My 1st FERRARI............a 360 or an F355 Spider?
Discussion
For a while now ive been contemplating purchasing a Ferrari. Problem is were do I start? I know very little about them. But i need to do it now.
Im currently driving a 2002 TVR Tamora but im ready to part ex it for one of the above. My budget is £40k for an F355 spider or £55k for a 360, has to be red or yellow. This car will be driven daily on a short trip to work, approx 6k miles pa.
I would really appreciate some advice re the pros and cons of owning either a 360 or an F355 spider. All i know is that the 360 is a lot more technically advanced and dare I say it, reliable. But perhaps a 355 is a nice introduction to Ferrari ownership.
Thanks
J
Im currently driving a 2002 TVR Tamora but im ready to part ex it for one of the above. My budget is £40k for an F355 spider or £55k for a 360, has to be red or yellow. This car will be driven daily on a short trip to work, approx 6k miles pa.
I would really appreciate some advice re the pros and cons of owning either a 360 or an F355 spider. All i know is that the 360 is a lot more technically advanced and dare I say it, reliable. But perhaps a 355 is a nice introduction to Ferrari ownership.
Thanks
J
jo5eph said:
Thats a fair question but I just dont see value in spending 50k on a 355 when similar money can be spent on a 360. Hence Id be prepared to spend around £40k on one.
F355 GTS. 48k : www.pistonheads.com/sales/88235.htm
F360 F1: www.pistonheads.com/sales/141601.htm
Both very nice. Go with your heart. i am sure there will be some sound advice coming from a variety of bias sources but with that sort of budget you should be able to pick up a great car.
How sure are you about running it in winter when a Ferraris worst enemy is about in very large quantities (ROAD SALT)
jo5eph said:
hoddo - i was hoping someone wouldnt say that. Whats the deal with the disparity in price. There are 355 spiders at £60k and 360's at 50k.
Someone was always going to say that !!!
Many people (me included) think the 355 is a more appealing car and with your budget may prefer to get a more sorted 355 than 360 however your argument about the costs been proportional now is a good one so as said above....go with your heart
What do you want from the purchase? If its just to own a stunning prancing horse then hunt around and find the best example (355 or 360)
The very best 360s will cost more than the very best 355s. You need to ensure that you are comparing like for like.
However, I personally believe even with comparable cars 355s will be worth more in years to come.
First and foremost you must choose which model you want to buy with your heart.
For me, the 355 is simply one of Ferraris best shapes ever. It sounds amazing, goes extremely well and is quite simply a superb car.
The 360 didn't, and doesn't (CS excepted) do it for me at all. I'm not sure what you mean by more technoligically advanced either?
Oh, and if it were me I'd get a GTB. Less to go wrong (save for buttress resprays every now and then
), purer lines, purer driving experience. But then I don't like the soft top versions of cars not designed to be that way.
50k would be top money for any variant 355 IMO, if you're wanting to buy a car to use properly.
Chech out clubscuderia.com and do a search. These conundrums have come up often with lots of input. Also a good place to start your search for knowledge etc.
BTW, don't be too sensitive to mileage too. You're going to be looking at 8yr old cars. Be sensible. They actually run better when they have a few miles under their belt
However, I personally believe even with comparable cars 355s will be worth more in years to come.
First and foremost you must choose which model you want to buy with your heart.
For me, the 355 is simply one of Ferraris best shapes ever. It sounds amazing, goes extremely well and is quite simply a superb car.
The 360 didn't, and doesn't (CS excepted) do it for me at all. I'm not sure what you mean by more technoligically advanced either?
Oh, and if it were me I'd get a GTB. Less to go wrong (save for buttress resprays every now and then
), purer lines, purer driving experience. But then I don't like the soft top versions of cars not designed to be that way. 50k would be top money for any variant 355 IMO, if you're wanting to buy a car to use properly.
Chech out clubscuderia.com and do a search. These conundrums have come up often with lots of input. Also a good place to start your search for knowledge etc.
BTW, don't be too sensitive to mileage too. You're going to be looking at 8yr old cars. Be sensible. They actually run better when they have a few miles under their belt
The 360 benefits from nearly a decade of extra development. But...
Engine - radical advance?
Brakes - radical advance?
Suspension - ditto?
Etc.
The chassis technology used is quite different, and the F1 gearbox was starting to come good. There were also a few extra bits of electronic jiggery pokery being introduced (assuming that floats your boat).
