RE: Ferrari F355 - General experiences
Friday 20th August 2010
We've tried to compile as accurate an overview of the F355 as possible, and fellow PHers have added valuable contributions to the technical areas listed separately.
Ferrari F355 Buying Guide - General experiences
Searc for Ferrari 355s here
This section is for more general feedback - anything from the emotional highs (or lows!) of that first Ferrari purchase, amusing or appropriate anecdotes, and even personal recommendations for suppliers, services or products. (However no criticism of individual traders is permitted, as it would fall foul of the PH 'name and shame' ban - imposed so none of us fall foul of those pesky lawyers...)
So the idea is, although this buying guide may start off small, it will grow and grow as more PHers add their feedback.
Buying Guide Section Menu:
Ferrari F355 - Introduction
Ferrari F355 - Powertrain
Ferrari F355 - Rolling chassis
Ferrari F355 - Body
Ferrari F355 - Interior
Ferrari F355 - General experiences (viewing now)
Searc for Ferrari 355s here
Discussion
One of the best cars ever made. Period.
The steering's a little light, and there are known weak spots (e.g. manifolds, buttresses) on the car that can either be rectified permanently, or should be considered "service" items
But these don't alter the fact that the 355 is the embodiment of a junior supercar, and nicely captures the essence of Ferrari...very, very few people would mistake the car being from any other manufacturer.
They're not for the shy as the attention they gather is huge, though IME always positive. People love the car, always ask questions and if you let people sit in it, have their photo taken next to it or give them a ride, you'll see smiles you never normally see!
Buying a car like this is an event in itself, though knowing what I now know I would avoid the main dealer network like the plague. There is absolutely no benefit in doing so, but you will almost certainly pay a premium. It pays to do your research, and to keep your head when buying as it's very, very easy to be drawn in by such a beautiful machine.
Finding a specialist you can trust is vital to keep them properly serviced, and to avoid excessive bills (again, I would strongly advise avoiding the main dealer network). Keep on top of all the little jobs that crop up in a high performance car of this era/age and the 355 gives reliable (and exciting!) motoring at not totally unreasonable costs - I reckon one could be run on 2k a year, though budgeting 2k-3k should see a prospective owner comfortable.
In terms of who I'd suggest when looking for one...Verdis come top of the list for me. What Karl doesn't know about these cars is not worth knowing. I'd also recommend Nick Cartwright. His cars tend to look more expensive than others, but are generally top notch when it comes to prep and thoroughness.
Plenty of amusing stories from the 5yrs/40k miles I had in mine, way too many to recount!
I finally traded it for an Aston V8 Vantage, which is an equally lovely car. But I still miss the 355 at times. I think I always will.
The steering's a little light, and there are known weak spots (e.g. manifolds, buttresses) on the car that can either be rectified permanently, or should be considered "service" items
But these don't alter the fact that the 355 is the embodiment of a junior supercar, and nicely captures the essence of Ferrari...very, very few people would mistake the car being from any other manufacturer.They're not for the shy as the attention they gather is huge, though IME always positive. People love the car, always ask questions and if you let people sit in it, have their photo taken next to it or give them a ride, you'll see smiles you never normally see!
Buying a car like this is an event in itself, though knowing what I now know I would avoid the main dealer network like the plague. There is absolutely no benefit in doing so, but you will almost certainly pay a premium. It pays to do your research, and to keep your head when buying as it's very, very easy to be drawn in by such a beautiful machine.
Finding a specialist you can trust is vital to keep them properly serviced, and to avoid excessive bills (again, I would strongly advise avoiding the main dealer network). Keep on top of all the little jobs that crop up in a high performance car of this era/age and the 355 gives reliable (and exciting!) motoring at not totally unreasonable costs - I reckon one could be run on 2k a year, though budgeting 2k-3k should see a prospective owner comfortable.
In terms of who I'd suggest when looking for one...Verdis come top of the list for me. What Karl doesn't know about these cars is not worth knowing. I'd also recommend Nick Cartwright. His cars tend to look more expensive than others, but are generally top notch when it comes to prep and thoroughness.
Plenty of amusing stories from the 5yrs/40k miles I had in mine, way too many to recount!
