Guys, I have a confession.... I've been looking around...... I am tempted..... In a few days it will be 3 years I have had my Spider, some will remember my Berlinetta experience prior to purchasing the spider, but that aside 3 years is a long time for me to own a car, in fact this will be the second longest ownership of a car I have ever had and the other car was a restoration that became a part of me, which I eventually sold. I love my 355, but I'm board, I thought I would spice some life back into it by changing up the rims, but it has not worked. There is noting wrong with the car, just this year I had the major done with everything done, no differed maintenance at all, she is strong, but she has become boring to me. Lately I have been flirting with the idea of getting something else, turns out when I brought the 355 I kind of made a mistake, see I started my Ferrari ownership experience with my favorite model, why not, great idea, except now it leaves me with an impossible situation, I love the brand, I am extremely passionate about Ferrari and the cars, but I have left my self in a situation that now I want to move on, where do I go? I am not yet in the financial position to buy my next dream Ferrari, the 458, I can afford a 360 but I don't like them (personally) a TR is a cool bit of kit but gearbox problems keep me at 'owning a poster'. I could go classic but I am not able to afford much there and availability is thin. So I have looked around and I think I might have to leave the brand for a while, I love Ferrari but I feel I have left myself with no option. The cars that come to mind are all cheaper than the 355 so I would bank some money which will go towards a 458 in the future, but for now here are a few I have considered, your honest opinions, advise and option ideas are very welcome. Please take it easy on me though, as some here will be able to imagine, this is not an easy decision for me. Lotus Exige (S?) Porsche 993 Porsche 965 Those are in order of my desire, the Lotus can be new or used, probably used as I would like someone else to take the deprecation hit.
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Now you see, i kind of got were you were comming from until you went and spoiled a good argument by posting the picture choices. I say picture number one and two (the yellow one) has it hands bloody down.
I agree Sam, looking at the photo's my 355 is the better choice, but what can I do to make it 'fresh' again? I thought about having the leather re-trimmed to get the leather smell strong again, but it would keep me entertained for a few more months, eventually it would become the same old car again, and there is nothing wrong with the currant leather so it's a waste of cash. There is another element here I have not disclosed, my dream 355 was to be GTS, 6spd, Giallo fly, nero leather with yellow contrast stitch and carbon seats. Not exactly a spider.... Did I mention I do not really like spiders? Fact is, Ferrari's are rare here, getting a good one takes priority over getting the specs you really want, not to mention the GTS I described above does not exist in NZ.
Bro I totally understand after 3 I get itchy myself but you can`t go backward, it is always go bigger and better, if you go backward you will regret it. I love the Lotus but it is no Ferrari bro sorry, unless you plan on doing lots of track time then go for it. And I love Porsche always did always will in fact I still own one but a Porsche is like having a BMW they are nice but very common. UP GRADE Bro
I hear ya bro, but upgrade to what? Honestly, what is an upgrade that ain't going to run at double the 355 money? The Exige IMO is not going backwards, perhaps in badge but the change left in my pocket will make up for that, as far as a drive goes, the Exige will live up to the task, I will drive one on Saturday to make sure I like it but at the moment, it's winning the race. (FYI, I ended up getting a 944, love her to bits, had her about 6 months now, she is a honey, surprised I'm not board but I guess I will be eventually)
James, we love ya, but STFU. As for how to make it fun again there's one word: TURBOCHARGE!!! Or put a 430 engine in her. (and a massive brake upgrade) hope you're well.
Another one for the mix. A car that i owned for three years was one of the 355s rivals. A Lotus Esprit V8 twin turbo. A fantastic supercar. Half the price of a Ferrari yes, but just as exiting.
The other thing you could do is find a track school that has a Lotus or a 993 and get yer rocks off that way, keepin' the prized girl fo' yaself. Funny, I just remembered your username used to be JDM-355B-NZ or something close!
As to the non-Ferrari options... I think the 993 is pretty special (my Dad has one and let me drive it). Only qualm really is that the air-conditioning doesn't work at all unless you have forward momentum - not the car for stop and go traffic on really hot days. The Lotus Exige is a great performer (my wife's uncle had one), but you might find it a bit plasticy and the ride is bone-rattling. I know nothing at all about the 965, but always thought they looked really cool. Of course, you could always "downgrade" to a Ferrari that's more raw, more strakey, more like... a 348. All the best, Andrew.
James, Go with a 2000 or newer Lotus Esprit V8! I LOVED that car, it will flat DESTROY a 355 in performance they imported roughly 100 or so per year so no one else has one. They are cheap to maintain and they look exotic as can be. Best of all for around 600 dollars you can get the Lotus "red" ECU which raises the output to 500 horsepower! Fantastic car! I miss mine and I am on the prowl for another... I too became bored with both of my 355's, I wasn't impressed with either one honestly...
I would think that a 360CS (I saw you don't like the 360, but I think the CS is a different animal) would be an exciting and more raw F-Car experience, not quite the lotus, but might rekindle your love of Ferrari......Steve
I just bought one of these and love it!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Try a viper. You might get addicted to the torque...such a different experience than the Ferrari I had way more fun driving my viper than my 355
The F355 to me is the best at what it is. A light, nimble sports car for twisty roads. I do not think it could be replaced with something that feels "better"; different yes. I find with sports cars that it is difficult to find one that satisfies all your needs, and yet it is not a supercar. Hence why I own an F355 and 550. Both are very different, but cover my different needs in performance. If I could only own one car, it would be the M5 as it is a nice mix of luxury and performance. But I find when you mix such different feelings, you end up with something that does non all that well. I daily drive one and getting rid of it as we speak for an SUV. It gets exhausting to own only performance cars and I guess I got it out of my system. I think its great to own a full blown sports car that is awful to daily drive and a daily driver thats boring to spend the weekend in. Having that dramatic change over leaves you appreciating both worlds.
I just sold my 964 turbo after having it for 6 years and practically rebuilding it. It was a very, very fun car and the boost is intoxicating. If you have to switch i would go with that, just make sure and get one that is mechanically sound, like Ferraris older Porsches are not cheap to maintain either.
Like you I started my Ferrari experience with my favorite. I've had my 355 for 9 years now. Last summer I did an interrior major stripping the interrior bare and removing 14 years of dirt and grime. Right now the engine is out doing a major, and I'm doing CFD work designing a new airbox and exhaust system to find another 20-30 dyno HP. Like you, I fell in love with the 458 instantly, but its so far above my affordability grade, I may never get to own one. So, what I am doing, is spending my excess energy in figuring out how to make the 355 better. I could ditch the stereo (only been on 3 times in 9 years and weighs in over 80 pounds (multi hundred wat amplifier, box,... And no, I did not put it in). I have thought about having the tires repainted a little darker on the grey scale with a red stripe around the rim. I've designed a new set of diffuser pannels for the rear of the car for more downforce, which include a NACA duct in the channel so send cooling air to the rear brakes; and a splitter for the front end. It just seems to me that with 18 years of aerodynamics research since the car was penned, there is a lot of untapped potential in the F355. And it just plain looks so good--so whatever gets done has to be done withint the styling regimine already present (i.e. no wings, ground effects strips,.....
I would keep the 355 James, its just too beautiful to get rid of! But if you have had enough of it, then I would lean towards the 993.........................IF you have had enough of the 355. Best of luck with your decision, I hope you make the right one. *wink wink*
Had the e60 M5 too - what a phenomenal machine. For me though, most of these German Autobahn Bruisers have no soul ... my M5 went bye-bye a few months after getting the F355. For DD activities, I fell back to the e92 335i Conv. Couldn't be happier. Don't do it James...I think you'll regret it.
