Drove a 550 today

Been in the market for a 360 and have had little luck. Friend has a 550 for sale and he recommended I checked it out. I must admit I went in thinking the 360 was much better, mid engine design and you feel that supercar-ness in it.

Once I started the 550 and the V12 came alive, just wow! The interior is so premium, you have this row of gauges just looking at you. The greenhouse of the 550 is impressive, no blind spots and is very airy.

The V12 just roars so much power. Nice thing about the 550 is that it just blends into traffic but your the one having all the fun switching gears of this V12 master piece.

One thing I noticed was that the A/c didnt blow cold. Maybe a recharge is needed?

Looks like my search might have changed to a 550.

 

I'm in L.A. so same weather. My 550 blows so cold I can't use it on max after a couple of minutes. I think the biggest advantage of the 360 today is Trev360 has a method to delete the immobilizer out of the car! I hope his method trickles down to other models, specifically the 550.

 

I have a 575, but my AC can keep up with terrible VA heat and humidity. You may have to turn the auto settings off and manually blast it, but the AC is nice and cold.

Note, when blasted the AC is louder than the engine

Honestly, I think the 550 is hands down the superior car to the 360 and likely a better “investment” for lack of a better term.

No bad choices, just make sure whatever car you get is up to snuff.

 

The 360 is where I started looking too. Then looked at the 355s and 430s. Was trying to stay within my budget. But then somehow I looked at a 550. After test driving it, it was 'budget be damned' for me. That was the Ferrari I wanted.

 

That's just how I felt when I drove a 550 for the first time. I bought it that day and turned it loose at Daytona a few months later...


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You know, I thought my 575 would blend in, but I have never seen so many cell phone cameras

 

I had the privilege of driving my buddy Rob's 550 a couple years back. Very memorable experience. The car is amazing. Very different than a mid engine 8 cylinder. 550's are amazing cars.

 

Looks like the car I drove has an A/C issue. Question, does your car have Tubi? Would love to hear it if your around.

 

It is so different. The driving position, the green house, the power. Truely a special car.

 

This is exactly what I am going through. First I was 430, then realized for $20k less I could get into a 360 and after three ppi’s I realized why am I chasing this car that is so difficult to find a good one at the correct price. A friend mentioned 550 and now I am hooked!

 

Wise move. 360 is a nice car, but 550 is a class act.

 

Not much difference is size either...


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The A/C just needs to be serviced. Some R-134A refrigerant and R-134A Stop Leak should take care of it.

My 550 has straight pipes replacing the center resonator and second generation Tubi rear exhausts...




4:50 6:16 7:58 and 9:48

 

You said “stop leak” on Fchat. Wait for it....

 

You should try your original choice (430) as well. 430 is a great car, huge difference over 360: all new engine with much more power, torque and loves revving; e-diff to get power down; stiffened body. I love the cabin also.

I have a 430, 550 and 575 (all gated) so no bias!

 

Don’t feel bad. I started off thinking I wanted a 328 over 20 years ago. Have owned 911s all my life.

Once you start actually driving these cars, you realize what your heart wanted is not what your brain tells you.

First time I drove a 550, I was like WTF. Where have you been all my life? Drove another 10-15, then stumbled on the 575.

Crazy how grown up you become during the search.

Boy racer vs gentleman’s beast?

No brainer

(Only stop leak I need is when my old ass punches it. In my depends underwear)

 

If I could have only one, it would be my 360, but I do miss the V12, so I'm looking for a 612 or FF to join the 360 in my garage. I had the climate control system entirely restored on my 456M and it was very cold. Same with the 360, so they can be made very comfy. The price to do it right is not for the faint of heart though.

Ideally, one should have a mid-V8 and a front V12. I prefer 2+2's for V12's, as my 360 is really the only manual I need. I'd rather have the semi-auto option in a tourer.

 

What was done to you AC system? I replaced the AC compressor last year and it blows cold but not very cold. Takes about 20 minutes to get a comfy temp inside. Annoying to run the fan on 3-4 for that long of a time.... thanks

 

Replacing the compressor and recharging the coolant are the main things, but also cleaning out the condensation drain. I'd have to get the docs to get the full list, but everything was done with the engine out of the car, so it was pretty detailed. You can't expect any Ferrari with so much slanted glass to get cold from being hot sitting in the sun in just a few minutes. My cars come out of a cold air conditioned garage, and I park them in the shade when I can. After car shows, it took the 456M about twenty minutes to get so cold I turned the AC down. The 360 not so much time, because the cabin is so much smaller.

 

Yes that is a big point. I just wanted to know if the air is supposed to get cold right away. When reading the manual, it says that when the recirculation button is not active, it still recirculate the air to faster achieve the wanted air temp. It replaces the air every five minute or so.

Bit where does the air exit the cabin???

 

Little update: found a 550 right here on fchat, black on black in Canada, it’s a US car with 49k miles. I love the black on black with this car with the stock wheels. It has an aftermarket stereo which the owner says can be removed which worries me. Little.

I am flying to Canada next week to see it and have a ppi with a compression test at an indie shop. Must admit I am a little nervous as it does have a spotty service history and owner hasn’t really driven it much since he acquired it two years ago. Any advice?