Discussion
355fiorano said:
Finding a factory fitted fiorano will be very hard. There were on 18 RHD and I believe only 4 GTB manuals (I have posted the numbers of each variant produced before but cant quite remember off the top of my head). Most were speced with F1 and I am not sure about finding one with sports seats as well.
There are however a few more that were speced with the fiorano kits later but you would need to make sure they have all the bits, but this spec does make a substantial difference to driving, especially the quick rack.
Parts would also be an issue for a fiorano car. The quick rack and Challenge ECU it runs on sport mode are unobtainable for any money so if something went wrong to these or any of the other specs it would be super hard to fix.
Although I think there is a premium in the fiorano spec, it is not at the level of the CS vs the 360 as it is less known given it was not a production run but an option for 1998/99 cars. I do think a CS is a likely better investment.
If you are looking for a 355 I think if you can get a good manual car with racing seats you would be on the money. As for GTB vs GTS and 2.7 vs 5.2 favorites do change but in the main it use to be GTBs and then GTS's were all the rage and the value. Now I think it may be moving more towards GTBs. Also for a very long time it was 2.7 as it had a bit more power and it was a more racing set up and they also had the non-airbag steering wheel. Now it seems to be more even. In this respect drive some and buy what you prefer.
The 355 for me is one of the pretyest Ferraris ever made and an absolute gem to drive.
I didn’t realise they were so rare! I ordered a black 355B Fiorano pack sometime in 1998 and six months after paying my deposit Ferrari cancelled my order as production was moving to the 360. A couple of years later the dealer contacted me to tell me that they had a similar car with only 1100 miles on the clock available for £80k, I bought it and ran it for 3 years or so. There are however a few more that were speced with the fiorano kits later but you would need to make sure they have all the bits, but this spec does make a substantial difference to driving, especially the quick rack.
Parts would also be an issue for a fiorano car. The quick rack and Challenge ECU it runs on sport mode are unobtainable for any money so if something went wrong to these or any of the other specs it would be super hard to fix.
Although I think there is a premium in the fiorano spec, it is not at the level of the CS vs the 360 as it is less known given it was not a production run but an option for 1998/99 cars. I do think a CS is a likely better investment.
If you are looking for a 355 I think if you can get a good manual car with racing seats you would be on the money. As for GTB vs GTS and 2.7 vs 5.2 favorites do change but in the main it use to be GTBs and then GTS's were all the rage and the value. Now I think it may be moving more towards GTBs. Also for a very long time it was 2.7 as it had a bit more power and it was a more racing set up and they also had the non-airbag steering wheel. Now it seems to be more even. In this respect drive some and buy what you prefer.
The 355 for me is one of the pretyest Ferraris ever made and an absolute gem to drive.
One of my all time favourites, a manual 355B black with red sports seats and factory Fiorano pack. The previous owner had back problems and couldn’t get in or out, he even left his private plate on it, S8 DAL. It attracted the attention of a couple of t
ts in a truck on the A50 who decided it would be fun to throw large bits of gravel out while I followed, I had the paintwork and dents repaired and decided that was the end of my Ferrari experience. I've been fortunate enough to own a GTS (red/crema, capristo, non-airbag) for 16 years and I'd say any appreciation is more or less offset by maintenance; the car cost me £35k (hard to believe now) at 21k miles and I've spent around £45k in maintenance.
Given current values I guess that potentially means that ownership hasn't cost me anything but I have to sell the car to realise that.
Given current values I guess that potentially means that ownership hasn't cost me anything but I have to sell the car to realise that.
JJ77 said:
GTB Manual and drive it not collect it.
^ exactly that. Yesterday returned from another European trip (UK -> Germany -> Swiss Alps -> Italy, Ferrari Factory -> Monaco -> Lyon -> Reims -> UK) and my 355B didn't miss a beat. 2,500 miles of 90's Ferrari goodness with lots of positive attention.Sure, they need some maintenance to be adding 5 ~ 8k miles a year, but let's not forget 355's are 30 years old now.
Attached pic at Reims
Fan bloody tastic! Bought a new Grigio Titanio with Charcoal Interior 1997 GTB Manual LHD from Oakfields, drove it all round Europe for 2 years, Ferrari F1 days and Ferrari Factory visits, 12000 miles, amazing memories before the big brother society! Keep enjoying! To the OP forget about values in the future, get a manual GTB and take off to Italy.
To the OP - figure out what you want.
I bought my car 20 years ago to drive it. I do my own maintenance (mostly) as I enjoy it and it's allowed me to learn the car inside and out.
Probably detrimental to its value from a collector standpoint, however I'd happily jump in it tomorrow and do 3 weeks away without any reliability worries.
If you want an appreciating asset, look elsewhere. I'd say with current values, any appreciation might offset running costs, especially since you'd presumably want to use OEM for servicing.
As a thing to own and enjoy, it's definitely up there, but on't kid yourself on being able to have your financial cake and eat it too. That ship sailed long ago.
