What Are 348 and 355 Spiders Going For These Days?

Rookie mistake. This is clearly the most devastating reason for the rumors. Why on earth would a CEO say something like that? There have been a few infamous cars that warranted and deserved the worst ever label but the head of the company didn't hold a press conference and help spread the word LOL. Cadillac Cimmaron, BMW 8 Series, and Mercedes ML320 first gen come to mind!

 

He was still the new guy, plus he wanted all owners to unload their 348s for the new 355. Marketing 101.

Here's a prime example of a wuss "writer" who blamed the car, instead of his own inability.

https://www.motortrend.com/news/lunch-with-luca-the-man-who-really-made-ferrari-famous-18867/

Another MT writer said "A Golf GTI was as good in acceleration as a Ferrari 348."
https://www.motortrend.com/news/luca-di-montezemolo/

However, the facts would prove otherwise - 0-60: GTI 7.8 seconds vs. the 348 at 5.5

http://www.gti16v.com/tspecs91.htm#tspecs91
https://www.topspeed.com/cars/ferrari/1989-1995-ferrari-348-ts-ar2187.html

As with most models/versions, the new one is better than its predecessor (e.g. the 348 over the 328).

 

Now it all comes full circle....

Man sounds like the 348 has been the best kept secret in the Ferrari world for along time running.

 

Priced at the top of the scale, but worth it imho (as presented).

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https://www.ebay.com/itm/1994-Ferrari-348-Spider-/233250386970

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I'm on this same program with my '98 355 Spider. I changed the belts on my 328 about 6 months after I bought her and used Hill bearings. Belts had been on her for 12 years and looked great. Bearings looked ok. Changed the Belts and used Hill bearings on my 612. Prior change had been 6 years before. Belts looked fantastic. One of the Ferrari bearings was starting to show signs of wear.

I have owned my 355 for 6 year & 3 months. In that time my total cost, not including gas, insurance or registration, but including all service, oil, smog checks, needed work or just stuff I wanted to add (Challenge Grill) has come to $9,480. That's averages to $1,512 per year and comes to $126 per month. Not bad for the "problem" Ferrari. Maybe I have been lucky. Maybe I just take care of her before something fails. I have not done the engine out service yet. Presently I am planning to do it myself next year so that's about $1,800+/- in parts (I received a new water pump for free). If I were to pay for a shop to do the work, say maybe $7,500, I would still be averaging less that $250 per month for the cost of ownership.

 

Overture, sarcasm, purposeful polarization are imbedded in nearly all my posts. Lack of face to face interaction, just written communication, it’s difficult to know if i’m serious or joking and that goes for just about everyone. I mix the two. Sometimes in the same sentence. But your question is valid so let’s entertain it and see where we agree or disagree.


Suppose you’re a seasoned mechanic. You work on the 355 days in days out. Every 355 that comes in your shop is an engine out service. Sometimes the same client brings his car in every three years. Logically, you would think the 355 is unreliable and expensive to maintain. But you don’t own a 355. You don’t live with it day to day. You don’t know the cause and affect due to owners behavior and tendency. So is your mechanic experience on the 355 alone gives you the credibility to express misleading, half truth opinion about the 355 on the Internet? You certainly have the right to do so but in my opinion, you’re not creditable in that you lack lengthy ownership experience. Here’s why. Ownership experience affords you the knowledge that an engine out major was designed as part of maintenance process. The engine is practically new after every major. Ownership experience affords you the insight that a three year engine out interval is the manufacture recommendation based on the car high capability but not necessary depending on individual driving habit. And ownership experience let’s you know the cost of maintenance is roughly $1,000 a year which is the same as most luxury cars maintenance cost. I spend more than that on Starbucks annually. Of course you wouldn’t know these things unless you’re an owner for a lengthy of time. And if you do know then you wouldn’t regurgitate misleading and half truth stories about the 355 now would you? I’m I wrong? Please share. You have the mic.

Note, I use “you” in general context and not you personally.

 

All the guys on here are twice the mechanic I will ever be so they can answer you better. I do have an opinion however but it’s based on logic and reason and not experience. You got to have that to own a 355. <——-That’s my opinion by the way. Now another disclaimer before I go offending everyone. The following is my typical opinion. Any headache or heartache caused as a result is not intentional. Be warned.


The typical wear and tear of an internal combustion engine is based on used and time which ever come first. Maintenance schedule on most cars are results of wear and tear due to extensive use. Exotic cars, Ferrari to be precise, typically do not get a lot of use. Maintenance schedule for Ferrari is more due to time. And like all things in this universe, that we can see and that we can not see deteriorate over time. The rate at which they deteriorate depends on their composition, the materials they are made from. The most important items in a 355 engine out service are the bearings and the belts. Of these items, the belts are the weakest link. They deteriorate much faster than the bearings in time. Understandably, maintenance interval frequency is due to the belts. The question is at what interval? There are many factors to consider but we don’t have the resources to test them out so we have to relay on common sense with reference to what what we already know. Five to seven years. Bearings service with every other belts service. That’s my opinion. The experts on here have better understanding and can explain further.

 

White/blue '95 with less than 10k miles.

The Official 348/355 Sale thread (non-affiliated sales or links to FerrariAds only)

 

You are making the wrong points.

An engine out is not linked to reliability/unreliability of a Ferrari. That service is on a routine schedule that needs to be followed.

You also make one incredible hypothetical; that the 355 comes into the shop ONLY for an engine out.

I will confidently maintain my original stance, that you do not need to own one to know its issues

 

Mike is right. Its actually the whole purpose of the forum. All cars need service especially as they age, consumables get consumed, it is why they are called consumables, and they then need replacement because as they fail, problems arise. Its true of all cars 308/328/348/355/360/430 etc but the idea that a 355 is like a Toyota or something, just run search or 2.
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=ferrari+355+problem+site:ferrarichat.com

 

That’s actually why I just pulled the trigger on a 94 348 Spider. It’s a connected experience without the extras getting in the way. My buddy’s 355 Spider spent far too much time in the shop for electrical. My other friend’s 348 TS Speciale hasn’t had that experience. Having driven both, I fell for the 348.