[Kirk]

Originally Posted by roadracer311

I'll be doing my own oil changes. If I had a lift, I'd be doing my own engine-out service. A major engine-out service including replacing cam belts is usually $5k to $7k. Whoever owned the car in that link got hosed for service. A good clean <20k mile Ferrari 355 with services done is still going for about $65k though.

I thought about an F355. I've been shopping for a year and I've seen 50K mile cars in the low 40's and 30K cars running in the mid 50's down to high 40's. Not bad IMHO for a mid-engine V8 super car. Part of what scared me away from them though is not just the high cost of service, but also the high cost of parts if you decide to do the service yourself (which I do). For example, I just changed the rear wheel bearings on my Boxster and they were $36 each. On a Maserati (Ferrari parts) they are $630 each. I think they're a bit more, like $50 each on my 996. What's nice about Porsches is that the parts are more affordable and there are several discount parts sources on the Net. For example, there is only one Maserati discount source on the Net and they don't carry everything. If I blow the engine on my Boxster or 996 I can get a used one for $5K. How much would a used engine on an F355 be? Last I checked I could only find one for $20K!!!

The other thing about the Ferrari is that I saw one this last year at a car show when I was seriously considering them. The car looked nice and I watched the car drive off and it sounded okay, but honestly it didn't stir my soul like the TechArt 996 does with the FabSpeed exhaust. I didn't think it was really worth the extra coin. Beautiful car, no doubt, but I think the hype over the wonderful noise and sensations of this car is a bit over done.

As for the Corvette Z06 - nice car but honestly they're a dime a dozen and it's nearly impossible to tell the Z06 from a standard Corvette when it's zipping down the highway. I've never been much of one to care what others think, but it is nice to have a car that really stands out and people admire. I picked up my 996 in Monterey, CA and on the 4 hour drive home I had someone take my picture while passing them on the highway and I had someone getting a picture of their kid with the car at a rest stop. It gets attention. If I had been driving a Z06 these people would have just yawned.

Kirk