What is a Ferrari 348 like to own?
Discussion
Kept one on the road in SW London for a year. IMO was a great weekend toy, not so good for doing the shopping. Gets a lot of the right kind of attention (ie nice car mate, not oh look at the poser types as it's more a classic than a modern 360/430 now). Putting challenge exhaust on certainly livened up things too - sweet engine.
Biggest problem you will have is the attitude of some that it is one of the worst models Ferrari ever made. Personally I enjoyed driving this more than a 993 turbo and although not particularly fast, it made every journey fun - something faster cars I have owned did not do.
I would probably not buy another one though as 355s are now realistic money and worth the premium over a good RHD 348.
Biggest problem you will have is the attitude of some that it is one of the worst models Ferrari ever made. Personally I enjoyed driving this more than a 993 turbo and although not particularly fast, it made every journey fun - something faster cars I have owned did not do.
I would probably not buy another one though as 355s are now realistic money and worth the premium over a good RHD 348.
angelis said:
steve f said:
crap ask angelis he only drives round the city of london as his dont work in the open roads
Can't argue with that.
You still looking Amo?
Yes mate still looking for the right car at the right price......just thought I see if I get different opinions on it on here away from the Ferrari forums
Edited by amo on Friday 9th June 13:52
got a spider about a month ago. kind of fell in to my lap, a freind of a freinds car. so given only small amount of time with it difficult to comment on your question...however.i will.
this car is amazing. imho looks better than the 355.too feminine looking for my taste. although having driven one i can appreciate they are a massive step up dynamically. the 348 really should have the moniker "baby testarossa",side slats look great. really beautiful to drive.gorgeous to look at,rear wing a thing of real beauty, really nice 308 cues with slight upturn at end. just put tubi on and so amazing to play tunes with the revs. not the quickest car i've driven but i dont think thats the point, could have got a subaru et al if thats what i was after.
pro's;sense of occasion/bang for bucks/i have been reliably informed fairly straightforward mechanically wise.the car is fantastic. even made me give up and sell my previous beau...1989 3.2 carrera. no point in keeping it.(which is saying something because i really did love that car) and..the gear change from 3rd to 4th through chrome gate. the personality of this car. the way it makes all of my freinds and members of joe public smile/laugh and freinds children piss themselves. ie micturate out of excitment/laughter...easily cleaned from black leather.
down side.you cant see cars approaching from the right side on roundabouts due to thick window frame(mines lhd)....slightly too many people start talking to you about it...but i just try to convince them its an mr2.handbrake is a bit weird...oh , and it cant get up my dads drive, not because of lack of power(joke to the doubters)...the front scrapes..all minor stuff.
best money i have ever spent. she now sits in underground car park with newer fezzas , all of them under there shiny covers. can honestly say, wouldnt want any of the others ..car is like sex on legs/wheels. does that help or have i had a few too many and waxed a little bit lyrical??
ps am doing a trip to west coast of ireland next weekend, with brother we shall be dressed in full crockett/tubbs fancy dress/wigs..just trying to get axel f off i pod....if only car was white.
as i was advised very recently on this forum. buy one and you will not regret it.
amazing.sorry for the rambling post.
this car is amazing. imho looks better than the 355.too feminine looking for my taste. although having driven one i can appreciate they are a massive step up dynamically. the 348 really should have the moniker "baby testarossa",side slats look great. really beautiful to drive.gorgeous to look at,rear wing a thing of real beauty, really nice 308 cues with slight upturn at end. just put tubi on and so amazing to play tunes with the revs. not the quickest car i've driven but i dont think thats the point, could have got a subaru et al if thats what i was after.
pro's;sense of occasion/bang for bucks/i have been reliably informed fairly straightforward mechanically wise.the car is fantastic. even made me give up and sell my previous beau...1989 3.2 carrera. no point in keeping it.(which is saying something because i really did love that car) and..the gear change from 3rd to 4th through chrome gate. the personality of this car. the way it makes all of my freinds and members of joe public smile/laugh and freinds children piss themselves. ie micturate out of excitment/laughter...easily cleaned from black leather.
down side.you cant see cars approaching from the right side on roundabouts due to thick window frame(mines lhd)....slightly too many people start talking to you about it...but i just try to convince them its an mr2.handbrake is a bit weird...oh , and it cant get up my dads drive, not because of lack of power(joke to the doubters)...the front scrapes..all minor stuff.
best money i have ever spent. she now sits in underground car park with newer fezzas , all of them under there shiny covers. can honestly say, wouldnt want any of the others ..car is like sex on legs/wheels. does that help or have i had a few too many and waxed a little bit lyrical??
ps am doing a trip to west coast of ireland next weekend, with brother we shall be dressed in full crockett/tubbs fancy dress/wigs..just trying to get axel f off i pod....if only car was white.
as i was advised very recently on this forum. buy one and you will not regret it.
amazing.sorry for the rambling post.
Hi amo ... see the thread that pneumothorax raised when he was in two minds ... you'll find my fairly in depth views there.
[url]www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=259176[url]
355? Even 360? No thanks, when I return to Ferrari it will be another 348 or a Testarossa thanks. Not fast? Yeah, I guess 176 is a bit shabby.
Superb cars and reasonably cheap to maintain as long as they have been looked after properly.
