Who needs a pension when you have a 355??

Meh. I think you are making too big a deal out of it. I have records and keep track of everything I do in a spreadsheet so I am not saying the are worthless. Nice to have.

I agree with Jeff on the paint issue. I have resprayed my front bumper three of the last four years But I drive mine.... I finally put a decent clear bra on it.

 

Respraying your front bumper three out of the last four years is like a badge of honor, much respect.
The clear bra will reduce it some.

 

So many different personalities with respect how they see and use their cars. I respect all of them. It made me a great living

 

Really, does it matter? If there is no history of an engine out, it needs one. If the history shows the last engine out was 6 years ago, it needs one. What does it matter? If the belts are intact and the seals aren't leaking what's the difference it they were changed 6 or 15 years ago? I agree that if there is no documentation of when the last belt change was performed it will reflect in the price. Heck, it may effect the price depending on whether it's yesterday, last year or 2 or more years ago. But that really reflects the fact that with a recent major you are paying for the car plus the major. With no documentation of a recent major you are just buying the car. Case in point, when I bought my car the invoiced was broken down into the car and the major service separately. The value is in the car plus recent service. My car has 18 pages of "history" for the first 12 years (first 2 owners) , then nothing for the last 6 (3rd owner).

You are certainly going to pay more for a car with very recent major, whether there is complete history or not. History is not the same as what the car needs today, at lest IMO.

 

Hate to break it to you but some of us have/do:
Fact:
1. Bought my car almost 8 years ago and it had no service record history and 25,001 miles on it (truth, no lies).
2. I had it inspected and a major service done arranged with the dealer at the time of purchase and then drove it home from Arizona to California after completion.
3. Still driving it like I stole it today with 51,493 miles on it now.

 

Name calling is against the rules of the forum.

24 hour ban for user F1moving.

Mike

 

Over here unfortunately service history pays a huge part in the cars value. My car is serviced religiously at every interval by the main dealer. All other odds and sods I try to do myself otherwise a good independent. I keep every invoice and receipt for the car in a box file. I think it also proves to the next owner how the car has been cherished! Just my opinion and the market here reflects this.

 

What's happened to this section is really unfortunate.

 

I'll chime in with
Service Records are important!

My car came with them.
I had a PPI & was told all was perfect.
I happened to check the compression. It was low in two adjacent cylinders.
Valve guides?
NO! they were done 4 years prior.
Let's see - there was a head gasket replaced,
lots of other stuff done.

Time to check the cams with a wheel. came up good
boroscope into the cylinder. hash marks are there.

conclusion: the car sat unused too long & the rings aren't sitting tight.


Without records, the valve guides probably would have been done again with lots of wasted time, and money

 

Ahh, common sense comes thru

 

After reading the five pages of comments in this thread, I honestly forgot what the original topic was. Harry, if you can locate the article and post it for the rest of us, we'd appreciate it.

Cheers, Henry

 

Well said

 

agree

 

No need for records. You found bad compression. A leak down would have revealed whether the leakage was past the valves, pistons or head gasket. Only an idiot mechanic would have assumed that valve guides were bad. You could have reached the same conclusion (guess) about the rings based on diagnostic tests.

 

I really can't understand how you can dismiss service records, John. In the case of my car, 2 recalls where done, OBDII and fuel block. Without the records could I figure that out? Sure, but it's nice to know it was done, by whom and when.

My car has had 2 majors, both by Algar and I have the details of what was done.

I keep detailed records for every single thing I do to the car. If I ever sell, I guarantee it will make a difference.

You can dismiss it all you want but records have value.

 

I did. Two years, 5000 miles and I do not have the foggyest idea when or if a major service has even been done to the car. If it makes it to this winter when I have time to do it myself good for me, if not I'll drive the 348 while I gather parts to fix it. Oh wait no records on that either.

 

My god you 355 people are a sensitive lot.

I can't believe the tirade of negative comments that you guys spit out as soon as a bad word is mentioned about the 355. OK a nice article and yes you all were probably on a high reading it, especially given how things have been going with the 355 in some countries. But jesus talk about cats in cage.
You guys need to lighten up a little and learn to take it on the chin a bit better !?!?!

I mean really separate threads for 348 vs 355 come on aren't we getting just a little precious about ourselves..!!

This is the sort of stuff that BAD reputations are made of and you not doing your beloved 355 any favours at all acting like this !

 

What a stupid argument. Its all about probabilities isn't it. Sure there's no guarantee but OF COURSE a car with a service record will probably be better than one with none. OF COURSE a receipt of a $7,000 major service would mean the car is likely in better shape when you purchase it as opposed to one with no service record at all.

Two cars looking the same, one with full service history the other without and similar prices.. Which would you buy... Derrrrr maybe the one with the service records !

 

I don't see the big deal.

All I see is that after years of sitting back and allowing certain "experts" to do nothing but rubbish these cars, some owners are finally pointing out their own positive experiences as a counter-point.

Just like 348 owners have rightly been doing for a while to counter some of the negative rubbish which gets written about their cars.

I think it's overdue and refreshing to see on this website.
And if it upsets the self-appointed heroes, so what?

 

I agree Steve. The thread was about how 355 prices are rising and solid in the UK. For whatever reason the anti 355 crowd can't stay away from a subject like that. Not all but most of that on this board comes from 348 owners. Just look at the profiles of the naysayers. The rest are people who have never owned a 355.

I am still wondering what that is all about. I don't see any 355 owners berating 348s or talking them down at all but it is rampant conversely.

 

I will take some close up photos and post on here shortly. The article is aimed at classic cars in general, the part with the 355 in was in the original photo that i posted.

 

Dave, It's not that I'm dismissing service records, I have 18 pages of records for my car, for the first 12 years, first 2 owners. 3rd owner, last 6 years, no records. Who knows what was done over that period. You chose to buy your car w/o a PPI based on records and personal inspection. I went with a PPI being that my car was on the other coast. My cars was exceptionally clean for a 95 with 19k miles. You could eat off the engine. You could white glove the rear suspension. The under tray had no scrapes. The interior was near perfect. And a fresh major with head work came with the sale. I could care less what the 3rd owner did or didn't do or who did it, or when the last major was done, but despite not knowing the history for the last 6 years it appeared well cared for. I bought the car sight unseen based on photos, discussion with the selling dealer, discussion with the indy who serviced the car and discussion with the Ferrari dealer's tech who did the PPI. All of them told me the car was very good. If I had complete records or no records at all, my decision to purchase was based on those discussions, not the records.

I looked at a lot of cars before I bought mine. Probably over 20. I recall one car which was local, a black/tan 97 spider. It had full records which were emailed to me. Car was maintained to the hilt, according to the records. It just had a $14k major done on it. When I looked at that car the top was torn, the interior was a mess from wear and water damage, there was a serious paint blemish on the hood about the diameter of a basket ball. Dash leather pulling away from the windshield. Car was in Mass. I kept my eye on the car. It eventually sold. 3 month later it's back at the dealer for sale again. It failed emissions and Mass has a law that if a dealer sells a car and it fails emissions the dealer has to either fix it or refund the purchase price and take the car back. Have to wonder why the dealer took it back instead of fixing it. Funny thing is, the car then disappears form the dealer, then shows back up another couple of months later, but this time with a Indiana tittle! What the F! Who knows what happen from there, but so much for complete service history.

I could go on about cars with complete history that I looked at that didn't pass the mark because either personal inspection or a PPI revealed problems which needed to be addressed.

As for recalls, if you want to know if recalls were done you pick up the phone, call a Ferrari dealer and give them the VIN. They will be happy to tell you and typically offer to do the recalls for you if they find any open. My car is OBD I but the fuel block was not done but it was completed as part of the PPI which I had done at a Ferrari dealer.

And really, what does it matter how many or when majors were done? Majors are basically preventive maintenance on a 355. If the belts haven't broken, the seals aren't leaking and the water pump is ok does it really matter if the last major was 3, 6 or 15 year ago if the car is running correctly? Remember, Ferrari says 3 years or 15k miles. The time issue is basically for belts, (well it's basically for dealer's cash flow, IMO) though many will agree that 5 to 7 is more reasonable. Mileage is for filters/plugs and belts. Changing seals, gaskets, and water pump are pretty much a make work thing and totally unnecessary if they are not leaking. Years ago, when I took my 308 in for it's 15k mile major, the dealer asked if I wanted seals and belts changed. A major was more about changing plugs, fluids and filter, and adjusting valves. Belts and seals were not considered part of a 308 15k major at that time.

Anyway, in my search for a car I never rejected a car because of lack of records. It was always based on what the cars was at the moment, what the PPI found, and what would be delivered to me. And if the car doesn't have records in many cases you can get them from a Ferrari dealer, or the current owner can. In fact, the 18 pages of records for my car were obtained in exactly that manner. I have 18 pages of compute print out for the history for those first 12 years of its life.

 

AMEN !!!!!!


" serenity now "

 

Theres service records and theres repair records. You look at service records and say , well this is nice the car has been maintained nicely. If the car has a 6" stack of repair records you say , holy crap why has this car required so many things to be repaired, especially in such low mileage cars.
Lots of service = good. Lots of repair= ????

" serenity now "

 

Ahhhh. That's not very nice.

Of course similar cars, one with records, one without, will have different prices. I never said they shouldn't. You read that into it.

The point was how much it mattered.

For you it apparently means a lot....and I suspect you have shoe boxes full of receipts so you are bit invested.

For some it is a "nice to have".

I fall in the latter. They show what work was done and it is nice to know. It would never, and did not, scare me away from a car as it does for some here.

In fact, a car with unknown history is more my style. Better price and I get to orchestrate the repairs the way I want them done.

As for the $7000 engine out. Hey, if the receipt for that is from Bill's Hyundia & Suburau it means one thing. If it is from Ferrari of Atlanta it means another...right? But both have a receipt for the work.... just sayin'

Now, quit calling people names.