Help, advice on who to use & general advice re: F355
Discussion
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/643737.htm
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/367179.htm
Please help guys. Anyone had a look at these? Or had any dealings with the respective companies? PM me if you'd rather not say in public.
Also, am on the south coast, when I do take the plunge, who should I get to look after my new P&J or look to for advice? Have had Verdi recommended.
Any help or input much appreciated.
Michael
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/367179.htm
Please help guys. Anyone had a look at these? Or had any dealings with the respective companies? PM me if you'd rather not say in public.
Also, am on the south coast, when I do take the plunge, who should I get to look after my new P&J or look to for advice? Have had Verdi recommended.
Any help or input much appreciated.
Michael
A map of dealers, specialists, servicing, parts, etc can be found at.
http://www.performancecarindex.co.uk
http://www.performancecarindex.co.uk
here's my 2p on buying a cheap 355 vs buying a top-end 355.
if you want a car that you intend to keep for a long time and can therefore handle the depreciation over a sustained period - go for a high-end car which is hopefully less likely to have major issues.
if you're looking for a short-term prospect with minimal depreciation and are happy taking a bigger gamble on reliability then get a cheap car. realistically, a £34K 355 has an absolute maximum of £4K it can lose in a 6-month period IMO.
a £30K 355 for a 6-month "tick the box" style exercise has to be worth a punt, IMO. don't be suprised though if that suspect history ends up costing £10K++ though. First thing i'd do is a full cambelt service on any car with even a slight element of doubt on the service history.
I was looking for a longer-term ownership and hence spent quite a bit more on the perfect car.
HTH
Jonny
if you want a car that you intend to keep for a long time and can therefore handle the depreciation over a sustained period - go for a high-end car which is hopefully less likely to have major issues.
if you're looking for a short-term prospect with minimal depreciation and are happy taking a bigger gamble on reliability then get a cheap car. realistically, a £34K 355 has an absolute maximum of £4K it can lose in a 6-month period IMO.
a £30K 355 for a 6-month "tick the box" style exercise has to be worth a punt, IMO. don't be suprised though if that suspect history ends up costing £10K++ though. First thing i'd do is a full cambelt service on any car with even a slight element of doubt on the service history.
I was looking for a longer-term ownership and hence spent quite a bit more on the perfect car.
HTH
Jonny
jleroux said:
here's my 2p on buying a cheap 355 vs buying a top-end 355.
if you want a car that you intend to keep for a long time and can therefore handle the depreciation over a sustained period - go for a high-end car which is hopefully less likely to have major issues.
if you're looking for a short-term prospect with minimal depreciation and are happy taking a bigger gamble on reliability then get a cheap car. realistically, a £34K 355 has an absolute maximum of £4K it can lose in a 6-month period IMO.
a £30K 355 for a 6-month "tick the box" style exercise has to be worth a punt, IMO. don't be suprised though if that suspect history ends up costing £10K++ though. First thing i'd do is a full cambelt service on any car with even a slight element of doubt on the service history.
I was looking for a longer-term ownership and hence spent quite a bit more on the perfect car.
HTH
Jonny
She's a beauty, read your thread on new ownership. if you want a car that you intend to keep for a long time and can therefore handle the depreciation over a sustained period - go for a high-end car which is hopefully less likely to have major issues.
if you're looking for a short-term prospect with minimal depreciation and are happy taking a bigger gamble on reliability then get a cheap car. realistically, a £34K 355 has an absolute maximum of £4K it can lose in a 6-month period IMO.
a £30K 355 for a 6-month "tick the box" style exercise has to be worth a punt, IMO. don't be suprised though if that suspect history ends up costing £10K++ though. First thing i'd do is a full cambelt service on any car with even a slight element of doubt on the service history.
I was looking for a longer-term ownership and hence spent quite a bit more on the perfect car.
HTH
Jonny
The impression I get is that this is the general view.
However, I can't help that think the way the market for expensive metal is that just maybe there is a gem out there to be had. After all, am sure you looked at some for more money as well as less, than you finally spent? Who's to say it's naff because it's cheap, depends on margin, how desperate the original person was to sell to the trader etc. surely you could easily spend 10k more and it still go wrong?! Not a lot is selling so cars are priced far more competitively. I.e. ''Priced to sell''. Realise it's perhaps a little different as these are rarer cars but surely similar rules apply. Have been keeping an eye on the classifieds for a long while and some cars are sitting there forever and a day, purely because there is a cheaper equally spec'd and looked after car - which has quickly been and gone as a consequence. After all there are 50+ in the country for sale so they're not unobtainable and some people want to sell, god knows why?!
This car will be a keeper and I'll spend more if necessary.
To all,
Any views or dealer views?
I've been looking for a while too, im also on the south coast. Prices are definately heading south at the moment, having said that if you were to pick up a really nice car, with the right spec and history for 35 - 40k in the next few months i can't imagine you'll go too far wrong and see much depreciation, there is a massive ammount of rubbish out there, cars that need work, no history or bills to back work done up etc.. These cars will continue to drop, but there will always be a market for a really nice, well kept 355, and by that i mean preferably red with black or cream, full history and lots of bills etc... At the end of the day the 355 is a truly iconic car, buy a good one im sure you won't regret it!!
