Hi Guys, this is my first posting. have throughly enjoyed reading all the threads to date! i currently have a boxster which i have derived a lot of enjoyment from but an keen to get hands on a Fezza. 355 is the car i have bene looking at. I like convertible's so the GTS seems like a a nice mix between the spider and the generally more purist F355 BErl (i am swayed toward this though). my question are, can I use a 355 as an everyday car. would use it a few evenings a week very locally for the Gym! and the occasional once or twice a month trip of about 200miles round trip. would maintaining the beast etc be a nightmare? sorry for all the questions! cheers
Welcome to F-Chat Gavin - and you came to the right place for your answers. I will give you some info - but the best place to start would be to take a look at some of the archive (search in the top left) - type in 355 or other topics. 1.) the F-355 that is well maintained is a very dependable car - and many use it as a "daily driver". I would not recommend snow, ice, etc to drive it in but normal driving - it is a great dependable car. 2.) When looking for one - do your homework as much as possible - there is such of wealth of information in the archives about what to watch out for, the service intervals, costs, prices that you should expect, etc. etc. That really would be a great place to start. 3.) Take your time in looking there are a lot of great cars out there - take your time and find the right on for the right price for you. Make sure you do a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) - this is the best 300 dollars you will spend to ensure you are not buying something that is going to cost you thousands due to "issues". That may be enough to get you started - but research is the key. I have had a few P-cars before my F-cars - and they are very very different animals. The F-car is by far (for me) more intoxicating, full of history, etc. than my p-cars. However the P-car was less to maintain, less things go wrong in respects to engine and fit and finish, etc. But there are always the good with the bad Welcome and keep the questions coming. Rich Wallace
Great choice and you can definitely use them every day. But using any car for just a few miles a day is not healthy for it. The vast majority of wear and tear to the expensive bits happens when you start up and it's getting warm, and when you turn it off (unless you're rigorous about cooling it down). You'd be better off finding a gym about a 30min drive away and spending an hour less in the gym A GTB is undoubtedly the pick of the range. Most beautiful looking by a truly massive margin, far less squeaks and groans and you will never get mistaken for a hairdresser, which is always a good thing (unless you are one) Have a good search on this site as there are plenty of buying guides. Whichever model you buy, you will have a bonafide modern classic and a great car. PS Snow and ice can be done, but not in a car with a crema interior.
I use my 355 kinda like a daily driver, 2-4 days a week to work. The advice about cars not like short drives is more true for a F-car than any other car I have owned. My 355 takes a long time to warm up and get up to operating temperature. The short drive I was able to take in my Porsche is not long enough for the F-car to run properly. On days I drive the F-car to work I know I need to drive a little further than usual when I go out to lunch, driving to the place on the corner is not healthy for the car. Its also needs to warm up a bit before you pull away after starting the engine. It will bog down a bit if you don't. You just have to be a little more patient with this car than a Porsche, Honda, etc. Its a race car engine is a passenger car body. Very dependable though if treated right and given a chance to stretch its legs frequently.
Thanks a lot guys. Classic fixed top berlinetta is probably the one i will go for. will drive around the block before i go to the gym. have seen a reasonable priced rossa 355 at www.castle-motors.com is it imperative that it as full official ferrari history or are some services at a reuptable garage ok. should i only buy from a main offical F car dealer? cheers dudes Gav
Gavin, welcome mate Try posting this in the uK room too as you'll get more advise about where to look & specific cars
The 355 is OK, but with the prices of TRs what they are, why would you buy an 8 when you can buy a 12 for the same money? For a first Ferrari you deserve the experience you only get with a 12. If you want an 8 cylinder car, get a BMW M5...if you want a Ferrari, get one with 12 cylinders.
The M5 and the F355 have in common the same number of cylinders but this is indeed the only thing they share - sides they both have 4 wheels I see your point and is a damn good one but being myself on the verge of buying a F355, one has to face the fact that the F355 is far less expensive to run than a BB or TR. Of course, every Ferrari could be a nightmare if it has not been carefully maintained but the "cheap" 12s (BBi and TR) are not only more complicated than the 3.5 unit of the 355; they are generally older and therefore more prone to extra maintenance.
