1992 Ferrari 348 TS review from Switzerland

Short in electrical caused battery to die.

Front spoiler lip was very low and needed to be repaired twice.

The timing belt needed replacing - watch out for this service cost, the engine needs to be removed!!

Passenger seat locked up and would not adjust anymore.

This was a very impulsive purchase as my cousin had just bought his dream car a 328 gts at the beginning of summer. While at the dealership, I found myself looking at the 348 and not being able to take my eyes off of it. The lines are so exotic, yet not so macho like the Testarossa. I must admit, the test drive was more about "wow, I am driving a Ferrari" than how amazing it was as a sports car.

Let's say this for the record... you do not buy this car because you want to overtake every other car on the road. It will not. I have been passed by many an M Roadster (my previous car).

This car is about "Ferrari Feeling", which is indescribable. I had a TS, which means it was a Targa. You will definitely prefer the sound of the engine while driving to the radio.

Be careful at high speeds, as the front end tends to get a little light.

Every time I could get into this car, I fell in love all over again. If it were not for the expensive maintenance costs and the frequency of the repairs, I would have kept this car. But here in Switzerland, it cost about $9,000 to replace the timing belt as the engine must be removed. By the way, you should do this every 30,000 kilometers. I have since heard that a new belt is available that let's you go much longer, but I have not verified this.

One Tip: If you are looking to buy one, make sure that it has just had this service with the belts, and preferably the clutch at the same time.

Since selling the car, I have come back to earth and only have owned Porsches, which in my view are fantastic sports cars. The 348 is a real looker, but the German tractor is much more reliable.