21,384 miles. Engine-out service including new clutch 500 miles ago. Beautiful Rosso Corsa with black interior. No sticky buttons. Everything works, drives beautifully, no warning lights. Full tool kit. Still thrilling to drive, this 348 delivers the authentic Ferrari experience!
First things first-yes, this car has been properly maintained. We have receipts for an engine-out service in 2017 that included a new clutch, plus a more recent 2023 service on the brakes. There are some who will say that seven years is too long to go between service intervals, but with only 500 miles on it since the work was done, everything remains in very good condition and weve never seen a timing belt fail just because its a few years old (these same timing belts last 10 years and 100,000 miles in lesser cars). The work was done by the great Earl Gibbs at North Coast Exotics at a cost of nearly $10,000, making this handsome 348 Spider easy to enjoy. Finished in traditional Rosso Corsa, it practically glows here in our showroom. The Pininfarina bodywork on the 348 has aged rather well and still attracts a great deal of attention on the road. Finish quality is far better than you might expect for a hand-built car and the doors close with a solid sound that represents custom coachbuilding at its finest. The paint is deep and lustrous and the car has never been wrecked or damaged, so everything lines up like it should. Details like the deep chin spoiler and blacked-out taillight grilles are in fantastic condition. Despite approaching its 30th birthday, this Ferrari is still a thrill to see on the street.
Nobody does interiors like the Italians. The soft black leather remains in outstanding condition with few signs of use or age beyond a little scuffing on the drivers outer bolster, which isnt surprising. The rest, however, is supple with no splits or tears. Theres a lot of plastic, but its high-quality stuff that has aged well with no cracking or other issues. Of note, the buttons have been "de-stickied" to remedy a common issue with Ferrari switchgear, and all the features work, including the A/C. Being a 1995 model, it pre-dates airbags, so you do get the automatic front seat belts that scoot along their tracks every time you open and close the doors, but thats how it was built so thats how it remains. Carpets and mats are in excellent condition and the leather-wrapped wheel shows no signs of UV damage. And, of course, you get Ferraris gated shifter for the dogleg 5-speed, and it delivers a pleasing feel (and sound!) as you run it through the gears. The convertible top takes some practice to master so do a few test runs before you need it in an emergency, but this is the rare convertible that looks equally good top up or top down. The front-mounted trunk is pretty light on storage space, but it does include service access points and an amplifier for the stereo system (which we guarantee youll never use once youve heard the sonorous V8).
That V8 is a 3.4-liter DOHC unit that spins to 8000 RPM and churns out 296 horsepower and 238 lb-ft. of torque, enough to make the lightweight Spider seriously fast even today. But the numbers only tell part of the story, and if youre racing dyno sheets, there are surely better choices. No, what makes a Ferrari like this special is the soundtrack, the visceral shriek of the engine screaming behind your right shoulder, and the feeling that it could pull forever. Running to the upper edges of the rev range is addicting and the car seems to work better the faster you go. The engine bay is beautifully detailed with original finishes and hardware throughout, and everything remains in outstanding condition. Its awesome to see the racecar-style fabrication that blurs the line between road and track, and even for a 30-year-old car, the hardware is rather sophisticated. The 5-speed manual gearbox requires some practice and some diligence to execute properly and its important to remember that the clutch is less tolerant of clumsiness than your average Honda Civic, but if you get it right, the 348 is a delight. And that is the entire point of owning a Ferrari. There are few better man-machine interfaces than this-a car that rewards skillful driving. Despite its rather lofty handling limits, it also rides fairly well, and braking is hugely powerful thanks to vented rotors at all four corners. Theres obviously no rust or damage underneath, and the stainless exhaust makes for one of the most enjoyable soundtracks this side of an F1 track. 17-inch factory alloys are in excellent condition and carry original-spec Pirelli P-Zero Asimmetrico tires measuring 215/50/17 in front and 255/45/17 in back.
Extras include the factory tool kit and service receipts.
Due to their position as an affordable Ferrari, there are a great many 348s out there with a long list of service needs and deferred maintenance. It always pays to buy a car that has been conscientiously owned and maintained, and low mileage is always a plus. Add in a fantastic color combination, and you get an awesome entry-level Ferrari that delivers real-world usability with a thrilling alter-ego that reminds us why driving for the sheer joy of it is so important. Call today!
Harwood Motors always recommends and welcomes personal or professional inspections of any vehicle in our inventory prior to purchase.
