355 - 355 B and GTS Stick getting really hard to find | Page 5 | FerrariChat

355 355 B and GTS Stick getting really hard to find

Discussion in '348/355' started by Robb, Aug 28, 2019.

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  1. BrianNYC14

    BrianNYC14 Formula Junior

    Dec 6, 2014
    754
    North Carolina
    Full Name:
    Brian E
  2. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    Hoarder! :D
     
    BrianNYC14, Suffyk and F129b like this.
  3. F129b

    F129b Formula Junior

    Feb 6, 2004
    523
    oc, calif.
    Full Name:
    Robert
    Interesting topic..subscribed.
    I’ve long thought that my car is worth more to me than the market will bear..at least to 2019.
    I am 2nd owner, have all records since 2000 when I direct imported it from IT Image Unavailable, Please Login . Since it’s grey mkt, my assumption was that it would get dinged for that if offered.
    ‘98 GTS
    -30k mi
    -gated
    -painted roof
    -tubi
    -fabspeed headers & cat cores
    -sticky no more
    -really fast tight & strong
    -cosmetically 9.8/10


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  4. jgriff

    jgriff Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2008
    1,125
    Houston, TX
    I had a ‘98 B F1 that had a lot of issues. I spent about $24k on it in 2 years and it still wasn’t reliable. Looking back now I understand that I bought the wrong car. After selling that I wanted a manual spider and bought a perfect one. It’s been almost as reliable as a Toyota for 2.5 years.

    I thought I wanted a spider so I could hear the engine even better but it seems like it doesn’t make a lot of difference. My B with Nouvolari exhaust sounded perhaps better than my spider with capristo.

    Bottom line, I never track so don’t need the stiffness of the B. I like the looks of the B but love taking the spider out on a nice day. Apparently the one I want is whichever one I don’t currently have. One of each sounds good.

    Spider vs. B I can’t decide on. I do know that a car that has been maintained and loved all its life is the one to have.
     
    Suffyk likes this.
  5. jgriff

    jgriff Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2008
    1,125
    Houston, TX
    Seems like the perfect car to me. I’ve owned 355s for almost 10 years, seen dozens of them at shops, shows, etc.. I’ve seen probably half a dozen Challenge cars. I’ve never seen one like this in person. Didn’t even attempt to find a manual GTS the two times I’ve been shopping. You just never see them. Real world though I’d probably only pay $10k or so over a Spider in identical condition. I think there are many who would go higher though.
     
  6. flat_plane_eddie

    flat_plane_eddie F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 30, 2013
    3,142
    NE FL
    Full Name:
    Eddie
    Curious but what makes you say that's the "wrong car"? I assume if you spent $24k on fixing a car, those issues would never really pop up again unless they're consumables like a clutch. Was it primarily F1 issues?
     
  7. jgriff

    jgriff Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2008
    1,125
    Houston, TX
    I had very little idea what to look for when I bought my first one. It had almost no records, oil leaks all over the engine, stickies everywhere, etc...

    After $24k it still left us stranded over and over again. I thought a major and a few other things would make it right but it didn’t.

    My second one I paid more than most people would consider reasonable because it was extremely well taken care of. It’s been very reliable.

    I would consider my first car a basket case. I learned to spend a little more and get a good car.

    I did have F1 issues. Put a 360 pump on it and it failed so had to do it again. A/C was a constant issue. It came through the defrost all the time so the windows were always fogged. Replaced cats, did a major service. Lots of other issues.

    It was an awesome car when it was running well though. F1 is pretty cool when it doesn’t leave you stranded.
     
    flat_plane_eddie likes this.
  8. jgriff

    jgriff Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2008
    1,125
    Houston, TX
    Forgot to mention I watch the Matt Farrah video of your car often. You did a good thing for the 355 letting him drive it.
     
  9. flat_plane_eddie

    flat_plane_eddie F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 30, 2013
    3,142
    NE FL
    Full Name:
    Eddie
    It belongs to 05elise nowadays but I'm glad it helped. Back then, most Youtube "attention" of the 355 was negative. I didn't want to be in the car with him because I don't wan't that kind of exposure but I regretted not being there to correct his engine out statements.

    One thing that annoyed me with Doug DeMuro's videos (I'm not sure if Matt did the same) is he would always make a huge deal about the engine out on the 355 but when testing the Testarossa, not even a mention of it.
     
    phrogs, INTMD8 and carnutdallas like this.
  10. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,488
    Lake Villa IL
    ^ Or 512tr which seem to be big money, and you're pulling that out of the top.
     
