kilrgt

OK how many have you seen in the snow???, I think the Porsche is an all around great performer, with out the stupit costs of the Ferrari. What i paid for my MY 04 C2 i could have got a pretty good Ferrari, then i looked in to cost of maintance, and reliablity. Hands down the Porsche won in both casses, so for me the Porsche was a no brainer.Now i am NOT dumping on the Italian made car, in fact I think they are great to look at, and with that being said if i was a billionair i would have one.........Just one the rest would br PORSCHES........Now if only PCNA would get the **** in order i would be a much happier owner.

dallasboats

Ha, ha, funny questions............. The 348 is slow but also was built in ages of older Porsches. Compare apples to apples. The 355 is awesome and a great car, the 360 even better. Don't knock what you can't afford.......................

dallasboats

or to reprhrase, can't justify.

bobporsche996

ferrari's aren't meant to be daily drivers or even weekend drivers... they were made to be for someone that already has the sports car, the suv, the sedan, and a $100k beater in the rare circumstance that all three of the above in the shop... basically, garage queens.. although rare exceptions are made.. look at the low mileage on average of these cars after 10 years from the date of purchase and you will clearly see most are not even driven.. i really don't see how to compare a porsche to a ferrari.. they are completely different animals in the car world...

Tipo815

Interesting comparisons. I have to agree with Bob. The bottom line is that the two are different animals. I have a late model 996 and a late model 360 Modena.

First off - I agree with everyone who said that the 348 cannot be compared to the 996. I also agree with those of you who realized that the 348 is much older technology. The 348 started production 10 YEARS before the 996. How can that be a comparison basis? You cannot compare the cars on a technological level. The only thing they have in common - if anything - is relative price between some late 348s and some early 996s. That's it. To make any other comparison is like comparing apples and bananas.

In terms of my own personal experience my 360 is a totally different car from my 996. The only thing they have in common is that they are both sports cars and so far (knock on wood) they have both been relatively maintenance free. That's where the comparison ends. Yes. Ferraris are expensive to maintain. The 30k service (recommended every 30k miles or three years) can cost $6000. I don't know of any regular service that Porsche has that costs that much. As for mechanical issues and/or problems relating to regular use - I have had none. However, that may not be a fair comparison since the miles put on the Porsche versus the Ferrari are about 5:1.

My 360 is setup with an exhaust that rivals a F1 car. It is almost obnoxious. There are some video clips on www.ferrarirosso.com. I will only drive the 360 on Ferrari events, on weekends to Crystal Cove ( a local exotic car gathering here in S. California), to friend's houses, etc. Basically, it only goes to places where I can keep an eye on it. It will never be valet parked, will never go to the mall, will never be driven in the rain, etc. This may all sound ridiculous but it is the reality of owning the marque. It's almost a piece of valuable art that happens to have a motor and wheels! Conversely, the Porsche will go to the mall, will be driven in the rain, and will occasionally be valet parked. Like Bob said - a different animal.

At the end of the day - I love both of the cars. I love the Ferrari for the experience - the sounds it makes sends chills up your spine! The clinking of the aluminum gated shifter puts a grin on your face. The lines are second to none. I love my Porsche for its German engineering. It's solid. It does so much and asks so little. There is no fuss and no "production" when the time comes to drive it. It just goes and does so with almost uncanny perfection.

I always said - let the Italians design it and let the Germans build it. Now that would be a perfect car! However, I have to admit - the Italians seem to be catching on. Today's 360 and 430 - in many ways - are reminiscent of their German counterparts. They are (much) more reliable and seem to be better built that than their earlier counterparts.

bdronsick

Well spoken Jeffrey. I have a good friend who own both cars and his experience is identical to yours with the exception that the fcar hasn't even been started in years and is sitting on four flat tires (otherwise showroom condition)! To me this is crazy, but the garage is the first place this guy takes guests- to see a Ferrari on four flat tires! Sad thing is the fcar gets more attention laguishing on four flats than the race-prepped 928GT sitting next to it. That's Ferarri. I may drive a 996 daily, but I won't argue with that.

