Test drove F355...disappointed.

So ....

The 355 is like a lawn mower
A mazda mirataa something is faster

Any more.....??

 

I think this sums it up well. He makes all of the right points. The car is very quick, that is indisputable. I think I would like to add this: You could give me another car, more expensive, faster, torqued in low RPM's....and it still somehow will not measure up to the 355. My sister, who teaches performance driving nationwide, (Skip Barber, employer) she has a BMW M5. Fantastic car. 512 Hp. Torque all over. Easier to work on. Faster. Newer. Better? Not to me. It does not capture the overall experience of a 355. If I were gifted an M5, I would sell it and buy 2 Ferrari F355's. Ok 1.5 but you get the picture.
Park it next to another car. Watch the reaction of passers-by. They gawk.
Drive it in traffic. Notice open-mouth, big-eyed stares. WHOA!!! Look at THAT!!! F 355!!!!

I LOVE German cars.
Im IN LOVE with the Ferrari 355.

A BMW or a Porsche can often-times out-perform a 355. Brilliant vehicles. This is Indisputable.
But they can not make me giggle like a child upon being in the presence of one.

I don't care how fast it is. It's fast enough.

fast1
fast/
adjective
adjective: fast; comparative adjective: faster; superlative adjective: fastest

1.
moving or capable of moving at high speed.
"a fast and powerful car"
synonyms: speedy, quick, swift, rapid;

I care about the way the car makes me feel.
And there is no car in the world I would rather have than a Ferrari F 355.
That is why I am buying one soon.

The only thing I will likely be disappointed in: The fact that I wont have 4 of them, in different configurations.
A manual GTB
A manual GTS
an F1 Spider.
A manual Fiorano.

F 355 is synonymous with passion. Anything else just doesn't compare, imho.
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German cars are like an expensive beer.
Ferrari 355's are a fine wine

German cars get the job done, and then some.
Ferrari's inspire time-off.

German cars are fully competent at whatever they do. More than capable.
Ferrari's are brilliant standing still.

A BMW will get you there, safely, quickly rain or snow....all the way to the climate controlled garage. Engineering a big +
A Ferrari will have you taking the wrong exit on purpose, just to see what's down that road with the old tractor on the hill... back-lit by a sunset.

German cars are the gorgeous woman with a PhD.
Ferrari's are the supermodel who just handed you the keys to her hotel room.

Just don't be disjointed if her ass is skinny. You can't win them all.

 

I guess people continue to post how much better than the 355, their 'other cars' or 'car choices' are. So I will reiterate, please go drive and or buy those 'other cars', no one here is going to stop you. The vast majority of 355 owners on here, bought their 355 because they actually like them! ...

We know there are 'other cars' out there ..... and the 355 is and was still our choice. I really don't get why anyone would come onto a Ferrari forum, then continuously post how much they think their 'other car' preferences are somehow better ..... kinda like someone coming and knocking on your front door and asking you to believe in 'their' religion, god or non-god and not leaving until you agree with them ...... simply annoying .....

.

 

We need a BAN button

 

+355, very nice post!

 

It was a fairly large turbo, it was making 300 at the rear wheels or there about at 15 PSI of boost. Only took it to the track once, it blew the tires off the first 1/8 mile and turned a 12.70 at 115.22 mph. LOL with a 2.2 60ft time.

Anyway, the point was, I don't need something faster than what the 355 is. I bought the 355 because that was the car that I wanted, and to be honest, it was more Ferrari than I thought I would ever get for the money I spent. I would buy my 6 speed spider again, without hesitation, even though it is pissing me off right now... even the simple things are difficult with maintenance!!!

Mark
#108860

 

Most of the nitwits are driving some track prepared, pimped out car.. you know the one with the tin can exhaust and custom rims, (insert specialty parts maker name here) air intake and intercooler, custom coilovers, yaddity yaddity. The craigslist ads all have "custom" in them somewhere, and if Ferrari owners pimped their cars mechanically out the same way.. it would be *Bye Bye*, no comparison. The reason most don't, is because the pimped out Ferrari would be equally worthless. The key is balance, the reason they built the car the way they did. Anyone can build a 900 HP monster. But its not a nicely balanced car... and many Nitwits confuse keeping that car going in a straight line with pedal to the metal (you've seen it with wheels swerving from side.. one millisecond from spinout), with actual driving ability. Call me harsh. Sure. Call me a d#$&head. I don't care. Apples to apples, oranges to oranges. Underground racing to underground racing.