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  11. Skippr1999

    Skippr1999 F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 22, 2009
    4,212
    How did you solve the AC coming through the defrost vents at all times ? I’ve noticed this too.

    Skipp
     
  12. BrianNYC14

    BrianNYC14 Formula Junior

    Dec 6, 2014
    754
    North Carolina
    Full Name:
    Brian E
    So good, this got me laughing John.
     
  13. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky

    You have a couple of nice cars, Brian.
     
    BrianNYC14 likes this.
  14. jgriff

    jgriff Formula 3

    Jun 16, 2008
    1,125
    Houston, TX
    I never did. There are several posts on here about the issue though.
     
  15. Steve355F1

    Steve355F1 F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Aug 26, 2011
    16,217
    Adelaide, South Aust
    Full Name:
    Steve
    I had that same issue early in my ownership of my car.
    I know this isn't particularly helpful as I don't remember what they did to fix it (I may be able to find it in my records), but I know it was a simple fix and no big deal at all. It seems strange that it's proving hard to solve in some cases.
     
  16. F355Bob

    F355Bob Formula 3

     
  17. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    12,661
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    For all you whiners... where were you when I listed my 95B for sale … all of 3 months ago?
     
  18. SoCal1

    SoCal1 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 14, 2011
    8,562
    SoCal LA/OC/New Mexico
    Full Name:
    Tim Dee
    Qavion, Skippr1999 and Robb like this.
  19. Robb

    Robb Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 28, 2004
    13,875
    Full Name:
    Robb
    I have a feeling for the ones I have heard from that Red is not their new Black... :D hence the answer to your question.

    Robb

     
  20. Laserman

    Laserman Karting

    Oct 26, 2018
    104
    Minneapolis, MN
    There are vehicles out there, but there are no deals. In December of 18, I bought a vehicle in Canada and after a PPI gave the owner considerably less than he wanted. Unfortunately, the PPI can only tell you so much as to what might be wrong with the car. Many owners (not all) drive the vehicles and ignore, defer or put as little as possible into maintaining the car. As it turned out I did not discount the vehicle price enough to make up for the repairs. With that said and 6 months and lot of work done in Canada where it is cheaper I think I am getting a reasonably sorted car. This included: valve guides, Fabspeed headers and blankets, new O2 sensor offsets, 16 new exhaust valves, 4 new Cylinder sleeves (ouch), all CV joint boots, new seals everywhere and two new shock actuators. Unfortunately, this means I paid about $8000 more the car than I should have if you believe the sorted price for a car is in the mid $90's. I might add it still has stickies to resolve and the rubber is way too old to push hard on the road. I would do this all over again because I got the the gated shifter and the color combinations I wanted and I now have a vehicle that I can have some confidence in. BTW I am still waiting for it to clear importation.

    In this vehicle market you must pay to be in the dance. Just make sure you pay for items that will increase the reliability of the car.

    For example, if you don't need a concours vehicle absolutely do not put in Ferrari Headers and Cats they will just fail again.
     
    Wsmatau, 05elise and Robb like this.
  21. Skippr1999

    Skippr1999 F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 22, 2009
    4,212
    All old cars are like this. Some more expensive than others, but most suffer from cheapskate previous owners. The only car out of 8 that has only cost me the price of general maintenance is my CS. The rest are endless. Just buy what you like, forget the resale value, and count yourself lucky to be able to afford them.
     
  22. blkdiablo33

    blkdiablo33 F1 Rookie

    Jul 12, 2004
    4,351
    do you prefer the 95 model over the 96 n up ?
     
  23. blkdiablo33

    blkdiablo33 F1 Rookie

    Jul 12, 2004
    4,351
    there are quite a few 355 manal spiders for sale say color white for one what do you guys think of resale for a white 355 ,the coupes are for sure the more favorite ones for buyers
     
  24. flat_plane_eddie

    flat_plane_eddie F1 Rookie
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Mar 30, 2013
    3,142
    NE FL
    Full Name:
    Eddie
    I honestly think white is one of the worst colors for a 355 but I could be an outlier. I would personally never consider one but I have seen a few sell quite fast.
     
  25. blkdiablo33

    blkdiablo33 F1 Rookie

    Jul 12, 2004
    4,351
    theres a white on tan manual for sale for a while .lots of spiders i had a 97 b in 99 so im leaning towards a coupe or gts
     
    Natkingcolebasket69 likes this.

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