I bought my car 20 years ago to drive it. I do my own maintenance (mostly) as I enjoy it and it's allowed me to learn the car inside and out.
Probably detrimental to its value from a collector standpoint, however I'd happily jump in it tomorrow and do 3 weeks away without any reliability worries.
If you want an appreciating asset, look elsewhere. I'd say with current values, any appreciation might offset running costs, especially since you'd presumably want to use OEM for servicing.
As a thing to own and enjoy, it's definitely up there, but on't kid yourself on being able to have your financial cake and eat it too. That ship sailed long ago.
And to answer your original question, manual, GTB, carbon seats.
The fiorano pack is so rare, you could look forever (and it's just some add on bits).
Colour - buy the colour you like, not what a theoretical buy might want in the future. Its a lot of money to have tied up with you thinking "I wish I'd bought xxx"
The fiorano pack is so rare, you could look forever (and it's just some add on bits).
Colour - buy the colour you like, not what a theoretical buy might want in the future. Its a lot of money to have tied up with you thinking "I wish I'd bought xxx"
Thanks to everyone for all their thoughts so far. I have never run storage queens but wouldn’t do too many miles so if I’m going to have one, I may as well run a desirable one that could grow in value a little more. Yellow is my preferred colour, and initially a S but now I’m veering towards a B. Carbon fibre pack and an early spec seem to feature large in my wish list. 👍🏻
Yellow spiders are pretty much the least desirable car, so you're in a bit of a pickle there. Buy the car you want rather than the one you think will appreciate the most (because there's no guarantee of appreciation at all). Carbon pack was never a thing, as the 355 was around before Ferrari realised they could gouge customers by selling carbon bits with huge markups, though many 355s have aftermarket carbon kick plates, some have carbon seats, a tiny number have a carbon centre tunnel and fewer still have a carbon instrument binnacle. You won't find carbon seats in a spider btw.
If you want to use it, I would buy one with a decent number of miles on it and which has either had a big recommissioning type bill recently, or evidence of several medium-sized bills over the last 5-10 years. The least reliable cars tend to be the sub-10k milers that have been serviced to schedule every year despite never really moving. Most cars do unfortunately seem to be clocked as they are all 25-30 years now but hardly anything with >40k miles ever seems to come up for sale, which doesn't really pass the sniff test for me (mine has 53k miles on it despite not moving for 6 years thanks to the arrival of four kids, some of them at the same time!). Get it inspected and buy on condition and history.
Their reputation of being expensive to run is not entirely deserved in my opinion; it's clear that Ferrari fitted some substandard parts when they were built and continued to fit the same substandard parts when the originals broke (manifolds) but all the usual issues have well-documented fixes involving better quality aftermarket parts. They are not complicated cars and fairly easy, enjoyable even, to work on. Take the figures thrown around on ferrarichat.com with a pinch of salt - the US guys regularly hold pissing contests to see who got bent over furthest on maintenance.
They are easy cars to fall in love with. I went all over Europe in mine with Mrs HardtopManual, pre-kids, and we've got some great memories of the car together. It now gets used for Le Mans trips and "Daddy and daughter" one on one days. I always said I'd sell it when it was a straight swap for a 458, but the closer that gets, the less sure I am that I could do it.
If you want to use it, I would buy one with a decent number of miles on it and which has either had a big recommissioning type bill recently, or evidence of several medium-sized bills over the last 5-10 years. The least reliable cars tend to be the sub-10k milers that have been serviced to schedule every year despite never really moving. Most cars do unfortunately seem to be clocked as they are all 25-30 years now but hardly anything with >40k miles ever seems to come up for sale, which doesn't really pass the sniff test for me (mine has 53k miles on it despite not moving for 6 years thanks to the arrival of four kids, some of them at the same time!). Get it inspected and buy on condition and history.
Their reputation of being expensive to run is not entirely deserved in my opinion; it's clear that Ferrari fitted some substandard parts when they were built and continued to fit the same substandard parts when the originals broke (manifolds) but all the usual issues have well-documented fixes involving better quality aftermarket parts. They are not complicated cars and fairly easy, enjoyable even, to work on. Take the figures thrown around on ferrarichat.com with a pinch of salt - the US guys regularly hold pissing contests to see who got bent over furthest on maintenance.
They are easy cars to fall in love with. I went all over Europe in mine with Mrs HardtopManual, pre-kids, and we've got some great memories of the car together. It now gets used for Le Mans trips and "Daddy and daughter" one on one days. I always said I'd sell it when it was a straight swap for a 458, but the closer that gets, the less sure I am that I could do it.
Edited by HardtopManual on Wednesday 14th May 01:07
Cactussed said:
HardtopManual said:
stuff
That echos my experience almost exactly! Edited by HardtopManual on Wednesday 14th May 01:07
It's good to read relevant info from people who know what they're talking about (that includes you Cactussed)
(Me: Manual Berlinetta, owned 16 yrs)
Fiorano Manual GTB with Carbon Seats (if any exist!) would be the rarest/most desirable and likely extremely expensive - followed by early low miles GTB.
