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I know all to well from personal experience what Porsches cost to repair and maintain. Wouldn't want to be the one writing the checks for that stuff on a Ferrari.
How about the cost of insuring a Ferrari, or replacing a windshield if it gets a chip, then there's the everyday little things that happen to the car, door dings from idiots, curb rash on the rims, rock chips.......it's good to hear about low (relatively) maintenance costs but how about all the other costs that come with car ownership? Like I said, buying a Ferrari is just he half of it.
The other half is driving one of the best and most admired Supercar built. Most people who buy a Ferrari are not concerned with the things you mention.
I have owned 10 Vettes (2 C 4's, 3 C5's, and 5 C6's) and have a C7 Sting Ray on order. I have also owned 3 Porsches (currently drive a 2013 Boxster S), and have owned 2 Ferraris, a 360 Spider and a F430 Spider. I also did some work for both Porsche & Ferrari, which included customer relations and marketing.
There is nothing that can compare with the sound of a normally aspirated Ferrari. And I do have a passion for mid engine cars. Once one drives a mid engine car for any length of time, they are usually hooked. (I have driven the front engine Ferrari 599 & California and really did not care for either).
Once you get past the sound and enjoyment of a mid engine Ferrari, the Ferrari thing wears off quickly. Keep in mind that I am speaking from the perspective of someone who owns only one car at a time, their daily driver. I live in So Cal and drive the canyons and freeways all of the time.
I have owned 40 something cars, and taking everything into consideration, the best by far are Corvettes and Porsches. Ferraris, considering the cost to purchase and maintain, are not really well built, well engineered cars. My Boxster S handles as well as the 360 and 430. Corvettes, for being a front engine car, handle really great.
Corvettes still offer a 3 pedal car, which I would rather drive than any flappy paddle gear box. (My Boxster has a PDK dual clutch tranny, probably the best going, and i dearly miss a manual).
Having worked for both brands, I was amazed at the number of Ferrari owners that legitimately complained about not just the cost of maintenance but about how often their car was in the shop for both little and big issues. This should not be the case with cars that cost a quarter of a million dollars. With Porsche, and what I have seen and experienced with Corvette, the complaints are few and far between.
Lastly, it is an absurdity that Ferrari owners are petrified of putting miles on their cars, mainly because of the huge drop in value of what is considered to be a high mileage vehicle. I am talking about anything over 5000 miles a year. And the less these cars are driven, the more frequent the mechanical and electrical problems arise.
So what am I not getting in my ordered $81,615.00 C7 Z51 3LT manual tranny convertible that I would get in a $300,000.00 458 Spider? Or in a used F430 Spider that would cost around $150,000.00? Think about it.
Not many people here will be able to answer your question. You need to drive both and make your decision.
When I asked your question I was told the C7 will drive like most European exotics. For some this may be true but when I finally test drove the cars back to back I found there was no comparison. Some will tell you it’s the same and for them it truly is. Drive them and see for yourself.
A co-worker once asked me why do you buy Italian olive oil and pay so much for it? He said he can’t tell the difference between corn oil and olive oil.
I wish I couldn’t tell the difference.
BTW the OP asked how the cars drive, not how much they cost.
<p>Take a look at the maintenance schedule for Ferrari, from your basic annual fluid changes to costs for clutch and brake replacement. They have major service every 3yrs/ 15K miles. This is important to see on the used cars as owners might tend to bail before those time periods so you pay the maintenance bill after purchase. The costs here can exceed the double plus the retail price difference, Vette to Ferrari. To some here with a C7, the price and costs is not an issue on the Italian. To others, getting up to that next step in the hierarchy of automobiles can turn into a cash cow of disappointments.</p>
I was looking more or less for a comparison of the two. Drive wise, experience, and such.
For the love of god he asked about how they drove!!!!!! I think he knows about the price.
Hopefully he asked the same question on the F board where he would get about three answers all with meaningful information. But we are here and the typical responses have prevailed.
The best I can do is compare it to a 911 twin turbo and may do so just to provide something. Maybe later
Id take a new Z51 over a used 430 anyday. But thats me . I mean it depends on the used cars condition and if its faster . The 430 could end up being really expensive to maintain . The C7 Z51 corvette is a awesome sportscar .
Id take a new Z51 over a used 430 anyday. But thats me . I mean it depends on the used cars condition and if its faster . The 430 could end up being really expensive to maintain . The C7 Z51 corvette is a awesome sportscar .
Yeah I know what you mean, I'd take an 84 C4 over a 458. No point in discussing any differences, Corvette is the only consideration.
The other half is driving one of the best and most admired Supercar built. Most people who buy a Ferrari are not concerned with the things you mention.
true enough but that wasn't the point of this thread.
true enough but that wasn't the point of this thread.
