If you had to choose: 1994 ZR1 or 1991 348?

Hypothetically speaking which would you go for.

In this scenario the 348 is nearly 4 times the price of the ZR1 and they are in equivalent condition.

There is something tangibly special about the ZR1, the unique motor, the monster performance for the time and the sound.

The Ferrari, is well a Ferrari, no doubt the 348 is a challenge to drive, looks great, also sounds good, more so with a Tubi but I suspect the running costs would be rather different to a ZR1.

Thoughts/Opinions anyone?

 

ZR1, if the discussion was vs F355 that would be another outcome.

To me the C4 ZR1 is a special car, a GM & Lotus Collaboration.

 

Agree, Corvette.

 

If you already have a Ferrari then the corvette might make more sense.

But if you have no F-cars - I'd go 348!...

Robb

 

ZR1

 

I'm not a big vette fan, but the zr1 is a special car. That said, one is a corvette, the other is a Ferrari. What do you want to do with the car? I think the vette would be a better cruiser and GT, the Ferrari a better backroad bomber and more fun track/autox car. Neither would be bad at the other, though.

Which do you like better? That 32 valve zr1 motor isn't cheap to fix and they are known for having head gasket/head stud issues. That said, it's not going to be Ferrari expensive to fix (nothing else is, really, except maybe lambo).

 

Agree with the above posts, one is a Ferrari and the other is a Corvette......this is a no-brainer

 

ZR1 all the way, never cared for 348

 

I was thinking as something to take out for a blast from time to time, some cruising, some back road. LHD may be an issue here though.

The frank truth is here a 308 costs the equivalent of $100k, 348's are $90k and this mint one owner ZR1 can be had for around $30k...

 

That Vette is not a good looking car. 348 is.

That's my answer

 

Easy decision, 348 all the way.

 

Something to consider I have heard that it is difficult to find someone knowledgable in repairing the c4 ZR1 engine.

 

That's pretty much a wash when comparing to pretty much any Ferrari tbh. At that price differential it's a tough call.

 

My personal advice would be to drive both and see which one you enjoy more as they both could be very pricey to own bottom line is buy what makes you smile when you get behind the wheel and also of course what makes you smile when you are looking at it in your garage.

 

One is an exotic top of line Corvette, the other is a common slower Ferrari

 

Yup, the Corvette would be massively quicker around any track or backroad-no contest really when only considering performance. The Ferrari Interior is far nicer inside than that generation Corvette. Outside appearance is simply a subjective personal preference.

 

Check.

 

Owned a '90 ZR-1 for many years and loved it. Engine was bullet proof, don't let the rumors scare you provided it's been maintained properly. The external parts mostly electrical will give you some grief but tolerable issues. Expenses minor compared to the Ferrari. "Heart of the Beast" book a must read on ZR-1 engine development for enthusiast. The ZR-1Net or Forums have tons of good information for owning or maintaining.
Lots of good comments above including "drive them both", and "if you don't have a Ferrari already go Ferrari". Having gone from C4Z to C6Z to Maranello over last 15 years, Ferrari is simply a different level experience. Will qualify this by saying I know very little about 348's.

Bill
FL

 

I would go for the 348. Middle engined, low...Italian beauty.

 

Talk about common, they built 366,227 C4 Corvettes during a 12 year period. So other than the engine there's really nothing distinctive about the ZR-1.

However, for Corvette fans, the ZR-1 is the obvious choice over a standard 348, and for collectors as well (condition 1 cars).

Otherwise, for the best overall ownership experience the 348 wins.

BTW, a fair comparison would be the ZR-1 against the 348 GT Competizione. Although Corvettes always win during magazine shootouts it would be an interesting and entertaining read for sure.

 

Out of principle I'd never pay 90k for a 348 unless a loaf of bread was 100+

 

I wonder if we will look back at this and chuckle in 10 years.

I suspect not. Though 15 maybe...

 

The corvette is looking doubtful as its in a neighboring country and as such would need to buy sight unseen and deal with possible importation issues. 348 and Ferrari pricing here in general is just off the wall. Recently a 550 was sold for around the equivalent of $200k...

 

Having driven around CT and had a Zr1 in JHB I can comfortably say that a 348 will be a far more fun to drive car where you live.

The coastal and mountain roads in the cape are the type of roads a ferrari was designed for, much like Us1 in calif was back in the day bfroe Rvs and tourists.

The Zr1 is more of an open road car, think highway or the karoo, yes it posts good skid pads but there is more to driving pleasure than grip. The Zr1s motor is epic, but its quite bendy and lacks feedback. You can get used to it, but its s very cheap feeling car(besides motor). Someone once described a vette as a loose collection of parts travelign in the same direction and that applies to c4 evttes, newer ones are apprently different.
I did get mine up to 283 Kms, so they are aerodynamicaly stable, but really not a ferrari.

348s had their bad rap, the first versions were not great handlers with soem weird quirks on the limit, then they got sorted. I think it was year 3 when they revised the syuspension. A 355 is essentialy an evolved 348, 355 bodypieces fit ona 348 if you dont like the look, and some have done this change.. The pluses of the 348 over the 355 are no ps and a 4 valve mtor, the later 348's are reputedly very robust cars with relatively simple systems, as opposed to the 355 being considered fragile.

I cant imagine a more fun car for the roads around CT, there may be some faster newer ones, but not more fun, and you can only go so fast on the road, even an open one..

 

Since when are 348s selling at $90k????????