I finally traded it for an Aston V8 Vantage, which is an equally lovely car. But I still miss the 355 at times. I think I always will.
Also...if you want a truly massive wealth of input and advice from owners, without doubt the place to get it online is www.clubscuderia.com. Plenty of owners and ex-owners, and more detailed information than you can shake a stick at.
After a little over 2 years of ownership, it strikes me a little like how I envisage marriage.
It is by far the most enjoyable, worthwhile and fantastic car I've ever owned, and fulfills all my expectations, good and bad. You can take it to the pub for lunch or take your wife to Europe foir a fortnight. There are times when it has frustrated me to the point of tears, and others (thankfully more often) when it continues to make me bounce up and down in the drivers sit, giggling like an idiot.
I recall parking up in the eurotunnel train and fishing out my baguette to eat. Shortly afterwards, a bus pulled up behind me and the train set off. I was mid-chew when I looked up and found an entire coach load of French teenagers, all 60 of them, crowded 3 deep around the car, watching me with half a lettuce hanging out of my mouth and Dijon mustard spread liberally around my chin. I had to get out and sit behind the bus to get away!
I recall another magic moment when, beating through traffic around Rouen, I entered the long tunnel on the motorway heading South and like Moses, the lane in front of me magically opened up for the full length of the tunnel. Cue 2nd gear, 3rd gear and into 4th, flat to the boards and 133.7 Capristo decibels for the full length of the tunnel. Followed by a slow down and then a barrage of French motorists waving, clapping and thumbs up as they drove past afterwards. this was contrasted by the 'M25 Bandit' incident...
I've owned cars that are much faster, arguably just as pretty, cars that are far more practical and most that are cheaper to run. But NONE of them is a Ferrari, and NONE of them did everything so well, so often.
It is by far the most enjoyable, worthwhile and fantastic car I've ever owned, and fulfills all my expectations, good and bad. You can take it to the pub for lunch or take your wife to Europe foir a fortnight. There are times when it has frustrated me to the point of tears, and others (thankfully more often) when it continues to make me bounce up and down in the drivers sit, giggling like an idiot.
I recall parking up in the eurotunnel train and fishing out my baguette to eat. Shortly afterwards, a bus pulled up behind me and the train set off. I was mid-chew when I looked up and found an entire coach load of French teenagers, all 60 of them, crowded 3 deep around the car, watching me with half a lettuce hanging out of my mouth and Dijon mustard spread liberally around my chin. I had to get out and sit behind the bus to get away!
I recall another magic moment when, beating through traffic around Rouen, I entered the long tunnel on the motorway heading South and like Moses, the lane in front of me magically opened up for the full length of the tunnel. Cue 2nd gear, 3rd gear and into 4th, flat to the boards and 133.7 Capristo decibels for the full length of the tunnel. Followed by a slow down and then a barrage of French motorists waving, clapping and thumbs up as they drove past afterwards. this was contrasted by the 'M25 Bandit' incident...
I've owned cars that are much faster, arguably just as pretty, cars that are far more practical and most that are cheaper to run. But NONE of them is a Ferrari, and NONE of them did everything so well, so often.
1. Front overhang – gets lots of bumps, scrapes and stonechips.
2. The wheels are magnesium alloy so are usually more expensive than normal if you want to refurb them properly.
3. Brakes seems good but the inside of the rear pads wears quicker than others
4. Rear buttress cracks where it meets the flank. All the GTB’s do this, so you need a respray there every 3-4 years. They all do it but its only cosmetic. Spider and GTS don’t have this problem. Instead, the GTS roof often leaks and squeaks and the spider roof mechanism is heavy, complex and sometimes prone to failure.
5. The wiper arm mechanism can sometimes wear, causing the arm to work loose.
6. Headlight motors can fail. You can raise or lower the light by turning the knob on top of the motor. You have to remove and replace the motor.
7. The dash leather can shrink if left in the sun.
8. Centre Console material bubbles or becomes sticky over time. They ALL do it, various fixes available.
9. Front heater hose clamps are prone to failure – for peace of mind, they are best replaced with decent quality jubilee clips, otherwise the hose blows off when you turn on the heater and floods the passenger footwell (including the fuse box which is in there). this has happened to a number of people I know, including me.
