355 Road Trip

A AAA or Hagerty roadside assistance program and some kind of spare wheel/tire.

 

I’ve been there. Middle of nowhere. No spare. Difficult to source tires. It sucks. If you can at least limp to a motel your life will be so much better.

 

Image Unavailable, Please Login "Pirelli for Ferrari in Italy is difficult" said the recovery guy to me as I stood at the side of the road wondering if it was worth leaving the spare at home in order to leave more room in the boot for wine.

I now take a spare, jack and brace.

I also take a small tool kit with various drivers, hex bits and sockets, a spare coil pack, an alternator, a Noco starter, a litre of oil, a litre of coolant and some bulbs and fuses. Possibly overkill, but gives me peace of mind.

 

I would recommend:

Spare batteries for key fob/immobilizer
Bottled water (might be for the cooling system, might be for you...)
Windshield cleaner (you don't want to use the toxic sludge at the gas pump)
Battery booster pack with USB for charging devices
Folding wheel chocks (if you have to park on a severe incline do you want to trust the parking brake?)

 

Props to you for actually driving the car! I come from the Porsche world as well and it's quite shocking how few of these are actually driven. I do the same. Kudos! And safe travels.

 

I drove mine from Miami to Richmond (about a thousand miles) immediately after buying it. All I needed was gas

Make sure your toolkit is fully stocked - should have extra accessory belts, bulbs and fuses along with tools that will let you change all of those.

I wouldn't take a spare alternator but a spare voltage regulator maybe, those are cheap ($25) and it's way easier to change it in the car than to remove the alternator. As I just replaced mine, I wouldn't bother but if it's old it'd be good to have one. It's a 15 minute fix in the car if it goes bad.


Fresh can of fix-a-flat or similar, my toolkit came with one but I don't think I'd dare use it as it's almost 30 years old now, along with a jump pack/air pump. You can get a space saver spare, It was optional and I think was the same as the later testarossa spare (ie 5 lug).
https://www.ebay.com/itm/156089650313?itmmeta=01HSGR11TD38MF0GJ1ZV67Q56S&hash=item2457ab0c89:g:RBkAAOSwxFhl4JFA&itmprp=enc:AQAJAAAA4EcG0jnLF2IiFGYvacep2mk/+b6cO1NDpkTsH4RxtgEW9JUy5XOv42pCM1miRDTQBAFBBvXlCK1mJ4B/dwBaG0+NAZe8akYFuYb4OflfI9ubHHTJXDx7MJsd2GjePv68MrjNJf4wRAifz6jUZwfzA0BTgNirF391SmUHfvqDEIH88+t5Wh4L9GnlIDKH6tCrEmJvOxOttGQSjdc8VRmUsfls53RexK8AJ5gmSCXnaLK5mxMOwJnb2DHgJQ9cr2TvfW/QxLjLJcTf9qgLlWHtC/IKto7jPCx6lJTqyarLsQbX|tkp:Bk9SR8qdhJjMYw

I would use roadside assistance, though. AAA is cheap, but check your insurance, it may be included - it is in mine.

 

True story: I was driving my F355 one Saturday morning and after about 1 hour of driving I noticed a skip, like I was down one or two cylinders. I pulled over and let it cool off and tried it again-still skipping. Not wanting to drive it home I called AAA. After waiting 2 hours, I called back to see what was up and was told they are having trouble finding a tow service to respond. They called me back about an hour later telling me they have a flatbed on the way. 20 minutes later I see an empty flatbed drive by, slow down and then keep driving by. I quickly called AAA to alert them that the driver missed me, and while on the phone I see the flatbed coming down the road in the opposite direction so I get out and try to flag the driver down and he just waved and keeps going. AAA then tells me the only other tow company can't come till Monday. Frustrated, I get back in my car and fire it up (still skipping) and head for home, get about 200 yards down the road and the skip clears up and car runs fine all the way home.
My mistake: Telling AAA I am in a Ferrari. Tell them you are driving a kit car that looks like a Ferrari. The flatbed driver was scared. Hope this helps someone someday.

 

Don't blame the guy at all, given how much more difficult it is to get a 355 on a flatbed than a regular car, and given the tantrum that a typical Ferrari owner would throw (including legal threats) should something happen to his car.

 

I always keep spare fuses in the car, and (as mine is a 5.2) an OBD reader. I've gotten stupid codes for loose gas cap, slow bypass valve (had bad fuel pressure regulators), low catalyst efficiency (sport cats), etc. Without the reader, you'll just stress about what the check engine light is all about.

I do have a 5th wheel/tire in the frunk, but have never needed it. Never thought of the alternator bits, but they don't take much space so why not? (I've replaced these parts many times, not a huge job) and I can see how this could be a trip saver.

Have fun, these cars are fun on the open road!

 

One last point: remember that on the open road the car is not really being stressed. Much more challenging for the car to sit in stop and go traffic than it is to hit the highway. Less stress on the cooling and charging systems by a mile. Mine even gets 20mpg on the freeway when just cruising along at 75mph.

So take it out and enjoy!

 

The guys over at "Bob is the Oil Guy" think you stress the engine/cooling when you are over 70 MPH.....So, on a trip back from Tahoe, heading east to Dallas, there is a road towards Clayton NM that is dead straight (but not dead flat). So, I spend 5 minutes at each of the following speeds to see where the F355 starts to stress the engine. I went {100, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, 140} and all the temperature gauges were at their thermostatic lower limits !! So, at least any cruise speed under 145 is not stressing the engine/driveline.

Just though you might like to know.......

I can get 22 MPG if I try hard.

 

I’ve taken many road trips in various Ferraris of this vintage and earlier.

Bring a can of fix-a-flat. Maybe some fuses and relays. A small toolkit. Just like you would do for any older car on a road trip.

Other than that, just bring your AMEX card, AAA card, or the like, and enjoy. These cars are a lot tougher than people make them out to be. And, if you have an issue, make it part of the journey and the story.

 

One tip is to replace every piece of rubber bitza you can find.

 

Well stereotypes aside, I am not one of those people so he had nothing to worry about. He could have stopped and at least gave me an explanation, and I think he would have found that not all Ferrari owners are a$$hats.

 

How about one of those small tow behind UHaul trailers to put all the above suggestions?

 

Having done loads of long road trips in mine, RAC cover etc gives you a safety and I'd say take the following:
- make sure you've got a tow hook for worst case
- take 1L of oil and maybe a small water bottle (again, the latter just in case).
- I carry a spare coil pack, as they're a bit crap but fairly cheap.
- a jump starter pack (Noco thing).

Otherwise, just go and drive it and enjoy it, they're robust and improve with usage.
Oh, and if you're heading to Europe, get a toll tag thing, as getting out at the peage with the wide doors is a right faff.

 

I do wish the sodding thing had cruise control....

 

Same. I'd set it to 75. Then 85 as the car feels happier there. Then that would feel a bit slow so 95. Then you might as well do 100. An Audi RS something will then fly past at 120. Well if he's doing it... etc. Before you know it you're doing 150 and have to have a little word with yourself. Back to 85. Rinse and repeat.

 

Enjoy it!!
The car is a GT!!

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