Where are the gtb's why so many convertibles??

Had a nice ride today with a buddy.

I sure do love the Berlinettas.
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355s are priced higher than 360s in Australia already. About equal in japan, but the price is only going down. There's just too many of them.

 

I've always admired the 355 ever since the days I laid eyes on one. However, I was looking heavily into an F430 for my first F car. I consulted my friend who owns a red Scuderia and a white f355 GTB. He said to me, "there are alot of f430s, why do you want one? Look into a 355. Find a good one you wont regret it. But whatever you do, DO NOT buy a 360." He started teaching me about the little things that made a 355 special. I found one and I have no regrets.

 

A white GTB? I'm gonna need some more info and pictures please.

 

Dave is right. Im around these cars every week at the shop and the 360 and even the 430 somewhat don't turn my crank anymore. They are very bulky looking cars. They can't really be compared as they are totally different in so many ways. The more you see these cars, the more you realize that the 355B is going to be a classic. I wouldn't trade my 355 for a 360 even if the 360 came with money and that is the honest truth. These cars will surpass 100gs in the near future...watch and see.

 

I don't have a picture, but here's a video someone took. The 97 Porsche Turbo is his too, but he has since sold it. He said he'd rather keep the F355. Both 90's classics in their own right.


Ferrari F355 vs Porsche 997 turbo - YouTube

 

Ah yes. I am familiar with that car.

Thanks for sharing the link.

 

The 355 was my dream, just today it was sunny, dry and cold ..... A quick trip into town and a round about thru the local tunnels ...... Still grinning. I am deathly afraid of the value going up so much I have to pay Capitol gains tax when I sell it ..... so I drive it every chance I get to keep the value down 31,707 miles after today.

 

His car is a 96 GTB with peanut butter leather. He's actually the one who convinced me to look for a 95 and explained why. He gave me the scoop and said, "don't make the same mistake I did." His car is equipped with hi flow cats, some random carbon fiber intake system an a X-ost muffler. After I installed my Capristo 3 with straight primary pipes, i took him around the city just mashin' it. He said my car sounds waaay better than his and I was making him jealous . I owe him big time for helping me find such an awesome first F Car.

And he said both my car and his 355 sound waaaay better than his Scuderia. He said the higher CC cars just cant produce the same furious high pitch.

 

I disagree, the 355 is the most popular, at least on fchat.

FerrariChat.com - View Poll Results

 

So, I just found our cars!
I'm not joking these are very close to the specs that we have defined:
Red/6 speed/Tan/OBD I for me
Ferrari F355 Berlinetta GTB as Sports Car/Coupe in Hürth

Red/6 speed/Black/OBD I for you with the ultra rare CF Ferrari bucket seats:
Ferrari F355 GTB as Sports Car/Coupe in Irschenberg

 

FYI, $67,000 Euro = $83526.55 and that does not include shipping and the baggage of importing the car. Then you would have a non us car in the us...

 

I agree with you, to a point.
There will always be some people who will just buy the newest model they can afford.

However, there is a very large number of buyers who desire a 355 over a 360/430 simply because they look and sound so much better (in their opinion of course).
That includes me. The 355 is my first Ferrari but there was never any thought of a 360/430.

Now, if I could afford a 458 the story may be different....

In the UK the price of a really good 355 is now on par and even in some cases exceeding an average 430, so I can't be alone in my views.

 

Note that on that site there are 144 F355. Less then 50% (47) are spiders.

Also, about importing:

Importation and Certification FAQ's Directory--All Vehicles
Vehicle Importation and Certification Requirements
http://icsw.nhtsa.gov/cars/rules/import/elig100914.pdf

And don't forget local emissions requirements.

As for the 360, while as a 355 owner I agree with many of the statements and believe 360 prices will continue to drop, the best 360s still go for significantly more that the best 355s. 360s below $70 while available generally are in need or have higher mileage. Also, the 360 is the better car once you get past the styling and sound of a 355. We all know that is true.

 

Of course it is. No one would seriously suggest otherwise.

But "better car" doesn't mean much when it comes to Ferraris.

After all, I'm pretty sure a 348/355 is a better car than a 246 Dino, but where are their respective values?

For a lot of people, Ferraris are ALL about styling and sound. The market reflects this.

 

A Ford Turus might be a better car but that does not mean I would want it. IMO, the 360 is the least attractive since the Mondial

 

And to others, performance. Not arguing though. Remember I am a 355 owner. But reality is that the 360 is both better and higher in price currently. That is the market at the moment. And to be honest since I've been going to more Cars and Coffees since I got my 355, and been around more 360, I have to say they are starting to grow on me, unless I stand in front of one in which case I still think it looks like a Porsche.

If we say objective (hard to do if you love the 355) the pros for the 355, relative to the 360, are styling and sound. We all know the cons. For the 360 they are performance, handling, comfort, reliability, easy of maintenance. The cons relative to the 355 are the 355 pros, styling and sound. I suspect that in 5 years I'll own a 360.

 

Actually John, the U.S. is the only market where what you say is true about relative values.
That may well be the only market you care about, but Ferraris are world cars, and it's important to remember that.

Other than that, I agree with everything you have said but for one or two things.

Performance wise there is very little in it, except that the 360 has much better mid-range torque (which is why I think this is where 355 mods should be looking. Not top end).
But more importantly, handling wise, the 360 is generally considered to be more volatile on the limit.
The 355 has more predictable, and some may well say "better" handling.

 

When I look for 360 and 355 at mobile.de the highest priced cars are generally 360 and the lowest 355. There is an area of overlay in the 60-70k euros range. There are some cheap 360 with high mileage. Seems Europeans actually drive there cars.

I agree that the 360 is more difficult at the limit, but the limit is higher. But, it will be faster around just about any track in the hands of a competent driver. Not me, for sure. But I'm a 5/10 kind of guy at this point anyway.

 

Performance is virtually identical, the faster car will be the one with a better driver.

The rest comes down to preference, and anyone buying a Ferrari based on maintenance and reliability is buying the wrong car as they're all just different degrees of bad in that area.

 

Fair enough, but IMO any difference around a track has more to do with the 360's much stronger mid-range than handling.
If you put that engine in the 355 chassis you'd have the fastest car of the bunch.

Which, again, is why I'm interested in engine mods which improve the mid-range, rather than the "bragging at the bar" top end.

 

John, don't go to the dark side. The 360 is a better car if you can get by the size and styling.