And I was expecting it to be a red 355F1 GTS. But instead... it's a red 2015 Audi R8 V10 S-tronic coupe! After more than a year looking for the 355, and contemplating nearly everything out there (including the R8, 458, 12C, etc), I decided on the R8 - probably the only other car since the 355 that's been as emotional for me. So, why the R8? Well, first off - I couldn't find the 355 I was looking for - and it got me thinking about other options and what was really the right sports car for me. While the 355 always has, and always will, hold a special place for me... it DID concern me in a number of ways - primarily maintenance. While the maintenance didn't concern me financially, it concerned me from a convenience point of view. I realized that I'm primarily buying this car to have fun driving it - not tinker with it. For that reason, I began to have some doubts about whether a 15+ year old Ferrari was the right choice - 355 or otherwise. Then I got thinking about the 458. I had posted a thread here on whether you guys would buy a 355 or 458 if money wasn't the object. Overwhelmingly, and not surprisingly, I think most people responded that they'd take the 458. So, considering that I, too, came to this conclusion, I learned that 458 > 355 for me. But then I got thinking about the 458, and it seemed that most people I spoke to were concerned with how LITTLE they drove their 458... $300k cars that were 2 or 3 years old and only had 2k - 3k miles on them. For some, the lack of mileage was a factor of financial concern. For some reason, Ferrari owners are obsessed with depreciation, which is a bit tough for me to understand. If you're buying a Ferrari, clearly a splurge in the first place, how can one justify not enjoying it for fear of depreciation? That wouldn't be me - I'd drive the wheels off the car... or so I thought. Until I started thinking about where I'd drive the 458... or rather, as it turned out, all of the places I would NOT drive the 458... which included nearly every place I'd go on any regular basis. The primary problem then became... where the heck do I park this thing without it attracting too much attention from the wrong types of people? While I live in a perfectly safe area, and considerably "up scale" (Fairfield County, CT is home to many a Ferrari), the fact remained that I still couldn't get comfortable with the idea of where I'd actually drive the car. So, I came mentally wandering back to the R8 - a car which is superb in performance, looks, and everyday driving dynamics, but which also gave me the modern reliability I sought and a slightly lower profile (albiet, I still chose to buy a red one!). While not cheap by any means (~$180k as I got it, and over $190k with taxes), I feel mentally more prepared to drive it to a client meeting, a restaurant, or even a jaunt to the bank - most places I couldn't get comfortable (mentally) bringing the 458. The R8 as optioned: - 2015 V10 - S-Tronic Dual Clutch (this transmission is amazingly smooth and fast!) - Brilliant Red - Black Leather w/ Red Stitching - Full Leather Option - Carbon Interior Trim - Carbon Sideblades - Illuminated Doorsills - Sport Exhaust I'll plan to post pics when I take delivery (hopefully in a week or so) and provide some impressions. And hopefully you guys won't mind me continuing to hang around the 348/355 board! I'm going to now suspend my 355 search... but something tells me I may be continuing to keep an eye out for the right red 355F1 GTS anyway... after all, maybe the wife won't notice if it just looks like another red sports car in the garage!
Great choice but in about 3 months when you realize how boring it is to drive compared to the F cars you will be shopping for a 355 or wishing you would of popped for the 458...
Someone described the R8 to me as "having no soul". Great performance but it does it without passion.
I Will be the first to congratulate you on your new R8. They are great cars Who thinks they dont sound great and stir the soul,stick your head phones in and crank the volume [ame]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=K0_GCuim9kY[/ame]
Boring choice You got no soul 6 months and the audi would have lost its allure You'll never stop dreaming of a 355 The hot lulu with attitude
Meh......unfortunately looks like an A4 inside for 6 times as much. Drove on and reminded me of the GTR.....boring.
Bet there are no sticky parts..... Think you guys are being way too harsh. Not everyone wants to sign up for a maintenance intensive 15-20 year old car. Would rather see him buy this than become one of those sad 355 owners who did not think through the maintenance part. And if you want to buy something new that you can take places comfortably, really very few better choices.
Let him announce it on an Audi forum, seems he is just fueling the fires here. Far as comfy drivers I like my extended cab diesel with 4 barko lounger seats with massage. Next level of comfort is a private Jet
R8 is a nice car. Pictures of the next generation R8 is very nice. I have never bought into that German cars have no soul. If it makes you smile and your are happy that is all that counts.