[url]www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=259176[url]
355? Even 360? No thanks, when I return to Ferrari it will be another 348 or a Testarossa thanks. Not fast? Yeah, I guess 176 is a bit shabby.
Superb cars and reasonably cheap to maintain as long as they have been looked after properly.
I've owned my GT Competizione for about 6 months now. It's about 300kg lighter (1180kg) than a Tb/Ts/GTS/GTB due to the Kevlar seats/doors/bumpers etc. It's plenty fast enough to stay with 355's as the bhp(320)/tonne is the same. However it's definitely not a day-day proposition. The seats are made for little blokes < 5ft 8" I'd say. Althought even me at 6ft 3" I still fit in it ok just not comfortable for long trips and I don't even eat many pies.. 
Negatives:
Steering is very, very heavy at parking speeds, especially with the wide rubber on the GTC.
Recalcitrant gearbox when cold. Requires double-declutching which I do anyway.
Seats
Exhaust note not loud enough (stock)
Can't bring myself to leave it anywhere except a pub and only for an hour max.
Everyone looks at it
Doesn't like short frequency bumps in the road
Windows are very slow even when in 100% order. Design fault but can be fixed with some clever wiring/grounds.
Positives
All of the above.
Doesn't squeak or rattle.
The Speedline wheels are gorgeous.
Gearbox click/clack is special.
The interior is gorgeous, totally outlandish and very cool. Red Veglia instruments compliment the kevlar F40 seats and the touch panel switches.
Performance is almost the equal of my old CSL and much, much better traction out of tight corners.
Handles very flat and does not feel the slightest bit "nervous" or "edgy" which the 348 has an (early) reputation for.
Steering feel and weight is wonderful at speed
Everyone who see it smiles almost without exception
Drop dead gorgeous, even makes 355's look plain and feminine
Residuals. 1 of 8 ever made in RHD and 50 total. How many of these do you see compared to a Porsche RS?
I doubt I'll ever sell this car unless I have to money wise. I'm about to spend £3k on it's major service and it deserves every bit of the attention. I know mine isn't the same as a stock 348 but most of the above holds true especially for the later cars.
The 355 is a much better "car", but then again the 360 is better than it and so on. I guarantee if you get a 348 you won't worry about any of that you'll just love it for what it is. Strange, but true.
Negatives:
Steering is very, very heavy at parking speeds, especially with the wide rubber on the GTC.
Recalcitrant gearbox when cold. Requires double-declutching which I do anyway.
Seats
Exhaust note not loud enough
(stock) Can't bring myself to leave it anywhere except a pub and only for an hour max.
Everyone looks at it
Doesn't like short frequency bumps in the road
Windows are very slow even when in 100% order. Design fault but can be fixed with some clever wiring/grounds.
Positives
All of the above.
Doesn't squeak or rattle.
The Speedline wheels are gorgeous.
Gearbox click/clack is special.
The interior is gorgeous, totally outlandish and very cool. Red Veglia instruments compliment the kevlar F40 seats and the touch panel switches.
Performance is almost the equal of my old CSL and much, much better traction out of tight corners.
Handles very flat and does not feel the slightest bit "nervous" or "edgy" which the 348 has an (early) reputation for.
Steering feel and weight is wonderful at speed
Everyone who see it smiles almost without exception
Drop dead gorgeous, even makes 355's look plain and feminine
Residuals. 1 of 8 ever made in RHD and 50 total. How many of these do you see compared to a Porsche RS?
I doubt I'll ever sell this car unless I have to money wise. I'm about to spend £3k on it's major service and it deserves every bit of the attention. I know mine isn't the same as a stock 348 but most of the above holds true especially for the later cars.
The 355 is a much better "car", but then again the 360 is better than it and so on. I guarantee if you get a 348 you won't worry about any of that you'll just love it for what it is. Strange, but true.
There's one for sale now I think in the PH classifieds. Looks a nice one too. I got mine from down Devon way. Previously came via Nick Cartwright but London/Maranello history. I know where 5 of the 8 are, I think a couple of others might be in Japan but guessing.
The GTC is very interesting, some people think it was a run out model to boost sales but it was a lot more than that, it was the homogolation special for Ferrari's return into GT racing so it had to have all of the body changes they needed for the racing/Le Mans etc and for the production of the GTC LM Michelotto cars. Very different to the customer challenge series cars.
I certainly wouldn't like to be in a shunt in one. I had the windows looked at recently and the entire door is kevlar and super thin. Even the panel for holding the window mechanism is kevlar and the backing for the trim. The strakes seem to be fibreglass. Front and rear bumpers super thin Kevlar too.
The GTC is very interesting, some people think it was a run out model to boost sales but it was a lot more than that, it was the homogolation special for Ferrari's return into GT racing so it had to have all of the body changes they needed for the racing/Le Mans etc and for the production of the GTC LM Michelotto cars. Very different to the customer challenge series cars.
I certainly wouldn't like to be in a shunt in one. I had the windows looked at recently and the entire door is kevlar and super thin. Even the panel for holding the window mechanism is kevlar and the backing for the trim. The strakes seem to be fibreglass. Front and rear bumpers super thin Kevlar too.
Edited by Lagerlout on Thursday 15th June 12:53
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