ferrari 355 gtb alternative
Discussion
I've had my 1994 355 gtb for almost 8 years now
its been pretty faultless except for needing a temperature sender in 2006, a lambda sensor in 2011,and a right and a left manifold in 2008 and 2009 respectively
having said that, routine servicing at the specified intervals at qv London by mike lister has not exactly been cheap (the service has been excellent though)
the car has just done 54,000 miles (interestingly, most 355's advertised seem to have done no mileage at all since the time I was searching for a 355 in 2006 !!!), and is red with a black interior
in my dreams I sometimes think of changing/upgrading it, but I cant reconcile the resale cost of a 54,000 gtb (which incidentally mike lister says is one of the most original, unmolested examples he knows),with the purchase price of a worthy alternative
I would love to hear your suggestions/comments
its been pretty faultless except for needing a temperature sender in 2006, a lambda sensor in 2011,and a right and a left manifold in 2008 and 2009 respectively
having said that, routine servicing at the specified intervals at qv London by mike lister has not exactly been cheap (the service has been excellent though)
the car has just done 54,000 miles (interestingly, most 355's advertised seem to have done no mileage at all since the time I was searching for a 355 in 2006 !!!), and is red with a black interior
in my dreams I sometimes think of changing/upgrading it, but I cant reconcile the resale cost of a 54,000 gtb (which incidentally mike lister says is one of the most original, unmolested examples he knows),with the purchase price of a worthy alternative
I would love to hear your suggestions/comments
Get a 348?
Seriously why change? The 355 is a great car, and the mileage no issue for a well looked after car. It's down to your personal choice. Something newer? Or more gt like(550) if it's down to running cost there not going to be much in it on most models. If you got the itch go out...try a few different models. It's down to what you want at the end of the day.
Seriously why change? The 355 is a great car, and the mileage no issue for a well looked after car. It's down to your personal choice. Something newer? Or more gt like(550) if it's down to running cost there not going to be much in it on most models. If you got the itch go out...try a few different models. It's down to what you want at the end of the day.
Hi, I have the same feeling. I toy with changing my 355. I have owned the car for 9 years and it is faultless and has not been clocked! 71k miles. I doubt a better example could be found as I am very meticulous. But what to change to? (for sub £120k). After much deliberation I am going to keep the 355 forever! :-) Very pretty car, cheap (isn) to run. Fast enough to keep your mind on the job etc etc. Over the years I have considered, 612, 512TR, 430, 360, 575. 599. Most of these were too big for my liking. The 355 is still a nice size car. Much like a 911 it actually fits on roads! Keep it! buy another car for fun and swap between them.
JasonSF said:
Hi, I have the same feeling. I toy with changing my 355. I have owned the car for 9 years and it is faultless and has not been clocked! 71k miles. I doubt a better example could be found as I am very meticulous. But what to change to? (for sub £120k). After much deliberation I am going to keep the 355 forever! :-) Very pretty car, cheap (isn) to run. Fast enough to keep your mind on the job etc etc. Over the years I have considered, 612, 512TR, 430, 360, 575. 599. Most of these were too big for my liking. The 355 is still a nice size car. Much like a 911 it actually fits on roads! Keep it! buy another car for fun and swap between them.
I noticed you have owned 3 355's a GTB,GTS,Spider, maunal and F1. you must be the guy to ask which was good bad or different and why?
If my latest sale goes to plan (deposit taken only so far, with another very interested person if sale fails) i am in the market finally for a my child hood dream car, a 355.
Once the car is sold i got a car to view that i swapped emails with the owner from PH, the more "real" life ownership meaning the differences in how they drive and compare would be very helpful.
kelly
Changed my 355B for an Aston V8 Vantage.
It's not been a disappointment per se. Much lower key, but also lovely looking and sounding, a nice cabin and despite Aston's being backward electronically, it was still a step on to a '99 355 in this respect (as you'd expect of a car 8yrs newer).
I still absolutely love the 355. I think it's one of the greatest Ferraris of all time, and one of the greatest cars of any marque. There are times when I miss it, but not enough to go back.
