I'm on the hunt for a 360, how much better than the 355?
Discussion
Thanks for the replies guys, looks like an extended test drive is needed.
Reference the 355 not being fast, fact is in this day and age it isn't. It may well have 375bhp but it does not have an awful lot of torque which is what counts. When I sold mine it had a full inspection, including compression test, and everything was spot on, so it was no bad example. I had also just come from a 996 Turbo with the factory power upgrade (tested at 464bhp and 502 lbs/ft) which was a hard act for the 355 to follow.
I am not expecting a 360 in a different league performance wise, I have a tuned R35 GTR as my daily drive so thats covered, but I do like the thought of having something another Prancing Horse for the weekends, something with a bit of soul and a superb soundtrack. So time to start looking.
David.
PS. If anyone is thinking of selling their 360 manual anytime soon let me know (not a Spider though).
Reference the 355 not being fast, fact is in this day and age it isn't. It may well have 375bhp but it does not have an awful lot of torque which is what counts. When I sold mine it had a full inspection, including compression test, and everything was spot on, so it was no bad example. I had also just come from a 996 Turbo with the factory power upgrade (tested at 464bhp and 502 lbs/ft) which was a hard act for the 355 to follow.
I am not expecting a 360 in a different league performance wise, I have a tuned R35 GTR as my daily drive so thats covered, but I do like the thought of having something another Prancing Horse for the weekends, something with a bit of soul and a superb soundtrack. So time to start looking.
David.
PS. If anyone is thinking of selling their 360 manual anytime soon let me know (not a Spider though).
Thanks for the replies guys, looks like an extended test drive is needed.
Reference the 355 not being fast, fact is in this day and age it isn't. It may well have 375bhp but it does not have an awful lot of torque which is what counts. When I sold mine it had a full inspection, including compression test, and everything was spot on, so it was no bad example. I had also just come from a 996 Turbo with the factory power upgrade (tested at 464bhp and 502 lbs/ft) which was a hard act for the 355 to follow.
I am not expecting a 360 in a different league performance wise, I have a tuned R35 GTR as my daily drive so thats covered, but I do like the thought of having something another Prancing Horse for the weekends, something with a bit of soul and a superb soundtrack. So time to start looking.
David.
PS. If anyone is thinking of selling their 360 manual anytime soon let me know (not a Spider though).
Reference the 355 not being fast, fact is in this day and age it isn't. It may well have 375bhp but it does not have an awful lot of torque which is what counts. When I sold mine it had a full inspection, including compression test, and everything was spot on, so it was no bad example. I had also just come from a 996 Turbo with the factory power upgrade (tested at 464bhp and 502 lbs/ft) which was a hard act for the 355 to follow.
I am not expecting a 360 in a different league performance wise, I have a tuned R35 GTR as my daily drive so thats covered, but I do like the thought of having something another Prancing Horse for the weekends, something with a bit of soul and a superb soundtrack. So time to start looking.
David.
PS. If anyone is thinking of selling their 360 manual anytime soon let me know (not a Spider though).
There are many people who own monster power cars as well as the f355/F360s. They take the 355/360s for what they are. I drive alot of exotics from a Bentley GT, 360 spider, F430 spider to a 599, as well as a monster hayabusa bike. But i still love the 355 because i accept it for what it is. It was a 15 year old revolutionary ground breaker in its day, so these days it can sit back on its Laural's. I dont compare the 355 or 360 with any other car i drive, theres no point performance wise.
I recommend you just buy an F340 and have done with it, there reasonably priced these days
I recommend you just buy an F340 and have done with it, there reasonably priced these days
Must just be me then, as I also have a 650hp RUF GT2 which has proven many times to be about the 'fastest' car on the road but I love my 355 deeply and still wouldn't call it slow. From the sound of it, it's how you drive the 355 rather than it's real performance, yes you have to work it and ring the revs through to get make it lively, but on the road I've never found it wanting in performance terms and never been left behind be it on A roads or blasting up an Italian mountain pass.
