Need help on 96 F355 Berlinetta - Possible Purchase

It Sounds pretty good. I would take it to a F-Mechanic (3rd Party) & get a Pre-Purchase Inspection ($4-500). Ask if it has the OEM Headers & Cats (it probably does).Even though your 355 has Low Miles, they will eventually need replacing Very $$$ !

If everything checks out, i would offer less than the asking Price.It is High for a '96 355B. Also post some Pics including Interior (dash,Bolsters etc). You will receive a few more "Opinions" with them.

Good Luck with the PPI !!!

Luv that Color Combo

 

Check Valve giudes, manifolds, etc then subtract 10K if perfect!

 

Great! Still -10K.

 

WHY - 10K??? The car looks in very good shape,,checked out well and probably been maintained by the owner to Ferrari startards. I think the price is very fair at 84K....why jerk around with the seller ...make the deal hard for the buyer....and take a chance on lossing the car. Persoanlly...if someone offered 10K less then a fair price, I would NOT sell the car at all...to that indivdual. There are plenty of people in the USA that have the dollars to pay a fair price...and most sellers of Ferraris don't need to be jerked around or have the time negotiating with people trying to get them down on price to that level.

 

I would have a ppi and make sure the manifolds are not bad and for the price he is asking I would want a car with a very recent 30k major service. IMO at this point in time the 15k service is'nt a great selling point. If the car is in need of the 30k service I would then drop my offer by maybe 10k. Good luck looks like a beautiful car.

 

The car is a '96, and so it absolutely needs the timing belts changed, not matter who you ask. If this has not been done, it will be minimum 3k, probably more like 5k. The cats are on borrowed time, $2500 (hyperflows). The manifolds may do fine - mine are hanging in there (fingers crossed...)

Why 10k less? Because (a) I think it needs 5k in service and (b) a '98 perfect belinetta, same color, is sitting at Sport Auto for the same price, albeit with a bit more mileage (I would feel more comfortable if the car had more miles on it - to be sure the valve guides were solid).

Sport Auto will stand behind their car. You buy from an individual, you expect to get a better price. And there is no way the guy could trade it in for anywhere near 85k. Probably more like 65 on trade. He should be meeting you in the middle.

 

Thomas,

I think J. Salmon's assessment is very well stated.

The early 355's need valve guides, etc. I have a file that another member had some time ago posted on this subject which is an excellent break down and which can make you aware of the issues.

I can e-mail it to you.

Don't be lulled by a clean low mileage car. All the 355's through early 98 had some issues.

Think it through carefully.

BTW, is this car in Colorado for sale by a dealer?

 

I agree. Seems really high to me. I think $10K less is about fair - not a steal at all. I wouldn't doubt you could get a Spider in the high $80's right now.

 

$75,000.

 

Price does seem high.
In the 6th jpeg, I see oil spots as well.
Do not, repeat do not buy this car without taking a mechanic with you.
The car has MO plates and if the it is in KC or St.L area, my mechanic would be willing to do the PPI.

 

Because that's a fair market price. Just because someone thinks their car is worth more than it is means someone else should pay it just because they can.

*Edit* Even though this is a Ferrari, leave emotion out of the deal or get screwed.

 

I would look closely at the rear bumper, if its a US car there should be open slots accros the black looking strip near the bottom. If you don't see those slots (kinda like oval holes) then be sure to have the bumper inspected to be certain its an authentic Ferrari bumper.

 

The price is high, I don't know how high but one thing to take into consideration is that it's a very clean car. Consider the catalytic converters going out, either $2,299 for a set of Hyperflows or over $4k for a set of OEM's. Valve guides are always a small risk, it's always nice to find a car that has had them done but don't prevent this from purchasing it. Manifolds, the big one, around $5k to get a set of new ones or $3,299 for NAPerformance aftermarket ones. Clutch has already been changed which is good. Service has been done which is another plus.

I would say shoot for $75-77k and see what you can do. I know there are 96's out there for $60-65k but most of them need a service among other things and have higher miles.

 

The car looks great and I agree with everything that has been said. However wouldn’t it be prudent that a 30k service gets done? When you think of it the car is 10 years old now and only driven 7k miles. I think it should get all its hoses and the like replaced because of what’s called "lot rot". Its a term from the car business that means when all the gaskets and hoses dry out and crack because the car has been sitting on the lot too long and has not had its fluids circulated to refresh those parts. Just my opinion.

 

"Again, . . I would like to thank all Ferrari
Chatters for their opinions and insight into
this thread"

Ok, with that settled,go find yourself a nice 360!!!!!

 

Get it looked into well (be CERTAIN about those timing belts), but you will love the 355. I just walked in the door from a drive...mmmm....

 

Not that this is very relevant or helps you much, but this car doesn't have the rear challenge grill or the shields on the sides. I personally like those options. I'm not sure if you were aware of those being available or missing on this particular 355, so I thought I'd bring it up. This car looks very clean, but I agree that the price is still high. You command the mighty dollar! Good luck and have fun when you finally get it home.

 

The 98 355B at Sport Auto is mine. I actually have it back at home now in the Charlotte area, and I still have it for sale. I lowered my asking price to $84500. The guys at Sport Auto know the car, and they could vouch for its condition. Since we're having such nice weather, and my wife wanted the car back at home to enjoy on the weekends. It has just shy of 28k miles on it, and is not due for another major until around 35k miles. That would be 2 years from now at the pace I drive. My car has had both cats replaced under Ferrari warranty and one manifold has also been replaced under warranty. K40 front/rear and a Tubi. I have all books and service records from new. No accidents, no issues with dash shrinkage, no valve guide issues, limited issues with sticky interior pieces (I have been cleaning them), and only slight bubbling on the HVAC console. It's a very nice red/tan 6-speed that has been driven regularly and maintained properly. I have a guy coming to look at it this week. If he doesn't buy it, I will likely post the car on this board with some photos. That's my pitch!
- Brian
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