I’ve got a 348 and love it. 16 years I’ve owned it and it’s given me very little trouble. Just the drivers door wiring harness really. The only other Ferrari’s I’ve driven are 308/328 and Testarossa. The 308 felt so tiny inside I felt claustrophobic. The 328 was definitely a bit better, and the testa felt too big. I really like the 348.
Same here. Drove Testarossa 308 348 355 458 but 348 is the purest "drivers car" of them all. Its not for those seeking luxury and effortless ride. Its work. Its fine.
Hi John, can you as an owner comment on the handling? I read somewhere that if you enter the corner slowly and add power through and out of it (similar in approach to a 911) the car would hold true to line. Is this true? I still like the look of them and when I was seriously considering one did take a TB on a gentle test drive, but ultimately felt put off by the reports of on the limit twitchiness.
Corran Helme yes that is true. I really haven’t pushed the car too much in a long time though. We’ve got cops everywhere up here in Vancouver, and they take your car away if they catch you. The fastest I ever got was 200 kilometres an hour and it was fine. I don’t know about above that.
@@Fioravanti.80 : I am not John but i like to point out that a 911 (which i owned before) until 1989 G Model is a tail happy car which needs countersteering to go fast through corners; its engine is located behind the rear axle and so i swings like a pendulum if you enter a bend too fast, going into oversteer pretty much. You have to correct this by countersteering and this is what makes fun and is dangerous at the very same time. Its not a trick for beginners. You have to smoothly find out the limit and experience it step by step. This behaviour has been sorted out from 1989 onwards by intruducing the Carrera 2 models by presenting a totally modified rear axle and improved suspension. And the modern water cooled Porsche from 996 onwards are equipped with a PSM Porsche Stability Management System like an ESP to prevent this. So when you drive a modern 911 you dont need to be that expert behind the wheel as driving an older one. The Ferrari 348 on the other hand is a midengined car with the engine between frnt and rear axle. So it offers a more neutral behaviour but has a tendency to oversteer instantly if the tyres are losing grip. This goes as well for all older midengined cars like Toyota MR2 and explains that mid engine cars are for real drivers since instant reaction is required if the car goes into oversteer (by not hitting the gas pedal as you would do in a 911 but giving less (!) throttle and countersteer at the same time very mildly in a mid engined car for example.). Nowadays all cars are equipped with ESP etc to avoid this. After all, its a matter of personal taste. I could save my old 911 by countersteering several times, never lifting the foot of the gas pedal much when it oversteered (if you would do, the car turns into understeer more quickly than you would be able to countersteer and you most probably will loose the car). Above 250 km/h (155 mph) car felt too light on the front. But 911 also needed spoiler on front and rear so aerodynamics in the 90s wasnt that sophisticated as nowadays. I also had a better feel when running on Pirelli tyres isntead of Michelin (and i was much surprised). I once drove my mid engined Ferrarri 348 on a twisty road with a new model Mercedes SLK 350 (272hp) behind me and he did not had any chance to follow me as my corner speeds were significant higher. Would i have driven a Porsche 911 i would have needed to use a different driving style and so every concept (front engine, mid engine and rear engine) is behaving differently at the limit. You will see why most of the real supercars have a mid engine layout. Also modern cars -limousines- like Audio, Mercedes, Aston Martin etc. carry their "front" engine behind the front axle, because the more even weight distribution between front and rear axle is the most important fact when it comes to neutral handling. I hope i could help out a bit. There are much videos on youtube with old 911 oversteering....
As an owner I can say that it is a handful above 200 kmh/ 125 mph even in a straight line (autostrada in Italy). It gets too light and skittery. I have a 1991 with the rear-mounted battery.
As someone who has driven numerous NSX’s, F355’s, and other cars of the era, and owns a 300ZX Z32 (also commonly quoted as a competitor of the car), I can assure any viewers that the 348 is a marvellous car. While not fast, it’s quite striking, and offers a lot of feedback to the driver. It remains my favourite entry V8 Ferrari, outside of the 308, due to its immense driver feedback. The F355 feels soft in comparison.
if i buy one id pull the engine get some low compression pistons and turbos. that would be my dream ferrari, and dont cost to much either. i have my eyes on a low milage one now
I own the 348 and it’s like an Italian girlfriend - occasionally difficult to handle ;-). It’s a car meant for a skilled driver which I’m unfortunately not so I don’t push it to its limits. Timeless in the looks department, great sound, and mechanically simple. Porsches are dime a dozen while this car, despite its shortcomings, still represent the last era of hand-built low volume analog pure sports cars.
@Over Opinionated Bogan I have not found this to be an issue for me; I think you may have a point for "everyday" street driving but since I do not daily this car, it is not an issue. I think for very spirited driving and track driving the gears ratios are pretty spot on.
348 gearshift is cabled. 355 is rods. 355 gearbox is demanding when cold but a dream when up to temp. The 348 non power steering is its best feature. The power delivery is linear as you say. It takes more time to build revs and in a way that can be fun as the sound gradually builds, the 355 spins up to max revs much more quickly and goes manic at high revs. Personally I think the 348 styling is very cool 😎...a mini testarossa. Drive a 348 hard and it feels quick. I think too many people compare a 30 year old Ferrari to a modern 500 bhp turbo. A 30 year old Ferrari is a classic car not a track day monster.
Great video. 348 is a great value way into a real Ferrari. I've run my F355 now for 10 years. It's a keeper. Still feels very special with the open gate shift and noise of that engine. If you ever get the chance to have a Ferrari in your life, take it.
I happened to own a 348TS for years and i decided it was much more a raw experience than the softened 355/360. Especially the steering - direct feel- is second to none, its so precise and gives you an excellent feedback. The 1992 and later models have improved suspension. I would rather buy these. As its Ferrari first catalytic model you should get rid off the factory cats which are in fact ceramic cats from FIAT. I would recommend using metal cats, it cools down the engine/exhaust temperature and improves performance and due to this the engine is more revvier and you also should install an aftermarket sport exhaust and a K&N air filter. The engine is much more responsive and alive. Of course its not that powerful as a 355 but its got that special "KART" feeling that a 355 or later Ferrari model cannot provide anymore - and the engine is also more reliable. I love the looks of the car; i modified the wheels by using the 18" magnesium rims of the 355 which improved the design by miles.There are quite some slow 348 around because of poor servicing; e.g. their timing belt adjustments are not properly done, they are equipped with original catalyst and so on. There is quite a difference as i drove several 348. I dont really know f the US model have perfomrance issues de to lower octane fuel. Here in europe the swiss 348 are rated just 286 bhp. You have to compare them to the cars of that era and then its just fine. To each his own.
No no no... the F355 is miles ahead of the 348, a testament to how important setup and balancing is. Around a track, the 355 is much more composed, controllable and easier to access that performance. There isn't much difference between the two cars, but the finishing touches on the 355 make ALL the difference.
@@Nemoticon I drove 7 differenz 348 and 2 different 355 (also a tuned one) and i know them inside out. 355 is faster but very soft in terms of handling. Each to his own, for a convertible i choosed that 348 is quite a more raw experience. It depends whats more important for you.
@@mk2007al The 355 is softer, yes, better road manners... but also more composed and accessible on track. I've not driven any tuned Ferrari's but I've spent some time with a handful of models (nothing newer than a 360), the 348 was obviously much better than anything I've owned, but the 355 was significantly better to me. I've heard the 360 is a better driver's car than the 430, the latter apparently being a little too civilised and not as raw. But hey, if you like 348s, cool! They're still sexy, awesome cars, lol
@@mk2007al 348 is a more raw experience than 355. But 355 is hardly 'refined'. 355 IS still a go-kart, but with a big dose of more power and much better handling. The 348 gives fun from the very slowest speeds because of no power steering and also a more demanding handling setup. the 348 lacks the 355 high rev scream which most people absolutely love. But I personally think a 348 is a cool car. Its real, and it gives a lot of fun for little money (in Ferrari terms!)
