Really?????

So what gives you the insight that I am not a real buyer?

And exactly which questions above are nimrod questions?

I am happy to engage in civil discourse, but I took some pot shots from John, and now it seems like I'm taking one from you. Please explain.

 

Scotty, Scotty, Scotty....

I have been at this an extremely long time, and have been through buyers and knuckle heads. Buyers ask very specific questions, and the they are not on the list you wrote.

The mere fact that you are asking which questions are nimrod in nature tells me that it would take far to much band width to explain.

 

Scotty,

Please take this with all due respect but I do not think the 348 is for you. If you have had 360's and a 430 you will be just feed up with the 348 within a week, I could be wrong. It's happened once or twice before.

The 348 is a very different animal. This is not a slam on you but it is an old car with old car characteristics and charm. What I'm getting at here is the modern technology of the newer cars makes them easy to live with and you have had some of the modern Ferraris. If you had a F1 gear box on any of your cars you'll know how easy it was to drive. If you had a 6 speed you'll know how easy it was to drive. Very modern very simple.
Ya see when the 348 came out Ferrari used a system of cables instead of real shift linkage. In fact these cables were manufactured by Morse who make steering cables and throttle cables for marine use. The shifts are often clunky and the media had a field day with such a poor system on a Ferrari. This system still exists today and it takes a certain type of individual who is willing to put up with it. Ferrari changed the system to real rod linkage with the introduction of the 355. Did I mention the lack of power assisted steering? 348's have been known to be heavy to steer at slow speeds like any old car prior to power assisted steering. Heck, drive a TR in a car park and you'll never have to go to the gym for upper body work outs again. A lot of people do not like this.

Your 360’s/430’s don’t require the engine to be removed for the belt services. In fact the 430 has a chain timing system which is wonderful for service. Modern technology has been great for Ferrari but I believe it has taken away some of the old school charm. The 348 has that charm and romance but do remember it’s getting close to being 20 years old.

There are a lot of niggling things that go on with old Italian cars especially Ferrari’s and it takes a certain type of person willing to put up with it. Older Ferraris can be real wallet adjusters. You have to ask yourself, am I that person? Am I willing to deal with all the goofy **** that these cars can and will throw at me?

I fortunately and unfortunately am that person. I get a thrill outta that edgy older car feeling. The one where the driver, the road and the car become one. Kind of corny but I think that defines the 348 and it's owner. It’s a passion thing but it comes with a price.

Make sure this is what you want. It would suck for you to get one and be disappointed and then become one of those guys that bash our beloved 348’s

Peace!

 

Hey Matt, Hows it going man. I don't own the car anymore as I sold it to Copterjon about three years ago. Good comments...take care...Bush.

 

I would have to agree. I can't understand why someone would want to go from a 430 to a 348. 348's are great cars but they are not classics and they are not a 430.

 

I think these are all excellent suggestions, and show that Scotty is going to be a great member of the 348 brotherhood when the right car comes along for him! I don't know of many people that could assembly a coherent list of strong points like that prior to owning one of these cars. My car would probably have been a good candidate for Scotty (even though it was a 1989 model) after I explained why I prefer the early car. Scotty, you are just getting a little taste of what being a Ferrari owner is prior to a purchase. There are some abrasive personalities, but often times that is just the way a person comes off on the internet. When you meet them in person, (almost) everyone I have met has been really cool. I would suggest you go to a Cars & coffee or some other gathering to meet your local Ferrari crowd, and see if they are people you want to hang around with. Otherwise, you might be riding solo, which is not so much fun. Again, great suggestions!

Edit: I sold my car to a previous owner of a 360, and he really enjoys it. So, if the 348 is what you want, I say go for it!

