Hi everyone, we are currently deciding if we should get our first Ferrari, or to top off our Mercedes line-up with an SLS. What would you pick? The car would be driven probably 2-3 times a week. No track or any of that stuff.

F430

pros : ferrari, power, sound, elegance, looks, etc etc
cons : no longer a "new" ferrari since 458 is coming out, it would be used (with about 500-2k miles)

SLS

pros : new model, most likely gonna be a one-off model (timeless), power, sound, the doors are a plus
cons : might feel like any other AMG but faster, you can buy a ferrari for this price


What do you all think?

 

That's a tough call.

I don't know how the comfort and maintenance levels compare, but I would probably choose the F430 because it looks a lot better to me. Also, as you mentioned, the sound and elegance. The SLS is a cool concept, but I would never buy one (just not my tastes).

It sounds to me like you place a higher value on uniqueness and rarity over anything else. If you want to be persuaded to buy a new car simply because it's a new model and has cool doors, you need to ask yourself what you're really looking for in a car. Something you genuinely like, or something you want just because it's rare or limited. Either way is perfectly fine because it will make you happy either way, but find out for sure what you're really looking for.

Good luck with your decision!

 

MB has already announced an SLS Roadster. Also, I happened to see an AMG rep from Germany at my local dealer today (side note - expect more distinct AMG-specific showrooms at select MB dealers in the future) and he told me there will be a BLACK SERIES SLS... With a roadster and BS coming, expect the original SLS to following the depreciation of the other highend AMG cars... Keys from a Learjet, I believe they say.

I've driven an SLS and all F430 variants save the 16M... The SLS is a very nice GT car, but if it's a coupe you're after, is an 08 Scud doable at a slightly higher price? If the Scud is too hardcore, a nice, later Spider should fit the bill and likely hold it's value over 2-5 years better than the SLS.

Anecdotally, when the SL55 initially came out in '03, it was bringing huuuuge premiums over MSRP which made it roughly the same price as the going rate for '03 360 Spiders... Compare the prices on those two

 

Some nice info. That's one thing about MB's also - the depreciation. I figured that the SLS would be coming down to $150k and down the road, we would regret it. The roadster and black series just confirm that.

I have not had the chance to drive the SLS yet but have driven a F430. We could afford the Scud but we feel the extra money we are paying won't justify our use for it (no track use or anything). Though a daily driver Scud would be nice. I forgot to mention we are leaning more towards a spider rather than a coupe.

Based on your driving experiences, what is your take on both cars?

Also, I remember back when the SL55 was new, our dealer was asking for $180k!

 

Ferrari is Ferrari!

 

Based on your SoCal location and intended use, an F430 Spider should be just right.

The SLS and F430 are quite similar in sheer performance, but quite different from how they go about it. As you surely know from your time driving it, the F430 is like an olympic swimmer - lean, agile, quick... from handling, to the F1 shifting... everything feels like it's on a knife's edge.

The SLS is like a larger swimmer wearing a sweater in the pool - you can tell there's some athleticism there, but everything feels more insulated, a little slower, a little heavier. The extra torque is phenomenal though!

I hope my analogy makes sense. If it were me, I'd go F430... I suggest you test an SLS though, so you know for yourself.

 

Basically, I made that decision recently, having just acquired a F430. My dealer could get me the SLS in about three months. I did not drive an SLS but did look at a McClaren Mercedes to get an idea of the general size, etc. I bought a Ferrari F430 and now have about 600 miles on it. My thoughts:

If (as I always do) I use R&T road test results as a benchmark, then the SLS AMG and F430 have basically the same price, the same performance 0-60, 1/4 mile and top speed, and braking (all just incredibly similar), with the Ferrari cornering a bit better and getting around a road course, particularly a tight one, a bit faster.
The SLS is roomier, has more storage space, but is bigger. More of a fast GT than a real sports car. It is also noiser (the F430 is quieter than most others in its class, strangely). But (and I mean no offense to M-B lovers) but take away the gullwing doors, and the SLS strikes me as just another big (8 inches longer, 660 lbs heavier) front engined SC'd V8 coupe: ZR1, Maserati (okay, it doesn't have a SC), McClaren Mercedes, etc. - what is different?).
The M-B is easier to get in and out of, but the doors are easier to close on the Ferrari.
The F430 is a true mid-rear engine super exotic (8500 RPM) V8 powered "supercar" not a GT, but purer sports car: mine weighs 3143 lbs with 1/4 tank of fuel (but no driver) and handles in real twisties like only a atrue mid-rear engine car. Exotic - Ferrari V8 under glass -- doesn't get better than that.

