488 or R8 | FerrariChat

488 or R8

Discussion in '458 Italia/488/F8' started by CMACK25, Oct 10, 2020.

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  1. CMACK25

    CMACK25 Rookie

    Oct 10, 2020
    7
    Atlanta, GA
    Hello and pleasure to be here! I found this place as I am trying to figure out what I want to buy and thought what better place for encouragement than a Ferrari forum! Here is my question - Should I get a 2018 488 Spider or a 2020 Audi R8 Performance. I currently drive a 2019 M5 Competition (F90) as my daily and it is plenty of performance but I really want an "exotic" to add to the stable that is a true sports car. I really love the new R8's because of the V10, look, tech, interior and ability to be a daily...it walks the line in my mind of super car and something I can drive to the store without too much attention. Cost delta is about 30-50K.

    I have always loved the 458/488 and that is what I thought I wanted and I think I still do but wanted to get everyones opinion on this and yes, I realize this is a Ferrari forum :)

    I am blessed beyond what I deserve to even be able to have this question. Thanks for any feedback!
     
  2. jagged155

    jagged155 Karting

    Dec 3, 2016
    131
    Scottsdale, Arizona
    Full Name:
    Dan
    I owned a 2011 R8 V10 with the gated manual. Beautiful car. Sold the car and compared the new R8 and 458 Coupe side-by-side. No comparison. The 458 is much more visceral. My R8 was very engaging with the manual and low-tech interior. The only thing I like about the new R8 is the proven V10 motor and AWD. If you like the qualities of the V10, I don't think a 488 would be a good comparison. If turbos, HP, and tech are your thing, maybe compare with a 720s? I will be purchasing a 458, if that helps.
     
    CMACK25 likes this.
  3. Stams

    Stams Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 30, 2020
    491
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Sean
    This is my 2 cents and let me qualify by stating that I am a new owner and my whole purpose for an exotic was the emotional experience. I want laughs and smiles and to feel and hear the car. I put a distant second the tech a car offers and my girl will not be a daily driver.

    I have driven a 488 and the F8 and recently just purchased a 458 coupe.

    The 458 is both beautiful and a beast to drive. Instead of going through all the typical superlatives you will read on other posts on Fchat, this is the best advice I could give you....

    Find a 458 and drive it if you have not done so. That simple. It looks, sounds, and performs so much better than I thought. It exceeded all my expectations 10 fold. And that was after searching for 9 mos and building up this car in my mind as the be all end all of driving experiences.

    Exceeded all expectations 10 fold.

    Enjoy the search!





    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
     
    CMACK25 likes this.
  4. Whan

    Whan Rookie

    Sep 4, 2020
    45
    Marin, CA
    Full Name:
    Will
    Had the exact same experience as jagged155. Went from a 2014 R8 V10 Plus (DCT) to a 2010 458. Beautiful car indeed, and the powertrain was great. V10 has just as much character as the V8 in the 458, and the transmission was pretty similar. But everything else, the 458 was far more viceral and dramatic. Not a ton faster, but makes the drive feel special. The R8 is a great daily, but sometimes makes you think you're driving an A4 if just cruising on the highway
     
    CMACK25 likes this.
  5. carz80am

    carz80am Formula Junior

    Sep 23, 2015
    620
    Northern Virginia/DC
    I've had 19 M5 competition and a 2020 r8 v10 performance. M5 is fine for daily driver but wasn't anything really special to me. That's kind of how I'd describe the R8, its fast, it handles well, v10 sounds great but doesn't feel that "special'. 488 spider is a great car and the hardtop convertible is much better than the Audi's ragtop if your getting the convertible.
     
    Gh21631 and CMACK25 like this.
  6. Clembo

    Clembo Formula Junior

    They are both great cars. I own “S” Audi’s and a 488 Spider. I enjoy Audi’s.

    The 488 is just special. Amazing performance in all aspects plus great design. I love looking at it and driving it, makes each drive special.

    Can’t go wrong with either choice, but it shouldn’t be a hard choice either. Buy whichever ever one you think about when you wake up in the morning.
     
  7. cole328

    cole328 Formula Junior

    May 9, 2014
    882
    Quick question off topic for the last post… I currently drive an E 63 AMGS as a DD. Lease about to come up.

    Love the AMG brand, but was looking for something a little bit different and was eyeballing Audi . Do you think I would like an S7 or an S6? Or have enough oomph factor?

    F430 spider is the weekend fun car


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
  8. Clembo

    Clembo Formula Junior

    Sure they do. Interiors are better IMO as well.

    I have an AMG Benz in FL, Audi’s north. Both are great, but I lean Audi.
     
  9. Ruffinit

    Ruffinit Rookie

    Dec 15, 2013
    38
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Shir
    I currently have both a 2018 v10 plus spyder and a 488 coupe in garage...they are totally different cars...had a 458 in past and that just doesn’t compare to either in terms of power..so if that’s important scratch that off the list...the 488 has a very special feeling given it’s a Ferrari and there isn’t one min your in it that you don’t feel it’s a Ferrari..the R8 looks sweet has nice sound would make a great daily but you kind of already have that w M5...go 488!
     