Such a shame this is at the dealer its at - been for sale for years, probably for the reason I've just mentioned.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201705255...
F1 GTS rarest in terms of normal ones - 74 RHD
I think* I had the only Nurburgring/Nero one, I did find a register of them a while ago and there wasn't another - I did see another silver one but with Bordeaux.
Just buy best condition you can, lots of bits are VERY expensive as they're getting rarer as even the late cars from '99 are 26 years old now!
Such a shame this is at the dealer its at - been for sale for years, probably for the reason I've just mentioned.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201705255...
F1 GTS rarest in terms of normal ones - 74 RHD
I think* I had the only Nurburgring/Nero one, I did find a register of them a while ago and there wasn't another - I did see another silver one but with Bordeaux.
Just buy best condition you can, lots of bits are VERY expensive as they're getting rarer as even the late cars from '99 are 26 years old now!
I'm slightly bias but the GTS F1, SF with carbon seats and challenge grill is pretty much spot on. Red with crema. I also have a set of original challenge alloys but never fitted them. I've owned since 2012 and price paid plus maintenance probably equals today's purchase price.
I still can't belive I own it and it's a joy to have it along with all the bits I've collected over time.
I'm not sure if it's because it's a SF but the F1 is very smooth and while slow compared to today's seamless changes it nice to have a sense of gear change. I also love the undertrays and the fact this was one of first aero cars.
I still can't belive I own it and it's a joy to have it along with all the bits I've collected over time.
I'm not sure if it's because it's a SF but the F1 is very smooth and while slow compared to today's seamless changes it nice to have a sense of gear change. I also love the undertrays and the fact this was one of first aero cars.
F355GTS said:
Interesting that people are saying the GTS is the more desirable, going back 20 Years it was seen as the least desirable, not helped by Clarkson buying one and complaining about the buffeting and how it makes the seat belt flutter etc. I had a GTS and loved it but it does make the chassis a little floppy and the roof is heavy and annoyingly has to be turned 180 degrees to fit behind the seats
I also owned an F1 Spider, I loved that car and every mile I drove it, sure the gearbox seems slow and the chassis was probably even more floppy but it was just lovely, I'd buy it back in an instant
That kick in the back is always a useful reminder of your forward velocity I also owned an F1 Spider, I loved that car and every mile I drove it, sure the gearbox seems slow and the chassis was probably even more floppy but it was just lovely, I'd buy it back in an instant
priley said:
I've been fortunate enough to own a GTS (red/crema, capristo, non-airbag) for 16 years and I'd say any appreciation is more or less offset by maintenance; the car cost me £35k (hard to believe now) at 21k miles and I've spent around £45k in maintenance.
Given current values I guess that potentially means that ownership hasn't cost me anything but I have to sell the car to realise that.
Values have doubled since I sold my red/crema Spyder back in 2011, but I agree with this post. I wouldn't have made a profit ifit if I'd kept it, maybe covered my costs.Given current values I guess that potentially means that ownership hasn't cost me anything but I have to sell the car to realise that.
I think further increases in value will be quite slow for the time being. As others have said, there are two options. 1. Silly low mileage, potentially clocked annually, garage queen bought as an investment that you therefore cannot drive. 2. A well maintained sensible miles car bought to enjoy, that will cost you money.
PS it always used to be the case that the F1 box was far less desirable than the lovely gated manual.
asking prices seem to have gone up even since I last checked a year ago. Looks like the only ones in the double-digit euro bracket nowadays are Spiders with F1.
I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
MDL111 said:
asking prices seem to have gone up even since I last checked a year ago. Looks like the only ones in the double-digit euro bracket nowadays are Spiders with F1.
I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
If you don't mind the absence of a Capristo355 soundtrack the 328 is a splendid alternative for real world use I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
Bo_apex said:
MDL111 said:
asking prices seem to have gone up even since I last checked a year ago. Looks like the only ones in the double-digit euro bracket nowadays are Spiders with F1.
I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
If you don't mind the absence of a Capristo355 soundtrack the 328 is a splendid alternative for real world use I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
MDL111 said:
Bo_apex said:
MDL111 said:
asking prices seem to have gone up even since I last checked a year ago. Looks like the only ones in the double-digit euro bracket nowadays are Spiders with F1.
I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
If you don't mind the absence of a Capristo355 soundtrack the 328 is a splendid alternative for real world use I am trying to buy a different car at the moment, but if that does not work out, I am a little tempted to buy one of the "cheap" F1 Spiders for summer. I'd rather have a manual GTS though, but I am unwilling to pay those prices. I think then I'd rather get a 328 GTS with the added advantage of lower running costs and manual.
But......... they sound like a '90s F1 car and handle like a go-kart
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