Ferrari 355 revisted - have you misjudged a car before?
Discussion
I've always loved the looks of the 355. For me it is one of the best-looking Ferraris ever made. Way back in 2002 I thought about buying one and went for a test drive...but was underwhelmed. I was also told by my wife that I could buy it, but hell would freeze over first before she would consent to be seen driving around in a red Ferrari! Anyway, I ended up with a GT3 (which was amazing) and since the birth of my daughter anything with less than 4 seats has been off the menu.
I've currently got a 993 but most of the time I either drive it alone or just with my daughter so perhaps a 2-seater would now work. The recent thread on used 355s got me interested again, so I went to look at a nice-looking yellow Berlinetta last Thursday. And was very impressed. Loved the noise, still loved the looks, but also thought the handling and steering were great. Now struggling with thoughts of whether the 355 really does make sense.
But the issue is why I was so unimpressed the first time I drove a 355? Perhaps it was because the test drive was no good. The route back then was very ordinary. No real opportunity to test the handling and the car I drove had a standard exhaust. This time the selling garage just happened to be located near some of the best roads in Switzerland, the weather was gorgeous and the car had a Tubi exhaust. Don't think I stopped grinning for hours!
The question is, have you ever judged a car (either positively or negatively) and then found on a second drive that you didn't agree with nor understand your original assessment?
I've currently got a 993 but most of the time I either drive it alone or just with my daughter so perhaps a 2-seater would now work. The recent thread on used 355s got me interested again, so I went to look at a nice-looking yellow Berlinetta last Thursday. And was very impressed. Loved the noise, still loved the looks, but also thought the handling and steering were great. Now struggling with thoughts of whether the 355 really does make sense.
But the issue is why I was so unimpressed the first time I drove a 355? Perhaps it was because the test drive was no good. The route back then was very ordinary. No real opportunity to test the handling and the car I drove had a standard exhaust. This time the selling garage just happened to be located near some of the best roads in Switzerland, the weather was gorgeous and the car had a Tubi exhaust. Don't think I stopped grinning for hours!
The question is, have you ever judged a car (either positively or negatively) and then found on a second drive that you didn't agree with nor understand your original assessment?
There are some good 355's and bad 355's, I looked at 22 before buying mine.
Most have been clocked and not looked after, many haven't been maintained properly, there are very few with a proper service history. There are so many cars with stories attached.
You can pay 30k or 50k and the cars will be night and day, many people look through the classifieds and then go and look at the cheap ones and think they are rubbish, or buy a cheap one then whinge as they have to spend 10k putting them right within the first few months.
Most peoples aspirations are for a perfect supercar that they expect to be perfect in every way, they do exist but you need to spend the money, do the research, not buy the first one and have a proper inspection.
My advice is go and look at a cheep one and an expensive one to get a comparison, then decide what you want.
I can honestly say mine is the best car I have owned the only car I have ever kept for 3+ years, I have had all the 911's including brand new ones and a 2.7 rs, tvr,s etc etc
The 355?is not only the best handling, but is the most fun to own and and drive still get butterflies when ever I open the garage door.
Phib
Most have been clocked and not looked after, many haven't been maintained properly, there are very few with a proper service history. There are so many cars with stories attached.
You can pay 30k or 50k and the cars will be night and day, many people look through the classifieds and then go and look at the cheap ones and think they are rubbish, or buy a cheap one then whinge as they have to spend 10k putting them right within the first few months.
Most peoples aspirations are for a perfect supercar that they expect to be perfect in every way, they do exist but you need to spend the money, do the research, not buy the first one and have a proper inspection.
My advice is go and look at a cheep one and an expensive one to get a comparison, then decide what you want.
I can honestly say mine is the best car I have owned the only car I have ever kept for 3+ years, I have had all the 911's including brand new ones and a 2.7 rs, tvr,s etc etc
The 355?is not only the best handling, but is the most fun to own and and drive still get butterflies when ever I open the garage door.
Phib
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