mtrain

went for a drive in a mates 360 a while back and havent been able to get it out of my head...

I cant afford the Modena but the 355 is within range, especially here in HK, and the reviews are quite similar in that many say that the 355 is to Ferrari as the 993 is to Porsche. I dont just mean they are both mid-late 90's cars, but more in terms of build quality, reliability etcetera.

So what to do? Wait for the infatuation to pass? Its only lust...I love my Porsche and know I would miss it (her?) if I sold for the sexy little Italian...

Thaddeus

Just remember: they are sexy, but those Italian birds have ferocious tempers.

texas911

Go for it! Trying different things is the spice of life.

C.J. Ichiban

i hear that the F1 tranny was a complete mess on the 355- so if you do get one go with the manual. i'll post a link of 2 guys from another forum who bought 355's together and their experiences if i can find it.

Monique

F360 is ok. F355 is not reliable. If you cannot gbuy a 360 because of lack of shekels, you cannot afford to maintain a 355. IMO of course.

David in LA

before you buy make sure you are prepared for the belt swaps at 15k and 30k miles

pcar964

It actually really is a shame that the maintenance is so outrageous on the F-cars. Why design an engine that requires frequent (EXPENSIVE) belt replacements? Why not use a chain? I understand there are benefits to the belt, but they certainly are outweighed by the costs. imho.

As for the gearbox, stay away from those worthless F1 gearboxes like the plague. They are complete trash, I don't know why Ferrari released such a crude and unreliable product before it was perfected. Go for the 6 speed.

Wilder

+1

I bought a Maserati GranSport last year which only comes with the F1 (same generation as the 360). Stunning car in every respect except that the tranny got old and boring very quickly (IT'S AN AUTOMATIC!!!) and the car spent way too much time at the shop...good thing it was still under warranty (you'll be paying cash for those repair$ on a 355). I bought my 993 to have a cab in addition to the Maserati and I had so much fun with the 993 that I didn't touch the Maserati for a month. That's when I realized the car had to go. My boss went through the same thing. Bought an F430 and got out of within a year for similar reasons.

Having said that, I also agree that variety is good as I've owned more cars than I can remember. If you're really that turned on by it, go for it...just know what you're getting into and steer clear of the F1.

eloyex

had some experience on this matter ....

355 is nice car. nice engine. Top HP per kilogram. Faster than my regular 993. No doubt. I raced both ...

extraordinary sound .. !! More reliable engine after 1998 as far as i remember (valve issues) .

Not very well built. Leather problems. dashboard problems. Gasket problems. Electrical problems. Basically the only strong point in this car is a great engine. (even better after 1998).

BUT .. i agree with fellow rennlister, 360 modena is superior and better choice.
355 is a mami. Delicated. Is not like a 993. I love them both ... But preffer a 993 Vs a 355. However ... a 360 will spin my mind ...!!

excuse poor english ..!!!
eloy

C.J. Ichiban

the price delta on the a 98 or 99 355 vs a 2001 360 is getting to be pretty close that you're definitely better off saving up and waiting it seems. I was looking at getting a 360 challenge stradale which is kind of comparable to a GT3 RS, but price wise it is so out of line with the reliability (since i want to drive it not bubble wrap it) that I'm going a different route.
Some of my teammates have said that with ferraris if you can't buy them new, then you shouldn't buy them because the build quality and reliability is so suspect that you'll spend the difference in maintenance and repairs alone.
My personal favorite is the 550/575 body style, and I'm sure a v12 would be a lot of fun to drive and listen to. but I'd rather drive a 993, and a 993TT and a mercedes and an suv for the same price.

96C4S

C.J what sport do you play?

C.J. Ichiban

baseball, texas rangers. I love Toronto! we stay downtown there and was very impressed with the city on my two visits.

Harvey Yancey

A friend here in Charlotte has a F355 GTS. He just had a major service done ... $11K. He has done a couple DE's with our PCA Region w/ the 355 but after riding with me he knows that he will never push the 355 that hard due to it's fragile (and expensive) nature. He is currently looking for a 993 for the track.

I personally had a 360 Modena on order a few years back ... but decided not to take delivery due to the fact that most people do not drive these cars because of the impact that mileage has on the price and the maintenance costs.

Although I occasionally still have an Italian 'moment' ... I do not think I will ever go the Ferrari route ... although I can see myself in a '74 Alfa Romeo GTV at some point ...

GrantG

The F430 uses a chain (chains)...

gordo993

bump...
Go Cardinals!!!

I drove a 360 F1 followed by a 355 F1. They ride terribly but feel very fast (maybe beacuse you are lying on the ground?) but they are no Porsche. After finding out the cost of belt replacement, I'm quite happy with Trixie!