@HeavyDutyTraining The 348 tops out lower and doesn't reach the same scream / wail pitch of a 355. Ask 100 people who have owned both, and fitted various decats, and sports exhausts, and then come back to me on it.......
I've owned a 1985 Mondial QV for 10 years now and think it's just fantastic. It's a shame that the 348 and the Mondial get such a hard time. Anyone who's actually owned a Ferrari for a reasonable amount of time, will find many faults on their car no matter what the model. Just like all makes of car ! Nevertheless, Ferrari's are meant to be raw and nasty. Remember guy's, Ferrari sell engines and gear boxes and throw the body and trim in for free. If you buy a 1980's, or early 1990's Ferrari and expect an Enzo, maybe you need to go back to your Nissan and keep saving up until you can afford something better. I would love a 348, however, I'm more than happy with my Mondial QV. If I were to change my car, I think I would go back in time, rather than go forward. That's not to poo poo on the newer or modern models, it's just my idea of what the "Ferrari experience" is.
A very fair assessment, except the handling part, I have only owned my 348 for a couple of months, but I drive it hard, and I find it to be an incredibly rewarding car to drive, it gives back what you put in, its a real drivers car. My car is a 1993 model so supposedly the rear suspension has updated geometry compared to the earlier cars, however, it puts a huge smile on my face, and really, they are deceptively quick cars. Okay the engine could use a little more power, but get a decent exhaust on it, I have a Kreissieg and that perks it up a bit. 348's are an appreciating modern day classic, I am so glad I got mine..
Always liked the underdog Ferraris...308 gt4, Mondial and 348....Harry Metcalf said he was surprised at how good the 348 was ,especially the steering and it sounds fantastic....you can keep the nsx as good as it is it's no Ferrari....
As nice as it is the NSX is still just a Honda / Accura, I mean theres no real racing heritage and that is the difference to a Ferrari, hence the cliche whats in a name and thats it right there in a nutshell
Always cool, you do a video on the 348, but why do you say it was slated when it was launched? It certainly wasn't. It beat the NSX, the 964 and the Esprit in many road tests at the time. And glad to hear you like it. It really is much fun to drive, although it isn't as fast as the modern Ferrari's of course. And a well set up 348 handles very, very well.
Raw, sounds great , un assisted steering and the noise is just fabulous , yeah , I’d have one because You can wring it’s neck without losing your license... Some cars are about “feel “ , not necessarily outright speed ,this has theatre in abundance and is a feel car absolutely. Sign me up 😊
Good to see you and Frank again Jack, feels like it's been a while since you uploaded a video! Cracking video as ever and good luck with the job hunting 🙂👍
Frank seems like a nice guy. I’m missing the point of having him there.....Anyways, the 348 is a cool car. You wouldn’t buy it for the performance, in these days at least. If you want a fast car, for a quarter of the price, buy a used Cayman. You buy the 348 because it represents a particular point of Ferrari’s history and development. Whether that was a high point or on the contrary, it doesn’t matter. It’s a historic vehicle, and quite beautiful; it deserves respect. Otherwise, nice video. Cheers
Just remember 2 things... 1 the driver needs to adjust his wrist watch, way to much bracelet slack. B) slow fast doesn't matter. When u see a Prancing horse on the road you just wanna be driving it. Great vid btw new sub.
you could've just done a video about Frank's glorious beard and I would've still watched it. Also, we should thank the 348 though, because thanks to how disappointing the 348 was, the 355 became a legend and a benchmark for future generations
Even though I now have and am happy with my Porsche Cayman S, I had a dream last night in which I purchased a Ferrari as well. It was a bit blurred. Sometimes it was a Testarossa, and others, a 348.
It has a gated shifter. Enough said really. It's an old Ferrari from the "slow" era, but who buys these classics for that sensation anyway. Only pain is the maintenance cost I reckon.
Right on! If you want to magazine race look elsewhere, but if you value a real experience, the 348 is a hell of a car. It makes everyday, mundane tasks much more interesting even at sub superhuman speeds :-) I can confidently say that, citing my own experience in the last 8.5 years of ownership, maintenance is definitely not as horrible as you have (probably) heard. Dropping the subframe for the major makes things fairly easy for the skilled, and a good, honest independent tech will go faaaaar easier on you than a dealership. Aftermarket and parts cross references on Ferrarichat are very helpful for keeping parts costs reasonable.
I'm shocked to learn the 348 is considered bad, growing up I loved it, in fact it's still my second favourite Ferrari behind the F40 and F50 (the latter of which grew on me). It just seemed visually like an improved Testarossa, I remember being really sad when the F355 launched and it didn't look half as good.
Sounds amazing, may only have the power of a Golf R but who cares when it sounds like that! Does it matter if it isn't that fast if you still get the sensation of speed? I think you've been spoilt in some ways!
348, beautiful day, lunch in the trunk, roof Targa panel off, scenic rural road with plenty of turns following gorgeous scenery, and the time to enjoy it all. Put all that together and one is living life well.
I really enjoy mine. Also have a 991.1 GT3 and unless I'm on the track, the 348 has way more useable fun (usually) although it's impossible to deny 25 years of improvements.
Enjoyed watching that! I've always had a soft spot for the 348. Prices here in Spain are very low for them now so it's a good time to buy them. It's like with the 612...prices will go up!
The 348 was a great car the so called bad handling was easily cured by just fitting spacers on the wheels which transformed it as magazines at the time stated
My dad has one He bought it in 1992 (a 1990 model) The handling wasn't that great when you were pushing hard in the corners Ferrari after some time, released some parameters (?) to regulate the suspensions and some other stuffs He said that after this work, the car was much better. In the corners, it was more stable and that you could join corners at a much more speed without the fear of losing tracion One day i was with my dad in the 348. He started pushing and i was a little bit scaried because we were going fast. The car was stable af in the corners and after some corners i felt safer because the car was stick to the road It is easy to drive, but when you undestand how to drive the 348 is a pleasure
A very nice video guys, thank you. My thoughts are these if i may. Its an old ferrari, its earned its stripes so let it just be an old ferrari. I own old ferrari's and it misses the point of an old ferrari by comparing it to anything modern. They are beautiful works of art thats reflective of there particular time in history. In there day they were the latest and greatest italy had to offer. My Jag XKR would run rings around my classic ferrari, but which do you think i take to lemans and across the alps and into italy every year, which looks and sounds a million dollars :) ( see it in my videos to understand what i mean). Lol, i just love old ferrari 😁, i love italian
I simply love this car. People are just jealous, who don’t have one. I don’t understand why people keep on bashing Ferrari for Detail quality compared to Porsche ? The other guy just made a case for the contrary. So at least, make some examples, what’s so damn reliable with an old 911 ? I have 2 348s and a 328, 2 Targas and a Coupe, they are very reliable daily useable cars with a nice good interior. Car Testers who keep on repeating what other Testers have said in the past, are no car Testers in my opinion. Make your own case !
Agree, that was an odd thing to hear. I own a 348, and believe me, I researched (although I already knew) all the important details of every other Ferrari model near mine before I purchased.
....yep and didn't point out that the 348 was a 5 speed vs 355 6 spd when asked about the gearbox. If you are going to take someone along as an expert then they had better know a few basics....engine and gearbox is a bit fundamental 😜
Karl Shaw I’m sorry to sound like an asshole but I feel if you put the effort into creating a video with the intention of being informative would stand to reason you would know this. Thank you for your response.
