Which classic?

[Aventador 700]

£100-150k

What would you buy?

I’ve never owned a Ferrari as i dont like the newer models, a 360 was the last I appreciated really, i have always loved the Testarossa / 512, love the 355 but now the fibreglass 308 has captured my interest to..

This year I’m balancing up the garage with some classics ive always wanted but when it comes to the Ferrari i’m a little undecided as to which to go for.

So some opinions from you guys would be really appreciated as i’m a little naive on knowledge as ive been looking in other directions, so which would you go for and why?

[DRZ]

360 Challenge Stradale? Right in the ballpark budget-wise and jives with your like of the regular 360.

[Fiammetta]

A Testarossa to drive is rather disappointing interns of no PAS .It’s rear weight bias is palpable, brakes mediocre .

A 360 F1 with the updated Trans ECU is a joy to drive , 400 BHP enough through two rear wheels .Nice stiff Al honeycomb chassis .

As a “ classic “ with a difference , some hand in future residuals I would go for a 512 pref a carb so not a BBI , but as always buy on condition.Reason rarity and more eligible for classic car runs etc .A bit more dimensionally easier to store and drive etc .Carb F cars just add another level of driver involvement.

I write this in full knowledge of U.K. roads , pot holes , speed cameras , universal hand gestures freely given by other drivers etc . Potential car shows as well .

Having had a Testarossa, 360 , and now running a GT 4 Dino I get more thumbs up from white van man in the Bertone car than the other two ,

I wouldn’t bother with a glass 308 GTB as they hide corrosion badly underneath on the steel chassis .= Right money puts
Kings new suit + dealers hype those vetroresina s = avoid .

By all means consider a carb 308 in steel and bank the difference if Pininfarina is your preference over Marcel Gandini s work the GT 4?

keep the Lamborghini for that ultimate 0-60 thrill where you can .

Classic F cars give a different driving experience .Not sure what a 360 CS or Scud would bring to your party either .Two much overlap with your Lambo(s) .

Edited by Fiammetta on Sunday 26th March 18:55

[Aventador 700]

Thanks gents,

To be completely honest, Ferrai has never been on my radar (or porsche) as they’re image has always been a little too obvious for me and too much the public choice, who knows why you have a lambo on your wall and not a ferrari at 10 years old?

I’m more Maserati, DeTomaso, Lambo, Lancia when it comes to Italian exotica as they’re more the fringe sitter like myself… but there’s no denying they’re very good cars (like porsche) and the reason their classic status and values are held in high regard.

Thats my reason (ashamedly) i’m looking at one, i would drive it but not very often considering the choice of cars i have to drive but thats not to say it doesnt need to drive well and be a more hassle free ownership prospect, i have no time for restoring or a high maintenance car.

Maybe this is a different way of falling for a brand? always liked them but never thought i’d be comfortable driving one, maybe i’ll be smitten, who knows, i think it’ll be easier for me appreciate one in europe (where i live) on empty country roads, it certainly intrigues me to be considering a marque i never thought i’d own, guess i’ll find out..

So maybe the later 360 Scud is the way to go, i see there’s low mileage 360s for budget so i’ll go take a drive, in fact i’ll try a few of the mentioned, thanks Fiammetta, great info i can see me in a 512TR as well, the 308, 355 less so..

Any other opinions appreciated

[Vsix and Vtec]

If I were in the position to own a Testarossa and DIDN'T take it (having had a poster of one, plus been besotted with Miami Vice as a kid) I would think it very likely that I'd regret it. Yes im sure it's much nicer to look at then to drive, but let's be honest, the same applies to the Countach and XJ220, and I'd damn well own both of those in a heartbeat too. This is a purchase where the heart creeps up on the head, chloroforms it, stuffs it in a box and runs off cackling manicly with your wallet. Logic is going to struggle to find a place to hang it's hat.