10. The sill plates ALL rust eventually. Peel off and replace with new ones, usually Carbon.
11. Heater valves can fail. Buy a new Ferrari one (or the SAAB / VAG ones also fit for a fraction of the cost, with some very minor modification to the spindle, apparently). Also, the small plastic gear which controls the internal / external ventillation flap tends to break. Hill Engineering do a billet replacement.
12. Throttle pedal can be sticky – need to lube he cable, linkage and the pedal mechanism.
13. Gear stick can rattle – just need to replace the shifter bushing, again a minor thing
14. They EAT catalytic converters, rear tyres and fuel. Lots of fuel. Lots.
15. Alternator can fail. Either get another (which is just as rubbish) or replace the voltage regulator (which is what goes) with a better version for a fraction of the cost (guides on the net for this - essentially remove, strip off the rear sections and replace – costs about £50-60 in parts I think?)
16. Sometimes valve guides can wear. More likely to happen on low mileage car as if its done 50k miles and its OK, then chances are its fine.
17. Exhaust bypass valve rattles. Just rubbish quality. Either replace with genuine (which is just as rubbish) or a capristo version (which is better). I think I’ve also found a way to fix the original (which simply boils down to sorting the butterfly bushings which wear)
18. The engine sits in a dedicated subframe which bolts to the rest of the car. This is mild steel and can rust (which can be potentially catastrophic as its structural) so get that thoroughly checked out. I caught some serious rust on mine when I pulled the engine out the first time and mine had FSH from Maranello and Verdi. Have a good look around the subframe where it runs past the cats, as they get very hot so the paint tends to flake away exposing the metal.
19. The manifolds are rubbish and tend to melt or crack. The ALL do it eventually, due to an exhaust flow design issue which sadly is also what gives the 355 its unique sound. Plenty of guys that can replace them but something to budget for every so often (again, I just replaced them when I pulled the engine out). JPExhausts make recon items (and sell them to QV London and Verdi etc). Otherwise, people like tubi and Fabspeed make full replacement headers (for a small fortune)
20. Suspension actuators can break as the plastic gets old and brittle. That’s just bad luck though (or working on the car when slightly drunk in my case) £300 each second hand or about £900 new. You can apparently adapt Corvette ones quite easily however and there is aguide on the net for this.
21. Clutch slave is built into the rear housing and is prone to cracking. Aftermarket parts available to fix this from Hill Engineering. Same thing with the throwout bearing.
22. Cam belt tensioner bearings are rubbish. Hill Engineering make much better alternatives. Make sure you use these. Again, I stuck them on mine at last major service
23. The senders (oil pressure, speedo, oil cooler thermostat etc) are all prone to failure every so often. Not difficult or expensive to replace
24. Cabin heater control unit can sometimes fail. Need to replace but again, less likely if its been used regularly.
25. The Cat ECU’s can sometimes fail giving you a Check Engine light or Slow Down light. Nothing major. Most people disconnect them and run cat bypass pipes
26. The older style vacuum canister for the exhaust bypass (known as the bean can) can rust on the top where water collects. Located in the back right behind the bumper. Newer ones have domed head to sort this out
27. Ratiators (there are 2), oil cooler (1) and A/C condenser (1) will all have been hit by 12 + years of road grime so likely beginning to corrode. The A/C and oil cooler sit behind the rads so should be OK. The rads can be re-cored (they have plastic end tanks).
28. Aircon condenser can fail. They’re about £1700 from Ferrari but I have an aircon guy who sourced a replacement (identical) from a different car for £170. Just needed to re-use the Ferrari clutch mechanism
29. The shocks can be rebuilt by Bilstein for about £70-80 each I think.
30. SFS performance do a full silicone hose kit for about £125 ish. Available on Ebay. Always go for this as Ferrari charge stupid money for the hoses. Eg. The little s-bend hose in the middle they charge £114+VAT. For one rubber hose! The larger 90 degree main coolant hoses are about £125+VAT each from Ferrari. Lunacy.
