^^^ I agree. F355s are perhaps the most beautiful car ever designed (to my eye). How are they as daily drivers? Can you count 100% on them to get you to and from work for 9 months of the year?
Heck no. I'd say almost no Ferrari can be used as a daily driver (in practical terms), it's just not ideal unless you're willing to put forth thousands upon thousands on maintenence, for the F355 anyways.
I did not claim to have any first hand experience, that was an inaccurate inference which you or someone else might make so let me elaborate. I'm basing whatever I post strictly off from what I have heard, from this site, and other articles. I realize that may sound like a reiteration of what has been mentioned many times before, but here we go anyways. F355's need belt replacements every 25k/4yrs whichever comes first, on top of that, there are some other minor problems, such as the convertible top malfunctioning, leather upholstery on the dash tearing due to shrinkage, paint bubbling near the back window sills due to engine heat, and more. If you're into daily driving I'd say that will surely add up, will it not? AND before I get flamed to hell, I know, I know the "if you can afford the car you should be able to afford the service," comments are gonna be spilled out. But before your make your rebuttal, remember, these may be just considered as minor troubles - nothing to pull your hair out. But from what I keep hearing, despite I don't believe it 100%, it seems as if 355's are one of the more expensive Ferrari's to maintain. Now, don't give me the "an Enzo/F40/F50/other-expensive FCar's repair bill reaches into the tens of thousands, but your F355 gets around 10k at the worst." Factor in the respective car's price to maintence cost ratio and that claim will be quickly refuted. Some say that 348s are even worse for wallet-draining repair bills, others say the 355 is more of an annoyance in that respect. Hell, even Steve said he couldn't live with his black 355 Spider but that wasn't strictly due to maintenence. If I recall correctly, he mentioned the car being too hard to live with; something along the lines of, "seating position, very heavy clutch - although you get used to it - the sheer loudness of the exhaust, etc." I know Tom's "F40" friend has put over 200k on his yellow Testa, he should be the one to ask for FCar reliability. I don't know or haven't heard of any high mileage 355s so can't comment on that. Searching the Modern Forums should reveal some reliable insight into the question. Having said that, I know it is not my place to comment on Fcar reliability. But hey, I'm only only trying to provide some info here, albeit it maybe off from the truth. And that's how I want the above comments to be taken in. I am not trying to make false claims here, but I'll adhere to the fact that what I post may be flawed or have some degree of inaccuracy to it, and as such I wouldn't mind if I was to stand corrected.
If I wanted an f-car as a driver it would be the GT4 - NO OFFENSE! Its just that it is more practicle in terms of storage space and draws less attention than a 355. They are dead reliable, fun and not overly expensive to maintain. I was thinking of a 400 as a driver but they are very expensive to repair and a pig on fuel but cheap to buy.....still not a bad idea really but just a summer daily driver, no winters of course.
Dave, I'm in a similar position to yours. I'd love to have a 355 spyder as a daily for about 8-9 months out of the year. For some insight, you may want to read some of Doug Hayashi's articles on the topic. He has a supercharged NSX and at one point went and bought a 355 specifically for the purpose of daily driving. I haven't read his stuff recently so I have no idea if he still has the 355 or not. From what I've read in various places, it appears that you can use it as a daily, but you should have a backup vehicle for when it does need to spend time in the shop. My impression is that of various entry level models (308, 328, 348, 355), the 355 is a good notch above the previous models in terms of fit/finish and reliability. The 360 goes one step beyond that. I'm sure there are a million threads on this topic on F-Chat... but I'm also interested in hearing people's experiences.
let it be known Im not high jacking this thread. As for the 355, this was to be ferraris 1st car attempt to be a daily driver in todays modern world. The 95 got a bit of a bum rap, as with any first production run on a ferrari. it was also there first F1 transmission. One of there first full power steering systems as well. Tom is not a fan of the 355, I am aware of this and its pitfalls. its expensive to maintain, the vlaue guides and exhaust continue to haunt, and that F1 tranny is a bit of a heartache. And there are now some rats out there that need major work. The problem with any ferrari is that maintainence always seems to get passed on to the next owner, hence the repair bills. Also, most guys did not know how to use the F1, and blew the crap out of that thing as well. Ferrari claimed it to be its new daily driver ...so people treated as such. Problem is, whether its a ferrari, or a Viper, if a car sits for 3 weeks, you dont turn the key and blast down the street in 2 mintues at 7,000 rpm. All these cars are relative, the 355 is a stong car that needs the same care as a TR, BB, Dino, they all eventually get old. Unfortunately, its never the prestine car for sale, its always the 96 355 with 35,oookms that had 5 owners. As for the most expensive ferrari to maintain, all books and accounts show the TR as the most expensive to maintain on a per mileage ratio. I would think the BB is a close 2nd, or tie. Have fun boys, drive them !!
