355b over 360CS

I don't know which is "better" or which is the "right" move but I will say that you can't go wrong either way. Does the car make you smile ear to ear? If you answered yes and you didn't get totally ripped off for then who cares? Some say the 355 is the best Ferrari and some say the 360 is best, in my opinion the 355 is better looking and better sounding, that being said if I could get a good deal on a 360, I'd still take the 360.

What it all boils down to is that you have an amazing car and that as long as your happy then you're set.

 

You'll get 90 % of the driving experience and still have USD 100 000 left in the bank - also if near you parking is diifficult and roads are narrower the 355 will be easier to use at its smaller - and better looking !

 

355 was the right choice, well at least I think so.

 

Having never driven a CS I couldnt say if the 355 is better...but I highly doubt it. But as a 355 owner I can tell you it is an awesome car in every way and you will not be dissapointed, a 1995 355 is the one to have IMO. Value for your ferrari dollar so to speak you cant go wrong with a 355 in todays market. I think you made the right move for your first ferrari.

 

IMO, the CS is a MUCH better car than a 355B in several ways:

1) Reliability - the 355's seem to have issues such as valve guides, exhaust manifolds, seat potentiometers (on spiders), sticky interior parts, etc. The 360's have been a fairly reliable car.

2) Service costs - The 355 requires the engine be taken out of the car for major services. The 360 does not.

3) Performance - The 360 is a much better performing car than a 355.

4) Body style - although I like the 355's styling as one of my favorite F-cars, the 360 is a newer body style.

That all said, you could probably buy 2 or 3 355B's for the price of 1 CS.

 

Should this question have been asked before you bought a ferrari? Did you not research?

 

Exactly, and theirn lies the rub. Is a CS, as great as it is, worth 3 355's?? or in my case 1 355 plus 1 456mGT plus some extra dollars..Hmmmm. Thats what I am struggling with right now..

 

I agree with Chaa, but I also agree with the others who posted: the 355 is a great car, but the 360CS is better in every way other than looks and sound.

However in the US, a 355B is about $60k and a 360CS is about $200, so there is a HUGE cost differential between the two, and is a CS worht that much more - you decide.

Enjoy the 355B and when you get tired of it, buy something else - its a great start into the Ferrari world! I love mine.

 

The CS is the best Ferrari ever from the modern cars ( Super Ferraris excluded ). I think you did a bad move !

 

entertaining clip....wish they would just open the mics. during races and let the viewer (tv) get more of a sense of what is going on inside the car like the enjoyment these drivers were experiencing...now that is fun.

 

Both are great cars. I haven't owned a 355, but the CS is not even in the same league. Depends on what your road conditions, driving tolerances, budget and priorities are. Even then only you can decide, really.

 

I had a 98 355 and now have a 04 CS. I won't even try a point-by-point comparison of the two. Bottom line is the CS inherits 360 quality and then some. Performance-wise, its a killer. However, I couldn't possibly have arrived at this conclusion without experiencing my 355. And, as my first Ferrari, my 355 was a wonderful, exhilerating experience. So enjoy and don't look back.

 

I just love my 355, I may never sell it.

But I would hack off my left one with safety scissors for a CS.

 

Two complete different cars, you need to drive both and see which suits you better.

 

Paul is correct. Having owned both there is NO comparison between the two. "Better" and "more fun" are relative. Cost aside you cannot compare a mid 90's designed Ferrari with a limited edition race inspired 10 year newer car. They're not even in the same league. The CS is WAY more car in every respect. That being said - is it more fun? More bang for the buck? Worth an extra $100k? Only you can decide. I thouroughly enjoyed my 355 but would never consider it to have been more enjoyable on any level than my CS. Simply not in the same league.

 

I plan to buy my first Ferrari and try to compare a 1998 355b (~100K CAD) and a 1999 360M (~160K CAD) or a 2003 360M (200K CAD); Can anyone give me some idea ?

 

I wouldn't have done that. Even if the 355's are rarer, the 360CS is such an amazing car. I rode in one around the Nordschleife...greatest 8 minutes of my life. Roller coasters hold nothing against that thing for sheer thrill, fun, and even the g-forces you feel....that thing's handling is mind blowing. Jerking me back and forth....acceleration slams me my seat, braking knocks the breath out of me...like seriously being punched hard in the stomach. Plus the sound is like nothing else. I was going 160mph and it was so loud and beautiful that I couldn't think of what was happening until afterwards. Somehow I'm not so sure the F355 can do that.

 

Trust me ... it can't.

 

The only reason I will never own a CS is the F1 transmission, too bad they never made them in a 6 speed as I don't like automatics of any sort.

 

Being a diehard manual trans guy I felt the same way until I drove the CS in "race" mode. I would take a manual trans over the regular F1 trans (like the 360s have) all day long. The regular F1 is not inspiring. However, race mode in the CS is a completely different animal. Ask any CS owned who has gone from a regular 360 (manual or F1) to a CS and who really enjoys a spirited drive. The race mode shifts so differently - blipping the throttle on down shifts aggressively and doing everything a race car is supposed to do. It's the complete driver's package.

 

tru dat. The 6 speed manual was fun and great for cruising. The CS is not a cruiser car, its all business.

 

does anyone know if any owner has gone far enough to stuff a 'racing' gearbox or retrofitted a 'regular' manual in their F-cars because they didn't like the tranny it came with? I know some owners of elises and mostly tuner cars, they do that sort of thing... just curious is all...