80k mile 355

[ollyh1988]

What should I be looking for on an 80k mile 355?

I have just seen a 355 Spider coming up for auction. It is LHD and has the F1 gearbox. The advert hasn’t been updated properly yet but just wanted to know if this could be a terrible idea or might actually be worth thinking about.

Any big jobs that need doing (besides routine maintenance) as the car reaches these higher mileages? Mileage doesn’t normally put me off but conscious of potential big bills that could loom.

Has anyone got a 355 with high mileage that could provide some advice? Thanks!

[AmoCS]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nCvzjPsZ4yc&t

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/355-high...

Edited by AmoCS on Monday 8th January 16:41

[GordonGekko]

It may be prudent to contact a maintenance speck who is familiar with these cars and works on them regularly for some authoritative advice.

In the UK I find Rardley Motors to be trustworthy - they look after my 60k+ 456.

[Chris355]

At that age and mileage I would go in expecting to have some very large bills. A lot of parts are also now hard to obtain for 335’s.

[ollyh1988]

Thanks for the replies - yes def going to speak to a specialist if I decide to go and bid on the car. Still very early stages of thinking if this is a good or bad idea!

[ollyh1988]

Chris355 said:

At that age and mileage I would go in expecting to have some very large bills. A lot of parts are also now hard to obtain for 335’s.

Yeah - a choice between paying a lot more for immaculate or seeing if this is more affordable and then keeping a reserve. Interested to see what it might be worth.

[Caddyshack]

You can convert them to manual, that might be worth doing.

I suspect many 355’s have done closer to 80k than some speedos show if the stories are true.

Defo get an inspection done.

[Drclarke]

There is a similar mileage car listed as coming for auction on Collecting Cars soon. Insist on a Ferrari main dealer inspection before bidding.

[ollyh1988]

Drclarke said:

There is a similar mileage car listed as coming for auction on Collecting Cars soon. Insist on a Ferrari main dealer inspection before bidding.

Yep it’s that car.

[priley]

There’s also the philosophy that some of the bigger potential issues might have already been encountered. I’ve had to deal with manifolds, clutch/release bearing, ECU (one of the two), cracked rear wheel in the last few years. My car has 36k miles. With regular servicing costs too, staying on top of things is expensive.

[cgt2]

I sold my last 355 in 2014 with 56k miles. Prior to that I'd owned two other examples over two decades with very similar mileages as I drove all three a lot. One was touching 60k and that was 15 years ago.

Somehow I suspect all three cars, wherever they are today, have odometers showing under 30k....

[Drclarke]

ollyh1988 said:

Yep it’s that car.

Whoever bids on it then, they mustinsist on a Ferrari report.

[MrReg]

Drclarke said:

ollyh1988 said:

Yep it’s that car.

Whoever bids on it then, they mustinsist on a Ferrari report.

Looking forward to what it says about the mileage on the MOT history

[Mark_Blanchard]

Caddyshack said:

I suspect many 355’s have done closer to 80k than some speedos show if the stories are true.

Defo get an inspection done.

Yes agreed. Ferrari's are the most clocked cars and it's been going on a very long time. It's a shame but the Dealer's insist on it.

That 355 looks like an honest car.

[Caddyshack]

MrReg said:

Drclarke said:

ollyh1988 said:

Yep it’s that car.

Whoever bids on it then, they mustinsist on a Ferrari report.

Looking forward to what it says about the mileage on the MOT history

I guess there is more story to hear on this one - can anyone share what "that car" story is? Might be helpful to the OP?

[Kart16]

Why not increase its power to >700 bhp? :-D


https://youtube.com/shorts/nd3CuEDsd9c?si=bJuaTZYA...

https://youtu.be/Xr0Li_YKbvg?si=5a18fY7t7APwKFSh

[ollyh1988]

Without knowing more, a basic MOT check does show mileage discrepancy, but maybe this was a Speedo change?
In 2020 it showed 120,000km and the year after 5,000 miles then the year later it was about 50,000km - I’m sure the advert will cover it when they write the full description so not going to worry too much!

[Caddyshack]

ollyh1988 said:

Without knowing more, a basic MOT check does show mileage discrepancy, but maybe this was a Speedo change?
In 2020 it showed 120,000km and the year after 5,000 miles then the year later it was about 50,000km - I’m sure the advert will cover it when they write the full description so not going to worry too much!

I had an Italian motorbike, it was UK supplied but had speedo in KM, every now and then the MOT testers would put the mileage in as miles and then the next yr KM so it was up and down like a brides nightie - It looked a bit odd until you did the miles to km conversion.

[ANOpax]

ollyh1988 said:

What should I be looking for on an 80k mile 355?

The same things that you should be looking for on an 8k mile 355.

Glib remark aside, these cars are over a quarter of a century old. Age is now your enemy, not mileage. Buy on condition, not mileage.
I ran a 50k mile 355 for three years and outside of a routine oil change, it only cost me a new spark plug. Why? because it was in great condition when I bought it (fresh from a cam belt change, major service, new F1 actuator and documentary evidence of new manifolds and valve guide work. The buttresses were also in great condition). If you're buying a 355, regardless of mileage, these are all the things to look in to.

Edited by ANOpax on Wednesday 10th January 08:29

[jtremlett]

ollyh1988 said:

Without knowing more, a basic MOT check does show mileage discrepancy, but maybe this was a Speedo change?
In 2020 it showed 120,000km and the year after 5,000 miles then the year later it was about 50,000km - I’m sure the advert will cover it when they write the full description so not going to worry too much!

The photos show the old km speedo (122710 kms) removed from the car and the current mph speedo showing 5116 miles.