Is F1 any good? Or should I buy manual

I’d go the F1 GTS no question. You’ve had the manual, the F1 is great if setup right and you learn to drive it well and the spec is unbeatable that you have outlined.

 

It’s not bad, it’s just slow and different.
You will get used to it.
I prefer manual myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Buy the car with great spec! You could convert if you really wanted to….but I have had two F1’s and love them. Sorry I sold my last one as it was a great spec. Sure it is early technology and people “poo-poo” them, but in reality it was world changing technology that was straight out of Formula 1! The seats, the colors and the options will mean way more in the future. Buy it! Then buy a manual too if you can. Win-Win, LOL


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

F1 GTS are the rarest, having Fiorano pack and carbon seats makes it extremely rare. I prefer the manual but you could convert it to manual for a lot cheaper than it'd take to add the FHP and carbon seats to a gated car, if you could even find those parts (you can't).

 

One must consider the time frame when the 355 F1 came out and not compare a 355 F1 to a 360 / 430 / 458 etc etc etc since the technology got better.

Be in the mindset of the 90s when driving/shifting the F1 and you'll absolutely love it.

If you are in the mindset of the 2000s and beyond while driving a 355 F1, you will be counting the seconds between each shift.

 

The 355 F1 I drove in '98 did really not impress me at the time - the downshifts were barely acceptable and the upshifts were terrible. The F1 system looked like a work-in-progress technology even back then.
It never stopped to improve until its replacement by the dual-clutch though; from my experience the 575 F1 was far better than the 355 and the 599 F1 was even more so (btw I wonder if it's possible to "upgrade" the F1 system on a 355, if yes it would be a nice option).
On the other hand the dual clutch system was impressive from the start, I was blown away when I first drove a 458 in 2010.

 

There's a long thread here on somebody taking the time (and large $$) to improve the system as mechanically not much changed in the later systems. It's mostly the addition of drive-by-wire and other compute/software improvements over the years. Not really possible to retrofit the control electronics from later cars due to the lack of drive-by-wire on the 355, but if you check on here there's an EE attempting to work with the existing system to get it to a better place by reverse engineering the ecu and rebuilding it for faster response. No idea if that work will be available to other 355 owners, but it's worth a read.

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/hacking-the-f1-tcu.603531/

 

The decision really comes down to whether you prefer paddle-shifting or shifting through the gears yourself. I've had modern dual-clutch paddle shift cars and an F1 355, and while the newer tech is certainly better, the 355 F1 is also plenty of fun and works well. I converted my F1 to manual not because I think the F1 is bad, but because I prefer a clutch pedal and gear shifter. The nice thing about buying an F1 355 is that you can convert it to manual one day if you want.

 

Beautiful - wonderful spec. Congratulations and drive her in good health.

 

Wow that is a special 355. Gorgeous. Congrats.

Re conversions, I will have a thread up soon documenting it in detail. Stay tuned.

 

Center console and radio bezel is faux carbon in case you weren’t aware.

Steering wheel re-trimmed? Should have perforated handles.

Might be the first time seeing these seats in Cuiou.

 

The “carbon” on the center console and radio trim is not real. It is dipped carbon. Not OEM. Just take a closer look. The seats and radio/guage surround are real carbon.


I have a non-trimmed airbag steering wheel I can sell you, so that’s not a big issue .

Fiorano handling pack only refers to suspension, brake, and handling features. Nothing to do with interior carbon pieces. Plenty of FHP 355’s with no carbon sport seats.

 

The F1 paddles might be dipped carbon too.

 

The good thing is you can buy just the steering wheel to mate up with the airbag. Plenty of those around for cheap.

 

This car is a 99 car? Build date?