Selling my 550 and buy a 355 GTS...? What ya say ?

Have you thought about getting the Fiorano (FHP) handling pack for your 550? The difference is night and day.

the U.S. Spec 2000 550 will never be as quick ( 0-60 ) as a pre-2000, unless it's a Euro, but will make a difference big time.

I would look for a pre2000 550 with Fiorano (no pre-cat exhaust restrictors [4.2 0-60] or modify your 550 with Fiorano and maybe the Harmon pre-cat restrictor fix.

As "sports car" as a 355GTS? No, but all the torque in the world.



John

 

I personally like the V12 cars, nothing like a front engine V12. :}

 

If I were going to move from my boxer it would be a 355. Pretty much everyone who has had a 355 and a 360 has told me that while the 360 may be a better faster car the 355 was much more fun. Speed is relative and the difference between the two is only realizable on the track, and you know a good driver in a 355 will smoke practicaly everybody else on the track.

The later 355's seemed to have a much better reliability rep and by the same token I have heard horror strories about 550's. My concern about a 355 is that any number by now may be 3rd owner defrayed maintanance thrashed, but there are so many out there agood search will probably find a great one for a good enough price that you can afford to comfortably put right whatever needs doing. And on a 10+yr old ferrari things are going to need doing.

The 360 is to the 430 what the 348 was to the 355, not quite there. Also a 360 may be more sporty than a 550 but it will be closer to being a "fast car" like the 550 is than the 355 which is more old school exotica in feel and experience.

If you can live with the looks a 512tr is also a great otion, a rocket sled 12.

 

I would worry the lack of torque might bother you.

 

I love my 355 and would probably never sell it. The 355's sound note is a very addictive one and so are the looks all around. Must have a challenge grill though

 

If you paid less than $5k for a major on your 348 then you didn't get a full major.

Kai

 

Yep, but there was no production soft top 308/328. So, "GTS" referred to the targa configuration. When the 348 came along, Ferrari dusted off the "Spider" name and stuck it on the full convertible.

I'd say if only one, let it be a sports car. You can always schlep golf clubs in your other car.

If you've got a good source for the gel, no reason to rule out the 355, IMO.

 

I was about to trade up from my '95 355 Spider to a 550 until I drove one. Great power and car, but one that needed to be on the highway for me to really have fun with. The 355 is light and nimble, and makes the around town driving as good as the road trips. I have owned it for just over 4 years, and after 1 1/2 years of fixing the valve guides, cats, headers, and seat potentiaometers, I have been trouble free for 2 1/2 years. (Knock on aluminum)

It is very comfortable and easy to drive. I had a 6'2" co-driver on a 1,500 mile road rallie last year in the Big Bend area of west Texas, and he fit just fine, without us bumping elbows all the time. It was amazing on the open roads, and the sounds it makes are the best Ferrari sounds I have heard. It is plenty fast, with the old car tests showing a 4.7 0-60 and 13.0 quarter mile times. Not much torque, but you learn to keep those revs up. It is a long term keeper for me.

nuf said
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I think Bullfighter may have misunderstood the ongoing thing on this...

The answer is NO... the 308/328 were referred too the same. GTB = full roof, GTS = targa removable roof panel.
There were no convertibles produced in either car, so there was no such thing as a 308/328 spider.
They dropped the "G" in the US version 348's, they were just TB or TS. The euro version of the 348 in 1992 & 1993 were GTB & GTS

 

GTB, GTS & Spider
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mmmm GTS...so sexy.

 

Having to choose between those 2 cars... I wish I had that problem... :-(

 

If repair expense wasn't an issue i'd buy a 355 GTS now.

Love those things.

When the time comes it's gonna be tough to decide between a 360 and a 355.

 

There was one 328 Spider built.
85’ SN 49543, as a feasibility study for pure Spider version.
It was implemented on the next production model, the 348.

 

I do believe the "S" in 246GTS, 308GTS, 328GTS, 348TS and 355GTS models did stand for spider although they were in reality targas...but I guess GTTT did not sound as good...

 

2 different cars