31. Eurospares do a decently priced service kit as do Superformance, but sometimes prices differ. Eg, exhaust gaskets (there are 8 separate ones) are about £3 each from superformance but about £10 each from eurospares. Stuff like that.
32. Getting the spark plug leads out is a real nightmare. Trust me. Hill engineering make a special tool for about £45 or you can probably make one yourself, but they are a real git as you tend to end up snapping the HT leads which are expensive to buy as a set, although you can buy the bits separately and make them yourself for a lot less.
33. Coil packs sometimes fail but are cheap and easy to replace.
34. The exhaust clamps (where they attach to the muffler) tend to snap. Hill engineering make replacements (at £50 each) but the £5 items from Halfords items I’ve used work just a well and are a damn sight easier to fit
35. The radiator drain plugs look like hard plastic, however they’re actually made from some form of cheese and snap off at the base whenever you try and remove them. Utterly rubbish. If you can find a better quality replacement (there must be some form other cars that fit) then so much the better.
2. The wheels are magnesium alloy so are usually more expensive than normal if you want to refurb them properly.
3. Brakes seems good but the inside of the rear pads wears quicker than others
4. Rear buttress cracks where it meets the flank. All the GTB’s do this, so you need a respray there every 3-4 years. They all do it but its only cosmetic. Spider and GTS don’t have this problem. Instead, the GTS roof often leaks and squeaks and the spider roof mechanism is heavy, complex and sometimes prone to failure.
5. The wiper arm mechanism can sometimes wear, causing the arm to work loose.
6. Headlight motors can fail. You can raise or lower the light by turning the knob on top of the motor. You have to remove and replace the motor.
7. The dash leather can shrink if left in the sun.
8. Centre Console material bubbles or becomes sticky over time. They ALL do it, various fixes available.
9. Front heater hose clamps are prone to failure – for peace of mind, they are best replaced with decent quality jubilee clips, otherwise the hose blows off when you turn on the heater and floods the passenger footwell (including the fuse box which is in there). this has happened to a number of people I know, including me.
10. The sill plates ALL rust eventually. Peel off and replace with new ones, usually Carbon.
11. Heater valves can fail. Buy a new Ferrari one (or the SAAB / VAG ones also fit for a fraction of the cost, with some very minor modification to the spindle, apparently). Also, the small plastic gear which controls the internal / external ventillation flap tends to break. Hill Engineering do a billet replacement.
12. Throttle pedal can be sticky – need to lube he cable, linkage and the pedal mechanism.
13. Gear stick can rattle – just need to replace the shifter bushing, again a minor thing
14. They EAT catalytic converters, rear tyres and fuel. Lots of fuel. Lots.
15. Alternator can fail. Either get another (which is just as rubbish) or replace the voltage regulator (which is what goes) with a better version for a fraction of the cost (guides on the net for this - essentially remove, strip off the rear sections and replace – costs about £50-60 in parts I think?)
16. Sometimes valve guides can wear. More likely to happen on low mileage car as if its done 50k miles and its OK, then chances are its fine.
17. Exhaust bypass valve rattles. Just rubbish quality. Either replace with genuine (which is just as rubbish) or a capristo version (which is better). I think I’ve also found a way to fix the original (which simply boils down to sorting the butterfly bushings which wear)
18. The engine sits in a dedicated subframe which bolts to the rest of the car. This is mild steel and can rust (which can be potentially catastrophic as its structural) so get that thoroughly checked out. I caught some serious rust on mine when I pulled the engine out the first time and mine had FSH from Maranello and Verdi. Have a good look around the subframe where it runs past the cats, as they get very hot so the paint tends to flake away exposing the metal.
19. The manifolds are rubbish and tend to melt or crack. The ALL do it eventually, due to an exhaust flow design issue which sadly is also what gives the 355 its unique sound. Plenty of guys that can replace them but something to budget for every so often (again, I just replaced them when I pulled the engine out). JPExhausts make recon items (and sell them to QV London and Verdi etc). Otherwise, people like tubi and Fabspeed make full replacement headers (for a small fortune)
20. Suspension actuators can break as the plastic gets old and brittle. That’s just bad luck though (or working on the car when slightly drunk in my case) £300 each second hand or about £900 new. You can apparently adapt Corvette ones quite easily however and there is aguide on the net for this.
