ignacio

i am being seriously tempted to add a 1998 black 355 to my stable.

can anyone here tell me if i am nuts to consider a 355 as a daily driver? my wife covets our c4s!

Riad

You're not nuts, you're insane. The cost of maintenance on that car is very high. I have a friend that has two of them - a 348GTS and a 355. He's been a Ferrari nut all his life and he's just about had it with them. He went out and actually bought an I-35 because the TCO of those cars are so high.

So, if you were thinking of it as a weekend car - man that would be sweet, but a daily driver it ain't.

If you do wind up buying one post pics!! Gorgeous car.

Rob

Wachuko

Get a GT3... do I hear GT3? Can someone give me a "GT3"??

NiveK

aren't the oil changes around 5000 dollars for those things every 15k miles?

e46 M3 owner...for now

I'm not speaking from experience here on the Ferrari front, but I've thought about making that major jump...and I know I will at some point.

However, my research into the Ferrari ownership experience is a bit frustrating.

a)For one, they require frequent (in terms of mileage) service/attention by dealer.
b)Those visits to the dealer are outrageously expensive.
c)If you don't live in the vicinity of a dealer, it is a major ordeal to have the work performed...causing other such issues like either having to put a lot of extra (and costly) miles on the car to/fro dealer, or arranging other transportation with flatbed, etc.


What most people will say is that if you have to ask the price, then you probably shouldn't be buying a Ferrari. There is some truth to that, but aside from the costs of it, hassle is a major part of the ownership experience.

In my case, even if the service was free, I'd have to flatbed or trailer the car to one of 4-5 dealers (Toronto, CT, NJ, NY, Philly, DC, etc.), all of them about 4 or more hours away from where I live. Plus if I drive the car a lot (like I do everything else) like 12k miles or so (many busy weekends), who knows how often I'd be at the dealer....

If I lived in a city with a dealer, it would be much more simple, but I think it would still be annoying if I'm dropping $5k on the car every time it needs a little something...no matter how much $$ I've got.

An acquaintance has a Modena and a 355 spider and said that he just plans around $1k/month per car over the course of the year. To me, its just a key bone of contention when I'm used to driving BMWs (and now a Porsche) with more of a normal ownership experience, relatively normal repair costs, and relative ease in finding a dealer (still 1.5 hours for me for BMW or Porsche).

My e46 M3 has free maintenance for the first 3 years/36k miles. That makes life a bit easier too.

Anyway, one thing to be said about certain Ferraris is that they will hold their value well provided that you don't drive them much. But then again, what's the purpose? Gotta drive the thing...

ex. 360 Modena, especially the spider


Others lose their value enough to forget ever wanting one...i.e. the 456 and 550 which lose major $$ every time you go to the grocery store. They make for "bargains" in the used market, but those same models will continue to depreciate at an accelerated rate compared to the 355s and 360s.

Anyway, I think if you want to go Ferrari, make sure you're ready for it...

01 C4 Cab NYC

My brother has a 355 spider. Great car, but not a daily driver. The major service interval is 15,000 miles, where they change all the belts, plugs, blah blah blah, that is typically a few grand, but oil changes, which are more frequent, are only $130.
That said it does not have the reliability of a porsche. If you thought there was no space in a 996, wait til you try and fit 2 people and luggage in a 355. The car is much lower than a porsche too, so driveways or potholes can be a nightmare.
Prices are coming down tho, so if you have the cash, its a great weekend car. But to use it to go get the groceries, no! To quote one of the ferrari mechanics "30,000 miles is a lifetime for a Ferrari."

SANDOVAL

Read this thread on the 968.net board one of our members had the same idea you have.There is good first hand info from one of the members that has a great deal of experience with the 355...

http://65.61.16.109/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4516

$3.33/mile cost of ownership... Not your daily driver... A 996 is a DD not a 355

Eric - Plug Guy

JUST SAY NO!

First mistake, Ferrari as a daily driver
Second mistake, Black

Leave it alone and drive the hell out of the C4S. Life's too short.

Or get a red one.

Fantod

I have been looking at 328's, 348's and 355's as well.
This is what I have determined.
Less power than some but more fun than Pcars.
Much less reliable - things will malfunction and owners prepare for it by allotting $1k mo for service.
Service prices higher -
15k service $3-4k , 30k service $6-10k(timing belt replaced)
oil change $200- 350
most malfunctions in the $2-4k price range
Most owners concede Fcars are not daily drivers,
some who own both F and Pcars prefer one over the other, with about a 60/40 split favoring Fcars.

