Ferrari vs. Porsche

With all the recent discussion about Porsche vs. several other brands like the corvette, I have never read any discussion comparisons to Ferrari. I mean you can get some pretty nice Ferrari's for the price of used 996's. Just recently saw a 348 for about $ 80k with only 40000 miles. I know there are allot of Ferrari brands, but what I would really like to know is which brands compare in performance and price price points to 996/997 and Turbo Porsche models. Has anyone on this forum replaced a Porsche for a Ferrari or vice versa? Cheers and safe driving.

Keep in mind...the fine line between price points in terms of maintenance between the two. Both are VERY capable sports cars. Ferrari's maintenance costs are astronimical. It's a very different level of passion, IMO. Chad

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I thought about buying a Ferrari about a year ago. There was an early 90's Mondial for sale in the mid-30s. I was really gung ho on it until I researched the maintneance costs which were estimated by our local Ferrari dealer at 5K / year. I'm sure the more recent Ferraris are even worse. Tim

A 348 for $80k with 40k on the clock seems high. 5k a year? What are they dropping the engine every year? I have a couple of friends with Fcars and they do not spend that kind of money on it unless its for a major service or something is wrong with the car. But when things do go wrong look out.

you can get a 355spider for that 80k

The problem with Ferrari is that everything is sooo expensive, maintenance, parts. Even more frustrating is the fact that parts are not only extreeeemly expensive but often just unavailable. My own experience.

There is a great video on www.racingflix.com comparing the 996GT3 to the Ferrari Stradalli.. check it out.

actually that's not true. just like bmw, porsche, and most other decent manufacturer, each new fcar costs less to service than the one it came after. the 360 for example is like $1k at 5k miles and a few $k at 15k miles. i'm not sure what the annual mileage assumptions were on the $5k/year service for the mondial, but i doubt very seriously they are remotely close in $/mile for service to a 360. as well, the new 430 is slated to cost considerably less to service than the 360. all that said, the depreciation difference between modern day f and pcars is such that you can afford a lot of service on an fcar before you're losing as much cash as you are on the pcar depreciation.

I do think they have to drop the engine for much of the maintenace on the mondial but I'm not certain. I'm just reporting what the local dealer told me. Good point on the depreciation.

Only someone who has not driven a 348 would consider one over any 996. The 348 is a dog. The interior is old-fashioned and cheap. Most have those robotized lap belts. Performance is absent. It's sole positive is engine sound. Maintainence costs are astronomical. Even the steering feel is ancient. The 355 has decent power but is also dissatisfying in steerting feel, switch gear, and service costs. There are good reasons you never see high milage Ferraris. The 360 is a big step in the right direction, but prices are also in another league. The 430 looks like it will set a new standard in performance ( and unavailability). AS

yes, the new 360's are very $$-friendly compared to before and they are even more reliable than ever...even more so than maybe Porsche now.

I've only driven 1 Fcar in my life, a 348. I agree with Alexander's assessment. The engine sound was great but other than that, I wan't impressed. A great car for posing, standing out in the crowd, and impressing the unknowing, but not a car I'd consider for daily driving/weekend track events.

the 348 is a piece of crap.. it looks OK for a 1989 body car.. but other than that it's an unreliable, horrid interior, slow, pos... the 348 in my books was always the poor man's ferrari.. in the same leagues of the 80s ferrari owners. that one that want a ferrari, but can't afford the cost of a new one.. the 355/360 fixed that problem.. you can get a nice 355 spyder now for $70s.. which is an excellent car... i've been considering one as a toy when the 2 years for the p-car warranty run out..

I've only driven one Ferrari in my life and fortunately it was my friend's 360 Spyder with a Tubi exhaust. The car did it all well from the driver's seat. No radio needed with the great engine and exhaust sounds coming from behind your ear. It made my 996 feel so civilized in comparison.

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.

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.......................

or to reprhrase, can't justify.

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.

Jeffrey, you need this!

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

Ha ha ... Sorry. Nothing against Fountains but I happen to be a Cigarette fan! Nice boat though! Excellent power package. I have XRs and 650's. Around 100mph tops.

Do we think that Ferrari designs cars that intentionally are unreliable? Or are there just a lot of compromises that result in frequent maintenance and repairs? If joy-of-driving outweighed lack of reliability, Lotus would rival Toyota today. As it now stands, a car needs to have both, and that's why the 360 brought Ferrari to its current level of success, and hopefully the Toyota-engined Elise will do the same for Lotus. The older Ferraris are about looks and sound over actual driving experience, and that relegates them to toy status. But hey, I love toys too. I've come close to buying Ferraris several times. But the knowledge that I will need to memorize the tow company number has held me back The 430 could change that for me. AS

A yellow F355 hardtop passed me today on the highway as I was driving home--needless to say, it was a beautiful sight.

Actually, the cars are designed without compromises: they aren't made to be easier to fix, cheap to assemble, or to cut costs in any way, and that makes them expensive to make and expensive to own. I've seen Rolls-Royces made with the same philosophy: that the car will be owned and maintained by someone that won't count the costs, and that has a stable of cars to use while it's being serviced. And that leads to designs that require dropping the engine for a tune-up, or putting the car on a lift and removing the tires to change the spark plugs. I'm not saying it's wrong - it just is what it is. Emanuel