Is it Fast? | FerrariChat

Is it Fast?

Discussion in '348/355' started by Extreme, Mar 14, 2013.

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  1. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

    May 26, 2010
    2,515
    Northern Utah
    Full Name:
    Erick
    This has to be one if not the most annoying questions I continue to get asked about my 355. Today I stop into the State Tax commission in order to give my donation that allows me the privilege of driving my 355 on Utah’s fine roads for another year. When I returned to the parking lot I found 4 people milling around the car. When I walked a bit closer and they realized it was mine a couple of them complimented it and one asked if it was a 308. I don't mind most questions but one that gets me going is the "Is It Fast?" I usually shrug my shoulders and say "a little." Then the guy proceeds to ask if it's faster than a corvette, I tend to ignore these but for some reason it keeps being asked. What they hell do they think? My wife says I should start telling people when they ask this question that it has a 3 cylinder like a Geo Metro and gets amazing gas mileage.

    Anyone else get asked silly questions?
     
  2. Subarubrat

    Subarubrat Formula 3

    Apr 1, 2009
    2,072
    VA
    Full Name:
    Scott
    Of course, and my favorite is the assumption that all Ferraris are equal in performance. An owner of a car like a Honda Civic with a 10 psi turbo kit can say that he is faster than a Ferrari, and he isn't lying. But which Ferrari? 308 yes, 348, no.

    I always try and tell people the truth, my Ferrari is faster than some Vettes, and some Vettes are faster than my Ferrari.

    They ask me what the fastest car I own is, I tell them it is a 4cyl (Lotus with a Revo 400 SC kit) which has a 0-60 time under 3 sec.
     
  3. Dave rocks

    Dave rocks F1 World Champ
    BANNED

    Nov 23, 2012
    16,047
    Orchard Park, NY
    Full Name:
    Dave Lelonek
    Some modern vettes might be faster but speed is not the only element of a great car. There is no vette I would rather have than a 355, not even close. And where I live, I'm probably one of 2 355 owners (in a 100 mile radius) while there are 100 vettes in a 10 mile radius..
     
  4. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    23,902
    WI
    #4 WATSON, Mar 14, 2013
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2013
    Tell 'em what they want to hear. Anything less is a let down.

    The two questions I hear the most:

    Is it fast? "Yes it is. Even by today standards...it was blistering fast back in the day."

    What does that cost? "To buy it? ...or to maintain it? ;)"
     
  5. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    23,902
    WI
    My neighbor has a 2010 C6 Vette. They are everywhere.... 355's? not so much :)

    He has ruined a set of tires trying to keep the back end of his car on the ground chasing me down entrance ramps. Corvettes have great horsepower, wonderful torque and a really horrible way of applying all that to the surface.
     
  6. Prancinghorse17

    Prancinghorse17 Karting

    Oct 14, 2012
    118
    CFL
    Feel free to check out my post on how my 355 went up against a modded e92m3 and ask that question of whether its fast again :)
     
  7. dsd

    dsd F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Nov 19, 2006
    4,284
    Northern Virginia
    I usually answer all this with a simple "Fast Enough" or "Fast enough for me".

    Usually, stops further pressing and is still an answer and not a conversation killer.

    -dsd
     
  8. plugzit

    plugzit F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 1, 2004
    7,789
    Redondo Beach, CA
    Full Name:
    Bruce Bogart
    I just tell them "It goes 175.
    It costs all I have.
    It's the most fun I've ever had with my clothes on."
     
  9. stevew3765

    stevew3765 Formula Junior

    Oct 27, 2012
    716
    Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
    Full Name:
    Steve Wool
    We all get asked this question by spectators. I answed it like this once. It's a Ferrari what do you think man? The responses I got were yeah and a lot of head knodding as they slowly backed away in awe as I fired her pretty ass up!
     
  10. F355steve

    F355steve Formula 3

    Apr 9, 2008
    2,089
    Honolulu - Seattle - Okinawa
    Full Name:
    Steve
    I get the "how much did it cost", "How fast is it" and "Is it real". The "is it real" is my favorite because I can pass for being in my 20's if my hair is short enough to not see the grey so many assume I am to young to be the owner.

    My response is usually "A real what?"
     
  11. JeremyJon

    JeremyJon F1 Veteran

    Jul 28, 2010
    7,569
    Calgary, Canada
    it's just people making small talk, they don't necessarily know what to ask is all
     
  12. Subarubrat

    Subarubrat Formula 3

    Apr 1, 2009
    2,072
    VA
    Full Name:
    Scott
    Back in my late teen years, I recall someone saying "Ferraris aren't about numbers" which sounds like a pretty lame excuse for being slower and expensive. And dare I say, factual. Now that I own a few slower Ferraris and a few faster cheap cars like a Subaru STi and a Lotus Elise (supercharged to the teeth) I would not say Ferraris aren't about numbers, I would say that the sound is worth the price of admission.
     
