Ferrari 348: PH Used Buying Guide
The 348 lives in the shadows of the 328 and 355, but that only serves to make it a more attainable midship V8
The 348 languishes in a gap between the classically pretty 328 and the 355 that has gone on to enjoy a reputation as the blueprint for all modern mid-engined Ferraris. Does that mean the 348 is a clunker, or untapped - and affordable - Modena gold? With prices from £45,000, it’s not cheap but it’s certainly good value compared to its immediate predecessor and successor.
Some will tell you the 348 is justifiably cheap by Ferrari standards because of its poor build quality and unreliability. This was definitely the case when the car was launched in 1989, though initial impressions were all very favourable. It had looks and presence, as well as its 3.4-litre V8 motor mounted longitudinally and lower in the chassis than the 328’s transversely positioned unit.
With 300hp, or 320hp for the Serie Speciale, it was quick by the standards of the time, knocking off 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds and levelling out at 171mph. A five-speed manual gearbox was the only transmission choice. The chassis was new too and used monocoque construction methods to make it much stiffer than the 328’s.
It all augured well until the initial road test reports filtered through. They criticised the build quality and snappy on-limit handling. The good news is these problems are easily fixed now and most 348s for sale will already have been sorted. Ferrari was quick to react to the comments in contemporary road tests with revised suspension geometry and much better construction in the cabin and the car as a whole.
By the time the Spider arrived in the 1993 to join the tb coupe and ts targa-roofed model, the 348 was very much the car it should have been when launched. At this point, Ferrari also changed the names of the tb and ts to GTB and GTS respectively, while the engine was boosted to 320hp across all versions.
Towards the end of its life, the 348 gave rise to a GTC ‘Competizione’ model with power up to 325hp and 190kg stripped from its kerb weight through paring back the cabin trim and composite body panels. Carbon Kevlar race seats dominate the GTC’s interior and only 50 were made in total, with eight delivered in right-hand drive.
Find a GTC for sale and you’ll need around £175,000 to put it in your garage. Look for a standard tb or GTB and prices begin at £45,000 for higher mileage examples and stretch up to £80,000 for perfect, low miles ones. The ts, GTS and Spider command a small premium but condition and colour dictate price much more.
Search for Ferrari 348s here
Buyer's checklist
Bodywork and interior
Rust shouldn’t be an issue as most 348s have been pampered. However, the body is all-steel and corrosion can occur around the wheel arches and door bottoms.
The electronic climate control’s ECU can fail and leave the air con not working. The most likely problem is broken connections that can be re-soldered by an auto electrician.
Plastic switches use a rubberised covering that degrades and ends up in a sticky covering. Sorting this means finding new switches or having the originals recoated.
Engine and transmission
Early versions of the 348 suffered from cam chain tensioner wear. Ferrari updated this and most cars will have been improved, but check the history file for evidence this work has been carried out as part of the routine two-year cam belt replacement regime.
Later 348s had the cam belt intervals extended to three years and 24,000 miles.
The cam chain tensioner’s inner support bearing for the cam-drive jack shaft can fail on early engines, though again this should have been resolved by now. Ultimately, Ferrari cured this with a new engine block design.
Second gear is difficult to select when the transmission is cold, so get used to changing from first to third until the gearbox has warmed through.
Clutch is a weak link in the transmission, so feel for any slip and listen for noises that suggest the transfer gears have worn. A gearbox rebuild will cost around £4,000 and is a better bet than a secondhand ’box that’s an unknown quantity.
Look for oil leaks from the cam covers.
Early Delco alternators regularly failed and were replaced by Ferrari with a Nippondenso item. Almost all 348s will now have the later alternator.
The original Motronic 2.5 engine management system suffered problems and was replaced by the later 2.7 version in cars built from 1990-onwards.
Suspension and steering
Ask a specialist to check the spring platforms as they can crack.
Wheels, tyres and brakes
Nothing much to worry about here beyond usual condition checks and age of tyres on cars that have covered small annual mileages.
Search for Ferrari 348s here
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SPECIFICATION - FERRARI 348
Engine: 3,405cc V8
Transmission: 5-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power(hp): 300@7,200rpm
Torque(lb ft): 239@4,200rpm
MPG: 18.0
CO2: N/A
Price new: £67,499
Price now: £45,000 upwards
There are remanufactured dash panels which lack the coating and companies who repaint existing panels but they're pricey AND they render a car ineligible for most concours/originality shows etc. (may not be the biggest issue if you're USING the car!?)
