Barrett Jackson - 98 F355 Spider F1 sold for $50k VIDEO

But the rigidity thing is what i'm trying to understand , i know some here race the cars , i understand the rigidity argument for that group , but for the most part , unless i'm in the minority ,does rigidity really matter for the way most of us here use the cars , maybe its just me , but for a car that sees local driving to work, and car shows , sunday drives and nights out to dinner , whats more fun , a little more rigidity , if its even noticeable or the fun of top out or top down driving . Obviously , i bought a spider , for the fun of top down driving , the engine singing behind your ears , and personally would put no price premium on a berlinetta , but again i'm not using it for racing , but how many guys are or would , at this point buy a mint berlinetta with a price premium , to race it . Each will choose a car to their own liking , for their own reasons , thats what makes world go round , but i think its odd that a berlinetta commands a higher price , most other brands and models the top down versions usually bring back the higher values.


1994 ferrari 348 spider , third owner purchased may 2013 w/ 27804 miles

 

I remember standing in the Galleria Ferrari staring at the board that laid out the drive system for the LaFerrari thinking this is all being engineered and produced so someone can drive the car 100 miles per year. A lot of what's in these cars doesn't matter because people are afraid to drive them.

 

But the number from the website referenced and which I posted above don't bare that out. Top quality spiders are fetching similar dollars to the top GTBs. And the bottom is also about the same. Look again at the numbers I posted above. I think there is a misconception on price because there are more middle quality spiders on the market. F1moving's GTB is supposed to be as perfect as it can be and at $79.9k I don't see people jumping off a bridge to get it before someone else does. Even if it does sell at $79.9k it is still at the same level as a top quality spider. To fetch $80k for any models the car needs to be near perfect and the right buyer has to come along.

 

It's as simple as I prefer the lines of the GTB over the Spyder.
That and I've never owned a convertible in my life.

 

For me it is simply the look of the GTS/B compared to the spider. It's not that I think that the spider is ugly. In fact I think it is one of the best looking convertibles ever made but I think the hardtop lines are the most beautiful ever created on a car.

Secondary to that is living in Seattle the benefit of the convertible would be very small. GTS is perfect compromise.

 

Double post. I heart all 355's.

 

For me it's just the opposite. I own a 308 GTB QV, the actually most beautiful car ever made. I though I wanted a GTS when I bought it, until I saw a GTS up close. But in summer I want the top off. So there was no question for me, 355 spider. In fact, I will never own another 2 seat sports car that isn't a convertible.

It's too bad about that Seattle thing.

 

John (driveitdaily)- As far as rigidity, just like looks for me it's just preference. I like the feel of the chassis better, not that it makes it more functional or markedly faster to drive on the street.

John K- That site looks like a good reference but of course it's just all ebay cars and nothing else. The spider you mention was 7600 miles, red and gated. Based from what I have seen a gts/berlinetta with similar miles and specs would likely bring more.

Or to look at it another way, how much would that spider bring if it was 22,000 miles and giallo?

At the moment there are 45 F355's on Autotrader. 3 berlinetta (one a challenge car) 1 GTS and the rest spiders.

I think if more berlinettas were made than spiders but 95% of the cars available are spiders I would conclude that berlinettas are more desirable.

Just my opinion! I like them all, just stating my observations and preference.

 

I've never owned a convertible in my life and don't plan on ever owning one. Not my thing.

Maybe a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupe Convertible.

 

Well, the QV is a beauty and with the way prices are going on 308's it just may be as financially beautiful as well when the time comes.

I find beauty in all Ferrari's. They all are. Art in motion.

 

Thats why i think gts models would be the most sought after , they have the look , but the option is there to. remove the top and have the best of both worlds , imho , the spiders look great with the top down , not so much with it up , if i bought again , it would be a gts .


1994 ferrari 348 spider , third owner purchased may 2013 w/ 27804 miles

 

308 is a stunner! What didn't you like about the GTS version?

And yes, a convertible in the summer is a lot of fun. I will still put more miles on my 59 Cadillac convertible this summer than my F355 as I can pile it up with friends and golf clubs/etc. (plus it's beat up so no worries parking it or driving it anywhere)

 

I think you are actually making my point. Except for the Fiorano spider at $110k the highest priced cars are 1999 spider with 19.8k miles and F1movings GTB with 13k miles. Both asking $80k. Then a number of spiders between $70 and $80k. Then there is a 1999 GTB with a $70k ask. Then spider form $70k and below. So the best spiders are very much in line with the best GTBs, but there are a lot of middle of the road spiders. Many of them probably great buys. But where is the big discrepancy between the top valued cars? It's not there. There doesn't seem to be a premium for a GTB if you looking for similar quality. Whether you look at Ebay completed sales, or Autotrader or Cars.com asking price, the best cars are around an $80k ask regardless of body style.

