Early cars had valve guide issues and you have to be sure these have been addressed otherwise avoid them. I'd say a well sorted 97-99 will do the trick...so much bang for the buck with these cars and one of the best sounding ferraris ever.

 

My research taught me to try and buy the last model year of any Ferrari.

Ferrari is one company that really tends to learn from their early mistakes and attempt to fix them.

That has held true with my 2004 360. I am happy that I paid a premium for the 2004 over an earlier model year car.

 

Thanks speedand tech. I have been thinking about a 95 355, i didnt think 5000 a year in maintance or 3000 mile belt change. I will have to look into this.
Thanks h20 I am on fchat, i will search deeper.

 

95s are the best cars. The later OBD cars have considerably more gremlins and are much harder to get inspected if you live in a state that has generally nonsensual emissions testing (NY is one of them). The 95s will pass so long as they have cats that are mostly working.

The valve guide issues were solved on most early cars-- if you find one that still has the original guides, run away as it has never been maintained properly.

It is a much better idea to pay more for a well driven and looked after car than "save" money on a garage queen or beater.

Regular maintenance is in the neighborhood of $1,000/yr if you drive it a lot. Belt services are every 30k/2-3years and run about $4,000 at any good independent shop, or ~6,000 at a dealer. That assumes nothing but the major service is done, if "other stuff" is found the price goes up.

Contrary to popular legend, the cars are pretty reliable so long as you get a good one and drive it often. In the first two years I had mine, the only issue I had was the water temp sensor went out. $120 bucks and an hour of my life.

A PPI is a great idea, but be aware that not many dealerships will do them anymore due to liability issues. Find a good independent to look over the car and do a leakdown test. It is best to find a shop that is experienced with the car, and not one that sees one maybe twice a year. I can recommend a few in the NY area if you like.

Issues to be aware of:

1) Post-95 cars had a recall to replace the fuel distribution block-- if this has not been done, it is very important that you have it done. 95 cars with twin fuel filters do not have the problem.

2) Headers are known to crack. A PPI will generally turn up any issues as the heat shields will discolor around any cracking. If they are cracked, a set of aftermarket headers will set you back around $3k.

3) If you consider a car that does not have a recent service history for the cam belts, do them immediately. Make sure you find a shop that knows how to properly degree the cams or the car will run like a sick turtle.

4) Pay close attention to the bottom of the radiator and oil cooler. It is not uncommon to find damage caused by people who don't know how to jack the cars up properly.

5) Pay attention to the shock valve actuators and make sure they all work. They're the red cylinders on top of the shocks. (When you flip the suspension switch, you should be able to hear each one power up and adjust the shock)

6) First modification should be the challenge grill if a car you're considering does not already have one. The reduction in engine bay heat is huge.

7) Don't get a paddle car. They're horrid.

Either way, you can't go wrong with a 355. They're by far the most interesting, rewarding modern Ferrari to drive. It's also a pretty good time to buy one, and if you're thinking of future value potential, try and find a Rosso GTS.

 

Belt service interval is 30,000 miles, not 3,000.

 

Simba,what you have pointed out make sense. I am looking at a 95 gts, just not a rossa.

 

Simba, What do you think of a 95 with 11000 miles for $56,000?

 

Good price. If it has a solid service history and is the model/color you want, I wouldn't hesitate.