348 vs 355

Sounds like the Spider has been the most loved. If you don't mind having a drop top, I'd say go with that one.

 

The 2nd gear issue is definitely a common "cold running" issue and therefore nothing to worry about. As you noticed it improved as the car warmed up during the drive. A good solution is using Redline 75W90NS gear oil.

 

True

Unfortunately you then have to buy and put up with a 348. Lol!

 

If the clutch didn't grab until near the top..then either it's not a new clutch, or they used a lousy rebuild.

 

The 348 is renowned for having no 2nd gear for the first few miles of driving and 3rd to 4th shifts at that time take a determined effort to complete - You get used to it after a while.

The good thing about the 348 is that the engine is so torquey that the traditional cold Ferrari 1st to 3rd shift isn't a problem at all, the car will deal with it without batting an eyelid (In fact, the last time I took My car out for a drive I realised quite late in the drive that I was still shifting from 1st to 3rd long after the car had warmed up and 2nd became available!).

The other thing I have found is that is that 1st gear seems to be almost ridiculously short geared! Once the car has warmed up, it almost feels as if 2nd gear should really have been 1st gear.

 

Mate, just buy a genuinely good car (348 or 355, preferably 355 ) and be done with it.

Ignore the rubbish posted by people who bought a cheap ****box and then complained endlessly when they couldn't fix it with a couple of spanners and a pair of scissors.

Buy a good, well maintained one, keep it well maintained and you'll never look back.

 

With My 348, from cold it's not even a case that its hard to get into 2nd, it simply isn't there! - It almost feels as though there is a metal bar across the 2nd gear gate stopping you.

A few miles down the road and you can just about ease the car into 2nd gear.

And then once everything has warmed up fully, you can select 2nd with no issues whatsoever!

The thing that gets Me is that if BMW made a car with which 2nd gear wasn't available from cold then there would be an international outrage about a poor quality gearbox!

With Ferrari though, even though it's a far more expensive car than a BMW, the lack of 2nd gear from cold is simply accepted as being a trait and quirk of Ferrari gearboxes, and is deemed as being somewhat normal!

 

On an old top gear richard hammond was driving a 1970 daytona to monaco and when he set out on his trip he commented and said " being a ferrari you cant select 2nd gear when not warmed up or it , kinda explodes" . Guess its always been like that , adds to the ....... Charm . Lol. I have to say tho, my 348 slides right into second cold if the revs are over 4000. No fuss.


" serenity now "

 

I have a Daytona and it seems to shift just find into 2nd when cold. As does my 550. I think it's only mid engine cars that have that issue.

 

Whilst 2nd gear has a reputation for being a bit petulant when cold, shifting into third shouldn't be a problem.

It is a fact with older Ferrari's that you have to be quite forceful and positive with your gear changes compared to other manufacturers such as BMW (you're not going to get far trying to flick through the gears with just two fingers in an older Ferrari - It's a very "manly" gear change [When I first drove a Ferrari, the gear change felt like it needed the same effort that you see people use to manually change the points on railways! ] ).

However, at most you should only need to "convince" the gear to engage, you should never have to force it!

If 3rd gear is as difficult to engage when cold as 2nd gear is, then I suspect something is not quite right.

 

What happened?

 

He purchased the car. See previous post.

 

And this link too

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/451150-just-picked-up-my-348-ts.html

 

Well done, didn't see the new thread!!

 

Very nice! Congratulations!

All the best,
Andrew.