The point was the OP wanted to know how one drove vs the other. If he is considering the 458 don’t you think he knows the price and what it would cost to keep? Do you think he plans to make his financial decision based on this forum? No, but maybe someone who has both would describe the driving experience between the two.
Look at his second post, #12.
It appears most here have dismissed the 430 or 458 because it costs too much. Same could be said between a C7 and maybe a Camaro or Mustang or any car costing a bit less.
If a Mustang guy asked about a C7 would you tell him to forget it because his insurance might go up?
BTW just about everybody here responded the same way, must be a Corvette thing.
The point was the OP wanted to know how one drove vs the other. If he is considering the 458 don’t you think he knows the price and what it would cost to keep? Do you think he plans to make his financial decision based on this forum? No, but maybe someone who has both would describe the driving experience between the two.
Look at his second post, #12.
It appears most here have dismissed the 430 or 458 because it costs too much. Same could be said between a C7 and maybe a Camaro or Mustang or any car costing a bit less.
If a Mustang guy asked about a C7 would you tell him to forget it because his insurance might go up?
BTW just about everybody here responded the same way, must be a Corvette thing.
In his original post he asked to compare the two, NOTHING in that post asked about driving experience, so in comparison of the two I am comparing the cost of ownership.
I haven't owned both, but I have spent a lot of time driving a friend's 2005 430F1 (I own a C7). So, if I may:
1. The C7 is slightly quicker than the 430.
2. The 430 handles better, it is an amazingly buttoned down car, especially on rougher roads that toss a C7 around a bit. The C7 is a great handling car, the 430 is just a little better
3. Quality of materials goes to Ferrari (as it should).
4. Build quality goes to Ferrari by a MILLIMETER!
5. Transmission goes to C7 (Manual). I HATE the F1 transmission! I have no doubt that the dual clutch in the 458 is fine, the F1 in the 430 (especially an early 430 like I'm used to) is not very good....if you can find (good luck!) a 3 pedal 430, that's the way I would go.
6. Engine: A tie in my book. Both are great, but go about their business in completely different fashion. That said, fuel economy on the Ferrari is pretty lousy, whether you drive it hard or not. No one buys a Ferrari for gas mileage but I have always found it funny how folks pick on the good old Chevy small block for being archaic, well, Ferrari uses every "modern" engine trick there is and they can't avoid a gas guzzler tax on any of their cars.....
7. The C7 wins everyday utility...more luggage space, more modern (which it should be).
Both cars are wonderful, and reflect their origins. I find it interesting that you are cross shopping these 2 cars as 430's are still well over $100K and whether anyone agrees with this or not, you are talking about, at best, a 6 year old car now, and things break/wear out on 6 year old cars....even Ferraris. Ferrari parts prices are outrageously high, which should be taken into consideration. Folks talk about a "Corvette tax", it is nothing compared to the "Prancing Horse tax".
I’m going to resurrect this 4 year old thread since the C7 has been around awhile longer now, and the C8 is looming.
Would love to hear a few more opinions & insights from people who have extensively driven both the C7 and F430 because since the C8 is taking forever... I’m considering the latter as an interim step up from my 2014 Z51.
I’m going to resurrect this 4 year old thread since the C7 has been around awhile longer now, and the C8 is looming.
Would love to hear a few more opinions & insights from people who have extensively driven both the C7 and F430 because since the C8 is taking forever... I’m considering the latter as an interim step up from my 2014 Z51.
I posted a thread about this a couple weeks ago as I was considering trading my 17 C7 GS for an 07 430. The 430 was amazing when I went to check it out. I just couldn’t get over the interior. It wasn’t modern enough for me, so I’ll continue to save for a 458 or even potentially a 720S if those prices fall apart like other McLarens.
The Ferrari driver experience was amazing but it just wasn’t enough to get me to take the 100k leap when my Vette is still doing awesome for me.
I have a 2019 c7 and a 370 modena and have drived 430 base and scuderias and 458 A LOT
totally different cars but both are great. You can't compare a modern even 360 mid engine ferrari and a corvette. The c7 trashes it in terms of tech power and convenience, the ferrari trashes it in handling, wow factor and the sound of a NA engine at 9k rpms
Im blessed to have a lot of cars if i needed a daily car the vette would win EASILY. If i had a daily and wanted a weekend car the ferrari trounces it. If i wanted a combo weekend track car, id pick the vette
Ive had the 360 for 5 years and spent about 15k on maintenance and next to no depreciation so cost wise its not a big spread. You either pay ferrari tax on repair or vette depreciation. Modren ferrari maintenance is overblown. Yeah it sucks. It just dropped 2500 of fuel lines but its 3k a year. Some years 400 some years 6k... when you buy a new vette the depreciation will equal it. Dont believe all you read
I love the brute torque of the vette and the combo of nible angriness of my ferrari.
08-11-2015, 11:54 AM
