Here’s the summary of another year’s ownership of a F355. You may want to catch up on previous episodes:
The ninth year they say is pottery
It’s been another year of extended lockdowns and restrictions on movements so comparisons from previous years have gone out the window.
Costs
Total costs for the previous year were actually a little higher at around $11,000 due mainly to insurance (as always) and the annual engine out service and clutch replacement. No doubt the costs would have been much higher without health restrictions.
There are still a few repairs that the car requires, but I am not expecting any major additional costs in the coming year (fingers crossed).
Travel
The car has passed the 92,000 kms mark and, provided restrictions don’t return, I would expect it to go very close to crossing the 100,000 kms mark in the next twelve months. In the last year, the car has only done about 5,000 kms, about 25% less than what it would normally do simply because of the health restrictions.
Low points
Unfortunately, the refurbishment of the cats wasn’t completed until after the annual engine out maintenance was complete. That means they have been laying around for almost twelve months now.
Another hang over from the annual service was the suspension warning light,
which is more annoying that anything as it is on every time you drive the car. The idea was to get this fixed be replacing an actuator when the cats were replaced. Alas, restrictions have delayed that also.
The final annoying repair this year, that is currently also still in limbo, is the small gear in the air conditioning timing actuator,
which has perished. I’ve managed to locate a replacement part (which wasn’t easy), and get it shipped to me. However, before I get it put back into my car I’ve sent it off to get some 3D printed copies made so I have spares. Unfortunately, once again, health restrictions have delayed this process significantly.
Apart from these minor annoying repairs that need to be fixed, and they will be, the health restrictions have meant I have been restricted in the driving I’ve been able to do. Luckily, the F355 has a battery isolation switch that prevents the battery going flat.
To keep the car ‘maintained’ I have taken it out every couple of weeks for a few laps around the block. The main aim is simply to get it up to operating temperature and have all the fluids flowing through the pipes to prevent aging.
Fingers crossed that our restrictions will end shortly and I can get back to regular drives as both the F355 and I have missed them.
High points
I can’t really point to many this year unfortunately due to restrictions, However, the car continues to start and drive when asked. The new clutch has also made it a much easier car to drive as well. All in all, the car has endured hibernation remarkably well.
Value
The value has perhaps bumped up a little in the last twelve months, possibly due to asset inflation. I see similar good quality examples like mine being offered from around the $300K mark. As noted last year, rosso corso is certainly not the most common colour on offer these days!
Summary
We live in extraordinary times as they say. I count myself blessed that I have been able to maintain my ownership of the F355 over the past twelve months, even if there have been major restrictions in my enjoyment of doing this. I look forward to shortly getting all the remaining repairs completed and the banishment of warning lights from the dashboard so I can truly enjoy the F355.
As always, I’ll keep you posted of updates about the car as they transpire. These have been limited of late simply because the F355 has spend the majority of its time lately in hibernation, awaiting the opportunity again to roam free on the roads. That day isn’t too far away now!
Love the F355 
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