Considering the purchase of a low-mile 348 TS...

So I'll give you my experience and maybe that will help you a bit. After having 2 355s which are pricier to maintain and not as reliable as a 348, I learned the most important thing to buy on is the current condition and that you should have a knowledgeable mechanic do a thorough inspection. The more thorough the better. After that comes service history for me. I've seen lots of Ferraris sold with mountains of records yet they still had issues. Furthermore, many owners claim to be "by the book" and do oil changes at every 3k miles on the dot but they ignore all the other fluids and various other things. That includes cars on here.

My first 355 had maintenance records but I still ponied up to do a major and valve guides even though it didn't require the latter. A few other things crept up throughout my ownership but nothing out of the norm. My second one had some service history but nothing too recent and I bought it partially because the price was good but that one needed a major and clutch and one other minor repair but besides that nothing out of the norm.

Assuming the engine is healthy in this car and that the car is clean overall I wouldn't run for the hills. Just make sure it's checked properly and thoroughly. Repainted metal is also kind of a big deal in the Ferrari world in case you're not aware of that. Bumpers are OK.

 

Stephen, Welcome from another Stephen.

There's a wealth of knowledge here.

I'm a 4 year owner now of an '89 (reportedly the most troublesome of the bunch). It's been a great car. I have done everything on my car, and just came from some down time due to water getting into one of the Mass air flow sensors, and having 31 year old spark plug wires on the car. I'm about the same mileage as you and I did my own service in Jan of 2019. Because there were no records, I went further with my service and removed the front cover and checked the chain guides and bearings. There was a TSB10-34 for early cars (I forget the engine number changeover) for a bearing on the block that can go bad. The 348 section here is full of good people willing to help.

The most recent completed sale on BaT is a 27k mile 1990 for 65k. An '89 will finish today (as of this writing) and will likely bring high 40's for its condition.

Trying to get info from a dealer will be difficult. Privacy laws have restricted them from giving out any info, it also depends on the dealer. I'm the third owner of my car, and while the first owner's history came with it, the second's did not. Internet sleuthing put together a lot of pieces to the puzzle, but there's no history. Everything I DIY, I keep in a spreadsheet.

If you can get it for a good price, and if you need a mechanic to check it out (take it to a specialist), take the plunge!

sjd

 

Welcome, Stephen. With no service records, I'm going to assume it's out of date with all maintenance before the major. These cars are now 30 years old, so even if he did do all the 'regular' by-the-book maintenance, other things will inevitably just wear out/break. No getting around that. I argue if you are the type that is looking for a 'turn-key' newish experience, stay far away. If you're the type that is willing to deal with issues and resolve them (and the costs they entail) dive in!
In the end, it's how much you love the car. Love it (and put the money where your heart is), and it will love you back (and vice versa.)

Good luck!

 

After 30 years, I doubt service records are really going to help. My first F car was a 1991 348 (black). Previous owner had an aftermarket exhaust that would rattle the fillings in your teeth - don't get me wrong the car sounded good - for a short time. After that the migraine would set in. I am 6ft and felt that you had to be a circus midget or a horse jockey to be comfortable in the car. My car had some electric gremlins in it that would cause problems now and then. It was a fun car and I owned it for a couple of years before trading up to a 360. After owning the 348, a 360, a 430 and a 458 - the 360 was one of my favorite cars. Fast, comfortable and affordable. Except for the 458 the 360 was the least expensive car to own. The only reason the 458 would be less expensive is the rapid appreciation of current car prices.