ScoobyDoo555

OK. My moment of insanity.

I'm 40 in the next few years. I've dreamed of having a Ferrari since I was a kid.
I'm not fortunate enough to be able to dive in "*****-deep" and get a 360 or 430.

Hell, I can't even really stretch to a 355.

But I do like the look of the 348.

How bad is the 348 as a weekend car? This going to stretch me financially tbh, but I don't care. Even if I own it for 12 months, I can tick the box.

Any experiences? I can't be the only one who wants to do this type of thing!!


For the record, I'm not naive to sports cars - my previous employers all had very nice exotica - Astons, Porsches, and GT cruisers (BMWs etc)
I've also had potent (imho) Scoobs, Audis, and I currently have a lowly mk5 Golf GTI lol!!

Dan

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

I had an insurance quote at the weekend on a 360, 37 with full NCB and inside the M25, £1500. The prices of 360s are very good at the moment, and the depreciation is minimal. The 348s aren't bad, but I'd look at the 355 too, the babyrossa is quite nice, but the 355 is a little more up-to-date looking.

And no you're not, I plan on getting a 360 in the next couple of years, even more so after going in a F430 last Friday

EddScott

A mate has one that he would sell for the right price.

He had 30K to spend. He wanted a german saloon but he was talked into a 348. To be honest he's a biker more than cars and he's never really used it. It was serviced in Cheltenham somewhere at cost a horrific amount to service - a standard service and belt change cost several thousand pounds. I can't remember the last time he used it.

EddScott

**

dpb

quiet a bit of mechanical ( general ) knowledge would be agood thing , so you dont end up taking on some majorally expensive jobs

Guy next door has one still i believe , not a bad place to put your cash for a year.

along with general tarting ( polishing ) , i think he said he'd planned/ done the yearly service which included the engine out . Could well have been the testarossa before that tho


I suspect he knows quite a bit - certainly had a string of cossies etc before now

Matteeboy

I wouldn't - a mate has just sold his and it's been a PITA and he bought a "good" one too.

355 yes, 348 no. I think they need engine removal for something simple like an oil change?!

njkmrs

To be honest I would steer clear and dont bother with the 355 either .
I drove the 355 last weekend and it was a bag of nails .!!! Cant honestly say they all would be but it was totally un-inspiring to say the least ,the one I drove anyway .
Dont like to dampen anyones enthusiasm ,as I normally say do it !!! But certainly have a good test drive and see what you think before spending that sort of money .

Matteeboy

You need about £30k for a "good" one - get a 993 instead.

ScoobyDoo555

Not a Porker fan. If I want something special, it has to have a prancing horse involved. Sorry.

German is too run-of-the-mill. (imho)

Dingdongler

I reckon it would drive like a pile of poo. Can't see the point really.

Ferrari's own CEO described it as a disappointing car

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ferrari-348.htm

Dingdongler

I reckon it would drive like a pile of poo. Can't see the point really.

Ferrari's own CEO described it as a disappointing car

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/ferrari-348.htm

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

I have only known one person who had one. It was great when it worked, they are nice cars but I would recommend that if you spent £25k on one make sure you have access to another MINIMUM £5k.

Ferrari 456 are at a good price, might be worth looking at.
If you go into it with your eyes open, pay for a good one, have some back up money then its as good as any other car in its class.
For me, I would buy a Noble M12 but if its has to be a rarri then the 348 marque is as good a classic as you will get

Trout

iTrader: (1)

Sounds perfect!

marky1

From what you write I wouldn't either. If anything goes wrong it will cost you a fair few quid to get it fixed, and it's highly likely with a car of that age something will go wrong. Also, it is widely regarded as being the worst Ferrari ever built.

hodgy0_2

The Mondial -- surely

EddScott

If you really do want a 348, PM me. The one I mention above is a good one.

ScoobyDoo555

Well, not bad results so far - the general thoughts from yourselves seem to be -

348 - walk away
355 - walk towards!!!

