Trying to buy a F355 any tips please
Discussion
[report] [news] 07:50
I have been looking to purchase a red 355 berlinetta or GTS manual with the later spec engine for months now. Every time I get anywhere near they are either sold to dealers or sold within hours of being placed on a dealers website and before the usual web places. I have placed wanted ads but just wondered if there is another way. The problem is that I am a private buyer with a budget and have seen cars snapped up privately then reappear a couple of weeks later on dealers websites with large mark ups. I have seen ones with the F1 gearbox but have been put off them by views on forums are they really that bad !. Where do the private sellers place ads for their cars or do they just trade them in to limit the hassle of selling privately.
Edited by Superbock on Tuesday 22 April 07:52
I have been looking to purchase a red 355 berlinetta or GTS manual with the later spec engine for months now. Every time I get anywhere near they are either sold to dealers or sold within hours of being placed on a dealers website and before the usual web places. I have placed wanted ads but just wondered if there is another way. The problem is that I am a private buyer with a budget and have seen cars snapped up privately then reappear a couple of weeks later on dealers websites with large mark ups. I have seen ones with the F1 gearbox but have been put off them by views on forums are they really that bad !. Where do the private sellers place ads for their cars or do they just trade them in to limit the hassle of selling privately.
Edited by Superbock on Tuesday 22 April 07:52
355 F1 is a joy to drive if setup properly. I'd say most of the people who have suggested they're poor have had little or no seat time in one, add to that the Clarkson flappy paddles and proper Ferraris have to have a manual box mantra that many have taken up it's always going to be seen as a poor relation.
My last 355 was F1, it was fantastic in all driving environments. Try one but if you've not driven a paddle box before you need to understand it'll take a while to get used to it
As regards the dealers snapping up lower priced cars and re-marketing it's probably inevitable given the presumed/ manufactured rise in values, I watch the classifieds and don't see many of the dealer cars rushing out the door
My last 355 was F1, it was fantastic in all driving environments. Try one but if you've not driven a paddle box before you need to understand it'll take a while to get used to it
As regards the dealers snapping up lower priced cars and re-marketing it's probably inevitable given the presumed/ manufactured rise in values, I watch the classifieds and don't see many of the dealer cars rushing out the door
Thank you for your reply. Yes some cars are not moving but others are selling so quickly. Last week advert on web Thursday sold Thursday. Two weeks ago car on web Monday sold Tuesday. Maybe it is because of the spec I am after that everyone wants that is the problem. I will just keep on looking and one day I may be lucky. I have taken on board your comments about the F1 gearbox so that is another option maybe.
Superbock said:
Thank you for your reply. Yes some cars are not moving but others are selling so quickly. Last week advert on web Thursday sold Thursday. Two weeks ago car on web Monday sold Tuesday. Maybe it is because of the spec I am after that everyone wants that is the problem. I will just keep on looking and one day I may be lucky. I have taken on board your comments about the F1 gearbox so that is another option maybe.
Classic car market in general is like this at the moment. You almost need to call straight away and put a holding deposit on a car subject to an inspection to get a hold on a car otherwise someone else will best you too it. Many people probably expect significant price increase in the 355 over the next few yearsInteresting you insist on the 5.2 Motronic. I relish having an earlier car with the plain steering wheel instead of the ugly airbag one and I don't much mind it's the 2.7.
There weren't many cars imported - something like 800 - and time has inevitably taken its toll. Keep in mind that parts are getting difficult - window switches for example - and you really don't want the damper control units to fail. Also, the centre console and other rubber coated surfaces will be deteriorating - and in the replacement parts stock as well - but there are a variety of solutions.
I find it a very rewarding car to drive, much more so than my 997.2 turbo, so keep looking.
There weren't many cars imported - something like 800 - and time has inevitably taken its toll. Keep in mind that parts are getting difficult - window switches for example - and you really don't want the damper control units to fail. Also, the centre console and other rubber coated surfaces will be deteriorating - and in the replacement parts stock as well - but there are a variety of solutions.
I find it a very rewarding car to drive, much more so than my 997.2 turbo, so keep looking.
Thanks. Yet again I have been led to believe that there were problems with the 2.7 type engines and also sounds daft but wanted the security of airbags !. I have left my details with some dealers but am still shocked when they have not contacted me then I find a new car on their stock list. The way things are going I might have to compromise on my spec. Emailed a garage tonight regarding a Red GTB F1 but it has now been sold !
It will be my first ferrari and as such wanted it to be red but I did see a yellow GTS at Silverstone which looked great but the problem is that if I bought a yellow one would I always be thinking I should have bought red. The only other thing is as a friend said to me get a any colour car then if things move on price etc at least you should be ok as you will be in the market but the problem with that is you then have a car to offload before you can move on
F355GTS said:
355 F1 is a joy to drive if setup properly. I'd say most of the people who have suggested they're poor have had little or no seat time in one, add to that the Clarkson flappy paddles and proper Ferraris have to have a manual box mantra that many have taken up it's always going to be seen as a poor relation.