Another great 1! I briefly owned a 348 during my 'popstar' phase. I'd just sold my Porsche 924 Carrera GTS for 12k (250k now) and looking back the Ferrari felt VERY special but not quick in the way the Porsche used to just go WHOOSH up to silly speeds. I sold the 348 after the 1st service cost me £1672. I've still got the bill
One of my favourite modern Ferrari’s! (Behind the F40 and 288) Almost bought one when they were sub 20k, sure the build quality wasn’t the best and not that quick by modern standards but a sharp tool and look great from any angle (nicer than the rounded off 355, though I’m told those are much better built and obviously quicker) 400, Mondial and 360 are ugly by comparison
Great video! Nice to see someone actually DRIVING a 348 properly... at least to the extent one can do so on a public road... great channel too, I recently got to know about you from your 308 adventure.. Keep it up and stay safe!!!
In the future it would be nice to make a notation even in the video description on the tire type and size. I wonder if the twitchy handling would be resolved with modern rubber compounds. Great review though. Thoroughly enjoyed the commentary.
the key thing for me is to find a car that delivers the supercar drving experience, drama and excitement, all within the 60mph uk open road speed limit. in the uk, there's not much point having a current supercar for road driving, and i'm not personally interested in buying a car that only makes sense and only comes alive on a race track. while you can probably get most of what's needed in a hot hatch, the fact that a hot hatch is a glorified but less comfortable commuter come shopping cart detracts too much from the experience. maybe old cars like this struggle a bit too much in hilly regions and the alps, but it seems they were simply made for your average uk b road.
Good to have you back posting videos again. I'm glad the 348 exists for others to own and drive, says it all! I am surprised you didn't make any comparison with the Evora, an "actual" V6 mid engined car, also with an F1 winners badge & heritage. As an ownership proposition, doesn't the 348 show the Lotus in a very good light?
Both second hand mid engined with a badge. How much do you want to pay up for the Ferrari badge, if you consider the Evora to be perhaps, a better car to drive and own?
Certainly a fair amount of the criticism is undeserved. 400i, 412, Mondial and dare I say even the 308 / 328 are inferior to differing degrees. (Even if the 308 /328 are very pretty), and that's just the more mainstream models. I think in 2018 it's a very pretty car with a fair bit of potential too..
Looking at this video again...I like the 348 looks a lot, but the lines are not as stunning as the 308. Also, the 348 does have some issues when working on it. You have to drop the engine to change the belts. The 308/328 can be done with the engine in the car. I'd also be happy with a Mondial QV coupe (not the cab). John Pogson did a great video on his own Mondial...a great road car, a great daily driver, with the little back seat that so many 911 owners say they must have. I'm wondering if Jack has ever driven one.
The 348 was trying to kill you all the time, it was as if the rear was always trying to go faster than the front. When it was cold, first gear was never available, mine was a TS so the roof panel come out and if you were a Praying Mantis, you could put it behind the seats, but in practice, the seats needed moving so far forward that you couldn't drive it. When it was in place it would squeak all the time unless you used silicone grease on it . The 355 was a vast improvement, but the 360 remains the best value Ferrari - aluminium, traction control, very tractable and no real minus points at all.
I just love Ferraris evolution. Your 348 doesn’t like 1st gear with a cold gearbox. They fixed that on my F355 but mine won’t go into 2nd when the gearbox is cold! I know the Porsche fans laugh at such things but to me it’s just another character trait that makes these wonderful cars and the best in my eyes.
Nice in-depth review of this 348! I don't see many reviews on them! I always had a soft spot for these as they are in the shadow compared to other cars of the era!
I had the 348TS and although I enjoyed the car very much, it almost killed me, the car made a 360 degree on the Autostrada at very high speed on the straight line. Fortunately I had no consequences, very lucky. I later found to be a problem with its aerodynamic, with these winglets the car "flies low" and if one side of the car find a slight depression the car can spin at high speed. I sold it and had multiple 911 since then without a single episode like that in almost 30 years on the road or the track. I still crave for a Ferrari but that particular model scares me although I would buy one just to keep it in the garage and remember my youth.
Really fun fact that Porsche started using frameless windows so late...never noticed that. In the 90s the second cheapest BMW at the time - E36 318i coupe had frameless windows (and the rest of coupes, of course), but I never thought of it as very expensive feature. A litle more expensive and a little more complicated, yes. Interesting none the less...
Don’t forget the Ferrari 348 started the Ferrari Challenge series. I was the proud owner of a 1992 Ferrari 348tb, winner of three Platinum and one Gold awards from sanctioned Ferrari of New England shows.
Bumped into Frank at AutoFarm in Bicester yesterday. Solid gentleman took time to ask why I am at the workshop, always good to hear from him and his cars.
No guys, the stearing of the F355, even if it is light, it is NOT twichy - it is very sensible! With two fingers you can direct the BELLA through the course. And: Don't glorify the Porsches of that years, they have there probs either. The 348 is a raw and and authentic Ferrari! Sounds great in your video (not alllways in reality..)
You look down at the gearshift far too much and frequently whilst driving - I've noticed you also do this in your own car a lot - Something you should try to get out of the habit of doing or buy an automatic ;) great videos btw , very enjoyable to watch indeed .
Sounds nice, not as nice as an F355 but I like the look and the steering on the F355 is a little light but F355 is a very easy car to drive. Great vid, thanks Jack :-)
I think this is one of the best looking Ferraris. If I had money I'd take this. Well not over 964/993 but nowadays well sorted 348 is way cheaper than those well sorted air cooled 911's.
I drove one a few months ago after driving a 360, 430 and 458 I've got to say this was close on as much fun. Manual box and left hand drive made it more tricky but very enjoyable.
What I found with the 348 was it sounded decent and it has the Ferrari looks that turns heads but that's about it. The ergonomics suck, Ferrari just threw stuff wherever in the cockpit and unless you are a 5 ft 7in skinny Italian man, it's a miserable fit. To me Ferrari got it right with the 458 decades later and that's what I'd rather own.
Less is more. The entirely analog 348 is the biggest bang for the buck. The 355 has brass valve issues. the 355s electronic adjustable suspension goes out. the 355 spider's roof is one piece and costs $60k to replace. its now or never for the 348 - the shrewdest sports car purchase in the entire Ferrari market.
Might even be one of the shrewdest sports car purchases of any kind, period, new or used. It will check all the boxes for putting a smile on your face far better than a new car, it doesn't especially break the bank (especially not when you can finance it on a collector loan with today's cheap money), and it is extremely likely to be a rapidly appreciating asset as Youngtimer and Radwood era prices soar. Second place might go to the FD RX7 or 240Z, I think, but there is certainly no shortage of models that are all but certain to appreciate significantly in the next 5-10 years.
Great Video.. I mean looks wise what not to like about a Bright Red ferrari. I don't think it sounds that great. Almost sounds flat at the top end of the revs. It definitely doesn't look fast, but for the nsx was 280bhp when released. I've been out in one of them and I wasn't blew away with the speed. That gearbox does look tricky. Id love to drive it see how the car feels. But great review and great video. Keep up the good work..
Good stuff Jack. I remember driving a 355 years back and was left feeling a bit disappointed. It was great, but I just felt it was a bit too refined and lacked a bit of Grrr. Perhaps I should've tried a 348 👍
If you fancy a 348, then buy the later 348 GTB. It's a little bit faster, has much better straight line stability at high speed and less tricky handling (though still a handful near the limit) than the early 348 TB models, which were seriously flawed.
criticizing the fit and finish to that extent is unfair. The paint was excellent and the interior leather much higher quality than a 964 or NSX. Also, many contemporary road tests achieved 5.5 sec 0-60 times. Do some research.
Nicely put together as always, don't give up on the videos ,we enjoy them immensely and good luck with job hunting. BTW haven't heard anything from the Bugeye for a while? How's the little chap doing?
Now that I'm older, I realize a lot of those early Ferrari's were crap. They say you are always disappointed upon meeting your heroes and this is good example. Don't get me wrong. For the right guys, these would be excellent 2nd cars.
