[Mikelong]

Hello everyone!
I just purchase my 1st 2001 360 coupe last Sat with my wife. This is suppose to be by B-day present this year...
Drove home with her from LA 320miles, it is an amazing piece of machinery I must say.
I am a certify tech for Toyota, always love exotic fast car, a "gear head" if I may.
I've been in the automotive industry for about 18years new. Nevertheless, I have much to learn on this 360. Operating the f1 gearbox along is something I need to learn right off the front page...
Looking forward for new education from you gentlement from this forum...
Any tip or advise to start out???

thank you
Mike

[F1.360.LOVER]

I have had my '01 F1 360 coupe for a little over 2 years now. Remember that the accelerator engages the clutch from a standing stop. Practice makes perfect take offs. Just be aware of the sounds that your car makes. My F1 relay kept running a few months back. I think it is one of reasons owners coming out to their car with a dead battery. I had my original Siemens relay replaced by a new Tyco. Hopefully you got lucky like I did with a late production '01 F1 car. They seem to shift better than the earlier ones. Drive the wheels off your car. I take mine out every chance I get. Are you from Northern California?

Nate

[tazandjan]

Mike- Welcome to Ferrari Life and congratulations on your new 360. The best advice on how to drive an F1 is to treat it like it is a three pedal car where you do not have to use the clutch and you will love it. Treat it like an automatic and you will hate it.

After you turn the ignition on and get the check ok, always select neutral before starting the engine. The system will do it for you, but it is just another step that can go wrong.

Never back up a hill if you can avoid it, because reverse is almost as high as 2nd gear. If you do back up a hill, you will likely smell burnt clutch lining. So choose your parking spot accordingly.

If you select neutral while still rolling for whatever reason, hitting the upshift paddle will get you the highest gear in which the engine will run smoothly, which is way too high a gear. Hitting the downshift paddle will get you one gear lower, which is much more comfortable. Not generally known.

Have fun. I really enjoy the F1 system in my car, and you will, too. Especially the first time you flash three downshifts for a corner quickly enough to make Phil Hill proud.

[StefVan]

Welcome Mike to FerrariLife! And congratulations with your new toy which has a lot to enjoy

[Boxer]

Congratulations and welcome to FLife. If your 360 does not have a Challenge Rear grill, would definitely recommend having one fitted as it will help significantly with engine bay heat.

[ALEX A]

Welcome to the site and congrats on your machine. If you need any help, please feel free to call or email me.
Thanks
Alex.

[Barry]

Welcome to Ferrari Life Mike, and congrats on your 360.

[360 Modena]

congrats
great car and a warm welcome to The Life

[Mikelong]

wow, thank you guys. This is very nice...today was a very busy day at work and I got hit with allergy serverely. I am very tired now, but going on this forum and reading all this, makes my day. Thanks a million guys.
I am from San Jose, CA.
Yes, this one does have Challenge grille.
regarding to the relay, according to the service record from the previous owner was replaced. Part #155437, itemize as " F1 pump relay". I hope this is the updated one.
I have not use the car since drove back from Los Angeles. On the way back, I did not know how to get out from 1st gear to neutral. Although, I accidentally notice something. I pulled on the e-brake and let go both brake and gas pedal for about 10seconds, then it auto put in neutral.
Is there another way we can manually put it in neutral? if I understand correctly from the owner's manual, we would have to pull on both upshift and downdshift paddle at the same time. Is this sound right????
I have not use the paddle shift yet, used "auto" all the way home from LA.
By the way, does the F1 trans shift smooth like any other automatic or does it shift just like a manual? again, this is my 1st F1. My transmission shift very different, not sure if it actually has an issue or just the way it is. Of course, I don't have any other one to compare with...LOL.
Dec. last year was most recent service record shown. Oil change, clutch life at
50-70%, cluth adjustment. So I was told from "Fast car Ltd".
Sorry, for going on so long...I got excited everytime I learn something new on this car. I will leave you guys for now...talk to you soon
Mike

[champagne612]

Congratulations Mike

Welcome to Flife - look forward to seeing pictures of your new Ferrari.

I used to have those kind of allergies - at age 41 they just stopped for whatever reason ... can't say I miss em.

[tazandjan]

Mike- Affirmative. Pull on both paddles simultaneously for neutral. Right paddle for upshifts and left paddle for downshifts.

