F355 Buyer s Guide

Ferrari F355 Buyers Guide

FFFerrari
forum
TM

First Published November

2004 by Ferrari Forum.
Revised & Updated May 2005
Phone (415) 216-8716
Email: guides@ferrariforum.com
Copyright 2004 ALL RIGHTS
RESERVED.
Author: William Taylor
Editor: Andrew Naber
Photos by: Dirk de Jager
Bob Hagendijk
Andrew Naber

Contents

Ferrari F355 Buyers Guide

Introduction & Model Information

Driving Impressions
Maintenance & Reliability
Pros & Cons
General Buying Tips
Ownership Expectations
Quotes From Owners
Purchasing Options

3
6
6
7
8
9
10
11
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F355 Buyer s Guide

Introduction & Model Information

The F355 was rst shown
in mid 1993 in Belgium with
sales starting in Europe in 1994.
US sales followed in 1995. The
initial launch car was the Berlinea, followed shortly aer by
the Targa/GTS, and nally the
Spider. The F355 replaced the
348 in the Ferrari line up and
represented a much simpler,
cleaner design than its predecessor. Both the Testarossa sytle
cheese grater side strakes and
grill work on the rear covering
the lights were eliminated. The
F355 addressed the preceivedweaknesses of the 348 with
improvements in both road handling and performance. Driving
both models back to back will
clearly demonstrate the dierences. The F355 was positively
received by both the press and
those lucky enough to get their
hands on the rst production
cars. Generally the F355 is
regarded as being a quantum
leap forward from the 348. The
F355 was the rst Ferrari model
to sell more than 10,000 units
and also the rst to carry the F1
transmission as an option.
The F355 is destined
to be one of the all time great
classic V8 Ferraris. However,
the large production number of
10,000 will undoubtably mean
this model will never appreciate
enormously when compared to
earlier Ferraris. The F355 was
universally praised for its clean
lines, well appointed interior,

and spine tingling performance

driven by the mid mounted 40
valve V8. Borrowing technology
from the F1 engines, the F355
engine sported ve values (3
inlet, 2 exhaust) per cylinder opposed to the standard 4 values (2
inlet, 2 exhaust). The extra valve
helped increase the power of the
engine by allowing more air to
be compressed.
The cabin of the F355
is bathed in leather, luxurious,
while remaining functional. The
seats are supportive, and comfortable for drivers over 63
while the driving position remains classic Italian, long arms,
short legs. The engine song at
red line can only come from a
Ferrari.
In 1997, Ferrari introduced the F1 gearbox as an
option on the F355. The F1 gear
box uses an electro-hydraulic
transmission with dual paddle
shiers behind the steering
wheel rim. The F1 transmission maintains the manual gear
box but replaces the manual
clutch with a electronic clutch
and a hydraulic shi actuator. It
features four modes: Automatic,
Normal, Sport, and Low Grip.
Air-conditioning, ABS,
adjustable dual mode suspension, and Connolly leather
interior were standard. Airbags
were standard equipment on all
US cars and European models as
of 1996.
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Racing seats and direct, non power
assisted steering, were the only
standard edition factory oered
options.
When searching for an F355
it is important to realize the differences between the models: GTB
(Berlinea which is the hardtop
coupe), GTS (removable targa top),
and Spider. The GTB provides the
maximum safety and stiness of
a closed bodied coupe. Both the
GTS and Spider are open bodies
with potential trade os in terms
of body stiness and water leaks.
However, the upsides are sun and
wind in the hair driving experience. Oen the Spiders will command a slightly higher price, and
tend to oer beer appreciation
potential over the long term. You
will also enjoy the 8 cylinder symphony more in the GTS and Spider.
If you are looking for performance
and drivability the Berlinea is the
beer choice and safer on a race
track.
Another dierence to consider is the transmission. All the
models were available with either
the F1 or the 6 speed manual. The
F1 was rst used in the F355 it
has had more reliability issues
whereas the F1 transmission on the
360 Modena and 575M has been
proven to be more realible. The
F1 transmission on the F355 uses a
hydraulic clutch, not a torque converter. In stop and go trac, this
does result in the clutch heating up
and wearing quickly.
To really answer the gear-