  13. First Ferrari

    First Ferrari Formula Junior

    Jun 18, 2005
    523
    Mahtomedi,MN
    Full Name:
    Christopher Reeves
    The comment that I had once was after a kid, about 5 or 6 was walking the local cars and coffee and my car is rather bright (Yellow) and caught his attention. The kid was all over it so I said do you want to sit in it, opened the door and he light up, dad was ok with it.

    He hops in and I go through the usual stuff, how big was the engine, no it doesn't go 200MPH even though the speedo says it does, ect.....

    He gets out and I hear him say to his dad as they walk away, "I can't wait to tell my friends I sat in the new Mustang!" I still laugh at that today! Oh to be young again!
     
  14. First Ferrari

    First Ferrari Formula Junior

    Jun 18, 2005
    523
    Mahtomedi,MN
    Full Name:
    Christopher Reeves
    Ok one more, our old Governor in Jesse Ventura was walking a local car event in White Bear Lake, MN and he heads over to look at my 348. He starts by telling me about his Porsche and Hummer, then asks if the Ferrari gets good mileage....

    That's almost as bad as "is it fast" comments that we all hear.
     
  15. Robb

    Robb Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 28, 2004
    14,439
    Tucson, Arizona, USA
    Full Name:
    Robb
    +1

    I think there are 100,000 vettes in the Phoenix area... Just sayin.


     
  16. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Jul 19, 2008
    39,310
    Clarksville, Tennessee
    Full Name:
    Terry H Phillips
    Do they really ask "Is it real?". Have never heard that one.
     
  17. Extreme

    Extreme F1 Rookie

    May 26, 2010
    2,515
    Northern Utah
    Full Name:
    Erick
    Yep they really do. The 355 was a very popular replica based on a Fiero as the donor car.
     
  18. VBTURBO2

    VBTURBO2 Karting

    Jun 21, 2010
    76
    I tell them its the slowest sports car ive owned but the most fun to drive. That normally leaves them a little confused. Its like a presidential answer. You give a general answer about the question at hand without actually answering it.

    I thought about buying a 996 turbo but then thought, its still just a porsche. You can drive any model Ferrari ever made and people will think, wow look its a Ferrari. Ive had a lot of High horsepower cars, over 500 wheel hp and they just dont compare to these little works of art!

    I have a 348 and love it.
     
  19. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Sep 9, 2010
    23,902
    WI
    I have had that question asked a few times as well.

    I sarcastically answered "no" once and the kid looked at his friend and said "see I told you..." It is impossible to reverse course after that.
     
  20. Argento839

    Argento839 F1 Veteran

    Oct 21, 2005
    9,103
    If you don't want attention, don't drive a Ferrari...
     
  21. bobzdar

    bobzdar F1 Veteran

    Sep 22, 2008
    6,917
    Richmond
    Full Name:
    Pete
    I always get "what year is it?" In regards to top speed I usually tell them "faster than I'll ever go." Of course, they then want to know how fast I've had it up to etc...
     
  22. st4rk

    st4rk Formula Junior
    BANNED

    Dec 7, 2011
    447
    Probably one of the dumbest comments I've seen on this forum. It's is not about attention, it's about the fact that the general population of America are ignorant and annoying. I've never once in my life walked up to a guy at a gas station filling his exotic and started yapping his ear off. People need to understand that because we have an exotic, it doesn't mean we're the most people-friendly happy-go-lucky individuals, and LOVE random conversations with strangers.

    I definitely appreciate people that actually talk to me about relevant facts of my car, instead of "dur...how fast does it go?".
     
  23. ClydeM

    ClydeM F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 4, 2003
    12,060
    Wayne, NJ
    Full Name:
    Clyde E. McMurdy

    I strongly disagree here.
    If somebody is generally impressed enough or taken enough to muster the nerve to ask a total stranger some questions, then be polite a respond. And always use a smile.
    Even if it's "She's only been up to the 55mph limit" with a wink.

    These cars are beautiful, powerful, Italian, and rare. And we are fortunate enough to own one.
     
  24. Argento839

    Argento839 F1 Veteran

    Oct 21, 2005
    9,103
    Wait, who is annoying?

    Anyone with a clue knows that Ferraris attract attention. You can love Ferraris and not love the attention but if you choose go forward and drive a Ferrari, deal with it!
     
  25. stevew3765

    stevew3765 Formula Junior

    Oct 27, 2012
    716
    Tulsa, Oklahoma USA
    Full Name:
    Steve Wool
    lmao you should have said are you real?
     

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