Have 360 spider, considering another F-car; 348 coupe?

1) I am sure many 348's are high maintenance pos's. I am fortunate that mine is not the pos you are refering to, as you probaby already know.
1) 50k and Noble in the same sentence? Sign me up for one
3) I think after you drive one, you will want one (ask Plugz)
4) I think you will dig the raw feeling of the 348

 

And the 348 has a pretty nice A55
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I'll preface this by saying that I have no 348 experience at all but I think I'd be more inclined to spend just a little more like 60-65k and buy an early Porsche 996 Turbo or a late 993 Turbo. Some may be cheaper by now, I'm not sure...

I think you'd have a better car for the $$...better performance, likely more reliable, etc.

Or you could buy a newer non-Turbo and stay closer to 50k.

...and I'm no big Porsche-file although I did own an '02 996 C4S at one point...

 

Buy a testa or a 512tr.....

 

I don't think you would want any Ferrari to be a beater car. I think a lot of us here have a Porsche as a beater car, mine is a 993 C2S

 

What about a Maserati Steve?

 

Having once owed an '02 Spyder GT, I'd highly recommend a Maserati. I had zero problems with mine in 15k miles. I know the newer models are even better, at least for Spyders anyway. The depreciation has been incredible...and I'd say that makes them absolutely great buys now...Coupe or Convertible. Throw a Tubi on there and you'll totally love it. They're great cars.

 

Get a 996tt for 60k and be done with it! You won't find anything better...

EDIT: Didn't see Marc's post. What he said

 

Who are you calling a freak??

The noble will be the most raw car you could get, with power. You can pick up a used one that has been done right, in the low 70s. The problem is, you will want to sell your 360 JK -2 different animals. You will find the Noble is an easy car to drive fast. Just no traction control, ABS, etc. If I had a few cars, I'd want to differentiate them. But just me.

Its a matter if what you want the car for, and what you will actually appreciate, like anything else. If it where me, I would be looking for a lightweight, powerful, and soulful coupe. 348 for rawness, maybe 355 for more power. Noble to oblitterate anyone

 

Reallllllllly!!
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Go for the 348. I take my car to work twice a week and run it on the weekends. It is has been reliable in the last 3 months that I have owned it. For 50K it is a steal. You get the same Ferrari feel and noise at much nicer price. If you drive it regularly and service it religiously it should be reliable.

The steering is really great, the handling too. However, the gearbox is quite recalcitrant compared to say a modern Ferrari. The visibility in the 348 is incredible. It is much better than my Audi which has tons of blinds spots. Speed wise I would put it in the same category as say the Nissan 350Z or so. It aint a 4.5 sec 0-60 car by any means. But who cares if you are having fun.

But I wouldnt want to park it just anywhere if you know what I mean. It is still a Ferrari and attracts a lot of attention - welcome or not. A Porsche is more anonymous choice and perhaps a safer bet but a 348 is a more fun car by far. An NSX is also a good, reliable choice but is not as anonymous as a Porsche

 

What a great question. I have 5 sport cars and everyone of the cars fills a different niche. My beater is a 1999 Porsche CAB. The car has been perfect and great to drive. I bought it new.

My "Sunday" cars are a, 2006 F430F1, 2005 Ford GT, 2006 Lotus Sport #8 of 50 built, 1965 427 Shelby Cobra, and the 1999 Porsche cab plus other stuff like motorcycles.

My question is the following. How do 348's drive compared to the 360. I owned a 2003 360 Modena for a few years and loved it. I saw my first 348 at a ferrari club owners event and I love the lines. It is a beautiful car!

Is the 348 stiff, does it have a ambionce that excites etc. If I bought one i would get a spyder so how does the top work. I also love the TR's but I was not happy with the way it drove. The chasis was very stiff. I am still drawn to them and the 348 might be different. Thoughts are appreciated and comparison to other cars are welcome.

Lee

 

The nicest thing about the 348 is that it is like a big go kart - no power assisted steering, no traction control. The tail comes out if you want it. It has a proper V8 sound.

In a word it is RAW.

At the Steve harris dealership where I bought my car, I was thrown the keys to a brand new Elise to take to lunch. The car was awesome with great handling and slick gearbo. It was a bit of pain to get in and out but overall I felt it was way too easy to drive. But then I got into the 348 and I forgot all about the Elise. The 348 is a proper Ferrari with all the noise and involvement. I didn't even think for a minute to buy the Lotus instead. Of course I am well aware that the Elise would be 2X better at the track.

Going from a 360 to a 348, you will like steering feel and rawness but you will find the gearbox a pain. The clutch will be heavier but if a wimpy 160lb like me can easily manage it wouldnt be an issue for others.

I also think the 348 should be more throwable than the 360. The limits are lower - so you are not doing stupid speeds to provoke the car. It corners flat like a modern Ferrari.

Compared to a TR, a 348 is short on torque but is a lot more wieldy as it is smaller and lighter. The cabin is bigger in the 348 compared to the TR.

I guess you could test drive a local car and feel it for yourself.

Did I mention it looks good!
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You should really consider a 996TT. Bullet proof, not too flashy, makes a great DD.

 

Agree ! mine is 2002 C4 Cab. and a 2002-360 Modena .

 

I see what you mean ... a 348 will not be a beater as you would still want to look after her carefully.

What about say a used Spec Miata? That car is easily customizable and should be a real hoot to drive. It can easily be your track day and daily beater. A lot of fun for under $15K. Fixing things and servicing would be cheap. You can park it anywhere.

Other nice choices: MR2 turbo (a little tail happy though but hey it looks like a mini 348 ), Porsche 964 RS America, BMW M3 (E30). An NSX would be a great choice too.

About the rear of my car - it is a custom mod - the previous owner removed the rear strakes and put a small mess in front of the reverse lights and a chrome Cavallino to top it off. The glass engine cover is non-standard too. I dont like the strakes myself.

FYI - The 348 Series Speciale model comes standard without the rear strakes. To me it is the best looking 348 but it is quite expensive - $55-64k at least. It is a limited edition model with only ~100 made worldwide.

 

Steve,

If you want an exceptional 348, you should look at the one Chris has!

 

+ 10!!

Chris maintains and treats his car like a crown jewel! Too bad it was not for sale when I was looking for a 348!!

 

why didn't you just keep the f355 and use it for what you are proposing the 348 for?

 

Going to chime in here also Steve. A 348 is a very cool car. Take one for a drive and you will be hooked. I gaurantee it. If you were here, id let you take mine for blast. With an XOST exhaust, they are a very inviting and exciting car to drive. Plus they look and sound FANTASTIC!!!
Here are more pics to help you decide mate.
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