And then there is this: if you are like me, deep down inside, with every car you own, you ask yourself, "How does this compare to a Ferrari?" Forty years ago I did it with my Healey, two years ago I did it with my Aston, and with ever car in between I did the same.
Now I don't have to. It is a Ferrari, with a direct connection to more F1 victories than anyone else, and a lineage traceable all the way back to first place in the 1949 LeMans.

It has to be red,of course, with the Scuderia Ferrari emblems on the front fenders ($850 a piece, by the way)

And a final point - sound is NOT a pro in the F430's favor. It's flat crank V8 sounds like two big fours - at idle and around town at light throttle, imagine the world's meanest Sti turbo and you have a good idea. When you really get on it and it revs up it does have that Ferrari F1 resonant scream, but how often do you do that?

 

Friend got his SLS last Weekend, so amazing, F430 vs SLS.... very hard to decide but with the other cars you have I would take the F430!

 

Aston !

 

I can relate to what you mean. I really do need to drive an SLS in the end to help better judge our decision

Great post and very true. However I think the SLS is slightly shorter then the SLR. (I may be wrong)
Thats what I was thinking. I think a Ferrari would be perfect to top it off.

Thats out of the box

 

By the way, I had an Aston Martin Vantage before the Ferrari. It was very comfortable, reliable and durable, and easy to live with. Mine was faster than any of the road tests said it would be (13.25 in the 1/4), but that is not fast for an exotic. It handled better than the Porsche Carrera I had before it, which surprised me, and the quality of materials was the best I have ever had (the leather, stitching, and particularly carpet, were all a bit better than in the Ferrari -- well, okay, the carpet was ALOT better). I thought of upgrading to a V12, but even though they are not that much heavier than the Vantage, the DB9 and DBS felt a lot heavier when I tested them, and while they are faster than the Vantage, again, in a world where SLSs and F430s and now even top tieir Lexus do the 1/4 in the high 11s, mid 12s is slow.

One good thing about the Vantage though -- they depreciate like a rock falling off a cliff. Someone picked up mine from the dealer two days after I traded it: 39 months old, 6500 miles, for slightly less than half of the original sticker.

 

I'd skip on the SLS - F430 much better choice

 

You can't really compare the SL55 to the SLS, given that the SL55 was still only even with the SL600, albeit somewhat more performance oriented, and under the SL65. The SLS doesn't share the same shape/style or designation as any other model, only coming second to the SL65 Black Series. For this reason alone it will hold its value much better than the SL55. The higher entry cost, the Gullwing doors, and I'm assuming lower production numbers(including variants such as a BS) will help prevent the car's value from tanking. I only found a few production numbers for the SL55 and unfortunately, couldn't find any projected numbers for the SLS.
2004 5217
2005 1542
2006 748

I would expect the 430 and the SLS to be very similar in value after a few years. You also used an inflated, dealer mark-up price for the SL55 to reach that of the 360's. Of course the new car premium will not matter once the vehicle is a few years old, so if you pay the dealer mark-up, you are paying purely to be one of the first people to have the car, and have to expect to lose that money.

Depending on what you will be using the car for, the SLS could be the better car for you. I think the SLS will be more comfortable, as well as easier to drive in traffic and also have more presence. If you enjoy canyon runs or occasional track days, then the F430 would definitely be the better choice IMHO. If it were a choice of F430 Scuderia or the SLS, I would choose the Scuderia without hesitation.

 

Tough decision. I really like the SLS, but I also like the f430. I think I would choose the f430 though, I feel that the SLS would lose its excitement after a while.

 

SLS more comfort to ride compare to F430 but 430 is better on track more precise handling, anyway they all have Plus point and Minus point, mostly to personal preference just like asking Red Color or White Color......