[AmoCS]

DRZ said:

360 Challenge Stradale? Right in the ballpark budget-wise and jives with your like of the regular 360.

LHD yes, RHDs are £200k plus ATM.

Edited by AmoCS on Tuesday 28th March 07:38

[Stuart70]

Ferrari 550 would be my suggestion - GT rather than sports car, does a different thing and will most definitely become a collectible in time.

[Aventador 700]

Stuart70 said:

Ferrari 550 would be my suggestion - GT rather than sports car, does a different thing and will most definitely become a collectible in time.

One i would buy and drive tbh, in grey, always liked them and surprised their values havent soared, i understand the Supermacia is to be avoided due to roof panels no longer being available? Handling pack essential? The latter being from memory, reading when new..

Yes, i think this could well be a purchase that’ll mug me, financially and emotionally but i’m used to that 🙂

AmoCS said:

LHD yes, RHDs are £200k plus ATM.

Edited by AmoCS on Tuesday 28th March 07:38

Lhd seems to be 200 + also, not looked in germany as yet..

So whats with the european prestige one then?

[AmoCS]

Sorry no idea on that one, I do try to track them here, have a look through, it might have been on sale before.

https://clubstradale.com/ferrari-challenge-stradal...

This is the only RHD I can find on sale ATM if you are interested.

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14155044

Another LHD for you to consider:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008072...

Edited by AmoCS on Tuesday 28th March 13:13

[Aventador 700]

Turned out it was a jap import so i think that is a no go? Its a lot cheaper but provenance was good, collectors dont want an import i’m guessing, difficult for you to say as lhd is undesirable to you anyway but its a good 50k cheaper than anything in germany or europe in general.

a non chalenge car has been offered to me off market, manual but with a sunroof and the chalenge rear end / black mesh, being told the chalenge rear end was an option on the sunroof car?

Its similar to this one https://blog.dupontregistry.com/features/645722/ra...

[cgt2]

Had most of the cars discussed above, my first choice would be a 550. They are not money pits if you buy a good one, I've had three and done over 50,000 miles in them combined. No major faults at all, just small niggles as you'll get with any 90's era Ferrari.

575 Manual I later owned wasn't as good, it didn't have the classic appeal of the earlier car and felt no different to drive (had Fiorano Handling Pack, earlier 550's did not).

Avoid a Superamerica, they suffered from roof delamination and roof cracking within a couple of years when new and aside from the humongous cost, parts are unavailable now (largely due to it being such a common recurring issue).

[tomtom]

Aventador 700 said:

Turned out it was a jap import so i think that is a no go? Its a lot cheaper but provenance was good, collectors dont want an import i’m guessing, difficult for you to say as lhd is undesirable to you anyway but its a good 50k cheaper than anything in germany or europe in general.

a non chalenge car has been offered to me off market, manual but with a sunroof and the chalenge rear end / black mesh, being told the chalenge rear end was an option on the sunroof car?

Its similar to this one https://blog.dupontregistry.com/features/645722/ra...

Challenge grilles (front and rear...) were an option on the 360, yes.

[Aventador 700]

tomtom said:

Aventador 700 said:

Turned out it was a jap import so i think that is a no go? Its a lot cheaper but provenance was good, collectors dont want an import i’m guessing, difficult for you to say as lhd is undesirable to you anyway but its a good 50k cheaper than anything in germany or europe in general.

a non chalenge car has been offered to me off market, manual but with a sunroof and the chalenge rear end / black mesh, being told the chalenge rear end was an option on the sunroof car?

Its similar to this one https://blog.dupontregistry.com/features/645722/ra...

Challenge grilles (front and rear...) were an option on the 360, yes.

Thanks

[Aventador 700]

Options currently:

A manual red / black 355 that’s very clean sub 10k miles but its complexity around servicing puts me off, prices are pretty flat and have been a while and it doesnt have the chalenge rear grill which i prefer.

