Should I buy one?
Should I buy one?
Author
Discussion

Jonty99

Original Poster:

4,423 posts

242 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
I have always dreamed of owning a Ferrari, but have also always been into all out bonkers sounding and stripped out cars (thus first car was a super 7).

Do I buy an F355? Or an Ultima (probably Can-Am)?

What are the Ulitmas like for reliability? Insurance? Running costs?

Do you have many difficulties with roads with speed humps? Are they really useable on the road? Or are they mere road legal track cars?

Sean Edwards

999 posts

239 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
Well, a 355 is an auful car to drive and I don't like the looks of it either, so i would definatly go for an Ultima...

Jonty99

Original Poster:

4,423 posts

242 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
Well I drive the 355 F1 Berlinetta the other day and I thought it was nice, but not as much fun as my mates Griffith. But then I do really like the looks of it.

How useable are Ultimas on the roads though? The 355 seemed to be quite nice and comfortable and well planted.

andygtt

8,345 posts

293 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
There is a good canam on here that may be worth trying which is what I would advise, but bewarned your Unlikely to want the 355 after driving an Ultima, you feel so much more connected to the car (even my Boxster feels normal in comparison) and the performance is not even in the same ball park.

As for running costs, the Ultima will be much cheaper as its a simple car under the skin and will probably be a 3rd of the cost to insure.... if you buy 2nd hand then the original owner will have taken the majority of the depreciation hit as really condition and spec denotes value more than age.

I ran mine regularly and even comuted in it when the mood suited me... and rain or shine I had an absolute ball in my canam.

Jonty99

Original Poster:

4,423 posts

242 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
So unless Im willing to fork out for an F40, the Ultima seems to be better! Typical, Ive wanted a Ferrari my whole life, and as soon as I get the money to buy one, I end up wanting yet another Kit Car!

So its not too annoying on a long run or anything then? And what are the chevy engines like?

crafty

2,291 posts

266 months

Monday 15th October 2007
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Ive had both. They are two completely different kinds of machine.

The Ferrari is expensive to maintain, and if you dont do it regularly you will have problems. Cambelt for example... I was told the belt should be replaced every 15000km and its an expensive engine-out job to replace one, even more expensive if you dont because if it breaks you end up with valves hitting pistons.

If you dont get Ferrari serviced by a Ferrari agent you will affect its value. Also, the more miles you put on it, the more it needs servicing AND the faster it will lose value. I suppose this is true of any car, but people can be very anal about service history and mileage when it comes to Ferraris (and you should be too if you are buying one) so the servicing history (who did it and when) really does go hand in hand with mileage. A poor service history affects the value, so once you own one you MUST spend the money on maintenance....you get my drift.... once you have one you will have to be anal too. (is that why they call Ferrari drivers asssholes??... not me obviously - I am one anyway)

The driving experience 355 vs Ultima is COMPLETELY different and not worth comparing. If you havent been in an Ultima, dont even try to guess what it is like. You only need to for a RIDE in one to be hooked..... let alone drive one.

If you are buying a Ferrari to pose, dont bother, the Ultima will get FAR more attention than a Ferrari. I would also expect that the normal guy that would say "look at that wr in the Ferrari" would probably give the thumbs up to an Ultima. The Ultima has a different presence on the road. (people call me a wr no matter what I am in)

I had a worked Porsche 964 at the same time as the Ferrari. The Porsche was more fun than the Ferrari as I didnt have to worry about it getting dented... and it had a LOAD more character.

I still loved the Ferrari experience .... but after only 8 months a friend of a friend had been searching high and low for a yellow/black one and asked me if I wanted to sell mine. My guy feeling said yes, so I sold it to him.... a month later he wrote it off in the wet.

Every time I see a 964 I kick myself for selling it.
I cant imagine ever being able to replace the Ultima.

....I've had a 355, but didnt miss it when it was gone.


TuxMan

9,011 posts

267 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
just had a go in a 355 as i wanted to test drive one to see what it was like .............to be honest it felt slow !!!!!and far too quiet and civilised !!!!smilesmilesmile

andygtt

8,345 posts

293 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
Go drive Tuxmans canam as its a well sorted example, and if your really keen he may even sell it to you.

donkeasy

636 posts

251 months

Monday 15th October 2007
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Drove a few times in both:

Ferarri 308: not quick, good brakes.
First time drove it, it reminded me of a ford taunus with good brakes.