bavarian

I have to agree with Bob and Jeffrey. I once owned an F car in the mid eighties (Mondial Cabriolet) and this car was the equivalent of a dumb blonde: arm candy but useless. It drove badly, kept breaking down and drew envious looks from everyone. I dumpted it after three months (for almost the same price I had paid). Last year I seriously considered a low-mileage 456(aren't they all!), but backed out after speaking to several friends in the exotic car business, who did not recommend it as a daily driver. Instead I bought a new C4S cab, and I have no doubt I made the right choice. It may not be as sexy, but it does everything, and with snow tires and a hardtop you can take it everywhere at any time.

pcarfan944

Quite frankly driving a Porsche is boring next to a Ferrari. I've driven just about every model of 911 (excluding a 996 turbo) and not one of them has given me the same sense of satisfaction, excitement, exhilaration and driver involvement (the bonding between man and machine) as our 77 Euro spec Fiberglass 308 GTB. Yeah, there are some Porsche’s that will blow its doors off, but when your driving a Ferrari none of that matters to you. Service costs can range from "oh that was cheap!" to "holy ****!" but for the most part, it's not as bad as most people make it out to be, and the car is extremely reliable.

The 348 never received rave reviews, but I always thought it was a beautiful car. The interior does NOT look and feel ancient, as some have stated, although it does suffer from some electrical issues in the early models. The handling at the limit is tricky, but most 911 owners are used to that. It will run to 60 in about 5.2-5.5 seconds, fast enough for most of us. Top Speed is a honest 170.

I say get it. Owning a Ferrari is a fantastic experience, well worth the price of admission and will leave a lasting impression on you for the rest of your life. Except to pay around $50-65 for a nice 348. Avoid ultra low miles cars. Service history is a big plus. You know the drill, but Forza did a 348 buyers guide that’s very helpful if you do decide to buy one.

dallasboats

Jeffrey, you need this!

dallasboats

1100 cobra's, number 6 drives, 120 mph.................

wormdoggy

I have to agree with many of the pro's and con's associated with purchasing a Ferrari. I have always been a Pcar fan and perhaps always will be. In my lifetime I have had the pleasure of driving several sport cars including the Testarossa, NSX, Viper, and the Pcar. Well........ overwhelmingly....... I loved the feel and enjoyment of the Porsche. Now that's not to say if I had the money I wouldn't go out and buy a Ferrari......................but I have always heard that the maintenace on these babies is really expensive. If purchasing and enjoying a Ferrari is not to ask ....."How much ?"..... then I guess it is definitely not the car for me.

I have always loved sport cars but enjoy them that MUCH more when I have peace of mind on reliability and low repair costs. Let's face it guys it doesn't feel very good getting into your car after a costly repair or for that matter a major repair................does it????

Give me handling, give me power , give me beautiful engine sounds but above all else........please give me reliability!!!!!!!!!

My 2 cents!
Cheers and safe driving

Desperado

As some have stated, if you are going to compare Ferrari and Porsche, compare apples to apples.

A stock C-2 996 vs. a 360 Modena is not good comparison.

I breathe Porsche, but I do love Ferrari as well.

J.Seven

bavarian, what did your friends on the exotic car business told you about the 456? I also find the 456 a beautiful and classic Ferrari.

J.Seven

bavarian

They feel that the F-cars have improved tremendously from earlier models (in this case the 400i/iA) but if I needed a daily driver, this car was the wrong choice. There are many low mileage 456s around (especially the 456A with automatic), and I was very close to pulling the trigger in the same price range as my C4S cab (around 100K). The maintenance is not only costly, but there are no shortcuts. The 15K service is about 4 grand, and many cars need the 30K with major replacement items way before you hit that mileage if you're buying a garage queen. There are only 2 dealers within a 30 mile radius from my home, and I had dealt with both during the disastrous ownership experience with my Mondial. Believe me, I love these cars (and am totally smitten by the new 612 Scaglietti), but reality has to reassert itself. I commute into NYC every day, and the 911 is perfect for the job. I also like the way it does not draw much attention.

epbrown01

The 612? I'm not too big on that one, though I love the 360 and 456. In fact, I stopped liking Ferraris pretty much after the 246GT until the late 90s cars - the angular ones in the 80s and early 90s looked awful to me. And I can't imagine what owning a stable of 20-year-old Ferraris would run me!

Emanuel