Keep it, drive it, and enjoy it...

The Boxer is definitely undervalued. Its a car that IMHO is should be a keeper especially as you are the original owner. Its the last year the BBi was made, and its from a time when these cars were largely hand assembled. It offers tremendous performance from a car thats more than 25 years old. This is a car that was the iconic competitor to the Countach.

The 355 is a very nice car, but I would not trade a mint condition, one owner Boxer for one. The 355 has a reputation for being a maintenance hog, with valve guide issues, header issues, plastic switch gear and buttons that become sticky from being outside in hot sunny weather. In additon, the 355s are far more common than any Boxer. I also hear they are more costly to maintain than some of the later V8 Ferraris (360/430) which have access panels so that you don't have to do an engine out service. Also, the F1 transmissions in these cars can be quite costly to maintain. If the pump actuator goes, I believe is more than $8,000 to replace...which is significantly more costly than just replacing a clutch (although yes there are manual transmissions available on these cars too). I've seen plenty of 355s in the last 5 years, Boxers, I rarely see unless I stop at a local Ferrari service shop.

As an owner of a 1989 328GTS Ferrari (which has been in my family since new, it was my father's), I can say its like a member of the family and I'm glad it has remained in the family. You can always find a used 355, but a 1 owner Boxer (where you are the original owner) is something you will never have again if you sell. I can see that being a sellers remorse situation after the deal is done.

Good luck with your decision.

Best regards,

Dino

Advice: What would you do? Sell or keep?

By: rmfan11 : June 8th, 2012-19:44

Here is the cause to my sleepless nights. I have a 1984 Ferrari 512 BBi, 11k miles, babied. ( I am the orginal owner ) My buddy who in the past few months has been well tempting me with cash / trade / trade plus cash to deal my 512, I thought I would ask ...

Don' t do it! You will regret it.

By: luc00 : June 8th, 2012-21:16

I have traded in cars and still hate me . The 512 BBi is the last one of the 12 cyl Berlinetta Ferraris before the supercar escalation in the 80s. It is a masterpiece and if you are the only owner it is unaffordable . I would consider trading it for a 288...

+1

By: SALMANPK : June 9th, 2012-01:09

I would keep the 512BB, you can always get a 355 Spider later (and for less than what an RM11 costs) but you'll never get a one owner 512BB again and its time is coming at the next economic upcycle, I remember how Daytona's were in the USD 150k to USD 160...

Would you trade ...

By: bimbeano : June 9th, 2012-02:36

.. this .. for a 355 + cash ? No way !!! Don't get me wrong, the 355 is a nice car but this 512 is an icon. The current value might be a bit on the low side for a classic Ferrari but my guess is prices will go up (as all cool stuff rises in price) ... and...

keeper

By: rmfan11 : June 9th, 2012-18:34

Thanks for all the input, I think I will hang on to it and enjoy it more.

Keep it, drive it, and enjoy it...

By: Dino944 : June 15th, 2012-11:10

Honestly, I would trade unless the 355 was yellow....

By: nautilus : June 10th, 2012-06:19

But I don't get sentimental over cars and would usually go for the latest styling / performance / gearbox etc.

I too would recommend against the trade and my reasons would not

By: ThomasM : June 11th, 2012-09:09

be based on sentimentality. The 355 is arguably the best (and final) evolution of the last "generation" of V-8 mid-engined which started with the 308, before the transition to the "new generation modern" V-8 cars starting with the 360. Both Boxer and 355 ...

Keeper...

By: hans_jorgen_1968 : June 14th, 2012-08:23

... especially because you are the one and only owner.. Keep it, built a bigger garage and buy another car :-) Btw, could we have a picture or two of your beauty? Please :-) Best Hans