I've actually owned the Aston for longer - nearly 7yrs now versus 6yrs or so for the 355 - but that's as much down to circumstance as anything else. If I'd not moved house and had a kid I'd probably be back in a Ferrari by now
Mind you, the other half loves the Aston too, and loves driving it.
Next for me will probably be a 599 in a year or two. Depending on what 458 or F12 prices are doing
So to the point of your original post, if it were me I'd be looking at a 599 or 458 if I were you (I've never been a fan of the 360/430). Or if you want a change of marque for a bit and are OK with something a bit less attention grabbing, a Vantage (V8S or V12) or DBS would be a decent bet. Or possibly even a Maser (Granturismo if you need something a bit more practical?
It's not been a disappointment per se. Much lower key, but also lovely looking and sounding, a nice cabin and despite Aston's being backward electronically, it was still a step on to a '99 355 in this respect (as you'd expect of a car 8yrs newer).
I still absolutely love the 355. I think it's one of the greatest Ferraris of all time, and one of the greatest cars of any marque. There are times when I miss it, but not enough to go back.
I've actually owned the Aston for longer - nearly 7yrs now versus 6yrs or so for the 355 - but that's as much down to circumstance as anything else. If I'd not moved house and had a kid I'd probably be back in a Ferrari by now
Mind you, the other half loves the Aston too, and loves driving it.Next for me will probably be a 599 in a year or two. Depending on what 458 or F12 prices are doing
So to the point of your original post, if it were me I'd be looking at a 599 or 458 if I were you (I've never been a fan of the 360/430). Or if you want a change of marque for a bit and are OK with something a bit less attention grabbing, a Vantage (V8S or V12) or DBS would be a decent bet. Or possibly even a Maser (Granturismo if you need something a bit more practical?
thank-you for all these replies
the 355 replacement would need to be complimentary to my other cars , and so would need to be that almost irreconcilable combination of being special both to the eye and to drive, relatively practical, cheap to insure , not so expensive or irreplacable that i'm scared to use it, and to provide a consistent sense of occasion
the 355 provides all this , but has the drawbacks of not being cheap to maintain properly, and also has a reputation for relatively old and complex electronics and their associated problems (?unjustified?).
And I've had it for 8 years now
the other long-term alternatives that I've always loved are :
512tr--like it a lot, but don't like the interior, and certain spares are getting difficult to find
lp640-- love everything about it, but concerned about its size, complexity and running costs (brake pads and discs--7k ; SV front splitter -15k )
mp4-12 and 458--driven with McLaren tutors at Silverstone and the 458 at thruxton--amazing gearboxes,
(my cars are all manual, and the youngest is 9 years old and the oldest 25 years old, and using the gearboxes on these 2 cars was like entering a new and astonishing universe)
but i'm not sure that they would justify the additional cost over a 355 when not being used on a race track.
Also the raft of electronics worry me when considering them as a long term ownership prospect
elise sc--like the size and running costs, but ? special enough ?
aventador--the ultimate, whats not to like , but well outside the price range
928--really like them , but now too old , too complex and too unreliable
esprit--as above
sls--yes in so many ways
anything else I should be mentioning?
but in the real world, would I be doing just as well maintaining and enjoying the 355, and ignoring the lust for the new and unexplored?
or is life too short not to succumb?
the 355 replacement would need to be complimentary to my other cars , and so would need to be that almost irreconcilable combination of being special both to the eye and to drive, relatively practical, cheap to insure , not so expensive or irreplacable that i'm scared to use it, and to provide a consistent sense of occasion
the 355 provides all this , but has the drawbacks of not being cheap to maintain properly, and also has a reputation for relatively old and complex electronics and their associated problems (?unjustified?).
And I've had it for 8 years now
the other long-term alternatives that I've always loved are :
512tr--like it a lot, but don't like the interior, and certain spares are getting difficult to find
lp640-- love everything about it, but concerned about its size, complexity and running costs (brake pads and discs--7k ; SV front splitter -15k )
mp4-12 and 458--driven with McLaren tutors at Silverstone and the 458 at thruxton--amazing gearboxes,
(my cars are all manual, and the youngest is 9 years old and the oldest 25 years old, and using the gearboxes on these 2 cars was like entering a new and astonishing universe)
but i'm not sure that they would justify the additional cost over a 355 when not being used on a race track.