It's an odd problem to have but you don't want sticky goo on your hands every time you use the heaters or move the mirror?
https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/458/12164/ferrari-45...
There are remanufactured dash panels which lack the coating and companies who repaint existing panels but they're pricey AND they render a car ineligible for most concours/originality shows etc. (may not be the biggest issue if you're USING the car!?)
It's an odd problem to have but you don't want sticky goo on your hands every time you use the heaters or move the mirror?
There are remanufactured dash panels which lack the coating and companies who repaint existing panels but they're pricey AND they render a car ineligible for most concours/originality shows etc. (may not be the biggest issue if you're USING the car!?)
It's an odd problem to have but you don't want sticky goo on your hands every time you use the heaters or move the mirror?
The hidden fun of older cars - like "biodegradeable" wiring insulation - not fun!
There are remanufactured dash panels which lack the coating and companies who repaint existing panels but they're pricey AND they render a car ineligible for most concours/originality shows etc. (may not be the biggest issue if you're USING the car!?)
It's an odd problem to have but you don't want sticky goo on your hands every time you use the heaters or move the mirror?
The hidden fun of older cars - like "biodegradeable" wiring insulation - not fun!
All this just proves cars, trainers etc were made to be used and not put in storage.
About 10 years ago (during credit crunch time), these came down into the £20-30k range, and I thought I might be able to afford one at some point in my life, but alas, the prices have gone out of reach now!
Unfortunately, I think it will only be matter of time until your old classic won't be able to circulate anymore...Already Paris is cracking down on old cars. Italy is now making you pay full road tax on every vehicle (older vehicles used to be exempt) and London will soon enforce new rules for the congestion zone.
This will mean old, thirsty classics will be either confined to museums (in which case they will have to be very special cars) OR be converted to run on electric.
Even though the answer, CNG, has been present for years but sadly ignored.
Horses arent banned
You can still drive round in a Traction Engine if the mood takes you
Can still drive Vintage and Veteran cars
There seems to be this impression that governments only want to enslave and plus us into the Matrix.
they are democratically elected to manage the country and generally operate with the best interests of the populations (and themselves) anything they clams down on is to avoid us doing stupid s
t by and large or to extract money for the services we expect/demand, defence, benefits, education, law and order, health etc.They have a duty to reduce pollution, this benefits health but they dont seem hell bent on banning everything quite as eagerly as folk seem to think, the idea is to chivvy us into more eco friendly transport and that does seem to be for our own good, reduces the death rates and NHS bill, they do this by using taxation and rules, a miss step perhaps with diesels but they are human(ish) and things change.
So if most daily transport, trucks, buses, cars plus all the industrial side, aviation etc can be made more eco friendly, then I am sure that classics and special interest type vehicles can still be used.
At the end of the day, they are elected, if they piss people off too much they dont get in again, they arent simply there as the fun police, usually a reason for stuff, and banning stuff doesnt generate revenue and growth, they foster the classic industry with MOT and Tax breaks.
I fully appreciate I will now get told how naive I am and they are out to get me, listening to my every move but I am 47 and am happy with my lot, I can do pretty much anything I want within reason.
Some people spend so much time worrying about the future and moaning about the current, its all s
t etc etc, I dont think we know what st is (Go to Saudi, or most of Africa) and I think a lot like to sound knowledgeable and cynical about our future enslaverment and love to over think stuff, crack out the tinfoil !I think you will still be able to parade round in a bright red aged Ferrari in 100 years if you feel like it, you migth look like a latter day Fred Dibnah but I dont think its going to be banned, new ones are certainly going to be legislated towards the door but even then, if you can afford one and want one, you will still be able to do it, £550 tax on various old V8's, six quid a gallon, but if you want, you still can !
And how long before it reappears (having spoken to my local specialist who deals in Ferrari's only, it would seem its not cheap AND it seems the stress fractures 'can' reappear)
I'd still have one in a flash though...
Wonderful cars either way though, owners love them, they got good reviews when they were released and it was only through di Montezemelo trashing it that it got the reputation it did.
Would give anything for a GTC mind, they're perfect.
Penny dropped for me quite some time ago. My daily driver is an EV. Which means the family car is a big thumping V8 and my high days and holidays runabout is a very analog Elise.
If we as a society convert everyone who currently drives a cooking diesel (I.e. those who consider cars a means to an end) to an EV with a 200 mile range; are they the going to come after everyone else?
Perhaps, but I’d tend to think there’s always another crisis to divert attention.
I’m wondering when and how they’re going to start taxing electricity for transport use.
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