Beware of 95 F355 Red on Black Miami

I would like to add my statements to this issue.

I bought the car from RMC two years ago knowing it needed full service and other work. I felt the price was fair in 2017 market with the work it needed. I had a PPI done and was comfortable buying the car at the price agreed. The car was not perfect, it appeared to be a one owner car bought from an estate sale. I did a full engine out added brand new TUBI headers and other assorted items.

I had some health issues so the car sat in the garage. I contacted RMC to see if they can consign it for me. The market got soft so I took it back. They had an 1989 930 that I was interested in. I went ahead and did a two day PPI on the 930. It came back 9/10 from a a Porsche specialist I have known for 20 years. We made a deal and they took the 355 back. Hey I am a Porsche and BMW guy.

We worked on the 930 this weekend adding new bilsteins sports front and back. I can vouch the 930 is a nice find. I have had over 3 930s in 25 years. The 355 is a different car when compared to old Porsches and BMWs. It's not for everyone like I found out. Not knocking it I just enjoy working and driving the 930.

After speaking to a bunch of great guys in the Ferrari Market, Dave and Mike. It's very unique. People expect a perfect car at 75k, not happening. My only issue in the entire post if the buyer wanted a PPI in FT. Lauderdale they should have let him. It's an old car, in the 70 range it's not perfect we know that. Not protecting the dealer but I think the entire story should be told. There is is no way they would have taken the car back on a perfect 1989 930 if it had chassis damage. You all know what 1989 930s are worth. . I believe the car was sold today anyways, I just wanted to clear the air. I do not work for the dealer. Anyone can pm me if need be. Thanks to all that helped me.

Thanks,

Larry

 

So what is the deal with the FOUR mismatched tires? haha.......

 

2 pics of the 930

 

Agreed on the mismatch tires, but it's in the 70s for a 355B. Have u seen what a perfect car sells for.

 

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Thank you Larry, very fair story and nothing I would refute there. In fact, they had a deal if only one thing happened, a PPI at my choice of mechanic.

I'll add that I heard your story, and the best part of the car was that you bought it and installed the headers while doing the engine service, it was a tremendous positive I told them balanced it didn't have my desired tan interior, that plus local I was in.

Before I made an offer i was privy to this google review:
"
Adam Yadidi
1 review
a year ago
They are THEIVES!!!!!!!! Bought 2 cars from them. A 930 turbo (which the odometer was not working. miles were not racking up) and a Ferrari 355 which is even worse! They showed me the car has a clean carfax, I came to sell the car with a friend at his dealer, he notified me that the car has a BRANDED TITLE!!!
Never again."

I then heard your story and the timeline and cars were, identical, so I asked what was up with it, they said "haters write fake reviews". I asked if they had this relationship with the prior owner would they mind asking him for a moment or two on the phone to which they said yes. When there they told me only PPI at their place and price non negotiable and I walked. They spent rest of night chasing me, in the morning agreed to my price as i've said and before i could ask again to speak to you for just a moment to hear that you aren't the person that wrote that review so it never happened.

Had I spoke to you I would've felt better but there was not one sign that this was anything but them steamrolling me into a purchase and worthless "in house" PPI.

If nothing else, they should change their attitude, this past Friday I visited the "Motorcar Gallery" in Fort Lauderdale and what a difference. I also asked to see their F355 that is sold with a deposit to refresh me on what the expectation should be and I'll say that for $75k I made the right choice. Motorcar Gallery has a less valuable F1 that I passed on a year ago due to the F1, but wow, its just beautiful. Your car was beautiful, I loved it, but the criticism above is real, I truly feel better if you're impartially saying nothing unknown and disastrous lurks in the cars history but I would not recommend anyone traveling to deal with that or buying it sight unseen. I saw another F355 within days, the list of differences is long and dealt with a dealer that was honest enough and respectful, the MotorcarGallery car isn't $100k for a F1, it and the market are priced quite comparably.

 

Sorry posted my old 997 by mistake.

 

No worries Spencer. If you were not comfortable glad u did not do the deal. A lot of good people in these forums.

Thanks,

Larry

 

I thought that was not a 930.

 

Ive been in the market for a while now and have had a horrible experience trying to get my deposit back on a car from ft lauderdale, then other dealers thinking their high milage cars are worth gold. Finding the right car is tough from what ive learned. Any time ive come close to a deal around Miami its only been shady characters, wtf!!

 

I know its something about South Florida. Its not just cars either. Gifters are just everywhere especially further south you go.

