2000 Ferrari 360 Modena 3.6L V8

Summary:

Fantastic performance car without flaws of any kind

Faults:

2nd gear synchros are weak; need to be rebuilt.

Fuel gauge reads 3/4 tank when full.

General Comments:

This is a fantastic car (understating the obvious). Miles better than the 2004 BMW M3 that I drove as my last "Performance" car.

The 6 speed manual transmission is silky smooth (2nd gear needs some work) and a significant improvement over previous Ferrari transmissions I've driven with.

Seats are a little tight for a guy my size, and I'm not all that big (size 45 jacket). Despite that, the cabin is roomy and very ergonomically laid out.

Car is just an all out blast to drive, turns heads everywhere I go, and is a serious exotic that requires serious driving skills to wring the best performance from it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 17th January, 2008

18th Jan 2008, 10:12

You have only put 600 miles on it, and you have already ripped 2nd gear out of it? Next time you do a review, make sure you have a few more miles on it, get to know the car first.

18th Jan 2008, 23:17

Ditto the last comment. Also "without flaws of any kind". A gas tank that does not read correctly is very annoying. But, how much does it cost to rebuild the synchros in a ferrari gear box?

10th Jan 2010, 21:17

I have the same car with about 14,500 miles. The problem with second gear is a bushing that may need to be replaced or an adjustment. Even with the adjustment, 2nd gear can be a problem and it takes some time to get used to the gated shifter. That being said, the car is a blast.

2004 Ferrari 360 Modena Spider

Summary:

Beautiful, fun to drive, high maintenance

Faults:

Car battery goes dead every week it is not run, and has to be removed from the floorboard to be charged. A huge pain.

General Comments:

The car is beautiful, fast, responsive, and solicits a lot of positive feedback wherever you take it. On the downside, can't leave it in a parking lot since there are always kids looking at it or taking pictures when you come back. Normally cool with this (I used to do it too), but some people aren't careful and I had the paint scratched by someone's jean rivets while they were having their picture taken with the car.

The automatic top is very functional and the F1 paddle is easy to use after about 1/2 hour of practice. You can also put car in automatic mode when having it valet parked.

The radio/alarm is very quirky and difficult to use.

I also drove one of these on a racetrack (not mine, at an event sponsored by my FCB) and thought it handled much better than the other cars (Ford GT, 911, BMW, Lotus), although the Lotus Elise was fun.

The car is very light and has a carbon underbody. Feels like you are driving a go-cart more than a car, and the downforce and large tires make it feel so glued to the road that you'd think you could drive it upside down.

A friend bought a 430 and said it was much improved in shifting with more horses, so I'll be trading my 360 in soon (have had it for about a year/3K). Hopefully it won't have the same battery problems which was really the only negative for me.

For those who asked, it gets about 9MPG and insurance is only about $2500/year with a 10K deductible.

I've got front and back laser jammers as the police will keep the gun on you forever - no option here.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 28th January, 2006

23rd Jun 2006, 03:08

Mate, all you have to do is turn the battery off! If you're leaving it more than 2 days in the garage, just open up the front and turn off the battery switch. Well that's what I do with my F355. I'm presuming it's the same story for the 360...