355 Berlinetta/Targa/Spider roof cost poll, read post first!

355 Berlinetta/Targa/Spider roof cost poll, read post first!

Poll: 355 Berlinetta/Targa/Spider roof cost poll, read post first!

Total Members Polled: 38

Berlinetta: £0 - £250 / year: 34%
Berlinetta: £251 - £500 / year: 5%
Berlinetta: £500+ / year: 0%
Spider: £0 - £250 / year: 37%
Spider: £251 - £500 / year: 0%
Spider: £500+ / year: 5%
Targa: £0 - £250 / year: 16%
Targa: £251 - £500 / year: 0%
Targa: £500+ / year: 3%
Author
Discussion

Mario149

Original Poster:

7,774 posts

185 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
Reference another thread in which a PHer mentioned he'd had a very bad experience with a roof failure on his Spider , I though I'd try and gather some info on how much people have spent fixing the roofs of their 355s so we can get an approximation of any increased/decreased overall ownership costs associated with a particular variant.

Since nothing on the roof is strictly a "service" item and when something goes needs repairing it can be expensive, the options above are given as an amortised cost/year.

e.g. you had a Berlinetta for 6 years during which time you had the buttresses resprayed twice at a total cost of £600 and no other roof work done. Your cost for comparison would therefore be £100/year so you would pick the 1st option above

Finally: "coulda woulda shoulda"! Only include the actual cost to you that related to the roof! Chap mentioned above was lucky enough to get some good will/discount from his garage so he probably saved a great deal of money. So if you had similar, don't put what it would have cost, put what it actually cost you. Equally, if you were bent over the desk by the pretty receptionist at a main dealer and relieved of £5k ( + VAT sir) while she forcefully massaged your prostate all for the privilege of them wiping pigeon poo off your targa top, use that as your cost. And then post a pic of the lady in question wink

Cost options in the poll are broken down along the following logic for would-be buyers who are interested in the result:

1) less than £250/year = not really a serious cost given the general expense of 355 ownership
2) £251 - £500/year = an expense that is to be considered overall but nothing dramatic, bit like a cracked manifold
3) £500+/year = a serious expense that should be budgeted for like a full engine out major service

Edited by Mario149 on Friday 7th February 15:01


Edited by Mario149 on Friday 7th February 15:01

tony h

2,703 posts

253 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
my roof was 2k +vat from memory so I'm putting £500

Mario149

Original Poster:

7,774 posts

185 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
tony h said:
my roof was 2k +vat from memory so I'm putting £500
Cheeky wink I've stalked your profile! biggrin

(2000 + (0.2*2000) / (59/12) = £488, and bet you actually paid 17.5% VAT not 20% hehe

But on a serious note, that's a pretty epic deal considering the amount of work that was involved!

Moulder

1,527 posts

219 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
As targa was under-represented I have added my costs, nothing over the last two years.

carspath

856 posts

184 months

Friday 7th February 2014
quotequote all
1994 berlinetta
no buttress/roof costs in the 8 years that I have owned the car
x1 buttress repair+repaint by bob houghtons in 2002---cost unknown

Mario149

Original Poster:

7,774 posts

185 months

Wednesday 12th February 2014
quotequote all
<bump>

C'mon kids, there's got to be more than 10 355 owners on this forum!

F355GTS

3,745 posts

262 months

Wednesday 12th February 2014
quotequote all
Mario149 said:
<bump>

C'mon kids, there's got to be more than 10 355 owners on this forum!
9, I voted twice as I've had 2 smile

fwiw No cost on GTS roof and no cost on Spider other than some oil and a new seat potentiometer

Mario149

Original Poster:

7,774 posts

185 months

Wednesday 12th February 2014
quotequote all
How did you vote twice? I set it to one answer per user...

phib

4,488 posts

266 months

Saturday 15th February 2014
quotequote all
Had my spider for 7 years, changed hydraulic fluid twice thats it been perfect

Phib

theRossatron

1,028 posts

239 months

Wednesday 19th February 2014
quotequote all
I've added my vote, I'm a Berlinetta owner and although there is one tiny crack in the paint on one buttress it's not significant enough for me to want to have it sorted yet. I've had the car a little over 3 years.

blueSL

633 posts

233 months

Sunday 9th March 2014
quotequote all
I've had my Berlinetta since 1995 and had the buttresses (and wheel arch returns) done for the first time two years ago. £1900 IIRC. Not cheap but it looks perfect and about a tank of fuel a year.

Edited by blueSL on Sunday 9th March 03:57

Jonty355

4,423 posts

220 months

Sunday 9th March 2014
quotequote all
I've had my 355 Spider for over 6 years and the roof has cost me nothing.



Apart from my hearing! what?

MalcQV

243 posts

241 months

Wednesday 12th March 2014
quotequote all
When I bought my Belinetta back in Feb 2010 I had the knackered buttresses done at KHPC for £1000. They are still pretty damn perfect smile

nige1

24 posts

200 months

Monday 31st March 2014
quotequote all
1996 Spider. I have had to do the hydraulic fluid every year, otherwise reliable.
I had the canvass roof replaced as its in a was very sad state, approx £1500. better than new now.
electrics etc are fine

Edited by nige1 on Monday 31st March 20:09

Andyandyhall

104 posts

145 months

Saturday 30th July 2016
quotequote all
5 years with a 1999 Spider, roof cost £0

Simmos

69 posts

153 months

Sunday 31st July 2016
quotequote all
Seven years with a Berlinetta - Roof cost: £0.

FezSpider

1,067 posts

239 months

Sunday 31st July 2016
quotequote all
Simmos said:
Seven years with a Berlinetta - Roof cost: £0.
Berlinettas can potentially have roof related problems.
Butteres crack, needing refilling and re painting=££s.
I usually can tell the ones that have been done due to the miss match of the localised blown in paint work on certain colours.
If a Berlinetta has not had cracked butteress, its not been driven hard enough.

diametric123

146 posts

119 months

Sunday 31st July 2016
quotequote all
Other end of the spectrum - bought a 355 GTB with 30k miles, cost me £5k to get it through its first MOT because of ECu problems and them promptly sold it!

phib

4,488 posts

266 months

Sunday 31st July 2016
quotequote all
diametric123 said:
Other end of the spectrum - bought a 355 GTB with 30k miles, cost me £5k to get it through its first MOT because of ECu problems and them promptly sold it!
Ouch ! Ecu's generally get wet on 355's as the black weatherproof sealant dries out and water gets in.

If in doubt take them out leave on boiler for 2 weeks then refit with silicon sealant and usually ok.

Had my spider 9 years, top up roof fluid once a year.

Otherwise costs 0.

Has been cheaper to run than my Audi A6

As for exhaust emissions on any Ferrari, get a 'Ferrari friendly' MOT centre.

Phib


Edited by phib on Sunday 31st July 17:09