is 348 Spyder a dog?

last year i sold my beloved and well-sorted 328 to a chap in NYC.

he will not re-sell her to me and i have the itch to get a 348 spyder instead.

over the years i've read of laments from many who have had bad luck with the model.

i'd probably consider another 328 gts, but i like the notion of a true spyder, hence
my queries on a nice 348 ragtop.

my question is : are the cars really desireable or dogs? i can remember listening
to my late mechanic friend ***** about the 348's he serviced.

if i decide on a 348, i'll have to start my ferrari education all over again and find a
competent ferrari master near here to help me and naturally do the engine-out work.

can anyone point me to a good source of info to begin this journey and then rely on
ferrarichat to supplement?

BTW: after i sold my 328, i purchased a pristene 718 Boxster. as superior as that car might
be, it's NO Ferrari and i have a blase attitude toward her.

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A “dog” in what aspect? Not fun? Not fast? Not well-built? Expensive to maintain? Often broken?

 

Having owned both, I can assure you that is a definite HELL NO! The 348 in any shape or form is a go-kart. The 328 bends and so does the 308, also why many look for GTB's now due to the flex in spirited driving.

 

Bill, if you intend to drive the 348 enthusiastically on regular roads the answer to your question depends on how fast you want to go to jail.

While no asphalt-melting machine in a straight line, the 348 is plenty quick through the bends. It's a car that handles terrific (once you understand it) but is no match for straight-line acceleration when paired against many or today's cars. This said, even when driven at 7/10 the 348 will exceed any police-enforced safety limits on regular roads. Which, I assume, is also the case with your late 328.

In essence, the 348 is a bit of a dog if you take it out of its element and pit it in a straight line against even a Golf GTI. But toss it around the curves and the brilliant combination of chassis + gearing + engine the underlines this model will come to light. See for yourself: this video shows a Ferrari 348 (not a Spyder, but still...) on the Nürburgring being chased by a BMW S1000RR (a VERY capable motorcycle). What this little 348 is capable of will surprise you.

So, no, when allowed to operate in the environment it was designed for, the 348 is not a dog.

Besides, if it comes with the hood ornament shown in your pic, then the choice is obvious.

 

This was my friends 348 ( he arranged the photo shoot ) and later mine. LOL

 

all that you've listed. my 328 was dead reliable. reliability would be paramount.

 

I have a 300hp highly modified Golf Sportwagen with a big turbo, etc (https://instagram.com/quix.otc?igshid=MWI4MTIyMDE= ) and a 348 Spider. If I beat on the Golf it might beat the Ferrari to 60mph, but the Ferrari blows it away in every other possible way. Absolutely blows its doors off.

I understand the point you’re trying to make, but the 348 is objectively quick. I can easily scare the hell out of myself in county roads.

 

I loved my 348 Spyder and wish I'd never sold it. Never gave me any trouble in 6 years. Looked great, Handled fine. Coming so late in the production cycle, it has the updated geometry nearer the 355.

 

The Spyder is perhaps the best of the breed (depending on what you're after) - all of the necessary upgrades including gearbox, wider rear track, etc.

Yes, you have to drop the motor. You may have some stickies to address as well as a few other age-related niggles - but that largely depends on prior stewardship. Buy well with a solid PPI and you're likely getting a pretty stout car with one of Ferrari's best V8s that is a hell of a lot of fun.

Some people - mechanics are not necessarily immune - can't get past the 348's old reputation. In my ten years of ownership, I had very few unscheduled issues. If you are concerned about performance...these things are now antique vehicles by most states definitions, so does it really matter? You should be focusing on enjoying the drive, and the 348 has A LOT going for it there.

 

i've reached my golden years.

i got the balls-to-the-wall attitude out of my system years ago. in fact, i rarely drove my 328
faster than 100mph. once we got "prosperity" ( gas & oil develoment) in our rural
part of the world, the roads turned to kuhkuh faster than the politicians!

i'm yearning for another car i can mostly work on myself and be free of electronic overkill,
which the Boxster has in spades and does not like my working on it much.
my 328 was an absolute joy in that respect. no bells whistles, refusing to keep the battery
charged, lock-outs, etc. need i go on?

the Boxster will hit 165-170mph. the aerodynamics of the 328 were such that she scared
the hell out of me at 130mph. realizing all that, i was perfectly satisfied to keep her off our
dreadful excuse for the autobahn and be content with touring our back roads here.

why not another 328 rather than a 348?

i love the Boxster' true spyder experience.

 

my 328 was old enough to be "de-flowered" of all emissions junk, which i enjoyed performing in the the winter months.

i did many resto changes to her. at 51k when i sold her reluctantly, she would still scream! i got a kick out of taking
folks thru a tunnel at full chat......just like the intro to "gran prix"!

were it not for the orthopaedic issues i suffer from, i'd still have her.

 

The only electrical issue you might brace for (in my limited experience) is the wonky HVAC controller.