Interesting. I toyed with getting one of these or a 964 around the time (2010) they were going for 30 - 35k and decided against it, primarily because I would have struggled to get out of it once parked in my garage! But also because I was put off by the infamous on the limit handling. Read alot about geometry changes, spacers being used, etc to improve the handling however the feedback seemed to be that ultimately the car was fundamentally flawed. The very rare 348 GTB and GTS models (significantly different in set up to the TB and TS version as seen here) which came out as a final farewell to the model in 1994 were better cars reportedly, not just because of geometry changes but also because they had 320bhp - more similar in behaviour to the later 355 but with the excellent feedback of the steering wheel. I was hoping I'd catch one but alas never did. The super rare challenge inspired Competitzione versions were going for 50k then. Now they seem to be going for well over a hundred. As an aside I was also not impressed with the 964 but for different reasons... ...and I am amazed to hear someone who owns a 355 say the 348 had a V6?!? Must have been a joke.
Of course I didn’t expect another resume from the driver, as he owns a 964, which by the way, is a great car (if it stays original, and not like his one). Anyway, I own a 348 and really, really love it. Yes, we replaced the kats, installed a Tubi exhaust and restored it. But hey, the car is neither slow, nor is it scary to drive fast. It is just an old school supercar that requires driving skills.
I don't really get your comment.. I liked the 348, just pointed out some of the failings. Plus a standard 964 is a really boring car to drive, they feel soft and heavy and respond extremely well to some well judged modifications.
3rd Gen Firebird I owned had frameless door windows and retracting wiper blades,not to mention motorised shutting of the rear hatch,and that was a much older,cheaper vehicle than a 964 or 348.
I think the 348 looks good. It's just those strakes at the rear. Maybe 2 round tail lights each side and no strakes. They look great on the sides. Surely fast enough with 300 horses. Can't think why they changed to a for and aft engine. So costly for belt replacement. Not to worry. Still a fine car, and a wonderful noise.
One for sale locally for $42k test drove it sounds beautiful and in pristine condition but if anything goes wrong with the engine your looking at $10 15k to repair not worth it the car value is not there .. but beautiful
I was going to say the same thing. These guys are hacks with no balls. For the record: I’ve owned more than 40 cars, heck, maybe closer to 50 the last 26 years including Porsches, Ferraris, Japanese rockets, a McLaren 720 and many others. I don’t “flip” them, I get to know them. Guess which one has been in my collection since 1998? A 348! Fabulous car! Fast, cheap to run and cheap to own. “Carved out of granite” and impossible to break. Buy on while they’re cheap!
No, it is not! It is no super Performance car, But it is Not to expensive, it is beautiful and the Sound is just awesome! Nice car for cruising in the Summer!!!
Great review. Thank-you. You would only buy a 348 or 964 now days for weekend use. Ferrari's always sound better, but the 964 drives better and probably looks better than a 348. Horses for courses. I own a Ferrari due to it sounding so, so good, and the need to cherish the fragile beast. Porsche's are much better built cars where those concerns don't exist, but I have a daily from Germany and don't need one for the weekend. That gearbox looked a handful though! Very quiet roads where were you?
Agree entirely...those italic red clocks old skool too are fab...355 interior is dull - I had a 348gts it lifted at front 195kmh though and steering wheel canted to 60 degrees ! Not quick but characterful car at 7/10ths.
Thanks for the reply , it def doesn’t sound standard to me but maybe just the way the mic picked it up but it sounded fantastic . If you can ask that would be fantastic. Ask if it’s forsale too as I’m looking one at the moment thanks .
We've moved into a world that is more obsessed with statistics and "On Track Potential" than what it's actually like to DRIVE a car. This era of Ferrari was built as a drivers car and not for facts and figures. I own a 1983 308 GTSQV. By today's Huayra standards it's horribly slow. But behind the wheel, with the exhaust note bellowing at 7000 RPM and the top off the car, it's utterly fantastic and rightfully quick. The clutch feel, shiftier gate, steering position...they're all odd and heavy UNTIL to throw the car hard into a corner and rip out the other side in full song. Only then can you understand "WHY". The "WHY" was Enzo Ferrari's greatest contribution to the automobile. If you want a car that's easy to steer at low speeds and easy to park, buy a Camary. If acceleration is your only concern, buy a Tesla. But if you like to burn through a canyon while mechanically operating a machine that has NO drivers aid's and is only going to hold the road because of your skill as a driver, then buy this generation Ferrari. Oh, and their not hard on the eye's either.
I don't understand the hate these cars got at all. Also, Passenger Guy kinda has a late Jim Morrison vibe going on. Give him a beer and let him take the wheel, peeling out all over the place and shouting like a maniac, and you have yourself a good rock and roll video.
I sold an excellent Porsche 930 coupe on BAT Auctions about 6 months ago and bought a 348 Spider. I should have done it years ago. The Porsche was a good car and I liked it. The Ferrari is a also a good car, aside from the driver's door wiring harness, way more fun than the Porsche and an absolute hoot to drive.
The 348 has pretty much entered the ‘classic car’ category, due to its age and old school features, yet the first thing you seem to be interested in is to assert ‘is this a fast car?’ Feels a bit shallow. And then the ‘expert’ with his V6 remark doesn’t help either.
I think that the only two things that this car needs are a good vehicle attitute (assetto in italian) and good tires. The stock vehicle attitute wasn't the best for 348 With those things the car is very stable and fast in the corners
It’s never going to be as pretty as a 355 but at the end of the day it’s still a Ferrari build quality very low compared to a Porsche lovely video guys good luck Jack with your career speak soon 👍🏻
0-100 under 6 second is not slow. The thing is when is compared to really fast cars, I mean under 5 seconds are really really fast. I think it could the engine and response could be improved anyway.
I’ve got a 348 and love it. 16 years I’ve owned it and it’s given me very little trouble. Just the drivers door wiring harness really. The only other Ferrari’s I’ve driven are 308/328 and Testarossa. The 308 felt so tiny inside I felt claustrophobic. The 328 was definitely a bit better, and the testa felt too big. I really like the 348.
Same here. Drove Testarossa 308 348 355 458 but 348 is the purest "drivers car" of them all. Its not for those seeking luxury and effortless ride. Its work. Its fine.
Hi John, can you as an owner comment on the handling?
I read somewhere that if you enter the corner slowly and add power through and out of it (similar in approach to a 911) the car would hold true to line.
Is this true? I still like the look of them and when I was seriously considering one did take a TB on a gentle test drive, but ultimately felt put off by the reports of on the limit twitchiness.
Corran Helme yes that is true. I really haven’t pushed the car too much in a long time though. We’ve got cops everywhere up here in Vancouver, and they take your car away if they catch you. The fastest I ever got was 200 kilometres an hour and it was fine. I don’t know about above that.
@@Fioravanti.80 : I am not John but i like to point out that a 911 (which i owned before) until 1989 G Model is a tail happy car which needs countersteering to go fast through corners; its engine is located behind the rear axle and so i swings like a pendulum if you enter a bend too fast, going into oversteer pretty much. You have to correct this by countersteering and this is what makes fun and is dangerous at the very same time. Its not a trick for beginners. You have to smoothly find out the limit and experience it step by step. This behaviour has been sorted out from 1989 onwards by intruducing the Carrera 2 models by presenting a totally modified rear axle and improved suspension. And the modern water cooled Porsche from 996 onwards are equipped with a PSM Porsche Stability Management System like an ESP to prevent this. So when you drive a modern 911 you dont need to be that expert behind the wheel as driving an older one.
The Ferrari 348 on the other hand is a midengined car with the engine between frnt and rear axle. So it offers a more neutral behaviour but has a tendency to oversteer instantly if the tyres are losing grip. This goes as well for all older midengined cars like Toyota MR2 and explains that mid engine cars are for real drivers since instant reaction is required if the car goes into oversteer (by not hitting the gas pedal as you would do in a 911 but giving less (!) throttle and countersteer at the same time very mildly in a mid engined car for example.).
