I'm having one hell of a time deciding on a car. I've been paying down debt and sometime in 2013 I'm purchasing either a c6 corvette or a 348 ferrari. my price range is the 30-40k mark, preferably closer to 30k. So my original plan was to buy a base model or z51 corvette and have fun modding it for 3-5 years till i pay it off, then sell the car and use the money to put a down payment on either a 360 modena or f430 if they drop enough by then. This is obviously the smarter way to go, but yesterday i got a wild hair to skip the corvette altogether and instead get a 348 berlinetta. The performance of the modified corvette is just leaps and bounds above the 348, and even faster than the modena and the f430 i will eventually switch to, but we all know that's not the whole point. I've loved ferraris since I was a kid and bleed rosso corsa, so this is very hard for me to get out of my head now that i've considered it. 2009 corvette capable of speeds up to 200mph with 25mpg, reliability, and even a navigation system... ooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrr.... a gorgeous 348 coupe. Should I just be patient and hold out five years for what i truly want? save my ferrari virginity for the model i truly lust for? I'm sorry if anything I've said offends anyone, I love these cars as much as any of us.
I can speak to this, but you wont like it I own both a 1995 355GTS and a 2007 C6 Z06. They are more similar than you might think. The two cars are both fantastic to drive, sound great and I paid within a few dollars of the same money for both. Both cars have good car clubs to check out and lots of forum support to reduce the pain of maintenance and repairs for those with some DIY ability. The Z06 has known engine risks that can rival the Ferrari in terms of cost, but the routine service for the Corvette is much easier to deal with, almost free by comparison. The Z06 is much quicker accelerating and has a faster top speed as well. The Ferrari feels much more refined and gives much better driver feedback..and nothing sounds like a Ferrari at full song! The Corvette is way more comfortable to travel in and can take two people luggage while getting 30 mpg on the freeway. On resale the Z06 should not lose as much as a regular Corvette but certainly has no potential upside as the Ferrari may have. This is largely offset by the reduced service costs however. I am not really afraid of putting miles on either car, but I probably grab the Corvette keys more often than the Ferrari...its just an easier car to live with on a daily basis. It has navigation, better stereo, more "normal car" features and it does not attract the same kind of attention as the Ferrari does when I want to be low profile. They both get the same number of thumbs up from other drivers and the same number of people cutting me off or acting like jealous children too. I couldn't make the choice, and I am single with no kids, so I am lucky to be able to have both in my modest collection..which also contains many 2 seaters....but my daily driver is a 2012 FIAT 500! Either car is an excellent and fun sports car but to sum it up, if I couldn't have both...I'd sell the Corvette. I wont give up Ferrari ownership again in my life! The Corvette is good, very good...but it will never BE a Ferrari.
Don't wait, life is fragile and you can get run over by a bus tomorrow (obviously, knock on wood it won't happen) But seriously, do it now or you'll always have it in the back of your mind. No matter how well or better it performs the Corvette has one huge major flaw: It's not a Ferrari!!!!
DO NOT buy a different, more reasonable car in an effort to placate the voice in your head screaming "FERRARI!!" I did exactly that with a 2006 C6 and a 2007 Cayman S. I did OK when I sold the 'Vette, but I had to eat $20K on the Porsche. Both are great cars, especially the Cayman S, but neither one scratched the itch. I've had my 348 for coming up on three years, and I've never once thought of selling it. It's too much fun, makes all the right noises, has good history, and looks badass! It's nice not seeing yourself on every corner, too. In case you're wondering, no, I would not trade my 348 for a 360 or 430 or 458. No BS. It's just my kind of car. Now, if you brought out a 275 GTB, 288 GTO, F40...we'd have to talk.
I have a faster car than my 355F1, and I have a better handling car, and one that is both (ubercharged Lotus Elise), but for the 355F1 the sound alone is worth the price of admission. There is something about the Ferrari that transcends mere numbers. I heard a Ferrari owner (before I was one) years ago say to someone that Ferraris aren't about numbers. I thought he was being a jerk and trying to say that despite the fact this other car ran circles around him that the Ferrari was better and through that he was better. I get it now, the car is more than just the 0-60 and skidpad Gs. If I take the Fbomb out it will likely be the only one I or anyone I encounter sees that day (unlike dozens of Vettes) and the magic of driving it is also unmatched. Get the Ferrari.
I had a very similar debate with myself prior to getting my 355F1 GTS last year, I was considering it or a Z06. Im pretty positive that I would have grown tired of the Z06 by now as I do most cars however the 355 still sparks my heart. Yes I have ideas of selling it about every other day for something else but guess what I havent done that yet, and deep down inside I know I would miss her if she was gone. If I had the money I would buy a 458 to go alongside the 355 then all would be right with the world.
