Blu swatters 355 Spider | FerrariChat

Blu swatters 355 Spider

Discussion in '348/355' started by bjwhite, Oct 22, 2020.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

    Mar 17, 2006
    4,675
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Brian White
  2. Robb

    Robb Moderator
    Moderator Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Feb 28, 2004
    13,875
    Full Name:
    Robb
  3. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    #3 johnk..., Oct 22, 2020
    Last edited: Oct 22, 2020
    Not exactly collector quality IMO. Too much after market Fabspeed crap, but original parts said to be included. Front bumper appear seriously scraped up. One wheel look pretty beat up. would live to see interior shots. Just my opinion. and I'm always suspicious of cars with so much service. $100,000? That $5000/1000 miles.And why, if you doing a photo shoot, don't you detail the car. But price seems fair form what can be seen


    Image Unavailable, Please Login


    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    albert328gts likes this.
  4. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,676
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    It IS on craigslist....

    ...not that you can't buy a Ferrari on CL....

    sjd
     
  5. fboutlaw

    fboutlaw Karting

    Dec 3, 2014
    237
    Woodside, CA
    If this was available 4 years ago, I'd be all over it. Love swatters blue. If it really is sorted, that seems like a great deal.
     
  6. INRange

    INRange F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 27, 2014
    10,013
    Virginia/Florida/Caymans
    Full Name:
    JD
    The CL listing shows the car with 200K miles! Fortunately the odometer read 1/10th of that. GLWS.
     
  7. bjwhite

    bjwhite F1 Rookie

    Mar 17, 2006
    4,675
    Seattle, WA
    Full Name:
    Brian White
    I agree on blu swatters. An gorgeous color. I'm not sure why people freak out so much over TdF blue in comparison to some of the other blues out there in Ferrari-land....and I have to say swatters is a damn good one.

    VIN is 107572 for future searching reference.
     
  8. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 22, 2014
    6,339
    Houston
    Thanks, guys, for bringing this one up. I googled the vin and it was for sale some time after 2011 with an ad that stated 34k miles. That's my main concern with it right now. Is anybody local to it? I'm sitting with my Mom in the hospital this week and I'll probably be here another week at least.
     
  9. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 22, 2014
    6,339
    Houston
    https://www.ronsusser.com/inventory/listing/1997-ferrari-f355-spider-bluetan-great-shape/

    Here's the link I found. Accordingvto this, the front bumper has been repainted and scuff guards installed on the underside.

    Are the wheels difficult to get refinished? Are they made of anything exotic that a local shop would have trouble with?

    What are your opinions on the modifications? I youtubed a car with the Maranello exhaust and it sounded pretty good to me.
     
  10. fboutlaw

    fboutlaw Karting

    Dec 3, 2014
    237
    Woodside, CA
    The wheels are magnesium, so yeah, they're a bit exotic. Used OEM ones are easy to come by. I can't speak to difficulty refinishing, but the material is non-standard.


    All the niggling things these cars are known for – faulty factory headers, sticky switches, etc - have been tended to and all upgrades have been done to coax this 355 into its fullest expression: <-- this is a bit overstated. It sounds like someone went mod heavy for personalization. For the reliability stuff that matters they went all over the map with high-tier (gold connector kit), mid-tier (fabspeed headers) or low tier with those cats. Not all the stuff is bad but it's not all goodl

    Here's where I'd put that car's mod list. This is obviously my personal take and not a definitive guide.

    Actual improvements
    • Fabspeed headers
    • Gold Connector kit wiring harness upgrade (fewer electrical gremlins)
    • Fabspeed Red Silicon airbox connectors (better airflow) <-- hear me out. Better airflow is a bogus claim, but if they were black, new hoses with new clamps are going to be more reliable and seal better than the old accordions.
    • Hill Engineering belt tensioner <-- just about all 355's have this
    • Upgraded SPAL fans <-- Which ones? The low amperage ones are an improvement.
    • Switches refinished by Sticky No More

    Preferences & Personalization
    • Maranello X-OST sports exhaust (incredible 355 sound) <-- everyone has a different exhaust pref. I tried Tubi EVO and went back to OEM because I like the refinement, not the bark, but to each their own. (I'll sell you a tubi if you want it).
    • Challenge Grill (better airflow; more aggressive looks)
    • carbon fiber door sills
    • Prancing Horse floor mats
    • Hill Engineering shifter knob

    Make it worse
    • EVO hyperflo Catalytic Converters <-- Thin Cat design. Not CARB approved if a CA car (not that they're easy to check).