Also the raft of electronics worry me when considering them as a long term ownership prospect
elise sc--like the size and running costs, but ? special enough ?
aventador--the ultimate, whats not to like , but well outside the price range
928--really like them , but now too old , too complex and too unreliable
esprit--as above
sls--yes in so many ways
anything else I should be mentioning?
but in the real world, would I be doing just as well maintaining and enjoying the 355, and ignoring the lust for the new and unexplored?
or is life too short not to succumb?
kds keltec said:
I noticed you have owned 3 355's a GTB,GTS,Spider, maunal and F1.
you must be the guy to ask which was good bad or different and why?
If my latest sale goes to plan (deposit taken only so far, with another very interested person if sale fails) i am in the market finally for a my child hood dream car, a 355.
Once the car is sold i got a car to view that i swapped emails with the owner from PH, the more "real" life ownership meaning the differences in how they drive and compare would be very helpful.
kelly
Hi Kelly. you must be the guy to ask which was good bad or different and why?
If my latest sale goes to plan (deposit taken only so far, with another very interested person if sale fails) i am in the market finally for a my child hood dream car, a 355.
Once the car is sold i got a car to view that i swapped emails with the owner from PH, the more "real" life ownership meaning the differences in how they drive and compare would be very helpful.
kelly
My first 355 was a Le Mans gts. A nice car, but the targa was not for me. Not easy to get off on your own and leaked. I then got a red spider. We'll apart from not having the lovely line of the berlinetta I was amazed how slow the roof was. And then there is the cover which needs to go on if you are planning to travel at speed. It was just too much hassle. I finally found my dream 355. Red with black berlinetta F1 box with all options. I personally love the F1 box. Once you get used to it.
carspath said:
thank-you for all these replies
the 355 replacement would need to be complimentary to my other cars , and so would need to be that almost irreconcilable combination of being special both to the eye and to drive, relatively practical, cheap to insure , not so expensive or irreplacable that i'm scared to use it, and to provide a consistent sense of occasion
the 355 provides all this , but has the drawbacks of not being cheap to maintain properly, and also has a reputation for relatively old and complex electronics and their associated problems (?unjustified?).
And I've had it for 8 years now
the other long-term alternatives that I've always loved are :
512tr--like it a lot, but don't like the interior, and certain spares are getting difficult
lp640-- love everything about it, but concerned about its size, complexity and running costs (brake pads and discs--7k ; SV front splitter -15k )
mp4-12 and 458--driven with McLaren tutors at Silverstone and the 458 at thruxton--amazing gearboxes,
(my cars are all manual, and the youngest is 9 years old and the oldest 25 years old, and using the gearboxes on these 2 cars was like entering a new and astonishing universe)
but i'm not sure that they would justify the additional cost over a 355 when not being used on a race track.
Also the raft of electronics worry me when considering them as a long term ownership prospect
elise sc--like the size and running costs, but ? special enough ?
aventador--the ultimate, whats not to like , but well outside the price range
928--really like them , but now too old , too complex and too unreliable
esprit--as above
sls--yes in so many ways
anything else I should be mentioning?
but in the real world, would I be doing just as well maintaining and enjoying the 355, and ignoring the lust for the new and unexplored?
or is life too short not to succumb?
What other cars do you have? the 355 replacement would need to be complimentary to my other cars , and so would need to be that almost irreconcilable combination of being special both to the eye and to drive, relatively practical, cheap to insure , not so expensive or irreplacable that i'm scared to use it, and to provide a consistent sense of occasion
the 355 provides all this , but has the drawbacks of not being cheap to maintain properly, and also has a reputation for relatively old and complex electronics and their associated problems (?unjustified?).
And I've had it for 8 years now
the other long-term alternatives that I've always loved are :
512tr--like it a lot, but don't like the interior, and certain spares are getting difficult
lp640-- love everything about it, but concerned about its size, complexity and running costs (brake pads and discs--7k ; SV front splitter -15k )
mp4-12 and 458--driven with McLaren tutors at Silverstone and the 458 at thruxton--amazing gearboxes,
(my cars are all manual, and the youngest is 9 years old and the oldest 25 years old, and using the gearboxes on these 2 cars was like entering a new and astonishing universe)
but i'm not sure that they would justify the additional cost over a 355 when not being used on a race track.
