This Ferrari vs. 993 Comparison
10-21-2013, 08:16 PM
#31
Well, if you read Keith Martin's Sports Car Market auction magazine, where they have a regular Ferrari column, written by Michael Sheehan, then you get the feeling that Mr. Sheehan has a tendency to thumb his nose at anything in between the 246 and 360. Of course, he does have exceptions for F40's, 288 GTO's, etc.
10-22-2013, 10:20 AM
#33
Three Wheelin'
The maintenance cost and logistics (no service options within 175 miles) are the only reason I don't have a 360 now. Actually...it's more the lack of service available locally than the maintenance costs.
While there are certainly examples of 360s that are close to 993s in terms of maintenance costs...I firmly believe that on average...the 360 is gonna be much higher maintenance costs than a 993. But I think the real cost issue is for the repairs. As someone pointed out earlier...the 993 maybe has 1 or 2 potential "major" problem areas...the 360 has maybe 7 or 8.
While there are certainly examples of 360s that are close to 993s in terms of maintenance costs...I firmly believe that on average...the 360 is gonna be much higher maintenance costs than a 993. But I think the real cost issue is for the repairs. As someone pointed out earlier...the 993 maybe has 1 or 2 potential "major" problem areas...the 360 has maybe 7 or 8.
10-24-2013, 01:10 AM
#34
Racer
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: West Warwick, R.I.
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
This is a tough choice... I have owned 2 993's and both were very reliable cars. The known issues with a 993 are far less than those of a 355. Like any high end sports car, you need to do your homework. A car with records and service history and knowledgeable owner(s) will be more valuable than a car that has questionable service history and multiple uninformed owners.
I see each of these two cars for their own attributes. The styling and exoticness of the 355 is second to none, while the 993 is quite possibly the most capable sports car there is! Both cars require regular expensive maintenance (the ferrari slightly more).
The most notorious part of the ferrari is the parts cost! The service interval for belts is realistically 4-5 years at a cost of $5-6K. Major Service is much more expensive but is required much less often. The main things to consider for me are:
1.) has the valve guide issue been corrected
2.) have the headers been replaced
3.) have the cats been replaced
Other than those issues, the cost to maintain would be $1500 per year.
Sure insurance is going to be higher, and you are going to get the jealous type of people who want to throw you the bird when they see you, but I get that in my 993 too.
I don't drive my toy cars that much, I have owned the 993 for about 3.5 years now and I've put about 6,500 miles on it. I would likely do the same if not less in a Ferrari. So I wouldn't be too worried about service intervals all that often.
It really comes down to personal choice and being informed about the decision you ultimately make. As long as you know what to look for and what you're getting yourself into I don't see a problem with either vehicle.
I will own an F355 one day without a doubt. I have always loved the look of them and it is truly the last good looking Ferrari. The 360 is nice but it doesn't do it for me.
Cheers,
Ryan
I see each of these two cars for their own attributes. The styling and exoticness of the 355 is second to none, while the 993 is quite possibly the most capable sports car there is! Both cars require regular expensive maintenance (the ferrari slightly more).
The most notorious part of the ferrari is the parts cost! The service interval for belts is realistically 4-5 years at a cost of $5-6K. Major Service is much more expensive but is required much less often. The main things to consider for me are:
1.) has the valve guide issue been corrected
2.) have the headers been replaced
3.) have the cats been replaced
Other than those issues, the cost to maintain would be $1500 per year.
Sure insurance is going to be higher, and you are going to get the jealous type of people who want to throw you the bird when they see you, but I get that in my 993 too.
I don't drive my toy cars that much, I have owned the 993 for about 3.5 years now and I've put about 6,500 miles on it. I would likely do the same if not less in a Ferrari. So I wouldn't be too worried about service intervals all that often.
It really comes down to personal choice and being informed about the decision you ultimately make. As long as you know what to look for and what you're getting yourself into I don't see a problem with either vehicle.
I will own an F355 one day without a doubt. I have always loved the look of them and it is truly the last good looking Ferrari. The 360 is nice but it doesn't do it for me.
Cheers,
Ryan
10-24-2013, 01:43 AM
#36
Racer
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: West Warwick, R.I.
Posts: 338
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I respect your opinion, but after speaking with many 355 owners and reading all types of maintenance literature this is what I have found.