I can't help but think any car that was truly a "bargain" would be picked up by one of the many specialists who's job it is to scout the country looking for just such cars to lob a margin on and sell at retail.
as such, anything that's been on the market for longer than 4-6 months i'd ignore almost regardless of price.
Jonny
as such, anything that's been on the market for longer than 4-6 months i'd ignore almost regardless of price.
Jonny
Hi Milfman,
I'm a 355 owner on the south coast near Southampton.
I wouldn't buy a silver 355 unless it's your ideal colour. They are extremely difficult to sell on.
I've been to see the blue one and examined the service history which I thought was adequate. The car itself is in fantastic condition and far better than you would expect for its mileage. The price has dropped from £38k since the beginning of the summer and I think this is because (a) it's got a cambelt service coming up, (b) it's blue, (c) the next owner will probably push it over 40k on the odometer and (d) we're just entering a recession and very few people are looking for a relatively high maintenance car.
If this car was rosso/crema, it would fetch around £3-4k more, so £33-34k seems a reasonable price. The key questions to ask are "Am I going to need to spend money on it ?" and "How much will I be able to sell it for this time next year ?".
To answer the first question I would take it to Verdi for a pre-sales check. I would guess the answer to the second question is around £33k private, £28k trade.
WRT where to take your new Italian girlfriend, I've had servicing and some bits and bobs done by Queens Park Garage and they've been cheap, fast and professional. I haven't had an engine-out job done there yet, but I think they'd do a good job of the belts. When it comes to engine or gearbox rebuilds and wierd stuff, Uncle Karl at Verdi is your man.
Finally, whatever you do, buy a 355. Unless you're an F1 driver, there are few things that will make you feel more alive than the surge as you floor it at 4,000 rpm and the wail as you change up at 8,500. And the best thing is, they actually like being driven like this :-)
Good hunting.
I'm a 355 owner on the south coast near Southampton.
I wouldn't buy a silver 355 unless it's your ideal colour. They are extremely difficult to sell on.
I've been to see the blue one and examined the service history which I thought was adequate. The car itself is in fantastic condition and far better than you would expect for its mileage. The price has dropped from £38k since the beginning of the summer and I think this is because (a) it's got a cambelt service coming up, (b) it's blue, (c) the next owner will probably push it over 40k on the odometer and (d) we're just entering a recession and very few people are looking for a relatively high maintenance car.
If this car was rosso/crema, it would fetch around £3-4k more, so £33-34k seems a reasonable price. The key questions to ask are "Am I going to need to spend money on it ?" and "How much will I be able to sell it for this time next year ?".
To answer the first question I would take it to Verdi for a pre-sales check. I would guess the answer to the second question is around £33k private, £28k trade.
WRT where to take your new Italian girlfriend, I've had servicing and some bits and bobs done by Queens Park Garage and they've been cheap, fast and professional. I haven't had an engine-out job done there yet, but I think they'd do a good job of the belts. When it comes to engine or gearbox rebuilds and wierd stuff, Uncle Karl at Verdi is your man.
Finally, whatever you do, buy a 355. Unless you're an F1 driver, there are few things that will make you feel more alive than the surge as you floor it at 4,000 rpm and the wail as you change up at 8,500. And the best thing is, they actually like being driven like this :-)
Good hunting.
Grannygrabber - I was in a similar quandary to you, however I think the tide's turned and I'm now probably going to look at a good condition 348. The cheaper F355s give me cold feet at each and every one I've enquired about; even one at a fezza specialist that has just sold gave me the 'eebee jeebies' as I ran a background check on the owner (the garage was advertising on behalf of a private seller) and the check turned up a few irregularities.
At the end of the day I'd like a small back up fund so I can treat the car well, not stretching my neck out too far, and then I can afford to spend a fair bit on garage and running costs etc. To me an honest 348 makes much more sense, and there are several very good 348s out there - either by garage or private. This way I can afford the odd trip to find some sunshine as well
Just my tuppence worth.
At the end of the day I'd like a small back up fund so I can treat the car well, not stretching my neck out too far, and then I can afford to spend a fair bit on garage and running costs etc. To me an honest 348 makes much more sense, and there are several very good 348s out there - either by garage or private. This way I can afford the odd trip to find some sunshine as well
Just my tuppence worth.
Edited by shirazjiwa on Tuesday 26th August 20:29
Re: 348 .vs. 355
I agree with you there. The 355 is the superior car, which is very obvious when you drive them back to back. However, you would be well advised to keep some cash, say a couple of grand, in the kitty to cover 'incidentals'. It makes a lot more sense to own a 348 which you can maintain properly than a 355 which you can't.
I agree with you there. The 355 is the superior car, which is very obvious when you drive them back to back. However, you would be well advised to keep some cash, say a couple of grand, in the kitty to cover 'incidentals'. It makes a lot more sense to own a 348 which you can maintain properly than a 355 which you can't.
