Unbiased advice (if that's possible)..
Discussion
Just the one guys and it was enough, Testarossa, 1987 vintage with 3000 miles from new, owned from 18 month old for 6 months. Would never buy another based purely on that single experince.
£90,000 was a lot of money to drive around in a Golf courtesy car back and forward to Bradford. Still you pays your money and takes your choice.
£90,000 was a lot of money to drive around in a Golf courtesy car back and forward to Bradford. Still you pays your money and takes your choice.
RIGHT OK!!! ... No-one mentioned the dodgy 2nd gear when cold!!!
But apparently they all do that
Seriously, still in the search of as many opinions and info as possible I went into the main Ferrari dealers in Leeds, JCT600 and had a pleasant 5 minute chat with one of their sales guys. He said that they didn't really deal with 348s as they did tend to be a bit problematic and it gave them headaches with warranties... fair enough, but another point for the non-believers.
At that moment, a '92 348TS pulled up, so I made my excuses and went and hijacked the driver. Advantage all! He'd had his for two years and never had a problem, reckoned they were ideal 'first Ferraris".
As he was walking away I remembered and shouted after him, "what about 2nd gear?" he just turned round, shrugged his shoulders and said "oh, most Ferraris do that apparently - just go from 1st to 3rd for the first 5 minutes and it's fine".
Is this the case, or is it a bad sign?
But apparently they all do that
Seriously, still in the search of as many opinions and info as possible I went into the main Ferrari dealers in Leeds, JCT600 and had a pleasant 5 minute chat with one of their sales guys. He said that they didn't really deal with 348s as they did tend to be a bit problematic and it gave them headaches with warranties... fair enough, but another point for the non-believers.
At that moment, a '92 348TS pulled up, so I made my excuses and went and hijacked the driver. Advantage all! He'd had his for two years and never had a problem, reckoned they were ideal 'first Ferraris".
As he was walking away I remembered and shouted after him, "what about 2nd gear?" he just turned round, shrugged his shoulders and said "oh, most Ferraris do that apparently - just go from 1st to 3rd for the first 5 minutes and it's fine".
Is this the case, or is it a bad sign?
Here's thread that does it's best to explain the mystery of Ferrari's 2nd gear probs;
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=192784&highlight=article#post192784
http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?p=192784&highlight=article#post192784
At that moment, a '92 348TS pulled up, so I made my excuses and went and hijacked the driver. Advantage all! He'd had his for two years and never had a problem, reckoned they were ideal 'first Ferraris".
As he was walking away I remembered and shouted after him, "what about 2nd gear?" he just turned round, shrugged his shoulders and said "oh, most Ferraris do that apparently - just go from 1st to 3rd for the first 5 minutes and it's fine".
Just go get one - you wont regret it.
Seriously alasdair,
heres my comments from previous thread with someone asking similar question:
Tuesday 15th June
havent had anything go wrong with my 348 so cant comment.All I would say is when I looked at a few,a badly cared for ferrari sticks out a million miles.I saw some absolute pieces of cr@p.Not being a mechanic,I simply waited till I found one that looked as though it had been cherished - then got it inspected.On the basis of the report,250 quid,I bought the car and had a major service done with cambelts immediately.I can drive it with piece of mind so its worth it.I think it was about 2000 quid including brakes.It will only need about 800 quid spending on it for the next 2 annual services so if nothing goes wrong (which it shouldnt on the evidence so far) I'll have had relatively cheap motoring.From other people I've spoke to,the majority of people give the cars good reliabilty ratings if they've been maintained correctly.If the car has skipped periods in the service schedule - then you may be taking a chance.
heres my comments from previous thread with someone asking similar question:
Tuesday 15th June
havent had anything go wrong with my 348 so cant comment.All I would say is when I looked at a few,a badly cared for ferrari sticks out a million miles.I saw some absolute pieces of cr@p.Not being a mechanic,I simply waited till I found one that looked as though it had been cherished - then got it inspected.On the basis of the report,250 quid,I bought the car and had a major service done with cambelts immediately.I can drive it with piece of mind so its worth it.I think it was about 2000 quid including brakes.It will only need about 800 quid spending on it for the next 2 annual services so if nothing goes wrong (which it shouldnt on the evidence so far) I'll have had relatively cheap motoring.From other people I've spoke to,the majority of people give the cars good reliabilty ratings if they've been maintained correctly.If the car has skipped periods in the service schedule - then you may be taking a chance.
shnozz said:
I don't want to go into Ferrari ownership with rose tinted glasses,
did you really expect to get away with this one after those shades you wore at Pistonfest?
go on Al, just do it mate. Then if it goes pear shaped I can choose something else.
