feedback on 355F1 wanted

Anyone here have or had a 355F1? I am thinking of buying one.. and wanted to know how the car performs etc. Any problems with the car etc? Would like to get the spider version.... can be driven as a daily driver?

Anyone here have or had a 355F1? I am thinking of buying one.. and wanted to know how the car performs etc. Any problems with the car etc? Would like to get the spider version.... can be driven as a daily driver?

 

 

I would get the 6 speed. I (believe) the 6 speed is more robust. Remember that with the F-1, the box is out of warranty. - This is also the same with the 6spd. You may want to check how much it would cost, to service the car with a rebuilt F-1 transmission. This was also F's first production F-1 box, for their regular production cars.

Agreed. Make sure you get a car that doesn't have "sticky" interior parts or a shrunken dash. Otherwise I enjoyed the 95 that I had.

Car is just plain SHIT!

 

I had a 97 Spider.

 

Hmmm am I the only one who still does not know how to make the letters bigger?

Hmmm am I the only one who still does not know how to make the letters bigger?

 

 

Thats what moderators are for...

Thats what moderators are for...

 

How do yo udo it?

Junk.

 

Very slow, very old, all bark and no bite. The only friend I know who still has one paid over $5.00 per mile to keep it running in 06 (1,500 miles driven, $8,000 in service costs), and his is a 99.

 

Stay away.

thanks for the feedback...

Junk.

 

Very slow, very old, all bark and no bite.

 

Stay away.

 

 

Their is no modern "cheap" "common man's" Ferrari that you like. Cmon. - Admit it. Aside from the F-40, Enzo, etc... you think they are all just fancy Fiats.

 

Please tell us how you really feel. Could you give us a write up, comparing the 550 to a F-18C Hornet ?

 

 

This poor chap with 38 posts, got steamrollered by all you L guys. All I know, is the 355 sounds great, but a F-106A hitting afterburner sounds great as well.

I bought a '98 spyder with an F1 shifter new in '98. I owned it for 3 years and tracked it 5 times and I loved the car. It gives excellent feedback and is powerful enough. I sold it when I bought a 360 and for a while I missed the car. I may buy one again just for the hell of it.

Their is no modern "cheap" "common man's" Ferrari that you like. Cmon. - Admit it. Aside from the F-40, Enzo, etc... you think they are all just fancy Fiats.

 

Please tell us how you really feel. Could you give us a write up, comparing the 550 to a F-18C Hornet ?

This poor chap with 38 posts, got steamrollered by all you L guys. All I know, is the 355 sounds great, but a F-106A hitting afterburner sounds great as well.

 

Please. $5 per mile operating costs should scare anyone away, for whatever reason the F355 is quickly becoming known as an older model to avoid. Has nothing to do with any bias, in fact if he can, he should stretch and pickup a 360, which has thus far proven to be far more reliable. Obviously speed isn't a factor to him if he's looking at F355, so a 360 will do just as well.

 

As far as the sound, yes it's all that and a bag of chips, but at what price is that sound worth paying for?

 

He asked about it in a daily driver capacity, and the correct answer is "Not on your life". Go buy a 3.2L NSX, put a Tubi exhaust on it, and that's your daily driver...at about .10 per mile. And at the exact same performance level of the F355 (yes, the F355 is that slow). Or better yet, a 996 TT, which can also be had around that price range and offers far more speed.

I've researched this car in depth, as I too was also looking at possibly picking one up. A few things you have to look out for:

 

1) Pre-mature valve guide wear on models upto 98 (factory defect)

2) Burnt out exhaust manifolds (factory defect)

3) Sticky dash and centre console plastic (due to wrong type of cleaning products being used)

4) F1 transmission is real expensive to repair, but I have not heard of any "real" issues with them. F1 tranny in 360 much improved apparently.

 

Regarding performance, it's relative. If you re-read any magazine article written on this car, they all applauded it's performance, handling and feel. The sound, as some have already mentioned, is amazing. Some opinions here have indicated that it is a slow car, well compared to 500-600hp super and hyper exotics, well yes maybe it is. But for most people the performance should be more than enough (fyi, performance is on par with later gen Countachs. So it can't be all that bad). It won't be a cheap exotic to own, but for what it provides might be worth it. Try some of the Ferrari sites for more information, good luck.

 

Sonny

I've never driven one, but just so happens I saw one on the way home from work today. I don't care what others say, it is still one of the most beautiful cars made. Not fast? It's certainly fast enough for public roads. It's not a track car. If you want fast for cheap, buy a POS. Definitely get the 6 spd. There were a lot of negative comments about the F1 tranny when it first came out, and I sure wouldn't want to pay to have one fixed. Get a '97 or later that has been properly maintained and you should have no issues.

