has anyone changed from a Porsche 993 to Fezza F355 ?
Discussion
I am currently the owner of a 1994 911 (993) non turbo. I have driven it 365 days/yr for the past 9 years, and it is still as much fun as the day I bought, and has never let me down.
Over the years I have thought about switching to Fezza 348, but was put off by the unreliability rumours, and decided to stick with what I know.
Now I feel its time to upgrade, and considered the “new” water cooled 911’s, but to be honest , I feel that Porsche has lost its way and lost its exclusivity in the market, unless I consider a GT3 or turbo ( out of my price range )
However, now the F355 has dropped to within my price range, it is on my scope as a replacement.
I am sure some of you here made the transition from a 993 to F355, is it still a day to day reliable runner? I expect the running costs to be higher, but is it in the stratosphere or still manageable?
I don’t wish to start any 993vsF355 flamewars, just seriously interested in your experiences in the transition from Pork to Fezza.
Over the years I have thought about switching to Fezza 348, but was put off by the unreliability rumours, and decided to stick with what I know.
Now I feel its time to upgrade, and considered the “new” water cooled 911’s, but to be honest , I feel that Porsche has lost its way and lost its exclusivity in the market, unless I consider a GT3 or turbo ( out of my price range )
However, now the F355 has dropped to within my price range, it is on my scope as a replacement.
I am sure some of you here made the transition from a 993 to F355, is it still a day to day reliable runner? I expect the running costs to be higher, but is it in the stratosphere or still manageable?
I don’t wish to start any 993vsF355 flamewars, just seriously interested in your experiences in the transition from Pork to Fezza.
MasterBlaster said:
I am currently the owner of a 1994 911 (993) non turbo. I have driven it 365 days/yr for the past 9 years, and it is still as much fun as the day I bought, and has never let me down.
Over the years I have thought about switching to Fezza 348, but was put off by the unreliability rumours, and decided to stick with what I know.
Instead of dismissing the 348 solely on 'rumours' do some more in-depth research on the strengths and weaknesses of both - you'll be surprised Over the years I have thought about switching to Fezza 348, but was put off by the unreliability rumours, and decided to stick with what I know.
I don't believe the 348 is inherently more unreliable than the 355 and it has the added bonus of less expensive electronics to go wrong 
Long time ago I changed from 993 (I did at the time like my 993 it was my 6th or 7th Porsche in a row) to 348 did not like the 348 kept about a year changed for F355 and loved it (had it for 4 years longest I have ever kept a car). Did not and would not have used 348 or F355 as every day transport (I do 40k a year) it was just a toy.
I agree with Neil-f in not seeing the 355 as a daily runner, from people I know who have them and from much of what I have read. I considered changing my 993 for one but decided in the end to keep it.
In fact I am not certain you can really compare a 355 to a 993 for daily use as they are so different. Beyond the obvious costs (what miles are you thinking of doing?) I would imagine there is still the whole issue of where it can be left safely etc! I have 1st hand experience of using a 993 for every day (100k+) with fairly small running costs. As you know, the 993 clearly remains a fairly sensible choice if you want an every day sports car and they have stabalised in price recently which is an added benefit whilst remaining classy (IMO) - if a little low key given the variants of porsches seen on our roads. I think if you make the change you have to forget what the 993 did and expect a whole new experience in terms of costs/driving/image well pretty much everything...
In fact I am not certain you can really compare a 355 to a 993 for daily use as they are so different. Beyond the obvious costs (what miles are you thinking of doing?) I would imagine there is still the whole issue of where it can be left safely etc! I have 1st hand experience of using a 993 for every day (100k+) with fairly small running costs. As you know, the 993 clearly remains a fairly sensible choice if you want an every day sports car and they have stabalised in price recently which is an added benefit whilst remaining classy (IMO) - if a little low key given the variants of porsches seen on our roads. I think if you make the change you have to forget what the 993 did and expect a whole new experience in terms of costs/driving/image well pretty much everything...
Not quite the same but changed from a 996 C4 cab to 355 spider.
BUT, I used the 996 everyday, whereas the 355 is a garage queen.
Although you could, I wouldnt dream of using the 355 everyday, I wouldnt want it to pick up the inevitable stone chips and parking dents, I would worry too much about leaving it anywhere as it gets an enormous amount of attention (the 996 I could leave anywhere and it drew very little attention).
355 would be viciously expensive to run everyday; servicing and depreciation (extremely price sensitive on mileage). If it was an F1 and you were to use it in traffic all the time expect to fry lots of clutches.
I dont know how it would react reliability wise to lots of miles as you rarely see them!
Also remember they rust if left out in the rain (unlike the 10 yr anti-corrosion warranty on Porsches).
However, for all its flaws and disadvantages the 355 is a truly majestic experience that I have not been able to find in any other car.
BUT, I used the 996 everyday, whereas the 355 is a garage queen.
Although you could, I wouldnt dream of using the 355 everyday, I wouldnt want it to pick up the inevitable stone chips and parking dents, I would worry too much about leaving it anywhere as it gets an enormous amount of attention (the 996 I could leave anywhere and it drew very little attention).
355 would be viciously expensive to run everyday; servicing and depreciation (extremely price sensitive on mileage). If it was an F1 and you were to use it in traffic all the time expect to fry lots of clutches.
I dont know how it would react reliability wise to lots of miles as you rarely see them!