box question you rst need to

consider how you intend to use the
F355.. Having the F1 allows you
to focus your aention on steering. Upshis are faster than you
would achieve manually most of
the time, downshis while braking
are quicker than most mortals can
execute unless you are king of heel
and toe, can keep the car straight
with one hand while braking hard,
and working the gearbox. Net, net
get the F1 if you like to drive really
hard on curvy back roads or on the
track.
The classic manual gated
gearbox is a special experience.
With it you feel more connected,
but driving real fast on windy
roads can be a humbling experience. Taking care of that stick
requires skill, coordination, and
concentration. Having said that,
running the stick gives you the
beautiful clanking sound as you
move through the gears. This
somehow heightens the connectedness of the whole experience.
There is much more foot work
involved but for some that is the
fun of the manual.
Very few major changes
were made to the F355 during its
6 year production run. The main
changes between the model years
are:
1995 - Dual airow system, OBD I
1996-1997 - Single airow system,
OBD II, 2nd generation brakes &
headers
1998-1999 - 3rd generation brakes
With the dual airow system de-

livering an extra 5-10 bhp, the 1995

model is the fastest of the F355s. It
is also the loudest.

F355 GTB

F355 GTS

F355 Spider

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Market Data

Due to the F430s recent

introduction it is likely that the
prices of F355s will continue to fall
for a couple of more years. For a
rst time buyer this is great news
as the F355 delivers a great Ferrari
ownership experience.
As of this writing (May,
2005) the prices of the F355 are still
holding rm with the lows around
$65,000 (30,000 + miles) for a GTB
and the highs over $110,000 for
low mileage late model Spiders.
In general, Spiders will command
a premium vs. the GTB/GTS of
about $5,000. In cases of cars being
bargin priced, make sure you
have it throughly checked out by a
qualied Ferrari mechanic before
making any oers
If you are reading this article in early 2005, I would recommend waiting a few more months
before buying a F355. With the
F430 coming out a number of 360
Modena owners will be trading
up to this car. In turn, quite a few
F355 owners will likely be picking
up the 360s being put back onto
the market. When this happens
the price of 360s will likely rise for
six months before leveling. As this
is happening, expect F355 prices to
begin to fall.

F355 Buyer s Guide

GTB Specications
Number Made
Engine Type
Engine Displacement
Bore & Stroke
Engine Description
Power
Torque
Transmission
Chassis
Front Suspension
Rear Suspension
Brakes
Length
Width
Height
Wheelbase
Acceleration
Top Speed

3928 Manual
1042 F1
V8
3496 cc
85mm x 77mm
Rear-mounted, longitudinal 90 degree V8, light alloy cylinder block and head
380 bhp
268 lbs/ft
Dry twin-plate clutch, 6-speed gearbox + reverse, ZF limited-slip differential
Steel monococque and tubular rear sub-frame
Double wishbones, coil springs and gas dampers
Double wishbones, coil springs and gas dampers
Ventilated discs, 4-pot callipers, dual high-press
425 cm
190 cm
117 cm
245 cm
0-60 mph 4.7 sec
295 km/h

GTS Specications
Number Made
Power

2048 Manual
380

529 F1

Spider Specications
Number Made
Power

2664 Manual
380

1053 F1

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Driving Impressions
The F355 is one of the most
well rounded Ferraris ever produced. It is docile and drivable in
trac while having plenty of grunt
to make the hair stand on the back
of your neck on the highway. The
throle response is immediate and
will give you a good shove back
against the seat. Plenty of power
is available across the range and
the F355 will pull easily away in
2nd gear from a dead stop. Unlike earlier Ferraris, second gear is
available shortly aer start up.
With a redline at 8500 rpms,
one of the joys of driving a F355
is the engine noise. A low rumble
at 2000 rpms, it starts screaming
at 4000 rpms, and near the redline
sounds like it belongs in a F1. Turn
the key and you know you are
strapped to an amazing machine.
The only negatives are that at very
high speed, the front end can feel
light, and the windshield can be
prone to fogging in heavy rain.
The handling is sure, with
the 225/40 ZR 18 Front and 265/40
ZR 18 Rear PZeros providing
excellent control and surprising
lile road noise. It turns on rails
if driven properly, with plenty of
warning before the front and back
ends reverse themselves. The steering is light and does take some
geing used to as feedback is a bit
remote.
The interior allows for comfortable driving for roads with lots
of curves and the seats are acceptable for long journeys. However,
on the track and driving with gusto
on a coastal road, you will quickly
notice the seats are unforgiving in
side lumbar support. The driving
position is comfortable for taller
drivers and long journeys.

