Poll for 355: How much did you have to spend on your 355 in the first 2 years?

I bought my 1998 355 F1 GTS new and I had the clutch sensor replaced under warranty.
My only other costs were fluid changes. I didn't do an engine out until 5 years of ownership.

IMHO, a well sorted late 355 is more fun to drive than an early 360. I owned a 1999 360 F1 for five days and decided to sell it and keep my 355.

 

Mine was 7500~10k but it included the necessary Capristo 3, hyperflows, GCK etc. Otherwise I would have been in the first group. The take away, they don't have to be that expensive but they can be!

 

Very cool.

 

I do my own work and maintenance so far in 30 months $1000 plus my own labour. My car is f1 with 50000 miles and no issues with it from new either. Major in a few months I expect to cost $2500 plus labour and I will be doing a lot more than just the recommended stuff in the service. If you want a 355 don't buy a 360!!!!!! It's a bit like having sex with a condom, fun but not brilliant!! Amen

 

I've bought new headers and new cats and a cv joint on my watch otherwise fluid changes which I did myself, along with 02. Sensors, cat ecu issues and a few sticky parts. I have written a check to a shop for the headers/cv joint only for 5k. The cats cost 1700, my labor. clear bra , seat refinishing , around 1500. fluids and materials for all the DIY projects maybe 2000.

 

You need a much lower category. I did do cats, but considered that as part of the purchase price as I was told it might need them and that was considered in the price of the car. W/O cats I looking at about than $200. Including the cats I'm at about $1300.

The break down is: One CV boot kit ($45), a coolant temp sensor ($16), and one O2 sensor ($60), and an oil pressure sender ($85).

The car needs nothing else. Interior is close to perfect, no sticky parts, and I won't need a major for 6 years out. (I'm on the 7 year schedule.) I don't count annual fluid changes because they are required for any car.

 

$1000 for sticky parts, $350 to recover air bag. Other stuff was elective.

 

I dont think this poll is going to help you as its way to broad of a question.....
What you should be asking is....

How much did I "HAVE TO" spend on my F355 in the first 3 years of ownership? (repairs, maintenance, etc)

or...

How much did I "CHOOSE" to spend on my F355 in the first 3 years of ownership?? (upgrades, clear bra, exhaust, etc)

2 very different questions that I bet get 2 very different answers...

 

I'm at about $1k in sticky parts as well. For this year I plan to attend to a shrinking dash and shock rebuilds should still keep me under $5k and that's my 3 year mark. Everything else is perfect including that wail that turns into a scream when I stomp on the gas!

 

I agree. So far everything that I have done on my car was elective. It wasn't cheap though. And we all know expense is a relative term.

 

Pete, you are correct. I certainly did not need to fix my sticky's or recover my air bag so I suppose those were also elective. I considered those items as needed because it was about making the car right.

 

I wish there had been a category for $0. since that is how I would have responded for my 1955 berlinetta bought in June 2012. In fairness, it had just had a full major belt service by FNE.

 

This is a loaded question. If you do your own work, the cost drops significantly. I like doing my own oil changes. I fixed all kinds of stuff for less than $100 a shot.

I replaced triple seals on a Saturday afternoon. The beer I drank cost more than the parts.

The input shaft seal was leaking. That took all day and $20.

I am looking to get my annual service done this winter. Local independent shop quoted $6500. Lake Forest Sports Cars quoted $7500.

I plan on a 5 year sequence on service so that cost is $125 a month. Pffft. I spend that on gas.

Relax.

 

I had the clutch/TO bearing go after around 1200 miles (1000 of which was driving it home). Fairly simple work diy, cost was around $1700 (I did the TO bearing, flange and clutch disc along with associated seals). Other than that it's been mostly small things in the sub $100 to $300 range. After the first year and a half, I put new tires on at $800, 3 oil changes at around $100 each and I'm around $3500 at 3 years and 10k miles with a track day and 6 or 7 autocrosses thrown in. The car had a major less than a year before I bought it along with brand new brakes, cv boots and a few other things.

If it were dealer work it'd be more expensive, but really sub $5k in 2 years (or 3 in my case) is good for any 15-20 year old car, let alone a Ferrari.

 

I thought you were sending it to Bradan for a major? I never understood that since they are so far away from you. Take the major cash and install a lift and do the major yourself - you have winter like I do so what better way to enjoy 6 months of crap weather?

 

I was one of those put off at first because of hypothetical maintenance costs. That was one of the main reasons why I went for a Mondial at first, having the 355 in mind all along. It was a concern when I browsed the internet and read all kinds of wild stories, namely money pit stories regarding the F1 system.

Now that I have one, I couldn't care less if my 355 drove me bankrupt because it is quite simply the most addictive machine I've ever came across in my lifetime. The thrills and goose bumps are irreplaceable and are worth every dollar (in my case, every Euro!).

I'm not finding the 355's V8 to be much more expensive to maintain than my Mondial for instance. Good, thorough and take-your-time searches for a properly maintain unit pay off in the long run, I hope and guess.

Kind regards,

Nuno.

 

$2200 in shipping has a bit of crimp on Bradan. They do more 355 majors in a month than most folks around here do all year.

If I pay someone one to do it, I am paying for their experience...not the convenience. Hence my interest in Bradan.

I have a 4 car garage that is 1.5 cars deep with TV, stereo, computer, 14' high ceilings and full heat. I may just put the lift in and do it myself. I just worry about going past my comfort zone.

 

Yeah, you have a nice garage. If you take your time and hit up folks here, you can do it.

Like I said, if it takes 6 months - who cares?

 

2 years and 6000 miles on my 97 Spider. I have changed the fluids, some brake work, and put on a new canvas top, other little things that didn't really cost much but took some of my time, I do all my own labor and I'm well under $2000 in the 2 years for what I really had to spend money on.

I've done some pimp my ride stuff though, new floor mats, Hill dead pedal and passenger foot rest, some CF etc. It's hard not to do these things although you can enjoy the heck out of the car with out them.

I'll be the first to say I have flogged this car like a redheaded stepchild and it hasn't missed a beat.

I do plan on doing a major this winter or next so that will bump my average up. I'm going to do a pretty serious Major Major because I don't plan on going back in for another 7-8 years after that.

 

My major was within 2 years of buying the car, so was in the higher bracket. Post 2 years was much lower since it was more sorted.

 

I have only owned my car for six months and have not spent on anything except for fuel and a used OEM shift knob for <$100.

This winter, I'll be doing a major service along with overall mechanical track prep.

 

Should have a 0 to $1000

 

My expenses were unordinarily high because I chose to take mine into a shop ( in Missouri) for annual service that promised they knew what they were doing. Well, low and behold, they didn't. I put the car into stasis and ended up moving to Dallas and taking it to Norwood Auto Italia for another service to undo what was done at the previous place. They ended up to replacing the valve guides and doing a whole bunch of other stuff the other placed screwed up. The service ended up being north of 15K for all said and done, (Valve guides, belts, , top fluid, misc.). In the end it was worth it (even the beating I took from my wife ). The car is back to the perfect state when I bought back in late 2010. Now that it has been properly attended to, I expect no other issues other than the stuff I elect to do (Stickies, Carbon fiber sills, etc). My advice, get the 355 and don't look back.

 

I think the first two years are the costliest trying to bring things up to snuff.
My car received a 5-star rating on the PPI from a dealer.
Hence, it needed like 3K worth of work immediately like a temp sensor, crank sensor, tires, etc.
this year was the $10K major, new radiator & fan, wires, etc.

so she's been expensive. I'm hoping the next 3 years will be much less.