 

Pathetic boy racers here.

A ferrari especially a 355 is a sophisticated man's car.

For a man that's owned souped up japanese copy crap and yawn bland german everywhere motors.

The 355 is the real deal

Drive one at 6000 rpm and then light her up.....learn how to drive a manual car...double de clutch, heel and toe...use the gearbox...she's not an american muscle thing that only goes in a straight line with no finesse or balance...u have to learn how to treat a powerful, balanced ferrari...or you won't "get it”.

Park her carefully...stand back and drool over italian artistry.

Smell the leather and oil
Feel the motor thru the seat.

Not a lawn mower or mazda or porsshe turbo whatever nor a viper or corvette.

 

Great description, here

 

Cheers Al

U know what i speak of

 

Bloody hell

If you match engine revs to some gearbox turning thing u can change gear without using the clutch.

 

Amen!

 

I used to have a chevy S-10 pick-up..4 speed. Never used the clutch to change gears, Just to get her into first or reverse..

 

A useful skill when a clutch cable snaps.
And damned satisfying when done right.

 

Is it true that most americans can't operate a manual car having learnt only on autos?

 

Without a doubt.
Can't tell you the number of times I've gotten a "I don't drive those" from a valet.
And these guys get paid to drive.

 

As far as I'm concerned, they're all great and there is no "better". Get what you like and that's it.

Newer is better because it's more reliable, more automated and more up-to-date.

Older is better because it's more old-school, more of an art piece than a production car like the newer ones.

BLA BLA BLA, the debate can go on and on over which one is "better"

I was just making a point that the "collectability" as well as legacy of the newer cars is much less likely because of the sophisticated production methods and high numbers produced and sold.

There is nothing wrong with the 360, it's a great car and I prefer it to the 430 IMHO but there is no doubt it was the the end of an era because of the way Ferrari changed and became more about making "profits" than simply funding their racing like Enzo was doing.

Some say it ended with the 328, some say 348, I say 355. But I don't think anyone can argue that by the time the 360 came around, things were dramatically different and anything considered "old-school" was gone.

It's not a bad thing, it's just reality...it's still a Ferrari and it's still a great car!

 

yeah ... a few more blahs ...... however my main point was non owners coming on this '355' forum, to pontificate about the 355 and how their corvette or wife's or grandma's crossover drives better and is more reliable, for less money .......... then they continue on as if we are 'missing' something, or we don't know how the 355 'compares' to other cars as well as they do, this is of course after their 5 minute test drive of some random example ........

BTW I share the idea .... the F355 is the last of the 'classic' mid-engine V8 era and the first of the modern Ferrari V8 engine technology ......

 

My first truck was a stick...VERY glad to own one when gearing up for a 355 in my near future. I would say one out of five americans know how to drive stick. Mayyyybe one out of four. Just a guess.

 

The true F355 performance needs to be seen on a track. There are times when driving on the street the car seems slow, but that is because we don't usually rev the engine into the power band. On a track you are always between 5000-8500prm where the performance is!
I've been on Road American many times with my car and it is a big track- 4miles with long straights and braking areas going from 130mph to 50mph. After every track event, I know why I have kept it for 14 years. Everything about this car gets better at speed--power, handling and braking.

 

+355 ... well said ... !! Driving a 355 on city streets, is like taxing an aerobatic plane around the tarmac, then coming to an opinion as to how it performs in the air .....

 

1. Did the OP ever drive another car to see if the first F355 was a dog?
2. When the OP drove the car, did he rev it? If he drove it like a P-car or Corvette or SL600, he'd barely get into the power range of a F355... I don't remember him liking the sound, so...

 

Just a couple of weeks ago this buddy of mine wouldn't go to this track/sports car work event in Vegas b/c he couldn't drive a stick. I was fascinated-as if he had skipped some major piece of life! We ended up doing something else b/c a bunch of folks in our group couldn't-and I'm not talking about the women-they all could (at least they said they could!).

I'm sure most folks in the US can but I'm also sure it's a dwindling #

 

My step son is 17 and he refuses to learn how to drive a stick. It absolutely frustrates me...