I've had my 95 F355 since May of 1999 and still enjoy driving every second even if it costs quite a bit to upkeep and at today's value it's not worth selling.
Had ours since 04 when my dad passed away. Told me to spend less time with Ferraris ( at that time a 328 GTS) and more time on eye research. Stress of his illness and passing was in some nice way soothed by the scream of the F355 Fixed valves in 08 big ouch! Just replaced the drivers side exhaust manifold. big ouch but no so big Waiting to send car to St Louis for recall work Have been tempted to say no mas and get a less expensive to maintain car ( dare I say Porsche! I do like the new Targa with 4wd ) and then get the dream car which is the 550M when the time is right. Then I read all the above and think Am I just nuts My wife and I love the car (F355GTS 1995) It has brought smiles to orphans and children with life threatening illness It may be dysfunctional at times ( cant wait for the other exhaust manifold to go) but then again so am I So unless Nancy Pelosis Harry Reid and all the gang at Obama care wake up and stop the madness of their healthcare reform I am sitting pretty with the F355 With a pending 21% cut in Medicaire reimbursement on the way in less than one week it may however be another story and the entire garage the house the dogs and everything else may need to go Is it Spring yet?
My F355 has 60K miles on the clock, 5K of which have taken place on race tracks. Don't think this qould qualify as low milage. Last summer I drove through 2 days of 2 inches per hour rain on my way from Texas to WV to visit my parents; on slicks! The car has also been driven on race tracks in the rain. Pretty sure this does not qualify as never driven int he rain. But, also, last summer, after getting back, I pulled the interrior out of the car and gave all the leather a good scrub and treatment (letherique) and it looks as good as a zero mile F355. However, the car is rather near perfect.
I have said forever with a few cars, lesson learned. Life is a journey. I love my 355, but, I just got off the phone with the dealer asking for a cash out price, I have found another car I like. My current spider is my second 355, First up was a 355F1 Berlinetta, then my current F355 spider, next, F355 GTS. So, I may not always have my current 355, but I think there will be A 355 in my garage for some time yet.
I have owned Ferraris since the mid 70s and always enjoyed them even with pains at times. I have owned my 355 for 7 years and it has 62k on it. I plan to keep it because I believe that though it is very maintenance expensive, the combination of style, performance, sound, ease of driving and comfort makes it hard to beat. My son now has my 77 308 GTB which has been in the family for 30 years. Maybe the best two looking Ferraris ever-just a matter of opinion.
Dead duck. I was looking at a car in the UK, definitely not a happening thing. Looks like the spider stays for a while...
Had my 1997 F355 spider a bit longer than I have been on the chat. Everytime I open the garage it still looks as beautiful as the first time I laid eyes on one . The engine is still rock solid with 210-220ish compression all the way around ....... which kind of bugs me because I was hoping for an excuse to do some head mods ............ the combination of classic looks and F1 sound makes it very easy to justify keeping .
I got rid of the first one and ended up coming back. Since I have a constant Tiger-Woods-esk lust for cars that I don't have, I have many times considered trading the 355. Many of the cars I have looked very hard at are actually still for sale: CS - http://www.cavallinomotors.com/index_m.html 360 spider - http://www.ferrarisiliconvalley.com/cars/inventory/preowned/2001-ferrari-360-f1-spider-rosso-fiorano--black-125688.aspx Gallardo SL - http://www.lamborghinicarolinas.com/02_inventory/lamborghini/2008_Gallardo_Superleggera_L004/index.htm Gallardo spider (manual) - http://www.sportauto.us/02_inventory/various/2008_Lamborghini_Gallardo_Spyder_Yellow_6Speed/index.htm Occasionally, these still gnaw at me. The CS is such a raw car, so special, and the performance is there, but every time I pop the roof off on the 355 I start to giggle. The 360 spider has a girlie feel to me. Sorry. (That one at FOSV though... man, nice car). The G-SL is a great car, but again, when I pop the roof on the 355 I start a giggling... The G-spider is probably the car that gives me the most fits. The manual is fantastic. But you cannot put a damn thing in the car to go anywhere, and I just love a long weekend with the wife and the 355. So as mine is getting the headers done, and with the report that compression and leakdown are currently excellent (at 35k miles), the carbon interior parts are shipping from MA Carbon. If I am going to keep it, I am going to make it mine. I just can't think of another car that ticks all the boxes!
I've had my 355 for about 5 years now. Just paid for a HUGE service, so all the major issues have been taken care of. I don't like the 360/430's much, and I don't care for "flappy paddle gear boxes." So, the only one I would consider would be an F40, and that ain't gonna happen... I'll keep the 355, it is a wonderful car.
