Buying an F355

[Pugsey]

I'm about to finally scratch that Ferrari itch. Starting in a small way with a 355. This is on the basis that a) I've always wanted one and be b) I'm guessing prices are pretty stable now and I shouldn't loose too much if I move on again relatively soon. I had considered a 360 on the basis that it would feel a more modern car but to be honest prefer the 355's looks and feel it is already a classic. Given that I've no interest in tracking the car - a nice run down through France and the Italian lakes are more what I've got in mind - I'm assuming the fact that the 355 isn't the latest tool in the box won't really matter. My last three 'weekend' cars have been a 997S, AMV8 and 997GT3 and I'm getting an AMV8 Roadster in July - am I going to fulfill my Ferrari dream with the 355 or feel short changed? Finally has anyone dealt with Cortese in Bath? Cheers all.

Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 25th April 12:21

Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 25th April 12:34

[craig]

Pugsey said:

I'm about to finally scratch that Ferrari itch. Starting in a small way with a 355. This is on the basis that a) I've always wanted one and be b) I'm guessing prices are pretty stable now and I shouldn't loose too much if I move on again relatively soon. I had considered a 360 on the basis that it would feel a more modern car but to be honest prefer the 355's looks and feel it is already a classic. Given that I've no interest in tracking the car - a nice run down through France and the Italian lakes are more what I've got in mind - I'm assuming the fact that the 355 isn't the latest tool in the box won't really matter. My last three 'weekend' cars have been a 997S, AMV8 and 997GT3 and I'm getting an AMV8 Roadster in July - am I going to fulfill my Ferrari dream with the 355 or feel short changed? Finally has anyone dealt with Cortese in Bath? Cheers all.

Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 25th April 12:21

Edited by Pugsey on Wednesday 25th April 12:34

I had a 355 a few years ago. Lovely looking car and sounds amazing with a Tubi. Unfortunately I was unlucky it that mine had lots of electrical gremlins but if you buy post 1997 you should be OK. Manifolds are a known weakness and assuming you want a Berlinetta the join where the butresses meet the rear wing are prone to corrosion. Apart from that you will notice a lack of torque - you need to rev it quite high to get the performance out of it. I found the steering to be too light especially compared to the directness of a 911 set up. Worth having a drive before you decide.

Craig

[ferrarispider]

You mention that you like the 355 because its already a classic, well it is 13 years old in design as well as the 360 is now a 8-9 year old design. So compare the performance and over all package of any other supercar of that day. If your mind set is as above, then you will see why it was voted in various sections of the media as the worlds best supercar And it was a ground braking car in many ways when it was current.
I think there is perhaps to many 355 buyers today that compare it with current performance car models like Ferrari's, Porsche's and TVRs ect ect. If thats to be done then one should compare the above models as they were in the 90s. IMO the whole point of buying a classic car is to live a bit of that time era

Edited by ferrarispider on Wednesday 25th April 13:08

[grimston barr]

Pugsey said:

Finally has anyone dealt with Cortese in Bath?

I haven't actually bought a car from Cortese but when I was searching for a Maser they were incredibly knowledgeable & helpful, even though I eventually found & bought my car closer to home. In the course of that research I did also read a lot of good things about them, both here and on maseratiforum.co.uk, from people who have actually spent their money with them.

If it was me I would not have a problem dealing with them. So, that's a recomendation then!

[Pugsey]

Thanks for the comments so far guys. Yes I'm buying bearing in mind that it is now an old design. I don't intend to track it or cane it to within an inch of it's life and then complain about the odd extra tenth of a sec. to sixty or tad of over/understeer or whatever. I've got other cars for that. I'm seeing it as a break from all that and am rather looking forward to not worrying whether it's got the latest PASM/ESP/TC or whatever. I just want to enjoy a beautiful classic which is still useable and reasonably quick even by modern standards - it's all about fulfilling the dream of seeing that flash of red as the barn door opens and enjoying it without watching too many £s dissappear in the process. Cortese have certanly been v. pleasant and helpful over the phone - it remains to be seen if they can part me from some cash!

