I just got antique plates for a 1996 car. The year I graduated high school. Makes me feel pretty old!
I just literally started looking into historical plates last night. I didn't know much about them before. Apparently it's like a one time fee of $50 for the life the car (under your ownership). No annual registration fees, which can be quite expensive in CA. Limited driving rules (events, cruises, mechanic shop, etc..)
Given your cars minimal use - the driving rules won’t impact you. We get historic status eligibility at 30 years old. That’s generally when you see the cars reach collector status as the registration is so much cheaper you can hold multiple cars with less holding costs.
My dream beater 95 Spec 2.7 355 GTB arrived today. Exactly what I wanted! Not too nice, lots and lots of good. Some bad and some I was not expecting. Made some circles around the hood after a bath, mini detail and tweaking. Already started buying parts and plans for items I want to address. Just want to drive, own and enjoy, without fear of too nice a car. Beater might be an exaggeration, but how I want to enjoy it as a car. I always take care of my stuff, but I don’t want it to be nice. The 8500 mile GTB was no fun to drive. I was afraid of hurting something, hitting something or being hit. Now, meh... just drive it! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Gawd it was dirty! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Check the for sale threads ;-) Not being evasive, just being subtle. It was the cheapest GTB in the country. It will always be the cheapest due to higher than normal miles, but I think it will ride the rising tide well. This will be “my car” and one they can bury me in I already ordered a second set of seats needing some work. Will have them done Daytona style. Love the wheels! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Market is tough right now I am seeing. I have been looking for a 355 Black on Tan berlinetta 6spd for some time, and havent seen more then 1
One was just sold in the classifieds section and if you look a few posts up on this thread...there's the buyer.
1997 Ferrari F355 F355 Convertible Yellow https://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/ctd/d/oakland-1997-ferrari-f355-f355/7281691235.html Found when browsing Craig’s... Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Thanks everyone. I feel like I have experienced a lot of the market. When I bought my first 355 it was a well sorted and glorious driving 1996 Gated GTS RC in 2017. Spent way more than I could afford - thanks Westside . Loved the car. Really debated selling, as I could not replace, but had picked up 2 owner 1999 RC GTS F1 that Had great service, rare options and drove fantastically. So I had matching cars Gated and F1. Pretty cool and silly for me. I debated selling the 1996 and somehow ended up with a 1998 GTS F1 RC again (!) from a dealer trade that was especially nice, right place right time. Made a quick buck on the 1998 GTS and realize my 96 Gated GTS could go to a better home and reluctantly sold it Feb 2019 for $96k. Probably should have kept it?? Really debated it, but at that price, I had to do it. I made a little money. The rare color (Nero Daytona Metallica with Creme / Blk int) 1999 Gated GTB was in my sites and I made a low offer to the dealer and was accepted in March 2019, so I still had two 355’s and the Museum Car was unbelievable! It ended up having a few needs, the worst being steering rack rebuild, installed 4 new tires, refinished wheels and corrected a few stickies issue, that had been poorly done in past. What a car, but with 8500 miles, I saw it as an investment and I do not have a museum room. Quietly placed it with a high end dealership and sold in about two weeks to a regular client of theirs. Ask was $144,900 sold for $138,00 in my pocket I figure they made $5-6k. I figured an easy sell better than being afraid to drive. My only goal with that car was to see appreciation. I figured I wanted all my 355 experience to be: drive, enjoy, appreciate and basically own for free. So back to the 99 GTS F1 “driver. “ a great car to daily drive. Loved sticking it in Auto in Dallas Traffic. 4 months later, I decided to buy a ZR1 Vette and sold the GTS to go in that direction. Sold for $59k late summer of 2019. Way too cheap! Too nice a car. Now at Blackhorse for $89k! The ZR1 is incredible performance for the money. Scary fast. Too fast for street. I thought I was done with 355’s. I knew the market was trending up and I sold all of my cars before really seeing a huge jump in value and as they moved up, I might be priced out of my ability to buy? I think a lot of us feel that way? Well maybe 50/50? We all have different wants, desires, needs, realities. I would like a 458. Sport seats, Lift and lighted steering wheel, but not buying a $150-200k plus car, depending on spec and miles. I want speed, uniqueness, European and affordability At the beginning of 2020, my old BMW 535iS landed at my feet from 10 Years ago. My car money was in a pretty good position. Business was growing, so I commissioned a huge turbo build and resurrection of a unique car. I really thought I was done with Ferrari. As I followed Fchat and saw car values, messed with Vettes and my slow BMW build, I decided that 355’s would be priced out of my ability to enjoy. I want to drive, beat on some and not worry about values. Keeping miles low, makes my enjoyment less desirable. The 355 has been my dream car since 1995. I was making $70k in 2010, drooling over $30-35k cars thinking how can I buy one and afford it! Here I am 7-10 years later trading them like stocks, LOL!! So I made a mental deal to buy the cheapest 1995 GTB that popped up, as soon as I cleared out my Vette glutt, LOL! So I surfed each night, kept an eye out and kept my “powder dry” for that driver “beater” I could grow old with and not sell. Pay for service as I felt it needed, tinker with and just own!! My car. My car to do as I please, no mileage constraints, no nothing. Robb has my dream garage and car passion. Anything he has owned is top notch. He drives them and maintains them to a high level. I just can’t do it like him, LOL, but I want that same joy he seems to spread through his posts. So that is my experience and market report. 5 cars in 4 years. 1996 GTS Gated RC: Buy $80k 32kmi - sell $96k 35k mi, shipping, clutch, sales tax, tires, brake repair, stereo repair, about a $90k investment. 1999 GTS F1 RC trade tax credit from a another car, shipping Buy $62k 31k miles sold $59,500 33k miles 1998 GTS F1 RC 30k mi bought $?? Sold $59,000 1999 GTB Gated Nero Daytona Metallica 8500 miles Tires, wheels, rack, misc interior Bought $?? sold $144,900(?) dealer - me $138k. Recent purchase: 1995 GTB Nero. 66k miles. Extensive service, updates, maintenance - see listing. Ask $70k, bought $??? ;-) Keeper, keeper, keeper. GOD willing, business viability and my ability to keep making money!! None of those sales numbers appear on any chart or record. I shared with the group for reference. These cars may become Dino’esque. Maybe not?? But I hope my car has 80, 90 or 100k miles in 10 years. Don’t care. Won’t go down in value and if it does? Don’t care. I think I got a great deal. Seller made some money I hope. I wish I bought it at cheaper money in 2018!! 55k miles back then and was less money. But even at today’s dollars, I feel it was well bought, cause the low mileage GTB’s with gates are going up, up, up. Can’t explain it, but they are!! I have ordered new AC vents for dash and a spare set of seats to be recovered in Daytona style. Restore original seats as well. Parts are getting scarce. Like a rare Bourbon or Rolex. I have a full set of brakes, parking shoes, upper and lower dash. Sending existing Vents out to Dave for restore and putting on shelf. Cheers everyone. Hopefully this is useful info. I think sales data is important, but a feel a little weird sharing, but since I am not buying or selling, what do I care. Love these cars even with the idiosyncrasies. The gears, the sounds the look. “Magnifico, Bravo, Bella, Bella!!” -Carnutdallas Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
