348

[tailslider]

Anyone have any experience with these? I've seen a few on verdi's website going for circa 40k. Looks very tempting for m3 money. Could I run one reliably all year round? Will I need about 5k annually to keep it serviced and repaired etc?

[prancing]

I enjoyed my 348 TB for 3 years and drove it approx 5,000 miles per year. You can use them all year I tried to avoid the salty road days in the winter although if you clean the car enough it should not be a concern, allow yourself enough budget to service it etc. I spent approx £2,500 per year excluding fuel/insurance. A good First Ferrari if you have £40K to spend. Lots of cheap LHD's out there. TB's rarer than TS's I really like the Spyder 348. Good luck.

Cheers
G.

[tailslider]

Any reliability issues at all? I know rough 355's can cost 10k to sort out, as per evo etc....

[craigw]

As long as they are properly maintained (particularly with regard to cambelt changes) there shouldn't be any major problems.

I was told to check 1st & 2nd gear engage properly and bodyworkwise to check the rear buttresses (where the rear wings join the rear window pillar) for signs of rust/bubbling.

There are lots of specialists out there who can give you pointers. QV automotive in Ascot have an online advice service (sorry haven't got website to hand).

Be careful of buying on a budget, particularly an older car as you may be buying problems.

I looked at about 20 before I bought mine, lots were very tatty and all drove a bit differently.

As I've said before, I drive mine to work & back every day in all weathers, I just make sure its always dried off and covered at night.

They are great cars (as long as you find a good one).

[tailslider]

Would it hold it's own against an m3 or carrera in terms of poke?

[craigw]

see my earlier post : trafficlight grand prix.

[prancing]

tailslider said: Would it hold it's own against an m3 or carrera in terms of poke?

:bigcanofwormsbeingopened: Who cares if it will hold it's own against a M3 or Porsche etc..it's a Ferrari. What more could you want

G.

[456mgt]

Personally, think 348s and 456s are a bloody bargain at the moment. Huge amount of car for the money. In fact late 328s are more than this, probably because of all this stuff comparing one model with another, when the real comaprison is between eg a 348 and what else you could get for the money. Prancing had a 348 and now has a 456. Not saying he's tight or anything

[rpk]

have been looking at getting a 456 for a while now, and for various reasons have had to delay actual purchase. but the upshot is that within even just the last month i have seen prices drop by another 10pct ! as anecdotal evidence, a 98 456 m gta that was offered to me at E110k in july, then E100k in sep, is now edging towards E90k now. the car is perfect with low miles, just no buyers ! so now i'm gonna wait a little longer and will step in around E80; figure it can't get much worse than that for a 4-5 year old ferrari.....

[prancing]

Hi Kev,
How are the stable mates doing? Mine is wrapped up for a few weeks now, I'm over half of my annual milage limit in 11 weeks

PS my exhaust still sounds the BoX.

Cheers
G.

[prancing]

rpk, have you driven a 456 yet ? If not then don't because as soon as you do, you'll want one regardless of price

G.

[davidy]

rpk

If you can manage a left hooker look on www.mobile.de, cars from 40K upwards (some even already in the UK)

davidy

[456mgt]

prancing said: Hi Kev,
How are the stable mates doing? Mine is wrapped up for a few weeks now, I'm over half of my annual milage limit in 11 weeks

PS my exhaust still sounds the BoX.

Cheers
G.

Bastard

[prancing]

Always a pleasure, but I have only one Dancing Donkey
G.

[rpk]

yes i have driven the 456gt/456mgt/456mgta, and i do love them. (i have a 512tr to tide me over so have not been driven to desperation to buy the first one i saw...).
and yes i am looking at lhd (don't see the point in paying the rhd premium given that i will eventually move to the continent anyway); so i have seen the low prices. i am somewhat wary of the 456gt because of the various problems which i heard were ironed out in the m version; i am also wary of the ones from germany coz i've heard of some clocking going on with those (germans tend to pile on the miles on all their cars, and yet i've been offered some really low mileage cars for cheap prices? didn't stack up; best place for me to buy is italy coz i have some leverage on a few of the dealers. anyway, biding my time since the same cars are still for sale that were there a few months ago.

[456mgt]

rpk said: figure it can't get much worse than that for a 4-5 year old ferrari.....

The 456 is just too much money to begin with and I couldn't ever contemplate buying one new. Saw an RHD advertised at that level in Top Marques a few weeks ago and suspect thay can and will go down a bit further unless the stock market recovers and the buyers come out to play. Art market's on a high, I'm told because funds have been rolling out of equities. I'm also told this means they're preparing to roll back in.

What did you think of auto versus manual?

[rpk]

if i were the only one to drive it and/or it was my only sportscar, then i would have the manual. but the wife wants to be able to drive it, and although she can drive stick, she would prefer not to. so i will probably end up with the auto and be abused by everybody....such is life. on the other hand, apart from the new sl55, i would say you would be hard pressed to find a better auto gt for that kind of money.....by which i mean £50k ish; which is also why i don't think it loses much more than that.