As far as more spiders being available, depends on where you look. In Europe they are about 1 to 1. In the USA there are a lot more spiders because they sold a lot more spiders in the US. Americans like to drop the top. But looking at that, if there are less GTBs on the US market and they are more desirable, then I would expect the prices of top quality Bs to be way above the best spiders, but they just aren't.

And that is born out around here. Dave Rocks got a GTB in not so good shap and I'm pretty sure he didn't pay a lot for it. And wasn't it Bruce that recently bought a yellow 95 GTB for $50k?

Bottom line seems to me to be that quality is what set the price, not body style.

 

I agree 100 % .Just seems like what I've taken away from recent postings is that gtb's seem to be put on a pedestal lately , sorta the holy grail , and i just wonder why

 

I just though it was ugly, top on of off. I almost walked out of the dealer until he showed me a GTB in the shop. Looked disjointed with the top off. The back half did not seem to go with the front half. I think the big side vents covering the rear quarter windows has something to do with that. The exposed rear quarter glass on the GTB helps carry the lines of the car. I was very lucky that they were able to find a GTB for me. I signed a tentative contract on March 30th and they were only able to find 2 red GTB cars in the country. A red/tan and a red/Tobacco. I wanted red/black at the time and had to settle for the Red/tan, or wait for the 328 to come out. Oh, and I didn't have to pay a premium. I was able to negotiate a discount. The good old days.

 

+1

 

Body styling preference is the only reason I prefer the GTB/S over the Spider. No other reason.

 

Exactly. Even on the results page on their website they don't mention mileage.

I have never seen that website either. Thanks for posting Watson.

 

I think it has more to do with that you guy's in the states love to track your cars,and have the tracks to do so.A spider can not be tracked unless it has a roll bar.In Canada i think there is only a few tracks thats why a spider pulls more money than a GTB or a GTS on average.In the last three years i've never seen a GTB or a GTS pull more than 65k but there's lots of spiders over 75k in Canada a different market.

 

I love these comments of the GTB vrs. the GTS. About rigidity. Unless you are tracking or racing the car, I doubt you are going to notice the difference with the top in place. Removed, you will detect a slight chassis flex in a bumpy road and tight Esses. As for appearance, paint the top body color after a smooth sanding and you have the best of both worlds. The market generally prefers the GTS; we enthusiasts seem to prefer the GTB. As for Spiders, they are probably mostly undervalued right now.

 

Sounds like a riskless arbitrage opportunity then -- buy the many spiders for sale in the US, import them to Canada, flip them for a profit. Buy the cheap B's in Canada, import them to the US, flip them for a profit. Problem solved.

 

I think thats whats happend last year 6 gtb forsale in Canada.For us its no problem but for you guys your Goverment wants this EPA letter from ferrari even if the car was a U.S car to begin with, and its not cheap.I thought about 1k now i hear about 2k.Your dollar is 20% better so it makes up for it easy.Two of my friends have a Gtb and two have a GTS they are just waiting to see how high they will go before they put them on the market.I was also told that there is someone back east that bought up alot of GTB last few year's and is going to put them up forsale on the U.S market soon.

 

John, yes I was speaking of the NA market and just basing my opinion on some of the recent prices we've seen people pay here on the board. A few of the cars Blackhorse sold, ask328's GTS, Luke's GTS.

I just don't recall any higher priced spider sales mentioned here. Not to say it doesn't happen, just what I'm noticing.

If regardless of total production there are many more spiders in the US than it would make sense that there would be more of them on the market. I just don't think there are 40x more spiders so there must be some reason for there to be a very low supply of gts and berlinetta.

All of this interests me but is of no consequence as I'm neither in the buying or selling market but someone should have told me berlinettas in Canada were supposed to be cheaper!

 

If you want a gtb f1 355 let me know. Needs engine work. Give the seller35k and you have it. No questions, or bargaining. I had this car sold to a fellow fchater but he could not get it into the USA, even with the Ferrari clearance letter. It's been a 3 month process. Insurance issues.

Red with black interior, new fab speed headers, challenge grill, tubi exhaust.

This is a car for you.

 

That's interesting. His insurance company wouldn't insure it or something else? (if I may ask)