SHOULD I BYE A 355 or a ZO-6

This has to be the worst, most misinformed post in this entire thread. You sir truly have no idea what you are talking about. If you honestly believe that a C6 Z06 wouldn't absolutely make a mockery of a 348 in any performance contest then you honestly need a reality check. For me it would be a difficult choice between a 355 and a C6 Z06 at this point in my life. Later on down the road when I am a little older I would probablly want the 355.

As many others have already said in this thread Z06=speed and performance, 355= rarity, exotic, and sensations.

PS, a C6 Z06 has already outran a 430 by a significant amount in a test performed by a group that, if anything, is biased towards the F car.

 

The Sept. 2006 R&T has the 430 beating the Z06 by 2 sec. a lap on some track in Europe, and that's pretty significant. Then again, you can buy three Z06's and throw in a clapped out Alfa for what the 430 costs.... ha

I'm jaded I know, as far as a 355 goes you have the wow factor of a Ferrari and the fact that the .5 sec. difference in 0-60 times will really not be that noticeable in normal street driving.

Also, from a financial standpoint I think the Ferrari is the better deal only because you're going to have about the same $$$ in them (at least if the dealers in your area are gouging on the Z06 like mine are- ADM of $10K or more). You'll have that on top of the depreciation.

If you get a Z06 at or below sticker it doesn't make a lot of sense to compare, that's a cheaper car than a good 355.

 

I understand the Chevorlet is a fast car, make no mistake. If you think the Chevy will take an Enzo on a track. I guess I'll just stay ignorant. Once again I'll say this "The Chevy is a great car for the money, There beautiful, but there not Ferrari's". That's the point. Indy

 

In my opinion, all of these posts miss a crucial point which indicates that you should buy the Vette.

A Ferrari (any Ferrari, but especially the 355) is a PAIN IN THE A$$. Ferrari gets so many simple, small things wrong that if you don't start the ownership experience with a real passion for the particular Ferrari you bought, you will end up being very disappointed.

I have a 98 355 spider (and a TR and a Vette), so I'm speaking from experience. This year I will be spending about $15k in maintenance on the 355 and about $5k on the TR. The 355 amount is due to some stupidity on my part and some bad luck, but neither would be impossible or unlikely for other owners. The TR amount is just what's needed to keep a 20 year old exotic in good condition. In the past two years my 355 has spent a lot of time in various states of disrepair to fix little things that car manufacturers have had 100 years to get right and Ferrari still blows (melting headers for example).

These things are mostly annoyances (melting interior parts), but they are annoying, and if you don't really get out of bed in the morning to live and breathe the 355, you won't be in the right state of mind to put up with the crap that Ferrari ownership entails.

For me, I still love my 355 and my TR and will probably keep both until I die. But with both, I was completely obsessed with each car for about two years prior to buying each. I knew every morning that I was getting out of bed to put some more money in the 355 fund. As a result, I'm willing to forgive the 355 its many faults and put the time and money into making it the car Ferrari should have. If I had been on the fence and asked the same kind of question you are, I'm sure I would've sold the 355 within six months and bad-mouthed Ferrari construction from then on.

A Ferrari really is a lifestyle choice, not an automotive choice. There is no practical reason not to buy the Vette, so if you are not emotionally committed to the Ferrari I really recommend you not go there.

 

Actually the Z06 beat the 430 by over 2 seconds per lap. http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114400&highlight=Z06

The Z06 simply is a better performer than the 430 and all the previous entry level F cars. The 430 is still one of my favorite cars ever made, but for reasons other than pure performance.

 

What is your point? When did the Enzo get dragged through the mud into this?

 

They are all faster then we will ever need and in most cases ever use and in my mind the C-6 will be the best bang for your buck. But I have owned many cars and have kept the Ferrari because of one thing, It still makes me tingle every time I drive it. It's not just a car it's a work of art and depending on what type of person you are and what your looking for you have to go with your heart not the numbers.

 

lol... actually this is a GREAT analogy and one I considered making myself and backed out of. Think about how much you would have had to love the 10 to make it worth putting up with her bad habits and expensive taste every day for the rest of your life before buying the Ferrari.

It's really a great experience and I wouldn't change my decisions for anything, but it does require a mental and emotional commitment on a lot of levels if you really want to enjoy it.

