OT: My childhood dream forefilled...

[Honny]

No, I didn't win the $31 Million dollar lotto draw, nor have sex with Jennifer Hawkins - I drove my childhood hero - a Ferrari for the first time in my life.

I remember back in 1999 when I was still in school, I would drool over the 360 Modena at lunchtime with my mates. It was released at the Geneva Motor Show and the car was a huge-leap compared to the F355 - also the first car i've followed closely and actually fell in love with... I knew back then I had to drive one if I ever had the chance... and now 12 years later the opportunity came knocking on my door. A few days ago I was lucky enough to meet a owner of one of these, and he kindly offered the keys to his baby. I've seen a handful of 360's in person but never close enough to examine each body panel and admire the sheer beauty by Pininfarina. I must confess, its not the first time i've been in a Ferrari because my neighbour owns a F430 Scuderia... sat in one of those and its one hell of a animal. Im not expecting to be as-good as that, but surely the 360 should remind me some of the prancing horse magic.

I finally got in to fire up the baby. It was my first time starting up a Ferrari and its quite a adventure (you'll understand if you done it before!). You insert the key - like any other car but then you have to hit the alarm button to disengage the immobiliser. This results to a "electronics systems" check and the dash lights up like a Xmas tree. Once the "Check OK" light lits up on the dash you can turn the remaining quarter of the ignition and fire up the engine - and what a growl from the V8... the tingles to your spine, its fantastic.

I drove the car out to some quiet open roads around the neighbourhood. This particular 360 was a 2000 model equipped with the flappy F1 gearbox and at first I was told you need to get used to it, like any another other old-school manual-auto style gearboxes. So i've been driving away on some beautiful roads shifting gears myself with the paddles in-order to "smoothen" the gear changes. I've driven the E60 M5 which you all know has the SMG gearbox... and I will confess a-little secret that I quite like them despite all the hatred. When you use the paddles to change the gear and treat it like a manual car (by feathering the throttle) you can achieve amazingly silky smooth changes... however in the 360 is another story. I've been in the car for almost half and hour and I've literally tried everything to help the car out, theres noway to assist the cars electronics, no matter what it jerks like hell. Feathering the throttle will only make it worse because its drive-by-wire... so when I lift off slightly, the throttle cuts-out completely hence resulting in the jerkiness.... keeping the the throttle down is slightly better... but then it still shunts.

At this point Im like "its okay... the cars still pretty amazing despite the annoying gear-changes". Unfortunately they're only fiddles playing in my head. Now on to the handling. The 360's steering is very direct and almost pin-pointed, you can feel and react to every bump you encounter. Don't get me wrong its no Lotus Elise... I drove one of those too and they're bloody amazing.. the feedback and confidence the Elise gives you is second to none. On the other-hand the 360 is similar but slightly incomplete... you do get the feedback but you get no confidence - AT ALL and feels very nervous to say the least. Maybe after all its someone else's car and a Ferrari so I didn't want to push it hard enough to test it properly? Either way it could be down to the suspension set up - awkward to say the least... the rear damps well but the front is quite firm. Or could it be the electronic assist over-bearing the balance of the car? Im not sure what it is but by i'm not impressed. However I will give it this... the brakes have a fantastic linear feel to them... and it is nice to have literally "everyone" looking at you when its parked outside a cafe strip.

I've looked forward to this day for almost half of my life and it was a bitter-sweet experience and I was so happy getting back in my 135i.... I've been driving quite a few cars around the 100-150k from M3's M5's C63's and GTR's... and this is by far the biggest disappointment.

Anyway i'm not bragging!.... thought it would be nice to share with fellow petrol-heads all my first ever experience in a Fezza...

[RaihaX]

awesome! I always wanted to drive on too

[Honny]

Originally Posted by RaihaX

awesome! I always wanted to drive on too

Haha not anymore!

Its great to look at but not to drive..... sort of wish I never did. They only cost $100k for a decent UK import nowadays.

[BBK]

Wow, I found it exciting!

