Talk me into (or out of!) a 355 Spider!!

A 355 spider is a fantastic car to own. Amazing to have that sound and power without any assemblance of a roll bar. Absolute sublime and rare experience.

Dooooo iiitttttt,

 

I was in a similar situation when I was considering my red/tan 355 spider. My biggest concern was the engine out service. Once I found Fchat and read several detailed threads about DIY major service, I bought the car. Without this resource I would not have bought mine. I have fixed lots of little things and feel pretty comfortable with the maintenance.

I say go for it. If it wasn't for all the attention it gets, I would drive it everyday. It is hard to blend a red Fcar in traffic.

 

I will tell you what a Ferrari sales manager told me when I fell in lust with a 355.

Buy a 360.

Sage advice, which I followed.

And frankly, regretted the entire time I drove the 360. EXCEPT when it needed service.

So, if you're really competent, and you want one, GET ONE. Best sounding modern era Ferrari I've ever heard. The one I drove I loved, although the 360 was a little faster, you're not buying it for blinding current car speed. you're buying it for the total experience.

Go for it.

D

 

Despite the problems, I would not hesitate to do it again.

 

I had a few issues with my '98 F1 355B. I'm currently in the market for another though. I've driven a 360 and 430, they just don't have what a 355 does. If I'm going to be spending money on maintenance it should be on the car I want, not a compromise.

 

Superb!
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cuneo .... why must you torment me with your photogenic nero 355 .....

 

I dislike the state of my shop as I have NO TIME but anyways, I love the contents. Mostly Italian and a fine couple of spiders.
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Your choice
After a month of driving the vette, keep count how many vette's you see every week.
And how many 355s you saw during that month

Also tell yourself every morning the rear of your vette looks better than the rear of a 355.
It doesn't and it never will but you will feel better.

 

Welcome

Given I have a 97 savage spider getting ready for sale, I will persuade you to buy a 97 red/tan 6 spd spider 🤓
Was told Svc was done comes with updates headers, muffler, 19" wheel brand new tires, currently working on bleeding the damn hydraulics on the roof.

 

Hears a teaser shot
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I recognise that outlook

Bet that helps with the accountancy on a hot summers day, being able to look up at it and smile as you crunch those numbers.

 

IMO that's a completely different thought process. The Vette is a DD that you most likely will own for a few years and be done with it. The 355 is a special occasion car that will still have appeal in years to come for its uniqueness.

No comparison between them on a technological level but neither is there on an emotional level either.

Enjoy your new car. The 355s will still be around in the future.

 

My roof doesn't go up until it gets late fall & cold. And as noted, just do it. No regrets.

I took the wife out for a drive/to dinner last night. Going, rush hour traffic but it was not unpleasant. Leaving it was ominous & dark. The wife suggested putting the top up. I thought we could outrun the rain. Well, if you drive fast enough, the rain doesn't matter. But then a light shown from above and split the rain clouds so we had nothing but sprinkle or two the rest of the drive home. The jetta driving next to us was jealous as he was getting soaked.

Yep, the almighty has a soft spot for Ferrari.

 

And in 5 years when you sell it you will have lost 1/2 you investment where as with a 355 the appreciation will likely cover all you maintenance cost and more. The C7 Z06 is a great car, but it's still a mass produced automobile.

 

+100

I have two friends with C7's. Nice cars...cool tech and all new. Collectible? Doubt it. But someday maybe.

Besides. I am the only 355 around here. I saw no less than eight C7 corvettes last Saturday while I was out with the 355. Yawn....average age / profile of the couple in the car was equal to what you might see in a Buick

 

The guy likes Corvettes. I'd rather see him in one of those and happy than in a 355 that he doesn't fully appreciate. There's an endless supply of C7s but a shrinking number of 355s (especially if the moderately damaged cars continue to be written off). So better that the F-Cars all wind up in the hands of people who understand what they are and love them. Not everyone should be a custodian of a Ferrari.

 

They do have all the goodies. Tried to get the wife into one but she liked the camaro better. Much easier to drive here in SoCal

 

I've gone the exotic daily driver route with an R8 V10 Spider I drove everyday and I've also owned two 355s along with a Porsche as a daily driver. I think having an exotic as a weekend only or special occasion car is more enjoyable for me.

The Corvette to me is not really a car that's appropriate as a weekend only or special occasion car. In 5 years it will be just another used car. There's no sense keeping the miles off it because it will never really be a classic. That's not to say it's not a nice car but it's not really that special. I'm not just picking on Chevy here either. I'd say no Porsches other than cars like the GT3, 959, Carrera GT and Boxster Spider, etc... are really special cars either. My current Boxster S is just a regular car. After daily driving my R8 it just became a regular car to me also.

When I drive into the garage at work in the morning I see dozens of Corvettes, and Porsches, several of them Z06s. They're a daily driver car. Here in Houston it's not unusual for me to see 3-4 Ferraris on a weekend but is still extremely rare to see a 355 anywhere other than an exotic car meetup. In the 20 years I've been in Houston I'd say I've seen about 5 in the wild.

The 355 is a commitment though. You better really love it if you are going to buy one. If you don't walk out to the garage just to look at it occasionally then it's not the car for you. I never got that from my Porsches and not the R8 either.