 

The point is, all the really fast Ferrari’s of there respected era, always cost at least 15 to 20 times what the wanabees charge for there car, who ever makes it. I remember back when I bought my first Chevrolet Vett. I paid about 12K new out of the box. 308GTO's were going for about 140K and up, if you could get one. Absolutely no comparison in performance. The 308's were pushing the heck out of 180-190MPH, my Vett, maybe 145 max. Yes I had one with a 454! Comparing the new Vett against 355's and 360's. Everyone is comparing it against a decade + old design. There both real respectable in performance, even to the new Chevy Jonny Lighting Special. So "my point" is if you compare apples to apples, Best for Best, Ferrari will come out on top in virtually every performance category, "Except Price". New Vett Vs Enzo.

As it's always been.

Honestly I'm a big fan of Ferrari's, I truly love the cars, yes even my rickety old 348. I tend to get a little over emotional when someone insists on comparing hot dogs, and fillet.

Honestly, this will be my last post in this thread. I think many of my brothers are making better points, and much more eloquently than I.

But I will say in closing I would love to get mr. enthusast on a track someday, in one of those HightTech Chevy's and me in my old rickety 348 to show him how misinformed I really am. Best Regards Indy

 

That's the C&D test- the R&T test has it the other way around- cover story in the August issue- just goes to show how close those cars really are in performance.

 

Well I have a C5 Z06 and would love to show you just how fast I could come around you on a track! Nobody here said that a 348 or any other Ferrari was garbage, all that was said was that the C6 Z06 is merely a better PERFORMING car than any ENTRY LEVEL Ferrari ever made. I have a Corvette, but in the same right I have considered and will own a Ferrari when the time is right. When I get the Ferrari, I will have it for different reasons than I have my Corvette. You seem to take everything personal and think everyone is out to condemn Ferrari, and even went as far as to call comparing a 1.2 million dollar Enzo to a 65,000 Corvette an apples to apples comparison. None of these comparisons are really apples to apples, it's just the Corvette has better performance for about $200,000 less than a 430. Most owners here don't buy there 430 to brag and say they have the fastest car on the road though.

PS, from a realistic standpoint you really don't want to race me around a track.

 

I'll stay up at nights worring about racing you around a track.

 

With a 348 that runs 13's I would, haha.

 

If sensibility is ones reasoning get the Vette........but if passion and euphoria are the game, the Ferrari wins hands down!!

Some people spend their $$ on things others on experiences...with the Ferrari you get both!!

You only come around once....so maybe I should save my money to get a nicer wheelchair or coffin???....NOT!!!

 

I have yet to drive a ferrari PERIOD. But i have drove the C6 Corvette Z06, Hennessey Viper 1000hp, and 600-1000hp Supras. So I am not a noob when when it comes to driving high performance cars.

My opinion on the Z06, Amazing car. Sounds very mean, and will throw you back in your seat just as hard as any Ferrari. 0-60 in 3.9 for $70k You can't beat that. Best part of the Z06 it is capable of getting 30 mpg on the highway.

But personally i would buy my self a Ferrari, due to the fact I am obsessed with them. But F-Guys, Do not take anything away from the Z06, considering it has been compared with the enzo.

Aswell. The Ligenfelter Corvette that is priced at around $225k is the fastest car Road and Track has tested.

My .2$

My first post, and i would like to say HI to everyone on here, i hope to learn alot by being involved in this community.

 

I love the Vettes and Ferraris, but for very different reasons. I was recently parked next to a brand new Z06. My 348 drew much more attention from passers-by. Also, sitting there looking at the two, side-by-side, it was the Ferrari (a lowly 348) that made my heart twitch.


My advice? Bye the Z06 and BUY the 355.

 

What you need to boil it down to is this: what do you WANT? Which car makes you FEEL something? Buying a Ferrari or a Corvette is about passion for the car. There are faster cars than a Ferrari, some are a lot less money. But which one evokes the strongest emotion from you? This is why I am buying a Ferrari, emotion. I am 32 years old, and I have wanted a Ferrari for 27 of those years. If someone questions you on your decision, they don't understand. It's like seeing someone in a loving relationship with a person you would have nothing to do with. You wouldn't do it, but it is what they chose to make them happy. I ride a Big Dog Chopper motorcycle, which cost me more than 30K. Sport bikers say to me "Do you know how many R6's(or whatever) you could have bought for the price of that?" I always reply "Do you know how many I wanted?" Get what makes you feel something. Corvette, Ferrari, do what feels right.

