1998 Ferrari F355 GTS |

Sold

1998 Ferrari F355 GTS

Sold Price

£76,320

Mileage~39,462 on clock
Transmission5-Speed Gated Manual
Engine3.5-litre
LocationAberdeen

SOLD

1998 Ferrari F355 GTS

I WANT ONE

Introduction

Colin Bashford

Professional Consigner

To many, the F355 is the classic Ferrari of choice - a fantastic V8 that gives you goosebumps when on song, and all wrapped up in a stunning Pininfarina design.

Introduced in May 1994, the F355 replaced the 348. It featured a larger engine using a 5-valve cylinder head, which helped produce a power output of approximately 375bhp at 8,250rpm. Mate that high-revving engine to a gated manual gearbox and you have a very special car indeed.

Originally only available as a coupe (Berlinetta), a Spider and GTS variant became available in 1995. The car we have here is a GTS, which features a removable targa top that slips into a bag behind the seats, allowing more of that intoxicating noise into the cabin.

This car comes from approximately 15 years of ownership with Doug - it has a large history file, including its original service book, MOT certificates and invoices through the years. The F355 comes with two sets of keys and was most recently serviced on 28.09.2023 - the cambelts were last changed on 29.09.2021. The car has been kept covered in Doug's garage with a trickle charger connected, photos can be found in the paperwork & history section. The private number plate F6 FER is included in the sale.

This listing was written from information supplied by Colin after meeting Doug the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

Since sitting in an F355 in 1995, I knew I had to own one - in 2009, the dream came true.

Doug bought this F355 GTS from Nick Cartwright Specialist Cars in Derby, who sourced the car to his ideal spec. Doug made the deal for the car without even seeing it (way before the days when you get a thorough listing like this one).

Just the sight of the car alone is enough to get the adrenaline pumping. However, it's a drivers' car through and through; the gear change through the gated manual is an overriding pleasure, closely followed by the howl from the exhaust. Doug toyed with the idea of a sports exhaust, but decided to keep the car as original as possible.

It was a tough decision for Doug to part with the car after approximately 15 years, but a few factors came into play: his son, who he planned on passing the car onto, has emigrated; lack of use; and garage space.

Doug will be happy to answer any questions in the comments section below.

Doug

Vehicle Owner

Doug saved £13,680* when they
sold their Ferrari with us.

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EXTERIOR VIDEO

Exterior

Rosso Corsa paint, pop-up headlights and a targa top - this F355 is perfect for a summer evening blast in the lanes.

Wheels and Tyres

The original Ferrari wheels looked in decent shape; being picky both nearside wheels showed some kerbing marks, but nothing a wheel refurb couldn't fix.

All wheels wore Michelin tyres: Pilot Super Sports on the front and Pilot Sport on the rear. All tyres looked in good visual condition with a decent amount of tread remaining.

Please have a look at the photos and video below to asses the condition of the wheels and tyres for yourself.

Bodywork

The bodywork around the F355 looked to be in great condition; we didn't notice any dents or dings anywhere on the car. The doors, bonnet, and engine compartment opened and closed easily, and the shut lines were visually even.

The roof slotted out with ease. Doug told us he usually leaves it in the garage when he takes the car out.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The Rosso Corsa paint looked to have a nice even coat across the car. We did notice some swirl marks in the paint, but a simple machine polish should sort those out.

There were also some stone chips on the front bumper, as you'd expect, and being picky again, we did notice a very small bubble in the paint on the nearside rear quarter panel.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

The glass around the car looked in good shape; we didn't notice any chips or cracks in any of the glass.

The side windows still had the number plate etched into them, suggesting they were original.

Please view the photos and video below to review the condition of the glass and trim for yourself.

VIEW ALL

INTERIOR VIDEO

Interior

Red and black carbon-backed bucket seats offer a firm hold while navigating the gated manual gearbox.

Seats and Carpets

The red fabric and black leather seats looked in great condition. We only noticed some usual signs of wear on the driver's seat bolster, which align with the age of the car.

The seats are a very rare, expensive and desirable option in the day - here's what we found on the Internet about them from 6speedonline.com in the U.S:

"The Carbon Kevlar factory racing seats in this F355 GTS are reminiscent of the Euro Ferrari F40's seats that were also constructed by the Italian firm, TIR. Due to the nearly $4,000 premium over stock seats, very few F355s were originally ordered with them and fewer remain nearly 30 years later. Less than 100 sets of these F355 carbon seats are currently accounted for in my database. If you can find a spare set of these seats, expect to pay upwards of $20,000 for them. With manual adjustability and an ergonomic design, these seats are lighter and far more supportive than the stock F355 seats that most buyers ordered."

This is copied verbatim and of course we can't validate the claims / worth of the seats, but invite you to do your own research.

Regarding the carpets, they also looked in great condition and we didn't notice any stains on any of the carpets.

Please take a look at the photos and video below to decide on the condition of the seats and carpets for yourself.

Dashboard

The dashboard looked in good condition; the clocks appeared clean and free of fogging. However, there did seem to be a slight crack at the bottom of the glass of the speedometer. The odometer read ~39,455 at the time of our visit.

