430 Spider vs 355 or 348 Spider | FerrariChat

430 Spider vs 355 or 348 Spider

Discussion in '360/430' started by Julian.Hirst, Aug 31, 2015.

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  1. Julian.Hirst

    Julian.Hirst Rookie

    Aug 31, 2015
    2
    I am about to buy a used Ferrari for the third time -- I regret selling my 355 Spider three years ago. I am now torn between the 348 Spider (rarer with slats) or a 355 Spider. However, the reality is that in today's market, a 430 Spider costs no more for a low mileage model and is a much more modern car. What are the pros and cons? Are the 355s and 348s getting a bit over-priced? My criteria are (1) long term value retention/appreciation (2) driving experience and (3) reliability/maintenance costs. Interested in everyone's views! Jules
     
  2. Gizzi

    Gizzi F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Dec 3, 2011
    5,182
    Brisbane, Australia
    Full Name:
    Gezim

    Reliability and maintenance, the 430's win hands down. They have niggling little issues. Ball joints to be replaced with Hill Engineering units (you never have to replace them again), Exhaust brackets crack but the new ones are cheap and easy to replace. The F1 actuators leak, but it's no big deal. Keep the fluid topped up, and clean the oil from the diffuser, or remove and replace it for a reasonably large bill. Brakes etc. are very reasonably priced unless they are CCM. Engine has chains so no timing belts to have to replace. Seats are reliable as is the roof on a spider, if you use them. Let these cars sit as garage queens, and you'll have troubles. Cam seals leak on the engine, again, no biggie. Driving experience is fantastic. On a track, the F1 is awesome. I also have a 456GT, and rowing through the box is a pleasure, but on the track, you can't beat the F1. The gearbox is a personal choice though. Build quality overall is excellent. You still get the sticky plastics and there are plenty of threads on here about how to de sticky items. If you like tinkering with your cars, get the 348 or 355. If you like to drive your car without much hands on maintenance, get the 430. Any of these horror stories you hear, can happen to any car. I have friends with GT3's and Gallardo's, and believe me, when you get a failure, it can be VERY expensive as well. You are an experienced owner of these cars, so you know what to expect maintenance wise, so a 430 will be a welcome change for you. As for resale price, depreciation etc. I'm in Australia, so I wont bother commenting on that. Good luck with your decision.
     
  3. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 13, 2009
    15,875
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Curt
    I'm kind of surprised by this thread.. some of this should be obvious as a past Ferrari owner.

    First the "ask" versus "selling" price. Right now there are ALOT of very high ASKING prices for 355's and 348's. If you use ebay as a model, the selling prices seem to be in the high 50's and low 60's. Are they over priced? Asking prices: Absolutely. Selling prices, about where they were a year ago. Will they appreciate? Maybe. Since a manual 430 spider is $100k+, its going to be much more expensive than the 348 or 355. As long as Ferrari doesn't make another manual, as the last manual V8 midengine it will maintain its value fairly well. As far as the look, I'm not too into the wedge design. I suspect that future buyers will find it dated but in a quaint sort of way. Which brings me to..

    Reliability and maintenance. The 430 has chains. No belt service. All the models may have the occasional water pump that goes bad or other issue in the engine compartment. The big difference is you don't have to take the engine or the gas tank out in the 430 to do repairs. Sooo yes its less money maintenance wise. As the 360 is less to own, even more so is the 430. The ediff issues are hit and miss there doesn't seem to be any consensus yet here on the frequency of issues. I personally am interested in a 348 spider or TS in the future, but I'm not paying more than 40 for it. The bubble will pop. It always does.

    No matter how well you drive it or how reliable it is.. every 3-5 years with the 348 and 355 you've got to drop the subframe to do the belts. You can go longer but you know the game.. then its $$$ taken off on the sales price. I personally don't get why someone would pay the same for a car that needs a $5-7k service every 3-5 years as a car that doesn't need the same service but hey, to each his own. I know over on the 348/355 section their cars are perfect and reliable and never had any problems. Yeah sure. 80's and 90's technology as it ages doesn't read "reliability". My anecdotal experience reflects this.

    430 costs more but is going to be more reliable, more powerful and more refined.
     
  4. bobzdar

    bobzdar F1 Veteran

    Sep 22, 2008
    6,367
    Richmond
    Full Name:
    Pete
    430 are on the downward portion of the value curve, the other two the opposite. 430 is more reliable but has a lot more electronics and sensors. In 10 years, who knows what could be a nightmare there. The 348 and 355 are pretty well known quantities at this point.

    Buy the car you like the most, that will make you happiest. Trying to make an illogical decision (buying a Ferrari) logical is an exercise in futility. If you were logical about it, you wouldn't buy one.

    If you want an investment, buy a car they made less than 3000 of (preferably less than a thousand), and be prepared to pay up.
     
  5. Afonsolaw

    Afonsolaw Formula 3

    Sep 11, 2011
    1,908
    New jersey
    I agree ... It all depends how long you want o keep the car... It is true modern cars with their multiple computers can be a nightmare in the long run. But who knows. I personally like the 430 more modern car with more power and better ride.
     
  6. MaranelloDave

    MaranelloDave Formula 3

    Apr 27, 2010
    2,203
    LA
    Full Name:
    Dave
    I haven't been following prices on these cars, but I'm surprised to hear that the 348, 355, and 430 are similarly priced. Is this true? Last time I checked, which was a year or two ago, a 348 was really inexpensive, for a Ferrari.
     
  7. Perkins

    Perkins Formula Junior

    Dec 22, 2013
    702
    Sacramento
    Full Name:
    Rick
    I've seen some cherry 355s listed in the 90s recently, but I cannot imagine that they are selling at that price point.
     
  8. Voda

    Voda Formula 3

    Oct 10, 2013
    1,757
    Seattle
    +1

    +1


    Just a plane weird question IMO. OP joined 8-31-2015 and has no information in his/her profile, etc. Let's see where this thread goes.
     
  9. vrsurgeon

    vrsurgeon F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 13, 2009
    15,875
    Charleston, SC
    Full Name:
    Curt
    On this site pricing is affected by two things: asking prices and what the owner wants it prices to be. Asking prices have skyrocketed as they always do at the end of a bubble. And with ebay asking prices on a 348 with 60,000 miles being $50k... the same car that sold a couple years ago for $26-28, there is a lot of optimism in the air.
     
  10. INTMD8

    INTMD8 F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Jun 10, 2007
    6,488
    Lake Villa IL
    Not sure on the first, second is subjective. As for the 3rd, 355 will be the most expensive to run but I don't think you will retire early by driving one of your other choices instead.

    355 hits all the marks for me so that's what I have. Running costs were not a consideration.

    I would say, do what you can to get behind the wheel of these different models and buy what you like the best.
     

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