Future 355 owner looking for advice...

you will find all the information you ask for if you read some more under a search of "355 valve guide" and "355 header"

As far as the little information you provided "$600 per rear tire every six months," is concerned, any F355 is going to run you much more than that, not for tires, but for other items. Let me give you some examples:

$2,000 for 3 key fobs and an ID code programming
$500 just to look up your ID code, so you can program in the new one
$22,000 for an F1 pump (find that thread by Mowater)

Good luck.

 

First off budget at least $2,500 per year for basic service not counting brakes, tires, etc.

5 year service can range from low $6,000 at dealer to over $20,000 if needs engine work!

Worry about many things:

Leather dash shrikage (VERY EXPENSIVE TO FIX!)

Sticky Interior (EVERYTHING will turn to go at some time, so plan on it) Can be fixed with about 10 hours of labor your and $200 in parts.

Headers that melt

Valves on some models (not that common)

clutch (F1 can be a time bomb on repairs)

water pump

Tires go around 5k miles with fun driving!

Cat ECUs

Cats dont rattle or replaced.

If non oem cat make sure no check engine lights after about 100 miles driving

No slow down lights also

Covt top has been bled or all goo

Windows go up at normal speed

Wheels are not cracked around lugs (take them all off and inspect!)

All recalls done at dealer

PPI that checks out EVERYTHING!!

Get $50 insuance deduct since my windshield cost about $4,700.

Seats all work correctly

Thats all that come to mind while I eat my lunch....

 

=> 1995 Car - no "key fobs" - put key in and turn
=> 1995 Car - "ID Code" is does the key work and do you have the key
=> 1995 Car - 3-pedals - Learn to shift unless left leg has been amputated - no "F1 Pump"

 

Check compression and leakdown.
Check history carefully.
While header and valve guide problems do not hit every car, they can be very costly and most recommend fixing these problems before they bite you (I have a hypothesis that cars that have had bad guides or exhaust leaks need bottom end rebuilds far more than "healthy" cars...)

It sounds like you'd like a '95 GTB (I'm a little biased because that's my dream). The problem is that the lucky guys that have good ones aren't letting them go!

 

This is a pretty conclusive list. If you go GTS, double-check the gasket seals around the top at the front of the roof. Mine are a trifle loose and can let a small amount of water in under the right conditions.

 

+1

 

The F1 pumps are being retrofitted with 360 units at a much lower cost. Not cheap, but no $20K parts. Still, the manual is the better choice. Also, the 1995 Motronic 2.7 is the only way to go, IMO.

By now almost every car has been through the valve guide and header scene. Still worth checking out nevertheless. Make sure the repairs are holding. Replacement with stock headers is just going to revisit the repair later. Good hunting and don't forget the PPI.

 

The GTS IMHO is the best option - you can easily remove and store the top so you get the "open" experience but don't have the issues associated with the Sypder tops. I also think the flying buttresses on the 355s are one of the many aspects that make it so beautiful so you don't lose those (with all due respect to Spyders owners....).

The earlier post regarding the seals is spot-on. There are also some adjustments you can make with the two closure levers that can help a front seal leak but then usually can cause leakage elsewhere. If they are worn just have them replaced. They also tend to squeak a bit - especially in cooler weather. Smearing a bit of Vaseline or WD40 will eliminate this as well as keeping the seals moist and flexible.

Also IMHO a 3-pedal 355 is the way to go not only to have the experience of the gated shifter and satisfaction of mastering (or at least trying to...) proper shifting techniques but also the early F1s were not as dialed in or as fast as the later ones. Eliminating the potential costs and having an enhanced driving experience to me is a no-brainer (with all due respect to F1 owners...).

The later 360s and 430s (especially CSs, Scuds, 16M) had sick-fast F1s and a lot of the bugs got worked out so that is a bit different (although I would still opt for a 3-pedal car regardless) but if you are looking at 355s I would recommend the 3-pedal car.

Good luck with the search - Tons of good info and cool people on here as well and information is gold when it comes to these cars. That said, take a lot of the horror stories with a grain of salt and make your own decision in the end.

Cheers

 

+10 - One other aspect of the Motronic 2.7 should you decide on a GTS is this setup allows a skosh more room behind the driver's seat. This is important (depending on how tall you are) when storing the top as this takes a bit of space away from recline. The 5.2 cars have a bump to accomodate the 5.2 units and it takes up some recline angle.

Just FYI - Cheers

 

The 95, OBD I cars, had a Monotrnic 2.7 ECU. The 96-99, OBD II cars, had a Monotronic 5.2 ECU. 2.7 and 5.2 are just used around here as shorthand as the main differences in F355's from year to year are mainly due to the ECU difference and associated hardware.

 

Saleen - As usual F355Steve is spot-on. You will also hear/read (and it is a fact) that the 1995 2.7 cars had an additional 5 horsepower. That is true but it is not noticable from a driving standpoint (IMHO) so don't let that sway you. The other thing is on the 95 2.7 cars each side of the engine had a seperate feed from the airboxes and on the later 5.2 cars it fed through a common "T" and then into each side of the engine. Again - just FYI and nothing major to sway you toward a 95 or away from a later car.

Cheers

 

I may be wrong but I understand that the 2.7 cars do not have as many sensors which may equate to fewer warning lights/thrown codes.

 

I would also pass on any cars that have had the stereo upgraded as many times the installers cause plenty of issues. It took Dave Helms around 20 hours to fix the mess the previous owner's installers made with the electrical system. With an F355, the music comes the 3.5 liter V8 behind you, not an iPod! Best of luck in your hunt, I have had mine since 2006 and now that Dr. Helms has its issues all corrected, it won't be leaving me unless someone wants to give me a 458 for it (I know that will never happen, so it will stay with me until I die). They are terrific cars once they are sorted properly.

Forza F355!

 

This is true. For example the 2.7 cars have one O2 sensor per catalytic converter. 5.2 cars have 2 per catalytic converter, one pre cat, one post. The 2.7 cars are reading the mixture out of the engine and telling the ecu when to go closed or open loop. The 5.2 cars add the sensor after cat that is checking to make sure the exhaust has been cleaned up after going through the cat. If it has not been cleaned enough you will get a CEL. If you install testpipes in a 5.2 you will get a CEL. If you install test pipes in a 2.7 you will not get a CEL.

 

I turned the head unit on in my 355 once while driving. It got annoying not being able to clearly hear the 5 valve screaming through the Capristo exhaust behind me so I quickly turned it off and it has never been on again.

 

Haha, nice! I think I turned it on twice, once at the dealership and once on the first drive with my wife. More to make sure it worked than anything else. Haven't used it since.

 

+10 - Dave Helms and Scuderia Rampante rock!

 

I am sure the soundtrack in the Saleen was pretty amazing! Never had the fortune of being in one but have driven alongside one and mesmerized - amazing cars!

You will not be dissapointed with the 355 either. My opinion - and shared by many - is that the 355 is the best-sounding V8 Ferrari ever...

In fact, looking outside it is a rare 65-degree day in Denver and I think I will take her out for a run!

Cheers