| Author |
Message |
Bill Sawyer (Wsawyer)
Member
Username: Wsawyer
Post Number: 361
Registered: 2-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2002 - 1:30 pm: | |
Tim:
Your posts are NEVER confusing. Keep feeding us that info! |
Tim N (Timn88)
Intermediate Member
Username: Timn88
Post Number: 1292
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2002 - 1:16 pm: | |
Dont listen to the myths about the '95 F355's. Theyu are blown way out of proportion. Most of them have had the valve guide problem fixed by now, if they had it. Just remeber a pre purchase inspection by an independent mechanic (kenny can recomend nick sopranos shop, which ive seen and his mechanics look like they know what they are doing, seeing how they work on million dollar ferraris) will find any problems the car has. you can then use these problems to really bring the price down alot, or walk away. For what you want to spend, you can find a nice 95 with ~15k miles with the 15k service done. Try steve harris imports, they have reasonable prices. I dont know anyting about them other than from their web page though. While miller motorcars is a nice place and the salesmen are knowledgeable (especially werner), their prices are way too high. wide world of cars is a place that has good and friendly salesman and reasonable prices. If you are located near miller, its close enough to drive to. Im in westchester and it takes me 25 minutes
this post may be confusung, im just trying not to forget anything |
Ricky Nardis (Ttforcefed)
New member
Username: Ttforcefed
Post Number: 12
Registered: 4-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2002 - 1:08 pm: | |
Thanks for all the help guys. I appreciate it. Would suck bigtime if i cant the car for this reason. |
Tyler (Bahiaau)
Member
Username: Bahiaau
Post Number: 340
Registered: 12-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, July 23, 2002 - 9:55 am: | |
Kenny, there is a guy in an apartment complex near me in Tulsa who drives a black 355B. The complex has garages and speed bumps. I don't know this person, but next time I see him out I'll try to talk to him and see what his answers are to your questions. |
Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Member
Username: Kennyh
Post Number: 317
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 8:37 pm: | |
I meant that his appartment complex has a garage. |
Michael Yip (Mightyslash)
Junior Member
Username: Mightyslash
Post Number: 88
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 8:19 pm: | |
He lives in an APARTMENT and he has a garage for a 355? hmm, something doesnt sound right to me....Maybe I'm wrong. |
arthur chambers (Art355)
Member
Username: Art355
Post Number: 539
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 6:20 pm: | |
Kenny:
Depending upon the year, these are very reliable, and drivable. I have used mine a daily commuter on occassion, and even in traffic, it has worked well. The ground clearance is low. You can reset it, but I don't advise it, as you will most probably throw your alignment out of wack. Depending on where you are, and how many cars in the household, the insurance cost can vary substantially. My is my 5th vehicle, and it costs me about $800 per year to insure with a 1000 deductible.
Hope this helps.
|
Mark Collins (Markcollins)
New member
Username: Markcollins
Post Number: 17
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 4:58 pm: | |
The ride height is indeed adjustable by moving the collars however I would be cautious about adjusting these to provide clearance at one end of the car. The primary purpose is to adjust the overall height of the car, the rake (the angle between front and rear) and the corner weighting. Adjusting the front end to clear a speed hump may seriously upset the balance of the car resulting in unusual handling characteristics. Whilst not directly compariable an adjustment of 6mm (1/4 inch) on my Caterham Race car will turn it from an mild oversteer setup to excessive understeer. Without correct setup and testing the best thing you could do is adjust all 4 equally but that will increase the centre of gravity and induce more body roll |
Ricky Nardis (Ttforcefed)
New member
Username: Ttforcefed
Post Number: 11
Registered: 4-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 1:52 pm: | |
thanks,
I'm looking for a berlinetta |
Mitch Alsup (Mitch_alsup)
Junior Member
Username: Mitch_alsup
Post Number: 86
Registered: 4-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 9:47 am: | |
Ground clearance: It is adjustable with a (collar?) wrench, so if its too low, you can raise it. It starts out between 4" and 4.5". You have to get use to being cautious approaching speed bumps, entrance ramps, and the like. Mine has enough clearance that I ouly get scrapped in my own driveway--another 1/4 inch would eliminate this--when I get arround to ti.
The F355 is amazingly drivable. You can put the car in 2nd gear at a stop sign on straigne and level roads, and slowly let out the clutch and the engin will neither cough, sputter, nor die, but will keep gaining speed. 6th gear is useable down to about 25 MPG, and will take full throttle at just over idle in 6th. Amazingly drivable for such high performance. |
Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Member
Username: Kennyh
Post Number: 315
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 9:13 am: | |
Ricky, forward them to [email protected]. I do not know what is wrong with my server. |
Mark Izzo (Tdf355)
Junior Member
Username: Tdf355
Post Number: 66
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 8:31 am: | |
Good luck Ricky, you wont be disappointed!! What are you looking for? GTS,Berlinetta, Spider? |
steve (Honky)
New member
Username: Honky
Post Number: 10
Registered: 5-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 6:54 am: | |
Kenny,
I have a 355 Spider - I'm in Hong Kong and pay about US$6500 for fully comp insurance. Own damage excess is about US$18k.
It's a beautiful car and lovely to drive - however its not fun in slow moving traffic jams - where you're going to be giving your left leg quite a work out. The car is also quite wide, atleast compared to my BMW, so you need good size car parking spaces! - although the power steering makes it much easier to park than say a 348.
Ground clearance - I haven't measured but its tight - very tight - the problem is not the height of the fron but the length between the front wheel and the front of the car.
I managed to scrape up the front bumper very badly within a couple of weeks of having it - and I now do not park it in my apartment due to the slopes.
If your car park is flat with a sudden steep incline and the slope is single lane then you'll have a big problem. If its double lane you can angle the car 45 degrees and minimise the scrape. If its a gradual incline then no problems.
Fortunately it doesnt cost much for a fibre glass job and respray - I paid about $380.
Check out the thread a couple of weeks ago labelled Urgent |
Ricky Nardis (Ttforcefed)
New member
Username: Ttforcefed
Post Number: 10
Registered: 4-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 6:48 am: | |
Yup, I have a garage!
Hey Kenny, thanks for the all the help. I e-mailed you a few times and it keeps bouncing back.
|
Mark Izzo (Tdf355)
Junior Member
Username: Tdf355
Post Number: 65
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 6:45 am: | |
First question, does he have a garage? People like to take out their personal shortcomings on other peoples expensive cars, especially Ferrari. The car is very driveable and can be driven everyday if you dont mind people losing their mind when they see it on the road. The F355 has to be one of the best cars ever. |
Kenny Herman (Kennyh)
Member
Username: Kennyh
Post Number: 314
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Monday, July 22, 2002 - 1:05 am: | |
Background information: I am helping a friend buy his first Ferrari- he has an E36 M3 right now, and is on the waiting list for a 996 Porsche TT. He would like the 355 because it has more "personality" then the Porsche.
Now that that is said, he would like to use the car as much as possible, basically as a daily driver. He lives in an apartment, and is scared that the car won't make the ground clearance (or will scrape its bottom front bumper) on the ramp. He is 26 now, so his insurance shouldn't be too outrageous.
My questions:
The ground clearance on your car.
The insurance you pay (roughly).
The drivability of it. |