| Re: 355 Advice | <– Date –> <– Thread –> |
From: cdatte (cdatte spawar.navy.mil)
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| Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 12:23:26 -0700 (PDT) | |
not too visible then ?
At 12:07 PM 7/29/2008, David Thursby wrote:
Sad to say, but mostly from distraught customers and shops that have just broken the news to their now-distraught customers....
Dave
cdatte [at] spawar.navy.mil wrote:
> never seen 355's advertised with blown engines, where did you see them ?
>
> At 11:32 AM 7/29/2008, David Thursby wrote:
>> In addition to what Charles says below, 355s with "high" mileage
>> (>80,000km) are showing a tendency for the rings to eat through the too
>> thin Nikasil coating on the liners, with a complete and very expensive
>> engine rebuild being required. This is brought on prematurely if some
>> clot has wired open the exhaust bypass valve. These valves also tend to
>> rattle as they wear. Not an issue other than it can get annoying.
>>
>> The F1 hydraulic pumps were a bad design, and they tend to fail too
>> often for a $10,000 part. The 360 improved the design by separating the
>> pump from the control unit. If you do have an F1 car that blows the
>> pump, it is possible to retrofit a 360 pump unit. They're only $1000....
>>
>> As someone in the Ferrari parts business I know that the average amount
>> spent by 355 owners is more than double that of any other model. Don't
>> get me wrong - I used to have a 355 (1995 Berlinetta, black/black) and
>> it was the best car I have ever owned. I just know they are the most
>> expensive Ferrari to keep on the road.
>>
>> If you can do mechanical work yourself, then get one with a blown
>> engine. You'll spend the same money getting it back together as you will
>> getting a going car "right" that hasn't had any of the engine issues
>> addressed. The difference is you'll know it's done right, and the car
>> will have cost you significantly less to buy in the first place. In the
>> US, 355s with blown engines are available for the high 20's and low
>> 30's. Allow another 20K for the rebuild if you do most of the work
>> yourself, and you'll have a great 355 for ~50K.
>>
>> Would I buy another one? Yes, but with a blown engine, and when family
>> finances permit.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> Charles Perry wrote:
>> > Pierre -
>> >
>> > I have a 98 F355 spider which I've owned since 2002. I love the
>> car, but
>> > have had all but one of the 355's famous issues and one that was my
>> own
>> > fault. Overall it is a great car, but like all Ferraris, some
>> > development work was left to the owners. Knowing the issues will help
>> > you see how much previous owners have done and how much you may
>> have to
>> > do.
>> >
>> > 1995 cars are slightly more powerful than newer units due to the
>> change
>> > in Bosch fuel injection systems that started in 1996. Some early cars
>> > have had problems with valve guides wearing prematurely, which
>> causes a
>> > variety of problems. I don't think anyone has ever pinned down a
>> year or
>> > VIN range where this occurred, and there are some people with early
>> cars
>> > who have never had the problem and some people with later cars that
>> had
>> > it. We all strongly recommend a pre-purchase inspection (PPI), and
>> it is
>> > worth the extra money to pay for compression and leakdown tests to
>> look
>> > for this problem.
>> >
>> > 355s also have a habit of melting their exhaust manifolds. They are
>> made
>> > out of a cheap, thin steel and some have postulated that if the
>> > catalytic converters get clogged, the additional heat burns the the
>> > manifold. The manifolds can be replaced, rebuilt with better
>> materials,
>> > or upgraded to higher end versions like Tubi. I would recommend one of
>> > the two later options if your car hasn't already had the issue fixed.
>> > Fixing cost is $1500-$3000 depending on solution.
>> >
>> > 355s have the rubbery coating on many interior surfaces (door pulls,
>> > switch trim, AC vent trim, steering console surround, emergency brake
>> > surround, center console) which turns to a disgusting sticky goo over
>> > time. No idea what triggers it - some have postulated sun exposure or
>> > cleaning chemicals. Solutions are to replace the items ($$$), or to
>> > chemically strip them down to plain plastic ($), or to upgrade them to
>> > something like carbon fiber ($$$).
