1 years with a 355

What a POS! Sell it and get a Honda! I hear these are gonna be selling for the mid $20s next year!!! LOL

 

I'm glad to hear you've had a relatively good experience with your 355 in the first year. Usually all that is on here is horror stories and all the good cars don't get talked about. I'll share my 97 355 spider ownership so far too.

I bought mine as a sight unseen impulse buy, Apparently not something you are supposed to do when buying a 355. It had 32K when I got it.

All the books and records it had were lost/stolen at auction or shipping. Pictures had them but when it showed up they were not present and no one knew where they were. All I was able to discern with research was it just had a new clutch and tires. No idea of last major or anything else.

So.. I started driving it like I stole it and haven't looked back. 4000 miles later it's still blasting right along. So far I have had nothing at all go wrong with it that I HAD to fix.

I did rebuild most of the e-brake system since I wanted an e-brake - ~$600 in parts
And I just replaced the ratty old convertible top- $875 + half my hair and 1/4 sanity

I'll do a major on it myself this coming winter. I'm hoping around $2000 in parts and it will be good for another decade.

It has stickies and other little things to work on but nothing that has or will slow me down from driving and enjoying it.

I've owned and own dozens of muscle and sports cars but the 355 has got to be the most fun and enjoyable car I've ever owned. I don't think it can even be explained but the ease of driving, like the car knows what you want to do and it wants to do it too. Listening to the engine wail... It's unbeatable.

I wish you continued good luck with yours. have fun with it.

 

I can see that ! Who would have thought you can repair anything on a Ferrari for less than $5, and you have done this twice!

 

Good stuff!! For me two years and probably $1600 absoulute max. That's the beauty of diy it makes ownership a lot more affordable if you have the ability. For me I love to tinker in the garage and probably the reason why I'm still with the same woman after 26 years!

 

Excellent. A real world experience.

Of course it won't be long before a non-owner expert comes along to tell you you are wrong, and you have actually spent $25k in the last year.

 

knock on wood...owner since mid January 2013, stock headers and valve guides...only issues were a throttle cable bellcrank bearing ($5) and a new battery a few weeks ago ($150). Car runs awesome. I put a few dollars into cosmetics but nothing that really had to be done.

 

Maybe more owners who have had good experiences should post to counter the "Chicken Littles" who seem to dominate this forum.

I've had mine since end of 2011 and if you discount the things I chose to do*, rather than needed to do I've spent less than $2000 total in that time.
ie. nothing but a routine service each year and the car has run flawlessly.
Next year will be the major and of course that will add a lot to the bill, but surely any sensible person knows that going in with these cars.

*The things I have chosen to do so far which were not necessary but I wanted to do: Challenge grille, Hyperflow Cats, CF door sills, red calipers, and 360 steering wheel.

 

You stirring he pot again! Hee hee

 

What no shields on the fenders yet!!!!!!!! Get them stuck on so you can be dammed to a life of ridicule from others!

 

The shields were on before I bought the car.

I would never have considered buying a car without them.


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Well done ur such a rebel

 

You may or may not have noticed, but every single car in that shot has the shields.

For mine, Ferraris look incomplete without them.

And I couldn't care less if that upsets the old fuddy-duddy, stick in the mud tossers.

After all, they are the same people who reckon anything built after about 1980 isn't a real Ferrari anyway, so who cares what they think!

 

You're all delusional!! Obligatory smiley face to come.

Oh wait..none of you are "consultants" so you can't possibly know what you're talking about. Regardless whether you own a 355 or ever have owned one.

 

Haha! You are a ****-stirrer, Bob.
I wouldn't want to be a consultant; makes you sound like a chin-scratcher.
And in some cases act like one, even when you've never owned or liked the car in question.

Your car is beautiful by the way.
Just needs shields...

 

LOL Steve. I'll have to put up a new pic, it has them!

 

Shields ah! What next fuzzy dice and Hello Kitty paraphenalia?! Such gel heads!

 

It has to be said. " play nice bob" ha ha

 

My car did NOT come with shields and I think it looks better without them. My understanding is that they were an option. My car is TDF blue with crema interior. The brake caliper covers are black. I considered having the shop paint them yellow to match the wheel centers, but decided against it. It is a classy looking car and I don't feel that "sporting it up" by making those changes would add anything. She looks great as she is.

 

I took my aftermarkets off after 7 years of ownership. Looks much better now, and almost nobody knows what kind of car it is anymore which I like.

 

I've had my current 355 for nearly two years now and 10,000 miles with zero issues.

Expenses have only been three oil changes, but the tires are ready to be replaced soon now.

I am not including upgrades, which include Fabspeed complete exhaust, which was not a repair since the stock parts were still fine after 33k miles.

Its a great car and I expect to put on another 5,000 miles this summer.

 

I took mine out for a blast in the countryside yesterday and still can't believe I've had it for 4.5 years! I bought it with ~17,800 miles and I'm about 15 miles shy of 27,000 now. Despite saying I wouldn't be one of these Ferrari owners who doesn't use the car I just don't seem to get the time. I'm taking it home to Maranello in September so that'll probably push it past 30,000 miles and make it worthless in the process.

It's obviously not caused me (or my wallet) enough grief in that time... I do try to use it most weekends if I am at home, even if it's only for a quick 20-30 miles.

On the subject of costs, I was filing some parts invoices in my history file yesterday and did the mental summation of invoices during my ownership - we're getting on for £10,000 now (given my ownership duration that obviously includes a major plus belts, and I've just had a new clutch and release bearing etc fitted). I obviously don't regret it though.