Also the raft of electronics worry me when considering them as a long term ownership prospect
elise sc--like the size and running costs, but ? special enough ?
aventador--the ultimate, whats not to like , but well outside the price range
928--really like them , but now too old , too complex and too unreliable
esprit--as above
sls--yes in so many ways
anything else I should be mentioning?
but in the real world, would I be doing just as well maintaining and enjoying the 355, and ignoring the lust for the new and unexplored?
or is life too short not to succumb?
As an alternative how about a Maserati GranTurismo? I know it's more of a GT car but for me it's the only exotic out there at the moment that, for similar money, ticks the same boxes as the F355 (although still in the depreciation slide).
Visually it looks fantastic, OK performance is probably only on par with the F355 unless you up the game with an S and F1 gearboxes scare me if and when they go wrong, a later automatic would probably be better.
I did look at a V8 Vantage but overall I wasn't that impressed with obvious parts bin fit and finish (the replacement Volvo feyfob was just wrong and satnav housing looked like a child had made it) not that the F355 is top notch!
Evora would probably be good but visually it's no Pininfarina masterpiece and it's missing 2 cylinders.
There is nothing really out there that is the same as the F355, it'll be a sad day when mine goes up for sale soon
Visually it looks fantastic, OK performance is probably only on par with the F355 unless you up the game with an S and F1 gearboxes scare me if and when they go wrong, a later automatic would probably be better.
I did look at a V8 Vantage but overall I wasn't that impressed with obvious parts bin fit and finish (the replacement Volvo feyfob was just wrong and satnav housing looked like a child had made it) not that the F355 is top notch!
Evora would probably be good but visually it's no Pininfarina masterpiece and it's missing 2 cylinders.
There is nothing really out there that is the same as the F355, it'll be a sad day when mine goes up for sale soon
JasonSF said:
Hi Kelly.
My first 355 was a Le Mans gts. A nice car, but the targa was not for me. Not easy to get off on your own and leaked. I then got a red spider. We'll apart from not having the lovely line of the berlinetta I was amazed how slow the roof was. And then there is the cover which needs to go on if you are planning to travel at speed. It was just too much hassle. I finally found my dream 355. Red with black berlinetta F1 box with all options. I personally love the F1 box. Once you get used to it.
Many thanks , very useful info.My first 355 was a Le Mans gts. A nice car, but the targa was not for me. Not easy to get off on your own and leaked. I then got a red spider. We'll apart from not having the lovely line of the berlinetta I was amazed how slow the roof was. And then there is the cover which needs to go on if you are planning to travel at speed. It was just too much hassle. I finally found my dream 355. Red with black berlinetta F1 box with all options. I personally love the F1 box. Once you get used to it.
Nice to see honest feedback.
Kelly
Mroad said:
As an alternative how about a Maserati GranTurismo? I know it's more of a GT car but for me it's the only exotic out there at the moment that, for similar money, ticks the same boxes as the F355 (although still in the depreciation slide).
Visually it looks fantastic, OK performance is probably only on par with the F355 unless you up the game with an S and F1 gearboxes scare me if and when they go wrong, a later automatic would probably be better.
I did look at a V8 Vantage but overall I wasn't that impressed with obvious parts bin fit and finish (the replacement Volvo feyfob was just wrong and satnav housing looked like a child had made it) not that the F355 is top notch!
Evora would probably be good but visually it's no Pininfarina masterpiece and it's missing 2 cylinders.
There is nothing really out there that is the same as the F355, it'll be a sad day when mine goes up for sale soon
Compared to the fit and finish on a 355, the V8V is a Rolls Royce. I don't think even the latest Ferraris match up to cars like the Audi R8 inside, but that's not why we like them is it?Visually it looks fantastic, OK performance is probably only on par with the F355 unless you up the game with an S and F1 gearboxes scare me if and when they go wrong, a later automatic would probably be better.