Maintenance & Reliability

Common issues are few for
the F355 as Ferrari had substantially improved the build quality
6 Ferrari Forum

Above: Single airow system on a 1998 F355 engine

Below: Dual airow system from a 1995 F355 engine

and processes by its launch. In

general, if you adhere to the factory recommended maintenance
schedule, the F355 is very reliable
for a Ferrari. On the negative side,
very lile maintenance is can be
done by the owner due to the large
amount of electronic in the car.
Diagnosis needs to be done by the
dealers computer.
One myth on the F355 is
that the valve guides are a major
problem and must be replaced. In
reality, the problem occurred in
20% of the 1995 models and a small

number of 97s and 98s. If a particular car did have a valve guide
problem, as indicated by excessive
oil consumption, it would be apparent almost immediately and at
a maximum with the rst 2 years of
ownership. As a result, the problem would have had to have been
xed long ago. It is highly unlikely
that you would nd a F355 today
with valve guide problems. A
simple leakdown test will conrm
this.

F355 Buyer s Guide

Several issues that seem to be fairly widespread are:
Cracked Manifolds
Cracked C-Pillars which are also prone to rust
Hoods on the Spiders have been know to malfunction
Targa roofs on the GTS tend to develop leaks on the two front corners as the rubber seals deteriorate over
time
The clutch on the F1 gearbox is prone to wear rapidly in heavy trac.
Leather on front dash tray is susceptible to shrinkage
Other potential issues:
Retractable headlights can jam
Coolant hose running behind the front luggage compartment can come loose
Electric fans occasionally fail resulting in engine overheating
Paint chips in side air intake scoops and front bumper
Catalytic converter and exhaust bypass valve failure
Center consul paint contains rubber and can become sticky with age
Check the underside tray for chips and cracks. The low ride height and speed bumps are a bad combination

Pros
Classic Design, with long term appreciation potential
Great Drivers car and not hard on the driver
Reliable
Great performance, and highly responsive
Huge improvement on its predecessor
Even has reasonable trunk space
Cons
All maintenance done by the dealer
Cambelts require expensive engine removal
Still depreciating
Exhaust system likely to need replacement

F355 GTB on the Spa racetrack in Belgium

Average Parts and Service Cost

Fluid

Quantity

Oil (10w30)
Gearbox
Brake Fluid
Antifreeze

11 liters (12 quarts)

4 liters
1.6 liters
20 liters

Details of Service
Annual Service
Major Service
Cambelts
Valve Guides
Clutches

6,000 miles
18,000 miles
4 years

Price

Price
$1,000
$1,800
$3,000
$900
$800
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General Buying Tips
1.
Demand to see the Service book and Maintenance History le. Make
sure you have solid answers to any holes in the history. If not, move on.
2.
Get the car inspected by a Ferrari trained mechanic. He will nd
things you miss. Given the controversy surrounding the valve guides, a leakdown test is a must.
3.

If the asking price is very low, there is a reason for it. In these cases, immediately revert back to rule #1.

4.

Never buy the rst car you see, look and test drive several.

5.
Make sure the car has all the original Books, Tools, and Records. These are difcult and expensive to
replace later.
6.

Talk to other owners, join the Ferrari Forum.

7.

Talk to the Mechanics that have historically serviced the car.

A Blu F355 GTS in Japan

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F355 Buyer s Guide

A Rosso Corsa F355 GTS with black interior o the coast of Portugal

Ownership Expectations
When you purchase a Ferrari, you are not buying a car but
rather a work of engineering art
and a piece of history. A Ferrari
has a soul and character unique in
the automotive world. A Ferrari
comes lled with Italian passion,
for both beer and occasionally
worse. Driving a Ferrari is never
boring. It is engaging. You are
always involved and interacting
with the car across a multitude
of senses. While driving, this
includes the constantly changing
sound track as the engine moves
through the rpm range, the heavy
but exact clutch, and the metallic click with every gear change.
There really is nothing else on the
road that sounds like a Ferrari.
Until you have driven one, it is impossible to appreciate the totality

of the experience. It is this emotional link between car and owner

that sets Ferraris apart from other
sports cars
Two other cars that many
rst time Ferrari owners consider
are Lamborghini and Porsche.
Lamborghini has similar roots in
the Modena area . It however does
not have the racing heritage or, for
the majority of its life, the single
minded guidance of a brilliant
owner. Lamborghinis ownership
history has included everyone
from Chrysler, an Indonesian
Conglomerate, to Audi. This is reected in the history of the models.
Lamborghinis tend to be overly
amboyant, dicult to drive, and
highly temperamental. Porsche, on
the other hand, is ecient, reliable,
and an engineering masterpiece. It
is also highly predictable and aer
a time, can be construed as boring.