We did notice that the buttons on the centre console and the window switches suffered from stick button syndrome.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The original Ferrari steering wheel looked in good condition, although some wear was noticed on the right side of the rim with slight discolouration.

The chrome gear knob looked in great condition, with all lettering easy to read, and the gate was also in great condition too.

Please take a look at the photos and video below to check the condition of the steering wheel and gear stick for yourself.

VIEW ALL

'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO

Mechanics

Peak power is delivered at 8,250rpm, so this V8 loves to rev; the accompanying howl is intoxicating.

Engine and Gearbox

The 3.5L V8 kicked into life at the first attempt, idling smoothly. On the road, the engine felt very responsive and encouraged you to go faster. As the revs climbed higher, the engine started to sing.

The manual gearbox engaged gears with ease; each gear change was precise in the gate.

We didn't notice any unwanted noises from either the engine or gearbox.

Please take a look at the cold start video below to see for yourself the performance of the engine and gearbox.

Suspension and Brakes

On the road with Doug, the F355 felt great; on the B-roads, it hugged the corners.

We didn't notice any unwanted noises coming from the suspension.

The brakes stopped the car with ease; there was no pulling on the steering wheel either.

Please take a look at the on the road video below to see how the suspension and brakes performed.

The Drive

Taking the F355 on the road is a truly exciting experience, from the precise gear changes to the high-pitched scream from the engine and its road-holding capabilities; the car doesn't fail to impress.

Doug told us he enjoys taking the car for a blast on winding country roads with the roof off and taking it all in.

To see the car in motion please take a look at the on the road video below.

Electrics and Other

A very analogue experience, but it does have some creature comforts too. The removable fronted Sony radio features a cassette deck, as well as a CD changer which resides under the bonnet.

We didn't test all the electrics, but the radio and electric windows were working fine.

Doug told us everything was in working order to his knowledge.

VIEW ALL

History and Paperwork

This F355 has been looked after with one of the best services records we've seen - 25 main dealer services and just one missing year from our analysis.

The F355 has a very healthy service book with 26 services recorded, 25 of which are main dealer stamps. The car has had the cambelt changed six times over the years. In 2016, the front left brake pipe was replaced; in 2007, the right cooling radiator and engine mounts were replaced.

Doug told us the only breakdown he has had with the car was due to a flat battery while stopping for fuel on the way to its service in 2013, where it was due to receive a new battery.

Overall, the F355 has had everything it has needed - it comes with two keys, a great service and MOT record, including a current MOT valid until 28.09.2024. It has been garage kept, under a cover with a trickle charger connected. The number plate F6 FER is included in the sale.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History

Date	Type	Mileage
28.09.2023	Service (MD)	39,267
27.09.2023	MOT	39,279
14.09.2022	Service (MD)	38,849
14.09.2022	MOT	38,846
29.09.2021	MOT	38,151
29.09.2021	Service (MD) (Cambelts)	38,143
31.07.2020	MOT	37,785
31.07.2020	Service (MD)	37,774
26.06.2019	Service (MD)	37,051
25.06.2019	MOT	37,050
28.06.2018	Service (MD) (Cambelts) & MOT	36,668
21.06.2017	MOT	36,090
20.06.2017	Service (MD)	36,082
28.06.2016	MOT	35,823
21.06.2016	Service (MD)	35,807
20.06.2016	MOT	35,806
15.06.2015	MOT	34,973
12.06.2015	Service (MD)	34,962
03.06.2014	Service (MD) & MOT	34,315
18.06.2013	MOT	33,373
18.06.2013	Service (MD)	33,370
13.06.2012	Service (MD) (Cambelts)	31,969
06.06.2012	MOT	31,972
22.06.2011	Service (MD)	30,453
22.06.2011	MOT	30,442
16.06.2010	MOT	28,159
16.09.2009	MOT	26,919
16.09.2009	Service (Cambelts)	26,912
27.11.2008	Service (MD)	26,475
06.11.2008	MOT	26,506 (Incorrect Reading)
19.03.2008	MOT	26,774 (Incorrect Reading)
23.10.2007	Service (MD)	25,349
03.04.2007	MOT	24,157
21.09.2006	Service (MD) (Cambelts)	21,822
16.03.2006	MOT	19,371
21.10.2005	MOT	17,429
20.10.2005	Service (MD)	17,418
11.03.2005	MOT	16,494
21.06.2004	Service (MD) (Cambelts)	15,207
25.02.2004	MOT	14,107
24.09.2003	MOT	13,467
22.09.2003	18,750 Mile Service	13,452
24.09.2002	Service (MD)	10,920
19.09.2002	MOT	10,906
21.08.2002	MOT	10,820
22.03.2002	Service (MD)	10,229
15.08.2001	MOT	9,744
07.08.2001	Service (MD)	8,715
14.03.2001	Service (MD)	8,610
02.09.2000	Service (MD)	8,549
25.03.1999	6,250 Mile Service (MD)	5,283