Page 131 - Wayne Carini's Guide to Affordable Classics

Arguably the first Ferrari that offered sufficient reliability and practicality to allow daily use, the 360 Modena makes a good choice for an owner who wants to experience the thrills of Ferrari ownership.
Getting into the Ferrari, our media handler reminded us that this is a precision Italian sports car, not a domestic truck, therefore we should be gentle. Apparently, ham-fisted Americans have been known to grab that little T-handle for reverse and rip it clean out of the console. A gentle motion is all that’s required. Maybe that’s the reason that Ferrari went to a less delicate button-actuated system in the F360 Challenge Stradale and the F430? Purists may still prefer a six-speed manual transmission, and that’s never a bad idea in a sports car.
When it comes to a review of the driving experience in this era of Ferrari, reporters tend to fall all over themselves looking for superlatives. The engines alternately scream and wail, the acceleration is compared to bottle rockets, slingshots, and any other fast things. “Breathtaking” is the word most commonly applied. Between the two generations, though, the F430 is the clear winner by the numbers and by the seat of one’s pants. Not that anyone would have a reason to be unhappy with the F360, but it is a generation back from a company that is not known for incremental change. Ferrari is about revolution, not evolution.
That traction control, though
One big reason to choose the F430 is the combination of the electronic limited slip differential and the wheel-mounted driving mode control. This electronic wizardry allows the driver to dial up a more permissive set of behavior standards for the car when operating on clean, dry pavement, and to keep things more in order when conditions are more dangerous. The dynamics affected include shock damping, transmission and throttle response, and the point at which the traction control system will intervene when (not if) you run out of talent.
Ferrari 360/F430
were. By the time you get to the F430, your experience at a few track days and that one time on an icy bridge are essentially worthless. Don’t feel bad; we can’t all be Michael Schumacher. Just be glad that the F430 will help bridge the gap.
Buying an F360 or F430
You can purchase a good condition F360 or F430 quite easily through Ferrari dealers, general classic car dealers, and perhaps best of all, through Ferrari Club of America connections. The common denominator is that any Ferrari under consideration should be subjected to a close inspection by an impartial Ferrari professional who is an expert on the particular model.
Generally speaking, all automobiles tend to find their lowest price points between 15 and 20 years of age, and that range now covers the 360 perfectly, while 430 models may still drop a little bit in the next decade. Past 20 years of age, collectibles such as any Ferrari tend to either find a level valuation or rise again as they become fashionably retro.
I’ve been in older Ferraris that expect the driver to know what he
or she is doing. Typically, the power and handling levels were much
lower, but still capable of performing well beyond the skills of the
average Ferrari buyer. That combination allowed generations of
Ferrari aficionados to believe they were better than they really to become highly collectible in the future.
TOP: Despite world-class performance and the Prancing Horse
on the hood, the F430 is still depreciating with plenty of good examples to choose from on the market.
ABOVE: Although actual production is rumored to exceed the 499 units that the factory claimed to have built, the 16M version is likely
Wayne Carini  Affordable Classics  129