Nowadays all cars are equipped with ESP etc to avoid this.
After all, its a matter of personal taste. I could save my old 911 by countersteering several times, never lifting the foot of the gas pedal much when it oversteered (if you would do, the car turns into understeer more quickly than you would be able to countersteer and you most probably will loose the car).
Above 250 km/h (155 mph) car felt too light on the front. But 911 also needed spoiler on front and rear so aerodynamics in the 90s wasnt that sophisticated as nowadays. I also had a better feel when running on Pirelli tyres isntead of Michelin (and i was much surprised).
I once drove my mid engined Ferrarri 348 on a twisty road with a new model Mercedes SLK 350 (272hp) behind me and he did not had any chance to follow me as my corner speeds were significant higher. Would i have driven a Porsche 911 i would have needed to use a different driving style and so every concept (front engine, mid engine and rear engine) is behaving differently at the limit. You will see why most of the real supercars have a mid engine layout. Also modern cars -limousines- like Audio, Mercedes, Aston Martin etc. carry their "front" engine behind the front axle, because the more even weight distribution between front and rear axle is the most important fact when it comes to neutral handling.
I hope i could help out a bit. There are much videos on youtube with old 911 oversteering....
As an owner I can say that it is a handful above 200 kmh/ 125 mph even in a straight line (autostrada in Italy). It gets too light and skittery. I have a 1991 with the rear-mounted battery.
As someone who has driven numerous NSX’s, F355’s, and other cars of the era, and owns a 300ZX Z32 (also commonly quoted as a competitor of the car), I can assure any viewers that the 348 is a marvellous car. While not fast, it’s quite striking, and offers a lot of feedback to the driver. It remains my favourite entry V8 Ferrari, outside of the 308, due to its immense driver feedback. The F355 feels soft in comparison.
if i buy one id pull the engine get some low compression pistons and turbos. that would be my dream ferrari, and dont cost to much either. i have my eyes on a low milage one now
Doomed from the V6 comment onwards. No recovering from that.
could it be that he doesn't know what he's talking about? I'm crying.
Hard to watch after that.
yea....ain't it a v8?
He must be thinking of the Dino, which had a V6 and was also maligned.
I own the 348 and it’s like an Italian girlfriend - occasionally difficult to handle ;-). It’s a car meant for a skilled driver which I’m unfortunately not so I don’t push it to its limits. Timeless in the looks department, great sound, and mechanically simple. Porsches are dime a dozen while this car, despite its shortcomings, still represent the last era of hand-built low volume analog pure sports cars.
@Over Opinionated Bogan I have not found this to be an issue for me; I think you may have a point for "everyday" street driving but since I do not daily this car, it is not an issue. I think for very spirited driving and track driving the gears ratios are pretty spot on.
348 gearshift is cabled. 355 is rods. 355 gearbox is demanding when cold but a dream when up to temp. The 348 non power steering is its best feature. The power delivery is linear as you say. It takes more time to build revs and in a way that can be fun as the sound gradually builds, the 355 spins up to max revs much more quickly and goes manic at high revs. Personally I think the 348 styling is very cool 😎...a mini testarossa. Drive a 348 hard and it feels quick. I think too many people compare a 30 year old Ferrari to a modern 500 bhp turbo. A 30 year old Ferrari is a classic car not a track day monster.
One of my dream cars , good or not
Great video. 348 is a great value way into a real Ferrari. I've run my F355 now for 10 years. It's a keeper. Still feels very special with the open gate shift and noise of that engine. If you ever get the chance to have a Ferrari in your life, take it.
I happened to own a 348TS for years and i decided it was much more a raw experience than the softened 355/360. Especially the steering - direct feel- is second to none, its so precise and gives you an excellent feedback. The 1992 and later models have improved suspension. I would rather buy these. As its Ferrari first catalytic model you should get rid off the factory cats which are in fact ceramic cats from FIAT. I would recommend using metal cats, it cools down the engine/exhaust temperature and improves performance and due to this the engine is more revvier and you also should install an aftermarket sport exhaust and a K&N air filter. The engine is much more responsive and alive. Of course its not that powerful as a 355 but its got that special "KART" feeling that a 355 or later Ferrari model cannot provide anymore - and the engine is also more reliable. I love the looks of the car; i modified the wheels by using the 18" magnesium rims of the 355 which improved the design by miles.There are quite some slow 348 around because of poor servicing; e.g. their timing belt adjustments are not properly done, they are equipped with original catalyst and so on. There is quite a difference as i drove several 348. I dont really know f the US model have perfomrance issues de to lower octane fuel. Here in europe the swiss 348 are rated just 286 bhp. You have to compare them to the cars of that era and then its just fine. To each his own.
No no no... the F355 is miles ahead of the 348, a testament to how important setup and balancing is. Around a track, the 355 is much more composed, controllable and easier to access that performance. There isn't much difference between the two cars, but the finishing touches on the 355 make ALL the difference.
@@Nemoticon I drove 7 differenz 348 and 2 different 355 (also a tuned one) and i know them inside out. 355 is faster but very soft in terms of handling. Each to his own, for a convertible i choosed that 348 is quite a more raw experience. It depends whats more important for you.
@@mk2007al The 355 is softer, yes, better road manners... but also more composed and accessible on track. I've not driven any tuned Ferrari's but I've spent some time with a handful of models (nothing newer than a 360), the 348 was obviously much better than anything I've owned, but the 355 was significantly better to me. I've heard the 360 is a better driver's car than the 430, the latter apparently being a little too civilised and not as raw. But hey, if you like 348s, cool! They're still sexy, awesome cars, lol
@@mk2007al 348 is a more raw experience than 355. But 355 is hardly 'refined'. 355 IS still a go-kart, but with a big dose of more power and much better handling. The 348 gives fun from the very slowest speeds because of no power steering and also a more demanding handling setup. the 348 lacks the 355 high rev scream which most people absolutely love. But I personally think a 348 is a cool car. Its real, and it gives a lot of fun for little money (in Ferrari terms!)
@HeavyDutyTraining The 348 tops out lower and doesn't reach the same scream / wail pitch of a 355. Ask 100 people who have owned both, and fitted various decats, and sports exhausts, and then come back to me on it.......
I would be happy to have a 348 sitting outside my home
Grab a number and get in line.
It's only for 20k dollars
I've owned a 1985 Mondial QV for 10 years now and think it's just fantastic. It's a shame that the 348 and the Mondial get such a hard time. Anyone who's actually owned a Ferrari for a reasonable amount of time, will find many faults on their car no matter what the model. Just like all makes of car ! Nevertheless, Ferrari's are meant to be raw and nasty. Remember guy's, Ferrari sell
engines and gear boxes and throw the body and trim in for free. If you buy a 1980's, or early 1990's Ferrari and expect an Enzo, maybe you need to go back to your Nissan and keep saving up until you can afford something better. I would love a 348,
however, I'm more than happy with my Mondial QV. If I were to change my car, I think I would go back in time, rather than go
forward. That's not to poo poo on the newer or modern models, it's just my idea of what the "Ferrari experience" is.
It's a good thing really as it kept costs down (until recently)
A very fair assessment, except the handling part, I have only owned my 348 for a couple of months, but I drive it hard, and I find it to be an incredibly rewarding car to drive, it gives back what you put in, its a real drivers car. My car is a 1993 model so supposedly the rear suspension has updated geometry compared to the earlier cars, however, it puts a huge smile on my face, and really, they are deceptively quick cars. Okay the engine could use a little more power, but get a decent exhaust on it, I have a Kreissieg and that perks it up a bit. 348's are an appreciating modern day classic, I am so glad I got mine..
Anyone who thinks the 348 has a V6 should not be allowed to comment on this car.
Always liked the underdog Ferraris...308 gt4, Mondial and 348....Harry Metcalf said he was surprised at how good the 348 was ,especially the steering and it sounds fantastic....you can keep the nsx as good as it is it's no Ferrari....