My last 355 was F1, it was fantastic in all driving environments. Try one but if you've not driven a paddle box before you need to understand it'll take a while to get used to it
Spot on. My advice would be to not rule out an F1 - once you get used to them they are great to drive. My last 355 was F1, it was fantastic in all driving environments. Try one but if you've not driven a paddle box before you need to understand it'll take a while to get used to it
Superbock][report] [news said:
07:50
I have been looking to purchase a red 355 berlinetta or GTS manual with the later spec engine for months now. Every time I get anywhere near they are either sold to dealers or sold within hours of being placed on a dealers website and before the usual web places. I have placed wanted ads but just wondered if there is another way. The problem is that I am a private buyer with a budget and have seen cars snapped up privately then reappear a couple of weeks later on dealers websites with large mark ups. I have seen ones with the F1 gearbox but have been put off them by views on forums are they really that bad !. Where do the private sellers place ads for their cars or do they just trade them in to limit the hassle of selling privately.
Edited by Superbock on Tuesday 22 April 07:52
Yes it's annoying when the cars you want get snapped up quickly. I've had that problem a couple times but just keep looking, something will come up!I have been looking to purchase a red 355 berlinetta or GTS manual with the later spec engine for months now. Every time I get anywhere near they are either sold to dealers or sold within hours of being placed on a dealers website and before the usual web places. I have placed wanted ads but just wondered if there is another way. The problem is that I am a private buyer with a budget and have seen cars snapped up privately then reappear a couple of weeks later on dealers websites with large mark ups. I have seen ones with the F1 gearbox but have been put off them by views on forums are they really that bad !. Where do the private sellers place ads for their cars or do they just trade them in to limit the hassle of selling privately.
Edited by Superbock on Tuesday 22 April 07:52
I've never driven a 355 F1. I've heard people say it’s terrible and I've had other people say the same as above, that if set up properly, it’s very good. My personal opinion is that the 355 definitely feels like an "old school" car and for me I wouldn’t want anything other than a manual one. Bought mine 5 years ago (wow doesn’t seem that long ago) and I've loved every minute of it. It's an amazing car, look it for a spin last night and it is still the best sounding car I have ever been in. Literally sounds like a mini F1 car!
Just keep looking, perhaps give a couple reputable dealers a call and tell them what you're after. That’s what I did when I was looking.
Yes lots of owners normally trade in because it’s easier and they can’t be bothered with the hassle. I’ve sold a few cars privately as I’m often not in a hurry to sell. Just keep an eye out on here and Autotrader. Perhaps on Clubscuderia as well, I think they now have a for sale section.
Good luck and keep us posted!
blueSL said:
Interesting you insist on the 5.2 Motronic. I relish having an earlier car with the plain steering wheel instead of the ugly airbag one and I don't much mind it's the 2.7.
I had a 2.7 (airbag wheel, at least initially) and if you put 2.7 and a 5.2 in front of me, all other things being equal, I'd go for the 5.2, less replicated parts to go wrong. 2.7s have things like 2 fuel pumps/MAFS etc from memory, but they're not redundant i.e. if you lose one you still need to get it fixed. So basically there's twice as much chance of that part of the system failing for no real gain. Swapping out an original chunky airbag wheel for a nice Momo Race item (or similar) with a new boss and spacer to help fix the daft driving position and then removing/disabling the airbag warning light takes about an hour and £200 in parts even if you displayed massive muppetry doing it like I did
Thanks Mario. That is the information I was also given and why I am looking for the 5.2 spec engine. On the steering wheel I have seen a 360 airbag steering wheel fitted to a 355 which looks great and also still gives you the airbag just in case !.
Looking through the classifieds I sometimes come across at garages stating receipts for £10k or more for repairs but this has mainly been on the cars with F1 gearboxes !
Looking through the classifieds I sometimes come across at garages stating receipts for £10k or more for repairs but this has mainly been on the cars with F1 gearboxes !
Superbock said:
I sometimes come across at garages stating receipts for £10k or more for repairs....
Without trying to put you off, those sorts of bills are quite feasible even on manual cars. The year before I bought mine, the previous owner (a collector, he had 3x 355s and a total of 13 Ferraris) spent £13k at Rardley on it and didn't even fix anything major. From memory:all pads and discs
4 tyres
oil tank repaint
cam cover repaint
lots of wheel bolts
a damper
fix dodgy window (that hoovered up masses of labour from memory)
major + belts (engine out)
+ lots of other little things. £100/hr labour and Ferrari parts mean it's not all that difficult to get into 5 figures if you're anal and/or leave a few things to build up for a few years. Moral of the story, stay on top of it, little and often! My 355 (and now 550) went/go in at least every 6 months for at least a checkover (and service if due).
