Buying an F355
Discussion
Chaps - I would be extremely grateful for any advice. Always wanted one, and now they're finally within reach. Prefer the F355 to any of the more modern ones (which is just as well because I can't afford any of the new ones)!
I am aware of the servicing costs, and the servicing intervals. I have heard horror stories of £5K cam belt changes etc.....but specialists like Verdi etc seem to refute this, mentioning cambelt and valve service around the £1500 mark. Which I can cope with. She's probably going to do 10,000 miles a year. It doesnt need to be a daily drive.
I'd ideally want a manual GTS. What are the things that go wrong on these once you've got them? Are they generally reliable? Do they have paint/bodywork issues? Should I buy from the Ferrari main agents for warranty peace of mind, or are the specialists good on warranty things?
Many thanks in advance.....
J.
I am aware of the servicing costs, and the servicing intervals. I have heard horror stories of £5K cam belt changes etc.....but specialists like Verdi etc seem to refute this, mentioning cambelt and valve service around the £1500 mark. Which I can cope with. She's probably going to do 10,000 miles a year. It doesnt need to be a daily drive.
I'd ideally want a manual GTS. What are the things that go wrong on these once you've got them? Are they generally reliable? Do they have paint/bodywork issues? Should I buy from the Ferrari main agents for warranty peace of mind, or are the specialists good on warranty things?
Many thanks in advance.....
J.
Have a good search on here and FerrariChat.com for a *lot* more info, but...
No it's not unusual for cars to have lots of owners. You'll probably find most were earlier in its life (even then, premiums were around). The important thing is to check all the servicing records thoroughly (either main dealer or indie).
On the body work front, it's mostly good news. The front is susceptible to stone chips though. The worst bit on GTBs/GTSs is the join between the rear buttresses and the wings. These bubble up and corrode eventually (mine have just gone - 1999 car). I'm told it's about 400 quid a side to remedy.
You're also likely to notice that the black panels on the sills rust. These are cosmetic, but expensive to sort out (again, not much change from 400 quid). They can easily be painted, but my next ones will be cf to cure the problem once and for all.
Electrical gremlins do happen. Just make sure everything works (including/especially the air con!).
Exhaust headers can crack. Cats can fail. Early cars can have valve seat issues. Etc.
Key thing is to get any purchase independently checked out, even if you buy from a dealer (main or indie). Then use their findings in your negotiations BUT get the stuff fixed.
There are some fairly extensive responses in the archives though. Not meaning to be offish, but a goood bit of research now will make you feel far more comfortable when you start looking at individual cars.
Oh, and budget 1600 quid or so for a proper exhaust (Tubi or Capristo). The car is transformed with one, and sounds rubbish without.
Good luck.
No it's not unusual for cars to have lots of owners. You'll probably find most were earlier in its life (even then, premiums were around). The important thing is to check all the servicing records thoroughly (either main dealer or indie).
On the body work front, it's mostly good news. The front is susceptible to stone chips though. The worst bit on GTBs/GTSs is the join between the rear buttresses and the wings. These bubble up and corrode eventually (mine have just gone - 1999 car). I'm told it's about 400 quid a side to remedy.
You're also likely to notice that the black panels on the sills rust. These are cosmetic, but expensive to sort out (again, not much change from 400 quid). They can easily be painted, but my next ones will be cf to cure the problem once and for all.
Electrical gremlins do happen. Just make sure everything works (including/especially the air con!).
Exhaust headers can crack. Cats can fail. Early cars can have valve seat issues. Etc.
Key thing is to get any purchase independently checked out, even if you buy from a dealer (main or indie). Then use their findings in your negotiations BUT get the stuff fixed.
There are some fairly extensive responses in the archives though. Not meaning to be offish, but a goood bit of research now will make you feel far more comfortable when you start looking at individual cars.
Oh, and budget 1600 quid or so for a proper exhaust (Tubi or Capristo). The car is transformed with one, and sounds rubbish without.
Good luck.
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