Have to admit, I have never tried Auto in mine. Not even sure it works. At least yours works and it got you home in one piece.

155437 is indeed the F1 pump relay and changing it regularly is a good idea. Many of us have upgraded to a sturdier relay, but regular changes of the other one also works, except they cost over $100 and the heavier duty ones are only about $50. We can discuss later, after you get used to the car.

I am lucky and only allergic to bad beer and ugly women, but I can feel for you.

Welcome again.

If you go to ferraridatabase.com, you can download owner's manuals and workshop manuals for free. Easier to read up on F1 operation than thumbing through your paper OM.

[50hdmc]

WELCOME - you have selected a GREAT car. The issue with the F1 relay is pretty common and many simply carry and extra one (heavy duty) in the car......easy replacement on the road. Once you get the hang of the F1 you are gonna love it - and I have been an arch 3 pedal guy for more than 45 years now.

Just a suggestion, take the time to read the manuals and nearly anything beyond that you need answered is available here - try the search function and if no luck, hit up the man "new friends" you have here!

[JeffWilliams]

Greetings,

+1 to Taz on the "treat it like a 3 pedal". Understand that and you'll grin like the proverbial village idiot.

I've had my 360 for just over 2 months now and it is the most amazing car I have ever driven. Just warm up the oil gently then drive it like it was meant.

Jeff

[Boxer]

Originally Posted by JeffWilliams

Greetings,

+1 to Taz on the "treat it like a 3 pedal". Understand that and you'll grin like the proverbial village idiot.

I've had my 360 for just over 2 months now and it is the most amazing car I have ever driven. Just warm up the oil gently then drive it like it was meant.

Jeff

How many miles have you put on it?

[Mikelong]

Just barely have a chance to wipe up the car Sunday. Though I could take it out for a ride with my wife and takes some pics to add in "360 owner list", but it was pouring rain here.
I will try to add it in the owner's list next week.
I have been on this website everynight to catch up with you guys and learning new stuff.
You guys really amaze me....some of you own more then one F and other have own 458 Italia...These are way over my head especially considere the $$$. Well, Once a gear head always a gear head, until daisy grow on us.
Are most of you guys in the U.S. ???
Tery Phillip, you said you're from switzLnd, right?
Mike

[tazandjan]

Mike- No, Albuquerque, NM. Part of the US most of the time.

[StefVan]

Originally Posted by Mikelong

Tery Phillip, you said you're from switzLnd, right?
Mike

Mike, I don't think he is but I am LOL. Don't be afraid to use the F1 paddles on your 360. Just go progressively, maybe only on open roads in the first time so that you can get used to them. You'll see, after a while, you'll never use that automatic button anymore The F1 is a great toy to play with.

Whatever others own, you have a GREAT exclusive car Enjoy

[Mikelong]

Oh, yeah definitely. I have to use it as it built for...the car has to operate has good as it looks. That's why we pay big bucks for.
Stefvan, reading most of your post on this forum along with Tery, it appear you two are leading the band...am my right?
Stefvan, I know this question has been ask from one of our member, but I will ask again. Are you working for Ferrari??? appear to me you have lots of interesting experiment going on.
Your trying to put in the shift light and talk about CAN HI and CAN LOW. Inaddition came up with your own plug and play devices. Man, I had to go to school for that. As a matter of fact our 2012 new models Toyota, uses CAN, LAN, LIN, BEAN. From body, to drive train, to chassis.
If I have to gues you must be a software engineer or some type. You're getting into deep about electronic communication/language.
Sorry, I got carry away again...This forum is to talk about cars.
I'll get us back on track, ok.
So, I will start off by asking where's the F1 pump relay locate at?
Oh, by the way, I am missing a tow hook from the tool kit. Does anyone have one laying around I can buy it off....

[tazandjan]

Mike- Stef is the V8 man for sure. If you go to ferraridatabase.com, you can download owners manuals for your hard drive, and the two volume workshop manual. Andrew, site owner, is working on getting all those WSMs and OMs on this site, too.

Your F1 relay is behind the passenger seat, under the carpet and a cover just above the F1 ECU/TCU. The WSM will show you exactly where, but if not, we can post the applicable pages or photos here.

[StefVan]

Thanks Mike Terry is the V12 man but has a huge brain hard disk with an enormous amount of info on all Ferrari models It's true that I enjoy digging into the details of ECU firmwares and electronics, to improve our cars with better solutions or add-ons.