430 Anyone with 430 considered 458, then passed?

I don’t know if this will help you make a decision but, I always wanted to get a 458 and ended up buying a F430. I liked the looks of the 458 front end better and loved the dual clutch from my Porsche days. So I found what I thought was a really clean 08 and decided to jump in the shallow end before I got the car I really wanted. Turns out the car I got is EXTREMELY clean and has been an absolute blast to drive. I like the single clutch more and more and I don’t think there is a better sounding car once you add the S Line exhaust. Now I don’t know if I can turn this gem loose or not. So my new plan was to get a 458 and hold on to the 430 until I made sure it was the right decision. Somehow during all this I got sideways and bought a Testarossa. Hopefully I won’t like it and can move on to the 458 but I doubt it. I guess it’s time to get a lift and start stacking them in there.

So my advice would be to buy the 458 and hold the 430 until you make sure you love it.


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Not sure if this'll help you either. But I had a F430 Spider for 4 years and wanted a 458 next. I made the mistake of test driving a 458 and a 488. Wow, I was smitten! So much more of everything from the 488. I bought the 488 and have had it for a year so far and absolutely love it.
PS: Buy what ever makes your heart pound in your chest! You really can't get this decision wrong including keeping your 430! (;-))

Good Luck....

 

if you want the extra hp and the modern f1 then yes its worth it for sure...i love the 430 and the 458...

 

Keep the 430, 458’s are overpriced now. I love my 430 spider(also triple Nero)because it offers a pure visceral driving experience. I don’t have experience with a 458 but I own a 675LT as a modern alternative to the 430. The 675 is such an amazing car but as much as I love that car it can’t excite in the same way as the 430. It’s not popular to say but sports cars have become to fast to be pushed hard on the road. The 458 spider also shakes badly which is a deal breaker for me.

 

I originally got the F430 coupe, thinking one day in the future I'd go for 458 coupe. Problem is I fell in love with the F430 and can't ever let her go. The more I look at it the more I'm enamored by it's looks and the lines, I find the design language more timeless and uniform over 458. The more I drive it the more I appreciate the intoxicating analog connection and genuine and organic exhaust note. When the time came for me to add to the stable I decided to keep the F430 and go V10 instead. Huracan EVO RWD pricing not far off from used 458 Spider

That being said if we're comparing Spiders, the F430 looks a bit flat, while the high streamliners on the 458 spider give it a much more balanced look imo

 

I considered a 458. I think my kids preferred the look of the 458 over the 430 because it has that "newer" Ferrari look. They also wanted white and I wanted red. I like both the 430 and 458, but with the "cash" budget my wife allowed for the 430 where I didn't have to sell my GT3 or one of my other "bigger" hobby items (I have a few crazy hobbies way more expensive than exotic cars) a late model 430 was perfect. I did sell my barely worn Patek Nautilus to help fund the 430 as a concession showing my willingness to give something up and I also agreed to a non manual transmission so she could drive it if necessary, though she doesn't plan on diving it and prefers being in an SUV.

Anyway, the final deciding reason for the 430 over a 458 was that I wanted a mostly mechanical sorted car. This meant a 2008/2009 F430 or a 2012 or newer 458 which was well out of the budget. A 2010 or 2011 458 was really the first year of that platform and had so many new technologies it scared me. I have made the bad decision in the past to buy the first year of a new car model, and it never worked out for me. The idea of the dual clutch in the 458 was very enticing, but also very scary in replacement/repair bills, where the automated manual(F1) in the F430 could be repaired reasonably and by 2008/2009, Ferrari had fixed most of the weak points in the design with revisions. Maybe this was just me being cautious, but I could only imagine if I bought a 458 and told my wife it needed a 20k transmission repair or a 30k replacement.

In the end you have to make a decision about what you want to spend. The 430 with the right exhaust can sound great, feels like a Ferrari and you can actually explore the limits on the street. Starting with the 458 platform and especially with the current F8, you are reaching the limits to what you could safely do on the streets and really need to track the car, in my opinion, to enjoy it to the fullest.

Final thought. When all this covid stuff ends and people start traveling again for work, always rent the cheapest compact or mid-size car, never accept or take the upgrade. This rebalances your baseline for cars and makes you appreciate what you drive at home more. For me I was lucky, I recently had to help my sister inlaw buy a used Ford Focus. Test driving 2010 thru 2014 Ford compact cars helps you appreciate how special a Ferrari is, any Ferrari.