Daniel Thomas And Harry is a true expert and Petrolhead! To for the comment
As nice as it is the NSX is still just a Honda / Accura, I mean theres no real racing heritage and that is the difference to a Ferrari, hence the cliche whats in a name and thats it right there in a nutshell
Donald Garver no real racing heritage??? Ever heard of arton senna???
@@danielthomas2621 sure I have ever hear of John Surtees,my bad Clarke drove for Lotus
Donald Garver well done
Always cool, you do a video on the 348, but why do you say it was slated when it was launched? It certainly wasn't. It beat the NSX, the 964 and the Esprit in many road tests at the time.
And glad to hear you like it. It really is much fun to drive, although it isn't as fast as the modern Ferrari's of course. And a well set up 348 handles very, very well.
I have a 348 Gtb... It's a fucking car! Sounds great, good handle, very fast and definitely out of time.
I absolutely love the rear of this car with its grils. I don't know why many people dislike it
Amen brother
Raw, sounds great , un assisted steering and the noise is just fabulous , yeah , I’d have one because You can wring it’s neck without losing your license...
Some cars are about “feel “ , not necessarily outright speed ,this has theatre in abundance and is a feel car absolutely.
Sign me up 😊
Good to see you and Frank again Jack, feels like it's been a while since you uploaded a video! Cracking video as ever and good luck with the job hunting 🙂👍
Frank seems like a nice guy. I’m missing the point of having him there.....Anyways, the 348 is a cool car. You wouldn’t buy it for the performance, in these days at least. If you want a fast car, for a quarter of the price, buy a used Cayman. You buy the 348 because it represents a particular point of Ferrari’s history and development. Whether that was a high point or on the contrary, it doesn’t matter. It’s a historic vehicle, and quite beautiful; it deserves respect. Otherwise, nice video. Cheers
Just remember 2 things... 1 the driver needs to adjust his wrist watch, way to much bracelet slack. B) slow fast doesn't matter. When u see a Prancing horse on the road you just wanna be driving it. Great vid btw new sub.
So THAT'S what all the rattling was.......😜
you could've just done a video about Frank's glorious beard and I would've still watched it. Also, we should thank the 348 though, because thanks to how disappointing the 348 was, the 355 became a legend and a benchmark for future generations
Even though I now have and am happy with my Porsche Cayman S, I had a dream last night in which I purchased a Ferrari as well. It was a bit blurred. Sometimes it was a Testarossa, and others, a 348.
It has a gated shifter. Enough said really. It's an old Ferrari from the "slow" era, but who buys these classics for that sensation anyway. Only pain is the maintenance cost I reckon.
Right on! If you want to magazine race look elsewhere, but if you value a real experience, the 348 is a hell of a car. It makes everyday, mundane tasks much more interesting even at sub superhuman speeds :-) I can confidently say that, citing my own experience in the last 8.5 years of ownership, maintenance is definitely not as horrible as you have (probably) heard. Dropping the subframe for the major makes things fairly easy for the skilled, and a good, honest independent tech will go faaaaar easier on you than a dealership. Aftermarket and parts cross references on Ferrarichat are very helpful for keeping parts costs reasonable.
...and the 355 is everything the 348 should have been from the start.
@HeavyDutyTraining 355 is on fire more often
I'm shocked to learn the 348 is considered bad, growing up I loved it, in fact it's still my second favourite Ferrari behind the F40 and F50 (the latter of which grew on me). It just seemed visually like an improved Testarossa, I remember being really sad when the F355 launched and it didn't look half as good.
Great to have you back again Jack!
Sounds amazing, may only have the power of a Golf R but who cares when it sounds like that! Does it matter if it isn't that fast if you still get the sensation of speed? I think you've been spoilt in some ways!
348, beautiful day, lunch in the trunk, roof Targa panel off, scenic rural road with plenty of turns following gorgeous scenery, and the time to enjoy it all. Put all that together and one is living life well.
I really enjoy mine. Also have a 991.1 GT3 and unless I'm on the track, the 348 has way more useable fun (usually) although it's impossible to deny 25 years of improvements.
i loved the design as a kid man... old school ferrari
Enjoyed watching that! I've always had a soft spot for the 348. Prices here in Spain are very low for them now so it's a good time to buy them. It's like with the 612...prices will go up!
The 348 was a great car the so called bad handling was easily cured by just fitting spacers on the wheels which transformed it as magazines at the time stated
My dad has one
He bought it in 1992 (a 1990 model)
The handling wasn't that great when you were pushing hard in the corners
Ferrari after some time, released some parameters (?) to regulate the suspensions and some other stuffs
He said that after this work, the car was much better. In the corners, it was more stable and that you could join corners at a much more speed without the fear of losing tracion
One day i was with my dad in the 348. He started pushing and i was a little bit scaried because we were going fast. The car was stable af in the corners and after some corners i felt safer because the car was stick to the road
It is easy to drive, but when you undestand how to drive the 348 is a pleasure
A very nice video guys, thank you.
My thoughts are these if i may. Its an old ferrari, its earned its stripes so let it just be an old ferrari.
I own old ferrari's and it misses the point of an old ferrari by comparing it to anything modern.
They are beautiful works of art thats reflective of there particular time in history. In there day they were the latest and greatest italy had to offer.
My Jag XKR would run rings around my classic ferrari, but which do you think i take to lemans and across the alps and into italy every year, which looks and sounds a million dollars :) ( see it in my videos to understand what i mean).
Lol, i just love old ferrari 😁, i love italian
Damn right! 👍
I simply love this car. People are just jealous, who don’t have one. I don’t understand why people keep on bashing Ferrari for Detail quality compared to Porsche ? The other guy just made a case for the contrary. So at least, make some examples, what’s so damn reliable with an old 911 ? I have 2 348s and a 328, 2 Targas and a Coupe, they are very reliable daily useable cars with a nice good interior. Car Testers who keep on repeating what other Testers have said in the past, are no car Testers in my opinion. Make your own case !
This car just looks fantastic ! Overtime the Ferrari 348 has matured
Thought it was a V6? Wtf that was the end of the video for me.
Simeon o for me as well, fucking moron like him get paid well to talk about cars. 346 hahahaha
Agree, that was an odd thing to hear. I own a 348, and believe me, I researched (although I already knew) all the important details of every other Ferrari model near mine before I purchased.
....yep and didn't point out that the 348 was a 5 speed vs 355 6 spd when asked about the gearbox. If you are going to take someone along as an expert then they had better know a few basics....engine and gearbox is a bit fundamental 😜
I'm sorry but not knowing what ferrari's naming policy meant back in the day is a bit lame
Karl Shaw I’m sorry to sound like an asshole but I feel if you put the effort into creating a video with the intention of being informative would stand to reason you would know this. Thank you for your response.
Another great 1! I briefly owned a 348 during my 'popstar' phase. I'd just sold my Porsche 924 Carrera GTS for 12k (250k now) and looking back the Ferrari felt VERY special but not quick in the way the Porsche used to just go WHOOSH up to silly speeds. I sold the 348 after the 1st service cost me £1672. I've still got the bill
One of my favourite modern Ferrari’s! (Behind the F40 and 288) Almost bought one when they were sub 20k, sure the build quality wasn’t the best and not that quick by modern standards but a sharp tool and look great from any angle (nicer than the rounded off 355, though I’m told those are much better built and obviously quicker) 400, Mondial and 360 are ugly by comparison
Great video! Nice to see someone actually DRIVING a 348 properly... at least to the extent one can do so on a public road... great channel too, I recently got to know about you from your 308 adventure.. Keep it up and stay safe!!!