[AdvocatusDiaboli]

ferrarispider said:

You mention that you like the 355 because its already a classic, well it is 13 years old in design as well as the 360 is now a 8-9 year old design. So compare the performance and over all package of any other supercar of that day. If your mind set is as above, then you will see why it was voted in various sections of the media as the worlds best supercar And it was a ground braking car in many ways when it was current.
I think there is perhaps to many 355 buyers today that compare it with current performance car models like Ferrari's, Porsche's and TVRs ect ect. If thats to be done then one should compare the above models as they were in the 90s. IMO the whole point of buying a classic car is to live a bit of that time era

Edited by ferrarispider on Wednesday 25th April 13:08

Spot on. I was looking for a 355 very seriously but repeated test drives left me feeling that perhaps a more modern car will tick the boxes I am looking for.

The 355 is hardly slow even by todays standards, but as long as you recognise its age and don't compare it to cars in the same class today - you won't be dissapointed.

There is a stunning car at Castelfords in gunmetal grey that I am sorely tempted by. I saw the car and it truly is in very good condition!

[tcf]

[quote=Pugsey] Finally has anyone dealt with Cortese in Bath? Cheers all.[quote]

It's run by Simon who used to be at Bob Hougton - seems to know his stuff.

[tony h]

loads of info in these threads-hope search function link works...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/search4.asp?h=0&skin=phclassic&f=&t=&p=1&s=r&noDays=730&guid=F711F422-E292-4868-B73B-0027049973BA&search=+%2Bbuying+%2B355+%2B

[Pugsey]

coyft said:

Try a manual NSX back to back with a 355. But if you really need to scratch that itch, make sure the toolkit is complete. You get every tool imaginable in a lovely leather case.

Don't think they even give you a screwdriver with the NSX, mind you in the 15 years I've owned it I've never needed to look.

Isn't all this a bit immaterial when you will have a V8V roadster on the driveway. God I wish I was as forward thinking as you!

You are spot on re. the NSX - a better driving tool than the Fezza. However as I said in my original post I'm not chasing that particular holy grail with this purchase, more looking for a long term beautiful classic that won't feel too dated but will give me all sorts of other pleasures from ownership.Very happy to let the heart rule the 'driving' head on this one. My 'current' cars only stay six months or so at a time and being amongst the first means they usually go for list so 'free' motoring for me. The F355 will fulfill a different role for me however.

[Pugsey]

tony h said:

loads of info in these threads-hope search function link works...

www.pistonheads.com/gassing/search4.asp?h=0&skin=phclassic&f=&t=&p=1&s=r&noDays=730&guid=F711F422-E292-4868-B73B-0027049973BA&search=+%2Bbuying+%2B355+%2B

Excellent - thanks!

[ferrarispider]

Mmmmm have to disagree on the NSX. I drove one a couple of years ago and it was not in the same league as the 355. Also only last year on the A50 towards stoke i left one for dead in a 355. Although a mighty car in standard trim it lacks power but handles well. At the time of launch the NSX rivals were the Nissan 300ZX and the current ferrari at the time the 348. According to many reviews of the time there was not much in it between the NSX and the 348. Now the 355 and indeed the 360 is a whole new ball park.
Please dont get me wrong, i love the NSX (abet to its handling being fine tuned by Senner) and would have one any day of the week. But lets keep comparisons real

Edited by ferrarispider on Sunday 29th April 13:52

[Pugsey]

ferrarispider said:

Mmmmm have to disagree on the NSX. I drove one a couple of years ago and it was not in the same league as the 355. Also only last year on the A50 towards stoke i left one for dead in a 355. Although a mighty car in standard trim it lacks power but handles well. At the time of launch the NSX rivals were the Nissan 300ZX and the current ferrari at the time the 348. According to many reviews of the time there was not much in it between the NSX and the 348. Now the 355 and indeed the 360 is a whole new ball park.
Please dont get me wrong, i love the NSX (abet to its handling being fine tuned by Senner) and would have one any day of the week. But lets keep comparisons real

