97 355 Spider... How many flaws can you find?

Let's just say, there has been frame damage....

05/11/2006 FL
Auto Auction AUCTION ANNOUNCED AS FRAME DAMAGE
05/15/2006 FL
Auto Auction AUCTION ANNOUNCED AS UNIBODY DAMAGE

12/12/2007 FL
Auto Auction AUCTION ANNOUNCED AS UNIBODY DAMAGE


Ah Hell....Here

It's an auction queen

03/12/1997 GATES MILLS, OH
86
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:1802071921)
05/01/1997 GATES MILLS, OH
Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
08/16/1997 CLEVELAND, OH
2,862
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:1802316923)
09/19/1997 CLEVELAND, OH
2,955
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:1802369407)
09/23/1997 TWINSBURG, OH
Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle)
07/11/1998 SOLON, OH
Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle)
07/21/1998 CLEVELAND, OH
4,039
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:1802799604)
09/09/1998 SPRINGFIELD, IL
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:T8252776021)
11/12/1998 FL
4,355
Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV
11/12/1998 FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION
12/02/1998 MIAMI, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
12/04/1998 MIAMI, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:75566723) (Lien Reported)
02/21/1999 FL
State Agency FRONT IMPACT WITH A FENCE (Case #:510261730)
08/15/1999 FL
5,204
Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV
11/22/2000 DELAND, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:0075566723) (Leased Vehicle)
11/29/2000 DELAND, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle)
06/07/2001 DELAND, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Leased Vehicle)
08/14/2001 SOUTHEASTERN REGION
18,101
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
12/10/2001 SOUTHEASTERN REGION
18,198
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
01/22/2003 SOUTHEASTERN REGION
18,464
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
03/19/2003 SOUTHEASTERN REGION
18,521
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
07/07/2003 SOUTHEASTERN REGION
18,533
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
08/06/2003 FL
18,599
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
08/11/2003 FL
18,701
Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV
08/12/2003 MIAMI BEACH, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:0075566723)
12/04/2003 FORT SMITH, AR
19,367
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:66010312342)
REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL (Lien Reported)
05/01/2006 FL
20,031
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
05/11/2006 FL
Auto Auction AUCTION ANNOUNCED AS FRAME DAMAGE
05/15/2006 FL
Auto Auction AUCTION ANNOUNCED AS UNIBODY DAMAGE
05/19/2006 JACKSONVILLE, FL
20,007
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:0075566723) (Lien Reported)
05/19/2006 JACKSONVILLE, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
10/23/2006 FL
20,205
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
02/05/2007 FL
20,368
Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV
02/09/2007 JACKSONVILLE, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:0075566723)
03/13/2007 FL
20,509
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
03/15/2007 JACKSONVILLE, FL
Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:0075566723)
12/11/2007 FL
23,435
Auto Auction REPORTED AT AUTO AUCTION
12/12/2007 FL
Auto Auction AUCTION ANNOUNCED AS UNIBODY DAMAGE

 

It has been listed for sale before


Car make & model: Ferrari 355 Year: 1997
Exterior color: Yellow Condition: Used
Interior color: Black Engine:
Transmission: Manual Mileage: 24,000
Drivetrain: Fuel Type: Gasoline
Airbags: Warranty: Vehicle does NOT have an existing warranty
VIN# zffxr48a3v0107562 Price: $55,000

 

Bnels2348, I don't know that much about 355's as I just recently got my 348 and between all my cars I have trouble driving and giving it the attention it deserves.
I was curious as to what you saw about the car prior to VTC posting the carfax that led you to believe there was something wrong?
Maybe I can stand to learn a thing or two.

 

Clue #1 - "Paintwork done over the years"
Clue #2 - The center console looks like someone dropped a sledge hammer on it
Clue #3 - Look at the front bumper gap betweeen that and the front bonnet..
Clue #4 - The registry says "front frame damage" on 02/21/99 !!!!

 

Yes, the gaps are very off. Man, what an autcion whore! But hey, at the current price of 45G's can it be that bad?

 

Ha, ok I need to have my eyes checked! Went back and looked, How could I have missed that?
Thanks for pointing that out to me 285!

Clue #5 - The doors are not hung straight
Clue #6 - The bonnet seems to be bent on the passenger side

 

The shield is missing on the passenger side of the engine compartment.

 

Shield? - You referring to the lateral engine support cover?

 

And did someone put JB Weld on a cracked header?

