•••• F355 GTS 6spd WANTED ••••

Negotiate a price - put a deposit down - Bring a mechanic - buy it...

Robb

 

I wouldnt waste time negotiating a price on this one. New headers and cats and challenge grill. Service up to date. It could slip if you tried to squeeze a few thousand. Its happened to me before. Price is right imho.

 

I think so too, but then again I wouldn't sell mine for that much. Not sure there is another 6 speed GTS on the market that compares to this one.

 

Seller seemed to be OK with on-site PPI, but I could not find anyone in the Austin area to do this.

Asking him what the problem is with off-site PPI didn't get me anything nice. He basically told me he can be paid shop hours AND driver hours to take the car to a PPI, and overnight is out of question. Take it or leave it, to put it nicely. That's several thousand dollars to have the privilege to do a very rushed PPI (another thousand), if he were even serious at all.

An eyes-closed experienced F355 owner may be able to handle this kind of seller, but I certainly could not. I asked anyway, and got the brush-off treatment.

I already have my 355, so I can speak of this experience without the frustration bias of an ongoing hunt.

 

This is where service records and talking to the shop / dealer mechanic can at least help, although not replace, a PPI.

We can all understand not wanting our cars taken apart once they are in great shape but normally sellers will accommodate a PPI with one of two auth dealers / independent. They generally don't want just anyone messing with them.

I'd send a deposit / agree on price pending PPI with Ferrari of Austin.

But just have a big look at service records esp most recent.

Robb

 

Brian Crall (Rifledriver) is in Austin now but not sure he does PPI's anymore.

 

Is there supposed to be a proper PPI checklist?

Here's my checklist:

1. Clean title
2. No accidents
3. If panels painted, ask where the work was done to see if done properly. Not a deal breaker.
4. Recent (within last 2-3 years) engine out service. Preferably by a reuptable shop. No major service recently done preferred if price reflects that. I prefer to have major done on my own watch. I am not sure how a visual ppi can confidently confirm water pump is fully sealed, age of belts, engine properly timed, or what valve guides the car has.
5. If recent engine out, headers were replaced. If upgraded OEM or quality after-market ... Big plus.
6. Check for rust
7. Condition of interior. Proper wear and tear for miles. Sticky or no sticky is ok. Not a deal breaker. If done by SNM... Big +
8. Ask about clutch wear, but not a deal breaker. Can be easily replaced.
9. Check for oil leaks
10. Compression test
11. Car starts
12. Car drives

Any other issue can be sorted fairly easily and part of the ownership experience of a 90s Ferrari.

 

It would be great to check inside cats but that would involve pulling the exhaust... Ask me how I know? I have bought new cats for both my cars. After taking to emissions.

I don't think headers have to be replaced for the car to be good but orig headers have a limited lifespan. Replacement headers (even new style) also have... a limited lifespan.

Robb

 

Headers wont be a deal breaker if everything else checks out. At the end of the day, it's time and money. Cost to replace headers is $3,000 + $800 for labor. Certainly not chump change, so one could choose to factor that into final value or not.

My car had an engine out service from Lake Forest Motorcars, which cost the previous owners roughly $10k. Did not include any valve guide change or header change. Service was done at 19k mi. Car was sold to me at 24k mi. Car now has 27k mi with cracked/leaking headers. Possible valve guide failure as I see oil leak in exhaust port. Now the car sits until I plan out my next engine out service with with head work and header change. Stainless Header's 321 headers should last 100k+ mi.

My car is a 95 and I was well aware of the reported weak guide problem although the engine out serviced seemed to be performed very thoroughly. Compression numbers looked good as well. I took a gamble and it didnt work out. But i liked the car and given the same scenario, i think i wouldve taken the same gamble again.

Valve guide and header issues can arise regardless of how well the engine out service was performed. In my case, the $10k the previous owner spent went down the drain (or was only good for 8k mi, 3k mi in my case) as i have to pull the motor and do the service again to address those issues.

 

Couldn't get a hold of him. First text I got back from him was, sorry car sold over the weekend. Oh well.

 

Moorespeed will not do it?? These guys have ran things in Austin for a long time.

Mat

 

$6,800 for a rear window? No thanks.

 

Great to hear. Hope this one pans out. Is it a GTS 3 pedal like you initially started looking for?

 

You are quite welcome Kurt! Good ones are harder to find. Glad you got what you were excited about.

Looking forward to seeing more great pics of you with the car on your adventures...

Robb

 

Congrats Kurt. Hope it works out for you.