The 355 has the perfect balance of power and handling to me which enable me to really enjoy the car, not get overwhelmed by excess power and focus on getting corner entry and exits spot on. Guess it's depends if you want balance or wiz bang motoring....
The 355 has the perfect balance of power and handling to me which enable me to really enjoy the car, not get overwhelmed by excess power and focus on getting corner entry and exits spot on. Guess it's depends if you want balance or wiz bang motoring....
355 will cost more than the M3. Guaranteed.
Regarding the other comments, the 355 isn't all that quick. Neither is a standard 911, or anything else without a big turbo or big capacity these days. I've owned and loved a 600bhp Jap Turbo Nutter Barge (R33 GTR). EPIC car, but the 355 is a different kettle of fish. What the 355 has is:
- a soundtrack second to none
- enough grunt to get you in and out of trouble
- enough grip to be quite chuckable
- limits low enough to be reached without doing speeds that will kill you instantly; and
- benign handling so you can push outside its limits yet remain reasonably predictable and controllable.
I can't think of much else that will do the same. There a any number of cars that will do bits far better, but not the whole box and dice. The only thing that comes close is, funnily enough, an M3. Which is my other car.
Regarding the other comments, the 355 isn't all that quick. Neither is a standard 911, or anything else without a big turbo or big capacity these days. I've owned and loved a 600bhp Jap Turbo Nutter Barge (R33 GTR). EPIC car, but the 355 is a different kettle of fish. What the 355 has is:
- a soundtrack second to none
- enough grunt to get you in and out of trouble
- enough grip to be quite chuckable
- limits low enough to be reached without doing speeds that will kill you instantly; and
- benign handling so you can push outside its limits yet remain reasonably predictable and controllable.
I can't think of much else that will do the same. There a any number of cars that will do bits far better, but not the whole box and dice. The only thing that comes close is, funnily enough, an M3. Which is my other car.
The 355 is probably the best Ferrari they've ever made...the transparency of driving, the involvement, the looks, the sound, the feeling of piloting something low wide and exotic is something they've not even got close to in either 360 nor the 430 both of which I've owned.
If you want a faster car buy a 911 Turbo because the 360 isn't especially quick either and they've shot the handling balance IMO completely. The 430 is beautifully balanced but it's still a cruiser designed to take golf clubs and as a result, it's still too soft.
They never got it as right as they did with the 355. The new cars are made for Essex and Marbella.
If you want a faster car buy a 911 Turbo because the 360 isn't especially quick either and they've shot the handling balance IMO completely. The 430 is beautifully balanced but it's still a cruiser designed to take golf clubs and as a result, it's still too soft.
They never got it as right as they did with the 355. The new cars are made for Essex and Marbella.
pistolp said:
Apologies, I seem to remember being told that by a dealer. Just goes to show!
What steering wheel can you put on the car? Not that keen on modifying Ferraris, think that looks ultra chavvy. But, if you could put the wheel on from the early 355's (pre airbag models) and a longer steering wheel boss that might be a good solution. My dealer tells me that the car would then fail it's MOT though because the airbag light would be on?
PP, take off the standard bus sized 355 s/wheel and put a momo wheel (model = race, black)) as a lot guys on here and on fcars have done. Improves the feeling immensely and you can drive it round a track with just your thumbs and forefingers. The boss kit that comes with the momo also brings the s/wheel closer to the driver so you're driving with your ams and not shoulders.What steering wheel can you put on the car? Not that keen on modifying Ferraris, think that looks ultra chavvy. But, if you could put the wheel on from the early 355's (pre airbag models) and a longer steering wheel boss that might be a good solution. My dealer tells me that the car would then fail it's MOT though because the airbag light would be on?