 

I think selling it as is is the only way to sell it. Because of the bad Carfax and number of previous owners there is no way to recoup the money you spend on repairing the dash. The issue with the center console is minor and is just a missing screw that wasn't reinstalled when I had an alarm added. I was the owner of this car for just under a year and drove it around 3000 miles. It had the 30K service performed at Ferrari of Central Florida in May 2007. I decided to sell the car at auction because I was sick of taking calls from people on the car and having to discuss its issues. I also was never using it and needed the money for my real estate business.

I agree with many here that trying to sell a 355 with history is a pain in the ass and if you buy one it better be a steep discount or one you will keep a long time. I lost significant money on this car, mostly because I performed the 30K service and replaced the clutch. This car isn't perfect by any stretch but it is mechanically sound and drives great. Most of the cosmetic issues can be fixed for $5000-$10,000 at the next owners leisure. I sold this car at auction for a bit more then current bid and will be interesting to see the final sales price. Of course with Ebay it's only 50/50 at best that the winning bidder will actually complete the auction.

For full disclosure I used to own this car but have no interest in the sale on Ebay and I suppose would actually see it sell for a low price to make me feel better about what I sold it for at auction. If you are thinking of bidding on this car feel free to PM me if you have any questions and as long as you aren't expecting a garage queen and get it for a low price I don't see how you can go wrong.

 

The first thing I saw was the pass side air bag has blown. Also the center console doesn't fit right around the switches. I suspect a big accident.

 

The passenger airbag issue is from leather shrinkage in the sun and not from the accident back in 1999. I agree this is a rough car but for the right price it should make someone happy. What do you think it is worth?

 

As long as they know what they're getting into I'm sure someone will be happy. I don't know what it's worth. Personally I wouldn't consider it.

 

Car auction ended at $49,000 which seems like a very good price for a 355 Spyder that had the 30K Service and clutch done in May 2007. It is a little less then I sold the car at auction for so if the sale goes through the dealer will be taking a small loss. Anyone think it is a good deal or is the general consenses don't touch a wrecked F car at any price?

 

My opinion is that I'd rather buy a clean earlier model car for the same money as a later model that's been crashed. IE, I'd go for a clean 328, rather than a crashed and repaired 355. But everything has it's price, as long as the repair was done safely and it can be registered without a problem. If the "crash depreciation" is factored into the price, so that a new buyer doesn't have to take that hit when reselling, it may not be an unreasonable buy. But not for me.

 

The shield I am referring to is the one with the oil specifications, etc. and is about 2 1/2 feet long that has the 2" hole in it. It covers the posts where you can jump start the car. If you look at the picture of the engine compartment, looking forward, it should match the shield that is on the driver side.

 

I think it is not so good a deal. This car is still going to take another 10k or so to truly bring it up to a nice presentable condition. For a bit more, one could find one already in A+ condition and without the storied history.

 

I bought the car. Took it to a Ferrari dealership first, to have it checked thoroughly. The interior issues (skrinkage..etc) was not a concern, as it is well documented on how to deal with this. The airbag was not deployed, as stated earlier, nor was there any major damage to the car.

The doors hang right, the bonnet lines up, as do the headlight doors. I thought they were off too, looking at the pictures. However, upon flying to florida and seeing it in person, I realized they were fine. I spent $3K at the ferrari dealership fixing most of the minor things stated above.

Besides, I'm holding a reciept for 10 grand worth of service recently done at someone else's expense. Sure it's a bit of an edgy car, but it drives perfect and everything on the car (including A/C) works well. Afterall, it's the driving part that I was interested in.

 

John,

Welcome to the brotherhood...!

Just remember, it's YOUR car...enjoy it...do as you will with it...fix it, update it, change it, or leave it as it is...again, it's YOUR car...

Mike in Kuwait

 

Thanks Mike! I have been around here for quite awhile, so I've seen more than one of these threads.

I still have my 348, and still have no regrets about it either.

 

Its great to see this sale go full circle like this. With buyers and sellers all chiming in. This just proves that 355's are very sturdy cars and problems aren't always as bad as it seems. 30 years from now it will not make any difference if it was wrecked or has interior issues. You don't hear anyone passing on a 250gt because the dash looks a little worn or it's had paint work.

I love all the 355's and I think the new owner got a great deal. Even with the issues he will be able to sell it after 5 years of driving for at least as much as he paid. The owner could have bought a crap CLK55 AMG and drove it for a year and lost way more money than any service or repairs could ever cost on a 355. Ask me how I know.

just my 2 cents......

 

John---Update the VIN info with yours in the registry when you can..Thanks

www.ferrari355registry.com