Getting back on topic, the guy in the maserati was Randy, a friend of one of the NSX guys (who unfortunately could not make it). He mentioned that his son has a yellow TR and that he was going to come to the meet, but I don't think he showed up before we took off. You guys know him (yellow TR)?
Just a thanks to Arshad for setting up a great meet. The NSX guys were great and it was nice to share our cars with them.
Ah thanks Rob -- sorry I thought Randy had said yellow It's a shame he couldn't join us on the run, but at least he came out for the lunch! We've gotta make this an annual event.. perhaps stage it a couple of weeks earlier, ie early-mid Oct to catch some more leaves on the trees!
Oh yes, definetley. So long as all the owners are up for it, why not? It was nothing short of a spectacular route. I was amazed at how you found these roads, when I didn't even know they existed in my own backyard!
thanks for the FB re a daily driven F355. This is the debate I was having 12 months ago and although I suspected that it *could* make a fine daily driver, I had concerns that it *may* not, hence I bought a 02 NSX instead. The NSX has proven to be an incredible daily driver. But man, those F355s are the most beautiful cars ever made! And the TUBI, dont get me talking about the TUBI. Was thrilled to meet up with you guys yesterday. Hope to do it a few times again next year. Mosport anyone? Want to set up a Ferrari/NSX Mosport day?
I was amazed at how you found these roads, when I didn't even know they existed in my own backyard! Hehe, google maps satellite mode Once I had a preliminary route with some alternate roads planned out, I did the drive to make sure there were no sections with gravel or dirt road etc. I think the route was good -- we could always tweak it a bit and end up at a different destination instead of cutting back across highway 9, but I think the rest of it was perfect. Mosport anyone? Want to set up a Ferrari/NSX Mosport day? Sounds like a great idea! Lots of guys in both clubs who track their car, so we should have a decent turnout.
Yep, he was at the first meet at centerpoint. Here's a pic of him leaving. http://givemealook.com/ipw-web/gallery/album139/Ferrari_Meet_190
More pics from the event that my buddy took: http://www.silver-bullet-racing.com/sites/NSXFallTour05/NSXFallTour05.html
There is a similar route behind the Toronto Zoo (Rouge Valley). Lots of twisty's and elevation changes....it's an oasis in the middle of the suburbs that has been undisturbed. We did a Ferrari run there a few years ago.
That would be neat! Then we can watch Steve try and out-walk the rabid Kangaroos at the Zoo while Rick maniaclly give sout a sinister laugh... Okay back onto the topic. Jay, how long did it take your group to get to the meeting point from where you guys met up?
Hmm, the rouge valley route sounds interesting! Are there any areas where you can open it up? If people are up to venturing a bit further north (southern tip of lake simcoe), there are some really awesome twisties with lots of elevation changes. BTW, here are a few short clips from the first 7 minutes of the run before my damn camera shut off. My 6 year old was in the passenger seat, and in control of the camera. http://www.arcanedesigns.net/images/nsx/FerrariNSXdrive.mpg
Well guys. Ive watched this thread with interest. Lurker here. And an older Pcar guy to boot (both driver & car). 1987 Porsche 911 Cabriolet that is self-maintained. I almost jumped in & asked for ride details because a cruise with other enthusiasts is always a blast. But, it seemed to me on your earlier meets that you were more interested in show & tell than real driving. And real driving aint a 5 mile rip up the 404 to stretch her legs at warp speed on a Saturday afternoon. That is just stupid. Too many cars filled with idiotic drivers. Of course, Ive done it too, but early in the morning with no traffic so Im not endangering myself or other cars on the road & also less chance of official presence if you know what I mean. I know, yada, yada, yada. So, it was good to see your #4 when you went for a real cruise. When we do runs (we being official PCA & other very informal collection of Pcar guys), we devote much of a day for driving. Usually with good route maps, radios etc. Stop points along the way. Sometimes bar-b-ques or picnics at the end. Many bring wives etc. Enjoying the scenery, the day, the roads, the camaraderie but never at retarded speeds. We blip well over the limit but that is not the reason for the drive. So, whats my point? If any of you want to participate in some great runs next season (and aren't afraid of putting a few miles on your odo), PM me or email me [email protected] and I will keep you in the loop. Btw the 2 wheel guys have a great website that lists all of the best roads & drives in Ontario. See http://www3.sympatico.ca/elhum/index.htm. I look forward to meeting (and driving with) some of you next year. We're all just car guys . . . Ian
Thanks for the link to that site Ian! Some good stuff on there. Personally, I can't wait for next season so we can all go on some driving adventures
I'm very anxious for the next seaosn too. I'll get first hand experince bieng a passenger in Rick's TR. After all I've heard, I can hardly wait. How's the fuel pump in the TR? Was it just acting up that day or does the red head need to go into the shop?
