Hmmmmm You have a very very different recession proof crystal ball than I! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
With the unavailability of gated 6-speed parts, is the purely theoretical plan below viable or dumb? Step 1: Buy undervalued F1 GTS Step 2: Buy undervalued 6-speed Spider Step 3: Shifter swaperoo Step 4: Sell F1 Spider for $15k less, but now have a GTS worth $100k more?
Swapped cars don't go for the same premium as factory gated. It's about halfway between the value of factory gated and factory F1 (based on 360 and F430 markets). So it would be: $135k F1 GTS $100k Spider 6 speed Pay a shop $20k to switch parts Pay registration fees on 2 cars (here in GA you'd be looking at $16.5k) $200k converted GTS $80k F1 Spider Net gain of $8-10k with a lot of legwork.
I suspect that someone is going to start making 355 conversion parts. It's pretty straightforward, and at least for the shift linkage, there's no need to replicate the overly-complicated factory design. The real problem with the above is that converting a manual to F1 is a much, much bigger pain in the ass than converting an F1 to manual. Among other things it requires dropping the engine/trans since you'd have to replace the gear selector shaft and install actuator mounting studs in the side of the engine.
I do agree swapped won't go for as much as direct from factory (even though there is no difference, my swapped car actually feels better than any factory manual i've driven since all the parts are new & fresh) But i still think there is a lot of value in buying an F1 and swapping
The above 4 -5 post ^^^^^^^^^^^ Funny…. 10+ years ago and even 5 years ago, it was all about belt service and maintenance cost. Now it is, how do I get a manual and can I spend $250k and not lose money to get manual. Note an F1 GTS at roughly 529 or 589 (can’t remember) would not be my choice for a donor. Plus to many rich millennials up and coming, that can’t drive a manual car Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Truthfully having already checked the box on the manual if I were in a position to add a 2nd I wouldn't hesitate to grab an F1 "on sale" especially in a GTS. Sounds kind of fun actually. But then again I already have the manual. Ah heck if I were to do it over again I'd strongly consider the F1 based on the value buy but I'd have to dig deeper into my options for F1 system diagnostics and calibration.
You know, I always get a laugh out of this when people bring it up. Think back to when you were a kid learning to drive. First thing you did was to learn how to use the clutch. What did that take, a minute? How long to get the hang of it to shift smoothly, or start on a hill, 1st day out?
I had never lived in a snowy environment until a couple of years ago. So my wife, who drives a 6-speed manual mini, amazingly gave me zero sympathy when after the first major snow dump I complained that it took me 10 minutes to figure out how to turn the traction control on her car OFF! The nerve!
I think you underestimate how reluctant the digital age kids are to deal with anything analog and mechanical. Some guys probably thought the same about the manual crank start cars mid century. Reality is, in my opinion, within 10-15 years, manual cars will be obsolete. The next generation after this TikTok generation will probably never drive a gas car let alone a manual transmission. Progress waits for no man.
People want the dream cars from their childhood. 90's cars have just started to become collectible but will stay desirable for the next 30 years. Beyond that.. who knows.. will they become legendary as the only ways to get a visceral driving experience when we're all zipping around in autonomous pods, or will they be obsolete?
So here’s my theory: I think a few years from now, once the world economy sorts itself out, there will be a few 90’s kids who got rich and want a 355. We might see a few cars go for a lot of money, maybe 4 times what we’re seeing now, maybe more. But there will be very few that could command that money, for example the one or two cars we see on here that have been painstakingly and meticulously restored etc. They will end up in collections. At the other end of the scale is my 355 that would never make that kind of money, it’s been driven hard. A lot. I think the majority of remaining 355s fall into the well used category and will struggle to really make top money compared to the concorse level vehicles. Not because they’re not great cars but because of the looming problem of the end of petrol. For example the EU are proposing to ban the sale of combustion engine vehicles by 2035 and then progressively phase out the availability of petrol in the years that follow. The UK have already said 2030 for the same. So if you’re a serious collector then you’re looking for museum piece perfection and you’ll pay for it. You’re not too worried about driving it. if you’re an enthusiast and want to be able to drive the car often then you’re more likely to go after value, and that will peg the prices, especially with the numbers of available cars being relatively high. As I say, just my theory…
No way these electric cars are going to be adopted in the timeframe the government wants. The technology just isn’t there and affordable. Maybe to drive around your neighborhood, but that’s about it.
I have like 12 cars and trucks. If I am going to the coast, I would take my Suburban, or BMW. More than likely my Suburban. The Kia is great for the city. At $5.29 diesel, the Suburban is terrible for daily use. Our plug in Hybrid BMW is great. I think we fill it up once a month, maybe twice if we use it more. Wife commutes to work but use battery in the AM, just enough juice to go the whole way on battery alone. The Ferraris only get driven on Fridays or Weekends. And only when it is mild weather. 100 degrees plus is a no. I can drive to coast in Kia, no problem. Electrify America stations will charge it up in 15-20min from nearly zero to 100%. My buddy bought the same car and has made two trips to LSU to see kid. It took about an hour longer since he had to stay on interstate and go towards Houston to hit the good charging stations. So it works. I love oil. I am a Texan. Dig, baby dig! It is an incredible resource, but politics, innovation and alternatives are fine too. Electric cars are great commuters. Drive awesome and simple when plugging in at night for the next day. $5 fuel is BS. Everyone does well when we dig, pump and maintain oil at $2-2.25 at the pump. But Government interference, politics, corporate greed and a false narrative that EV’s are cleaner is all used to manipulate the consumer and the American Public. That I am not down for. And the Ferrari market, especially the epitome of beauty, noise and mechanical genius of the 355 will never be again. Hell, I bet in 50 years or less, they will outlaw them on the street? Who knows, but the EPA is weaponized. The Car hobby is dying a slow, slow death. Racing is changing and going away. It may not seem like it with YouTube channel popularity on cars, and F1, but it is dying. It peaked in the early 2000’s, got some life again on YouTube, but the future is not like the 50’s and the automobile, that is for sure! Peace. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I've found the opposite. At car shows/races, many younger auto enthusiasts driving manual trans cars. Was there a time when automotive enthusiasts preferred manual crank start? That's a phenomenon I've never heard of. I hope you're right though. Should be able to pick up a nice T50 real cheap in 10 years or so
Anyone watching this one today? https://www.pcarmarket.com/auction/1997-ferrari-f355-1/?utm_source=Morning+email+blast&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email+blast+car&fbclid=IwAR2qFgdH0k4nIsTJdE6mLSUE0zwZSJzV7U0uWSPx-DEAZP_pze0bllQmcjI The car looks clean but the dealer is a scum bag and I wouldn't trust that the major was done well or even at all...
Yep. +1 and the political interference in fossil fuel use & pricing has more to do with knocking out the revenue stream of “unfriendly” states than it has to do with the environment. I can foresee a day, perhaps in my own kid’s lifetime, where internal combustion cars are banned from use.
I just came here to post this. Wow! I could've swore these cars were in the $125k-ish range a few months ago. Am I missing something on this car, beside it looks like an excellent example?