BT

 

Ingenere: your response leaves me wondering if you can find a coherent thought with two hands and a flashlight. I have been a contributing member of this board since the old FChat, and I put together this list with a sincere desire to help John. For the most part, these are questions I will asked, and have previous asked, of owner's whose cars I purchased. That makes your assessment wrong, at least in my case. If you expect me to be so swept up in 348 passion that I will buy a car without concern for details, you are wrong. It won't take much bandwidth, so please explain why one or two of the questions on my list are nimrod. I will give you, up front, that some aren't really questions (for example, some of the items I mentioned are things that I would search for myself--in this context I was merely giving John some thoughts that he might present to potential buyers in a "sales pitch" context).

John: I'm really trying to help provide you insight which might make the sale of your car easier. If you think I am hurting and not helping with my posts, tell me and I will stop and switch to PM's, or desist totally.

John and JayF: I appreciate (sincerely) both of your concerns about a 348. I have only driven one once, and the cable shifter did bother me a bit. Let me try to explain. The 360/430 are great cars, but have a performance envelope largely unusable on the street. Because of my concern about the amount of dollars invested in them, they were driven less than the should have been. My current favorite car is a 98 M3, and it has been around through 3 Fcars, 1 Maser, a Cayman S, a E46 M3 vert, etc. It is "less of a car" than any of those but I prefer it more. I have a Lotus Exige S for the track--when I bought it, for the same money (more or less) I could have had a Z06, a Viper, etc.--all much faster in a straight line, and capable of turning much faster laps times--but in my opinion, they don't come close to the connected feel of the Lotus.

I have never bought a car for looks, I always purchase based on specs. To me, the 348 is the most beautiful of the modern Ferraris. I miss working on cars (auto shop was my favorite high school class), as the Lotus hasn't started breaking yet, and the M3 is pretty reliable. I'm fine with manual steering. I understand about the "unobtainable" tensioner. I have read the thread on upgrading the headlights. I read entire threads about folks doing there own engine out service. I know about the alternator issues, the slow windows, the sticky interior bits. I also know I am mostly ignorant of the entire world of 348 issues. I am trying to learn. But, damn it, I want to own a car, for once in my life, that makes me weak in the knees when I look at it.

BT: Thanks for the positive comments.

To the Botherhood: If my list, as Ingenere suggests, is nimrodish, and no one wants to waste the public bandwidth, I would appreciate a private message. I am not trying to bait Ingenere, and I sense I am messing with gasoline and a match as he is a long time 348 owner and poster in this section. But I truly don't get his point.

S

 

Exactly! All of the "real" sports car guys I know would never ever buy anything but a coupe.

 

Which begs this question. Why are you moving from a 360 to a 348? There is no comparison.

 

Read two posts up.

 

Hey dennis.

How are you. I finally moved 2 months ago and got my garage / man cave finished, where all the pictures you kindly sent are hanging. Thank you again. BTW i would buy this 348 in a heart beat if I was ready to jump back into Ferrari ownership. I always liked the look of this car, even with all the upgrades. BTW the brakes are MUCH better than stock and should be left on the car. Anyone who is seriously looking for a good 348, this is your car.


Craig

 

My car doesn't leak, maybe it's the only one that doesn't.

 

After reading this post and other similar posts, I'm overjoyed that I plan to never sell my one owner (me) 92 348.

 

There shouldn't be any leaks on a well maintained 348.

 

Like I'm gonna pull the motor out to fix the weepy cam seal? Oil's cheap.
But yeah, really you're right.

 

Chris, your out of oil dude. Have it towed to Vince's Stoogeathon maintenance event and get that thing filled and leaking as it should.

 

I have seen Copterjohn's car and I must say it is one of the cleanest out there. He is a nut on how pristine he keeps it. To Copter I say just hang in there the "right" buyer will come along that appreciates the condition etc.
When you try and sell a 348 you tend to get alot of "bottom feeders" that try to nickel and dime everything. Don't take them seriously. Your asking price is very reasonable just give it a little time.

 

You are too funny LOL!!! That's why we get along so well.

 

The argument regarding going to a 348 from a 360 are invalid. Some days you a little more of a raw feeling and some days you don't.
The 348 is a wonderful car. I tend to enjoy my 348 spider a little more than the 360.