SpeedYellow said:
I've got an original F40 steering wheel on mine, so fits in nicely. The boss kit comes with a plug in where the air bag wiring goes that keeps the light off but means the passenger airbag still works properly.
Will post a picture later to show you what it looks like, but much nicer than the Alfa GTV airbag wheel the car has as standard and driving position is now spot on!
Sorry for the delay in posting this, but as promised, here is the picture of the spaced F40 wheel I have on my 355 that sorts the driving position and just looks and feels right to me.Will post a picture later to show you what it looks like, but much nicer than the Alfa GTV airbag wheel the car has as standard and driving position is now spot on!
355 all day long. I sold mine in 2002 as it was a little to modern for me. A bit to easy to drive, but loved it and would probably have another.
The 360 is even more 'normal' in my opinion and will not be 'valued' as a true classic in the future as the 430 is a similar shape but significantly better.
The 360 will be the 348 to the 430.
However, both will bring a big smile I'm sure.
The 360 is even more 'normal' in my opinion and will not be 'valued' as a true classic in the future as the 430 is a similar shape but significantly better.
The 360 will be the 348 to the 430.
However, both will bring a big smile I'm sure.
BrendonJ said:
pistolp said:
Apologies, I seem to remember being told that by a dealer. Just goes to show!
What steering wheel can you put on the car? Not that keen on modifying Ferraris, think that looks ultra chavvy. But, if you could put the wheel on from the early 355's (pre airbag models) and a longer steering wheel boss that might be a good solution. My dealer tells me that the car would then fail it's MOT though because the airbag light would be on?
PP, take off the standard bus sized 355 s/wheel and put a momo wheel (model = race, black)) as a lot guys on here and on fcars have done. Improves the feeling immensely and you can drive it round a track with just your thumbs and forefingers. The boss kit that comes with the momo also brings the s/wheel closer to the driver so you're driving with your ams and not shoulders.What steering wheel can you put on the car? Not that keen on modifying Ferraris, think that looks ultra chavvy. But, if you could put the wheel on from the early 355's (pre airbag models) and a longer steering wheel boss that might be a good solution. My dealer tells me that the car would then fail it's MOT though because the airbag light would be on?
BrendonJ said:
PP, take off the standard bus sized 355 s/wheel and put a momo wheel (model = race, black)) as a lot guys on here and on fcars have done. Improves the feeling immensely and you can drive it round a track with just your thumbs and forefingers. The boss kit that comes with the momo also brings the s/wheel closer to the driver so you're driving with your ams and not shoulders.
I did this to my car 4 years ago. The Momo Race wheel is top draw. recomended
I've been toying with the idea of an f355 myself for a while now. The biggest thing that puts me off though is that I'm quite tall (6ft4) and the one brief time I sat in a 355 spider, I felt like the only way I could even see through the windscreen was to sort hunch down – I’d be crippled after about 20 minutes I think! Is this fixable at all with maybe a more racing type bucket seat, or do I have to look at something else (Evora, 360, something)? I’ve always thought the 360 looked a bit dumpy so realistically it would be 355 or nothing, Ferrari wise.
Thanks
Thanks
Mario149 said:
I think I'll be tempted to change the steering wheel when I get my 355. Only issue is, I don't particularly want to have Momo (or anything really) written on the wheel. Is it possible to get a Ferrari badge for it instead so it fits with the rest of the car?
You can get a 360 Challenge wheel.Looks really good and feels great. Cost £189 iirc.
I owned an F355 Spider for 5 years and loved it. I was one of the first to put a Tubi on it in this country and it transformed the driving experience, as did fitting the Momo Race with extended boss.
LHD ones have a much better driving position as your right leg is not offset by the wheelarch.
The 360 has a fundamental handling imbalance which Ferrari tacitly admitted by fitting 10mm wider rear tyres than on the 355 and 10mm NARROWER fronts, i.e. trying to hamfistedly introduce understeer to an inherently snappy chassis.