In the future it would be nice to make a notation even in the video description on the tire type and size. I wonder if the twitchy handling would be resolved with modern rubber compounds. Great review though. Thoroughly enjoyed the commentary.
the key thing for me is to find a car that delivers the supercar drving experience, drama and excitement, all within the 60mph uk open road speed limit. in the uk, there's not much point having a current supercar for road driving, and i'm not personally interested in buying a car that only makes sense and only comes alive on a race track. while you can probably get most of what's needed in a hot hatch, the fact that a hot hatch is a glorified but less comfortable commuter come shopping cart detracts too much from the experience. maybe old cars like this struggle a bit too much in hilly regions and the alps, but it seems they were simply made for your average uk b road.
Good to have you back posting videos again. I'm glad the 348 exists for others to own and drive, says it all! I am surprised you didn't make any comparison with the Evora, an "actual" V6 mid engined car, also with an F1 winners badge & heritage. As an ownership proposition, doesn't the 348 show the Lotus in a very good light?
Thanks!! Comparison with Evora would have been interesting!
Yeah, comparing an almost as new Lotus to an almost 30 year old Ferrari, that will be an epic win for the Lotus....
Both second hand mid engined with a badge. How much do you want to pay up for the Ferrari badge, if you consider the Evora to be perhaps, a better car to drive and own?
A lot, to be honest.
Passenger knows the drivers a wanker
Didn't like honest albeit negative comments about his new Italian girlfriend😂 -that soyboy couldn't even pronounce Porsche correctly so yeah😐
He really doesn't come across well in this video!
Certainly a fair amount of the criticism is undeserved. 400i, 412, Mondial and dare I say even the 308 / 328 are inferior to differing degrees. (Even if the 308 /328 are very pretty), and that's just the more mainstream models.
I think in 2018 it's a very pretty car with a fair bit of potential too..
Thanks for posting again, missed your uploads recently, great vid!
Looking at this video again...I like the 348 looks a lot, but the lines are not as stunning as the 308. Also, the 348 does have some issues when working on it. You have to drop the engine to change the belts. The 308/328 can be done with the engine in the car. I'd also be happy with a Mondial QV coupe (not the cab). John Pogson did a great video on his own Mondial...a great road car, a great daily driver, with the little back seat that so many 911 owners say they must have. I'm wondering if Jack has ever driven one.
The 348 was trying to kill you all the time, it was as if the rear was always trying to go faster than the front. When it was cold, first gear was never available, mine was a TS so the roof panel come out and if you were a Praying Mantis, you could put it behind the seats, but in practice, the seats needed moving so far forward that you couldn't drive it. When it was in place it would squeak all the time unless you used silicone grease on it . The 355 was a vast improvement, but the 360 remains the best value Ferrari - aluminium, traction control, very tractable and no real minus points at all.
😃 love your roundup of your 348!!
I just love Ferraris evolution.
Your 348 doesn’t like 1st gear with a cold gearbox. They fixed that on my F355 but mine won’t go into 2nd when the gearbox is cold!
I know the Porsche fans laugh at such things but to me it’s just another character trait that makes these wonderful cars and the best in my eyes.
The 308 is by far the worst. I spent 7 years as a mechanic at the dealership...drove a lot of cool cars, but never made any money!
Nice in-depth review of this 348!
I don't see many reviews on them!
I always had a soft spot for these as they are in the shadow compared to other cars of the era!
I had the 348TS and although I enjoyed the car very much, it almost killed me, the car made a 360 degree on the Autostrada at very high speed on the straight line. Fortunately I had no consequences, very lucky. I later found to be a problem with its aerodynamic, with these winglets the car "flies low" and if one side of the car find a slight depression the car can spin at high speed. I sold it and had multiple 911 since then without a single episode like that in almost 30 years on the road or the track. I still crave for a Ferrari but that particular model scares me although I would buy one just to keep it in the garage and remember my youth.
WoW, scary story Mario. Thanks for sharing!!
I've always liked this car. Never quite understood the hate.
Me neither... I did really like it. Flawed though for sure! Thanks for watching!
Really fun fact that Porsche started using frameless windows so late...never noticed that. In the 90s the second cheapest BMW at the time - E36 318i coupe had frameless windows (and the rest of coupes, of course), but I never thought of it as very expensive feature. A litle more expensive and a little more complicated, yes. Interesting none the less...
Don’t forget the Ferrari 348 started the Ferrari Challenge series. I was the proud owner of a 1992 Ferrari 348tb, winner of three Platinum and one Gold awards from sanctioned Ferrari of New England shows.
It is BY FAR the best sounding Ferrari. And I always absolutely loved the looks
It seems the second series Toyota MR2 was modelled on this Ferrari.
Best sound was from the 360
Bumped into Frank at AutoFarm in Bicester yesterday. Solid gentleman took time to ask why I am at the workshop, always good to hear from him and his cars.
Yes he’s a good guy! I’ll pass on your regards
@@Number27 Cheers
No guys, the stearing of the F355, even if it is light, it is NOT twichy - it is very sensible! With two fingers you can direct the BELLA through the course. And: Don't glorify the Porsches of that years, they have there probs either. The 348 is a raw and and authentic Ferrari! Sounds great in your video (not alllways in reality..)
You look down at the gearshift far too much and frequently whilst driving - I've noticed you also do this in your own car a lot - Something you should try to get out of the habit of doing or buy an automatic ;) great videos btw , very enjoyable to watch indeed .
Sounds nice, not as nice as an F355 but I like the look and the steering on the F355 is a little light but F355 is a very easy car to drive. Great vid, thanks Jack :-)
I think this is one of the best looking Ferraris. If I had money I'd take this. Well not over 964/993 but nowadays well sorted 348 is way cheaper than those well sorted air cooled 911's.
I drove one a few months ago after driving a 360, 430 and 458 I've got to say this was close on as much fun. Manual box and left hand drive made it more tricky but very enjoyable.
What I found with the 348 was it sounded decent and it has the Ferrari looks that turns heads but that's about it. The ergonomics suck, Ferrari just threw stuff wherever in the cockpit and unless you are a 5 ft 7in skinny Italian man, it's a miserable fit. To me Ferrari got it right with the 458 decades later and that's what I'd rather own.
Less is more. The entirely analog 348 is the biggest bang for the buck. The 355 has brass valve issues. the 355s electronic adjustable suspension goes out. the 355 spider's roof is one piece and costs $60k to replace. its now or never for the 348 - the shrewdest sports car purchase in the entire Ferrari market.
Might even be one of the shrewdest sports car purchases of any kind, period, new or used. It will check all the boxes for putting a smile on your face far better than a new car, it doesn't especially break the bank (especially not when you can finance it on a collector loan with today's cheap money), and it is extremely likely to be a rapidly appreciating asset as Youngtimer and Radwood era prices soar. Second place might go to the FD RX7 or 240Z, I think, but there is certainly no shortage of models that are all but certain to appreciate significantly in the next 5-10 years.
Even a low end ferrari is a dream car.
No the mondial would be the worst with its hideous styling.
Welcome back! I like these. Lots of drama. Yes not particularly nailed together well but, look good. Time to test an nsx?
Time to test a ZR-1.
Awesome car, how fast do you want to go? 300 horses not enough?
Great Video.. I mean looks wise what not to like about a Bright Red ferrari. I don't think it sounds that great. Almost sounds flat at the top end of the revs. It definitely doesn't look fast, but for the nsx was 280bhp when released. I've been out in one of them and I wasn't blew away with the speed. That gearbox does look tricky. Id love to drive it see how the car feels. But great review and great video. Keep up the good work..
Good stuff Jack. I remember driving a 355 years back and was left feeling a bit disappointed. It was great, but I just felt it was a bit too refined and lacked a bit of Grrr. Perhaps I should've tried a 348 👍
That seems to be a very popular thing to say these days.
If you fancy a 348, then buy the later 348 GTB. It's a little bit faster, has much better straight line stability at high speed and less tricky handling (though still a handful near the limit) than the early 348 TB models, which were seriously flawed.
