dsms detail - Ferrari 360 Spider in TDF Blue

Bumpin' this thread because I love this color. And to answer you question extremely late, you need the finish completely clean of any old wax, glaze or sealant for 2 reasons.

1) helps you properly inspect the paint to see what the defects are without hiding anything you can miss later on (oils and silicones are in most all waxes and glaze products)

2) allows the new wax or sealant of choice to bond properly and get maximum durability

 

great work Dave, always enjoy reading your threads:thumb:

 

Dave, outstanding! I love the color too.
Can I ask for your honest opinion of the car in general? I have a vested interest for asking. The 360 is absolutely on my radar. I'd love your opinion.
Joe D.

 

Before I detailed this particular 360 I have to say I never liked the car, at all, I didnt even like the idea of it. I thought Ferrari went from building one of the most pure sports cars ever, the 355 and then got caught in a odd state when they built the first batch of 360's with the F1 gear box, which at the time was neck snapping and choppy with shifts, so much so one of my customers sold his early model 360 which he waited 2 years for to go and buy back a 355.

Ive driven two 360's in my life (this is not one of them) and initially I said "whats the big deal, a 996 turbo porsche is a faster car, more practical and 1/2 the price". The 360 I drove was red, earlier model year (not sure of which) and had some 20+k miles on it. From then on I disliked this car thinking it was just too much money for not that great of a car, and I left out the fact that it was a Ferrari which for many has uber value in itself.

Then I took this TDF blue (my favorite color) in for a detail. It was kept in great shape by a true car guy and only had 4k miles on it, plus it had a Tubi style exhaust which just amplified the noise to be undeniably perfect.

After moving this car in and out of my garage after several days of detail work I began to realize not all 360's are bad, and that there IS something special about a ferrari. I just felt great sitting in it and less of a douche simply because the color wasnt Red or Yellow.

It changed my opinion on the car and FWIW its F1 tranny seemed to work fine, granted I was in 1st and reverse only I still didnt feel any hesitation or choppiness.

Personally if you want just a fun car to enjoy, get a good condition 355 with the gated shifter in either Grigio Silverstone or TDF blue. But the 360 really is a cool ride and I surely would not mind cruising around in one on a nice country road.

Just remember its not the purchase price that sucks with ferraris, its the maintenance coats, and the car will inevitably have some problems the more you drive it. But these days you can pick up a low mile 360 for 80-90k ... 355's even less!

 

Beautiful! Which product did you use to polish the glass?

 

Thanks Dave.
That was really from the heart and i appreciate it. I've been a Porsche guy for a while and the longer you own one the more you take them for granted. But being italian (and somewhat of a douche), I am toying with the idea. I've seen the prices. My goal is to reach out to as many knowledgeable people as I can and make an informed decision.
I doubt I'll have anyone give me there heartfelt unbiased opinion like you did. So I cant tell you how much I appreciate it.

Great Job on the car Dave. You made it look better than it ever has looked.

Sincerely, Joe D

 

^^^ I am more fond of porsches than I am ferrari's to be honest. Its none of my business what you want or are able to spend on a car but assuming your looking in the 90k range for a 360 you may also consider, dare I say, an 07' GT3 RS?

For pure excitement that is about as good as it gets... less costly to own than a 360, virtually unlimited aftermarket (Shakrwerks.com) and its something you can put a lot of miles on without issue.

 

Awesome work as usual Dave!!

 

The focus of my radar is rapidly expanding.. Thanks Dave.