>> >
>> > 355s tend to have shrinkage in the dash leather over time, usually
>> > starting with the airbag cover on the passenger side, and then the
>> > instrument cluster. Leather wear on the driver's bolster is common, as
>> > is road rash on the door intakes and behind the wheels where the body
>> > work sticks out. This is cosmetic, so you may not care but it can be a
>> > negotiating point if your car has the issue.
>> >
>> > You mentioned a berlinetta, so I won't bore you with the
>> convertible top
>> > issues on a spider.
>> >
>> > Routine maintenance isn't bad except for the 30k/5 year service where
>> > the engine is pulled to do the timing belts. This is crucial and it is
>> > urgent that you respect the time limit - not just the mileage limit
>> like
>> > all salesman will tell you is fine. I did drag my service out to 6
>> > years, and I did break a timing belt, and I paid a painful engine
>> > rebuild price as a result. My fault, but don't skimp on scheduled
>> > maintenance as it only gets more expensive if you wait. This service
>> > will run you anywhere from $3500 with a good independent mechanic and
>> > minimal replacement to $8-10k from a dealer with "while we're in
>> there"
>> > stuff.
>> >
>> > Transmission is a personal choice. This was the debut of the F1 paddle
>> > shift. Some love it, some don't. It is an early system, so certainly
>> > slower and more clunky than current systems with potentially high
>> repair
>> > bills for things like the F1 hydraulic pump or actuators. I bought the
>> > 6-speed because I like the involvement and because I believe it
>> will be
>> > easier/cheaper to service over the long run, but try both if you can.
>> >
>> > As Clyde says, prices are low on these. I see most Berlinetta's
>> offered
>> > in the $60k-$70k range and depending on the dealer or owner, it is not
>> > unusual to get 10-30% off asking prices depending on how crazy the
>> > offerer priced it to begin with. As a general rule, aftermarket
>> > equipment devalues a Ferrari, so if your car has a big stereo or phat
>> > chromed rims or some such thing, negotiate against that, even if you
>> > like them.
>> >
>> > My insurance in the states is about $800/year under a collector car
>> > policy with generous useage limits.
>> >
>> > I don't want to scare you off as these are really fun cars (any
>> > Ferrari), but they are very much NOT Lexus/Toyota as far as build
>> > quality and reliability, so the more you go in eyes open, the more
>> > enjoyable your Ferrari experience will be. There are huge assets here
>> > and at www.ferrarichat.com if you want to investigate further, or I
>> > would be happy to talk to you further.
>> >
>> > Most important shopping tip is what Clyde already told you - buy with
>> > your head, not with your heart. It's easy to get carried away with a
>> > gleaming Ferrari in front of you, but if the car doesn't have
>> > maintenance records and obvious signs of previous care (original
>> books,
>> > tools, etc), then wait. There is always another car, especially with
>> > modern Ferraris.
>> >
>> > Good luck!
>> >
>> > -- charles
>> > -- 98 F355 Spider
>> > -- 87 Testarossa
>> > -- 99 Diablo
>> >
>> >
>> > -----Original Message-----
>> > From: bouaze pierre [mailto:pbouaze [at] hotmail.com]
>> > Sent: Tuesday, July 29, 2008 10:12 AM
>> > To: Charles Perry
>> > Cc: The FerrariList
>> > Subject: Re: [Ferrari] Ferrari Digest, Vol 24, Issue 38
>> >
>> >
>> > hello all,
>> >
>> > I am looking to buy a ferrari 355 berlinetta, pref a 98 or 99 in the
>> > next year. Can anyone help with general info (insurance, service
>> > schedule, etc) for a first time ferrari buyer??? just want to do some
>> > research before i lose my virginity. Any info is appreciated
>> >
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>>
>>
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- Re: 355 Advice, (continued)
- Message not available
- Re: 355 Advice cdatte, July 29 2008
- Re: 355 Advice cdatte, July 29 2008
- Re: 355 Advice David Thursby, July 29 2008
- Re: 355 Advice cdatte, July 29 2008
- Re: 355 Advice David Thursby, July 29 2008
- Re: 355 Advice cdatte, July 29 2008
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