OP, I was in the same situation in 2009 but being way up North and well away from the general marketplace it was very difficult. I visited Cartwrights for a test drive and was very impressed by them (and their cars).
On returning home and considering everything I provided them with a spec sheet for my ideal car and within a few weeks they had sourced one which was very close to that spec. The deal was concluded without seeing the car which was collected and driven home a couple of months later.
I still have the car, a 355 GTS manual, and have nothing but praise for the service and quality provided by Cartwrights. They are on the expensive side but I felt that was acceptable given their attention to detail.
If you've not considered them as a source because of their apparent high prices you should maybe still pay them a visit.
On returning home and considering everything I provided them with a spec sheet for my ideal car and within a few weeks they had sourced one which was very close to that spec. The deal was concluded without seeing the car which was collected and driven home a couple of months later.
I still have the car, a 355 GTS manual, and have nothing but praise for the service and quality provided by Cartwrights. They are on the expensive side but I felt that was acceptable given their attention to detail.
If you've not considered them as a source because of their apparent high prices you should maybe still pay them a visit.
I bought mine about 6/7 years ago and its still in the garage, longest time I have ever owned a car.
So a bit of advice ……
I looked at 22 red and cream and manual spiders before I bought mine over a 2 year period. I saw so much rubbish !!!Everything from claims of full service history that funnily enough when I got there were missing !!
It was my first Ferrari so I wanted a perfect car, mine had some scary bills before I bought it but mainly as the owners just stuck it in the main dealers and asked it to be fixed, on one of the receipts there was something like £60 for locktight !!!
I would look at loads before you buy, I have had friends buy ropey ones and then spend £20/£30k getting them right !!
Mine has been perfect ( yes even the hood !!!) since I have had it, it wasn't the lowest milage one ( 36k when I bought it) but it haddnt been clocked as most had been ( that I looked at) easy to tell, bolsters should last 40k -50k at least and most look shagged with 12k on the clock.
I bought the best one I could find irrelevent of money and milage, I paid a bit more than I wanted but it has paid me back in spades !!
Its probably the one car I couldn't bring myself to sell, had other ferraris, most 911's, Tvr's etc etc and the 355 is still here
If you have any questions just ask
Phib
So a bit of advice ……
I looked at 22 red and cream and manual spiders before I bought mine over a 2 year period. I saw so much rubbish !!!Everything from claims of full service history that funnily enough when I got there were missing !!
It was my first Ferrari so I wanted a perfect car, mine had some scary bills before I bought it but mainly as the owners just stuck it in the main dealers and asked it to be fixed, on one of the receipts there was something like £60 for locktight !!!
I would look at loads before you buy, I have had friends buy ropey ones and then spend £20/£30k getting them right !!
Mine has been perfect ( yes even the hood !!!) since I have had it, it wasn't the lowest milage one ( 36k when I bought it) but it haddnt been clocked as most had been ( that I looked at) easy to tell, bolsters should last 40k -50k at least and most look shagged with 12k on the clock.
I bought the best one I could find irrelevent of money and milage, I paid a bit more than I wanted but it has paid me back in spades !!
Its probably the one car I couldn't bring myself to sell, had other ferraris, most 911's, Tvr's etc etc and the 355 is still here
If you have any questions just ask
Phib
I've owned my yellow spider manual for 6.5 years too and its an epic car. I also did the same as Mario and changed the standard airbag wheel for a MOMO wheel with detchable boss. Improved the driving position no end.
However I'm getting to the point where its maybe time to part with her now that I have a daughter and also a 308 GTB to look after. A shame because I've just fininshed replacing everything on it. Past 2 years its had new belts, radiators, alternator, brakes, Fiorano suspension, exhaust manifolds and pipes, Tubi exhaust, new set of yres in december and its currently just having a new clutch fitted. Taking it to Lemans this year then its going to go up for sale. Will be a very sad day.
Would always recommend one though. Considering all of the supercars/hypercars I've driven (of which there are a lot) then its still one of the best cars out there! It makes F40's look very very over priced if you ask me!
However I'm getting to the point where its maybe time to part with her now that I have a daughter and also a 308 GTB to look after. A shame because I've just fininshed replacing everything on it. Past 2 years its had new belts, radiators, alternator, brakes, Fiorano suspension, exhaust manifolds and pipes, Tubi exhaust, new set of yres in december and its currently just having a new clutch fitted. Taking it to Lemans this year then its going to go up for sale. Will be a very sad day.
Would always recommend one though. Considering all of the supercars/hypercars I've driven (of which there are a lot) then its still one of the best cars out there! It makes F40's look very very over priced if you ask me!
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