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

Tires - $700
Fabspeed headers - $2700
Fabspeed test pipes - $750
O2 Sensor extenders - $60
SRI gold connector kit - $1550 (ish)
Wheels (used off Fchat) - $500
Swapping tires onto new wheels - $60
Oil changes x 3 - $275
Coolant hose - $100
Coolant - $20
Rebuild 4 shock actuators - $500
Used shock actuator that was rebuildable of Fchat - $50
4 new shock gears - $160
Desticky project - $150 ish
Speakers - $130

Free labor..... $3-5k worth maybe? I did it all myself.

I think that is about it. That is around $7,000 in 3 years and 4 months.

 

Yes, Elective LOL

I don't count that column for sure

 

Go with the car you are most passionate about. None of them make much sense financially. You are a smart guy and I'm sure very good with your money. Me not so much. But at some point I imagine you will have to take some of the logic out of it. Otherwise these cars may frustrate you a bit. I started laughing when I got my first CEL 248 miles in. I prepared myself some for not taking the 355 being so high strung as a bad thing. She is the prettiest girl out there and sounds freaking amazing. Size is perfect and plenty fast. I'd go for a 360 with factory modular wheels, daytonas, shields, gated and slight drop to improve looks. I couldn't afford that one and I'm absolutely positive I would have always wondered what would have been if I had gone the 355 route. I haven't made a whole lot of good decisions in my life but marrying my wife and getting this car were one of them. Sure 360 may make more sense on paper but that's not what owning a Ferrari or driving one for sure is about for me. Follow your heart, these cars don't have to always make sense but they should have to full fill your Passions. You already know all of this so find a clean one with service done. Pay up for the right one and get enjoying it. All I can really say is after new headers and 30k she has been purrfect! I'm one year now since and 6500 miles past it and no CEL or issues. It's been rock solid. I drive it once maybe twice a week. Owned a 996 TT for 4 months and never felt it was really the one. Just another fast car. Who cares, I wanted something that excited me everytime I got near it. Christ I would sleep in it if I could. Wife would just get jealous and I don't need that drama. You have been on the fence awhile now. Time to get behind the wheel. I'm stoked for you. I can tell you have a passion for the brand otherwise you would have a got a 911 or some other fast soulless sports car that would get lost in everyday traffic. Prancing horse cars stand out like few other cars in the world. I've broken it down quite simply like this. "Either make more or spend less". Either way quit denying yourself driving one of the most stimulating cars around. This reminds me of being in a strip club and never getting any. Stop teasing yourself and time to start wrapping yourself in everything that only owning an F car can do. I'm out..

 

I could have gotten by just doing the basics... fluids, brake pads, tires, etc.... for a very long time...

But...im a perfectionist...and a Ferrari deserves to be perfect. Especially MY Ferrari.
So, front end respray, full clear bra, hyperflo cats, fabspeed headers, nouvalari ss muffler, CF door sills and interior trim, Euro front lights, HE Foot Rest and dead pedals. Stereo work. Paint Correction, new hydraulics for the top, etc etc etc...

So you can see the difference between "needed to spend" and "chose to spend"...

 

Were all car crackheads

 

Well, Tim, the entire car is elective

 

I didn't spend much at all in the first two years. Just tires and a thermocoupler I think. Had all the records back to the day it was sold and total cost for the first 7 or 8 years and ~22k miles was only a few thousand, not including the major service done by the dealership right before I bought it. From 22k miles to 53k miles over the next 6 years cost over $60k though, and quite a bit more if I include some mods and nice-to-haves.

My impression is that most 355s will have a handful of gigantic service bills at some point in their life. Whether or not you're the one stuck with those bills is up in the air though.

 

I'll trade you my mom's microwave oven and flat screen TV for anything with a motor.

 

Maybe there should be a separate poll for how much you elected to spend in the first 2 years. I had to spend about $2,500 (new cats, fluid changes) but I elected to add a challenge grill, new box of rotors (that I don't need) and other parts that doubled the price.

 

I spent a lot. I bought a 1997 F 355 Spider, Swater's blue metallic, blue top, tan leather.

I paid $44,700 for the car with 14,700 miles on it with little service history and 1 key and the 1 red fob...I have had it for 10 months and now have 19,000 miles. YES I DRIVE THE HELL OUT OF IT. It is the most beautiful car in the world, the 355. My dream car for 17 years, and now I have one.

This is where I spent my $17,000 give or take, mostly at Ferrari of Long Island (F.O.L.I.)

New tires- Tire rack $634 delivered. BF goodrich sport comp II summer tires+ install labor
Engine out service, all belts, plugs, wires, filters and all fluids (after owning her for 6 days)
Compression test. (good results, no big discrepancies)
New Nouvalari 4-2-1 headers + ceramic coating and install labor.
Nouvalari Sport Exhaust (PHENOMENAL SOUND)
New driver's side radiator (blew at a traffic light)
Alignment front and rear
AC system updated parts
Alternator rebuild x 2 (rectifier x1 and regulator x2 got cooked from new unshielded headers)
New main oil pipe. (leaking again!!!!!)
Back-up camera
New stereo with bluetooth and mic for phone-thru-speakers.
New rear gravel guard (used from parted-out 355)
2 fuses: (LH fan and secondary air pump.)
New bonnet struts
Fender badges (niiiiice)
Locking valve caps (lol)
Fixed stickies with Goo-BE-Gone. $0
Converted the convertible top to manual operation $0
New brake pads, not yet installed. (Porsche cross-over part, Mintex brand)
Tightened parking brake shoes


Yet to go:
AC blows only thru defrost vent
Valve guides?
Cats at some point
Missing small underpanel in front of LH front tire.
Missing RH panel in engine bay that covers the Terminals and shock.
RH Window shutters when going down
That rattle. WTF is that?!?!?!?!

Worth every penny!

 

If you do it your self I would drive over for a long weekend and help just for the experience

 

Send me your resume!

hahahahahahaha

 

I'm not totaling up what I spent yet, but I have had the leather interior parts fixed. Also had to get the guides done. Bought the transmission for the propellor shaft, Car is on back burner at the moment because it needs a full repaint and I'm in the middle of a full repaint on a corvette at the moment.

Oh also had to buy a capristo exhaust, and I did buy a set of headers because the deal was too good to pass up.

I also bought this car pretty cheap and knew it had any and all issues it could have because it wasn't that loved. But it did see the dealer for recalls.
30k servive needs done and a bunch of other little things.

I'm well over $15k so far. But it's all good saving a sweet car.

 

I'm at about 40k in restoration, repaint, major, maintenance and upgrades so far. Bought the car in september 2011.