When I took P1's black Spider to France for a long weekend, I found it horribly understeery but with sudden oversteer once you tried to balance it out with power. Totally different (and inferior) to the sublime chassis of the F355.
In a straight line, once you get over the artificially engendered overly-sharp throttle response of the 360, it is only very slightly quicker than an F355. Once I had the Tubi and a remap, mine would keep up with a wrung-out 360 no problem.
So to the OP, it is not worth changing to a 360, unless it is the vastly different and superb Challenge Stradale. You simply won't enjoy it more than the F355 and may well end up liking it a lot less.
O/T what have you done to your GT-R? Mine is running 600hp with just a custom Cobb tune and Akrapovic titanium exhaust. Will show a clean pair of heels to any current Ferrari...
LHD ones have a much better driving position as your right leg is not offset by the wheelarch.
The 360 has a fundamental handling imbalance which Ferrari tacitly admitted by fitting 10mm wider rear tyres than on the 355 and 10mm NARROWER fronts, i.e. trying to hamfistedly introduce understeer to an inherently snappy chassis.
When I took P1's black Spider to France for a long weekend, I found it horribly understeery but with sudden oversteer once you tried to balance it out with power. Totally different (and inferior) to the sublime chassis of the F355.
In a straight line, once you get over the artificially engendered overly-sharp throttle response of the 360, it is only very slightly quicker than an F355. Once I had the Tubi and a remap, mine would keep up with a wrung-out 360 no problem.
So to the OP, it is not worth changing to a 360, unless it is the vastly different and superb Challenge Stradale. You simply won't enjoy it more than the F355 and may well end up liking it a lot less.
O/T what have you done to your GT-R? Mine is running 600hp with just a custom Cobb tune and Akrapovic titanium exhaust. Will show a clean pair of heels to any current Ferrari...
When I was looking for a Ferrari I looked at the 355 and the 360, but to be honest I've always prefered the look of the Modena which is obviously a personal choice and that's what I ended up going for.
Thing is how many Ferrari drivers push their cars to anything near the limit come to that how many Ferrari drivers drive their cars very much at all. So for me buying a Ferrai is about the visual appeal and that sound. If I where buying a car for outright performance I wouldn't buy a 355 or a 360 I'd save myself 15k and buy another GT3.
So my answer to the OP would be that the 360 has the edge for me purely because it's probably going to be a newer car, asthetically it's personal thing and for the majority the differences between the two in performance is never going to be be more than bar room banter than in real world performance.
Be proud you own a Ferrari whatever it is!!!!!
Thing is how many Ferrari drivers push their cars to anything near the limit come to that how many Ferrari drivers drive their cars very much at all. So for me buying a Ferrai is about the visual appeal and that sound. If I where buying a car for outright performance I wouldn't buy a 355 or a 360 I'd save myself 15k and buy another GT3.
So my answer to the OP would be that the 360 has the edge for me purely because it's probably going to be a newer car, asthetically it's personal thing and for the majority the differences between the two in performance is never going to be be more than bar room banter than in real world performance.
Be proud you own a Ferrari whatever it is!!!!!
I'd agree with what has been said above...
the 360 is a great long distance tourer (assuming peoople can get over being scared to put miles on them)
the 355 is the better drivers car though, it's nimble light and fun to drive.
the 360's extra weight and bulk counts against it and in terms of speed there's not a huge amount in it.
Cactussed and I had a little play in France last year and on the straight the 360 edged ahead but not by a big margin,, not so much that anyone who was simply into enjoying their driving would care.
the 360 is a great long distance tourer (assuming peoople can get over being scared to put miles on them)
the 355 is the better drivers car though, it's nimble light and fun to drive.
the 360's extra weight and bulk counts against it and in terms of speed there's not a huge amount in it.
Cactussed and I had a little play in France last year and on the straight the 360 edged ahead but not by a big margin,, not so much that anyone who was simply into enjoying their driving would care.
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