Cheers,
Corey

 

Save the upgrade money and convert the 430 to a manual while you still can. You'll have way less headaches down the road and a much more analog drivers car than a 458. There is almost no road in North America where you can fully exploit a 430's performance let alone a 458, but end of the day its whatever your heart desires.

 

I wanted a 458 in the worst way until I drove one. I couldn't believe the lack of that crisp throttle response that the 360/430 has. Even the Speciale has this problem. The 360/430 sound is much better as well.

 

Haven't owned a 430 cab, however I did own a porsche 991 cab and have a 458 spider and the feeling of a textile roof vs metal is just huge. I would never go back to a textile roof now tbh. They never look good when the roof is up, while 458 looks beautiful up or down. Not to mention the fact that you can have the roof up and take the rear window down to get an amazing sound experience. Most people won't even notice it's a cab when roof is closed. It gives such a different quality feeling.

My sense is that you won't regret trading your 430 cab for 458 spider. It's such a beautiful car. Some people here say it's over priced, might be, but I doubt we will see it decline much in the coming 5 years.

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What a beauty


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View attachment 3069063 View attachment 3069064

 

I am looking for a 488 with a 458 engine ....

 

I have a manual 430 Spider, and love the 458 too. No wrong choices here. I actually think 458 looks better and of course it’s faster and more modern. But less fun at normal road speeds. But even if they were exactly the same price I would have difficulty choosing between the two for the reasons outlined above.

Two advantages the 430 Spider has over 458 Spider:

1. Lower waistline and rear deck mean inside 430 feels more like a real convertible, 458 halfway to a targa

2. Clear engine cover on 430, the stuff of legend.

I agree about the fabric vs metal roof but when the roof is down that doesn’t make any difference, and I generally only drive the 430 with the roof down. As a DD, 458 would be way better. As a weekend car...I’m not so sure.

 

Friend of mine had a 458 Spider. I drove it a few months ago just before I bought my F430. The moment I test drove the first F430's, I was sold. I never imagined myself reaching for the extra €€ for a 458 as I really fell in love with the feeling of the F430 and really had more of a 'YES, THIS IS A FERRARI' feeling driving it. It's really hard to tell, but coming from older BMW M-cars (M3, M5, Z3M) I had more of a click with the analogue F430 feeling.

I'm enjoying my F430 for the same reasons I love my M-cars, it's probably some nostalgia too.

 

FWIW, I initially set my sights on a 458, primarily because of the DCT. Lightening fast shifts and clutch wear spread between separate driven disks. But two factors entered into my final selection. One: Cost. The 458 did not depreciate to the point where the least expensive one I could find (it had to be California Car) was ≈ $40k more than a 430. Two: Looks. IMHO the 430 has more graceful styling. And I found one in gorgeous condition that had not been abused, but *had* been ignored. I wound up paying too much (about $10k) but it was the Ferrari of my fantasies: Rosso Corsa/Tan with the F1. I had to literally loot my 401k to purchase it, but at 74 how many more years do I have?

I have lived with the car since May 2020 and spent money to cure the weak points of the model, most especially the headers. I did *not* want aftermarket headers (the car is loud enough and powerful enough as built) but I wanted to avoid the failures inherent with the OEM. I upgraded the car with practically every product made by Stefvan at SIS Swiss Ing to increase reliability and visibility.

I am pleased with the results. But truth be told, I envy that DCT.

Your mileage may vary ...

Ray

 

Agree on the roof being down. That´s the only reason I take it out. But sometimes it starts raining, or you drive back during the night when it gets colder etc.In the end, I believe it´s a big question of cost. The 458 spider costs twice as much more or less. Question is, do you get twice as good car? Don´t know...

 

I just bought a 430 coupe. Would not trade it on a 458. I actually prefer the F1, more mechanical and involving. Plus I blew the difference on a V12 Vantage with a manual.

 

FWIW, a buddy had a 458, then sold it to get 430 Scuderia. Couldn’t be happier.


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A few here mentioned 458’s being overpriced. You can get one for $150k. Sounds like a bargain. What did I miss?

 

I don’t know, I’ve been keeping an eye on it, and seems some alright examples in the $160’s. The ones in that price range seem to have pretty sticky parts on the pics. Most convertibles are over $200k. This on Autotrader. Basically, right now you could pick between a convertible 458 or a used 488 GTB for roughly the same price.

 

How about this blue one with race seats?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/353223987543