348 coupe or nsx

Been enjoying this thread as almost bought a 348 instead of my 360 and after my Rx7, japanese cars do nothing for me.

You lost me at the end. Sorry but a Honda owner making comments about the affordability and daily driver capability of a ferrari when they've never owned a ferrari sounds like someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. As a Ferrari owner, I can attest that they're reliable and could be DD if one preferred. In fact, the more I drive my car the better it runs. When.. IF.. ;-) you buy one, then come back and espouse how reliable its been. Second hand fact just isn't reliable. ;-) Don't be afraid to get one, people come to the boards with problems to be solved not when the car is running perfect and that creates a negative perception..

 

I own a 91 NSX which is painted a 97 color has late model wheels but other than that its stock, this is my 3rd NSX and the first I bought brand new, the car is so perfect its boring, it only takes a year for this to set in and so far its happened to every one I've owned. I was going to sell it like the others but my wife likes to drive it so it stays for now. I also have a 348, its Italian, Red, and the smell of the leather should be made into a aftershave, like my other Ferrari's past and present its a passion that is hard to explain. As far as pros and cons here is my take on the two cars.

NSX

Pro

Perfect everything but needs another 100HP and a couple more cylinders to be a real exotic or even twin turbos would make it a real exotic. Fantastic brakes, shifts like no other car, very easy and smooth. Early cars are cheap, really at the bottom of the market and can be bought in the mid 20's with 75k miles on them, many cars are cheaper but have 100k miles plus.

Con

Bose speaker amp fails, if you can't repair them then you have to put in a external amp and different speakers to make the stereo sound good. The AC control head had bad batch of capacitors that leak and if you don't know how to replace them its going to cost you a arm and a leg to replace $800-$1000 used, but there is a place you can send and in a week or so you will get it back and I think the cost is $150. Anti skid brakes need to be activated once in a while or the pump will run all the time. All you have to do is find some gravel or dirt road and about 30-40mph slam on the brakes so the ABS will activate and keep things working properly. Snap ring failure on transaxle, I think most all of the early cars have been fixed or replaced but thats a costly repair if it hasn't. Neg camber on the rear tires eat them like nothing I've ever seen, the most mileage I've gotten from a good set of tires is 8K miles and the least (soft sticky tires) 2.5k miles. Major service is $2600, I just had it done and it took Acura 15 days to do the job. I guess the service department had never done one. Gets BORING!

348

Pro

Its a Ferrari, it has 8 cylinders, smells great, fantastic brakes and just a tad more zip than the NSX. Its the best handling Ferrari I have owned and I think it handles and drives much better than the NSX. Mirrors look and function very well. The car looks like a mini TR but handles far better. Its at the bottom or near bottom of the market, buy one right, drive it for several years, and get your money back plus some. AC works on the 348 and pretty good, unlike the earlier cars which is like holding an ice cube in front of a fan.

Con

Costly major unless you do it yourself. Seat belt retract system is a joke even after the recall replacement they fail. Shifts like ****, sorry boys but until the 355 all the 308 348 series cars suck when it comes to shifting. You have to let it warm up before its even tolerable. Windows are slow just like all the earlier predecessors. Doesn't make enough noise from the engine, needs a different exhaust. Steering knuckle rubs your left foot when in a turn (to close to your toes).

As far a logic on both cars, the Ferrari will go up in value much quicker than the NSX, so where is your logic on that? Also many people relate Ferrari owners as Gold Chain guys with little peckers. Well I work on my cars and love doing it, I like to research every aspect of the cars and see what I would have done different if I was on the design board of the company that made them. I like to drive them and pump thousands of miles on them throughout the time they are in my barn, so you can't lump all Ferrari owners together as most do. I also own a Countach for the last 22 years and 2 other Ferrari's a Porsche 914, Ford SPF GT40, and a Jaguar XJS coupe. To say that one car is crap and another is perfect is narrow minded and only shows the person who makes that statement isn't a true automobile lover.
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Have you ever heard of Schrödinger's cat? Without owning a Ferrari, you can be thought of as being able to handle owning one or not being able to handle owning one. Only after owning one with you know for sure.

 

Todd, I like the cat reference. I first heard about it on the Big Bang Theory. Jack, I thought I recognized your name from the GT40 site. I think there are a few other members on here from that site, as well as on the Detomaso forums.




Jimmy

 

Do you have a GT40? Do you go by Jimmy on the GT40s? I know Cliff is on here, not sure of any others. I've been putting my 208 twin turbo Ferrari back together, been on this site and F life, been helping a couple other guys with there rebuilds on 308s on F life. I haven't had much time to post on all of them. Small world when it comes to certain cars. You know I forgot to add to my list one of my favorite cars. My 84 VW Vanagon camper with the Subaru WRX turbo motor in it. I call it the flying brick!

 

Jack, I do not own a GT40 yet, hopefully someday. In addition to my 95 F355, I have a few Detomasos. The spf gt is beautiful car, especially the MK1. I have not posted on that site. Just like to look and read.




Jimmy

 

You know I'm tight with the pantera boys, and will have another someday, when the 355 get to the bottom I'm going to get one of those too if I'm still alive by then.

 

Jack, its good to have a list. I have a short and long list. The Ford GT/GT40 is on the short one. Hopefully someday. I think that Superformance did a great job recreating the GT40 experience at a fraction of the cost of an original.




Jimmy

 

I owned several Ferraris before, my last one was a F430 six speed manual that I ordered back in '06. Lamborghinis, Porsches, etc. Now I have a 2010 GT3, but I don't track it and its used daily and a great car at that too. But I tracked my Testarossa and it was a blast.

If performance, pedigree and class is what I was after then the answer is a 997 turbo, but is missing the right looks that I demand from such an expensive car. So you see, for the money as a daily driver I rather have a NSX than a 996 turbo, but if I wanted to put up with an older Ferrari then I would. I daily drove all of my Ferraris and they perform just like any other car, they are as reliable as any, even the older '80s models.

Logically I'm leaning more towards a 328GTB, Ferraris make the illogical feel just right, its a magical spell.

 

JUST NEVER GET IT NOR WILL THEY. I understand fully about expressing your what I would call humble opinion. But having shopped for both and driven about 4 NSX's there is just absolutely no way to compare both. NSX is a Honda and should be reliable like a Civic is. But seriously were talking exotic cars. And its just not, But I doubt that you will ever get it. Some People Jut Never Do!

 

Yes, me too. I thought it was appropriate for this situation.