The known issues with the 355 are well documented on clubscud and elsewhere. Those of the 360 are starting to be
The 360 is a quicker car, but whether you'd ever really notice on the public road is debatable. You'll be working the car harder in the 355 undoubtedly. But to me that's part of the point (if you want something anyone can just jump into and squirt quickly between A and B, buy a Subaru). And on today's roads, when everyone's building "quick" cars, the joy in driving them comes from how they feel when you drive them. What it takes to extract the best from them etc.
Ultimately these are the things you have to decide on when buying one or the other. You need to be honest with yourself about what you *really* want from this purchase.
Engine - radical advance?
Brakes - radical advance?
Suspension - ditto?
Etc.
The chassis technology used is quite different, and the F1 gearbox was starting to come good. There were also a few extra bits of electronic jiggery pokery being introduced (assuming that floats your boat).
The known issues with the 355 are well documented on clubscud and elsewhere. Those of the 360 are starting to be
The 360 is a quicker car, but whether you'd ever really notice on the public road is debatable. You'll be working the car harder in the 355 undoubtedly. But to me that's part of the point (if you want something anyone can just jump into and squirt quickly between A and B, buy a Subaru). And on today's roads, when everyone's building "quick" cars, the joy in driving them comes from how they feel when you drive them. What it takes to extract the best from them etc.
Ultimately these are the things you have to decide on when buying one or the other. You need to be honest with yourself about what you *really* want from this purchase.
Owned both. The 360 is more reliable, looks more modern, is faster, nicer interior, traction control you can probably get away with doing 10k a yr in a 360 vs 5k in a 355. But if I had the choice as a first F car I'd go for a 355 berlinetta (issues owning and running a Spider). All IMHO.
Don't spend £55k on a 355.
Spend £35-40k on one and keep the rest in a instant access account for even things go wrong with it.
You'll never forget your first F car, if you don't do it you'll always be wishing you had done it.
Rick
Don't spend £55k on a 355.
Spend £35-40k on one and keep the rest in a instant access account for even things go wrong with it.
You'll never forget your first F car, if you don't do it you'll always be wishing you had done it.
Rick
Incidentally, the engines are very similar. Technologically there's nowt in it.
355s potentially have valve guide issues (typically earlier cars) and the exhaust manifolds crack (different packaging to the 360). But buy a good one and there's no reason it shouldn't be perfectly reliable if you look after it.
That's part of the reason I note to be sensible on mileage. You are far better off buying a car that's been well used/serviced than one that's been stood for long periods unused, or that only comes out for 50 miles on the odd weekend we happen to get some sun.
355s potentially have valve guide issues (typically earlier cars) and the exhaust manifolds crack (different packaging to the 360). But buy a good one and there's no reason it shouldn't be perfectly reliable if you look after it.
That's part of the reason I note to be sensible on mileage. You are far better off buying a car that's been well used/serviced than one that's been stood for long periods unused, or that only comes out for 50 miles on the odd weekend we happen to get some sun.
hoddo said:
How sure are you about running it in winter when a Ferraris worst enemy is about in very large quantities (ROAD SALT)
Rubbish - both models are very useable in all conditions, 360 probably better in snow and ice due to its traction control.
On either car make sure you use it, I'm a strong believer that cars stood still for days on days aren't as 'good' as ones used everyday, don't know whether this is scientific or more a gut feel
Rick
Having owned both, I'd say the problem with a 355 is that it really is a 2nd car. It demists on the wrong side of thw window i.e. suited for LHD so takes ages to demist, and traction and ground clearence is well better in the 360. Most 355 owners won't know this as they use it in nice weather and never leave it outside. 
For a daily an F1 360 would be the car I'd say, but looks wise the 355 is still a goregous car.
I would also guess that it could depend on the length of time you wish to keep the car, as this might be interesting as 360's will be depreciating a bit more than 355's which have plateaued out quite clearly between 30-50k, whereas most 360's are 50k plus.
The electrics on a 360 I think were more reliable in my examples but this could have been just luck with the latter car.
Whatever makes you happy mate is the car you should buy.
For a daily an F1 360 would be the car I'd say, but looks wise the 355 is still a goregous car.
I would also guess that it could depend on the length of time you wish to keep the car, as this might be interesting as 360's will be depreciating a bit more than 355's which have plateaued out quite clearly between 30-50k, whereas most 360's are 50k plus.
The electrics on a 360 I think were more reliable in my examples but this could have been just luck with the latter car.
Whatever makes you happy mate is the car you should buy.
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