Hello Everyone! This is my first post on 6Speed. I just got hired by a well know practice in Phoenix and am looking to buy my first exotic. I am trying to stay around $50K and don't want to finance. I found a F355 with 15k Miles in my budget... Any feedback is much appreciated - http://globalautosports.com/car/1997...ble-31257.html

 

wouldn't buy the car. slow down. it's a buyer's market and with 50k that's definitely not the exotic i would buy. if you're set on getting a 355 (and that's what i thought before i researched ferraris to death and got a cs) post one time on the 355 section on ferrarichat and 5 guys will pm you to sell you their car for 50k. what practice did you join? are you a physician?

 

df, thanks for your feedback. It seems like a good deal with 15K miles but I will start a thread on ferrarichat and see what happens. Would prefer to not mention where I work. It's a Spider with a manual transmission which is rare I hear.

 

cool i understand ....... exciting time for you picking out a car

 

Thanks I know. When I was at Med school I had a professor that drove a Berlinetta. Been my goal ever since.

 

Pretty strong statement... Care to elaborate? A decent CS is going to cost twice as much as a 355 in today's market, wouldn't you agree? That being said, what exotic would you buy for $50K?

 

You really would be SO much better off waiting a little while, & buying a 360 Modena. Nice ones are selling for under $100k, some in the $80k range. In another year, you could likely find a good one for $75k to $85k.

I realize that is more than you want to spend right now, but if you plan to keep the car for awhile, you will have a much better car for driving often, & the cost of ownership on a 360 is much less than a 355 in terms of service.

The 360 is also a much "nicer" car than the 355, when comparing the interior quality, styling details, accessory quality, etc.

If waiting on a 360 is not something you're interested in considering, & you'd like to have a 355, then do what "dfwerdoc" suggested & take a GOOD look around before pulling the trigger on one. There are lots of great cars as well as junk cars, so do your homework because 355's are pricey to work on either way, so you definitely don't want a bad one.

There are a lot of great threads on Ferrarichat regarding the 355, so you should read as much as you can to educate yourself on them. There are also lots of people on Ferrarichat than own nice ones, with the history to back them up on the board, so that's your best bet on buying one you can be comfortable about.

 

First, buy what you like all the cars have ups and downs. 355 are plagued but once sorted is a good car ...

second, on any car do a PPI( pre purchase inspection) from reputable mechanic/dealer

third, spend much time on ferrarichat in the section of the car you are interested in... odds are someone will know the car

lastly, there are no cheap Ferraris. either you pay upfont for a good car or on the backend with repairs

 

My first Ferrari was a 355 GTS and i did not have any issues with that car. Fun car for the money. I think i paid 80k then for the car. I did get a 360 Spyder after that car. Yes, there is a big difference in the cars but also in the money you will spend.

Vince

 

the op is mindful of the cost of purchasing but with a 15 yr old ferrari you have to be more mindful of the cost of ownership -- and that's why i said he shouldn't buy that car. one engine out service will set you back 20% of the value of the car. and those convertible tops are problematic at best with the general feeling being that you should keep them all the time up or all the time down. yes strong statement but he shouldn't buy that car. a 348 ss that's been sorted out with all it's service current for 40k i would be more inclined to suggest if (and here's the big if) the op has a really really good independent ferrari mechanic he trusts that will work on the car. a little dated but still a worthwhile thead:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/sho...rtible+top+355

 

I would NEVER advise getting a 348. They are not very good cars. Now, i'm sure a few folks have not had problems with them. Look at the resale on them, that should tell you all you need to know. One worth looking at is a 328. They are great cars and still hold there value.

Vince

 

Of course I like the idea of a 360 Modena... who wouldn't. How much more would it cost to maintain over the F355?

 

ferrari 360 is cheaper to maintain and parts availability is much better

 

Spoke extensively with a Ferrari of Denver mechanic. I asked him, what are the cars you often see at the shop...... 355 are the worst. And 348s. Some electrical problems with 550s. 360 are good and rarely need engine out to work on since Ferrari was enlightened by the fact that one could build panels behind the seats to service the car. Easy acces and cheaper than an engine out service. 430s pretty new but better. Hope this helps. Depending on your specialty, ie, pediatrician vs neurosurgery, if you have the potential for a higher salary, wait for a better car, 360 or 430. Good luck!

 

Pino you make great points about issues with the f355. Makes sense that parts are easier to find on a 360 Juan. Like the f430 but can't swing $150k this year (hopefully in two years I can get one for $100k).