A Porsche does everything with

extreme competence, to the extent
that you begin to wonder if you,
the driver, are really needed.
The fact is Ferraris are
expensive to maintain and less reliable than many other cars. This is
simply a small part of the deal that
comes with being a member of the
small and special club of Ferrari
owners. The Porsche is a cold rationale machine, a Lamborghini is
pure emotion, and a Ferrari gives
you both.

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Quotes from Owners
To end this Guide Id like to
leave you with quotes from F355
owners, recapping their experiences with their car.
I used to own a 355B, great car I
really recommend it. The speed
bump issue is a tough one for the
355 as the front air spoiler under
the car is fairly low to the ground
so its easy to hit. Most 355s have
some form of damage on this spoiler due to scraping so check out the
underside of any car you consider
purchasing. Over here in California, some cars have special skid
pads added to the front underside
of the 355 to avoid this damage.

and racing o at medium speeds

but at high revs so that you can
enjoy the engine without your eyes
watering in the headwind.
If I had had my practical shoes on,
I wouldve probably gone for the
Berlinea, for the sole reason that
it doesnt sound too noisy when
Im ooring the car at 3 times the
national speed limit. The GTS
on the other hand has the best of
both worlds, with a roof which is
easy enough to dispatch. If you do
decide to get one, choose the one
with the colour coded roof, it looks
beer and you can tell yourself
that its a berlinea version whenever if you feel the need to.

The Spider looks sensational and

with the roof down there is very
lile to beat it. The black roof does
stick up when its down and uncovered, but its not too obtrusive.

Now regarding the Spider; the roof

is not fully automatic. You have
to slightly nudge the roof up a bit,
until you hear a beep, and only
then will you be able to bring the
roof down with the motor. Fortunately bringing the roof up is a
lot easier since it comes up all the
way by its own, you only have to
latch it in place; be wary though,
the roof slams itself on the way in,
so just put your hands above your
head to slowly bring the roof in. I
have heard of some faulty roofs for
the spider, but Im sure if you nd
one with a good owner, it should
bring you some great motoring
days for years to come.

Handling-wise the Spider is super

sharp and corners at, but dont
believe any tales of a scule-free
body because when you hit bumps
mid corner you will feel the car
shudder. The Berlinea feels far
stier in all conditions and is the
superior drivers car especially
on the track where you will really
notice the dierence. However...
...racing around is not the point of
owning a 355 Spider. This is not a
high-g car that you want to thrash.
Maximum enjoyment comes from
cruising, allowing people to see it,

Regardless of what you may

choose, youll love it, the 355 is
a joy to drive, and the sound it
makes...?? Nothing even comes
close. Get it with the Tubi and
youre set, oh and make sure
youre a true blue (red?) ferraristi,
because the Tubi is LOUD, and if
you dont like it loud, then dont
get it. But the way it sounds past
5,000 rpms is brutal, almost like a
banshee diving its way through
the atmosphere...wailing all the
way down. Baritone burble below
3500, but anything above on full

I have had a F355 GTS for 2 years.

It is a great drivers car. No issues
with body stiness, but it does leak
slightly on the front corners of the
Targa roof panel. It is not an issue
when moving but can be annoying if you get stuck in trac in the
rain. If you are buying for track
use, go with the B, if for summer
road use the GTS or Spider are
more fun.

10 Ferrari Forum

throle will most denitely freeze

your blood. remember...a ferrari
is not just a car, its an emotive
expression of yourself, so choose
with your heart as well as your
mind and youll be happy...for a
very very very...long time.
I never use the sports mode, ridiculously brutal. I very seldom use the
auto mode either, except when i let
someone drive the car for the rst
time. In the driving section, the
only slight criticism would be that
the throle blip when downshiing from 3rd to 2nd is a tad shy,
but I am being picky.
Now here comes the downside:
bumper to bumper trac, constant stop and gos, manoeuvring to park in tight spots. Simply
said, you dont have control on the
clutch, and the car seldom seems to
guess what you are about to do (a
ying start or just move a few feet).
Clumsy, clunky, my worst time in
the car has been a long trac jam
on a uphill highway.
Leisure drives, occasional drive
ways, week-end or evening blasts,
Grand Turismo in the full meaning
of the word ? I dont think you will
regret the F1 box

