2002 Ferrari 360 Modena from UK and Ireland - All Comments

Misfire when cold. Came and went - never properly sorted.

For what it did, I enjoyed the car immensely. Lots of power, a noise that can't fail to make you smile, and surprisingly involving and adjustable handling. Quite happy to be thrown about too, although it's not exactly appropriate to play the hooligan in a car which everyone seems to be looking at even when you're driving sensibly. Miss a gear in this, and it's hideously embarassing!

In 14 months and 6,000 miles I was pulled over six times. Two of those times the officers seemed more keen to sit in it and look at/listen to the engine than give me a ticket. Not that I'm complaining of course, but the phrase "abuse of power" does for some reason spring to mind.

Other than that, it's what you'd expect. Beautiful, musical, shatteringly fast, obscenely expensive to run (10-12 mpg hurts regardless of your income), obsecenely expensive to service (£2,000+ a time), obscenely expensive to insure (£don't ask!) and perhaps worst of all, you simply can't leave it anywhere. I returned to it on a busy town centre street in October to find a brick resting on what was left of the windscreen, having bounced it's way up the bonnet. It was also keyed twice before, again both in so called "nice" areas, in broad daylight and with plenty of people about.

Much as I loved the car, British society had rendered it pointless. When a car can't be parked without being vandalised, and speed obsessed cops are attracted to it like flies to excreta, even the most ardent petrolhead and Ferrari nut would eventually start to ask the simple question. Why. This I did one crisp autumn morning back in October 03, and among the tears (literally) when her new owner drove her away, there came a certain sense of relief too. She went to a good home, and I wouldn't have to worry about her any more. But neither would I enjoy the wail of her flat plane crank V8 as it nudged 9,000 RPM!

Buy one, but be prepared for British society to display its disapproval. People will damage it, council estate kids will spit at you and throw cans as you pass, and the police will harrass you. If I said all of this didn't take the shine off owning it, I would be lying.

This is an excellent review. This individual definitely brings up some interesting, often disregarded points about Ferrari ownership.

Most people are so caught up in the boyhood Ferrari fantasy that they are unable to remember that the price you pay to own one is more than that of the car.

Jealousy or sheer ire are no doubt concerns, and if someone keyed or threw a brick at my (hypothetical) Ferrari, I couldn't imagine a worse feeling.

I suppose that folks who are considering buying one to stimulate their self-esteem will be disappointed, as I can just imagine teenagers in cars laughing and poking fun at you if your top is down.

I am starting to think maybe this hatred of the Ferrari by proles is sensible, and possibly their point holds water. Buying a $200,000 car when so many people are starving just seems to show an unadulterated arrogance, and a dissonant, far removed sense of social responsibility.

But damn it, I can't help loving them, as ridiculous as they are.

OK very suprised by the review.

I have had my Ferrari for 5 months now and I haven't had 1 bit of bad press (Touchwood!) I'm 26 so being young could easily attract the jealously card.

Every kid has waved, old people have admired it, even boy racers or chavs tell me to floor it and wave to hear the noise.

Not 1 cop has pulled me up, not 1 mark on the car, other than when I drove into someone elses car in a car park which wasnt too happy about!

Now I really hope I don't get bad things happening to my car now, but so far its been the best thing ever.

This review, and the subsequent comments offered, brings up an important, but seldom discussed aspect of owning a special car like a Ferrari. Any Ferrari.

During the four years I owned one of these automotive masterpieces, I too, experienced a number of unexpected surprises. Not from something about the car itself, but from reactions by the onlooking public. The very fact that an automobile can extract emotion from strangers and passers-by has to be considered indicative of something extraordinary about the car's design.

I suggest this amazing phenomenon has to do with the creator of the car's spirit being made a part of each and every car produced at Ferrari, unlike any other manufacturer. Yes, there are some that come close, but most will say few, if any surpass the Ferrari overall. I consider Ferraris to be the epitome of automotive art. Many others do as well.

Certainly there was something very special about that eccentric old Italian from Modena who caused his automotive dreams to become materialized in such an extraordinary way.

For me, the single most unexpected facet of owning a Ferrari was when the car did NOT draw attention. Amazingly enough to me, was the fact that many people on the streets didn't know what it was, much less cared! *Ouch!* No one ever voiced any disapproval to me, however. I suppose that how often people say or do something that expresses their opinion (good or bad) about a stranger's car may have something to do with where you live or the culture you live in.

