In hindsight, an F1 or a manual ?

you gotta have a manual autos are for lazy old farts

 

here's the problem with the F1. if/when parts start failing (like the computer brain) it's going to cost you a fortune to fix it if it's out of warranty.

if you're buying new and the car is covered by a warranty, go for the F1. if you're buying used and the car is not covered by a warranty, the F1 could easily end up costing you a fortune in repairs.

and that assumes that an F1 clutch and associated wearing parts will last as long as those parts in a properly-driven stick. you may or may not think that's the case.

simpler is better. one man's opinion.

doody.

 

Personally I like F1 and think the technology suits the car. I'd get it again. Now, my car recently came out of warranty so check back with me later, that is if I still own it

 

In the 360 secondary market, I am told by several dealers and wholesalers that an F1 ads nothing to the resale value, so consider that a 10K loss up front (and Ferrari may have increased the price of the option--anyone know?).

It has more stuff to go wrong--even things you wouldn't think about, like the LED segments that indicate which gear you are in on the dash.

If you will do much low speed maneuvering, especially on hills, the F1 will eat your clutch quicker than a 6 speed.

I am 6 speed fan, but the F1 is a hoot to drive, so it depends. I like the challenge of heel and toe downshifting, but I am not as good as the F1 computer. IF I drove my car balls out all of the time, I think I would consider an F1--but rowing my own gears is part of the attraction of driving to me, and I love the gated shifter.

 

I bought an F1
I would buy the same again
Re resale : I'll let you know when I sell. One thought though, How many F1 choices of cars are there for sale and how many choices do you have for a manual trans?

 

if you're concerned about maintenance costs over many years then you may not want to buy a ferrari. but if you can live with the thought that you may have to pony up some significant money from time to time over the years then you should seriously consider a 360 with an F1 gearbox. they are a blast to drive (on the track AND the street). btw, i don't believe that i've read of any horror stories about how F1 gearbox components suddenly self-destruct the minute the car is out of warranty, have you? i had a 2000 360 F1 modena that i drove daily and put 10,000 miles on it. it was flawless. then i bought two more 2002 360 F1 modenas and drove them daily. they were also fantastic and no problems at all. but i have never put more than 10,000 miles on a 360 F1 so i don't know firsthand how long you can expect to go before something expensive might need to be repaired.

 

I bought a 6 speed and have no regrets. Had I bought an F1, I'm sure I'd be here saying no regrets. In your archive search, I'm sure you found at least one poll on the subject. This is one topic where both camps are sure they're right. (We manual guys just know the F1 guys are wrong.)

 

I bought a pristine 1999 Modena F1 a few months ago and it is an absolute blast to drive and I haven't even done a track event yet.I checked wth 4 authorized Ferrari dealers on the F1 maintenance issues and only had 1 report of F1 pump and transmission major problem.Yes they do go through clutches more often but an F1 clutch is only $ 700.00 plus about 800.00 labor so its not that bad.There is certainly less $$ risk with a 6 speed and I think it also probably takes a higher degree of skill to drive at the upper limits of the car.They are both great cars and if I had bought a 6 speed I am sure I would also feel passionate that it was the best choice.My friend Grant B just bought a 2002 6 speed and he could not be happier with his choice so to each his own.Just my 02 Good Luck with your search

 

I bought a 6 spd and would do it again, even after reading all the numerous threads on the subject. The 360 gearbox is a delight to operate manually. This is one you really have to trust your gut on, but fortunately their is probably no wrong decision.

Gary

 

I drove both before making my final decision - MANUAL! As "cool" and technologically advanced as the F1 is - there is still that "hard-to-die" feeling that a true sports car is a manual. The whole heel and toe thing, the blipping of the throttle, the double clutching, etc. I guess it depends on how and where you drive your car and simply - your personal preference. You really can't go wrong with either decision.

One other point - finding the right car with a manual trans will likely be more difficult than finding one with a F1. Seems like eight out of every 10 cars sold has a F1. Perhaps that is the answer to your question. The F1 is obviously the popular choice.

 

I think you misunderstood me. The % you quoted just means (maybe) that most 360 drivers prefer the F1. What I was trying to say, is of all the car manufacturers out there, how many have an F1. With a manual tranny you place yourself with a lot of other manufacturers, so I think it's less unique.

Porsche, BMW, Lambo, Vette, Lotus, etc.... : Manual Trans
Ferrari : F1

 

Good point, also..... I didn't know.

The Vanquish is a cool looking car. I don't know what Alfa your talking about. The Maserati also has it now.

 

BMW has SMG.

 

Yep, good point, but not the same. I've driven it......... That's also like saying the AMG MB has F1..........

 

And Lambo has E-Gear.

 

Yawn ... read here first: http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=22357

Pete

 

I concede that I'll never be able to shift as fast or as precisely as a computer. Having conceded that, I have a helluva lot of fun on canyon roads with the old-fashioned gated shifter. I ordered my 360 with a manual gearbox and I love it! My next Ferrari will also be ordered that way. If they decide to do away with manuals, I'll do away with my plans to buy another Ferrari.

That said, you don't seem to be a hard-core manual gearbox partisan. So maybe you should go for the F1 like everyone else -- it's certainly the in thing these days! Besides, if you're not buying a new one, it'll be hard for you to find just the right manual 360 since there are so few of us die hards left!

 

Hey, how are you going?

i cant really comment on experience of driving, as i own neither at the moment, however I personally think that a stick is allot more fun to drive than a computer assisted shifter.

Interesting stat's for you though. Here in Australia, aprox 8or9 out of every 10 modena/spyder's sold are F1.

my local Ferrari dealer said to me, that almost all of the people who he has sold F1's too have purchased a manual on their next car.

but im all the way down in Australia, we probably think different to you guys.

the fact that 21% of advertised modena's are manual is testament to that, ive only seen 3 second hand modena's as a manual for sale here, of the 40 or so ive looked into (out of curiousity more than anything)

cheers

 

I noticed that F1 cars tend to have more previous owners than manual cars. Maybe this gives us an idea of what the majority prefer. A friend of mine had a TDF 355 spider with the F1 box, after 6 months he came to the conclusion that a manual box was better as the jerky changes were not very comfortable.