the carbon fiber steering wheel, shift paddles which I can't remember but also came with something else carbon fiber, think it was the c.f. center console??? The option list isn't that long, it's NOTHING like a 911. It will be slightly different depending on the year you're looking at. You can probably find some option lists on older threads here or on Ferrari Chat... Another thing you might want to look --- if someone knew enough to put 3M clear film on the car from day one. At least front bumper, nose & behind each wheel. That's the areas that see the most abuse even from normal everyday driving. Ferrari paint isn't the toughest, not sure if it's the aluminum or what, it's very prone to wear, chips. Make sure it's got all it's factory tools from the trunk (mine are still in the wrapper), manual's, factory car cover & seat covers, plus 2 keys.
Interior color is preference but don't buy a color based on what the next owner may or may not want/ what resale may or may not be & don't even go there with a Rosso Corsa Ferrari w/ tan or black interior, either combo will trade in just fine, purchase what YOU want, forget what it's next owner might want or you'll end up regretting it... Can't stress it enough since you're already considering very popular color combos - Buy what YOU like best... I prefer black interior's because to me they look the sharpest...To me Ferrari's are closer to race cars then they are anything else and if you look in most race cars or even Ferrari track type cars, Stradale's, Scuderia's, most Enzo's, etc etc they're mostly black or black & red. IMO black is the most sporty. Bentleys, Merc's look good w/ tan interiors . Don't know your age but to me, the tan is maybe a little more for an older buyer??? Carbon Fiber and black look right together imo, they say high tech & performance where tan speaks to more luxury but the light tan and carbon fiber is a nice looking contrast/look ... But if you're mostly using your car in FL though, there's definitely a case to be made for the tan because of the heat. And the light tan does look sharp w/ the Rosso Corsa...
Definitely 100% go w/ the CCM's, rusty brake hubs/rotors aren't attractive on a Ferrari, in fact rusty, steel rotors are down right hideous on an exotic imho. Plus steel rotors will date the car. Ferrari doesn't use them anymore. I've had both steel & Ceramics & will never buy another sports car again w/ out Ceramics both of my sports cars have Ceramics now. Big plus is maintenance; hardly any brake dust which not only looks better most of the time but keeps your entire brake assembly, calipers, even wheels looking newer. I wash my own cars so will never go back to steel, CCM's make a huge difference in the amount of time to clean and it's a much easier, much, much cleaner job...... You'll also spend less on dealer brake jobs over time because if this is a weekend car, not tracked you'll likely never need new rotors... If it's an older F430 where Ceramics were still an option, unless you're tracking the car a lot go w/ CCM's if it's a choice... Like I said after, think it was 2007, or 2008 all 430's have CCM's....,The small steel front calipers & rotors just don't look like they fit the car, also looks like you cheaped out.. Even if you save a few dollars now & get a steel rotor car it will just be worth less on trade anyway (and that's not a color preference/resale value thing) so you might as well enjoy the nicer brakes, after all it's a FERRARI! Plus the biggest reason - IT LOOKS COOLER. I prefer the matching rosso corsa colored brake calipers. (also an option)
The first thing you'll want to do (if it's not already done) is the stock exhaust mod where you simply pull off the small hoses that go to the exhaust valves, this will open up the exhaust sound significantly. Takes literally 2-3 minutes by putting in a small screw into the hose and zip tying the hoses down. Doesn't hurt the car whatsoever.
Let us know how it's going....
About Rennteam | Help | Terms of use | Privacy Policy | Support | Contact | Imprint | Archive
Powered by
Community
and
