348 Sticky Vents

We're looking at buying our first ferrari, but the vents on the 348 have gone sticky/tacky. i've been told its caused through using a 'petrol' based cleaning fluid.
has anyone else come accross this?
and can you rectify it or do you have to but new vents?
if so, where can you buy them from????

 

very normal on this cars. You can clean them off with some time and some Oops! or just buy new ones. One of the sponsers here, Ricambi America, sells the center and both side vents. www.ricambiamerica.com ....highly recommended and the best price I have found on vents so far. I would not let this stop you from buying the car. Do a PPI on the car for sure, other then that....do a search on this site for things that go wrong on a 348....i believe someone posted a top 10 list a while back.

 

WD-40. Just did my 355. Buy a set of NEW terrycloth shop towels(washcloth size, 7.00 walmart). Spray WD on the towel rub one section slowly work one section until no more goo comes off. Take your time, do it in the shade or garage it takes a while. You will find beautiful hard plastic underneath... Looks better than new... Enjoy.. I did replace my swithches from Ricambiamerica though. Looks awesome....

 

Are you taking all the rubberized material off the plastic by using the wd-40?

 

Whereabouts are you based Yorkshire Lad? Are you still in Yorkshire and if so are you going down to the National Concourse meet tomorrow, there's a small group of us going down from east yorks. And, as you haven't got your car yet, if you want to blag a ride let me know, my passenger seat in the 348 Spider is empty.

Looking around all the cars down there will give you a good idea of what is normal, good, bad or otherwise.

al.

 

Thanks Burriana, I'm looking at buying a blue 348ts from Nick cartwright in Matlock, so as soon as i do I'll be trying to join the runs etc.
We live in queensbury, on the border between bradford and halifax

Any advice on buying a 348, especially blue??????

 

$235 per vent.....Ill go with oops!

 

I know parts are expensive but I would feel like a real idiot paying that much for a piece of plastic!

 

I agree, but you buy into it when you buy a Ferrari.

 

Yorkshirelad

most of the time it's down to silicone based cleaners being used on the silicone rubber finish (it's even in the handbook!).

its easy to fix, either strip it back or replace (the carbon ones look good)

 

well, no advice re: blue particularly, it's an uncommon colour and the only downside is when you come to sell more people want red.

Loads of tips about buying 348s in general on both this forum and the UK - SteveW has been looking for a year and has only just found the right one (indirectly via Nick Cartwright incidentally). Just make sure the history is full and good by either main dealer or recognised independent and when the belts were last done.

Having said that, Nick Cartwright has a very good reputation so the car should be ok.

 

$250 dollars for a new vent, big oops there, I think i'll get the wd40 and cotton buds out!!

Thanks for the advice on the blue 348, Nick seems OK, trouble is as we're away all of august and then business for two weeks in september, so if I buy it now it will be sat in my garage till march!! wife wants to wait till end of march to buy one, might end up with a 93 then! but the blue one does sound good.
How long does it take to sell a 348 anyway????

Ian

 

Why? What has happened to the other two weeks in September, and October, November, December, January and February!

They are meant to be driven... there's nothing that a good wax and hose pipe won't put right.

http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00462690f00000009.jpg

They were never built to be "garage queens" and you'll find that it's usually the ones that are left standing are the ones that have niggles and problems.

 

I know they need to be driven, and believe me if i can i will.

But where I live it snows in chuffin june!!!!

i'll look forawrd to taking the beast out in decent weather, but when theres snow, ice and grit around its not much fun.

Plus the wife wants to go to some ''nice weather'' events and meet lots of ''nice people''

I suppose i'm thinking like a fairweather biker!!!! I really should get the blue one off Nick cartwright!

 

Nope... sorry Ian you'll have to do better than that!

http://photos.fotango.com/p/eba00502463f00000013.jpg

 

Gee, I thought that was a good excuse !!!

I'm not sure if its me being a tight yorkshireman or
a bit appreensive at spending £31K on a toy or
buying a car that I might not be able to sell later.

me and wifey need a bit or re-assuring from an owner i think.

 

aaaah - now I see where you're coming from. Let's see from my point of view:

Yorkshireman? - check

Apprehensive about spending £40k on a toy? - It took all I had to buy it and all I have to keep it, but I'll fight tooth and nail before I have to give it up. Ferrari / TVR what ever, after a lousy week/day at work, getting behind the wheel, firing it up and just going for a blast is like no other cure for stress and worry that I know of.

A car/colour you might not be able to sell later? - I bought yellow, because that's what I wanted. You will always be able to sell it, it's just MORE people will want red, so you may have to wait either longer to find someone who is not set on red or sell it for less money than the equivalent red ones... but you can always use this to negotiate a fair buying price in the first place.

Wifes and reassurances? - Hmm, tricky one. I bought my first 2 seater toy 6 weeks before our daughter was born Vicki, in all honesty does not get the car thing at all, but she does understand the Pistonheads / F.Chat principle as she has met a lot of really nice people. I am lucky in that Vicki panders to my obsession like very few wives would... in 5 weeks I am driving the 348 down to the villa in Nerja, southern Spain, while Vicki will fly down with Gabby... a few days later so I can get a couple of days playing out of my system before she arrives!

If you have a wife that likes cars... she will love this one. If you have no kids to transport, even more so!

As long as it doesn't take the bread off your table, or the roof from over your head, it will be one of the best purchases of your life.

al.

 

use oven cleaner, and scrub with scotchbrite dish scubbing pad.

 

Oven cleaner sounds a bit strong, but we've decided against buying the red one with the problem vents, although the car in stockport is stunning.

 

well burriana,,, just counting up the money now!!! wifey feels re-assured by your comments,(thanks)
One of our kids is excited, but the eldest is not bothered (can't be my kid surely!) just got to take the plunge now!!!

 

re picture of Burriana in snow.........wife says your just showing off!!!!

 

Nah - the video of me doing donuts in the snow... THAT was showing off!