To all,
Thanks for your views, keep 'em coming.
Robert,
Good luck with your search too! Let me know how you get on especially if you view or drive any. I'll do the same.
Have you bought from them or just had work done there?
Any chance of a ride sometime (as a passenger of course)?!
Maintenance and rainy day fund is not an issue and just have to have a 355, the 348 just doesn't do it for me. Simply want to pay the right price and definately not over the odds the way the market is at the moment! Am sure I will end up spending more, I always do when it come's to my P&J!!
Thanks for your views, keep 'em coming.
Robert,
Good luck with your search too! Let me know how you get on especially if you view or drive any. I'll do the same.
hogracer said:
Hi Milfman,
I'm a 355 owner on the south coast near Southampton.
I wouldn't buy a silver 355 unless it's your ideal colour. They are extremely difficult to sell on.
I've been to see the blue one and examined the service history which I thought was adequate. The car itself is in fantastic condition and far better than you would expect for its mileage. The price has dropped from £38k since the beginning of the summer and I think this is because (a) it's got a cambelt service coming up, (b) it's blue, (c) the next owner will probably push it over 40k on the odometer and (d) we're just entering a recession and very few people are looking for a relatively high maintenance car.
If this car was rosso/crema, it would fetch around £3-4k more, so £33-34k seems a reasonable price. The key questions to ask are "Am I going to need to spend money on it ?" and "How much will I be able to sell it for this time next year ?".
To answer the first question I would take it to Verdi for a pre-sales check. I would guess the answer to the second question is around £33k private, £28k trade.
WRT where to take your new Italian girlfriend, I've had servicing and some bits and bobs done by Queens Park Garage and they've been cheap, fast and professional. I haven't had an engine-out job done there yet, but I think they'd do a good job of the belts. When it comes to engine or gearbox rebuilds and wierd stuff, Uncle Karl at Verdi is your man.
Finally, whatever you do, buy a 355. Unless you're an F1 driver, there are few things that will make you feel more alive than the surge as you floor it at 4,000 rpm and the wail as you change up at 8,500. And the best thing is, they actually like being driven like this :-)
Good hunting.
Interseting and helpful views, much appreciated, what colour combo's your baby then? Are you affiliated to QPG or just a satisfied customer? I'm a 355 owner on the south coast near Southampton.
I wouldn't buy a silver 355 unless it's your ideal colour. They are extremely difficult to sell on.
I've been to see the blue one and examined the service history which I thought was adequate. The car itself is in fantastic condition and far better than you would expect for its mileage. The price has dropped from £38k since the beginning of the summer and I think this is because (a) it's got a cambelt service coming up, (b) it's blue, (c) the next owner will probably push it over 40k on the odometer and (d) we're just entering a recession and very few people are looking for a relatively high maintenance car.
If this car was rosso/crema, it would fetch around £3-4k more, so £33-34k seems a reasonable price. The key questions to ask are "Am I going to need to spend money on it ?" and "How much will I be able to sell it for this time next year ?".
To answer the first question I would take it to Verdi for a pre-sales check. I would guess the answer to the second question is around £33k private, £28k trade.
WRT where to take your new Italian girlfriend, I've had servicing and some bits and bobs done by Queens Park Garage and they've been cheap, fast and professional. I haven't had an engine-out job done there yet, but I think they'd do a good job of the belts. When it comes to engine or gearbox rebuilds and wierd stuff, Uncle Karl at Verdi is your man.
Finally, whatever you do, buy a 355. Unless you're an F1 driver, there are few things that will make you feel more alive than the surge as you floor it at 4,000 rpm and the wail as you change up at 8,500. And the best thing is, they actually like being driven like this :-)
Good hunting.
Have you bought from them or just had work done there?Any chance of a ride sometime (as a passenger of course)?!
Maintenance and rainy day fund is not an issue and just have to have a 355, the 348 just doesn't do it for me. Simply want to pay the right price and definately not over the odds the way the market is at the moment! Am sure I will end up spending more, I always do when it come's to my P&J!!
[quote=The Milfman]To all,
Thanks for your views, keep 'em coming.
Robert,
Good luck with your search too! Let me know how you get on especially if you view or drive any. I'll do the same.
No worries, i'll keep you updated, im going to see a car at the weekend, hopefully it'll be the one, im fed up with looking/waiting!! Im probably gonna end up spending around the 40k mark, which i think is realistic for a very nice car with good history etc... and im pretty sure if its the right spec it'll hold its money too... ish, like i said before, the 355 will always be in demand... Good luck with your search.
Thanks for your views, keep 'em coming.
Robert,
Good luck with your search too! Let me know how you get on especially if you view or drive any. I'll do the same.
No worries, i'll keep you updated, im going to see a car at the weekend, hopefully it'll be the one, im fed up with looking/waiting!! Im probably gonna end up spending around the 40k mark, which i think is realistic for a very nice car with good history etc... and im pretty sure if its the right spec it'll hold its money too... ish, like i said before, the 355 will always be in demand... Good luck with your search.
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