Is a 348 TS better for me than an F355 GTS

Please post a photo of your TR - I love those especially in Black.

And I'm biased - 355

 

Test drive both. See which one feels best to you. Then compare that to the items you mentioned above. The 512TR is a great car.

 

It sounds like you've made you're decision already, and I don't think you're wrong. The 348 is a GREAT value right now, which makes it that much sweeter. I just drove one a few weeks ago and I had forgotten what a unique and enjoyable experience the 348 can be. I would love to have one alongside my 328!

I say go for it!

 

Very nice!

And yes, if you prefer the 348 than I see no reason for not getting one

 

Awesome! I'll trade a 95 Red 355 GTB for that

 

Go for the 348! You will never, ever regret it. It's a fantastic car, and it's your TR's little sister....
BR
Bertil

 

Alex,
When I decided to get back in the F-car game, I had to decide which one to buy. My choices narrowed to the 348 & 355. I really like the looks of the 348. (I hope I'm not insulting you, but in my opinion, its narrower hips make it better looking than your 512.)

I find three major differences: 1. Looks - 2. Power - 3. Steering. I will only weigh in on the third. Above 30-40kph, the clear winner is the 348; the 355 is over boosted and pretty numb, but below that the power steering is appreciated.

Whoops, I just thought of something that might be appreciated in todays traffic - the F1 transmission. You know where that would put you.

 

I don't know, if you didn't already have a 512tr, I'd say your points make a good case for the 348, but given that you already have one, I'd think you'd want the little wilder 355 to get a bit more of a contrast. If I had both a 348 and a 512tr, I'd just drive the 512 all the time rather than the junior version.

Fwiw, when I was buying the decision was between a 512tr or a 355. In the end, the lure of nearly 9000rpm drew me in. Good luck with your search.

 

Sure, I'd suggest going and driving both and seeing which you like better. I prefer the 355 steering as it's much nicer at low speed and weights up nicely when pushed, but they were also available with a non-assisted box and could be retrofitted if you want the heavier manual steering with the better gearbox and motor.

 

Ahh, now I hear what you are looking for. For one hour jaunts around the 'C' roads of the South, the 355 will seem much more nimble. It is a sports car as opposed to a GT. While it won't keep up with a 458, the power and sound are, almost, orgasmic.

 

I will always have a special place in my heart for the 348. I imagine I will get another at some point. Very underrated car, and it's such a good looking machine.

 

Sounds like the 348 is the more interesting car to you. It's the original (whereas the 355 was an "improvement" on the 348 body), and it has manual steering! Someone in the US is making a custom exhaust that has the high-pitch sound the 355 makes, so you may have a solution there if they start producing in numbers.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/348-355-sponsored-bradan/466447-new-348-exhaust-f1-sound.html

 

That's a really tough question. I own both and they are indescribably awesome in their own rights.
For a good part of my younger days the 355 and the Diablo where the greatest cars ever conceived or built in my opinion. So the 355 was a must have when I could. When these cars were replaced by the 360 and the Murcielago I was like WTF is happening to the world? But I digress.
The 355 is a easier car to drive. it seems to know what you're wanting to do and works with you.
The 348 is more like a giant go kart and YOU have to drive it.
Neither are touring cars. I live in rural Eastern Montana so I have to drive a long way to be anywhere so both these cars can get a little old on longer trips, the 348 can get down right tiring. But you have the TR for that so it's not too big of a concern for you.
Both cars have so many pros and cons to each it's a hard choice you are trying to make. They are both wonderful cars in their own right. I'd say buy both and sell the one that suits you least, but you'd probably never be able to sell one you'd love them so much.

 

Alex,
The valve train on a 348 can handle up to 10,000 rpm. Adjust the timing on a 348 to push the power band up the rpm range and change the computer chips to redline at 8,500 rpm. Problem solved with your decision.

 

Buy what you like the most. I got the 348 and have never looked back. 300hp puts a huge smile on my face every time I drive the car. Anytime I have had a question or needed help the brotherhood has been here to help. I drove a 997 turbo PDK last week and all it did was reinforce how much I love the rawness and sound of my Ferrari.

 

You've really got to drive both cars first before making a decision!

The biggest problem asking here is that there will be a large amount of bias from both 348 and 355 owners.

Both have their pro's and cons and it really does come down to a personal preference at the end of the day.

 

Until you have a chance to drive both, any comparisons, opinions, etc are purely cerebral or scientific which is not the way most of us buy cars. However you should definitely have a gut preference by now based solely on the styling of each model. After you drive each, the choice should become clear as day (assuming of course your finances can support either model): either the test drives will fully confirm what you knew all along or throw you into a tailspin by totally rearranging whatever selection criteria you relied on until that point.

But either way, you will know with certainty. For me there was never any question which model I wanted, only the waiting until the right one became available.

Good luck!
Ken

 

Factory camshafts are fine. The cam pulleys have adjustment holes to advance/retard each cam. This would be done during a timing belt service. ECU are very similar to your 512 and have chips that are removable. Program new chips with higher rev limiter. Challenge cars have been setup this way. My 348 is set up to shift at 8500 rpm.