I got to have my dream last year, and drove the 360 around the Gold Coast hinterland (together with a Gallardo). Yes it felt skittish like you mentioned, but to me, it excited me. Made me feel alive. It was slower than the Gallardo, but I enjoyed it more. I now understand what Clarkson means when he compares the 458 to the Maclaren. The Maclaren may be quicker, but it doesn't give you a'crisis'....

[MrBlonde]

Glad you're feeling fulfilled! I'm thinking that the 360 would feel better and better as you drove it harder and harder. A lot of fancy machinery sucks at low speeds in my experience.

[micha3l]

I've really got to try and drive one, will maybe get it out of my head lol

With immaculate examples under $200k, and more and more hitting the low $100's I've seriously been considering one, but still yet to drive one lol

Still cant justify it due to how impractical it is, but may be getting a work car soon so would only need to have a weekender...

I know a 997 is more sensible, but everytime I see a 360 I always want to own one once in my life!

[MrBlonde]

Look into how much it costs to keep a Ferrari on the road, you may find it an eye opener. It's not just the purchase price.

[gazz]

Well written Honny. I had a real sense of your excitement and anticipation. It has been said that you should never meet your idol. Still, you got to do what so many have dreamt of so congrats. From what I've heard and read you should be thankful it wasn't the 348, apparently it's a dog and an embarrassment for Ferrari and it could have tarnished your vision of the marque irreparably.

BTW who is Jennifer Hawkins?

[BMW86]

Nice review Honny. You forgot the most important part, how did that v8 sound?

[BMW86]

Originally Posted by micha3l

I've really got to try and drive one, will maybe get it out of my head lol

With immaculate examples under $200k, and more and more hitting the low $100's I've seriously been considering one, but still yet to drive one lol

Still cant justify it due to how impractical it is, but may be getting a work car soon so would only need to have a weekender...

I know a 997 is more sensible, but everytime I see a 360 I always want to own one once in my life!

I've done quite a bit of research too. Basically anything under 150k right now is a UK import. Also, from the research I've done you will want an 02+ model.

[m 135]

Thanks for the review,sometimes its best not to meet your hero they say,if i see Robert De Niro walking towards me,i am going to turn and bolt the other way

Enjoy the test drives,i am dying to see what you end up with.

[micha3l]

Originally Posted by BMW86

I've done quite a bit of research too. Basically anything under 150k right now is a UK import. Also, from the research I've done you will want an 02 model.

Yea i've read that too, will probably end up waiting a few years for a 430, maintenance seems a lot better.

If it's a weekend only car won't be so bad, and a mate owns a ferrari workshop down the coast.

If I get this meth back in the car I'm sure it will delay the car swap

[MPBK]

I wish I could be forefilled

[BMW86]

Originally Posted by micha3l

Yea i've read that too, will probably end up waiting a few years for a 430, maintenance seems a lot better.

If it's a weekend only car won't be so bad, and a mate owns a ferrari workshop down the coast.

If I get this meth back in the car I'm sure it will delay the car swap

Or you could look into a turbo upgrade?

I would hold off for the F430 as well. It looks like a nice step up from the 360.

[MickyD]

Originally Posted by MrBlonde

Look into how much it costs to keep a Ferrari on the road, you may find it an eye opener. It's not just the purchase price.

this man speaks the truth.

a former workmate had some cash lying around after doing some contracting in the UK, and bought a 355 to have for 6-12 months. Ignoring the lost interest of having the cash tied up in the car, he said it cost him something like $30k in maintenance in the time he had it.... (admittedly he did bottom it out and crack the gearbox casing at one stage, which would have been a fair chunk of that, but still.....)

Personally I think 355>360
the 360 just looks too big for my liking.

[BMWRX]

Originally Posted by m 135

Thanks for the review,sometimes its best not to meet your hero they say,if i see Robert De Niro walking towards me,i am going to turn and bolt the other way

"I just wanted a picture. You can't disappoint a picture!"

