Which 355 to buy?

[Bacchus]

similar to this one? (Sadly sold)

https://www.prinsclassics.nl/en/sold/ferrari-f355-...

[Behemoth]

201CHY said:

have now shifted away from thinking that the car should be red and actually think it looks less aged in a darker colour- so that is where the search goes.

Bravo. The idea that you must get a red Ferrari is such an old wive's tale. To my eyes, most models look far more elegant in darker colours.

[Cactussed]

TDF and tan my friend...

[Cactussed]

Bacchus said:

similar to this one? (Sadly sold)

https://www.prinsclassics.nl/en/sold/ferrari-f355-...

that looks lovely!
got the seats and everything.

does anyone know if that additional centre console cubby hole is factory fit or has anyone made one?

[TIGA84]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

Silver's nice......

[Bispal]

Black / black is best :-) Good luck with your search.

Edited by Bispal on Friday 10th February 15:52

[FezSpider]

Behemoth said:

Bravo. The idea that you must get a red Ferrari is such an old wive's tale. To my eyes, most models look far more elegant in darker colours.

However not all reds are equil. My cars red is the original red enzo ferrari used on his first cars. Enzo borrowed the colour rosso barchetta from the alfa romeos he used to race and was used on his first ferrari road cars.
This colour is a very dark red, almost maroon and makes the standard rosso corsa reds look positively orange next to it.
Unfortunately its a very rare colour, over the years there are only 3 that i know of in the UK, my RHD spider, a LHD import was here 8 years ago ( could still be) and a berlineta in scotland. Had mine for 12 years so far, love it.
image upload

Edited by FezSpider on Friday 10th February 18:50

[F355GTS]

FezSpider said:

However not all reds are equil. My cars red is the original red enzo ferrari used on his first cars. Enzo borrowed the colour rosso barchetta from the alfa romeos he used to race and was used on his first ferrari road cars.
This colour is a very dark red, almost maroon and makes the standard rosso corsa reds look positively orange next to it.
Unfortunately its a very rare colour, over the years there are only 3 that i know of in the UK, my RHD spider, a LHD import was here 8 years ago ( could still be) and a berlineta in scotland. Had mine for 12 years so far, love it.
image upload

Edited by FezSpider on Friday 10th February 18:50

the Scottish one taken in 2003

[FezSpider]

Hi Colin, yea thats the one. When i knew it, it was owned by an older couple that i met for the first time in 2006 at Donington sea of red, and then twice again when I traveled to the Italian car and bike show in Scotland in 2013.
Thanks for posting that, it certainly shows the darkness of the red.

[mike01606]

OP it should go without saying but hasn't been said so far on this thread!......I'd still have a car independently inspected and even more so at these levels no matter where it was from (maybe a couple of exceptions)....

You don't want to get a six figure car home to find out it's hiding something. It was less of a risk when they were £30k

The 355 is a gorgeous car and I particularly like the GTB.....good luck with your search.

Edited by mike01606 on Friday 10th February 20:38

[F355GTS]

FezSpider said:

Hi Colin, yea thats the one. When i knew it, it was owned by an older couple that i met for the first time in 2006 at Donington sea of red, and then twice again when I traveled to the Italian car and bike show in Scotland in 2013.
Thanks for posting that, it certainly shows the darkness of the red.

Hi Chaz

I did meet the owners, we were on the same tour in 2003 and again in a later year but can't remember their names. I did see the car much later in the South with new owners

rgds


Mark

[Rari]

I wonder if it's this car:

http://www.hampshireclassicsltd.co.uk/inventory/fe...

I've no affiliation with car or vendor

[MrVert]

That's lovely....

[845ste]

for me ( i had one) the best is first serie -no airbag GTS.
is more performaing and lighter of all

[Bispal]

Rari said:

I wonder if it's this car:

http://www.hampshireclassicsltd.co.uk/inventory/fe...

I've no affiliation with car or vendor

I don't understand why LHD 355's are almost half the price of RHD. It doesn't happen with other cars, the differential is usually around 10%. With a Ferrari they usually drive better in LHD as that's how they were designed and as Enzo intended and the pedals are not offset. Of course RHD is rarer but the market is also restricted. There is no real discernible disadvantage to driving LHD, apart from car park barriers, and that can't be worth £40k? Insurance costs a bit extra but its a bit, around £50.

The massive differential seems to suggest that LHD 355's have will have to increase faster to catch up?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...

[Cactussed]

To the OP.

You are buying a 20yo (or more) car, with likely all the inherent issues that entails.
Corrosion (eg, radiator cores), brittle ageing rubber components, brittle ageing plastic components etc.
A low mileage car with full history will most definitely have some or all of the above issues.
Oddly, a well used and maintained one is likely to have fewer problems, but cost less.

Go in with your eyes open. A high price and fully stamped book are no substitute for actual maintenance, be that remedial or preventative.

[spice]

Production numbers
F355 GTB
Total 4915 RHD 496

F355 GTS
Total 2577 RHD 434

F355 Spider
Total 3714 RHD 454
LHD approx 40% lower value in the UK
less than 1500 RHD cars world wide

[Bispal]

spice said:

Production numbers
F355 GTB
Total 4915 RHD 496

F355 GTS
Total 2577 RHD 434

F355 Spider
Total 3714 RHD 454
LHD approx 40% lower value in the UK
less than 1500 RHD cars world wide

Same for most other cars too. I know McLaren 12C world wide production was 3,500 and there are 280 RHD coupes but LHD are only 10% cheaper in the UK...?

[priley]

Cactussed said:

To the OP.

You are buying a 20yo (or more) car, with likely all the inherent issues that entails.
Corrosion (eg, radiator cores), brittle ageing rubber components, brittle ageing plastic components etc.
A low mileage car with full history will most definitely have some or all of the above issues.
Oddly, a well used and maintained one is likely to have fewer problems, but cost less.

Go in with your eyes open. A high price and fully stamped book are no substitute for actual maintenance, be that remedial or preventative.

Agreed. In some respects you may end up paying for the premium of low mileage twice. In my seven years of ownership (bought at 21k, now 30k) my car has probably averaged between £2-3k a year dealing with various age related issues including ECU's, failed sensors etc along with regular servicing.

[Behemoth]

spice said:

LHD approx 40% lower value in the UK
less than 1500 RHD cars world wide

Rarity matters less than supply & demand. There are fewer pre QV 308 GTB/S injected cars than other 308 variants, but they don't carry a premium.

~66% of the world drives on the right. Of the minority driving on the left, Japan much prefers LHD classics & exotics which carry a premium (I don't know what %). Most Ferraris have better ergonomics in LHD configuration. Some of the best Italian cars ever made were both LHD only and have strong loyal followings in the UK (F40, Integrale).

imo LHD 355s in the UK either look like very good value or RHD are overpriced. Maybe a bit of both.