I drive my brother's F1 430 quite a lot. It's boring. Not the car, the 'box. And it's not Formula-1 technology no matter how much Ferrari tries to "market" people into thinking it is. Give me manual any day for street driving.

 

yo uncle bob,

i did 25k miles and plenty of traffic in 8 stradales and never used the auto function on an F F1. only took it our of race mode in wet and mud. seemed fine to me.

my pdk arrives monday, and i hope to find you are right that it's much better than F1.

i agree that track and open road still more fun w stick, but i dont have much of the latter

hope you well!!! today we left malibu where we burned last year to play soccer in corona/yorba linda which is burning right now, had to move to whittier to play in the smoke. i bet some down here wished they needed 4wd in E Canada right now

 

For those who simply enjoy a 3 pedal car, you may have some difficulty finding one, but the F1's are so well sorted out now that there is simply no performance reason to opt for a manual.

As far as availability, there is plentiful supply of 430s. There are no "deals" out there as prices descend at a breathtaking rate. The heretofore arrogant and smug Ferrari dealer has now been replaced with the scared sh*tless Ferrari dealer.

 

I agree with credit man. The Ferrari guys (and I give SOME of them credit for knowing their stuff) order their new cars 8 out of 10 in F1 fashion. 3 months ago I would have agreed with Bob R to my death that a slushbox cant be more fun than the GT3 6 speed. But after this AMG its SO much fun to drive and the NOISE!!!

 

this came to mind... you know feeding my 3 week old is tiring.

no one opt for stick shift vs F1 shifters for performance benefit; they want the stick for feel/fun. many do admit that stick is slower than F1.

it's like .... well. j**k yourself off is much faster than prepping the woman to get ready. but are you in it to be fast or to have fun....

ok, back to feeding.

 

Riz... if you are still looking, see if you can drive a 6 speed and an F1 back to back. I have been really enjoying my F1 430, it just seems to be a natural fit for the car; you can play with the modes, i.e. sport and race, play with the throttle and in some respects it becomes a "real" video game! I also enjoy the manual on my GT3 and for some reason can't seem to want anything but a stick in a Porsche. I have about 2,000 miles on my C63 and must admit it is difficult to decide between taking the F1 out for a spin vs. the C63. These new paddle shift transmissions (despite the difference in design) are really alot of fun and very responsive. You tend to focus more on the driving experience vs. the perfect shift.
A side note, I am getting a 2009 Cup Car and as such am looking to find a new home for the GT3... and maybe the F430 if anyone is interested please let me know.

 

LOL @ the Ferrari dealers.........


I imagine that they'll start to actually employ a REAL Sales Person, rather then the smug and over paid order taker.

I have no sympathy for them.

On another note I find your review of the C63 pretty interesting FL Porsche, the C63 is a great car. Really great car.

 

I agree with your assessment of the cars. I preferred the stick in my GT3 vs the gated shifter in my Ferrari 360. My C63 has only 272 miles on it but I'm ignoring the break-in period and running the C63 hard. I sold my 430F1 but I think I would have driven the C63 more often than the 430. Right now I have a Scuderia and the C63 to choose from. Both cars are amazing. Bottom line for me is that I would not buy another Ferrari without the F1

 

FL Porsche Thats the way I feel about the AMG its like driving a real video game. its just SO much fun on the street.
You hit the nail on the head on that one

N2 can you tell us the difference between the Scud and the AMG C63? I would love to hear your thoughts?
I sold my GT3 because of my bad back (surgery is in 2 weeks) and got an AMG C63 Its just a blast on the street.
its not a GT3 but its one hell of a fun car to drive around!!!!

 

I have an F1 F430. I had a 6 speed F360. They were both fun but I think the F1 is great in the F430. My 08 turbo is a 6 speed and I would not have it any other way. My SL65 is an automatic and an absolute gas to to drive. It's all good. :-) my 05 SL55 needs to find a good home though. :-)

 

Old Guy,
Here's some past history first. I sold my 430F1 because I had a Scuderia on order. For various snags the Scuderia took longer than expected. So I bought a 2007 GT3 as an in between car. It was my first porsche since I had a 1970 911S. The GT3 was almost perfect. It was the right size, the gear box was perfect, the handling was better than the Ferrari. I actually enjoyed the sun roof. I thought it needed more hp/torque and the RMS leaks drove me crazy.

Fast forward. My friend bought a C63 and gave me a test drive. One drive around the block and I was hooked. The C63 is the perfect blend of car for me. Fair price, plenty of hp/torque, luxury, seats that hold you in but are extremely comfortable, 4 doors, a trunk and the paddle shifters are a blast. The C63 is an everyday car but when you put your foot on the gas pedal, WHOA, you better hold on because this car is scary fast. I"m always tempted to put my foot into it and risk a ticket. My wife who doesn't like driving any of my cars takes the keys to C63 every chance she gets.

The difference between the C63 and a normal 430 is is quite small. If I put a blind fold on a passenger and went from 0-100 both cars would feel fast and give you butterflies in your stomach. The Scuderia is a whole different ball game. As soon as you open the driver's door, climb in and start the car you know you're in something special. The striped out interior, carbon fiber, the shift lights on the steering wheel and exhaust sound ... WOW! The visceral experience is hard to explain but the Scuderia at any speed puts a smile on your face. I guess I really haven't answered your question about the difference between the two cars. There's an emotional difference with owning the Scuderia that I can't quantify. When I look at the two cars in the garage I see a 4 door everyday car and then I look at the Scuderia and see a piece of automotive art.

 

N2 thanks for that EVery little bit helps !!!!

 

I have decided to sell my 2007 F430 Coupe F1 Yellow/Black nicely equiped. I have about 3100 miles on it. As new condition. If interested, please contact me.

 

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