355 - 1997 White 355 with 75k miles? | FerrariChat

355 1997 White 355 with 75k miles?

Discussion in '348/355' started by PA32Pilot, Mar 31, 2020.

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  1. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
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    Mar 5, 2020
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    Jamie Kirk
  2. Qavion

    Qavion F1 World Champ
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    Feb 20, 2015
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    Interesting. I wonder if that's the original colour. White/tan seems a strange combo.
    What's with the strange passenger footrest? Leather?
    Is the frunk latched properly? Looks high on the driver's side.
    Painted original wheels. Can't say I've seen that before.

    Obvious small(er) things:
    HVAC panel destroyed
    Missing buttons on covers in front luggage compartment
    Aftermarket stereo (also looks like something was mounted in the front luggage compartment).
    Paint chips and dents
    Doesn't look like the "stickies" have been done.
    Ashtray is broken

    Plusses...
    Challenge rear grille
    Fuel mod has been done.
    Looks like the leather might have been redone
    No electrical problems? Somewhat unlikely, but who am I to say.

    Minuses
    The seller doesn't know when the last major was done (serious red flag there). Saying the belts "look good" is hilarious.
    Tear in the roof and other roof problems.

    Have you seen the buyer's guides in the forum sticky section? Lots of things to look for. e.g. If the headers are original, are they ok? It's a 5.2 so perhaps the valve guides are ok. Anyway, have a compression check done. Actually, I would recommend having a full PPI done by a Ferrari expert who is not related to the seller.
     
  3. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
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    Thanks! On my phone the sticky link didn't show but I found it now and read it all. I ran a CarFax last night and here is some information:
    Sold in 1997 in Michigan to a private seller, this owner put just over 10k miles on the car, It Seems the vehicle was serviced well during this time due to CarFax records.

    Sold in 2005 back to the dealer in Michigan

    Sold in 2005 as to the new owner, had the car serviced twice and put about 3k miles on her.

    Sold back to the same dealer in 2006, they sold it to a dealer in Ohio in 2006.

    Ohio dealer sold it in November 2006 to a Maryland resident who owned it till 2012. During this time multiple services were done including 40k service and it passed emission inspections. He drove it about 30k miles and per the report, he serviced it well.

    2012 Maryland owner sold it to a Florida owner, this owner drove it till 70k miles. Was involved in a light accident to the right rear, the vehicle was operational and airbags did not deeply. Had service done pretty regularly per the report.

    2018 Maryland owner sold it to a California resident with a mileage report of just over 70k miles. California resident is still the registered owner, it is being sold as an estate sale.

    From looking at the report it has had 5 owners and 3 of them drove the car daily per the mileage. It seems to have been cared for and maintained, the last shop that maintained it was Boca Autohaus Exotics in Florida, they seem to specialize in these cars.

    I figured I would do the 70k service, figured $2k.
    I was going to replace the HVAC Panel and other trim pieces that were worn and on Scuderia the parts were under $1,000
    Ashtray was $300
    Stickies fix $750

    I was concerned about the mileage but the owners drove the piss out of the car, it certainly was never babied and they used it. All maintenance shops that performed work were Ferrari specialist so the car has been well cared for. Scratches don't bother me, I was going to get it to drive it and have some fun.

    But 74k miles... I searched here and I can't find anyone talking about one of these cars with mileage that high. What mileage are these motors good for?
     
  4. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
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    It was titled in California, where I am from, so it passed emissions in 2018, less than 4k miles ago.

    And all reports shown report the color as white.
     
  5. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    Jul 28, 2018
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    lots of stuff if you search. https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/high-mileage-poll-over-75-000-miles-or-120-000-kilometers.399817/

    BTW, these will show you how to use Google to search Fchat in the event it was not known is all:)
    https://lmgtfy.com/?q=ferrari+355+mileage+site:ferrarichat.com

    https://lmgtfy.com/?q=ferrari+348+mileage+site:ferrarichat.com
     
  6. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
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    Thanks! I used the search function for the model-specific forum. Didn't think about doing it on the main forum.
     
  7. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    Even for specific forums Google is better than the boards search forum, those searches above will mostly return 348/355 threads.
     
