[rfdg99]

Hello everyone!

I will purchase my first Ferrari ever for the coming summer and would like to get some idea which one to choose.

I Germany I can find beautiful examples of 355 for 60.000 Euros, which sounds very fair to me. 456 can be purchased for 50-60.000 and 550 for 80.000 and more. 456 seems to be a bargain in this company and I wonder why. It's a very classy car with lots of presence, but maybe it's not so desirable because of it's a four seater.

355 seems to be a lot more race car than 456, but what is it like to use it as a daily driver?

To go for 550 I should add some euros, but would it be worth of it compared to 355 and 456?

As you may have learned above, the car will be used daily, so what is your opinion based on experience which suits best my needs? Is there a big difference between the service intervals and costs? What about the reliability?

All the additional info is highly appreaciated!

Thank you!

Samu

P.S. I saw the earlier post below concerning 355 and 456!

 

[Dr. Bob]

Welcome here.

well, if you already read that other post, you know it is important to know what you want, and how much money you got to spend. Buying the car is 1, servicing it is 2. Take a few testdrives, and see what car feels the best for you, combine that with the advise that will be given here, and you will have the perfect car for your needs.

 

[ze_shark]

If you hesitate between a 355, 456 and 550, it means that either you drove none of them or are very unclear about your goals/selection criteria.
What do you plan to use the car for ? What attracts you in them respectively ? Have you driven all of them ?
Choosing a 456 over a 550 would only make sense if you need the emergency spare seats, otherwise a 550 is a much more sensible choice, although residuals are higher. Many say that 456's are grand-daddy Ferraris.
A 355 is a completely different choice, more a track/blast car than a grand tourer/daily driver. I own both, the 550 is my touring & off season car while the 355 is the sunshine/blast/track day car.

A 355 in good condition is a much more sensible start IMO. More affordable, fun, and less of a handful to drive than the 550, which is a delightful but mighty beast. The difference between an exotic sports car and a supercar.

 

[twatson]

I'd think twice about buying any of these cars for a daily driver having found that my Ferrari's have all been best for intermittant pleasure driving and too much hassle used on a daily basis. Buy what excites you the most ((gut feeling) and do drive them first.

 

[Dermot]

The 355 is the best of the three for a first Ferrari - That was my first and it was both great looking and a great performing car. It was the first truly reliable Ferrari, and a great improvement on the 348 which had some well documented build and quality issues (Especially the earlier models). The 550 is a wonderful car but its a v12 so get ready for big $$ if there is a problem.

I've contemplated buying a 456 several times, and had a number of test drives, although very well appointed, in my opinion the 456 is too big and heavy for a first Ferrari. It also has a poor resell value, which means you should be able to pick one up for a good price but you may find it difficult to sell/trade later on.

As for a daily driver, depends on how long your daily drive is. I know a number of 355 owners who use there cars as daily drivers (One uses his over 20k per year), just remember that you will pay the price of a lot of depreciation + higher maintance fees.. I'd buy myself a cheap daily commute car instead of using your Ferrari every day. Not only will you save yourself some $$ (Even accounting for the purchase cost of the commute car) but u will also retain the excitement of pulling the cover off the Ferrari every weekend and heading out for the road!!!!

Good luck!

Dermot :green:

 

[Stradale]

If an everyday car is what you're after, go for the 550. It's a car that you can drive to the office and back everyday and still get to go for that blast on the Autobahn on the weekends.

The 355 is more "sports car" than the 550, so it is more of a weekend car. So if you already have an "office" then the 355 is for you. It is more fun to drive, a car that you can take to the track and so on.

Leave the 456 alone, if I were you. The 3 friends that owned the car all sold them because of too much trouble with the window, the headlight and the rear skirt/spoiler. They don't work as what they're supposed to. If you do want to get the 456 then get the 456M, the Modifacato. Ferrari cured all the problems of the 456 when they replaced it with the 456M.

Go test drive the cars and then decide. Happy hunting and tell us what you decide.

 

[adlinyusman]

just out of curiosity, why isn't the modena in your list? I'm sure a used '99 360 would be cheaper than a 99 550 Maranello. Just my two cents.

 

[Rosso]

just out of curiosity, why isn't the modena in your list? I'm sure a used '99 360 would be cheaper than a 99 550 Maranello. Just my two cents.

Have one of each listed at Ferrari of SF. The 1999 550 is Titanium with a Bordeaux interior with 6,712 miles and is selling for $149,000.

The 1999 360 Modena in Azzuro California(the silvery blue, not the blue-ish silver) with a dark blue interior and 11,431 miles is going for $135,000.

So yes, in fact you can get a '99 360 for less than what you could get a '99 550 for.

 

[adlinyusman]

and i'm sure the taxes (road, gas guzzler, luxury..etc..) would be cheaper for the modena as opposed to the maranello. On the other hand...the 550 is so much more exclusive....(like Ferraris aren't already 'exclusive..') and it's a V12. Damn, i'd be really hard pressed to choose between the two. I love the Modena, but i would love to own the 550 for its sheer rareness. I mean how often do you see 550's going around? I've only seen one back home, and even then it's not on the road. So yeah...550 it is then. Go on..spoil yourself for our sakes.

 

[Bob348]

for me the 456 GT is a superb car with a great engine...V12...

But for the first ferrari i think a 355 is a better choice

 

[Boxer]

Which did you finally settle on ? I am interested as I currently have a 355 and am considering adding a 456 for use as more of a daily driver and for when I need the extra 2 childrens seats. Boxer42.

 

[kensei]

Not that i'm even a little close to owning a Ferrari unless it's made by hotwheels but i would buy the 355 and then buy some dull boreing econo car for cheap maybe a used civic or something to make the Ferrari more exciting in comparason. Altho if i had the cash id go for the Maranello, in please dont notice me doing obsenly illegal speeds mr. police officer nero. the 355 would be pure rosso corsa. Oh and werent the 3 cars mentioned here the the full line up in 97' and 98'.

 

[jungathart]

Among the three I would choose the 355: I think you'd get the most out of it. Good luck!

 

[4FERRARI]

My opinion:
Ferrari 550 Maranello
Why?
1. V12 - real Ferrari engine
2. Berlinetta
3. Design
4. Utility
550 Seems to look more daily, and more sportly...

 

[MVP]

First Ferrari? I recommend getting something user friendly.

The 456 is a terrible first Ferrari. It's extremely expensive to maintain due to the ridiculous cost of parts. Can you say $50,000+ transmission?

The 550/575 is expensive to maintain but is a great first Ferrari.

My recommendation would be the 360 however, the F355 is high maintenance, the 360 makes a great car that you can enjoy however. Good luck with whatever you decision you decide with.