Trying to choose between 2 355s - Help!

Have you driven both of them? If not I would try to get some seat time in both of them.

Regards,
Chris

 

I can do no better than refer you to Mitch Alsup's superb post outlining the evolution of the 355 model.You haven't mentioned the difference in price between your 2 cars and whether this will affect your decision.My personal choice FWIW, based on colour preference and your description of the cars,would be the Black /Tan. Anyways, here's Mitch's post

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The Ferrari F355 has two different engine packages (OBDIO-I=95 and OBDIO-II=96-99), and three different brake packages (95, 96-97, and 98-99). In street braking, there is not much difference in the braking setup and response; and for track use all brake packages should have a set of pads that are more tollerent of heat.
When F1 became available in ?96 or 97? it arrived with an uprated slave cylinder in the clutch throwout system. Like the F348s the clutch (and associated parts) is easy to change even if the parts are expensive. If you have to change anything in the clutch, do the whole thing and use the uprated slave cylinder. Its smoother, lighter, and ever so slightly faster.

The 95 engine has a little more HP and TQ (5 HP and 2-3 lb-ft) from a slightly richer mixture allowed by the OBDIO-I emissions specification. All engines will have header issues if tracked regularly, and the 95 modle year is more affected than later. There is a uprated materials specification if/when header replacement is required. Even with the uprated materials, challenge cars replace the headers yearly. With indifferent street use headers have gone as far as 103,000 miles without failure. The hydraulic pump of the F1 cars saps some power from the engine but performance improves through the faster gear changes available through computer controlled timing of the events. The 360 F1 system is miles ahead in smoothness especially after 2001.

Engines up through the 98 model year can be affected by a valve guide issue detected in 95 based on the 94 348 Challenge cars where the factory changed the vavle guide specification from <some> bronze to sintered steel. In general, if the engine has not run into the valve guide issue by the time it has 20,000 miles it will likely not run into the issue.

The suspension system is excellent, with minor issues relating to the computer controlled shoch absorbers (connector corrosion). The oversteer/understeer relationship is easily manipulated with rear ride height (Google on: Ride couple distribution). The factory specs are just fine for street and even agressive track driving on street tires. I get 9 K miles on a set of max performance street tires where 1,500 of those miles occur on a race track with factory specs. Both front tires and both rear tires turn from treaded tires to slicks within 100 miles of each other. Adding camber speeds up the chassis but beware of making the car faster than the driver. Adding toe calms the car under steady state straight line operation and under braking. Running toe-out is only for track use. The suspension is easily dialed into the driver preference as long as the driver known which direction he want the cars response to move towards. If you lower the car be aware of a high speed heavy braking issue at the front suspension. Staying at the <already> factory ride heights (4.2" of ground clearance) is a good bet and prevents this high speed braking issue.

If you want to use r-compound tires or racing slicks, find the challenge specifications for alignment, but don't lower the car unless you also add the challenge spring and shock package. For noon-agressive track use, r-compounds and slicks work pretty well with the factory alignments.

The alignment system (shims) works so well that if you like agressive track driving and calm street driving, get the car sorted on the track first, and them get it aligned back to factory specs on an alignment gig. The difference between the shim thickness can be measured, and when you get to the trank, loosen a bolt, insert the required shims (8 times) and go to town. At the end of the day remove the shims, and presto you are back at street alignment. You will also get most of the toe change desired (out at track and in on the street) with this change as a side bonus.

I dislike the power assist for the steering and prefer the 348 feel of the steering wheel, but I rate this as a very minor issue.

Cars that are used hard over irregular surfaces will see minor paint spider webbing on the rear flying butress (C-piller) as evidence of hard use.

The plastic parts in the interior need to be kept away from Armoural and similar plastic protectants--it turns the plastic parts into a gooy mess.

The leather <especially> needs to be protected from drying out. Feeding the leather once every couple of months or every time you drive for any distance with the windows down; and avoiding letting the car sit in sunlight help a lot. The leather is higher in quality than <say> a C5 Vette, but less tollerant of lack of care.

