348 Issues | FerrariChat

348 Issues

Discussion in '348/355' started by BRYM, Apr 15, 2015.

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  1. BRYM

    BRYM Rookie

    Apr 14, 2015
    30
    PA
    Hello as some of you may know im looking for a Ferrari. I think the 348 is what i want. Ive been searching an reading about all the issues,problems and maintenance these can have. I think it would be a good idea to have all the common issues, problems and maintenance with these together in one thread. If you post one could you tell what it is, if it is major, how frequent, how much does it cost and can you do it without having to take it to the dealer. Thanks to everyone who contributes
     
  2. whyte

    whyte Formula Junior

    Apr 25, 2006
    404
    Merritt Island, FL
    Full Name:
    John C
    First, congrats on your choice. Great car, tons of fun, good community.

    What you are asking for will never fit in a thread. Too much information, too much variance, and too many variables. They do have common problems, parts are astronomically expensive, and costs can be mitigated somewhat by doing your own work, varied maintenance schedules etc.

    Spend an evening reading through this forum section and by the end of about 5 pages, you'll have all your answers. :)

    Rather that argue about all that, though, here's a simple test.

    1. Do you love the car?

    2. Can you afford $5,000 a year beyond any other typical car costs, to keep it on the road?

    If you answered Yes, then you can proceed without too much concern for any of what you asked. You'll be fine whatever comes your way.

    If question two made you stumble a bit, then you might need to do a lot more research prior to pulling the trigger. You can probably still buy it, but you may find ownership stressful.

    Good luck!
     
  3. greyboxer

    greyboxer F1 World Champ

    Dec 8, 2004
    12,282
    South East
    Full Name:
    Jimmie
    We could call it the master sticky thread index for example
     
  4. bikz

    bikz Formula 3

    Mar 2, 2012
    1,043
    Malaysia
  5. RaginBull

    RaginBull Formula Junior

    Oct 24, 2006
    996
    Bay Area, CA
    Full Name:
    Darryl
    Nailed it!
     
  6. zman

    zman Formula Junior

    Jan 14, 2006
    356
    Toronto, Ontario
    The 348 will be one of the most sought out cars. One of the last Ferraris that Enzo had anything to do with.
     
    Bertil likes this.
  7. Triple Black

    Triple Black Karting

    Feb 8, 2014
    217
    Millington TN
    Full Name:
    David S
    No offense to any Ferrari owner but it really seems Likely to be the last true Ferrari manual sports car.
    Manual shifter, manual steering, manual top. Everything newer has not this.
    I would love any Ferrari but I really hope the 348's appreciate because they are great cars and I can't wait to drive mine.
    Dave
     
  8. IAmNotCasey

    IAmNotCasey Formula Junior

    Jul 9, 2014
    290
    Parker, Colorado
    Full Name:
    Casey Duncan
    The 348 is a great car, and a great first Ferrari. The key is to be patient and find one that has been taken care of. If you find one that you think is good, get a PPI from a reputable shop, and don't be afraid to walk away if too many issues turn up. If you are mechanically inclined, you can work on it yourself and have a great time learning all about how it works. There are tutorials for most things you might need to do and folks here eager to help out when you need it.

    Just make sure you don't spend all of your money on the initial purchase. Set some aside for things that will come up, and for regular maintenance. Even if you do the major service yourself it won't be free by any means. Between major services the best maintenance for car and driver is to drive it like you stole it. Best of luck!
     
  9. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,548
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    Except for the "$5,000 per year for maintenance" statement.

    That is an excessive estimate.
     
    aballas and vvassallo like this.
  10. BRYM

    BRYM Rookie

    Apr 14, 2015
    30
    PA
    Yeah i have some money stored away for car problems. I just want to ge a general feel for the major things that will need to be done every now and then and the little things that show up from time to time.
     
