Future F355 Owner and Car NUT

Hello all,

I'm Chris and I'm a certified car nut. Here's some background about me and my automotive interests.

My father grew up with muscle cars, but always respected German refinement and well-rounded performance and that influenced me heavily I guess... I currently own 6 BMWs of all kinds, one Audi 5 cyl with HUGE turbo, and a pig of a Porsche. I have only ever owned German cars, but I have a love for all things automotive!

My style is very understated and subtle. I don't like flashy things, but I do like cars which those in the know will appreciate. I also like a car with character. My M5 is a perfect example of that. Most people on the road don't know what it is, but those who know love it and know what to expect when I put the hammer down Here are a few pictures of some of my little collection.






The euro 635csi





The M3 (stock)





The super sleeper Audi 200 20v "revver" project. There is another similar one out there which just got up and running. He made 780 awhp before running out of fuel due to stock hardlines. So watch out next time you see one of these in the northeast! I plan to make more power.



I wish it could still fit the stock wheels, but there are 996 calipers under there, so that's a no go!
















Anyway, growing up I always appreciated Ferraris, but I sometimes thought they might be a bit overrated. After all, I could turbo and track prep nearly any one of my BMWs to compete with just about any F-car with enough money, time, and effort. Those cars have character too, especially when modified. HOWEVER, I got the chance to drive a 458 Italia, Gallardo, and an R8 on the track when I graduated from college and my mind was changed forever!

The 458 was fantastic. Frankly, it was too much car for me given the short time I had to drive it. It made the Gallardo feel like a total hunk of junk and the R8 was great, but it was certainly not in the same league as the 458.

That was the event which made me consider owning a Ferrari. The question was then, which one? There are a few criteria I haven't mentioned yet when it comes to cars I acquire. 1) I'm a sucker for sound. 2) It MUST have a manual transmission. 3) It should have the ability to appreciate with time or at least hold its value. 4) Emotion and or character 5) Driving feel/athleticism 6) Uniqueness - I don't need two of the "same" car.

All things considered, I believe that for me the F355 is the perfect first Ferrari. They have arguably the best sounding engine Ferrari has ever made (I think the F12 and LaFerrari also sound wonderful), they're relatively understated for a Ferrari, yet still beautiful in a 90's sort of way, and I imagine they score well in the emotion/character/athleticism, etc. departments. I will have to get a ride or go for a drive in one soon to make sure though!

Now for the timeline... I could sell a few of my current toys to buy a 355, but I currently work 12 hour shifts for an average of about 27 days a month, and I don't think that is enough time to make the cost of F355 ownership worth it. I think that in about three years I may have some more time in my life. If that is the case, then it will be F355 time. Until then, I look forward to spending some time here learning about the ins and outs of these wonderful cars. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and (hopefully) welcoming me into your community.

 

Thanks for the welcome guys. When I say I can't drive the car much, I mean I may only have the opportunity to drive it once or twice a year! I am only home about three days a month, and while I love working on my cars, I don't love it quite as much when I have so little time.

I know the f355 can be a little maintenance-heavy, but I am prepared for that. I have worked my way up the maintenance expense chain quite nicely over the years. I started with a VW (not super reliable, but cheap to work on), then BMW which was a little more expensive to work on, but not much. BMW M cars came next, and they have proven to be significantly more costly to maintain, but still easy to work on. Now I've moved up to Porsche, and I can really see the "Porsche tax" just like you guys have a "Ferrari tax" on parts and service. If you can do the work yourself though, it is still reasonable.

The worst I've encountered so far in terms of cost of maintenance is the brakes on my Cayenne Turbo S. The front rotors cost $1600 for the pair, so a routine brake job ends up costing about $3k for those who don't do the work themselves. There is no aftermarket rotor available, so this is the only option aside from switching to standard turbo brakes. So you see, I've been easing into the pain. It seems like the only logical next step is to the Ferrari world

Anyway, if I can only drive it (my future F355 20 or so times in-between major services, I'm not sure if it is worth it in terms of smiles per dollar, but I'll be damned if I'll be able to resist if one pops up for sale locally for a good price. Especially after a test drive!