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  10. ryalex

    ryalex Two Time F1 World Champ
    Consultant Owner

    Aug 6, 2003
    24,957
    Las Vegas, NV
    Full Name:
    Ryan Alexander
    I think if you try both you will find that the steering on the Ferrari is lighter and sharper, leading to a more playful feel. The R8 probably sounds better as it's NA.

    Don't write off a later 458 either. If you get a 14 or 15 you can have pretty good bluetooth and updated systems, with a NA engine. What it gives up to the 488 in speed it makes up for in sound and character.
     
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  11. dustman

    dustman F1 Veteran
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2007
    8,932
    Speed? Get 720s or save money on a 488.

    Emotion? Get 458, Huracan, 675lt.

    Best? CS. Lol.
     
  12. SoCal to az

    SoCal to az F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 25, 2012
    14,209
    Arizona
    Definitely 488 over R8. As prices settle on the 488- it’s a beast in the low 200s. Fantastic car. 720 would be better as dustman stated but reality is 488 is a league above the r8.
     
  13. CMACK25

    CMACK25 Rookie

    Oct 10, 2020
    7
    Atlanta, GA
    I can't get into McClaren for some reason. I try and want to like them but they just don't do it for me. Go figure. For pure speed I would get a 911 Turbo S but for this particular time I just feel like the R8 or a 488 is what I want...way different cars I know! I wont keep either for more than few years max so I will be happy with either I think. I may consider the 458 as well now as a few have suggested but don't really want anything more than 2 years old so not sure on that one. I appreciate all the comments!
     
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  14. SoCal to az

    SoCal to az F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 25, 2012
    14,209
    Arizona
    Get the 488.
     
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  15. Spezia

    Spezia Karting

    Dec 15, 2019
    167
    Full Name:
    John Weires
    I bought a 458 Spider recently. A Ferrari is something I have always aspired to own. Never had that feeling about an Audi, but if were to buy one, the R8 is a great choice.
     
    CMACK25 likes this.
  16. Ash Patel

    Ash Patel Formula Junior

    Dec 12, 2015
    536
    Stockholm, Sweden
    If you're going R8 chose the RWD one, it is as much fun and faster than the 458 and more fun than the 488 imo.
     
    Ruffinit likes this.
  17. MalibuGuy

    MalibuGuy F1 Veteran

    Sep 18, 2007
    5,280
    488 vs R8? F8 ? F8 !
     
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  18. Napoli

    Napoli Formula Junior

    Nov 18, 2017
    958
    Full Name:
    NOYB, Ray!
    488. You already like everything about it and, used, one of the best values out there. Plus, the R8 looks ancient and dorky against the rest of the sector.
     
  19. stan996turbo

    stan996turbo Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Jun 11, 2004
    684
    Philadelphia
    Full Name:
    Stan
    You mentioned in your first post that you like the fact that the R8 is less flashy, if that’s a consideration none of the mid engined Ferrari’s would meet that criteria. As an alternative to the cars listed why not consider a F12, in the right color they don’t elicit the same reactions as mid engine Ferrari’s and way more exotic than a R8. You will also lose less in depreciation vs the R8.
     
  20. scott61

    scott61 F1 Rookie

    Feb 11, 2004
    2,606
    North of Boston
    I owned a 2009 R8V8 and 2012 R8V10, supercharged both and even with the V10 at over 750 HP my 488 is much faster. 488 wins in the looks department but the new R8 has great electronics.
     
    Ash Patel likes this.
  21. rotate

    rotate Rookie

    Jan 6, 2006
    26
    I went through something very similar last year. After many Porsche and Lotus vehicles as daily drivers it was time to step up to something "exotic". I wanted something I could drive as often as I cared to without consternation if not daily. Was using an Evora 400 as my main car at the time.

    Ultimately was between the R8, NSX, and 458/488. Loved the 570S and if you get a 2+ year old example they're already heavily depreciated but after dealing with Lotus and all their "quirks" for so long I got nervous about dealing with the same sort of issues at a much higher price point.

    The strangest thing to me was once I got over the "untouchable Faberge egg" myth of the Ferrari, it found it was the best daily out of the the cars considered. The 458/488 had the largest font trunk by far. The R8s is tiny (you open up this gigantic hood to reveal a deceptively small cubby of a compartment). The front of the NSX is fully of electronic wizardry so you're left with a long and narrow storage area in the rear, totally useless, and no interior storage to speak of.

    The Ferrari's meanwhile have a really large frunk, I'd venture to say larger than the Porsche's I've had, and a totally useable rear shelf behind the seats especially if driver/passenger aren't giants. So that was a shock to me from the get go--Ferrari was also super easy to get in and out of, had the best visibility, and best drivers position.

    Of course it was game over once you get in the cars and drive them. I respect the R8 a lot and was a big fan of the first gen with gated shift but the one left me cold. Interior seemed like a less interesting version of the one I had in a TTS. Very few out there in colors other than black/grey/white. And forget about interesting interior combos. Ordering was out of the question as most dealers were offering large discounts on inventory cars and buying lightly used was a must given the incredible initial hit they take.