Also remember they rust if left out in the rain (unlike the 10 yr anti-corrosion warranty on Porsches).
However, for all its flaws and disadvantages the 355 is a truly majestic experience that I have not been able to find in any other car.
As pretty-much everyone has already stated, the 355 really isn't practical everyday transport. Some 355 owners DO use them as their main car, but I wouldn't even consider it. My reasons (also as mentioned above) are primarily financial; a high-miler 355 would be nigh-on impossible to shift when it came to resale. Also, being relatively old now and Italian, I wouldn't expect a 355 to age particularly well when subjected to everyday use in all weathers (they do rust and the interior leather is not the hardest-wearing around). Also, from a safety perspective, they're skittish in the wet... having a very light front-end can lead to some quite scary understeer in damp/wet conditions and having all that weight at the rear combined with RWD and huge, low profile rear tyres doesn't make for good wet-weather driving either.
Personally, I run a 1998 BMW 735i as my daily driver. It's a fantastic, very comfortable, reasonably swift, reasonably economical and very relaxed car to drive. It cost me peanuts and not a single thing has gone wrong with it in 18,000 miles of driving (over the last 9 months). I bought it with 102k on the clock and it's now showing ~120,500. When I want my adrenalin fix, I get the 355 out whenever weather permits... it's pretty raw, noisy and a little cantankerous for the first few miles as everything warms-up. Nothing beats driving it and hearing that flat-plane crank V8 sing all the way to 8,500rpm+! However, after my 'fix', I'm glad to get back into the relaxing 'arm chair' that is the 735i and get back to normality again. Driving the 355 everyday would probably take the shine off it... things that lend the car character (un-cooperative gearbox when cold, the relatively heavy clutch, the 'sticky' throttle linkage, etc) would become annoyances. Driving it everyday, it probably wouldn't feel as 'special' anymore (not to mention, I'd feel guilty about subjecting it to the rigours of UK weather and salted roads, etc). The car would either age very quickly, or would be prohibitively expensive to maintain in showroom condition (regular frontal blow-overs to take care of stone chips, regular detailing, more frequent wheel refurbs, more frequency interior resto jobs, etc). All of this is in addition to what's already been mentioned in terms of the impracticalities that come part-and-parcel with Fezza ownership... being scared to leave it parked anywhere (esp. supermarket car parks and the like), constant 'attention' of both the unwanted and the more appreciated kinds, the need for expensive and meticulous scheduled servicing, impracticalities born from the car's low ground clearance and front overhang, etc, etc.
The 911 has got to be the ultimate everyday supercar. My advice would be to either keep the 911, or sell it to get a nice 355, but get a 'runabout' for everyday use.
Cheers,
Ian.
Personally, I run a 1998 BMW 735i as my daily driver. It's a fantastic, very comfortable, reasonably swift, reasonably economical and very relaxed car to drive. It cost me peanuts and not a single thing has gone wrong with it in 18,000 miles of driving (over the last 9 months). I bought it with 102k on the clock and it's now showing ~120,500. When I want my adrenalin fix, I get the 355 out whenever weather permits... it's pretty raw, noisy and a little cantankerous for the first few miles as everything warms-up. Nothing beats driving it and hearing that flat-plane crank V8 sing all the way to 8,500rpm+! However, after my 'fix', I'm glad to get back into the relaxing 'arm chair' that is the 735i and get back to normality again. Driving the 355 everyday would probably take the shine off it... things that lend the car character (un-cooperative gearbox when cold, the relatively heavy clutch, the 'sticky' throttle linkage, etc) would become annoyances. Driving it everyday, it probably wouldn't feel as 'special' anymore (not to mention, I'd feel guilty about subjecting it to the rigours of UK weather and salted roads, etc). The car would either age very quickly, or would be prohibitively expensive to maintain in showroom condition (regular frontal blow-overs to take care of stone chips, regular detailing, more frequent wheel refurbs, more frequency interior resto jobs, etc). All of this is in addition to what's already been mentioned in terms of the impracticalities that come part-and-parcel with Fezza ownership... being scared to leave it parked anywhere (esp. supermarket car parks and the like), constant 'attention' of both the unwanted and the more appreciated kinds, the need for expensive and meticulous scheduled servicing, impracticalities born from the car's low ground clearance and front overhang, etc, etc.
The 911 has got to be the ultimate everyday supercar. My advice would be to either keep the 911, or sell it to get a nice 355, but get a 'runabout' for everyday use.
Cheers,
Ian.
Edited by ian_uk1975 on Wednesday 23 January 01:12
Guys, many thanks for your advice and opinions. I drive the 993 about 7000 miles/yr, and use it 365d/yr. Have done since I bought it 9 years ago.
Mrs MasterBlaster has the family workhorse and a little summer cabrio, so having a 4th car as my daily runabout is not really an option. Besides, having a nice sports car means it should be driven everyday, not just left in the garage for waiting for those dry days.
I guess 1 day I will take the plunge and get an F355 (or F360 if I wait a bit longer ) but I rather keep the 993 as my daily runabout
Mrs MasterBlaster has the family workhorse and a little summer cabrio, so having a 4th car as my daily runabout is not really an option. Besides, having a nice sports car means it should be driven everyday, not just left in the garage for waiting for those dry days.
I guess 1 day I will take the plunge and get an F355 (or F360 if I wait a bit longer ) but I rather keep the 993 as my daily runabout
Edited by MasterBlaster on Wednesday 23 January 06:49
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