Thinking of trading Up

Hey Guys, I have been thinking of trading up to a 355 spyder lately. I have some issues I would like you guys to way in on. The first one is kind of big. I recenly had someone run a carfax on my car and they came up with two things. One was a previous accident the other was a possibble rollback. The accident couldn't have been much as me and my mechanic can't seem to tell when it was on the lift allthough it may have been a minor bumper thing, not really sure. The oddometer seems strange to me because the records don't reveal very much difference to me.I mean the speedomter cable was broke when I got it but the milage wasn't really that much different form the records. I mean a few hundred maybe. What constitutes milage descrepensy? My big question is how much of a deal breaker is this on trying to sell her? My other issue is with the spyder. I have spoken to some people about the top and I was wondering what you guys think about the top? I know about the valve guides and the headers they don't really bother me that much. Is the top a huge expense when and if it breaks? I used the search button and haven't found alot of stuff . Just looking for opinions. I mean if I'm not going to get a heck of alot for my car maybe I should just keep her and get her serviced in Sept. Thanks in advance for your input Jeff

 

Man this thread will be long and distinguished. The 355 is faster and arguably sounds better, but also has more things that "typically" could cost you more money if they break. Now all the 355 owners will come posting in here saying I am full of it, but every mechanic I have spoken with says 355's are a staple of thier business because they are being worked on so much.

I recently drove a fellow fchatter's 355 and although it was a sweet car, it didn't make me want to trade in my 348 for one. If you do it, I would get a "B" or a TS so you don't have to worry about the roof motor, but if money isn't a huge concern, get a spider. Hey, you only live once right?

Just my .02

MB

P.S. On the CARFAX info, that would be a concern to me if I was going to buy. Not even so much the accident if you can show repairs, but the rollback is kind of scary...

 

Tops are tops....shouldn't have any issues if it has been maintained and no one has used it as a trampoline. The back plastic window is not the greatest after 10+ years of exposure and use.

The 355 top is not a very good design overall but considering the 355 chassis design it was just about the only way the factory could install...IMO the 360 design appears to be much better.

If I had designed the car I would have used the 348 manual top on the 355.

 

Is there an easy way to explain the mileage discrepancy? Is it possible that someone entering the mileage transposed two digits? Did you enter a 200-mile backwards driving race? Did this discrepancy occur while you owned the car or a previous owner?

 

I concur. There's just a lot less to go wrong on the 348 Spider. With the 355, there are seat potentiometers and motors in addition to the motorized top. It's very cool when it all works, but it is complicated in a way you don't want an old Ferrari to be...

If you're set on a 355, I would look at the GTS model, just for the relative simplicity and durability of the top. Or trade up to a 328 GTS.

Or keep your 348. The market is soft and you won't be happy with the current resale.

 

If you have detailed service records from established dealers/independents, you can document the mileage and it shouldn't be a huge issue. But if the car is a very low mileage 348 and being sold at a premium I don't think you'll get that premium. Guys who like to buy 5,000-mile cars, park them and talk about how low their odometer is aren't going to be interested in a car with a story.

If it's a normal 30,000-mile plus 348, I think it wouldn't matter as much as long as it's documented.

My two lira...

 

I recently went from a 1992 348 ts to a 1999 Fiorano 355 Spider, yes the 355 seems to be way more expensive to maintain but the cars are like night and day when driving them, I love the 355, much easier to drive and sounds way better.

 

I'm not convinced that's trading up. Trading for a completely different set of more expensive headaches...yes.

 

I don't think you can convince too many 348 owners that going to a 328 is a "trade-up"... value wise-yes, hp wise-no

Ace

 

The bottom line here is it's all what you prefer. I love 'em all! I personally love 348's but wouldn't say no to a Stradale or 430 or TR or........

 

Yeah, I was laughing my a#@ off when I read that originally.

To the OP, you now have a "story" car......there's no way you could spin it otherwise. Sorry, you would get killed trying to get anywhere near "no story" market.

 

I was being facetious.

Hp-wise, the 360 is the 'deal' in Ferraris. Driving experience-wise, I like the older cars -- my bias.

 

+1

I'm also for the older cars. Not driving wise but just "classic cars" in general.

Ace

 

I agree that's why I figured I would have a problem. It sounds wierd but when I bought her about 4yrs ago I remember comparring the time of the last service with the current milage thing. It is wierd to every one else. I was getting a pretty could deal at the time and like I said the records and the milage weren't that big of a deal. At least me and my meachanic didn't think so. I knew the speedo cable was broke that's why I thought there was a problem. Oh well my loss right. Im not sure how the discrepencey works anyway.

 

It was from the previous owner. The speedo was broke when I got it but the milage from the service records wasn't that much differnt neither was the time of the service so it was a big deal to me. Price considering.