    NSX impressed me far more as a driving machine, but ultimately the subtle looks and Honda moniker write "daily driver" checks the car can't cash. It was supposed to be the everyday exotic, but now that all the competitors are reasonably reliable, the fact that it has no front lift, a tiny trunk, no interior storage, and an interior from an MDX made me walk away, even though I really did think it was great and still kind of want one.

    Anyway, when I drove the 458 Ferrari, I was shocked at how cosseting it was on New York's awful roads one you hit the "bumpy road" mode button (which I have engaged probably 75% of the time). Yes it's blasphemy, but worth mentioning that in auto mode, the dual clutch transmission works very smoothly and is more than capable of sitting in mind numbing traffic and blending into the background. And yes..sometimes I even hold a cup of coffee in one hand with the car in auto when I'm in a rush!

    Another thing to mention about the 458/488 is how much the options effect daily-ability in my humblest of opinions. The stock sound system is horrific. You'll see in all the threads on here that go over the topic, the zeitgeist is "better speakers on a car like this is stupid. I don't listen to the radio, the true aria comes from the tailpipes". Yes I agree, the pipes erupt with sheer melodious perfection, but that does not help me when I'm just driving normally, cruising on the highway, or sitting in traffic (which are still very much worth doing in the Ferrari). I still don't understand why people will happily spend $50K on carbon (don't get me started) but find it crazy to spend a a few thousand on the better stereo. That is to say, it was incredibly hard to find a car with JBL on the 458, which still is an awful system by the way, but it approaches the world of tolerability vs the complete affront to the tympanic membrane that is the stock radio on both the 458/488.

    The other thing was the seats. I wanted the full electric seats so I could have heat for the winter. Finding a car with those, the better radio, and front lift (which you really don't need and I wouldn't seek out again though I'm very glad I have it for the few times I've used out of an abundance of caution) took me nearly a year. But to me they make the car much more daily driveable. The racing buckets are really cool and all, and a lot of the cars I almost went for had them, but I enjoy memory seats with heat, what can I say.

    As far as the 458 vs 488 there wasn't much in it for me. The 458 sounded better for sure, but I didn't have the incredibly dichotomous response many seem to attest. The 488 still sounds great and felt very responsive, but yes, 458 more special for sure. On the other hand, the 488 felt a little tighter, maybe screwed together a bit bitter, and the gearbox was a little more refined. Ultimately (this was comparing coupes I am not a convertible person) I went with a late model 458 for a few reasons. It was in a better place on the depreciation curve and I thought made more financial sense to get into. At the time, my mega spec 2K mile one owner 458 was at the highest end of the pricing spectrum (which was exactly what I said I wouldn't do because I wanted a higher milage car since I was going to put miles on it anyway, but this was the one car on earth that had the options I wanted) but was still about 50K less, minimum and more like 80K, than most of the 488s I liked. Didn't seem worth it to me, and a year later their almost trading for parity.

    In summation, the Ferrari is incredibly useable. My car has the forged wheels but for the winter I bought a set of OEM base cast Ninja Star wheels (for under $2,000 new in box shipped from a former owner), get a set of sensors from the supplier which is cheaper for all 4 than 1 from the dealer, and put Michelin Pilot Alpine PA4 snow tires on the car. I don't intentionally use it in the snow but this allows me to use the car during the vast majority of NYC area winter which is simply cold and rainy. I did get caught in light snow right as I was getting home once and the car was great. Did not melt. Waited around for it to get heavy and played in the not salted streets by my home. With the trick diff it was a blast.

    Only problem I had with the car was a check engine I got (literally while I was on the phone talking to someone about how easy to live with the car has been) that turned out to be the EGR valves. Under warranty as I bought certified from Ferrari. Took 1 day to fix (much easier than my Lotus which is always a multi week affair), cost me zero, and was simple issue. They said it was because my car was barely ever driven, and went from a 2014 with 2K miles to being used multiple times a week, and this part apparently always goes bad on cars that sit.

    TL;DR (too long didn't read). If you correctly option the Ferrari's they are super daily driveable. From a practicality basis they're actually better than most of the competition, and from a cost basis if you buy a 458 or perhaps now the 488, you're in a good spot for depreciation vs the massive hit you'd incur on a new R8.
     
  22. carz80am

    carz80am Formula Junior

    Sep 23, 2015
    620
    Northern Virginia/DC
    I wouldn't put depreciation in as a factor unless he's buying brand new. You can get a 2020 v10 performance in the 170-180 range or even a massive discount on a new one, I got like 20k off and I bought mine late last year. If you buy one right, you'll probably lose the same amount you would on buying a used 488 spider...
     
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  23. blkdiablo33

    blkdiablo33 F1 Rookie

    Jul 12, 2004
    4,351
  24. Caeruleus11

    Caeruleus11 F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 11, 2013
    10,860
    Get 488 or 458. Test drive both and then decide. Just be warned- once you experience a Ferrari, you are very likely ruined for life!
     
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  25. Lukeylikey

    Lukeylikey F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Mar 3, 2012
    3,053
    UK
    This.
     
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