 

Owned my 348 berlinetta for three years and no issues (very few to begin with) I couldn't address on my own - and I am no experienced mechanic. I was happy to let a pro handle the engine-out procedure/maintenance, though.

But even so, an engine out service every five/seven years boils down to the kind of maintenance costs expected for any sports car - rear engine or not. 1990's BMW M3 owners, just to name one, would be hard-pressed spending less than $1k/yr. on regular maintenance. Never mind Porsche 911 owners of models from the same era.

 

Depending on age and use, the electrical connections for the doors can be troublesome. Easy fix though.

 

To power the window motors you mean?

 

The 348 spider is a great car. I have owned mine for almost 16 years and I drive it like I stole it on back twisty roads.
As someone already said, she aint gonna win a drag race but that is not what she was built for.
Take her on twisty roads and you'll understand
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The wires at the cannon plug in the door jamb tend to break off due to the angle of the bend. It causes intermittent issues with with door, lockss speakers, windows etc. Lots of threads on rewiring those plugs.

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Yep!

 

• Compared to today its a dog.
• Relative to cars of the day its quite good.
• Performance is similar to the 328 acceleration wise.
• It just looks better, is more modern, looks more modern and the handling is probably better.

Is it like going from a 328 to a Z06. Ummm that would be a no.

 

wonky HVAC switches are not a big deal to me. in fact, after my first major in the 328, we left the
A/C compressor out of the car as it needs removed to service the LH bank for belt change, etc.
i never drove my 328 after Thanksgiving. i had a lay-up clause on my insurance policy. since the top
was only in place for washes, i never worried about the OAT. below 40degf., leave her home.

my late mechanic friend always told me her engine was rock solid. the gearbox nearly so. after
switching to Redline MTL (per Rifledriver's rec.) i even got her to shift fairly smooth. acceptable
by my standards. with all the torque available, i got lazy , and loafed along without shifting.

as i've said before, had i done a frame-up restoration on the seats to mitigate the sciatic pain, i
would never have sold her. i will never know. the chap i sold her to has apparently been
smitten as i was when i first brought her home.

gents, you all have made interesting and valuable comments. if i could find a car on a comparable
level to the 328 i would latch on to her.

BTW: i never referred to her as my 328. her name was Gabriella.

now i need to do some searching. i'd like to keep the search in the pittsburgh area if possible.


.......and sell my pristene 2017 718 Boxster with 11k miles. Porsches are superb cars. as i did not
grow up playing video games, pc's and the like, i will always have a love/hate relationship
with her. the aggravation factor inherent in modern cars is a HUGE turn-off to me.

Too many notes..... or in my case, too many computers!

 

I think you’ll find the 348 cabin much more comfortable. Seats are even a bit cushy for my taste, but I’d advise not having SS/F40 seats as I did - they’re devoid of any lumbar support and hell on low back as a result.

I’ve often said my next Ferrari will likely be a black/tan 348 spider. I truly enjoyed the one I drove and contrary to the stodgy opinions out there, I think it has aged well and even has its very own unique thing going on now!

 

All great comments here. While my seat time is limited beyond that of my TB, I've often heard the analogy that while the 308/328 is like a Porsche 911SC/Carrera, the 348/355 is a modern update of the formula similar in nature to the contemporary 964/993. I personally find the 348 experience to be a nice balance of "vintage-ness" and modernity that will always leave you walking away smiling. When you know, you know...

 

i've started my search for a '94 spyder. i'm trying to keep it in the pittsburgh region for expediency sake.

watched several videos on the spyder which pretty much dispels my "dog" impressions..

i suppose the impression my late mechanic friend gave me was his dislike for engine-out servicing.
i understood that as he was 2yrs. older than me. hell, i'm sure i'd hate it also!

from what i've seen so far, a '94 spyder is just what i'm looking for! i think suits me as Gabriella did!

however, the market for porsche boxsters is starting to soften. i do not want to give away the
Boxster just to get back in the "cavollino" saddle once more!

when i bought Gabriella back in '07, there were 3 Ferrari sources in Pittsburgh. i have no idea
what's available now. i would not trade. a person/to/person sale would be preferred. although i did
purchase the Boxster unseen from a mega-porsche dealer near philly in 2021. a cash deal that completely
astonished me. dealers have finally learned how to treat customers!

so........i'll continue to research and post for her mate.

......her cavollino rampante flag still hangs above gabriella's stall!

 

Excellent, enjoy the hunt!

Regarding the boxster…you may be in decent shape. Inventory is still low in a lot of places. My local P car dealer has been pretty scant for some time.

 

Most reliable 8 cyl is the 328
Most reliable 12cyl is the 550

the 348 was pretty crappy from maranello but we fixed every issue in the aftermarket to make it as reliable as the 328 when sorted from gearbox to connector wiring to suspension quirks. It is a visceral car unlike the 355 nicknamed the hairdresser’s car, much more refined as any evolution should be. I raced my 348 and modified surprised many a 360. The 348 in race trim wasn’t too far off in lap time from my C5ZO6 I would race in scca T1 trim a year after my 348 was totaled in a racecar wreck.