| Author | Message | ||
| Mat Buckland (Mat)
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Scott, are you on an "ego trip"? You do not need advice. Stop stroking yourself and just buy the best Ferrari you can afford, THEN let us know what you have bought and we can all advise you further on the care and maintenance of your new toy. Good luck with your choice. I bought a 360 from Germany and it has only given me joy.Regards, Mat | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
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Scott, how good of a mechanic are you? Not too long ago there was an Italian car show here in Vancouver and after looking at several 308 GTB/S on display with the engine lids up... I'd rather have my GT4! I have absolutely no problem changing spark plugs on the Sinistra (forward) bank, whereas looking at these 308's, I can see why alot of people complain about this. I also notice there's more empty room in the engine bay in my car than these 308's, then again, I don't have any emissions junk in there. If you do take David's and "Solly"'s advice and consider this model, get it checked out THOROUGHLY. If you are so-so mechanic wise, Heath's suggestion of the Mondial is better (a later 3.2L model or a T will be practical and less maintenance). | ||
| Steven J. Solomon (Solly)
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Buy a 308 Dino GT4. You can get a GREAT one for about 25-28k and a fair one that you can work on for 20-22k. V-8, carb sound, back seat bigger than most 2+2s, maintainable in your garage, how can you go wrong? Only problem is "wedge" shape done by Bertone. I happen to like this body style but many people don't. However, given all the press this model is getting lately, price appreciation is very possible. | ||
| HEATH VAUGHN (Heath)
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IF YOU ARE NOT A GEAR HEAD OR A SPEED FREAK,AND WOULD LIKE A FERRARI THAT IS FUN TO DRIVE WITH LOW MAINT. A GOOD DAILY DRIVER AND HAS THE LOOKS OF WHAT A SPORTS CAR SHOULD BE GO WITH THE BEST MOST AFFORDABLE RAG TOP TO EVER COME OUT OF ITALY A MONDIAL CAB. NOT ONLY DO YOU GET THE SOUND, SPEED, THE HANDELING BUT YOU ALSO GET A SMALL BACK SEAT. GREAT FOR SHOPPING OR THE EXTRA SET OF GOLF CLUBS. ALL AROUND THE MOST USEFULL FERRARI EVER MADE. HEATH | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Let me put it this way. Whatever Ferrari you pick, it will always be a show stopper and something you will enjoy. They have timeless design and you will be proud of whatever car you decide to buy. | ||
| Warren E. Smith (Magoo)
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Scott, I looked a long time to find the "RIGHT" car. I knew that I wanted a carb. model for the sound and the without the high tech. computers, sensors etc. Something I could get into for diversion. I am a car collector and have been for years. This is what I like to do and enjoy every minute of it. A high tech car{later model} was not for me because I knew I wanted a carbed Ferrari. After looking a long time I finally found the right one. Know what you want. And follow that path. | ||
| martin J weiner,M.D. (Mw360)
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Scott, Having had a 97 355B,multiple M3's and now a 360 if you can go for the bucks the 355 is a marvelous ride for the track as well as a daily or semi-daily driver.They are pricey now in view of the shortage of 360's and the flipping of 360's in the after market as well as dealer exploition. Good luck Martin | ||
| Chris_N_Chicago (Chris_N_Chicago)
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348 spiders rule ! | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
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Scott, since u say u have some track experience with an M3, Which run group, Advanced or intermediate? I would say go for the 355 or the 512TR cus I think the M3 is about even with the 328 or 348, performance wise | ||
| Scott A. B. Collins (Scott)
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Some additional info--thanks for all of the great feedback so far. I am considering such a wide choice of cars because there is something I like about each, and because this is my first Ferrari I am trying to make a good decision. Financially, I can afford any of the listed vehicles (+ maintanence) but given the recent stock market, I have both a bit a price sensitivity and a bit of 360 Modena price inflation sensitivity (i.e. the increase over the last year of 355 prices). Regarding skill as a driver, I do track my M3, so I'm not a pure novice. Regarding use, I see the Ferrari as 1) Fufillment of a dream, 2) A great weekend/pleasure driver. I may well take the car to the track to learn its limits, but that would not be a regular event. In terms of the vehicles, the 328 has great styling, the 512TR has the lusty 12 cylinder engine, the 348 spider seems to be a good value, and the 355 has both great performance and is new enough that parts shouldn't be an issue. | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
