The difference is buying a car to drive or buying one to preserve.
Well, it's just not that simple. I have several cars. Having a Maserati as a 6 month daily driver helps. Also, I live in Deer country so early spring / late summer makes for dangerous times. And, I work late. Yes, I like to preserve my 98 but that does not mean I purposely don't drive it - that's untrue. When you add up the above it does net only a few hundred miles per year and I don't feel I'm being denied anything. I would rather have the times I drive be more special, and they are.
I agree with Dave. I actually prefer to reserve my driving time with both my Ferrari's as special occasions. I much prefer to always look upon my drive time as events. Somehow, making either of them daily drivers would minimize the impact and pleasure they give me. In the end, to each their own.
I don't get the special thing. To me if the car is pleasurable to drive, I want to drive it. It's like a guy saying I only want sex once every 3 months because anything more than that it wouldn't be special. Guys have Porsches they daily and I bet it still is special to them. Ferrari owners for some reason just don't drive their cars much. I'm always surprised how low the mileage on these cars are. Been on this site for 16- 17 years and the impression I have is a lot of owners are afraid of their car breaking and that is why you see posts" I just drove my car on a 200 mile trip" and everybody congratulates them like it is some major achievement. Never been on a track with another F355 which is where the car really shines. Been to many Road America races where my car is the only Ferrari among several thousand cars. Don't get it. I know there are a lot of posts that say we devalue our cars by posting how many repairs and how much maintenance costs etc. and there is some truth in that. But do we decrease the value in the marque and model when we have a what we think is a fantastic car that we only drive a few hundred miles per year. Doesn't a potential buyer ask if the car is so great and reliable, why didn't you drive it more? Not criticizing anyone just an opinion.
All good thoughts. I think that the ownership experience, and then pleasure it gives, is a very personal thing. For some, driving it a lot is perfect. For others, their cars are more works of art and maintaining them to perfection is how they get enjoyment.
I always have a Porsche as my daily and the Ferrari as a weekend car. I put about 10k a year on my daily and struggle to get to 1500 a year on the Ferrari. That's not because I want to preserve it. I just don't have time to drive it. The only way I could put more miles on it would be to drive it to work, then it becomes a lot less special. I did drive it 400 miles in one weekend but it's really not all that fun to drive it for long distances on an interstate. I prefer to drive close to home on nice weekends and really enjoy it. The low mileage has nothing to do with preserving it for me. I drive it as much as I want to, that's about 1500 miles a year. I tried going exotic as the daily driver once with an R8 V10 Spider. That pretty much ruined the fun of taking it out on the weekends.
It's simple. I love steak and pizza. If I eat them every night, I'm betting I won't like them too much after a month. And the sex analogy, Bob - well that's just in a category of it's own
Great Post F355Bob. I would love to daily a 355. But, my E39 M5 is great for that. Drove me E39 540iA today - automatic comfort for the DFW traffic. My problem with my 355 is I have a terrible commute. Just not worth it to sit in traffic or deal with bad drivers. The M5 clutch is pretty easy and with 225k on it, it is fully deprecated, LOL. Maybe the Porsche’s are a little less special? I have daily’d a few over the years and I guess they are less of an Exotic? A new PDK car is probably the way to go. I just like more room for “stuff” that I tend to cart around. The 355 bonnet is a little harder to do that with. I just did a search for 355’s for sale nationwide and prices may be firming up? At least the ask. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I get it. I also have a few different cars, in the category of pleasure/summer cars. Really I like to keep them as nice as possible at all times so when I get in it it's the best it can be. If my Ferrari is sitting in the garage with dirt all over the carpets and needs to be washed, well that's not going to happen because that would annoy the hell out of me. So, a car I'm trying to keep super nice, do I really want to drive it an hour to work in heavy traffic where I can rarely accelerate (or piss people off by blowing them off the road with exhaust volume) then park it outside all day baking in the sun and getting dusty. Personally, no. So, driven 6-7 months out of the year, mostly on weekends and only weekends it isn't raining rotated out with other cars. I enjoy it a lot. If people can spend millions on art to hang on the wall I don't feel the least bit guilty about driving my "fun" cars at ideal times and weather. The rest of the time it's static art and just hanging out in the garage tinkering with them is very enjoyable as well. If someone wants to daily drive their Ferrari they will hear no complaints from me. To the daily driver crowd, I want to see pics of it on winter tires slogging through the snow. As for the sex analogy, well my girlfriend is capable of taking care of herself. When my F355 washes itself every day, does it's own maintenance, and heals on it's own if it gets some nicks and scratches I'll start driving it every day.
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Drive it, wash it once every couple years. No problems. (I know... 348 but we are plenty off topic)
Image Unavailable, Please Login Just sold today on BaT. 1999 355 B with a manual transmission, yellow with close to 30 K miles. $67,500 plus the 5% fee. Heated bidding in the last 15 minutes.
As the losing bidder (again...) I need people's opinion on this one- How high would you have gone? Selling price plus fee plus reg/tax, i would have been in at around $75k. Pretty reasonable price. Questionable accidents history, along with some wear that would need to be addressed kept me at that mark. Good call or missed opportunity?
Taxes and registration may be relevant to your budget but clearly they don't compute when comparing the value of one car to another. Imvho $71k after bat fees looks like a pretty decent buy even with the minor accident history. Sent from my ONEPLUS A5000 using Tapatalk
Well, just cursory glance has me wondering about that front bumper / fender line. The L/H headlight pod seems to be something less than flush with the hood. Something going on there...and that's just that pic. Didn't look at the BaT site yet...
With BaT you have to do quick research all within 5-7 days. $75 K is reasonable, it is a B car (preferred) by some, the MANUAL 6 speed, which Haggerty still claims is a $30,000 plus. ......maybe some day but not today. 1999 last year so most factory issues are sorted, I almost bought a 95' yellow B car with carbon seats. I am right with you on this one 50/50 if I had gone any higher. You don't know the upper limit of the buyer, he may be a dealer ? and already have a buyer that will pay $80,000 for it. Most 355s at this point have wear issues, just took mine in yesterday for the major engine out service. Left them a $5,000 deposit hope that it covers half........but not likely. I bought new cats ($1,300) and carbon door sills ($800) and they are going to do some other stuff. Sticky parts (sublet) and some stuff I can't remember so will most likely be above $10,000. I also have 41,000 miles on mine so I would probably be lucky to get $60,000 for it ......on a good day. .....after the major service
Original headers, unsure about valve guides (it's a 99, so risk should be super low), minor cosmetic accident ~18 years ago. This seemed like a minor steal to me, mileage and overall condition-wise. Always hard to judge from internet-distance.
Thanks everyone. At least you all aren't slamming me for letting it pass by. There are always others to be bought, which is why I'm on here as well. Note: I just threw in my "all in" number to help understand what my cut off was - I expect to have to put some money in as well at this price.
Is there a link to the car on BaT? Can not find the "closed auctions" on that site. It is best I do not wonder around on that damn site too much or I will have a garage full of cars.
STAY AWAY ......I have been looking for awhile, next your brain says ........you need to register to bid Scroll all the way to the bottom, then you can see the sold/did not meet reserve section. (Hit the auction button) But you have been warned, being single I may get in trouble before long on there. When you see the car click on it, pics and info along with questions and comments as you scroll down. .......if you screw up, I want a ride in it.........lol.
We have all the parts from this car in house to refinish. Owner sent them here and I did not realize until today that it was for this car. It was not a dealer swap - he had other dealer get the car for him for other reasons I'm not at liberty to disclose. Owner plans to make the car pristine starting with having us refinish every single interior part which will begin tomorrow.
