Ferrari F430 buying guide - Ferrari F430 buying checkpoints

Find used Ferrari F430's for sale on the Classic and Performance Car site here.

Phil Redpath of Herts/Bucks-based specialist DK Engineering, at which F430s rub shoulders with 250 LMs, 330 GTCs, Lussos and more, speaks highly of the F430’s durability. ‘We look after some hire cars which have done over 80,000 miles and they’ve just needed routine servicing,’ he says. He’s our guide here.

Engine

No cambelts to worry about and no innate problems: ‘It’s bulletproof,’ says Redpath. Check for the sounds of a cracked exhaust manifold, though, as this is common and new ones are very expensive. DK prefers to weld-repair them for a stronger cure that won’t fail again. Transmission

The gearbox itself is tough and trouble-free, and like the clutch is the same unit for both manual and F1 cars. F1-shift cars can eat a clutch in as few as 12,000 miles – the system rides the clutch a lot in first gear, so it’s best to shift to second as soon as possible in traffic. If it’s worn, an F1 car will be sluggish to pull away and a manual will have a heavy pedal with a high biting point. If left too long the flywheel can be damaged; typically it has to be replaced anyway every other clutch-change.

Suspension and brakes

Ball-joints and wishbone bushes have a short life, and you’ll feel any snags here through the steering or hear them over bumps; the F430 is normally an impressively rattle-free car. In theory new bushes mean replacing a complete and expensive wishbone, but DK and other specialists can re-bush existing wishbones to an equivalent standard.

Many cars have the expensive carbon-ceramic brakes option but the standard iron discs are entirely adequate for road use.

Bodywork and interior

The cars are too new to suffer from the corrosion that now afflicts some 360s, but the satin black paint under the bonnet and on the hinge pillars is prone to flaking off, revealing body colour beneath.

Check for wobbly rear lights – the fragile plastic mounting bracket often breaks. The only cure is a complete new unit.

On the other hand, the interior wears well and the electrics have proved reliable.

Specifications

Engine V8, 4308ccMax power 483bhp @ 8500rpmMax torque 343lb ft @ 5250rpmTransmission Six-speed manual or F1 automated manual, rear-wheel driveTyres 225/35 ZR19 fr, 285/35 ZR19 rearWeight (kerb) 1449kgPower-to-weight 342bhp/ton0-60mph 4.0sec (claimed)Top speed 196mph+ (claimed)Price when new £121,750 (2006)

Parts Prices Supplied by DK Engineering. Tyre prices from blackcircles.com. All prices include VAT at 20 per cent Tyres £265.38 each front, £207.55 each rear (Pirelli P Zero Corsa, fitted)Brake pads (front set) £262.80 standard, £674.49 carbon-ceramicBrake discs (front pair) £561.60 standard, £4785.60 carbon-ceramicClutch £1188 disc, £1560 pressure plateFlywheel £766.80Oil filter £44.40Air filter (pair) £58.90Exhaust, back box and tips £1382.40

Servicing

Prices from DK Engineering Annual/6250miles £94818,000 miles £1188Clutch change from £2076

What to pay

Currently, £60,000 is about as low as a good-condition F430 with a proper history goes. High-mileage cars could go for less, which would make them a bargain purchase, but they are rare. Few F430s have got much beyond 25,000 miles, even the early ones. At the other end of the scale a late F1 coupe with minimal mileage can nudge £100K. A Spider is around £10K more for comparable age, mileage and condition, while a Scuderia (launched in 2008) starts around £120,000 and reaches £160,000 – or approaching £200K for the final 16M Spider versions.

Manual cars attract a small premium. The optional recessed Ferrari wing shields are seen as desirable, as are carbon brakes.

Useful contacts

www.greypaulferrari.co.uk (dealer)www.dkeng.com (specialist)www.simonfurlonger.co.uk (sales)www.theferraricentre.com (specialist)www.ferrariownersclub.co.uk (club)

Find used Ferrari F430's for sale on the Classic and Performance Car site here.