In the US, those who have less generally don't care what you DO have, so jealousy is not often a problem. Making social judgments as to what someone else does with their money is considered rude here. Having wealth is admired and respected, not hated. Of course, there are exceptions, and sometimes people do get rude... but generally speaking most people were smiling when they saw my Ferrari. The ones that noticed it, that is...

I too have owned a Ferrari and in the 12 months of my ownership the car was never vandalised although it was never left out of the garage ever! night or day. Here in the UK, the only thing you can do with your Ferrari is drive it - parking it on a busy street unattended is not a good idea - it only takes one idiot!

The other unpleasant experience is being verbally abused as you drive past. This has happened twice - and it has certainly put an end to any thoughts of buying a Spyder.

In the UK, a queue of people at a bus stop will watch a fancy car go by with envy, thinking "Why should that bas**** have one?"

In the USA & Canada, the people in the bus queue will say to themselves, "I hope I can have one of those one day".

Generalisations, of course, but much truth in them.

It will only get worse.

To the 19 Oct commenter, if the Ferrari buyer did not buy a Ferrari, how would that help the starving?

The 2 issues are in no way related.

The Ferrari buyer might even be making charitable donations at a rate you could not.

Why not get upset instead with those who buy million-dollar+ homes? They take up an unfairly large share of resources and land.

Unfortunately, life isn't fair at all.

Good Review, I once owned one too and experienced the same sort of problems. The other being that in the UK you can never really use it properly often enough. A perfect remedy for this was replacing it for an Aston Martin DB9 no jealousy, no vandalism, and it is much much more useable.

No, not much truth in your generalisations. The U.K. folk in the bus queue are thinking- "where did the money come from in order to buy such a ludicrously expensive car?" That shows a concern for decent social morals and conscience. The U.S. folk, as you point out, are just thinking about getting one too. That shows a self-indulgent concern based on materialism and greed. More truth in this generalisation- don`t you think?

Hello I just got a 360 f1 and I think it must be arrogant drivers that drive these cars from the comments I've read above. Previously I had a ferrari 355 and people would stop me in the street or petrol station and say please take me out in it, please please!! They ranged from 3 year olds to 80 year old granny's who would have loved to get in it. When some one looks at you try to smile it helps you know -- but the car is not expensive, if you know the right people and drive the car more often.

Generally enjoy it, drive it, appreciate it and be happy and let others share it rather than give the impression that you think you are IT. From a genuine ferrari 360 driver... 27/3/6.

I'm just curious how a $160K car that gets 10 mpg, takes premium fuel, requires $3,000 oil changes, and is costly to insure is in any way NOT expensive.

I'm not saying these cars aren't brilliant, but even if you are best friends with a Ferrari mechanic there is no way this car is cheap to buy and run compared to, say, a Porsche or a Mercedes, much less a Toyota.

It would be silly to compare a Ferrari to a toyota, porsche, chevrolet.

Expensive to run? You're in the wrong showroom.

I give more to charity and taxes in one year than that 99.9% of the world do in 10 years. So, I do more to feed and help others than 99.9% of the world. (yes I own a Ferrari.)

And for the US, we are there helping more than any other nation in the world, and all we get is grief. We're always there for the world, giving, giving, giving!

It's just too bad new money has polluted the Ferrari pool as evidenced by the above.

Hi, I'm thinking of buying a spider this summer, what are the real running costs of a years driving say 6000 miles. Also has anyone ever purchased a ferrari power warranty?

I'm in the market for a 360 so find many of the posts here fairly helpful, particularly the initial post. Being able to actually stop the car somewhere without worrying that some scrote will cause damage is a real concern.

To the guy from the US of the 6th Dec, I'd like to point out that the US is one of, if not THE lowest aid suppliers in the civilised world as a percentage of GDP - fact!

I'm currently researching the topic of genuine Ferrari owners who have had the same socially negative experiences mentioned in this forum especially in the UK, but also from anywhere in the world.

I would love to hear from the UK owners who have posted here on this forum in particular.

Please get in touch at the following email address. ferraridoco*at*hotmail.co.uk Thanks.