Thank you for the info!
criticizing the fit and finish to that extent is unfair. The paint was excellent and the interior leather much higher quality than a 964 or NSX. Also, many contemporary road tests achieved 5.5 sec 0-60 times. Do some research.
Nicely put together as always, don't give up on the videos ,we enjoy them immensely and good luck with job hunting. BTW haven't heard anything from the Bugeye for a while? How's the little chap doing?
Now that I'm older, I realize a lot of those early Ferrari's were crap. They say you are always disappointed upon meeting your heroes and this is good example. Don't get me wrong. For the right guys, these would be excellent 2nd cars.
Interesting. I toyed with getting one of these or a 964 around the time (2010) they were going for 30 - 35k and decided against it, primarily because I would have struggled to get out of it once parked in my garage!
But also because I was put off by the infamous on the limit handling. Read alot about geometry changes, spacers being used, etc to improve the handling however the feedback seemed to be that ultimately the car was fundamentally flawed. The very rare 348 GTB and GTS models (significantly different in set up to the TB and TS version as seen here) which came out as a final farewell to the model in 1994 were better cars reportedly, not just because of geometry changes but also because they had 320bhp - more similar in behaviour to the later 355 but with the excellent feedback of the steering wheel. I was hoping I'd catch one but alas never did. The super rare challenge inspired Competitzione versions were going for 50k then. Now they seem to be going for well over a hundred.
As an aside I was also not impressed with the 964 but for different reasons...
...and I am amazed to hear someone who owns a 355 say the 348 had a V6?!? Must have been a joke.
Same issue that you mention.. my garage not even big enough to get car in at all!! But kind of do fancy one of these!!
The geometry differences between the tb/ts and gtb/gts aren't that big. Ferrari improved the suspension of 348 during the course of its life.
Put that on my drive and I would be very happy
Of course I didn’t expect another resume from the driver, as he owns a 964, which by the way, is a great car (if it stays original, and not like his one). Anyway, I own a 348 and really, really love it. Yes, we replaced the kats, installed a Tubi exhaust and restored it. But hey, the car is neither slow, nor is it scary to drive fast. It is just an old school supercar that requires driving skills.
I don't really get your comment.. I liked the 348, just pointed out some of the failings. Plus a standard 964 is a really boring car to drive, they feel soft and heavy and respond extremely well to some well judged modifications.
Quick question, is the 348 steering wheel bigger than the 308 steering wheel?
Favorite Ferrari’s of all time 308, 288GTO, 355, 348.
3rd Gen Firebird I owned had frameless door windows and retracting wiper blades,not to mention motorised shutting of the rear hatch,and that was a much older,cheaper vehicle than a 964 or 348.
I think the 348 looks good. It's just those strakes at the rear. Maybe 2 round tail lights each side and no strakes. They look great on the sides. Surely fast enough with 300 horses. Can't think why they changed to a for and aft engine. So costly for belt replacement. Not to worry. Still a fine car, and a wonderful noise.
Love the look of these
One for sale locally for $42k test drove it sounds beautiful and in pristine condition but if anything goes wrong with the engine your looking at $10 15k to repair not worth it the car value is not there .. but beautiful
nice to revisit some of your old videos ....a few re-evaluations of the 348 showing up recently , perhaps you were ahead of the curve on that.
Its a v8 beautiful engine and a lovely Ferrari.
Beard Beard Beard! Next video can be a drive in ZZ Top's "Eliminator"
I was going to say the same thing. These guys are hacks with no balls. For the record: I’ve owned more than 40 cars, heck, maybe closer to 50 the last 26 years including Porsches, Ferraris, Japanese rockets, a McLaren 720 and many others. I don’t “flip” them, I get to know them. Guess which one has been in my collection since 1998? A 348! Fabulous car! Fast, cheap to run and cheap to own. “Carved out of granite” and impossible to break.
Buy on while they’re cheap!
No, it is not! It is no super Performance car, But it is Not to expensive, it is beautiful and the Sound is just awesome! Nice car for cruising in the Summer!!!
Great review. Thank-you. You would only buy a 348 or 964 now days for weekend use. Ferrari's always sound better, but the 964 drives better and probably looks better than a 348. Horses for courses. I own a Ferrari due to it sounding so, so good, and the need to cherish the fragile beast. Porsche's are much better built cars where those concerns don't exist, but I have a daily from Germany and don't need one for the weekend. That gearbox looked a handful though! Very quiet roads where were you?
Agree entirely...those italic red clocks old skool too are fab...355 interior is dull - I had a 348gts it lifted at front 195kmh though and steering wheel canted to 60 degrees ! Not quick but characterful car at 7/10ths.
Do you know what exhaust is fitted to the one you tested ? It sounded fantastic.
I don’t I’m afraid!! I thought it was standard. I’ll try and ask the owner
Thanks for the reply , it def doesn’t sound standard to me but maybe just the way the mic picked it up but it sounded fantastic . If you can ask that would be fantastic. Ask if it’s forsale too as I’m looking one at the moment thanks .
I’m determined to own a Ferrari in my lifetime this may be it
I owned one. You wont be disappointed
This car is a monster ,it can spin the wheels in 3rd gear from STAND still, be very careful in the rain, needs a twin turbo set-up.
Another great video mate, hope the job hunting goes well.
We've moved into a world that is more obsessed with statistics and "On Track Potential" than what it's actually like to DRIVE a car. This era of Ferrari was built as a drivers car and not for facts and figures. I own a 1983 308 GTSQV. By today's Huayra standards it's horribly slow. But behind the wheel, with the exhaust note bellowing at 7000 RPM and the top off the car, it's utterly fantastic and rightfully quick. The clutch feel, shiftier gate, steering position...they're all odd and heavy UNTIL to throw the car hard into a corner and rip out the other side in full song. Only then can you understand "WHY". The "WHY" was Enzo Ferrari's greatest contribution to the automobile. If you want a car that's easy to steer at low speeds and easy to park, buy a Camary. If acceleration is your only concern, buy a Tesla. But if you like to burn through a canyon while mechanically operating a machine that has NO drivers aid's and is only going to hold the road because of your skill as a driver, then buy this generation Ferrari. Oh, and their not hard on the eye's either.
Open Roader ya nailed it.
I don't understand the hate these cars got at all. Also, Passenger Guy kinda has a late Jim Morrison vibe going on. Give him a beer and let him take the wheel, peeling out all over the place and shouting like a maniac, and you have yourself a good rock and roll video.
I sold an excellent Porsche 930 coupe on BAT Auctions about 6 months ago and bought a 348 Spider. I should have done it years ago. The Porsche was a good car and I liked it. The Ferrari is a also a good car, aside from the driver's door wiring harness, way more fun than the Porsche and an absolute hoot to drive.
The 348 has pretty much entered the ‘classic car’ category, due to its age and old school features, yet the first thing you seem to be interested in is to assert ‘is this a fast car?’ Feels a bit shallow. And then the ‘expert’ with his V6 remark doesn’t help either.
Beard man is CLUELESS! Sure he owns a 355? Didn’t know the engine of the previous THREE cars? Wow…. 🤔
I think that the only two things that this car needs are a good vehicle attitute (assetto in italian) and good tires. The stock vehicle attitute wasn't the best for 348
With those things the car is very stable and fast in the corners
Between the black sheep comment, the 348, you telling off Billy Connolly about his voice I'm not sure which is worse 🙄😂
I’m definitely an acquired taste! Thanks for watching anyhow!!
I’d take the 348 over the Porsche.
It’s never going to be as pretty as a 355 but at the end of the day it’s still a Ferrari build quality very low compared to a Porsche lovely video guys good luck Jack with your career speak soon 👍🏻
Thanks buddy!!
0-100 under 6 second is not slow. The thing is when is compared to really fast cars, I mean under 5 seconds are really really fast. I think it could the engine and response could be improved anyway.