Ah well, I usually wear ones with purple lenses, but thought I'd be a bit subtle for P.Fest
Thanks for the info Nick - it seems that a lot of people say the same thing - get a looked after one and keep looking after it and they seem to be ok on the whole.
BTW - I understand that the 94 cars (eg GTS / GTB / Spyder) don't have the second gear issue - and it's allegedly worse on the 90-92 cars than it is on the 93. But - as they say - just let the gearbox oil warm up - (and you shouldn't be thrashing it from cold in second anyway!) Just drop it in third and cruise until all is ready fo hoonyness.
Go for it!
Edited for very many tpos
>> Edited by mr_tony on Tuesday 13th July 09:57
Go for it!
Edited for very many tpos
>> Edited by mr_tony on Tuesday 13th July 09:57
I know several owners of 348s and the opinion is that so long as the car is a late model fully serviced car with FSH you should be fine.
The caveat to this is that if you buy a bad one it will cost the earth and you will lose huge amounts on resale.
The 355 is THE Ferrari to own (with Tubi) but I think you need to be 40K+ in the UK for a good one.
I'm currently tossing up between 328GTS and a 348tb and I must admit the maintenance of the 348 is a negative for me as they can soak up money real easy.
The caveat to this is that if you buy a bad one it will cost the earth and you will lose huge amounts on resale.
The 355 is THE Ferrari to own (with Tubi) but I think you need to be 40K+ in the UK for a good one.
I'm currently tossing up between 328GTS and a 348tb and I must admit the maintenance of the 348 is a negative for me as they can soak up money real easy.
308gt4 said:
The 355 is THE Ferrari to own (with Tubi) but I think you need to be 40K+ in the UK for a good one.
Wouldn't mind a LHD 355 Spider but, I prefer the side profile of the 348 (although the rear of the 355) and I have heard reports on 355s with cracked manifolds and something else I can't bring to mind right now, but it was worrying.
Does anyone know off the top of their heads how performance compares, early 355 Spider versus latest 348 Spider? Top speed is I think 185 v 165 and 0-60 is 4.5 ish v 5.5 ish.
If this is the case, it certainly swings in in favour of the 355.
burriana500 said:
Does anyone know off the top of their heads how performance compares, early 355 Spider versus latest 348 Spider? Top speed is I think 185 v 165 and 0-60 is 4.5 ish v 5.5 ish.
...
www.fast-autos.net/ferrari/ferrari.html
348 - 300bhp @ 7200 revs. 14.0 secs to 100mph
355 - 375bhp @ 8250 revs! 11.3 secs to 100mph.
Since no real difference in weight / capacity of the two cars - seems as though much of the extra performance of the 355 is when it is given suitable beans.
I have a 348 Spider 1994. I have owned the car for 3 years now with no issues at all. The car is serviced at the correct intervals and no problem with second gear. The car has almost same performance of F355 in standard from.
F348 Performance Data
0-100 km/h - 4.7 sec / 0-60 mph - 4.6 sec
Top speed is 295 Km/h / 183 mph
Max Rpm Limit - 8200 rpm
Max Power Output – 269 Kw / 365 bhp (PS) at 7,800 rpm
Max Torque – 375Nm / 278 lbs/ft at 5,200 rpm
F348 Performance Upgrades
1. Dimex / H&S Electronik Engine Upgrades
Ignition/Injection ECU Mapping Upgrade,
Adjustable Bosch Fuel Regulator Upgrade
Tubi Style Non Cat- 316L ‘Free Flowing’ Exhaust System
K&N Optimisation Induction System
NGK Platinum Racing Plugs
The car was purchased from the BBC which purchased it from Germany. The car has all the mods on it from Germany.
The next two seater V8 Ferrari I would buy is a early 360 LHD. The servicing is cheaper compared to the 348 and 355 since the engine does not need come out for the cambelt change. The performance is better on the 360 as well.
Both the 348 and 355 costs about the same in servicing and up keep no real difference.
The 348 is rarer then the 355 and looks as good.