Virtually every car I looked east of Colorado that was at a non Ferrari dealer or non established high end place like The Collection at Coral Gables had issues. (private sale excluded) Many places deal in exotics only but I suspect they get them from auction, theft recovery, insurance buy back etc etc they had title or car fax issues or they were painted with new leather poorly done or I tracked down previous owners and got the scoop or something it was a nightmare. New paint and leather at Joes cars... I'm not even looking.

Look at established reputable dealers, Expand your search, cost is a bit higher or do private sale with PPI. Look out of state its just how it is, the TOTAL number of cars made is similar to that of 4 hours of Totoya output.

#1 thing... get leak down and compression test in that order of you had to pick only 1. Everything else is fixable. Expect it will need a clutch 2 months after you get it etc all fixable, bad cylinder and your screwed...

Good luck all!

 

Listed as sold!

 

[QUOTE="...

#1 thing... get leak down and compression test in that order of you had to pick only 1. Everything else is fixable. Expect it will need a clutch 2 months after you get it etc all fixable, bad cylinder and your screwed...

![/QUOTE]

I differ in opinion. If you need one test, get the compression test. If the numbers are consistently good, you can forgo the leak down test on a 355 which is notoriously hard to do with the engine in the car.
Secondly, even with a bad cylinder, it still can be fixed. It only means you have to buy a liner / rings and most likely also a valve job. No one wants to do this just because but it is fixable, with a few more dollars.

 

Yes you are absolutely correct it IS fixable, never said it was not though but your screwed I said and you are in terms of eating unexpected cost that was avoidable. "you got screwed" I was speaking to the expectation of a full priced car. I doubt wants to spend 75k for a 355 and find it needs a new engine.

I have a run of the mill 355 for sale for 75k that needs 30k in work will you knowingly buy it for 75k? Doubt it even though it is fixable, but if I take 30K of the price? yeah maybe...

Your basically saying a leak down is not necessary if compression is good even though they check 2 different things. Whole different thread there.

If people don't want to neither leak down or compression - great
If people want want either leak down or compression or both - great

As long as they attempt to check something besides the sellers word. It's the buyers responsibility, buyer beware and all that....

 

Eric, an engine out job costs $5K-$7K if you let someone else do it for you. Add to that $5K-$7K for a valve job if a valve is bad or if the guides are bad. To change one bad liner (and you typically get only one bad liner) it's $3K-$5K. That does not add up to $30K, but it is still eye watering.

While a compression test and a leak down test check for different things, they are related. If you have zero compression on Cyl2, there is no need to do a leak down test to see of the leak is at the intake or exhaust. You have to pull the head anyway and it is very obvious once you pull the head.

When buying a car, I prefer a compression test because it can tell you a range of things: if the engine is healthy, if there is too much carbon build up, if a valve is burnt, if cam timing is off one side vs the other, if a particular cylinder has an issue. When buying a car, a leak down test only tells you one thing, where the problem is once you have decided there is a problem.

 

That is all true, I can't argue with that! it assumes compression can detect issues.

So this has me thinking.... I wonder if you can have good compression test and a bad leak down when it is something other than a hole in the piston that compression test will also see? Compression is a momentary bump in peak that looks good that may not actually hold?

If that is possible.... if... would a leak-down not be better? After all, if there is no problem, a leak-down will pass too. And it "may" see something that a compression test does not see. The cost of the test is about the same.

I did both tests myself. While the patient is open and all that.

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The four different tires would be a huge red flag for me - a true car guy that loves his cars would not let that happen. I don’t even like to replace tires in pairs. Smart to walk away - if you get caught up in the emotion of buying a Ferrari, it’s easy to overemphasize the “deal” and downplay the negatives. The unwary buyer who ends up with this car probably won’t be able to afford to bring it up to typical model standards and will be resold at a huge loss.

 

How do you change a liner for 3-5k? To do it right you need to tear the entire engine down.

 

Once that's apart may as well do heads and guides etc etc and another sleeve that may needed it. Does not come apart often after all

What about using old pistons, rings, pins and bearings? Reuse, not sure about thay. May as well do all that I can't see sleeves being done for less than 15k because while the patient is open....

Just one sleeve and reuse everythkng else makes liitle sense to me at that scale of work? Even then 3k seems awful cheap but who knows maybe that right... just not sure that how it should be approached is all.

Who knows I'm no expert in that area.



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Good call to walk out

 

Well the car is up for sale again in desoto Texas with less miles reported 22552 and for 65k.lol i think you made a good choice.
Go with the 360 easier maintance and so much fun to drive.

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Do you have a link?


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Sounds like they drove it to Texas in reverse. Bueller, Bueller!

 

Wow. Good times.