nov issue of forza has buying guide for the V8s..

I don't think many owners of well maintained 355's with all issues taken care of (valve guides, headers, interior, etc.) would sell for $55k. I know I wouldn't...for my '99 GTB F1 with a fresh major, new headers and no valve guide worry, I'd be looking for $65-70k.

However...if there's a ready supply of lesser 355's at a lower price, mine may never sell at the higher price. There's many buyers now from other marques who want to hop into a Ferrari cheap it seems...and if they can, congrats. But be ready for despair when you get hit with a 5 figure maintenance bill for things that weren't taken care of before.

 

Ricky...What side of NY are you on? You should come play some Sunday. See the NE thread for CT gathering

 

this makes perfect sense

 

I think the Forza guides are bit of BS myself. Not sure where they get their numbers from.

 

They throw darts at a price wheel LOL...makes no sense considering cost of parts ect. Their numbers are simply too low and unrealistic IMO. At that price, your car is worth WAAAAY more if you parted it out. Now how can that make sense...it doesn't, but would be true based on their figure(s).

Hmmm, I wonder how much one COULD get selling a 355 a piece at a time? Any guesses...?

 

I look at it as filler, they never update the text and spend as little time as possible on research, cut and paste year to year. Cavallino is better for prices, values have gone down, but it would be better to have some real hard data.

 

+1 ............

 

They're full of crap. I've been researching 355's on a daily basis (here, ebay, yahoo, auto trader, craigslist) for about a year now. If anyone put a fully serviced 355 on the market for $55k it would go in a heartbeat. (assuming it would pass a ppi).

Being enthusiasts, I have a feeling that the average condition of cars owned by forum members is nothing like the (poor) average condition of the cars out there on the market. I've encountered cars where the ad said "excellent dash" and it was as wrinkled as an elephants posterior. The same car had "all service records" which, whaddya-know, indicated that it hadn't had an engine out service... ever. (1995 model). I guess he was proud of all the oil change receipts.

 

LMAO and soo true. What about receipts from 10-15 years ago...I've seen that one too. Yea it had the belt done @12K but NOW has 10+ tears on it!!! That's not serviced...that's was serviced. LOL doesn't count now...

A sellers assessment of a car and a buyers will usually be different.

 

Just to add a little realism to the discussion, just picked up a 355 spider, major belt srvice just complete, full records, 18K miles and 9/10 condiiton for under 50K. PPI and leakdown were exceptional, cats recently replaced etc. Now it hasn't had the guides done, but the leak down was under 2% in all cylinders.
Now I've been looking for over a year and waiting for the right car, but my sense of this is that all the poor condition cars have really dragged down the prices of the nicer ones. Novices are terrified of these cars because every major issue seems to carry a 10K price tag. Now I may have a huge bill tomorrow on the car, but that seems to be the case with all 355s.
This is the market now. I bought this car from a respected dealer and he obviosuly took it on trade for less than what I paid.
I'd say FOrza is about spot on for the pricing right now. There are a lot of cars asking in the 50s which will be nightmares, but if you are patient, you'll find a good car for fair money.
I even got my favorite color, Swatters. (other than Azzuro California, of which there were only 6 and I had one under contract before the PPI sent me screaming in the other direction)
Bill

 

I would sell my 95 GTB which is *fully* serviced including 3 30k services, custom headers, tubi, etc. for 60k and not a penny less.
Once again, Forza missed the mark. Remember a few issues ago they said a glass 308 was 45k. Riiiiiight.

 

bkniep, that's a great deal. I was a little surprised at the price, since they also have one at the same location, at a similar price with more than twice the miles.

 

I'm thrilled with the purchase and feel like I got an excellent deal, given the uncertainties with these cars. The one with higher mileage is compeltely rebuilt with headers, guides, cats, top, etc. Everything big that could go wrong has been done recently.
I'll post some pics after my drive home on Monday.
Bill

 

Just because one or even a few cars go at fire sales when the seller simply has to unload for cash doesn't mean the market has crumbled. Once all of that settles down, prices should settle back to a fair price.

Look at it another way: I have thought about trading for a CS. And a CS is worth more than a 355. But how much more? 100k more? I don't think so. So basically, it is not worth it for me to sell my car for such a low value. I'd rather just drive and enjoy.

 

Yes, but <10K mile cars would probably bring a bit more.

 

Congrats, I like all of the blues on 355s.

That said, hope the valve guides hold up for you.

 

What year and transmission?

 

Not all 355s NEED the guides done, as I understand the issue.....

They do all need headers eventually...LOL!

 

97 and 6 spd. I've been looking for 18 months for a 6spd spider in one of the blues. If you are patient, you'll get the right car at the right price. Did the same on a 993 Turbo about 4 years ago and got a beaut.
Bill