Servicing schedule
Your F355 will need servicing on an annual or mileage basis, depending upon how much use it is getting. The recommended minimum is an annual service, but if your car is covering sufficient mileage it may require servicing due to miles covered rather than time.
There are several types of service that the car will need:
A annual 'lube' service - which includes changing of the usual fluids such as oil, brake fluid etc
An annual plus additional work that requires doing every two years or at certain mileages whichever comes first
A major service - Cambelt replacement every 3 years or 50,000km whichever comes first. (ferrari recommends every 3 years but most ferrari mechanics will tell you 4-5 years is normal. Originally Ferrari had the service recommendations for US cars at every 5 years and european cars at 3 years but then changed the recommendation to 3 years for all cars)
Below is a cost of service menu from an independent Ferrari Service Facility:
Model - F355
Oil Change - $195
Annual Fluids - $995
Major Service* - $5,850
Clutch - $1,695
Brake Pads - $900
*Major Service = belts, tensioners, bearings, seals, & gaskets (every 3-5 years)
These costs and intervals can vary greatly depending on where in the US you are located and what is exactly done, but just like Porsche, the dealers are always more expensive for service than a good independent mechanic.
As for my statement about "Major Service is much more expensive but is required less often", I am basing that on my driving habits and the mileage I would put on these cars over the course of time. Realistically speaking if you purchased a car that has recently had a "Major Service" you would likely not need to change the cam belts for 4-5 years. At a cost of roughly $6000 that is $1200-1500 dollars per year in maintenance.
This is what I was basing my previous post on. Hope that clarifies things.
Cheers,
Ryan
Servicing schedule
Your F355 will need servicing on an annual or mileage basis, depending upon how much use it is getting. The recommended minimum is an annual service, but if your car is covering sufficient mileage it may require servicing due to miles covered rather than time.
There are several types of service that the car will need:
A annual 'lube' service - which includes changing of the usual fluids such as oil, brake fluid etc
An annual plus additional work that requires doing every two years or at certain mileages whichever comes first
A major service - Cambelt replacement every 3 years or 50,000km whichever comes first. (ferrari recommends every 3 years but most ferrari mechanics will tell you 4-5 years is normal. Originally Ferrari had the service recommendations for US cars at every 5 years and european cars at 3 years but then changed the recommendation to 3 years for all cars)
Below is a cost of service menu from an independent Ferrari Service Facility:
Model - F355
Oil Change - $195
Annual Fluids - $995
Major Service* - $5,850
Clutch - $1,695
Brake Pads - $900
*Major Service = belts, tensioners, bearings, seals, & gaskets (every 3-5 years)
These costs and intervals can vary greatly depending on where in the US you are located and what is exactly done, but just like Porsche, the dealers are always more expensive for service than a good independent mechanic.
As for my statement about "Major Service is much more expensive but is required less often", I am basing that on my driving habits and the mileage I would put on these cars over the course of time. Realistically speaking if you purchased a car that has recently had a "Major Service" you would likely not need to change the cam belts for 4-5 years. At a cost of roughly $6000 that is $1200-1500 dollars per year in maintenance.
This is what I was basing my previous post on. Hope that clarifies things.
Cheers,
Ryan
10-24-2013, 09:21 AM
#37
Rennlist Member
I respect your opinion, but after speaking with many 355 owners and reading all types of maintenance literature this is what I have found.
Servicing schedule
Your F355 will need servicing on an annual or mileage basis, depending upon how much use it is getting. The recommended minimum is an annual service, but if your car is covering sufficient mileage it may require servicing due to miles covered rather than time.
There are several types of service that the car will need:
A annual 'lube' service - which includes changing of the usual fluids such as oil, brake fluid etc
An annual plus additional work that requires doing every two years or at certain mileages whichever comes first
A major service - Cambelt replacement every 3 years or 50,000km whichever comes first. (ferrari recommends every 3 years but most ferrari mechanics will tell you 4-5 years is normal. Originally Ferrari had the service recommendations for US cars at every 5 years and european cars at 3 years but then changed the recommendation to 3 years for all cars)
Below is a cost of service menu from an independent Ferrari Service Facility:
Model - F355
Oil Change - $195
Annual Fluids - $995
Major Service* - $5,850
Clutch - $1,695
Brake Pads - $900
*Major Service = belts, tensioners, bearings, seals, & gaskets (every 3-5 years)
These costs and intervals can vary greatly depending on where in the US you are located and what is exactly done, but just like Porsche, the dealers are always more expensive for service than a good independent mechanic.