    Meh - don't really do anything, just ignore.
    • Kingsborne spark plug wires (stronger spark)
    • Fabspeed Carbon Fiber airboxes (better airflow)
    • Upgraded Alpine stereo and JL Audio amplifier with bluetooth/handsfree <-- upgraded to outdated...
    • Covercraft cover


    FYI, local to the car. If anyone is seriously considering it and want a general PPI, PM me.
     
    Julia and Qavion like this.
  11. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    Always like the therm "sorted". Like you'll never have a problem with it again.
    Depends on the damage. If it's down to the bare mag it needs special treatment. But if the bare mag is not exposed they can be spot repaired or completely repainted with proper prep. For example I had a bad spot on one of the spokes. A little wet sanding and air brushing some primer, then base coat and then air brush some blending clear and its perfect. But the damaged wheel on that car looks pretty bad. And if you refinish one wheel, then you have one wheel looking new and the other different. So you really have to do all 4 if you're anal about it.


    Image Unavailable, Please Login
     
    Julia likes this.
  12. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 22, 2014
    6,339
    Houston
    I'm not pursuing this car aggressively at this time due to circumstances in my life (my elderly mother is very ill). But I did call on the car and the odometer issue was, the odometer that was in the car when the seller bought it was shorting out and reading zero speed (so zero miles added during those times, I supppose). He purchased a used odometer off eBay with 9000 miles, and has added 11,000 or so miles to that odometer. So, if the 34K miles on the odometer the last time it was sold is correct, the car actually has closer to 45,000 miles on it. He says the car's engine was fully rebuilt by Ferrari of Atlanta before it was sold, so that's how he's justifying advertising it as 20K miles.

    Given the fact that it has more than double the miles advertised, is $75,000 still a fair price? Additionally, if I ever went to sell it, the odometer story is a story I'd have to tell, which would make it worth less at that time, I'm sure.
     
  13. MAD828

    MAD828 F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 8, 2011
    2,539
    Sydney
    Full Name:
    Elliott Caras
    And that’s the mileage seller is admitting to. I’d steer clear unless 75k is a significantly good deal, which from my limited understanding of US prices it ain’t. You will hate to explain the story when trying to sell it down the track.
     
    kryten2001 and Julia like this.
  14. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    Sorry to hear about you mother. Wishing you well.

    The car is also on Car.com. https://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/826917857/overview/ No mention of any of this. Records should document the mileage discrepancy, but why not be straight from the start. Not doing so would be a red flag to most. I can't say about price, but I'm with Elliot just cause. Dishonest advertising would kill the deal for me.
     
    kryten2001 and Julia like this.
  15. Julia

    Julia F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 22, 2014
    6,339
    Houston
    He seemed pretty straightforward on the phone, but I agree, advertising it at 20K miles when it ain't is a little squirrelly.
     
  16. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 27, 2001
    5,516
    Duluth, MN
    Full Name:
    The Meister
    Keep in mind this mileage story is something you would have to explain and deal with down the road and we all know Ferrari buyers are perhaps the most nit picky of them all.

    IMO this car is an easy pass at $75k even if its a unicorn color. It's beat up, not well presented, some mileage story/issue. I know of a different (lighter) color blue 355 spider here town that recently came up for sale IIRC $65k
     
  17. Meister

    Meister F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Apr 27, 2001
    5,516
    Duluth, MN
    Full Name:
    The Meister
  18. Carmellini

    Carmellini Formula Junior

    Jul 16, 2019
    814
    all credibility is lost on this car. selectively providing information does not work. would that information have been provided if the question was not raised. certainly makes a whole lot more suspect.
     
    Julia and bjwhite like this.
  19. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    10,629
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    CA law. Most states and the Fed have similar.

    5.050 Replacement or Conversion of an Odometer (CVC 28053)
    An odometer may be serviced, repaired, or replaced, but must reflect the same mileage after the service, repair, or replacement as it did prior. However, if the odometer is incapable of registering the same mileage, the odometer must be adjusted to zero miles, and a notice in writing must be attached to the left door frame of the vehicle by the person performing the service, repair, or replacement. The notice must specify the mileage prior to the service and the date on which the service was completed.
     
    Julia likes this.

Share This Page