  8. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
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    I found the sale ad from 2018 with 70k miles. The ad said all maintenance records included and just had major service completed with new brakes and tires. I think I am going to take a gamble on this car for some cheap spirited driving fun :)
     
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  9. fullmonty

    fullmonty Formula Junior

    Sep 17, 2007
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    Mel
    I have a 97 spider with 72k miles, bought it 7 years ago with 60k miles after ppi with leakdown test showing problem in 1 cylinder. Redid valves etc.. addressed other issues and have been loving the last analog F car, just had a beautiful canyon run yesterday. Just one word of caution, check the shocks and suspension joints carefully after almost 25 yrs they may need to be rebuilt. Good luck
     
  10. PA32Pilot

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    Thanks! What was the cost on the valve job for the cylinder if you don’t mind me asking?
     
  11. Ferrarium

    Ferrarium F1 Veteran
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    With the OBD compliant, been ECU controlled for 10+ years before, ABS equipped, electronic controlled suspension 355, I suspect it does not qualify as the last analog? Maybe the 308 GTS Quattrovalvole?

    https://www.hagerty.com/articles-videos/articles/2016/07/01/analog-car

    Personally I love to see cars with miles on them getting truly enjoyed, and the spiders va va va voom, drive on!
     
  12. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
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    PA32 as in Cherokee Six? Cool......
     
  13. PA32Pilot

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  14. WATSON

    WATSON Two Time F1 World Champ
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    Nice.

    PA 31-350 and PA31T for me.
     
  15. phrogs

    phrogs F1 Veteran
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    Well if you have it apart you do all the guides on both heads. Mine cost $3,000 just for the Machinist work.
     
  16. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
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    Nice! The twin conversation has came up with the wife bit then she saw the Malibu/Mirage. Think out next move is going to be turbine.
     
  17. PA32Pilot

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    Well I bought the car, it'll either be one hell of a deal or I bought a money pit.
     
  18. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
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    Keep us updated! Some of us are still on the fence! :)
     
  19. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
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    Now and the foreseeable future is going to be interesting in terms of pricing. I know where there is a 97 or 98 gated blue/tan spider with like 4K miles that the owner offered to me for $53K back in Jan.
     
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  20. PA32Pilot

    PA32Pilot Formula 3
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    Got it for $35k, I just couldn’t walk away. Fly out Friday and plan on driving it home.
     
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  21. tres55

    tres55 F1 Rookie
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    $35k is basically part out value. Congrats.

    For what it's worth...I had a 98 F1 with 72k miles on it and it ran just fine save for some F1 issues that the new owner rectified relatively easily after I sold it to him

    That said...mine was in far better aesthetic condition than that vert. Regardless, great buy for $35k.
     
  22. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
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    nice! Zero down side from there. The ebay listing said $53K
     
  23. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
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    White/tan is a great color combo IMO and great find.

    I just want to mention as a general FYI for all looking at CARFAX when buying dont assume that 'servivce" on carfax means that the car was "serviced" in the sense that we tend to think about it around here. Service could just be an oil change, clutch adjustment or other regular maintenance. I foolishly spent a lot of time and effort to go to a dealership hoping to get some records on a car I purchased and was "serviced" at said dealership, it turned out to be a $200 clutch adjustment.
     
  24. PA32Pilot

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    One thing I found about the shops that serviced this car were they were Ferrari service centers. The one that maintained it from 2007-2017 was Boca Auto Haus http://bocaautohaus.com/. They did enter notes into the Car Fax report as to what was serviced. Clutch was replaced at 49k miles, water pump at 58k miles. I have reached out to them to see if I can buy a complete service history for the car but they are closed due to COVID-19.
     
  25. PA32Pilot

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    The person listing it on eBay was a third party seller, after doing some sneaky Kung Fu Google stalker searches I found the actual seller. It's an estate sale. I Know it needs some things, I already reached out to Valence USA to get their complete carbon fiber center counsel, cluster and instrument trim. I also plan on buying a new top and having the local interior place put it on.

    Since I cannot verify the 70k mile service was done I have called a few places to see if they can get me in to do it and inspect the car but with COVID-19 a lot of places are closed.
     

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