Track used 355s?

I would
Unless your looking for a track car?

 

Run Bill ! At least I would !

 

I'd go elsewhere unless the price is reflective (like 40k). Better get a thorough PPI.

 

I agree - If your looking for a nice streetable car, then this one is not the right choice...

 

99% of tracked cars have owners who think they are fast. They will drive their 10/10ths which is maybe 7/10th's of what the car can really do. Half those guys even drive to the track on street tires or use dot race tires at the track and put very little force into the suspensions. That is no cut on them just fact. A car that is raced is different than a car that is tracked. A tracked car maybe sees the track at HPDE 6 times a year at best. If anything doing an HPDE once in a while is good for the car! They need to run. The worst thing is no miles pushed out of the garage to wash and wax and put back in! Now that is a car to run from. A runner is a proven car. A raced car is totally different and has to have a cage to race just about everywhere in the USA because of liability issues. Cage evidence is easy to spot you can't hide it. So if it passes your ppi buy it.

 

+1

The occasional tracking of these cars is good for them.

 

I agree with all of the above... I would consider a couple track days per year normal for a Ferrari. I guess it depends on your interpretation of "quite a bit" which is the description given. I don't think I push a car on track as hard as many people do on the road. But I know guys who track a lot. Driving hard on track does push things harder. On the 355, I would look at CV boots, headers, wheel bearings, tie rods, sway bars, etc. It's a odd combo, as the 355 spider is a pretty dangerous car on track without a roll bar/cage.

The thing is, there are lots of cars for sale at great prices. I still agree with advice to buy the best car you can afford, as it will be cheaper in the long run.

 

I don't think the cars are particularly fragile, there are just a couple of issues that have to be dealt with. Once done, they're kinda bulletproof. If you want to keep it as a garage queen, buy a garage queen. If you want to track it occasionally, buy one that's been to the track. Maintenance is the bigger issue as far as I'm concerned. Many tracked cars get fabulous maintenance and are "loved" much more than garage queens. I've been inside low mileage motors on "perfect" cars that were complete nightmares...full of carbon. Been inside "tracked" cars that looked near new. It would take a LOT of track miles for the cahssis flex of a spider to hurt the car.

 

I track my car at least 6 times a year and even though I have little issues here and there i have never broken down. So as some have said in this thread most drivers like me have tracked their car but not raced it becuase we are not good enough to do so. I know of some cars here that are garage queens seeing the road once in a while and never on the track. The problems they have is unbelievable compared to me so I would rather buy that 355 that has had soem good hearty driving rather than the garage queen.

But the best thing you could do is get an inspection done.

 

I would have an inspection done... 3 possibilities. 1)air bags removed for track days(doubt it), 2) Car was stolen and airbags removed, 3) collision and air bags went off and were too expensive for owner to replace. Especially true if the wreck happened at the track and the insurance company denied the claim. Check the front of the car carfully. Look for paint overspray, etc. Does it have true challenge brakes? If so it should have challenge wheels or aftermarket wheels... challenge brakes dont fit with stock wheels. I suppose the biggest point I would make is that it is a buyers market...prices are falling all over the place so you could probably find a really good car with less potential issues. Ask me....I cant sell my 328 and I keep dropping the price. I bought a 355 challenge car...I would look for one of these if tracking is your idea. If a street car is your main use, pass on this one and keep looking... there are really good deals out there and more to come.

Christopher