I did look at a V8 Vantage but overall I wasn't that impressed with obvious parts bin fit and finish (the replacement Volvo feyfob was just wrong and satnav housing looked like a child had made it) not that the F355 is top notch!
Evora would probably be good but visually it's no Pininfarina masterpiece and it's missing 2 cylinders.
There is nothing really out there that is the same as the F355, it'll be a sad day when mine goes up for sale soon
I would say that you have a difficult choice unless upping your budget significantly. What could you raise?
thank-you once again for all these responses
I think that the general PH consensus is that a substantial investment would be necessary to get a worthwhile replacement for the 355, and this is my feeling too
I feel that a LP640 would be really lovely, but its purchase and running costs are in a different league, and I would be concerned about its reliability and its usability cf a 355
also, the same limited number of murcies and lp640's (with 2 notable exceptions), seem to have been on sale for the last year with no takers and no reduction in price
the other attractive car is the sls, with its 6.3 N/A engine, those gullwing doors and the presumed better reliability and lower running costs
but overall, I think that I would find it difficult swapping a 355 for an sls
I wanted a 355 for very many years before being able to get mine, so I think i'll just continue to appreciate and love it
it was good to hear all your opinions though
I think that the general PH consensus is that a substantial investment would be necessary to get a worthwhile replacement for the 355, and this is my feeling too
I feel that a LP640 would be really lovely, but its purchase and running costs are in a different league, and I would be concerned about its reliability and its usability cf a 355
also, the same limited number of murcies and lp640's (with 2 notable exceptions), seem to have been on sale for the last year with no takers and no reduction in price
the other attractive car is the sls, with its 6.3 N/A engine, those gullwing doors and the presumed better reliability and lower running costs
but overall, I think that I would find it difficult swapping a 355 for an sls
I wanted a 355 for very many years before being able to get mine, so I think i'll just continue to appreciate and love it
it was good to hear all your opinions though
You are in a good position (or bad, depending how you look at it!) of having a really great car that is not so expensive and is also fully depreciated.
You could go for an older V8 but the 308/328/348 are really earlier and slower ancestors of the 355 so not sure that would bring you much. A 246 is possibly even better looking that the 355 but far too expensive. As is any other interesting, old Ferrari (and then they would likely be less useable).
Of the post 355 era I think there are some nice models (360 CS springs to mind) but also much more money. IMO 458 just too quick for the road.
550 might be a possible option. I think prices still okay and a lot of car for the money. But a 12-cylinder Ferrari not likely to be cheaper to run and in my eyes it is not the best looking Ferrari.
I think a DB9 is worth a look. Still a very good looking car even after all these years. Not the same driving experience though.
If driving is important, have you considered a 996 GT3? They are great cars, although probably doesn't tick the "good looking" or "special enough" boxes (at least, not for those that don't know anything about cars).
Perhaps your 355 already has been fettled/played with (exhaust, suspension, etc) but if not, then maybe some subtle changes to make it feel a bit different, rather than changing the car completely? (as a bit of a purist I'd only suggest easily reversible modifications).
You could go for an older V8 but the 308/328/348 are really earlier and slower ancestors of the 355 so not sure that would bring you much. A 246 is possibly even better looking that the 355 but far too expensive. As is any other interesting, old Ferrari (and then they would likely be less useable).
Of the post 355 era I think there are some nice models (360 CS springs to mind) but also much more money. IMO 458 just too quick for the road.
550 might be a possible option. I think prices still okay and a lot of car for the money. But a 12-cylinder Ferrari not likely to be cheaper to run and in my eyes it is not the best looking Ferrari.
I think a DB9 is worth a look. Still a very good looking car even after all these years. Not the same driving experience though.
If driving is important, have you considered a 996 GT3? They are great cars, although probably doesn't tick the "good looking" or "special enough" boxes (at least, not for those that don't know anything about cars).
Perhaps your 355 already has been fettled/played with (exhaust, suspension, etc) but if not, then maybe some subtle changes to make it feel a bit different, rather than changing the car completely? (as a bit of a purist I'd only suggest easily reversible modifications).
Gassing Station | Ferrari V8 | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff