The leather smells great. The plastic sills, switches, console and airbag cover are shameful on what was a $100K+ car. (Mercedes and Porsche also went through a cheap interior phase in the late '90s: the new 991 interior is light years better than the 996.)
+1. I'm one who's owned Ferraris for the last 12 years and Porsches for the last 25 years. Ever since I owned my first Ferrari, my Porsches have been "practical" daily drivers with exceptions of the race cars. While air-cooled Porsches are like old pairs of jeans to me, it doesn't have the sense of occasion of pre-360 Ferraris. Speaking of pre-360 Ferraris, my 355 Ch will likely remain my newest Ferrari unless Fiat produces a street legal race car again; if I choose to buy a more expensive Ferrari, I'd go for the earlier cars. I'm one that is high on the 355 styling while the 360/430 styling never did it for me. Also, when it comes to tracking, I understand that 360/430 running costs are higher than the 355. With regards to engine out service, I would want to do this anyway to have better access to the engine for a thorough race prep just like race cars of its era (and newer) and just like Ferrari supercars such as the 288 GTO. As an aside, it is interesting that there is not much talk about engine out service costs on such cars, yet the values keep rising.
Agree. As I have stated before I also own a '07 Boxster. Drove a few 996 and 997 cars before I bought it. I didn't get them at all. Love the Boxster though. It's very different than a 911. It's also my daily, dry weather driver. But as I said to my Porsche salesman when he asked how I liked it I said it's not a Ferrari. Even when I push it, it's boring by comparison. But the car that really makes me feel the most incompetent is when I drive the 308. After 30 years I'm still not sure what it's going to do next.
Commenting on the 355 interior, I like it, it fits the car. But it is the part of the car which holds up, time wise, least. It looks dated, but not classic. I have the same view of the 348 and 328 intertiors. The 308 is the last classic looking interior with the Daytona like toggle switches, etc. Sure 328 are commanding more money, but I think a 308 with euro bumpers (or a euro car) beats the pants off a 328 with plastic bumpers and Fiat switches. with all this discussion about 360s I would have to say that it wasn't until recently that I started thinking 360. I've always said that the only Ferraris I really like are the 250 Testarossa, the 250 SW California Spider, the 308 GTB QV, the 288 GTO and the 355. I'm just now starting to consider adding in the 360. I see a couple at our cars and coffee Sunday mornings and something about them just starts to grow on me, particularly the 360 spider. From the front they look big and boring, but form other angles there is something subtle that is starting to catch my eye.
Jon (Bullfighter), Can you tell us how many 993's were made in each variant? Coupe Targa Cabriolet C2s C4s Turbo Turbo S Other variants I missed? Curious on the numbers comparison. Thanks. Robb
So from Wikipedia - looks like 993 production equals: 993 C2 Coupé 272 PS = 14,541 993 C2 Cabrio 272 PS = 7,730 993 C2 Coupé 285 PS = 8,586 993 C2 Cabrio 285 PS = 7,769 993 C2 Targa 285 PS = 4,583 993 C2 Coupé S 285 PS = 3,714 C2 Total - 46,923 993 C4 Coupé 272 PS = 2,884 993 C4 Cabrio 272 PS = 1,284 993 C4 Coupé 285 PS = 1,860 993 C4 Cabrio 285 PS = 1,138 993 C4 Coupé 4S 285 PS = 6,948 C4 Total - 14,114 993 Turbo 3.6 = 5,978 993 Carrera RS Coupé = 1,014 By comparison: Ferrari 355 GTB - 4,871 355 GTS - 2,577 355 Spider - 3,717 Total - 11, 273 I still see similarities between the 993 and the 355 as both are desirable (for many reasons) and from the same era. To me they will always relate and compete - especially with the S cars and Turbo's. I should probably start a new thread... Robb
There are a lot of great, imaginative posts in this thread. I'm afraid mine will be rather 'ordinary' and P-car like. My own P-car is the last 'real' 911, an '89. It's been a wonderful 'Craftsman tool' (not Snap-on) solid car, and I've done some very 'high speed' touring with it. But it ain't a Fer-ra-ri, and it doesn't have that orgasmic scream the 355s have. I was reintroduced to the Ferrari scene by a friend and his 360. I enjoy the scene again, but the 360 didn't say, "Buy my twin brother". btw, Someone said there were 11,000 355s built; I thought I remembered the number as 16,000.
Yeah my local homeless guy calls my yellow spider a corvette, I told him next time if he forgets its a ferrari I will run his ass over. He remembered. He's cool
Not really half of them are from different countries... many are there for ages! There are two ads from 2012 and 10 from 2013! Aaaand if you renew your ad it is on top of the page again, considerating that, there are many cars which are never going to find a new owner.
the ad is online since 1 year! Car located in Hungaria. See attachment for more details Image Unavailable, Please Login
Not as a daily driver, perhaps... But who uses their 355 in that way? I wouldn't, even though I think it could be done.
vracer, can't agree with your view of an '89 being the last real 911! That credit goes to the 993, which they didn't make until about '94 (late 93 production). The 993 is the last air cooled and traceable in body shell directly back to 1963. Anything in '89 is a middle range 'real' 911, it's not the earliest 'real' 911, nor is it the last 'real' 911. This is why the '993' is currently sky rocketing in value, particularly the RS (and to slightly lesser extent Turbo), but even the more run of the mill (if you could call any 911 that) C2/C4/C2S/C4S models.
Thank you for backing up what I've been saying on here for months (and been ridiculed for). It's amazing what can happen when a model of car isn't constantly hobbled by Internet horror stories and is maintained properly, by experts.