21. Clutch slave is built into the rear housing and is prone to cracking. Aftermarket parts available to fix this from Hill Engineering. Same thing with the throwout bearing.
22. Cam belt tensioner bearings are rubbish. Hill Engineering make much better alternatives. Make sure you use these. Again, I stuck them on mine at last major service
23. The senders (oil pressure, speedo, oil cooler thermostat etc) are all prone to failure every so often. Not difficult or expensive to replace
24. Cabin heater control unit can sometimes fail. Need to replace but again, less likely if its been used regularly.
25. The Cat ECU’s can sometimes fail giving you a Check Engine light or Slow Down light. Nothing major. Most people disconnect them and run cat bypass pipes
26. The older style vacuum canister for the exhaust bypass (known as the bean can) can rust on the top where water collects. Located in the back right behind the bumper. Newer ones have domed head to sort this out
27. Ratiators (there are 2), oil cooler (1) and A/C condenser (1) will all have been hit by 12 + years of road grime so likely beginning to corrode. The A/C and oil cooler sit behind the rads so should be OK. The rads can be re-cored (they have plastic end tanks).
28. Aircon condenser can fail. They’re about £1700 from Ferrari but I have an aircon guy who sourced a replacement (identical) from a different car for £170. Just needed to re-use the Ferrari clutch mechanism
29. The shocks can be rebuilt by Bilstein for about £70-80 each I think.
30. SFS performance do a full silicone hose kit for about £125 ish. Available on Ebay. Always go for this as Ferrari charge stupid money for the hoses. Eg. The little s-bend hose in the middle they charge £114+VAT. For one rubber hose! The larger 90 degree main coolant hoses are about £125+VAT each from Ferrari. Lunacy.
31. Eurospares do a decently priced service kit as do Superformance, but sometimes prices differ. Eg, exhaust gaskets (there are 8 separate ones) are about £3 each from superformance but about £10 each from eurospares. Stuff like that.
32. Getting the spark plug leads out is a real nightmare. Trust me. Hill engineering make a special tool for about £45 or you can probably make one yourself, but they are a real git as you tend to end up snapping the HT leads which are expensive to buy as a set, although you can buy the bits separately and make them yourself for a lot less.
33. Coil packs sometimes fail but are cheap and easy to replace.
34. The exhaust clamps (where they attach to the muffler) tend to snap. Hill engineering make replacements (at £50 each) but the £5 items from Halfords items I’ve used work just a well and are a damn sight easier to fit
35. The radiator drain plugs look like hard plastic, however they’re actually made from some form of cheese and snap off at the base whenever you try and remove them. Utterly rubbish. If you can find a better quality replacement (there must be some form other cars that fit) then so much the better.
One of the prettiest cars ever made IMO.
Whilst some advice is to stay away from Main Dealers - be also cautious of some so-called Ferrari Specialists. There are some great Independants out there............and some not so great IME.
If buying - buy on condition. Don't read too much into mileage's (and check this area THOROUGHLY). These cars values are HYPER sensitive to mileage and as such, expect to see some very low mileage cars that seem to have aged quite badly - (need i say more)
Find a good one, that is clear of any valve guide issues - and you'll love it. Buy the best you can afford - there is no such thing as a cheap Ferrari.
Whilst some advice is to stay away from Main Dealers - be also cautious of some so-called Ferrari Specialists. There are some great Independants out there............and some not so great IME.
If buying - buy on condition. Don't read too much into mileage's (and check this area THOROUGHLY). These cars values are HYPER sensitive to mileage and as such, expect to see some very low mileage cars that seem to have aged quite badly - (need i say more)
Find a good one, that is clear of any valve guide issues - and you'll love it. Buy the best you can afford - there is no such thing as a cheap Ferrari.
Edited by Candellara on Friday 20th August 13:50
Edited by Candellara on Friday 20th August 13:53
Edited by Candellara on Friday 20th August 13:54
Had my 355 for 6 years now. One of the most reliable sports cars i have owned, totting up the miles nicely. Done Europe twice again this year and of to Spa for the Belgium F1 GP next week in it.