  11. GTO Joe

    GTO Joe Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Feb 15, 2013
    989
    Charlotte, NC
    Full Name:
    Joseph Troutwine
    What was said above plus all the stored info here on FChat will give you the confidence to get a good car. They are a lot of fun and the only negative I have is not buying one sooner. I depart and arrive home thru my garage so I leave and return with a smile just walking past it. :)
     
  12. yelcab

    yelcab F1 World Champ
    Consultant

    Nov 29, 2001
    12,661
    San Carlos, CA
    Full Name:
    Mitchell Le
    If you are not a mechanic, that $5K is true.
     
    steved033 likes this.
  13. whyte

    whyte Formula Junior

    Apr 25, 2006
    404
    Merritt Island, FL
    Full Name:
    John C
    It wasn't meant to be an actual estimate (or to start a debate, oh lord no...). It was meant to be an abrupt, and slightly humorous, reality check.

    My intent was that someone who can see a number like that and not spit their coffee out, is very likely at a point financially where they can enjoy the car, come what may. It's the same advice I'd give to someone buying an older home, out of warranty boat, or plane.

    It's the Ferrari version of, "Son, are you prepared to sleep with the same woman for the rest of your life?" ;)

    While maintenance can be a bit more than a comparable sports car, be aware that the costs of parts in the event of a major repair are high (due to proprietary engine parts, unavailable components), and the age of these cars mean that many electronic, rubber, etc. parts are beginning to fail.

    In conclusion, average maintenance CAN be much less, but the POTENTIAL RANGE of costs is VERY broad, and you should factor the potential into your planning, not just averages.

    Brym, you asked about what to expect with costs, so I threw out a number that I felt would help you assess your ability to COMFORTABLY deal with it as a maintenance and emergency repair fund, to spare you digging through all the threads.

    For what its worth, even in the bad stories we've seen over the years, I don't think anyone has regretted it. So if you are on the fence, do it.
     
  14. BRYM

    BRYM Rookie

    Apr 14, 2015
    30
    PA
     
  15. White Knight

    White Knight Formula 3

    Aug 22, 2011
    1,531
    Ogden, UT
    Full Name:
    Todd S.
    Keep in mind, if the bills get to be too much...the 348s aren't going down in value. You'd be able to get out of it without too much hassle.
     
  16. vvassallo

    vvassallo F1 Veteran
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 4, 2006
    8,281
    Palos Verdes
    Full Name:
    Vince V
    I got mine because my mechanic said it was the most bullet proof of the modern Ferraris. And he has been correct through my 13 years of 348 ownership on 2 models. Not cheap, but certainly not the nightmare experience other models may involve. Moreover, if you are mechanically inclined, however slight, you can do stuff yourself. You have the support of the Brotherhood on these boards.
     
    aballas likes this.
  17. BRYM

    BRYM Rookie

    Apr 14, 2015
    30
    PA
    Exact reason I dont think I want the maserati gransport anymore.
     
  18. frezza

    frezza Rookie

    Sep 26, 2013
    19
    it is not 5000 $ a year that is the cost for a major service engine out . you know we say it is expensive but think about it anysport car in modern age parts are expensive even a vw parts are expensive .new cars parts are expensive ps dont go to the dealer like any other car they will rob yo blind
     
  19. 4rePhill

    4rePhill F1 Veteran

    Oct 18, 2009
    8,178
    Worcester, England
    Full Name:
    Phill J
    The thing is, a 348 is @ 19 ~ 26years old now.

    Parts are becoming rarer by the day and many parts are no longer being manufactured, the 348's comparatively fragile electrics are starting to cause owners some issues, hoses/seals and such like are getting to an age where they ideally need replacing to avoid future issues/disasters and mechanical parts are starting to wear out/fail.

    The $5000 annual maintenance cost being quoted isn't an absolute amount that it will cost you every year to run a 348, but it's probably about right amount of money to have available "just in case".

    You mention that VW parts are expensive these days, which is true, but a lot of that expense is based on how complicated VW's have become, and the fact that parts are rarely serviceable items any more, you have to replace the entire component.