[gazz]

Really important to get a rock solid service history with a used Ferrari. Too many buy them with their last cent and then can't afford the high cost of maintenance only to flog them off to the next berk who buys it the same way; consequently the car becomes a huge liability for some poor fool in the end. So what appears to be cheap most likely isn't.

[BMWRX]

I toyed with the idea of getting an F355 (best exhaust note of any Ferrari out of the box as far as I'm concerned) or an F360 in the last year or so. Aside from the substantial initial outlay, the horror stories of maintenance and spare parts have kept my wallet firmly tucked away in my pocket...for now.

[sparoz]

Nice review Honny. I am glad that I have a cheap hero - the M3 before it became a little piggish. Also glad that BMW decided to transplant the M3 parts to the little pig. Now, I have my hero.

[m 135]

Originally Posted by BMWRX

"I just wanted a picture. You can't disappoint a picture!"

Saw this episode on i-tunes,very funny,community is a great show.

[BMW86]

Originally Posted by BMWRX

"I just wanted a picture. You can't disappoint a picture!"

I love Community too. Only half way through season 2 but it's a great show!

[Honny]

Thanks for the kind words everyone... i'm glad you guys enjoyed my mini so-called review.

Originally Posted by BBK

Wow, I found it exciting!
I got to have my dream last year, and drove the 360 around the Gold Coast hinterland (together with a Gallardo). Yes it felt skittish like you mentioned, but to me, it excited me. Made me feel alive. It was slower than the Gallardo, but I enjoyed it more. I now understand what Clarkson means when he compares the 458 to the Maclaren. The Maclaren may be quicker, but it doesn't give you a'crisis'....

Im glad you liked the 360... maybe yours was in better shape? I love the Gallardo too but it reminds me of an expensive R8.

Originally Posted by MrBlonde

Glad you're feeling fulfilled! I'm thinking that the 360 would feel better and better as you drove it harder and harder. A lot of fancy machinery sucks at low speeds in my experience.

Haha yeah mate, Its nerve racking driving someone else's Ferrari... I was honestly shit scared for awhile. I don't think I have the ability to take it to the limit anyway... plus its double-demerits! Did push hard out of corners tho.... and its pretty frightening!

Originally Posted by gazz

BTW who is Jennifer Hawkins?

Right-click new tab mate... googles your best friend.

Originally Posted by BMW86

Nice review Honny. You forgot the most important part, how did that v8 sound?

Pretty damn spectacular... the fact that its behind you makes it such an experience. As I said i've driven on the M3 and M5... i'm convinced that the M division makes beautiful engines but they don't feel special until you rev it quite high along the rpm.... this on the other-hand the 360 is always spectacular.

Originally Posted by m 135

Enjoy the test drives,i am dying to see what you end up with.

Julien... i'm still convinced its the GTR - I've thrown a small deposit on one already but a small part of me was saying "Ferrari Ferrari" haha... Fabspeed is selling one locally for $99k on-road with low miles and 3 year warranty! its an absolute bargain.

For those who are also interested in a 360, or any Ferrari for that matter... be prepared for insurance and servicing costs... you will get hit hard! Im not to familiar with the F355, but the 360 is fantastic value for money. Financially speaking, depreciation has hit hard already so you'll minimise any lost there... I know the F430 is a huge leap in-terms of the vehicle itself but theres still atleast $100k waiting to go down the drain from depr.

micha3l and BMWRX - if you want to understand the 360 in detail let me know. I know every bit of servicing that is required for the car. Major services are due every 15,000miles or 5 years which require new Cam/Timing belts, Tensioner bearings, Cam Seals, Water Pumps.... etc - the list goes on and don't forget the regular fluids,filters and pads. Then theres other bits and pieces you need to be aware too, pre-2001 models have Cam-variator problems which tend to deteriorate without warning (this was a big issue and cases where engines caught fire) so make sure its been replaced with the updated parts. If you're interested in the F1 paddles... the clutches won't last long... maybe a good 10,000km? oh and those Post-2000 had a huge update on the gearbox. This is only from the top of my head... oh and expect this service to cost anywhere between $10-15k.