Newbie ?: Where to buy a 348 or 355

What is the best way to go about looking for a 348 or 355? I am just beginning my search. I know there are classified ads on here that I am looking through. But what are other resources beside ebay, autotempest, CL, etc?

Brian from California

 

Welcome! I really like the idea of buying a forum car since most discuss their car's history on the site and are passionate owners.

Also check out: FerrariChat.com Sponsors

Here are a couple of our sponsors out in California:

• Ferrari of San Francisco | New Ferrari Dealership Bay Area | Financing, Parts & Service
• Jake's Motorcars | Pre-owned Dealer | San Diego, California

All the best,
Andrew.

 

I found my 348 and 355 on Ebay from dealers then just dealt with them directly. I wasn't looking for the greatest cars as I intended to drive the heck out of them and fix them up myself.

I really think the best way would be to watch the classified area here. There are some great cars that show up from time to time from private sellers. They are some great guys and very straight forward and honest about the cars they are selling. If they're not they get called out by the other members and they can help you figure out the real stories on some cars.

 

Deport registry, prices seem a bit high on here the ads must be expensive.
Hemmings
Autotrader usually has a lot, do a nationwide search and you can usually spot the bad/abused ones. No Carfax = no interest, a car fax can reveal quick flaws, recall not performed, 27 owners, multiple auctions in a short period of time and on and on. It is a good starting point .... As mentioned an F chat car is well known ( hopefully ) and usually owned by a very caring owner.

 

NorCal or SoCal? Another fact that you may or may not be aware of: You can contact the seller directly after an ebay auction that doesn't sell.

 

I asked the same question a few months back.

Here is the thread

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/451724-best-place-search-f355.html

 

South East PA has two I know about. Here's one.

Home

 

There is a for sale section here of course. Ebaymotors, cars.com, hemmings, CL, auto trader, carsforsale.com, trader online.com classiccartrader.com atabuy

There's no golden site to find the best cars. Forum cars here probably have the least stories and best owners but good cars can be found in all places it's mostly up to you to do the research and leg work

 

Start establishing a relationship with some local and not so local dealers and independent service shops. Visit often, stop in, call, talk to the workers. Word of mouth works as an advantage, and will sometimes make you an "insider" to an owner who is about to step up a model or 3, or thin out his collection.

Plus you will need these folks after your purchase.

 

Yes!

 

Greetings carwhisperer,

Do you have a body style in mind? How about color, and transmission preferences?

Are you looking for a well sorted car, or a fixer upper?

I have owned my 1998 355 F1 GTS since new. Rosso Corsa with a Nero interior.

I have a 575M that I drive more often, and I am considering selling my 355 and my Cup Car.

I'm airplane shopping again.

Cheers,
Xenu
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Can anybody recommend a great ferrari mechanic in Orange County California who specialises in ferraris?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Ferrari of Orange County is where I would take my car.

I am spoiled by Penske-Wynn Ferrari Maserati here in Las Vegas.

 

Buy this car. I'm sure it's not the cheapest out there but seems very, very loved by it's owner which is what you're looking for. A one-owner red/tan GTS is pretty much a unicorn especially if the miles are low with good records.

XENU, you know you will regret this, right?

 

Nero (black) interior on my car.
As I said I am considering selling my 355 and my Cup Car.
The car has 8200 miles on it.
I can keep another 20 years if I want to.

My asking price would be on the high side.

My Cup car is in Atlanta in my friends garage. We were going to run it in the Pirelli World Challenge but we stayed in GTS running a Caymen finishing second in the class.

 

Sorry for the mistake! For some reason I always thought yours was red/tan, don't know why even though I had a very clear picture staring me in the face.

 

That is what I was going to say. Don't do it.

 

I know what you guys are saying, but I really drive my 575M almost daily, and the 355 sits covered on a tender.

I am looking at some planes right now and it might be better to let a new owner enjoy the car more than I do.

Here's what I'm looking at: http://www.trade-a-plane.com/detail/1726395.html

 

If you drove the car everyday, it wouldn't seem as special to you when you did. What is preventing you from driving it more regularly? You could switch the rotation, but if you drive that car daily it probably wouldn't look as nice as it does now. I am definitely biased toward cars and don't have any interest in planes. Good luck with your decision.

 

Wow, why would you sell? You are going to lose your ass. You must have paid just shy of $150K. Even if you get $80K for it, that's a $70K loss. Those 8200 miles will cost you $8.54 per mile, not counting the fuel

I'd keep it until these go up, and I'm sure they will within the next 5-10 years. They will be $150K cars in the future.

 

The day I picked up the car from Ferrari of Los Gatos they had a yellow 246 and a red 246 that I could have bought both for what I wrote a check for my 355. 20/20 hindsight is awesome.

I ordered a 1999 360 F1 the same day. When the car was delivered to my house 14 months later I got a movement permit for it and did not register it, or pay Nevada sales tax. I drove the 360 on my regular cruise up Mount Charleston. Up is a pretty straight run, across is twisty, and down is super twisty and on the gears in a few stretches finishing straight. It is a 6000 foot elevation change from where I live near the base of the mountain.

I HATED the early fly by wire F1 system. I fought the computer the whole way.
When I got home I popped the roof on my 355 and did the same ride.
After the ride I called Jack at Ferrari of Los Gatos and told him I didn't like the 360 at all.
A half hour later I got a call from one of his clients that wanted a 360 F1 immediately.
Five days after the car arrived it had a new owner, and I made $20K on the deal.
I took care of Jack as well.

I have owned six Ferraris at this point. My keepers have been #3 the 1998 355 F1 GTS, and #6 my 2004 575M. I have a bad leg for almost ten years and people are starting to stare when I crawl out of the 355.

If I were to sell the car, someone would have to give me crazy $ for it.
They would also be making an excellent investment IMHO.

My Cup Car sold in three phone calls for my asking price.

I knew I would be taking a hit on depreciation the day I bought the 355.

I don't look at it as a loss, it was the price of admission, and I learned to buy a car that the first owner already took the depreciation hit.

Retained value after 36 months averages around 40%.

I bought my highly optioned 2004 575M for $97K with current service, new tires, and 9K miles on her. It was a one owner trade in on a 612 at Penske Wynn Ferrari Maserati.

 

Nice story !

 

Howdy Roberto,
Will I be seeing you on the 12th, at the Sienna?
Cheers,
Marc

 

I searched Cars.com, Autotrader.com and others (no endorsement). Then did NADA, Kelly, Autocheck and Carfax to check the vin and market. Luckily I found two or three in the northeast. Two in the NYC metro area and one on Long Island. That last one was the best. Put down a deposit. Made a crazy trip on a Friday with silly NY traffic and bought it. Just a startup. no test drive and only transport back. Needed new exhaust TCU (ecus) and got them done at the major in February. It was throwing the codes and Slow Down lights. Battery cable came off for an embarrassing early run in November after it arrived. But I got it home and loving it ever since. Cruised a ton last weekend in the good weather and burped a little coolant AFAIK. Will check it soon. Windshield washer bottle may have a leaky seam so I will hit that with some clear silicon. Put 3K blissful miles on it. Many cross country with after clear bra installation. Love my baby.

(Nice story above too!)

 

Baron C55 shopping?