Overall, the engine internals, the transmission, suspensions and brakes are basically unbreakable. There are no long term issues with the paint and exterior materials.

With the age of these cars approaching 10 years (95) and only the 98s and 99s still under the 8-year emissions warentee, the potential buyer is ever more dependent upon a high quality PPI than before. These are wonderful high performance machines that can take a lot of abuse (or designed for use) without fail. The engine has a big broad torque curve that is readily accessible and the sound at RedLine is simply out of this world. When the tail drifts out in a 100 MPH sweeper, you dial in a touch of steering and add throttle, and grin all the way to the next braking zone. However, like an Italian mistress, they are demanding upon your time and wallet. Choose wisely.

 

It's really unusual for there to be a problem with paintwork on these cars, GTB C-pillar apart. Is it on the engine lid itself or the rear bumper area. I would have thought engine heat would effect the bumper area as the engine lid itself has vented slats for the heat to escape from.
The major changes from '95 to '96 cars was Bosch Motronic 2.7 to 5.2 and subsequent uprated engine management from OBD1 to OBD2.
FWIW, i have a '95 Spider Any other questions, just fire away.

 

Buy the black on tan car.....

You never mentioned the pedigree of the black on black one.....but the 95 has just been inspected thru a Ferrai dealer and has all the history in one place....meaning fewer stores at resale time.

Also....black on black is unbearably hot in a spider on a nice summer day with the top down.....I just spent this past summer with a black on black SL600 and hated it for that very reason.

OBD1 versus OBD2 as well as the slightly shorter gears in the 95 I think are the other differences in it's favor.

 

No major kinks were really fixed until 1997, the first year for the F1 gearbox in the 355, ive heard of people having top problems in the pre 97 355s so make sure you check out the top. Otherwise go for whichever one looks better and is more mechanicaly sound, neither one should give you more problems than the other.

 

AML355....

Your original post had the color/years reversed.....that's no problem though.....so to answer your question in if it was me I'd pop for the black on black 1995 with 14K miles. While the heat can get to you......I'd personally be more comfortable with the pedigree than on the other car.

 

Regarding the paint:

Bubbling could signify a poorly done repaint. Are you certain that that portion of the car was not repainted? I would have a body repair expert examine that if you don't consider yourself qualified.

 

First off, those are really good prices. I too am in the market and as I type this I have a 355 getting a PPI...keepin' my fingers crossed. Mine's a '97 w/16k miles and I'll make no secret that the guy is extorting me for $99k...but it's clean and tight. I know and feel it's just a $95k car, but I'll make him fix everything we find and have some peace-of-mind.

Personally, I'd avoid the black/black...no color and hot. I too was looking at a B/t and B/b right next to eachother...the B/t definitely had a nicer/classier look to it. Course, that's just personal opinion....

Next are the valves...research points to a higher % of '95 with valve issues, especially the earliest models. Another huge point is in the resale: many buyers are thoroughly adversed to even looking at a '95: you'll re-sell easier with the '96. It's also newer, and the rule is to buy the newest/nicest Ferrari you can afford.....

You've got to be careful and patient too. I ran into several lemons out there, one I almost bought and it needs about $12k of work that we discovered...who knows how far that'll go once opened-up!!!

Don't fear mileage...these things need to be driven. As noted above, the 21k car is very likely past the valve issue and it's not excessive for a '95

The bubbling is likely a re-paint. Buying a car sight-unseen...scares the heck out of me, but that's just me. Each car I found at first looked awesome...then the history revealed, the stories came..and..ughhhhh. Buyer beware!

My vote therefore falls firmly on the '96 Black/tan

...and don't listen to that 348SStb...he's too passionate!!!

 

Get the car that YOU really want...The worst thing is looking back after you have the car and saying, "Man, I wish I bought that other car"...regardless of price...No regrets brother!