I agree. However, everything is relative. Although maintenance can be expensive on a F355, TR, Diablo, none of those compare to what I read in a recent R & T supercar issue which stated annual maintenance on a McLaren F1 was $30,000. Oil change is $8000. Tires are around $3000 a piece. Makes some of the Italian cars look cheap.
A red R8 sounds great! I think I can contribute something here. I had a 2008 S4. Great torquey V8, reliable, but other than some brushed aluminum side mirrors, could have been your neighbor's A4. I ended up selling the S4 back to the Audi dealership and bought a 355. I love it. So much more character and gets way more looks and compliments than the Audi. As for the maintenance costs, I agree that they are overblown. How many Ferraris can you get into in the $50,000-70,000 range? The major maintenance every 5 years is a known factor and something you can plan for. This perception of maintenance "issues" is a known factor and what allows you to pick up these cars at these prices. It balances out. These cars are known to be reliable if maintained properly, just like any other car. It is not an issue! And when they start to sky rocket in value soon, like they are in Europe and elsewhere, nobody will blink twice at the recommended maintenance service.
Congrats on the new purchase! A Jaguar dealer up the street from me has had a yellow Audi R8 and triple black Ferrari 458 on the lot. I do not even look at the Audi anymore because side by side the 458 is absolutely beautiful in so many ways. The R8 now looks like an Audi TT with crappy Saturn S series 3rd trick door. Absolutely hate the R8 lines and overall looks even though it has a nice power plant that appears to convince.. blah.
Wow, what a tough crowd here - I shared this here since I've been a member of this board for quite a while and discussed searching for the right 355 while contemplating other choices - I never thought an update on my decision would be out of line, considering car guys are usually, well - car guys. I participate in several car forums, and it's pretty common to see people talk about their off-brand purchases (many common members between Ferrari Chat and R8talk, too, by the way), especially if they've been cross shopping. Anyone who sees that as "fueling a fire" or inappropriate really needs to check their sensitivity levels - this isn't a pissing contest, just talking about cars with guys who supposedly love cars.
Hopefully you weren't upset at my comments but not sure who you meant. I feel that the perceived maintenance issues with the 355 aren't as big an issue as they are made out to be and shouldn't let that be a deciding factor. I love Audis. Never a wrong choice.
Eric, not sure the "crowd is that tough" on this. You being happy is great, it's your money so you should purchase the car your heart calls for (as you did). I suspect the lack of a very warm welcome is due to a few posts where you compared the R8 to the 355 which is really no comparison. Guys here, passionate folks, on a Ferrari forum, in the 355 section have expressed their opinion on the R8. It's not much of a surprise that most 355 owners don't think much of the R8. To be honest, it does nothing for me visually. I'm sure it drives great. We have a few locally and I don't even turn my head to look anymore. Enjoy your new car.
Granted.. we are talking about a car who's engine bay is line in 24ct GOLD because it was simply the best heat reflector and the wheels are honed out of a solid block of titanium.
This is the 348/355 forum. We don't need no stinkin' Audis! Move along you worshiper of souless Teutonic automobilia.
I think the thread brings an important point to focus though, which is separate form the 355/458 vs. R8 debate (which cards on the table, is no debate in my mind. I mean seriously, an Audi? I apologize to the OP as it is a very nice car and all, but it's just a car and you cant say that about a 355) However, the point that is perhaps more relevant is the feeling of where would you drive the 355 or 458 and feel comfortable... This is the sadness of today's society in a way. As I've alluded to I am a Tifosi so would less care if the Audi gets dinged. And to walk my talk I've almost fully restored my Mercedes CL500 C140 chassis, and it gets dinged all the time, but I drive it - AND ENJOY IT - daily everywhere, and I plan to do the same with my next car purchase - which is to be an F. So...., I agree that the 458 due to outlay cost would make me pause in taking it everywhere, but surely not the 355 or say a 328 or 456/612? I mean isn't it better to enjoy it very frequently and accept the degradation that only keeping it locked away would prevent. If I may, I would love to learn from F chat-listers how much maintenance I should be budgeting annually on a manual 355.
didnt even read all of the first post...the looks of an R8 puts me to sleep...and I would have to think in a parking lot its lost to the average person or parallel parked on a street. Some people would would know what it is and say wow, most wouldn't. I think on the street with average people walking by my 355 has more wow factor. Almost everyone recognizes a Ferrari. Except my daughter who says look dad a Ferrari when she sees a vette... Which makes my point. Even a 9 year old girl knows its something to spot a ferrari
Congratulations, on purchasing an R8. It sounds like you put a lot of thought into this decision. It may not be the F-Car that we all know and love but the R8 is an impressive car none the less.
