Ferrari Mailing List: Re: 355 Advice

(continued)

355s only. They used a Nikasil coated liner by Mahle, but the Nikasil 
coating was too thin. Do you remember in the early 90s a problem with 
the then-new BMW 5 series V8s? Exact same manufacturer, exact same 
problem. Only difference is most BMWs get to 50K miles in year 1 or 2, 
while still under warranty. 50K on a 10 year old Ferrari is still not 
that common, so the problem is also just starting to appear. It's not 
every engine - just some, but those that run rich (e.g. due to wiring 
the EBV open) tend to suffer most due to cylinder washdown. Of course, 
now that the car is WAY out of warranty, Ferrari's response is along the 
lines of "new liners are in stock$$$$$".
Anecdotally, I think you'll find that more 355s have bad leakdown 
numbers than most other Fcars.
As for belts, if your book does not have a time interval, then that is a 
serious omission by FNA. Every other WSM and OM has 5 years, with the 
service bulletin a few years go advising 3, but only for US cars. Read 
into that whatever you want ($$$) :) Apparently global warning or 
whatever else is the cause of belt failures is less of a problem in all 
countries outside the area served by Ferrari North America.
Dave
clyderomero [at] worldnet.att.net wrote:

I had a 308 with over 100k on it with no liner problem
So this is the first time I have heard of this
And my 512 has 80k on it as well
Clyde
Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T
-----Original Message-----
From: cdatte [at] spawar.navy.mil
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:59:39 
To: clyde<clyderomero [at] worldnet.att.net>

Cc: The FerrariList<ferrari [at] ferrarilist.com>

Subject: Re: [Ferrari] 355 Advice

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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Re: 355 Advice	<– Date –> <– Thread –>
From: David Thursby (davidthethursbys.net)
Date: Tue, 29 Jul 2008 15:52:18 -0700 (PDT)