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Scott, another important considersation is to ask yourself, honestly, how good a driver r u? Cus even if u r a super multi millionaire & can buy an F40 with spare change but u cant drive well, I would say get yourself a 308 cus an F40 could easily become a lethal weapon in the wrong hands. On the other hand if u already race cars then just get whatever u can afford. I would suggest a 308 or 308GT4, unless of course u like older stuff. Just remember, Old stuff is Old Stuff, it tends to break more often & parts r harder to find & more expensive | ||
| David Jones (Dave)
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Scott, I think William nailed it for you. How deep are your pockets??? Relatively low purchase price.... I guess all things are relative, but I would consider cars like the 308/328 series to be in the lower end of the spectrum where you have say 30 or 40 grand to play with, and the 355 and 512TR to be heading to the higher end of the spectrum where you might have 90 or 125 grand to play with. Low (again relatively) maintenance costs.... Once again all things being relative, older cars for the most part require more maintenance than newer cars. Having owned a 79 512bb, I can tell you that maintenance costs go up with 12 cylinders. As far as ease of at home maintenance, the 308/328 series can't be beat. Move up to a 348, 355, 512TR, and you will need a lift to do the majors, which most people don't have installed in their garages. My current 308gtb is a 77 model, I chose it because I'm hopelessly lost in the 70's technology wise, which makes working on this old car easy for me... Slide a floor jack under its ass, and then support with nice stands. Take off the wheels and fender wells and you have access to replace clutch, cambelts, waterpump, alternator. Engine comes out the top with a hoist... For the money.... I think the most playtoy for the buck right now is the highly under rated 308gt4. They don't attract quite as much attention, great handling, room in back to carry what have you, nice carb sound, and a very low price tag... Good Luck with your quest! Dave | ||
| Leonardo Soccolich (Lens)
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Scott, I knew which Ferrari would be my first for more than twenty years. When I was finally ready to purchase, it took six months to find what I was looking for (a 328 GTB). Luckily, my starter Ferrari (price, maintenence costs, driveability, etc.) was also my favorite in terms of aesthetics. I think you have to find a balance between what you can afford, and what you would truly love to own. There are too many people who can afford Ferraris, but don�t really understand what they have. That�s why you see so many cars that were just not taken care of, both mechanically and cosmetically. All subjectivity aside, the answer to your question is: 328 | ||
| '75 308 GT4 (Peter)
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Scott, dreaming or not, with your range of choices and the price brackets they each occupy, plus your criteria your best answer is: 328 | ||
| Adelina Vallese (Dina)
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As William H has indicated, it is all down to how much disposable income you are willing to spend on buying and maintaining a Ferrari. I got in cheap at 15'000 for a high mileage 78 308 GTB.Absolutely love the car. It has some performance moifications on it and goes very hard. BUT I do have great support from friends in the automotive field who help me keep up with maintenance & repairs. Ferrarichat has also been a great source of information and fun. The 308 GTB/S cars are one of the best starter Ferraris. Relatively cheap to buy and great fun to drive. Yes, they are relatively easy to maintain at home, but you must know what end of a screwdriver to pick up. The cars you have indicated are too spread out in style and type to really work out what you want. Are you a dreamer or are you serious about driving a Ferrari ?! Pin down what you want, if you can afford it, buy it. Hard facts... regards - Dina | ||
| William H (Countachxx)
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Scott, here r a few questions for you to ask yourself to help narrow down your choics How much car can u afford? How much annual maintenance can u afford ? What are you most interested in, Car Shows, Track events, road driving, Racing ? How hard do u intend to push the car ? How good a river r u? I've heard negative comments about 348 handling at the edge. Ive spent about $10k on maintenance on my 512TR so far this year & track season is just starting so Big Red is going to gobble up another $10k at least. But thats ok cus she really puts out  | ||
| Scott A. B. Collins (Scott)
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Since being bitten by "the bug" I have been devouring all the information I can trying to select a Ferrari. Potential cars include the 328, 348, 355 and 512TR. Many people on this board mention that certain cars (the 328 stands out) as good starter or first cars, while certain others (the 512TR, 246) as poor choices. I would see potential good attributes of a first car as: 1) Low (relatively) purchase price 2) Low (again relatively) maintenance costs 3) Available parts 4) Reasonable to insure 5) Reliable 6) Ease of "at home" maintenance 7) Good drivability, tolerant of lack of Ferrari specific driving skills, forgiving handling, etc. Any thoughts on the subject? In some ways, I would think the best starter Ferrari would be one with a warranty. Scott |