    Take steering and suspension components for example. In the past if you had wear in bushes then you could just replace the bushes and keep the costs down, but today these parts tend to be sold as entire assemblies, and you cannot buy just the bushes any more.
    Why? - Because it is easier and quicker for the manufacturers technicians to replace the entire assembly than spend hour after hour faffing about trying to remove the old bushes and fit the new ones (and it makes the manufacturer more money for the part!).

    Modern mechanics working for dealerships don't know how to repair parts any more like the old boys used to, they're just trained to swap old assemblies for new assemblies.

    Another big difference between a modern VW and a 348 is that all of the parts are readily available for the VW, and that's definitely not the case with the Ferrari!

    Comparing the running costs of a 348 to a modern VW is simply not being realistic!

    Let's look at My 348:

    It has a full service history and has been well looked after, and it is just coming up for an annual service and it's annual road safety inspection (MOT test in the UK) to be road legal, but there are a couple of things that need sorting out with it, so the possible costs I'm budgeting for are:

    1) MOT test: £50 ($75).
    2) Annual service: £400 ($600).
    3) Replacement turn signal assembly (Headlamp/daylight flash no longer working and indicators no longer self centre correctly): £900 ($1420). [Parts price only]
    4) Left hand exhaust manifold (Has a small split on the top face where the pipes meet together): £333 Second hand ($530) or £665 brand new ($1060). [Parts price only]
    5) Electrical repairs (Such as the hazard warning lights only operating on the drivers side whilst the indicators all work correctly!) £500~£1000 ($750~$1500).

    [Parts prices quoted from Eurospares for reference only]

    So Worse case scenario total: @ £3015 ($4655) (And that's if I fit the replacement parts Myself. If I have them fitted by a specialist then the bill would be @ £4000 ($6000).

    Okay, it may not need a replacement turn signal assembly or exhaust manifold, but at the moment I feel it prudent to brace for those costs just in case.

    As for the cars electrical faults, I've checked the obvious and they've got Me beat! (TBH, I've never been that good with car electrics - They just drive Me mental, so I'd rather pay an expert to figure it all out once and for all [until the next time!] ).

    Now out of all of that, there is nothing that I would call "major work" being required, but the bill could exceed the quoted $5000!

    The point I'm making is that the bills on a Ferrari can quickly escalate to @ $5000 very easily so it's better to be prepared for the costs and budget for them just in case, rather than being hit by them out of the blue.
     
  20. Zulf

    Zulf Rookie

    Jan 16, 2019
    37
    Irvine California
    Full Name:
    Zulf Ali
    Hello Sir, just read your thread regarding the 348, fortunately (thank God) I'm in a similar situation where I can afford to buy a 348 and currently looking at one this weekend. Question is, did you pull the trigger and if so how was the car been treating you. Not going to lie, i'm nervous but I'm finding this forum extremely helpful. Thanks Bud
     
  21. 97 Spider

    97 Spider Formula 3
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 15, 2012
    2,241
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Brian
    If you look at his profile BRYM hasn’t posted in 3 years and 32 weeks so I kind of doubt you will get an answer from him. But the fact that he’s not around makes me assume he never acquired a Ferrari.
     
  22. steved033

    steved033 F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Apr 12, 2017
    7,676
    Atlanta, GA
    Full Name:
    Steve D.
    what if you're "sort of" a mechanic? $10k? $12k? ;)

    sjd
     
    Jakuzzi likes this.
  23. bballto

    bballto Karting

    Mar 10, 2014
    155
    Great topic for someone considering a 348 purchase. The key is to get a good PPI, buy the best example you can afford, and have cash in reserve for the unexpected.
     
    steved033 likes this.
  24. Zulf

    Zulf Rookie

    Jan 16, 2019
    37
    Irvine California
    Full Name:
    Zulf Ali
    Thanks bud, I figured right after I pressed post.
     
  25. AceMaster

    AceMaster Three Time F1 World Champ

    Feb 6, 2009
    34,548
    Ontario, Canada
    Full Name:
    Mike
    I am far from a mechanic, and the $5K isn't remotely close to being true.
     
    aballas likes this.

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