As for my statement about "Major Service is much more expensive but is required less often", I am basing that on my driving habits and the mileage I would put on these cars over the course of time. Realistically speaking if you purchased a car that has recently had a "Major Service" you would likely not need to change the cam belts for 4-5 years. At a cost of roughly $6000 that is $1200-1500 dollars per year in maintenance.
This is what I was basing my previous post on. Hope that clarifies things.
Cheers,
Ryan
Servicing schedule
Your F355 will need servicing on an annual or mileage basis, depending upon how much use it is getting. The recommended minimum is an annual service, but if your car is covering sufficient mileage it may require servicing due to miles covered rather than time.
There are several types of service that the car will need:
A annual 'lube' service - which includes changing of the usual fluids such as oil, brake fluid etc
An annual plus additional work that requires doing every two years or at certain mileages whichever comes first
A major service - Cambelt replacement every 3 years or 50,000km whichever comes first. (ferrari recommends every 3 years but most ferrari mechanics will tell you 4-5 years is normal. Originally Ferrari had the service recommendations for US cars at every 5 years and european cars at 3 years but then changed the recommendation to 3 years for all cars)
Below is a cost of service menu from an independent Ferrari Service Facility:
Model - F355
Oil Change - $195
Annual Fluids - $995
Major Service* - $5,850
Clutch - $1,695
Brake Pads - $900
*Major Service = belts, tensioners, bearings, seals, & gaskets (every 3-5 years)
These costs and intervals can vary greatly depending on where in the US you are located and what is exactly done, but just like Porsche, the dealers are always more expensive for service than a good independent mechanic.
As for my statement about "Major Service is much more expensive but is required less often", I am basing that on my driving habits and the mileage I would put on these cars over the course of time. Realistically speaking if you purchased a car that has recently had a "Major Service" you would likely not need to change the cam belts for 4-5 years. At a cost of roughly $6000 that is $1200-1500 dollars per year in maintenance.
This is what I was basing my previous post on. Hope that clarifies things.
Cheers,
Ryan
10-24-2013, 10:06 AM
#38
Race Director
From what I've seen, its cracked headers, sticky interiors/peeling leather, cam variators (most are fixed by now) and that the F1 clutch wears quickly under certain circumstances.
A set of aftermarket headers, a manual transmission, and some interior work and you're basically good.
Um...in what context? In its time period...no. Currently...No...compared to an F355...maybe
10-24-2013, 10:11 AM
#39
Rennlist Member
My stock 355 stays ahead of a well track equipped 993 on my local track and both myself and the 993 driver are basically at par from a driver talent perspective. If I was to give the nudge driver talent wise I would give it to the other driver as in the 993.
10-24-2013, 10:34 AM
#40
Rennlist Member
The problem I see with F cars is the parts. 993 parts can be found from many places, and OEM manufactures at many price points. Ferrari and Lambo parts are just expensive. If you can live with that, go for it. Love the 328 GTS.
10-24-2013, 10:49 AM
#41
Rennlist Member
Oh, and all it needed was oil changes during that time.
10-24-2013, 10:53 AM
#42
Drifting
Please inform the independent shop that maintains my 993 that 993 parts are not expensive. They didn't get that memo.
10-24-2013, 10:54 AM
#43
Drifting
10-24-2013, 11:10 AM
#44
Race Director
that, and for ferraris, especially older models, there are many fiat and other brand parts that cross with the ferrari part, so you can save a bunch of money if you don't need the yellow box with the horsey on it.
10-24-2013, 01:06 PM
#45
Rennlist Member
Ferrari's have quirks.
My buddy has a 328 Spyder (I think that's it) and he had to replace a seal that separated the crankcase from the gearbox, the failure of which allowed engine and gearbox oil to mix. Fortunately, he did this himself. God knows what it would have cost.
Also, if you need A/C the Ferrari system, in the 328 at least, simply can't keep up with SoCal heat.
My buddy has a 328 Spyder (I think that's it) and he had to replace a seal that separated the crankcase from the gearbox, the failure of which allowed engine and gearbox oil to mix. Fortunately, he did this himself. God knows what it would have cost.
Also, if you need A/C the Ferrari system, in the 328 at least, simply can't keep up with SoCal heat.