# My New Baby - F355 Berlinetta



## mab (Sep 2, 2002)

Well, I have decided to follow my dream and splash out on this:










I pick it up on Saturday.

Was originally looking at an oldish 996, but found that they were not generally in very good condition. So I decided to spend more to get one in good condition, but they were not much less than the facelift model from 2002 (lights changed, etc.).

By the time I was looking at facelift models, the prices were pretty high so I looked to see what I could find in a similar price bracket and found my new pride and joy.

I am also trying to convince myself it is the sensible option as it will depreciate much less than a newish 996 carrera 2 or 4, albeit running costs etc. will be more.


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## jgoodman00 (May 6, 2002)

Very nice. Bravo!

Just watch out for the servicing costs, I am told Â£2.5k is not uncommon!


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## jampott (Sep 6, 2003)

jgoodman00 said:


> Very nice. Bravo!
> 
> Just watch out for the servicing costs, I am told Â£2.5k is not uncommon!


Ouch!

BTW - photo not showing up for me!


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## mab (Sep 2, 2002)

jgoodman00 said:


> Very nice. Bravo!
> 
> Just watch out for the servicing costs, I am told Â£2.5k is not uncommon!


Yeah, servicing costs can be pretty horrific.

However, I have ensured that it has a full cambelt service (the very expensive one) prior to me picking it up on Saturday.

Servicing costs are likely to be:

Annual 1 - Â£400 + VAT
Annual 2 - Â£400 + VAT
Annual 3 - Â£1500 + VAT (full cambelt service)

I am unsure of the likelihood of me keeping the car for 3 years, so I may save myself the expensive service. If not, then I should be able to save up before that time comes!

The other major cost is the warranty. I have a full 12month warranty with the car but to purchase that seperately, it can be IRO Â£2000.

Not the most sensible thing I have ever done, but I might as well do it whilst I'm young and enjoy the experience.

jampott - not sure why the photo is not showing... seems to have linked ok. :?:


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## r1 (Oct 31, 2002)

mab said:


> Well, I have decided to follow my dream and splash out on this:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Nice! 8)


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## jimfew (Mar 5, 2004)

mab said:


> Well, I have decided to follow my dream and splash out on this:


mab, beautiful car and very stylish. IMO its better than the 360. If you recall it was one of Jeremy C's all time fav cars, before he moved to the SL55.

Love the colour as well, classic.

Let us know what you think when you pick it up.

Jim (not at all envious.......OK well just a bit............OK, I am green).


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## r14n (Jan 10, 2003)

You 

Me [smiley=sick2.gif]

Nice one.


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## snaxo (May 31, 2002)

Absolutely beautiful - you lucky lucky boy !!!

Damian


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## Jac-in-a-Box (Nov 9, 2002)

Beautiful, absolutely gorgeous...bet you can't wait until Saturday! 

Jackie x


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## scavenger (Jun 25, 2002)

Fantastic mab. The 355 is my favourite.

I do believe you will be splashing out on it when it's parked on your drive [smiley=thumbsup.gif]


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## fastasflip (May 13, 2003)

Mab, last summer I was lucky enough to be given an hours loan of one and on severval occasions took it a tad over 70mph, however the best part? Holding it in 2nd gear and cruising through the city, everyone turns around to see whats coming way before you get to them...........oh what a noise! You lucky lucky person.


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## mab (Sep 2, 2002)

Thanks guys... really looking forward to it.

fastasflip - yeah, the sound is truly amazing. Still think I may have to investigate a sports exhaust though. 

Just had some some pretty gutting news. The cats are just on the limit from an emissions point of view and so are being replaced with branny spankers. However, they are coming from Italy and it looks as though they won't arrive in time for me to pick the car up on Saturday.

I've already been waiting a week, so another week is going to be hell...


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## davidg (Sep 14, 2002)

Get to the leigh arms on the 20 th , Dani's drive and make us all :mrgreen: [smiley=sick2.gif]


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## JayGemson (Jun 8, 2004)

Seriously nice, seriously jealous! How frustrating must it be though to know that this car is yours yet you're not quite able to drive it for such silly reasons as emissions... argh!!


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## sattan (Sep 10, 2002)

Wicked.....

I do like that, well done


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## R6B TT (Feb 25, 2003)

mab said:


> fastasflip - yeah, the sound is truly amazing. Still think I may have to investigate a sports exhaust though.


One of the partners in my local garage who do bits for me have a 355 with a Race Exhaust on.

He took me for a run in it when they were finishing the MoT on my TT - the sound was fantastic! Even before I got in he blipped the throttle and Wow!

Just do it - maybe there's a For Sale board on the Ferrari owners forum.


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## nutts (May 8, 2002)

Wow! Lucky b*stard 

The other marques section at Brooklands could be a 8) place to be


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

Fabulous car. Be careful. They bite. :wink:

No one ever bought a Ferrari for practicality and economic running costs.

Let us know how it goes whilst we all salivate in unison.


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## Dr_Parmar (May 10, 2002)

you lucky, lucky man!!! i am sure you deserve it!!! give us a full rundown! i had the pleasure of driving one round silverstone last year... WOW!!! before you know it you've hit 140mph...

bye bye driving license


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## W7 PMC (May 6, 2002)

Stunning motor mate & it would have been high on my list, had i not needed some level of practicality for my current motor.