Purchasing Options
In general most Ferrari Buyers
purchase their cars at one of four
channels:
- Ocial Ferrari Dealers
- Independent Specialist Dealers
- Private Sellers
- Auctions
Each has its own strengthens and
weaknesses. In summary:
Ocial Ferrari Dealers
Purchasing through an ocial
dealer will provide the most
piece of mind when making the
rather considerable investment in
a Prancing Horse badged automo-

F355 Buyer s Guide

bile. In almost all cases the car will
come with some sort of warranty,
a comprehensive service history,
and a clean bill of health. All of
this comes with a cost and you will
likely pay a 10-20% premium vs.
other options. One other limitation
is that dealers normally only stock
the current, plus 1-2 generations of
prior models. As a result, dealers
are really only an option for the
modern (1990s -) model enthusiast.
Independent Specialist
Independent Specialist can provide both outstanding service and
a wide range of models to choose
from, covering all price ranges.
Reputation is critical and so is doing your research on an Independent Specialist before writing out
a check. Information and insights
on dierent Specialists can be
obtained both through your local
Ferrari Owners Club members and
via posts on the Ferrari Forum.
Like ocial dealers, many specialist can provide warranties (via 3rd
parties) and on-going maintenance
facilities. The quality of the maintenance for modern models can
be on par with the ocial dealers
as many independents employee
Ferrari trained mechanics. For
modern models though it is critical
to conrm that the service center
has the necessary diagnostic equipment and soware (SD1 or SD2)
for your model. For Classic and
Vintage Ferraris, independents
many be your only, or best (for
more recent models) option. Prices
at Independents should be 5-20%
less than Ocial Dealers.
In most countries, purchasing from either an Ocial Ferrari
Dealer or an Independent Specialist will provide you with the strongest legal rights should anything
go wrong.
Private Sellers
Caveat Emptor. Buying from a

private seller is both the lowest

cost and highest risk option. In all
Ferrari purchases, a Pre Purchase
Inspection (PPI) by a specialist
is recommended, in the case of
a private purchase, it is critical.
Purchasing well privately is both
a maer of form and substance.
First the form which is mostly
related to general appearance and
presentation:
- check the condition of the interior, is the leather conditioned and
cleaned
- pull up the mats, check the condition of the under carpet
- spray water on the car, make sure
it beads up immediately
- look in the engine bay
- is the owner a member of the local Ferrari Owners Club
Positives on the above are
an initial indication of a careful
owner, but could also be the result
of a pre-sale clean up. Then move
onto the substance:
- review the service records, a comprehensive le is always a good
sign
- check the history of the car, make
sure it has always been well cared
for
- always check that the mileage on
the odometer matches the other
records
- conrm that the seller is the cars
owner and that the title is clear
- spend time both test driving the
car and talking to the owner. No
car is perfect, does the owner point
out both the good points of the car
and the issues needing aention ?
Buying from a private seller
will provide both the lowest cost
of acquisition and the highest risk
should any major undisclosed issue emerge post purchase. Doing
your homework properly is critical
and in many cases it is a rewarding
and enjoyable experience for both
parties.

high value recent models (example

Enzo) or models no longer carried
in the Ocial Dealer network. As
per purchasing from a private seller,
it is critical to do you homework

ahead of time. All auction houses

provide for pre-sale viewing but it
is very unlikely that a PPI or test
drive will be permied. Both need
to be included in the buyers purchase risk consideration. Auction
Houses act as agents on behalf of
the sellers so your legal protection in many countries is not much
greater than in the case of a private
sale. On the positive side, auctions
provide both the opportunity to
acquire very rare, unique cars with
important histories and other models at a potentially outstanding
value. Many Independent Specialist aend auctions, it is critical that
a private buyer understand the
environment that he is competing
in. Fee schedules dier signicantly between the auction houses, so
it is strongly advised that these be
reviewed ahead of time. Currently
the most famous Ferrari Auction
is Bonhams December Auction in
Gstaad, Swtizerland. Other well
know auction houses include:
Christies, R&M (North America),
Barle Jackson (North America),
Barons (UK), H&H (UK), Coys
(UK), and Artcurial (France).

Ferrari Forums Buyers Guides

are available for the following
models:
Dino 246
365/512 Boxer
348
F355
360
456 GT
Mondial
Testarossa
550/575 Coming Soon !
308/328 Coming Soon !

Auctions

As a very broad guideline, cars that

appear at auction are either very
Ferrari Forum 11