I also have this manual red/tan 360 Sunroof car, again very clean, sub 25k miles, chalenge grill, only 25 made so has a bit of rarity but its only sunroof (its quite cool though as it has solid and glass panel) rarity and not a performance one like the CS (which i’d prefer)

550 isn't revealing much atm but i’m really drawn to this as i almost bought one once as a main car, i really like them (yet didnt mention it in my op, dont know why) think i’d be tempted to use it more, maybe too much whats servicing like on these considering they’re V12

I already have a V12 but not a screamer V8, so the 360 & 355 win on this count, though this car is really more about future values (sadly) than personal use (though i will enjoy occasional use)

Head says carry on looking for a 360 CS

I drove the Testarossa and its a no from me, drove the 512TR and it was lovely, finding a good one is harder than the later cars tho and more money, parity with a 360cs mind.

[johnnyreggae]

If this is a car to use in contrast to your current V12 then it seems to me that 355 is the wrong call as its mileage is too low (any competent fuse changer can install a challenge grill however) a sunroof on a 360 will always be a difficult sell so the rarity is a negative not a positive and your idea of a useable V12 is not wrong - if you are considering a 360CS then why not also broaden your 360 and/or V12 search to include F1 ?

So buy a basic 360F1 now and if you decide you want to focus the experience look for a better 360CS

[Aventador 700]

johnnyreggae said:

If this is a car to use in contrast to your current V12 then it seems to me that 355 is the wrong call as its mileage is too low (any competent fuse changer can install a challenge grill however) a sunroof on a 360 will always be a difficult sell so the rarity is a negative not a positive and your idea of a useable V12 is not wrong - if you are considering a 360CS then why not also broaden your 360 and/or V12 search to include F1 ?

So buy a basic 360F1 now and if you decide you want to focus the experience look for a better 360CS

It won’t get used much to be honest, even the more modern cars I have and that I will use more often than this car, only get 1-2k put on them each year as I can only drive one at a time.

Daily 12k pa
Track car gets 4-6k to tracks
Weekend car s 3-4k
Events car 2k (if that)
Then the already replaced S63 which gets zero usage now and the reason it’s going against this classic

So I doubt this will get more than 500 - 1000 miles, as that’s all time will allow, one of the benefits I’ve owning a number of cars is you don’t rack up to many on one car, more you add it automatically keeps mileages low

This car will get even less..

It is more an exercise in having a car there that suits little to no use that’s nice to look at that I ‘can’ enjoy occasionally, I enjoy looking at them as much as I do driving them now I’m getting older, may sound strange but I set up my gym (which I use every day) and car storage together so I could do this

Eta: I hear what you’re saying on sunroof but it was an expensive option by Ferrari and it makes it rare, apparently very well executed, not sure it adds value but do you really think it detracts from the value?

[Bispal]

Aventador 700 said:

It won’t get used much to be honest, even the more modern cars I have and that I will use more often than this car, only get 1-2k put on them each year as I can only drive one at a time.

Daily 12k pa
Track car gets 4-6k to tracks
Weekend car s 3-4k
Events car 2k (if that)
Then the already replaced S63 which gets zero usage now and the reason it’s going against this classic

So I doubt this will get more than 500 - 1000 miles, as that’s all time will allow, one of the benefits I’ve owning a number of cars is you don’t rack up to many on one car, more you add it automatically keeps mileages low

This car will get even less..

It is more an exercise in having a car there that suits little to no use that’s nice to look at that I ‘can’ enjoy occasionally, I enjoy looking at them as much as I do driving them now I’m getting older, may sound strange but I set up my gym (which I use every day) and car storage together so I could do this

Eta: I hear what you’re saying on sunroof but it was an expensive option by Ferrari and it makes it rare, apparently very well executed, not sure it adds value but do you really think it detracts from the value?

A 360 with a sunroof, OMG that would make it 100 times more desirable to me. I guess for every 99 people that are put off you have one who is massively turned on, enough to but it above all other examples.