Ferarri 355: lovely car, better by far than the taunus but not super.

Both cars easy to forget after you drove in them, not impressive.

More a Mythe....to be honest.


Edited by donkeasy on Monday 15th October 17:59

TuxMan

9,011 posts

267 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin thanks Andy .

kylemrushall

1,922 posts

233 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
I will second Andy Tuxmans is an awesome can am with the added bonus of fuel injection!!!

I for one dont want him to sell it, because i think you cant replace an Ultima for speed or poser appeal.

I have a fiend with a 360 and he was gobsmacked at the speed of my GTR. It also got a lot more attention at the filling station than his 360!!!

TuxMan

9,011 posts

267 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
Thanks kyle !!! nice words and to be honest i have not been in a hurry to sell it, went out for a quick ride tonite and i was well pleased with just how sorted it is !!!! and even after 3 years on the road i still grin when you squeeze the loud pedal biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin

kylemrushall

1,922 posts

233 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
TuxMan said:
Thanks kyle !!! nice words and to be honest i have not been in a hurry to sell it, went out for a quick ride tonite and i was well pleased with just how sorted it is !!!! and even after 3 years on the road i still grin when you squeeze the loud pedal biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin
Dont sell you wont be able to replace it!!

TuxMan

9,011 posts

267 months

Monday 15th October 2007
quotequote all
Ha ha ha thanks mate .......perhaps i;ll put the price up biggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrinbiggrin

Jonty99

Original Poster:

4,423 posts

242 months

Tuesday 16th October 2007
quotequote all
Thanks for some great replies. I must say I do kind of agree with some comments about the 355, I drove one for the first time the other day, and I couldn't stop thinking how refined it was. It was the F1 paddle shift version, and I had the suspension in sport mode, and it still wasn't as exciting as I'd first hoped.

When it came to driving home from the dealers, I drove my friends Griffith 500, and although on paper in a straight line they're similar in performance, it felt much faster than the 355.

But it has a Ferrari badge. Maybe I should just leave the Ferrari for later on in life, maybe until F430's are priced at where 355s are then.

Does anybody know much about the red Can-Am thats for sale on here?

And where abouts in Lincolnshire are you based Mr Tuxman? Can I please have a ride in your Ultima?

kylemrushall

1,922 posts

233 months

Tuesday 16th October 2007
quotequote all
Jonty99 said:
Thanks for some great replies. I must say I do kind of agree with some comments about the 355, I drove one for the first time the other day, and I couldn't stop thinking how refined it was. It was the F1 paddle shift version, and I had the suspension in sport mode, and it still wasn't as exciting as I'd first hoped.

When it came to driving home from the dealers, I drove my friends Griffith 500, and although on paper in a straight line they're similar in performance, it felt much faster than the 355.

But it has a Ferrari badge. Maybe I should just leave the Ferrari for later on in life, maybe until F430's are priced at where 355s are then.

Does anybody know much about the red Can-Am thats for sale on here?

Yes it is Simon's (tuxman) it is a well sorted example!!! You wont go wrong with it he has spent loads of time/money on it. I cant understand why he wants to sell?? It is for sale on AutoTrader i think, it is at a friend of Simon's Garage.

I hope you dont mind me answering for you Simon???

And where abouts in Lincolnshire are you based Mr Tuxman? Can I please have a ride in your Ultima?

Jonty99

Original Poster:

4,423 posts

242 months

Tuesday 16th October 2007
quotequote all
The one with the laptop controlled ignition system?

kylemrushall

1,922 posts

233 months

Tuesday 16th October 2007
quotequote all
Jonty99 said:
The one with the laptop controlled ignition system?
Laptop controlled fuel injection system i believe!!

Jonty99

Original Poster:

4,423 posts

242 months

Tuesday 16th October 2007
quotequote all
kylemrushall said:
Jonty99 said:
The one with the laptop controlled ignition system?
Laptop controlled fuel injection system i believe!!
Do'h! thats the one!

TuxMan

9,011 posts

267 months

Tuesday 16th October 2007
quotequote all
Thanks Kyle i will send you your commision !!biggrinbiggrin
Jonty99 , yes its my can-am you are welcome to call in and have alook i,m based near peterborough ,e-mail me for more details .