You could be dead tomorrow, dont piss about with a 'Vette as unless its a ZR1 its not worth mucking about with. If you really "bleed RC" then get the Ferrari you can afford now and upgrade when you can. A 308/328 is a mile ahead of any 'Vette, start there if you want to then in a few years go to a 355 then 10 years after that go to a 430 or whatever the wallet affords. If you can afford to jump in at a 348/355 then do that, seems a no brainer (personal choice would be a 355) - Ferrari is SO much more than the individual parts, you will understand when you get one. Life's to short to piss about with what if's and maybe's. If Ferrari is your team then get on the ladder where you can and look to move up that ladder as and when. If its speed you are after then go for a Nissan, will look like crap but will go fast....its a life choice.
Thanks guys. either way id have a ferrari in 5 years time. but youre right, i could be dead by then. just worried about "meeting my hero" so to speak, before affording "my" model. i cant imagine not liking an f car though thanks fellas
After taking my baby (1995 348 Spider Red/Tan) out for a intense driving session I cannot get the huge smile off my face! The feeling behind the wheel of a Ferrari is unlike any other car I have driven, and the sound of a 348 Spider ripping up the RPM's is amazing & intoxicating. Go for it & enjoy!
There is no equivalent to a Ferrari. I was at a café this summer next to a Bentley worth about 6 times more than my 355. It looked like a Lexus sedan and no one looked at it and no one cared. The guy got in his car and sped off all pissed....was funny!
The thing I like about the 348 is it is the last v8 "raw" Ferrari. No power steering, 5 speed transmission, manual top on the spyder etc. the 355 started to become more refined which isn't a bad thing. But there is something about a no frills car. I have debated trading in my 348 for a different model but I know I would regret it immediately unless it was a testarossa, 288gto or an f40. My fiancé who didn't even want me to get it is now a fan of it and couldn't see ever getting rid of it. Yeah a corvette is faster but so is a Nissan 350z in the zero to 60 range. But in the next hour when I head over to Ferrari of Denver in my black 348 for the annual toy drive I will not be wishing I was in a corvette instead. There is just something VERY special about this marque. And the beautiful part of ownership is this... You can get a 348 today and sell it in 3 years for probably what you paid for it. Try that with most other cars.
Don't ya love it? funny you should say that, though, because I was looking at a Bentley (not to purchase, just curious) the other day thinking it just doesn't look the money to me. I'd rather have a great car I'm in love with than worry about making sure people think I dropped a bunch of coin, and I'm consistently flummoxed by those who see it the other way.
The 348 was my first Ferrari. I loved it dearly for 3.5 years, then bought a 355. In my mind, there is absolutely no reason not to buy the Ferrari you can afford now, and get the next one later. The V8 cars all depreciate for a while then eventually start to creep back up in value. So get the 348 now while its at its low point. You wont regret it!
You want a Ferrari? Get one now and get another one later. I have owned close 50 personal fun cars/bikes in my 50 + years. By far the most enjoyment is the Ferrari Except for maybe that R5 turbo I had for about 2 months LOL dont ask
I may get flamed for this, but... My own personal dream car is the 348. I might get into a Ferrari faster if I was to aim for a 308, but that wouldn't be exactly what I wanted and would delay my getting into the 348. The 308 is a very fine car, but I just don't get quite the same thrill as when a 348 comes to a show. I love Ferraris in general but I obsess about the 348 in particular. If I was in your position now, I would get something reasonably inexpensive (perhaps neither the 348 or Corvette) to keep you cheaply entertained without draining your financial resources whilst directing your financial energy at making the F430 happen as soon as humanly possible. If you really want an F430 and that's the Ferrari in particular that you love, then why not hold on for making that down payment on the F430? Being patient now might mean it'll take longer to get you into a Ferrari but it could be the fastest route into an F430. All the best, Andrew.
Here in Brazil there are very few F355's around 40 or 50 cars. Mine is the only Blue TDF with light grey interior. We also have faster cars, such as SLS Amg, E63, X6M etc But there is NOTHING like driving the gated 6 speed berlinetta. It just makes all my problems go away, and the noise of the thing, with catless challenge exhaust is just insane. Whenever I'm feeling a bit sad or angry, the 355 makes me feel better. I actually consider it my own personal therapist. Get the Ferrari, it will make you smile like nothing else.
If the 360 or the 430 is what you really want, be patient, then when the right one becomes available, you'll be all set. Substituting doesn't usually fulfill your dreams and it can sometimes cost you more in the end.
Agree. You may spend alot of money with unexpected service/repairs with the 348 and that will put you further back fund wise.