I do everything to the car my self from engine removal to servicing its an esy car to work on.
A great Ferrari.
I do everything to the car my self from engine removal to servicing its an esy car to work on.
A great Ferrari.
MrC said:
How practical are they to live with as an only car, even if only at the weekend? How much luggage space is there? And if you go for a GTS what do you do with the targa top?
have a GTB and imo they are quite useable as a day to day car - no probs fitting my weekly shopping (using the passenger seat) and the boot is big enough for a weeks clothes if you are not unreasonable. fuel efficiency is worse than anything I have seen in city traffic, clutch and steering are very light (lighter than the bmw I had before). doors are quite long, so need some space to get out of it. it has been reliable so far, but I did spend a lot for repairs - partly me buying a car that had not been taken care of and partly age I guess [it left me stranded once in 10k miles].not sure about GTS, ex gfriend of mine had a 328, the targa top fit behind the seats, not sure about the 355
hope this helps
Edited by MDahmen on Friday 20th August 21:59
Some comments from one who sold them for 2 1/2 yrs.
The 3 chassis styles drive quite differently. The Berlinetta feeling quite a lot stiffer and more precise and lighter than both the GTS and then Spider.
I did much enjoy the Berlinetta over the other two. Chassis flex apparent in both and the extra weight in the Spider.
Some owners bemused at Battery location and the need to remove a front wheel to access same.
Some after market exhausts enhancing noise but having opposite effect on power (a la Harley Davidson).
Compared to a 348 from a servicing and performance/handling perpective I would value the best 348 at 30% less than a 355.
The 3 chassis styles drive quite differently. The Berlinetta feeling quite a lot stiffer and more precise and lighter than both the GTS and then Spider.
I did much enjoy the Berlinetta over the other two. Chassis flex apparent in both and the extra weight in the Spider.
Some owners bemused at Battery location and the need to remove a front wheel to access same.
Some after market exhausts enhancing noise but having opposite effect on power (a la Harley Davidson).
Compared to a 348 from a servicing and performance/handling perpective I would value the best 348 at 30% less than a 355.
On a GTS, the roof stows behind the seats.
As for the boot, there's a fair amount of space in there. Certainly enough for a couple for a week, plus some usable space on the parcel shelf behind the seats. the 360 is noticeably bigger on the outside and in the cabin however.
Not really sure as a daily driver. there's people who do use it however I'd find the noise a bit wearing after a while (its a bit loud at idle, fine when on the move), coupled with horrendous petrol usage and the fact that its so wide, especially the long doors.
Drivability wise however, they're a doddle around town.
As for the boot, there's a fair amount of space in there. Certainly enough for a couple for a week, plus some usable space on the parcel shelf behind the seats. the 360 is noticeably bigger on the outside and in the cabin however.
Not really sure as a daily driver. there's people who do use it however I'd find the noise a bit wearing after a while (its a bit loud at idle, fine when on the move), coupled with horrendous petrol usage and the fact that its so wide, especially the long doors.
Drivability wise however, they're a doddle around town.
Cactussed said:
Drivability wise however, they're a doddle around town.
I was actually surprised at how usable it is. It's not as wide as modern Ferraris (doors excepted), the clutch is light and the oft-criticised steering means it's easy to manouver at low speeds. The cooling system seems pretty effective too.Its thirst around London is hilarious though. Well, if you find watching your fuel gauge move funny.
tomtom said:
Cactussed said:
Drivability wise however, they're a doddle around town.
I was actually surprised at how usable it is. It's not as wide as modern Ferraris (doors excepted), the clutch is light and the oft-criticised steering means it's easy to manouver at low speeds. The cooling system seems pretty effective too.Its thirst around London is hilarious though. Well, if you find watching your fuel gauge move funny.
I often toyed with the idea of an F355 over the past few years, but whilst they're relatively cheap to buy (for a Ferrari), you just know that one expected bill could you see minus a kidney.
It's definitely a future classic in the making though, if you can afford to hold on to one and keep it running for the next 20 years, I imagine you'd only see the values increase.
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