I have been cosidering one because I think they are a more beautiful
car than the 996 and there is a different mystique to the Fcar.
I suggest you go to www.ferrarichat.com and www.ferrariclassified.com,
you will receive help there as well.

A 355 will range between $75 - 125k. With service added over a few years you are in the price range of what a TT will cost.

ignacio

thanks for all the responses.

some of you may be interested in the responses to the this same question on the ferrarichat board cited by fantod.

i certainly don't expect to save money vs a turbo. i just think it might be more fun. who knows?

the cam belt change service costs 5-6k at the dealer every 30k mi or after 5 yrs for garage queens. that i expect. what i don't know is how often these lovelies break down in the middle of the road. i can afford the car but i don't appreciate inconvenience.

i'm also interested in finding out what the experience of driving a 355 day after day is like is it too harsh? will it constantly bottom out?

it appears to me that most of my friends with ferraris have previously owned and loved porsches. many have both.

novelty is a great but often expensive thing, otherwise we'de probably all drive toyotas and hondas!

ignacio

eric

i am tempted by a low mileage guards red turbo 996, instead.

my only fear is the local constable i love red too i'm just chicken

wouldn't it be great if all problems were this much fun?

01 C4 Cab NYC

igancio,
The car as daily driver is not too harsh, and day to day you are not likely to bottom out that often, but if the roads are crap, there is a good likely hood you will scrape. It is a beautiful car and has a much more viceral feel than a 996, at WOT the sound is AMAZING, especially in tunnels.
My brother has put about 10 - 15k miles on his car (I'm probably responsible for about 500 - 1000 of those) and it has yet to just crap out. The problems are less major mechanical failure, more annoying little things like the heater controls, or a window switch.
If you have the doh I say go for it, but keep the C4S as you daily driver...

BigHeadDennis

FWIW, I've put 20k+ miles on my 355 in two years. Maintenance IS expensive, lots more so than a 996. But maintain it well and regularly, and it IS dependable. If something breaks, it'll cost ya, but regular maintenance will keep you from calling AAA. And there are plenty of good independent shops around - you don't HAVE TO go to a dealer. A 15k mile service is probably around $1k-1200 at a good shop; an engine-out 30k mile service is going to be between $2k-$4k, depending on what else should be done, on a preventative basis, while the engine is out. Major problems CAN include exhaust valve guides ($5k-$9k) and cracked exhaust manifolds ($2k). But the incidence is much, much less than the 996 RMS problem.

And a 355 *IS* fast. Is it as fast as a 996tt or Z06? Nope. But it IS faster than a "regular" 996. And, candidly, it is flat out fun to drive - nothing beats a mid-engine two seat sports car for thrills. My wife's 996 is awfully close, but not QUITE as much fun....

You won't bottom out in a 355, but you will likely scrape the front nose undertray. I have a pair of aircraft-grade nylon skid plates (also available in aluminum or titanium) to take the hit.

As for depreciation, well, it depends on how you are in buying and selling. You can find a nice 355 Berlinetta for $70-$90k, with beat-up ones going for less and pristine no-miles Series Fiorano ones going for more. What will depreciation be in 3 years? Who knows, but probably no worse than a 996tt. And certainly LESS depreciation than a new "regular" 996. So budget for the additional maintenance expense, and worry less about depreciation.

As for it being a daily driver, there is no reason why you can't take it whenever you would otherwise take the C4S, other than really inclement weather where the AWD might be helpful or if you need to carry more stuff. The 355 trunk is larger than the 996, though, of course, no rear seat area.

One downside, depending on your POV, is that you WILL garner a LOT more attention. Some people are paranoid about parking, etc., but that's up to you I used to drive mine to work in downtown Boston 2-3 times a week.

Bottom line - the 355 is BEAUTIFUL, FAST, FUN TO DRIVE, but budget for repairs and maintenace.

vty,

--Dennis

jbdmd

Dennis

thanks for some positives!

I don't think i am in the $$market$$ for a 355 but i can swing a 348 or a 328 or an older testi.

it was my plan to have it as a third car and a fun weekender.

my only question is whether or not i will have the discipline to NOT drive it every day!

Riad

Actually statistically speaking red cars do not get pulled over more than other colored cars.

I've gotten pulled over so many times in my black 01 C4 that I get a plush toy from DMV if I get any more points on my license - I'm going for the dolphin!!

Rob