Advice on this 355

[robsco]

Hello all,

Please see the following ad:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Sold as seen, trade sale... Roof doesn't work, warning lights on dash (but runs ok), also no timing belt change since 2014. It also needs a few cosmetic items attending to. I've been watching it for a couple of months now and it keeps calling out. Its done 97000kms so just over 60000 miles. I'd need to sell both the Cerbera and Tuscan to fund. Financial suicide or worth a punt?

Thanks.

[Rari]

Been sale for a while that one. Exterior colour is lovely, I suggest interior is a bit of a marmite one when it comes to a re-sale. 355 are not cheap to put right if they have been neglected, so I suggest you have a specialist go through it making a full report and make your offer accordingly (going in with your eyes wide open).

Cambelts are every 3 years so 2014 makes sense.

Nothing like a fully sorted 355 though hence why I am on my fourth and its becoming tempting at that price (good hedge being a LHD for European market in the future too).......

[HIS LM]

"Minor prep needed" that being the case why not minor prep it and price it accordingly - I know it's xmas but a car dealer being benevolent - go figure

[blueSL]

The price seems attractive but I expect they have looked at the cost of fixing and got cold feet.

The bodywork looks in good shape, the interior looks tired. I agree too that you should get the car assessed by a specialist so that you go in with your eyes open.

I wouldn’t worry about the cam belts. I stretch mine to 4 years so that I alternate between a 2 year minor and 4 year major service.

[stuthemong]

Don't forget to hit me up with the cerb if you do it

Stu

[100 IAN]

That seems too cheap. "If it looks too good to be true it probably is too good to be true".

If you are tempted I'd get a full geometry check & re-set done by Ferrari + inspection. You'd be amazed at what a difference this makes to F355's and it would confirm if its 'straight'. If it comes back as not being 'straight' you've only lost the cost of inspection.

Hopefully it'll pass and then you will benefit from a better handling car and when the time comes to sell a 'certificate' in the history file worth much more than it cost you.

I bought a 360 last year and did exactly this. The peace of mind was well worth it.

[johnnyreggae]

A light on the dash could be a little thing - or it could be thousands - same applies to the roof not working as its a very complex (and now old) system

[Bispal]

With the garages consent take it to a nearby specialist like Autofficina and get it checked out. See how much the major stuff will cost and then plan for the rest. Parts are not as expensive as you think, the labour rates can be quite high but generally the cars are not to difficult to work on. If you like the car and it can be put into a good state for a reasonable sum then its worth considering.

[red_slr]

FWIW the cheaper end of the LHD market is about £60k screen price. I expect sale prices to be a bit less, mid 50s I guess.

I think a full inspection is wise, if there is no accident damage and repairs are going to be <£10k it might be worth a punt.

However I would do a compression test at that mileage. I have seen 355s require engine rebuilds around that mileage and that's going to be IRO £10k.

[MDL111]

I also thought about buying this car - looks quite nice. Although not a fan of the interior.
If the roof does not work, it would not concern me too much - take it down and leave it down permanently :-)

[robsco]

MDL111 said:

I also thought about buying this car - looks quite nice. Although not a fan of the interior.
If the roof does not work, it would not concern me too much - take it down and leave it down permanently :-)

Thanks for all the replies thus far - why did you not buy it?

[Durzel]

Trade can't do "sold as seen", so that would put me off immediately.

Also to echo above - if all that's needed is minor prep, why aren't they doing it and reaping a bigger margin? Especially as a trade entity with trade contacts, pricing, etc.

[Fresh Prince]

Durzel said:

Trade can't do "sold as seen", so that would put me off immediately.

Also to echo above - if all that's needed is minor prep, why aren't they doing it and reaping a bigger margin? Especially as a trade entity with trade contacts, pricing, etc.

Me too. I've looked at this car online, thinking to myself that it could be an opportunity to fulfil a childhood dream. But it would already be a stretch at my stage of life, plus at that price it no doubt has some considerable bills within, so that stops me from picking up the phone. In the meantime I hope that if (or when?) I am in a position to get an F355 they don't move further away out of reach price wise.

[MDL111]

robsco said:

MDL111 said:

I also thought about buying this car - looks quite nice. Although not a fan of the interior.
If the roof does not work, it would not concern me too much - take it down and leave it down permanently :-)

Thanks for all the replies thus far - why did you not buy it?

Nothing to do with the car - I did not even inquire about it - just no money to buy another car right now. Also I really want a road legal 355 Challenge at some point, so have to force meyself to stop buying other cars in the meantime - need to save some money .....

[RamboLambo]

"Minor prep required" lol.

I went to see one of their "immaculate as new" cars and it required a major overhaul so go in with your eyes and ears wide open, buyer beware, is all I can say.

[F355GTS]

I looked at it and there's no way you'd get it up to the right condition for the right price even if you did it yourself.

As said the roof could cost thousands, light on dash could be new cats, lambdas, exhaust ECU's etc or worse, if it were £25 - £30k ish it might make sense

[robsco]

Thanks chaps - I’ve been warned off!

[rubystone]

I looked at a similar car a couple of years ago. That car had a grey interior, a very loud exhaust and a hood that didn’t work. It had also been crashed in the UK, registered as Cat D and exported to Germany where it was repaired and then re imported to the UK and re registered...its mileage was also similar to this car’s. At the time I could’ve bought it for the mid thirties. But I didn’t...I think I made the right decision.

[sfella]

Isn't that the dealer that was talked about massively on ph for selling a Porsche that had been totalled and as it went on turned out they knew full well and had refunded several buyers?

[sfella]

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...