Edited by ferrarispider on Sunday 29th April 13:52

As I'm going with Ferrari it would be nice if you're right. However there was quite a performance difference between early and later NSxs I believe. However this debate highlights exactly what I'm NOT bothered about with this purchase. If I was particularly concerned about the odd second off a lap time or tenth of a second to 100 I'd be getting a 360 0r 430 anyway but I'm not going down that slippery slope with this purchase and rather enjoying the novelty! When she's parked on my drive frankly I won't give a stuff if there's something faster out there - there always is.

[ferrarispider]

I refer again to my original answer when i said compare like for like. A 95-99 NSX to a 95-99 355. You your self said in so many words that the NSX was a better package than the 355. IMO Not like for like and the same year its not. Even then the late NSXs only made short of 290bhp dint they? And the handling was not that much better than an early car. The NSX i drove was a late 90s car and it felt underpowered to me for what it was again IMO.
Its not that i am concerned with power because in my line of work i drive top end powerful gear most days. Its just that i cant see how a like for like comparison the NSX is a better package, when clearly its not. I also mention the 360 because it was made at the same time as the late 355s and now there are 360 coupes priced bellow late 355s.
Could a 360 be worth a look while you are looking maybe? Or have you set ona 355?

Edited by ferrarispider on Sunday 29th April 15:49

[Pugsey]

ferrarispider said:

I refer again to my original answer when i said compare like for like. A 95-99 NSX to a 95-99 355. You your self said in so many words that the NSX was a better package than the 355. IMO Not like for like and the same year its not. Even then the late NSXs only made short of 290bhp dint they? And the handling was not that much better than an early car. The NSX i drove was a late 90s car and it felt underpowered to me for what it was again IMO.
Its not that i am concerned with power because in my line of work i drive top end powerful gear most days. Its just that i cant see how a like for like comparison the NSX is a better package, when clearly its not. I also mention the 360 because it was made at the same time as the late 355s and now there are 360 coupes priced bellow late 355s.
Could a 360 be worth a look while you are looking maybe? Or have you set ona 355?

Edited by ferrarispider on Sunday 29th April 15:49

Sorry, yes I see your point re. like for like. I also hear you re. 360s but the 355 is too me a more beautiful car and possibly already a classic which IMO the 360 will never be. Will always have newer more up to date and faster cars coming and going on my fleet anyway so as I say not bothered about that with 355. Would rather have a 355 and a 550 in the barn next year rather than a 430 say. If this was my only toy and fast car I would def. go 360 for the budget.

[ferrarispider]

Ahmen to that brother, and Ahmen to the classic that is the 355

Edited by ferrarispider on Sunday 29th April 17:38

[renmure]

Another Ahmen from me too

[grant.d]

Yellow 355's are fastest

[ferrarispider]

grant.d said:

Yellow 355's are fastest

Hey still brothers though..

Edited by ferrarispider on Sunday 29th April 18:56

[Pugsey]

ferrarispider said:

Ahmen to that brother, and Ahmen to the classic that is the 355

Edited by ferrarispider on Sunday 29th April 17:38

Beautiful - is that a special grill on the front? Haven't got my head round GTB or Spider. Heart says Spider for those sunny days and continental jaunts but I do love the maybe purer lines of the GTB and that's the way I'm leaning although IMO the 355 is one of the few cars that works well as both. I guess with the AMV8 Roadster coming I should go GTB. I think I'll let the car decide - as in which ever is the best car to turn up I'll go for it which ever body it is.

[ferrarispider]

Thats the best way to look at it dude which ever is the best that comes up. I like both, well all 3 variants. You should try to get along to some ferrari meets and ask for a ride in each. We can never refuse giving rides especialy is ya wearing a skirt LOL!