I've never driven one, but just so happens I saw one on the way home from work today. I don't care what others say, it is still one of the most beautiful cars made. Not fast? It's certainly fast enough for public roads. It's not a track car. If you want fast for cheap, buy a POS. Definitely get the 6 spd. There were a lot of negative comments about the F1 tranny when it first came out, and I sure wouldn't want to pay to have one fixed. Get a '97 or later that has been properly maintained and you should have no issues.

 

People posting pro-355 comments in this thread are unaware that the BUMN already owns a Gallardo. To him, a 355 is going to be slow. No ands, ifs, or buts about it. It's all relative to what you're used to. Even a 360 would likely seem a significant step down in overall performance when you're used to running around with 500hp. As would a "Countach" as one poster mentioned.

 

Knowing this fact changes everything I'm sure, and would get you to think twice about rolling your eyes at my comments I'm sure...

i had one ....and it was very small on the inside... smaller than the diablo... and it was litteraly the worst car i have ever owned... mine was a 1998 f1 spyder

People posting pro-355 comments in this thread are unaware that the BUMN already owns a Gallardo. To him, a 355 is going to be slow. No ands, ifs, or buts about it. It's all relative to what you're used to. Even a 360 would likely seem a significant step down in overall performance when you're used to running around with 500hp. As would a "Countach" as one poster mentioned.

 

Knowing this fact changes everything I'm sure, and would get you to think twice about rolling your eyes at my comments I'm sure...

Like you said, I had no idea he already owned a G, and I'm not comparing the 355 to a G. If I already owned a G, I wouldn't be looking at a 355 unless it were for the wife. That would be a step backwards. I'm just saying a 355 is a big step up in performance for most people and while slower than a G, I wouldn't call it slow per se. I briefly owned a 348ts. Compared to the cars I'd owned up until then, it was pretty darn fast. For most people a 355 would be even more so. My CT, now that's slow.

thanks for all the feedback... I am no longer interested in a 355.. I just wanted a spyder... but I also have a 308 gts, so I guess the targa top will have to do for now.... Someone posted that their CT was slow...? really? I have a 1989 CT back on L.I. granted I dont drive it too fast but I dont think its slow... in fact I think its as fast as my 05 G is... but maybe its just the sound of the V12... to me the countach is still my baby...

Like you said, I had no idea he already owned a G, and I'm not comparing the 355 to a G. If I already owned a G, I wouldn't be looking at a 355 unless it were for the wife. That would be a step backwards. I'm just saying a 355 is a big step up in performance for most people and while slower than a G, I wouldn't call it slow per se. I briefly owned a 348ts. Compared to the cars I'd owned up until then, it was pretty darn fast. For most people a 355 would be even more so. My CT, now that's slow.

 

 

A 348 is fast?

The 95 model may be the car to get; if it has been updated with new valve guides, and the exhaust headers have not cracked.

 

 

With the 95, you have better breathing, and you do not have the problems associated with OBD II.

 

 

I like the Berlinetta design the best. For cruising, the Spyder is probably the car to get, especially if you live somewhere with good weather.

 

 

 

SIX speed only.

A 348 is fast?

Compared to the 1985 944 and 1989 RX-7 I had before that, yes. It's all relative.

 

I'm sure this one is.

 

Compared to the 1985 944 and 1989 RX-7 I had before that, yes. It's all relative.

 

I'm sure this one is.

 

 

Is that wing to help lift the front end, so it can jump over the other cars on the track?

I would get the 6 speed. I (believe) the 6 speed is more robust. Remember that with the F-1, the box is out of warranty. - This is also the same with the 6spd. You may want to check how much it would cost, to service the car with a rebuilt F-1 transmission. This was also F's first production F-1 box, for their regular production cars.

 

 

The late model Mondials had F1 boxes. That or they just had F1 style paddle shifters.

The late model Mondials had F1 boxes. That or they just had F1 style paddle shifters.

IIRC the Mondial did have an auto-shifting gearbox, but I don't think it had paddles. I think it was like the old Porsche "Sportomatic" where you still moved the lever like a manual, but there was no clutch pedal.

IIRC the Mondial did have an auto-shifting gearbox, but I don't think it had paddles. I think it was like the old Porsche "Sportomatic" where you still moved the lever like a manual, but there was no clutch pedal.

 

 

That was the valeo sourced POShitbox trans that was fitted to the later mondial T. What a piece of crap.

IIRC the Mondial did have an auto-shifting gearbox, but I don't think it had paddles. I think it was like the old Porsche "Sportomatic" where you still moved the lever like a manual, but there was no clutch pedal.

 

Yup, just found out it had a sportomaticish trans, some how I confused the Valeo with F1.