The sound on a 355 with a tubi beats all other Ferrari models. Their are to many 355 about. When you see a Ferrari its usually a 355. Nothing bad about that but I prefer something different. Also the 348 spider was my first ferrari for my 30th birthday.
Its seems your only interested in performance fiqures and what ferrari will be faster then a TVR.
The reason to own a ferrari is because your passionate about them and love them for what they are.
The TVR cerbra will beat any Ferrari with its performance and most other cars.
Their are many cars out there that are better built then a Ferrari or has more performance then the older Ferraris.
At the end of the day a real ferrari owner has a ferrari because its ferrari and excepts a ferrari for what it is even with its faults. There is no other car on this planet that has the racing heritage and passion about motorsport and cars then Ferrari.
Ever ferrari is specail in its own way. Ever new Ferrari will be better then its predecessor.
All the mechanical gearboxes on ferraris are not like on a BMW or other Germany built car. The build qaulity of a Ferrari is not Germany standard...
Their is no other car that sounds like a Ferrari and that whats its all about the noise, driving position and mechanical style gearbox. etc.
I love the 348 and 355 and the 355 will be a better car, bt if you had them both on circuit together fully tuned with two equal drivers not much in it.
I prefer the front end on the 348, more aggresive looking like on the 512TR and side panels are nicer. The rear end on the 355 is more aggresive and better.
In Italy they call the 348 the baby 512TR.
Pricing I think the 348 will stable out now. Will not drop any more. Look how much the 328 are fetching.
The 355 will drop in price because of the 360 and 360 replacement.
I would alwayd by LHD the true driving side and look how much you save. The internet can be used to sell a LHD easily if you want abroad.
F348 Performance Data
0-100 km/h - 4.7 sec / 0-60 mph - 4.6 sec
Top speed is 295 Km/h / 183 mph
Max Rpm Limit - 8200 rpm
Max Power Output – 269 Kw / 365 bhp (PS) at 7,800 rpm
Max Torque – 375Nm / 278 lbs/ft at 5,200 rpm
F348 Performance Upgrades
1. Dimex / H&S Electronik Engine Upgrades
Ignition/Injection ECU Mapping Upgrade,
Adjustable Bosch Fuel Regulator Upgrade
Tubi Style Non Cat- 316L ‘Free Flowing’ Exhaust System
K&N Optimisation Induction System
NGK Platinum Racing Plugs
The car was purchased from the BBC which purchased it from Germany. The car has all the mods on it from Germany.
The next two seater V8 Ferrari I would buy is a early 360 LHD. The servicing is cheaper compared to the 348 and 355 since the engine does not need come out for the cambelt change. The performance is better on the 360 as well.
Both the 348 and 355 costs about the same in servicing and up keep no real difference.
The 348 is rarer then the 355 and looks as good.
The sound on a 355 with a tubi beats all other Ferrari models. Their are to many 355 about. When you see a Ferrari its usually a 355. Nothing bad about that but I prefer something different. Also the 348 spider was my first ferrari for my 30th birthday.
Its seems your only interested in performance fiqures and what ferrari will be faster then a TVR.
The reason to own a ferrari is because your passionate about them and love them for what they are.
The TVR cerbra will beat any Ferrari with its performance and most other cars.
Their are many cars out there that are better built then a Ferrari or has more performance then the older Ferraris.
At the end of the day a real ferrari owner has a ferrari because its ferrari and excepts a ferrari for what it is even with its faults. There is no other car on this planet that has the racing heritage and passion about motorsport and cars then Ferrari.
Ever ferrari is specail in its own way. Ever new Ferrari will be better then its predecessor.
All the mechanical gearboxes on ferraris are not like on a BMW or other Germany built car. The build qaulity of a Ferrari is not Germany standard...
Their is no other car that sounds like a Ferrari and that whats its all about the noise, driving position and mechanical style gearbox. etc.
I love the 348 and 355 and the 355 will be a better car, bt if you had them both on circuit together fully tuned with two equal drivers not much in it.
I prefer the front end on the 348, more aggresive looking like on the 512TR and side panels are nicer. The rear end on the 355 is more aggresive and better.
In Italy they call the 348 the baby 512TR.
Pricing I think the 348 will stable out now. Will not drop any more. Look how much the 328 are fetching.
The 355 will drop in price because of the 360 and 360 replacement.
I would alwayd by LHD the true driving side and look how much you save. The internet can be used to sell a LHD easily if you want abroad.
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