North Texas 348 questions

Drew,

To me it depends on how you view or are going to use the car. If you are going to drive instead of it being a garage queen then mileage doesn’t matter.

I have a 355 with what is considered high mileage but it runs perfect.

On the insurance use the same agent. They will give you a discount on multiple cars plus they know you aren’t driving this every day!

On checking the care out, by all means. If the current owner wont let you check it out by someone like Norwood’s then I would pass. It is not considered uncouth.

Fell free to PM or email me with any questions.

Nick

 

Milby: I live up in Amarillo and I just went through this entire exercise with the 348ts, and I bought two months ago in L.A. and had it shipped back to Amarillo.

Some observations:

- Martin at Cavalino Motors says that any 348 with under 20K miles is "junk" and I believe him. These cars need to be driven - one of the worst things you can do to one is not drive it. If you look for one that's been driven 200 or so miles a month (that's the minimum I would accept), you'll be looking at a 35,000 to 40,000 car.

- Ferrari engines will virtually run forever if the proper maintenance is performed. That means 200,000 or more miles conceivably if you took care of it.

- The 348 is the absolute best buy of any Ferrari right now. To people besides Ferrari junkies, it looks like a new car. People ask me if my car is new all the time, yet it is a 1990.

- Don't worry about that "pre-1992" hullabaloo about the 348's. Any issues that once were have long since been worked out (unless you happen on to one of those 10,000 beauties discussed earlier).

- For resale, always buy red. You can't go wrong.

- Find one that needs the 30K service and buy it at a significant discount, then take it to Robert at Shade Tree Enginetrics near Rockwall and let him do the 30K for less than $4K.

- If you can find one naked of records, ALL THE BETTER. Buy it for a song and, again, take it to Robert at Shade Tree and let him go through the sucker for a few $$ and you've got yourself a car.

If you want specific price information, please email me and I will share with you what I paid and what I know some others have paid recently.

take care!

Amarillo, TX

 

"- Martin at Cavalino Motors says that any 348 with under 20K miles is "junk" and I believe him. These cars need to be driven - one of the worst things you can do to one is not drive it. If you look for one that's been driven 200 or so miles a month (that's the minimum I would accept), you'll be looking at a 35,000 to 40,000 car. "


I respectfully beg to differ regarding low mileage cars. They need to be checked out like any other Ferrari. Discounting one just for that reason is a load of cr#$!

Mine had approximately 2000 miles on it when I bought it and i've never had any trouble....and it is pre-92.

Regards,
Rob.

 

You might be right...I'm just going off of what Martin said, and Martin knows his Ferrari's!

 

Rob,

I have to agree with Collin. Everyone buying a used Ferrari seems to want low miles, but it would appear that there are a lot of issues buying a garage queen that has not been driven. That was my point in my earlier response. It depends on what you want the car for. I personally believe that it’s meant to be driven not just admired in a garage.

As Farris Bueller says in the movie "A man with priorities that messed up doesn’t deserve this car".

Nick

 

The nice folks at FOD mentioned around $1000.00-$1500.00/year average over the long term should be expected. I'm not far enough into ownership yet to guage it.

I can tell you the engine out service when I had it done was around $4000.00. However, I was told the car was in extremely good health & did not require some of the extras that add up such as water pump replacement or tensioner bearing replacement (not the mention the knuder valve or the muffler bearings ;-)

Regards,
Rob.

 

Collin -- that sounds exactly like the conversation I had with Martin before I bought my 348 too !! That dude can sell, huh?

1990 348, just rolled 30,300 miles.


Lovin' my 348,
Daniel

 

Yes, I liked Martin so much I really wanted to buy a car from Cavalino. But...the right deal came my way and the rest is h-i-s-t-o-r-y. My 348 is at Shade Tree Enginetrics in Nevada, TX right now with a "thrown out" throw out bearing (sounds painful). Hopefully I will be driving it again soon.