 

if you want no headaches,lots of fun and no dis-appoints,then buy a z-06.i have 348ts,i have yet to say there is pride in ownership when you car is down for 2 months waiting on parts...just my opinion...or go twin turbo porsche.

 

I agree....one has to neeeed the Ferrari for all to be right in the world!!

 

The Covette is a great everyday driver and errand vehicle, Ferraris are more for special occasions as each drive is an event, Ferraris get way too much attention compared to a Vette to be an everyday driver unless you like extreme attention plus the worry about leaving them alone which is not a concern with a Vette as well.

Even though performance may be close they are 2 totally different cars concerning the experience of each, in my 355 kids yell and get excited when you drive by among other things such as a young guy blocked me in with his vehicle as I was making a U turn in a small parking lot got out and said that is the coolest car I have seen I just want to shake your hand, you sort of become a micro celebrity driving them.

 

This is the best and most informative post in this thread. You are absolutely correct. I had my own nightmare experience with a 355 and will likely never buy another Ferrari again as a result, despite my passion for the marque.

z06 Pluses:
-Best performance car for the money
-New car with a full warranty
-Much better reliability
-Much lower maintainance costs
-505 horsepower with enough torque to make spinal fluid leak out of your ears under full throttle.

z06 Minuses:
-Chevy build quality
-Improved interior from a c5 but still abysmal as far as I am concerned
-Lack of exclusivity
-Ridiculous sticker price premiums at dealerships
-New 600 hp Stingray for next year will certainly hurt resale value of the Z06

355 Pluses:
-Looks spectacular
-Sounds even better than it looks
-Lower depreciation than the Z06 in all likelihood
-It's a Ferrari (see CGPerry's comments above)

355 Minuses:
-You will see your mechanic more than your wife
-Underperforms the Z06
-Net cost of ownership may be worse than Z06 once maintainance costs come into play.


I have never owned a Corvette, though I may have to give the new Stingray a look when it comes out. I have found it dificult to get over the shoddy interior and poor construction quality but it is very difficult to ignore the performance/purchase price ratio. I was in the market recently for another sports car, indulged my Lamborghini & Ferrari enthusiasm briefly, and wound up buying a Ford GT. At a certain point, you have to be realistic about how much a pain in the ass some cars are to own. I wanted massive performance in an easy to own vehicle. I already have a 911 Turbo and wanted something with a little more soul to it. As much as I love the looks and sounds of a Ferrari, I simply cannot pull the trigger on another one, my 355 experience sucked that much.

So my advice to you is buy the Z06, drive it like a scalded cat, and enjoy the Ferrari experience vicariously through others. For me it is like having nieces and nephews rather than being a parent, all the fun but none of the headaches.

 

Guys, can I throw a monkey wrench into the discussion? Two years ago, I was looking to buy a 355 in honor of my 16 year old son, who was killed by a drunk driver. I had always told Cory that one day in the future, we'd have an exotic of some sort in the garage for sunny day drives. In any event, I went looking to fulfill that promise, and put his name on the license plate. I had it narrowed down to 3 different 355's, until a close friend and fellow gearhead told me to "stop the presses" and not to buy anything until I could test drive some car called a "Noble." There is only one dealership in the country, and it is in Cincinnati, Ohio. I made the trip and could not believe my eyes and ears. This car is designed and built by Lee Noble, who worked on the chassis design team for the McLaren F1. For $80,000 (fully loaded), the car is faster than every Ferrari (0-60 in 3.3, according to Car and Driver, March, 2005) except maybe the Enzo. It drives like a slot car, and when I take it out for a cruise, everyone wants to talk to me about the car. I, of course, will talk all day long about my son and "his" dream car.

Anyway, back to the discussion, my advice is to take the 355 over the Vette, but if you have the chance, get to Cincy, just for a test drive. You never know...

 

Id say get the 355 now and wait a few years for the Z06 to drop in price. I know you can get a USD C5 Z06 for about 22k and thats not bad with 405 hp.

There will be plenty of opertuntys for a Z06 in the future its not like there is a limited production on the Z. Its better to wait it out and in the mean time enjoy the 355.

 

I'd take a Mondial T over a Z06.