Defo give us a full rundown when you've been playing with her for a few days 8) :lol:


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## Jazzedout (May 8, 2002)

IMHO the last classic Ferrari, before they switched to a more Japanese styling. I'd still preffer a Porsche, but its the nicest Ferrari imho.


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## gazandjan (Sep 8, 2003)

One word

WOW

8)


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## mab (Sep 2, 2002)

Well I picked her up on Wednesday... wow!

(Sorry David, didn't get it in time for the Legh Arms meet)

First impressions are that this car is unlike anything else i have ever driven (the best car I had previously driven was the 911 C2).

The power is immense and power delivery is all the way to the red line at 8500rpm, at which the sound is deafening.

What has amazed me equally is the way this car corners... there is virtually no body roll and the steering is so precise. I have limited sports car experience so have never truly understood what the Jeremy Clarksons of this world really meant when indicating a car's cornering ablility and precise steering... but I do now.

It was wet ouside for the first few days so took it quite easy, judging the point at which the back started to 'play' on wide empty roads... this is definitely a car you can have fun with and is controllable once you have learned how, but I know for sure that I don't posess the driving ability to be able to play with this vehicle in the wet.

I think garyc put it best... "be careful, they bite".

All in all it is a dream come true, but I just need to learn how to get the most from the car now...


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## David_A (May 7, 2002)

Good work fella - welcome to the world of italian motors! Reccomend a tubi exhaust if your into mods, also check out pistonheads->ferrai section very useful.

Dave


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## properperson (Apr 14, 2004)

Best of luck mab,

Just thought you'd be interested in a story about a client of mine who bought a 355 a couple of years back.

he owned it for 18 months and deducted what he sold it for from the original purchase price, then added what he'd spent on it in respect of servicing etc, then divided by the miles he had travelled - to find out the cost per mile........

God's honest - he recconed it had cost him an eye watering Â£160 per mile and "it would have been cheaper to have hired a helicopter every time he'd have wanted to use the Ferrari"

He also recconed that he had boat fulls of time wasters and Dell boys trying to haggle the price down when he decided to sell it, plus the running costs were much, much higher than he'd calculated (recconed that every time it needed a service, the agents always "uneartherd" additional problems, which helped to ramp up the final bill..

But don't let that put you off.........


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## Hugo Wattleseed (May 25, 2004)

properperson said:


> Best of luck mab,
> 
> Just thought you'd be interested in a story about a client of mine who bought a 355 a couple of years back.
> 
> ...


Helpful after the event. :roll:

Oh and I _reccon_ the Â£160/mile figure is bollocks. 1000 miles = Â£160k??? Hmm.....that would only work if the bloke had barely driven it in the 18 months and if that was the case it serves him right.


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## TT Twister (Apr 14, 2004)

Thrilled for you  
Nothing greater than seeing your dream come true (I know: see sig 8) )
Just don't kill yourself with it![/mom mode]


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## russell2002 (May 27, 2002)

380BHP and rear wheel drive with a weight bias to the rear.

Took me 30 minutes to crash one at 45MPH.... And im a very experienced driver.

Just saying the thing will bite your hand off if you dont take care. IE going round a band and pressing the GO pedal a little too much can result in disaster.

Emence fun though......and never heard a car have such a wonderfull scream.


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## garyc (May 7, 2002)

russell2002 said:


> 380BHP and rear wheel drive with a weight bias to the rear.
> 
> Took me 30 minutes to crash one at 45MPH.... And im a very experienced driver.
> 
> ...


Slow in fast out. As with all powerful rwd cars NEVER plant yer right foot before the apex - and only feed it in after the apex, plus be ready to wind on/off lock quickly. They are not like the little boys understeering 4wd turbo toys that require relatively low driver skills:wink:, but a wonderful experience and still ultra rapid when driven with respect and understanding for the physics of driving.

The 355 will be one of the Ferrari greats. I still prefer its looks to the 360M and applaud anyone who sticks their neck out and buys one. 8)


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## jam (May 8, 2002)

russell2002 said:


> 380BHP and rear wheel drive with a weight bias to the rear.
> 
> Took me 30 minutes to crash one at 45MPH.... And im a very experienced driver.
> 
> ...


Did you pay for the 355 or did you take a loan out for it with no intention of repaying it? :lol: :wink:


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## russell2002 (May 27, 2002)

Not my car..........

Plus only spun it......


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## Monique (Jun 11, 2002)

garyc said:


> Fabulous car. Be careful. They bite. :wink:
> 
> No one ever bought a Ferrari for practicality and economic running costs.
> 
> Let us know how it goes whilst we all salivate in unison.


I looked a Ferraris, Maseratis and Lambos b4 getting a Porsche 993 RS.

My reason was basic; the Italians were built by the same manufacturer: Fragile Inc.
 
Apparently from the 355, Ferrari got their quality standards sorted.

The Porsche can bite too... managed to spin it on the entry to the Autobahn on the day of purchase. No damage except to my pride. Been doing Driver Ed at various tracks.

Enjoy your car.


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## pumaro (Apr 17, 2003)

You lucky Geezer. I am :mrgreen: with envy.


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