Hello, I'm in the final stages of research before pulling the trigger on an open top 348. I'm still unsure about TS or Spider and have little time to travel around sampling both. Am I on the right lines in the below assessment? TS: - Looks better (to me, very subjective!) because has the rear buttresses - Less legroom when travelling with the top behind seats - Pre-1993 cars are lacking the handling updates - Roof off, less wind noise than the Spider? So better freeway car than the Spider? Spider: - Has the handling updates - Has the 320 BHP engine update - Is 4 times as rare as the TS, so better investment - Will be seen as the last-of-the-line with all the updates, so better investment My gut preference is the TS due to styling preference and less wind buffeting on the freeway, but I'm having trouble finding a nice blue or black one (in Europe) at a reasonable price (55K max). There are some blue or black Spiders for sale... and I feel they would be a much better investment. Am I wrong? Thanks,
The only "wrong" thinking to me is that you're looking at it as an investment. I think that if you view it as the cost of entertainment, without expecting a return on your money, you'll enjoy it much more. If you keep it it 5 years and sell it for $10K less I'd still consider it a win. You'd still be way ahead than the cost of a new car - and that won't be a Ferrari. My thinking is that if you're undecided on body style is to get the best car for you. I've never been in a Ferrari GTS but I can add that my spider has shockingly very little wind buffeting - even at 80 MPH. I have been in other targa top cars and there is considerable turbulence created from the B-pillar and rear window. Best of luck to you!
Very interesting about the very low turbulence on the Spider, thanks! (I am first and foremost buying out of longstanding passion, though if I happen to also make a profit, that would be lovely)
Regarding less leg room due to carrying the top behind the seats (on the TS): You don't have to bring it with you, leave it at home. I've had my TS for almost 7 years and have never carried it with me.
I agree with all the above: the Spider windshield is raked back so far that the buffeting is pretty minimal, and if you put the side windows up is almost nonexistent. There is more air flow disturbance in my MR2 with the T tops off. This may be totally erroneous, but I believe the targa 348s have a tendency to have water leaks in the seals for the top. Of course with the Spider you're stuck with a plastic rear window. It is nice that the top is manual so no fancy mechanisms to fail, but getting the boot snapped over it does take a few minutes.
If you don't want wind, why are you looking for ts or spider?? Just wondering. I have 91ts blue sera, blue green metallic. I have been using this for 15 years. This car entertained me last 15 years and more years ahead. Even if you spend $100k to buy still it is so cheap if you can enjoy the car for 15 years. I can take this car to the track events with roof on. I can take it to winding road in the mountain with top off. When top is off, I can enjoy Ferrari sound even if the speed is around 40mph. Fantastic sound is coming from above my head. Wind and sound entertain me, what a nice time to spend. Because of truck events I never considered spider....
I don't think he said he didn't want wind - but it is a consideration - and as several people have stated, it is minimal with a spider.
I like the open feeling all the time, and I like lots of wind for short sunday morning blasts but not so much wind for 6 hour freeway drives... The spider sounds like what I want.
If you prefer the looks of the TS, go for that. I however far prefer the looks of the Spider. Stunning with the top down. Forget about the handling and power improvements stuff. It is true but meaningless. The 348, in any factory guise, is a slow car by today's standards - as are 355s btw. As an investment, the RHD Spider will prove to be amazing, with only 68 ever made. And not too many LHD ones either. I estimate my RHD Spider has almost doubled in value since I bought it. But....buy and drive what you enjoy.
Spyder is awesome. Some fool put an aftermarket wind blocker in mine. It is now out. All it did was foul up the process and actually gouge the seat backs! There are pictures of it it with the top half way back (because you can't put it down the fool wind blocker in place) and it's old crazy custom paint. Trashy JBL bookshelf speakers too. They were totally blown when I bought it 2 years ago. I have new carbon boxes for J&L subs waiting in NH right now. Gotta make a trip up to get them. The wind screen is super raked and works well. In fact you will notice some vibration over bumps with the top and windows down. Wind though is just fine. The roll in the top back + window and along with a good tonneau cover does all you need. It's a great design. Don't mess with it. Pull over and get out if you need to put it down or up.
I really don't think either one of them are "slow", less so with the 355. There's more than enough power to get yourself into trouble. If you're worried about stop light drag races with other drivers wanting to embarrass you don't be - just do the right thing and smile. You have nothing to gain and a whole lot to lose.
I recently purchased a 348 Spider. I don't have a ton of experience with it yet, but I've driven it a half dozen times 60-90mph and have loved every second of it. It's a convertible, feeling the air is what makes it fun and why I drove it. My research told me the later 348's had time to work out a few electrical glitches. From what I can tell, there were 556 Spiders shipped into the U.S. so there aren't that many around. I have no idea if the car will go up in value. I do think that the 348's have come close to bottoming out value-wise and I don't see them losing much more value in the coming years. Everybody now is flocking to the 308, 328, and Testarossa's, thus driving their price up. It's a possibility the 348's value will creep up once all the 80's Ferrari's have been bought. I love that it's "old school" Ferrari. No power steering, and just a blast to drive. The last Ferrari designed under Enzo, so it has that great old school look and feel. I love that it borrowed some styling from the Testarossa, my dream car as a kid. Good luck in your search, because I've 100% happy with my 348 purchase.
Value for money with the greatest potential for investment? Really, none. But if I had to guess, I'd go with a 348 Spider. Far more scarce than a 355 Spider, far lower price of entry with greater potential for value increase. The 355 only wins if you are looking for mass appeal over the 348. The maintenance may be greater - depends on the car and its history - it is a more finicky car, but better performing and easier to drive, consequently, it has greater mass appeal. Some people, not me, prefer the styling. If you are looking at a 348TS alternative, the Serie Speciale is the only way to go if you are dreaming of any upside potential. Either way, these cars are just not investor grade.
I say spider! The first Ferrari I ever drove was a red 348 spider we rented for 6 hours in Hawaii on our honeymoon...my Magnum PI fantasy (even if we were on the wrong Island- Maui ) I drove it for ~5.5 hours out of the 6 and put 165 miles on it in that time! Even found one straight road to hit ~130 (I have the picture in my photo album from our Honeymoon 12 years ago!) We went all over Maui in it and when I turned it back I fully had it out of my system- 6 hours in a Ferrari is enough for even me as hard as that was/is to say... Our rental Ford Mustang convertible felt more like a Ford Explorer while driving back to the hotel after all that seat time in the 348!! The other plus with the 348 is manual top...nothing to break like the 355! Thankfully my 355 top works (for now..) I'm sure they both the TS and Spider have their fans- if you like the TS go for that- don't let us change your mind as you really have to get what you want with these cars!! Personally, I love the look of the convertible 348, and love the look with the high rear view mirrors. I had 2 targa top 911s, and a convertible 911 over the years- the full convertible experience is different than with the fixed window behind you. I wanted the full convertible and only had the targa 911s because at the time I owned them, the respective model 911s (used 911SC and 3.2 Carrera) were just that wee bit over my budget.
Yes I saw the same. Mine is not exactly an investment car but my broker and I checked the market and agreed it was near bottom. The 348 IS the baby Testarossa. A great tribute and better V8 gas mileage. Spyder style, "when the top goes down the price goes up."
Looking at the 2 main car websites here in the UK (autotrader and pistonheads) the only right hand drive in ok condition is £45,000. All the rest are left hand drive.
