355spider ride!!

[crashmy911]

Talk about fast 380 horse power and really low to the ground. Thing bottomed out alot. Made my 911sc feel like a van. Any way this was my second ride in a ferrarri. Wish I could spell. Any one ever have one of these, sure seems like a differen't animal.

[OVRSTR]

One of my best friends had a fly yellow Spyder that I drove. The sound of that engine with the top down was absolutely incredible...you felt like a movie star just driving the thing and everybody stared at you when you went by. Entirely different car than a Porsche. What does my friend have now...an '02 996 Twin Turbo. By far the most practical supercar in the world.

[crashmy911]

Gotta agree with you , you could not live with this car all the time and would be a pain only in certain instances would I want to drive it. Highway, very nice roads no bumps. I would curse every time the car touched bottom!!

[RickM]

Buddy of mine had the 355 spyder and now has the 360 Modena spider F1 (and a challenge car!) Was going to get a ride but the last time I saw him it was raining.

[OVRSTR]

The 360 is unbelievable looking. The "engine under glass" is the coolest thing ever. Best part of the car is always on display.

[n8marx]

My best friend inherited his father's black 355 hardtop. We took it out a few weeks ago for a spirited spin. Very fun. Problem is we were scared to park it anywhere. Seems like great fun if you are looking for a toy to drive once in a while. Not great for everyday though. My friend is now looking to sell it and buy a Boxster S or 993 coupe. Any one interested?

[RickM]

N8,
I'm thinking most people that have car in this price range and type don't use it every day. To my buddy this is merely another toy. It's all relative. In the pic above the car is in the rain at a party. If it were your car would it be in the rain?
Rick

[Deeks]

A Ferrari F355 at 7k rpm has got to be one of the most beautiful mechanical sounds on the planet

BUT.......

1. Don't like red.
2. Don't like the styling of the new Ferraris. (F40 is the car for me).
3. £3K for a valve adjustment, £8K for a new clutch......say
no more.
4. I have seen two Ferraris broken down on the roadside in
the last six months - never seen a 911 !!!

[JDaniel]

I'd be scared to buy an f-car from someone that inherited it and may or may not have been $$ able to maintain it. They're pricey to own even if you keep to the factory schedule. God forbid anything goes wrong.

Still... I would love to own one.

[Amac]

I run with a pack of "Pasta Rocket" freaks.
Myself and another friend have 930's.
The rest of the group, 3 have 355's
1 has a 360 and 2 have Lambo. VT's.
All these cars are a blast to drive, all have
been modified. The 355's seem to be very
dependable and are driven almost every day.
The F1 paddle shifter is bad ass.
The Lambo's are power monsters, by far faster
than anything I've driven on the street.
If I could find a 355 at the right price I'd buy
one.

[930fan]

I drove a 355GTS in 1995 when they were new to the market. The sound absolutely blew me away - in fact I think they sound better than a 360 Modena, which to me has a very hollow though still nice sound. The highlight of the drive was the owner hitting 165mph with the targa top off and me missing the 4th to 5th upshift. Damn the pesky shifter gate! Fantastic handling but a bit torque light for someone coming from a modded 930 though the 8500rpm redline was plenty of compensation!

Truly gorgeous cars but the maintenance schedules and prices are a joke. The cambelt service is apparently 50+ hours of labour or something stupid like that and Ferrari hourly rates will give anyone a nosebleed. Some performance components such as brakes are also a bit lacking (they are the exact same caliper and rotors for a 944 turbo but the Porsche has 250hp and the Ferrari has 380hp!). Amazingly, even Lamborghinis are cheaper to maintain since they have timing chains that last for far longer than belts.

Ferraris usually end up as unused garage queens because owners are just too afraid to drive it or park it anywhere and they are also a bit too fragile and far too expensive to fix to do any serious track driving with. But..... on the right day and on the right road they are magic.

[carmad]

When I lived in the UK, had the opportunity to drive in a Super Car track day at Snetterton circuit. Drove 993, Viper GTS, Lotus Esprit Turbo and Ferrari 355.
Without doubt the most fun to drive was the 355, handled like a kart, stopped on a dime,and has the most fantastic sound up to redline.
If I could afford one I would buy one.
Still love my 930.

[Pauli33]

I had the pleasure of driving my brother's 360 F1 across Europe a few years back... One of the greatest road trips of my life. I got it up to 155mph but had to back off for fear of killing myself. I never lost faith in the car, only in my own abilities. I love my 930, but I've never felt a car hold the road like that 360... Not to mention the naturally aspirated power on tap, great looks, and mind blowing exhaust note - I've never driven a car that inspired so many giggles of pure joy.

He ended up bringing it back to the states, but you just can't drive it here like you can over in Europe. I suppose you could take it to the track, but between the price of the car and the cost of maintenance it becomes a pricey venture.

Alas, he ended up selling it and now I'm on the quest to get him into a 993tt... We'll see if it happens... Here's a couple picks.

If you ever do happen to find yourself in a ferrari, be sure to take it through a nice long tunnel... Open up the windows, get on the throttle, listen and enjoy...

[n8marx]

JDan,

Under most circumstances I could see the inherited Ferrari being neglected. My friend however, inherited the car in November along with the company that owns it. Maintenance costs aren't the issue. Comfort level using the car is. His father was so meticulous with the car that he had it transported from Cleveland to Chicago for oil changes and maintenance. He also cleaned the underside of the car with a toothbrush, literally, after each drive. No exaggeration.

1995 F355, black, 6 speed, 8000 miles. Any takers?

[Axeman]

I love the Ferrari 355 Spyders..to me it's one of the most beautiful cars ever!! And they sound awesome at 7k rpm...the only problem with those cars is having to deal with all the women that throw themselves at you!!

[poorb0yw]

n8marx- I'll trade him my 96 993 carrera 2 plus some cash for it . Too bad I don't have that kinda cash.................

[JmuRiz]

Sure a 355 or 360 sounds sweet at high RPM, but a 911 is no slouch either (w/ a nice exhaust)...and a Ferrari V12 at full throttle is about the best I've ever heard. Saying that...I'd take any of them in a heartbeat (kindda hard to make a 914/4 sound sweet but I'm working on it )

Nathan

[k9handler]

waaaaaaayyyyyyyyy above my budget!

[kristian85]

Originally posted by Amac
The Lambo's are power monsters, by far faster
than anything I've driven on the street.
If I could find a 355 at the right price I'd buy
one.

Well, if you've got 550 HP 2 the wheels, you'd smoke those Diablos--you weigh 7-800 lbs. less!

Since I was 8 I've had a complete woody for a Ferrari 512 Berlinetta Boxer--it's only a matter of some time. Most Ferraris will do, though now that I've owned my '78 SC for a bit and experienced what a superbly finished, reliable, and fast car it is, I don't think I'd take a '78-85 308 instead. While I would have taken any Ferrari over anything else a couple of years ago, I'm no longer willing to do that. It now has to be a good car as well as a Ferrari, meaning the Ferrari legend no longer transcends practical concerns. Hard to make a case that a '78 911 isn't a better car in most ways than a '78 308.

[Amac]

kristian,
Mr. Norwood did his magic on the VT's,
both have 850+ HP.
And yes I can put an ass whipping on just
about anything, but not these two.
If you know someone that would like to give
these guys a try, let me know.
If you think a Farrari V-12 sounds good, you should
hear these guys take off!!!!