Hello, Im new to this forum and this is my very first thread. Im considering to buy a 1994 348 spider but I am not sure about her reliability. According to my books and knowledge, the 348 GTB/GTS and Spider have solved many problems of the TB/TS, though many people still prefer the 328 to the 348. What should I expect in terms of performance and reliability from a 348 spider? Please give me your fair judgments on the following: - engine and trasmission - handling and brakes - electrical systems and a/c - roof quality and interiors I look forward to hearing from you. Regards CM
I have had both, and I prefer the 348 over the 328 by a wide margin. But, I still prefer any 12 cylinder Ferrari to any 8 cylinder one! If it is to be your first Ferrari, you owe it to yourself to get a 12 cylinder car. Otherwise, you will not get the true Ferrari experience; and that is from someone who has owed two 8's and 4 12's.
I've also had both, but no 12's. The 348 is a MUCH more capable car than the 328. I have a '94 Spider and it would make a good first Ferrari (or 2nd or 3rd ...). The late 348's are pretty bulletproof. If you get a Spider you should not have any major problems, PROVIDED that you choose the particular car carefully. Don't go for one with too few or too many miles. Too few is a garage queen and can cost you a lot - the car just hasn't been driven enough (and these cars were made to be driven). If you find one with around 20k miles on it, you'll probably be in about the right ballpark. The 348 also has much more interior space than the 328, especially the Spider (no roof to store). The roof is very well constructed and is manually operated (which is good because they rarely break - no motors to go out). The handling is amazing compared to a 328, which has amazing handling compared to just about anything you've probably driven. The AC in the 348 works really well, too - much better than that of the 328. Don't get me wrong - I loved my 328 GTS, but the 348 is even better in every way. The electrical system in the 348 is also pretty good, but you may have problems with the door harnesses (power windows, speaker, etc.) However, these are almost always at the connector and you can fix it yourself very easily and quickly. I just had my car out on a drive with the local Ferrari club and can tell you that it is like no other experience to hear that engine at about 7500 RPM - it screams. It's an amazingly well designed Spider, too, in that even at extremely high speeds, there's not too much wind in the cabin. Let's see - oh yeah - the transmission is also very much improved over the 328. My 348 is pretty smooth even cold, which didn't happen in Ferraris until around the time of the 348. Basically, if you go with a '94 348 Spider, you won't ever have any regrets. As with any Ferrari, choose carefully and don't be afraid to spend a few hundred dollars having the car checked out by a dealer - it could save you thousands down the line. Cheers
The 348 is better than the 328 in all areas that count, except maybe for its looks, but that is in the eyes of the beholder. If you get a well sorted car and have all the services/belt changes made it will also be very reliable. // Peter
Thanks indeed for the long and detailed report. The real problem is that a low mileage full history and fully serviced 348spider sells around 65K euro. If you compare this price to a 355 GTS in the very same conditions, you will find that it costs around 73K euro while a 355 Spider costs around 80K euro. As you can see, there's not a big difference (at least in Europe) Is it true that the last 348s were officially named GTB/GTS (rather that TB/TS) and had 320BHP over 300BHP declared by the first series?
Yes, with the '93 introduction of the Spider, the tb/ts were changed to GTB/GTS (but never sold here in the US) and incorporated all the engine improvements that the Spider had. So I've never seen one, but the GTS/GTB cars should be just as good as the Spider, performance- and reliability-wise. You'll see the price of 355 creeping closer to 348's as time goes on because the 348's are much more rare. Only slightly over 1000 Spiders total were built for all years worldwide. So the price of the 348 will probably hold a little better than that of the 355's, of which many were made. Good luck with your purchase. The main thing is to GET A FERRARI! And do it as soon as you can! Everyday that goes by without one is time that can't be reclaimed! They are an absolute blast!
SECONDED! I just put the deposit down on mine last night 93, 21k miles, Giallo in ab-so-loot-lee immaculate condition. A very happy bunny. Hopefully collect it a week on Friday!