To the person in the market for one here, good luck with your search. You will enjoy the 348.


Best
Rick (LAgated360)

 

Thanks for all the kind thoughts and insights on selling my car but keep 'em. I have been selling cars for many years. Plenty of Exotics and plenty worldwide. I will not compile a list and do the leg work for the buyer, it's his job to know what he wants especially if it's an exotic or something unique. I will offer advice and help arrange with shipping details and of the financial transfers as those tend to get a bit sticky with international sales. but as far as creating a cheat sheet for some one not smart enough to ask the right questions to start with no friggin way, it's his problem. Sorry if that’s rude but that’s just how it is.
I am a very honest person and have lost deals because I've disclosed too much but to me I'd rather have you think wow, this car is way more than I expected than OMG what did I just buy? this is not the car that was described to me in my 20 painful emails.
Most if not all of your "list" could have and would have been addressed in detail with a simple phone call. And a lengthy chat.
I did a deal with a gent via the phone in Belgium on my Lotus Esprit a few years ago and I described the car down to every small fracture in the fibreglass which he was expecting there to be some as it was an older Lotus. He was just surprised that I was so forthright about them. We talked about everything from the front of the car to the back of the car to weather patterns, marriage, kids etc. It was very personal but business at the same time. When He picked up the car from the shippers in Belgium I got a call late at night(morning for him) that woke me up just to tell me that he never in his wildest dreams expected the car to be as good as it was. While I was pissed for being awaken in the middle of the night I was very proud that my honesty and candor exceeded this mans hopes. To this day that Esprit is his rolling dream and the star of many Lotus events throughout Europe.
I have made many friends throughout the world and U.S. with scenarios just like the above mentioned. There will not be a similar case in Oregon I assure you.
You my friend and I use the term loosely I don’t think I could ever please no matter what I do or say. So, this I will Say. My car will never be available to you even if it was at full price. You don’t deserve it in my opinion and I believe that you will be a PITA buyer that would never leave me alone.
You need a new car with a warranty, dealer service and salesman and service mgr. that has to be kiss up to you in order to keep their job.
Thanks for the advice but again I’ve done fine without it in the past and if and when my car sells it will be a straight honest deal with a happy buyer and probably another friendship made.

 

Thank you, John, I will respect your request.

S

 

Nice articulate comeback. I would have thought with a medical degree, you could have put in a bit more thought, but I am sure you are quite busy crossing 'T's' and dotting 'I's'. Perhaps you should bring along a ******l speculum and a flashlight to inspect the car yourself, instead of asking a plethora of inane and actually pretty useless details that appear to have come from a book on how to buy a used car.

You may be the rarity, but every time I have jumped through hoops like your list, and provided a perfect car, the 'buyer' turns out to be a punter.

If you are real, fine. Either way makes no difference to me. Remember, this is just the internet.... and it's all in good fun, so keep your panties from wadding! But if you are serious about John's car, it is a great, well cared for example. Either order and pay for a PPI, or hop a plane and come see it... but don't forget your speculum and flashlight!

 

If someone sent me a list of those questions I would just delete. Screams tire kicker to me. I have sold many cars costing much much more money and have never been subjected to that kind of a list. This is only a $40k car for crying out loud. The cost of most mini vans. I also hate when these cars drop so low in value cause it just brings out a whole different breed of buyers.

 

I think he is saying thanks, but no thanks on the suggestions.
I thought they were good.

BT

 

I'm sure the car is prestine...and from reading Johns posts, i can totally understand his frustration at all the tire kickers and dreamers with dumb questions... BUT... isnt that what selling a car privately entails? Lots of questions to answer for prospective buyers, or as John calls them, "dreamers".... in the hopes that one of them ACTUALLY buys the car?? I understand Johns car is mint and he is very passionate about the marque.. but his attitude towards prospective buyers is going to turn many, many people off from his car...

I love your 348 John, from the wheels to the brakes and everything in between, and I really hope you get your asking price from someone who understands how cherry the car really is.

Good Luck