| Author | Message | ||
| Michael Davidson (Cabrio_fan)
New member Username: Cabrio_fan Post Number: 15 Registered: 3-2002 |
...and today I had the pleasure to take a peek and go for a jaunt in Don V's 1986 Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet. Don - thank you very much for your generosity and hospitality! I enjoyed seeing your car. Fortunately the rain drops held out enough for us to do some top down driving outbound and then provided the opportunity for us to put the top up for the trip back! Don has a nice 3.2 in Rosso Corsa, black top, black boot. I'm not sure if it's my imagination or something technical, but Don's 3.2 accelerator seemed very responsive compared to the 1983 QV I drove on Tuesday. The clutch/gas work in the QV was more in line with my old BMW 318ic but the gas pedal in Don's car wanted to get up and go. [Sorry I left some TRX rubber back at that first start Don!!] Head to head, I definately prefer the styling of the 3.2 versus the QV. The t has some nice features (adjustable ride control, etc) but the rear wing intakes lose something for me. I much prefer the trapezoidal intakes over the squared off ones on the t. The QV and 3.2 intakes just say "Ferrari" to me. Well, back to my non-Ferrari vehicle for now. I sure have appreciated my two opportunities to experience Ferraris in action. Thanks to the fine salespeople at Executive Auto Sales in Eugene, Oregon and to Don in my hometown of Portland. Mike | ||
| Michael Davidson (Cabrio_fan)
New member Username: Cabrio_fan Post Number: 12 Registered: 3-2002 |
By the way, this was the Mondial I drove on Tuesday. It was the 1983 Mondial QV on ebay that didn't make the reserve price.  http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1853747584 If anyone has an interest in this car, shoot me an e-mail and I can give you a detailed run down of my impressions. Albeit, more aethetically rather than mechanically. | ||
| Michael Davidson (Cabrio_fan)
New member Username: Cabrio_fan Post Number: 11 Registered: 3-2002 |
Sounds good, Don. Got your e-mail. That would be fun to take a peek at your 3.2. The QV was nice but I prefer the details of the 3.2 -- Cavalino on the grill, body-colored bumpers, etc. I'll shoot an e-mail back and we can get together. Jim - As much as I'm a Ferrari fan, I couldn't see buying one without a drive! How, why, when did you perform such a purchase?!? I almost bought my wife's Honda Odyssey that way. We were on the waiting list for the newly designed Odyssey back in 99. Waited 7 months for one. Delearship called and said I could have one expressed in two months if I bought before driving one. I thought about it, then said "No thanks." We waited the full 7 months. That was with a brand-spanking new Odyssey. I couldn't imagine that with a Ferrari. | ||
| Don Vollum (Donv)
New member Username: Donv Post Number: 17 Registered: 1-2002 |
Great to hear that you got to drive a Mondial Cab! Sometime we should get together and you can try my 3.2. I was driving mine yesterday and thinking about how much I like it. They really are fun cars. | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
Member Username: Jimpo1 Post Number: 710 Registered: 7-2001 |
The first Ferrari I ever drove was MY Ferrari. I owned it before I drove it. | ||
| Ron Thomas (Ronsupercar)
Member Username: Ronsupercar Post Number: 304 Registered: 5-2002 |
I don't think anything can top the first drive in a Ferrari.. Keep us posted Mike on when you get your Mondial and take many pics..... | ||
| J. Grande (Jay)
Member Username: Jay Post Number: 538 Registered: 10-2001 |
Mike I know excactly how you feel. My first time driving a Ferrari was a Mondial 3.2 Cab on my wedding day! Driving to the reception we hit 120mph! 8 years later and I finally own a Ferrari (Dino GT4). The day will come and it will be a great feeling! I still can't get the smile off of my face!  | ||
| Michael Davidson (Cabrio_fan)
New member Username: Cabrio_fan Post Number: 10 Registered: 3-2002 |
My username is cabrio_fan since I'm a complete nut / enthusiast about the Mondial Cabriolet. However, now I'll have to think about it changing to cabrio_driver and then eventually to cabrio_owner. I went for a drive in my first Ferrari on Tuesday and it happened to be a Mondial Cabriolet. That did it -- I'm hooked!! That was a very sweet ride. We went for a 25 mile tour in the Oregon countryside. Curves, railroad tracks, straight-aways, hills, you name it. That car handled very nice!! [This was a prelimiary test drive since the car happens to be for sale.] Worked all the gears, without beating them up. Topped out the tach at 6800 RPMs. From reading the posts about reaching red line, I NOW KNOW what that means. I scanned the tach and noted 6800 and thought: nice. Scanned a second time and realized where red line was and thought: MAN!! I didn't dare work it anymore since it wasn't my car. Facts about my first ride: Model: Mondial Cabriolet Quattrovalvole Year: 1983 Color: Rosso Corsa (of course) Tires: Michelin TRXs Speed: "a little more than" 55 The bummer part of my afternoon with the Ferrari was that I got to talking to the salespeople where its for sale, forgot the time, and had to run across town to pick up my wife and kids. Of course... I had her MINIVAN. Here I am, running behind schedule, LEAVING the FERRARI -- and booking across town in a HONDA ODYSSEY!! Aaaarg! Note to minivan shoppers: Don't drive your Ferrari before you test drive minivans!! Minivans don't corner. At all. I left the dealership telling them that it wasn't a matter of IF I'd be buying a Mondial Cabrio but WHEN. See ya when I graduate to Cabrio_owner!! Mike |