I've checked the insurance - £500 for a 348tb, and £600 for a £355. both on protected ncb, and limited to 5000 miles.

I've had a look on Pistonheads/Ferrari forum, as they have some more focused responses (no offence intended)....

They say that the bad press regarding the 348 is rubbish (basically).

Now thankfully, I've got 3.5 years to raise funds for this, so time is kind of on my side.

I've got some homework to do - go and look around both a 348 and a 355. Ideally, even drive one.
The challenge I've got is actually getting to drive one (not exactly local to a dealership who would play ball with these 2 older cars) - so I'm going to appeal to some Ferrari-owners' good nature!!

FWIW, if anybody else is looking at this type of thing, there's a great 5 year running documentary from an owner - HERE

VERY useful and insightful - kinda shows a different light.

Dan

ScoobyDoo555

Thanks for the offer Edd, but I'll have to sort a few little things (like money!) first.

Got LOADS of homework to do yet

Dan

Timwinner

iTrader: (3)

Thats was a lengthy but good read, Well worth it if you have a spare 15 minutes or so.

ScoobyDoo555

hail-hail

Had a 355 GTS for a about a year, I stretched my budget at the time as I thought 355 was simply stunning. I had a look at a 348 but they were very dated looking and felt 20 years older than the 355.

I used my my 355 most days, parked it on the drive in the pissing rain, snow etc, started every morning like a dream.

The only reason I don't have it any more was due to an argument with a central reservation.

Go for the 355, forget the 348.

And get a Capristo Exhaust fitted, a bargain a 2.5k, not kidding either.

Matteeboy

I had use of a 355 for a while - bought new, low mileage but still flimsier than a sheet of bog roll. Went very well and sounded amazing but had more Fiat swithgear than ermmm - a Fiat, the bonnet flexed too much, it broke down too much and tramlined horribly.

A good car and MUCH better than a 348 but still flawed.

hail-hail

I don't doubt I was lucky and that my ownership was a dream compared to some.

Don't buy at the bottom of the market, you can pick up a 355 for 30k or you can spend 45k.
They are not going to be the same car. I know that you can't guarentee anything and a 45k 355 can fall to bits as well, but you can hedge your bets.

I bought a low mileage (21k) FFSH, so it was one of the more expensive ones, but didn't miss a beat.

ScoobyDoo555

Well, it looks like I've got a few things "in the pot" to at least see some cars.

Nothing serious though - I'm doing a LOT of homework. And I've got time on my side.

Matteeboy

Hail - this was new and cost full RRP. I really liked it (of course!) but did feel a bit daft in it.

Very quick though and made a lovely noise. I prefer woofly V8s to flat plane crank Fezza engines but it was still a special sound. A big step up from the 348.

Matteeboy

Hail - this was new and cost full RRP. I really liked it (of course!) but did feel a bit daft in it.

Very quick though and made a lovely noise. I prefer woofly V8s to flat plane crank Fezza engines but it was still a special sound. A big step up from the 348.

hail-hail

A lot to be said for waiting for a 12 year old Ferrari. Let someone with too much money take the hit on depreciation, iron out all the breakdown issues, and then polish it for 8 years.
Then sell it to me

ScoobyDoo555

LOL!

Turbo2

I remember "advising" you on your purchase back then: I think you bought the best 355 available back then. FWIW, 45k will get you a lovely low mileage 550 Maranello these days (even 575's are touching 50k). 35k will still get you a decent low mileage 456 (just), like my brother's. He's had it a few years and sure proper servicing is a must and ain't cheap, but what exotic car is? It cost 180k when new, so much more than the 355 ever was. If it creeps up in value he'll recover some of those service costs anyway.

trails

iTrader: (41)

one of my friends has a 355, despite it being a left hooker it's been his only car for eight years...doesn't feel that quick (owned by my wagon running an 18g), but the event of being a passenger is such fun so driving it must be even better

Check out service\parts costs first, even from Eurospares or similar they are vicious.