Value and Prepurchase on F355?

I would not touch that car without a thorough pre-purchase inspection. While the car is probably fine, there are MANY things that can go wrong or need costly attention. Price w/o 30k & inspection: $60k, yeah...that low!

Bottom line: that car MUST get a 30k-service asap!!!! Despite the low mileage, the timing belt has been under tension and has enough time on it to warrant replacement. It's a must no matter what he may contend. Hate to say it, but only a fool would buy that car w/o a 30k-service and clean bill of health. Don't kid yourself, it's a decade-old vehicle. During the 30k, everything can be addressed in terms of your concerns.

After everything is done and it's clean...I'd figure about $74k tops

 

I'd buy the car without the 30k... at the reduced price. I'd like to be able to organise and monitor the 30k service myself.

Pre-purchase inpsection also a must. The 30k doesn't look at everything.

Regards,

Pete

... my '96 Spider is up for sale .... being transferred to the middle east and just can't take it with me! )-:

 

$78K is about $15K too much.

 

I laugh a little when I read these pricing posts. The seller must really need to sell to get to these numbers. I don't think you should find any 355 lower then $70K if it's in good condition and the seller isn't in distress. This car could be in very good condition but it needs to be checked. I think it's prob. a good asking price with about $5-6k to play due to required service.

 

1500 miles on a set of tires...30K hasn't been done...come on, something it not right. Either the seller isn't telling you everything or perhaps evern worse knows nothing about how to take care of the car. I would run, not walk away from this one.

 

will not pay more than 65k.
with a major ur at 73k and thats assume NOTHING NEEDS REPAIR.
73k for a low mile 95 isn't a steal, just fair.

 

Micheal, are you going to use the car alot or just toy around with it every once in a while? I ask because if your going to to use it with any frequency, you should buy a car with more miles on it. A car that has grown up being driven will always be more reliable than one that hasn't. The other concern I have for you on this one is when people avoid the service intervals than how can you know they didn't cut corners elswhere. These cars are like airplanes, they are worth much less w/o the records. My car is a 95 355B with 28k, and it has has two 30k's. Every 5 years you just do it, that is the deal. Good luck with your search -Colby

 

$ 78 K is crazy high for a B that has not been serviced. Get a PPI. I PPIed 5 355s and passed on the first four. Every single car, even those having their 30Ks needed $ 4k or more (absent service) to get fully sorted. One car only needed about $ 15,000 to be sorted and it was a 10k mile car.

I settled on one with 18,000 miles, that just had the 30k and that had the $ 8,000 valve job done. I still paid in the 60s on a car that had two 30Ks already done and that had the valve issue sorted. Personally, I would rather have a car with 20k on it than 6k for various reasons.

Do youself a favor and get a PPI for $ 250 or so and consider doing a compression. Otherwsie, you could find that your $ 75,000 car needs well over $ 10,000 worth of work just to drive it safely or without causing any more damage.

Be patient. I was and I found a deal that was better than I had envisioned and my car has yet to hiccup.

 

You say this hasn't had a cam belt change. If I remember correct it is every 3 years or 30k miles isn't it? Well if this is a 10 year old motor, it should have had 3 belt services in that time scale. Belts degrade even if standing. Even if you get it & everything else is okay you are looking at an immediate change now. Isn't that an engine out service to start with? Cost? Ouch!! Betcha they find/recommend loads of other bits are replaced whilst it's out.

Apologies if I'm off target but for me it would be don't walk but ... RUN!!

SP

 

I agree - get a car that someone is willing to drive and service. I know a guy who has 38K miles on his 1995 355B and was selling it in February for $72K. I figured he would go down a little from there. He had all the records. I'd much rather buy a car like this (its also a CA car) than someone who thinks a low mileage car without a 30K is worth a lot. Keep looking. There are a lot of cars out there. Finding the right combination of color/transmission with a good car is harder if you are picky about color and location of the car but if you aren't, it shouldn't take long. Also, as one site says, don't ever buy the first car you look at. For that matter, go to a dealer and test drive a few. Almost every dealer has at least one for sale.

Scott

 

its good to get a car thats been driven, but come on at 38k thats alot of miles, i will not pay more than 60k for a '95 with that mileage, servied or not. 15-20k with records will be a better choice.

 

I personnally think you should approach it the other way around. Look for a much cheaper 355 with higher mileage. Then proportionally the miles you add will not effect the depreciation as much.

The advantage of a high miler is it should have had loads of money spent on servicing, fixing weak points (Valve guides, manifolds) and will probably be a well loved/used car if you choose carefully. And you will be able to ride off the fact that someone else has already spent the cash on it !

Good luck

 

There was a 30k mile red tan B in Atlanta a month ago for mid 60s that I had PPIed. Ferrari of Atlanta said nice car, especially for miles. The main expense it needed was new tires and a list of other minor stuff that came to $ 4,500. The seller would have split the repair bill with me even with car already in the $ 60k. The miles were a little high for me and it did not have the valves done, but it is possible to buy a decent serviced 355 in the $ 60K range.