348 OEM FOLDING KEYS

Rarer than an honest politician - your best bet is to get two cut by a good car locksmith using a standard blank and then lock your original away - X152 / FT46 / GT6 type

 

They are rarer than rocking horse ****!

Hopefully a member here has a spare they are willing to sell to you.

Worst case, I would get a standard key cut. That will do the job.

 

six months ago, someone here was selling two for ~$100. I got one. Don't know if he still has any left.

 

I put this in the previous thread on this topic. Italian Car Parts has them (or at least the web site says they do) for $175.95 US

http://www.italiancarparts.com/parts/348.html

scroll down to the "Keys and related parts" section.

I didn't see any on the Ricambi America site, but you might want to give them a call (336) 499.2500 USA
+44 020.7993.6133 UK
[email protected]

 

We don't have them in stock anymore. We used to sell them for about $125.00

 

How many keys came with these cars? I got 3 with my purchase.

 

That's when I bought one.

Not that I have looked, but I haven't seen them for sale for a long time.

 

How abut using an Enzo key? Here's one on eBay for only $1855.00. Their no longer available and Ferrari will not sell you one unless you're an actual Enzo owner. I purchased one for about $425.00, it's still uncut, sealed in the factory box. LOL



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ORIGINAL-UNCUT-UNALTERED-Ferrari-ENZO-KEY-360-355-550-/380224928233?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item58872bf9e9

 

That is correct, it comes with three.

To the OP - let me sort through my PM's, I know I have a message from someone in the US that was offering one for about $100...I will look it up and send you his info.

 

Yup, I've got three as well. Just curious... what is the purpose of the bending key? Many people have asked and I can't even come up with a decent made-up story to explain it. Anyone know the real reason they made the keys bend like this?

 

the most likely theory is to reduce the force acting on the the lock when you have a pound of house keys hanging on the same chain.

 

I found it - FChat ID is notbostrom

Send him a PM to see if he still has it.

 

I remember reading here years ago that the key stems back from the 308 days.

The 308 was the first Ferrari targeted towards the American market. Americans (and say the most of the world) are overal bigger people than Italian's and European's in general.

Many people used to climb in and out of the 308 and snap the keys off in the barrel. "Big American's", small Ferrari.

The purpose of the folding key was to fold up or down when bumped so it didn't break the key off in the barrell.

Story makes sense to me, I've done it once myself in the 348. The key folded down while I was climbing in, the engine was running.

But, I have also read stories here where people still break them off in the barrel from bumping them accidently. So probably works good, but not totally fool proof.

Now I don't know if this story is true, but like I said it makes sense to me and Ill run with it.

 

Simple answer, it's a performance key. By folding it allows an overall lower CG (center of gravity) by letting the other keys (mass) hang lower. This in turn helps cornering. That's why they're so expensive and hard to obtain.

Seriously though, I just figure they fold so the rest of your keys are closer to the steering wheel and away from your leg while driving.

I'd tell everyone the first story though........

 

Do people actually have other keys on their Ferrari keychain? The only key I have on it is the one to my 348.

 

I only keep the 348 key by itself. I now have the "Enzo" key, but before when I used the standard key I had a small Ferrari key chain with the key.

I never put the key chain back on the Enzo key.

 

It is made that way so you can flip it back and forth while you walk to your car in the parking lot! I like the CG story better!

 

Funny thing, if you go to the 512bb section, they sell the exact key for $30 less. same serial number. #FR9540

 

Doesn't surprise me. I don't think they take the time to do a lot of updates to their web pages. After trying to purchase the 348 cam chain tensioner (147338) from them two years ago I pointed out to them that it is NLA (pad replacement kit now available thanks to SRI and available thru Ricambi). Yet they still list it on the website. Who knows, they may not even have the folding key.

 

I know this post is later than the originals, but I just bought a OEM folding key through Ferrari of Austin. Seems now, you have to provide a copy of your drivers license and owners registration to the dealership who in turn passes it onto Ferrari N.A. and they use your VIN to cut and send key to you. Price does vary depending on which dealership....... Who da thunk it.....

 

How much!!

 

+1, how much? FNA quoted me $175 last year.