| Author | Message | ||
| Lucas Taratus (Karmavore)
Junior Member Username: Karmavore Post Number: 138 Registered: 12-2002 |
Oh, so *you* bought that car. Way overpriced. But FOA is always *way* overpriced, IMO. | ||
| John R. (Drstranglove)
New member Username: Drstranglove Post Number: 15 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hey Fred. I did not even think to ask why the new top.....(sigh) But I will, I still haven't taken delevery. I was told they had all the books and records though. DrS | ||
| DJParks (Djparks)
Junior Member Username: Djparks Post Number: 151 Registered: 2-2003 |
1.My first is a '78 308 GTS. I was drawn to it because it had carburetors and I knew I could work on this car myself. NO electronics and NO computers. 2. The styling is timeless and is one of the most recognized Ferraris ever built. 3.I am 6'2" and it was tricky for me to get in and out without getting hung up on the steering wheel at first. Now it's automatic. 4.Until I bought some SIMPSON driving shoes I couldn't put my foot on the gas pedal without hitting the brake pedal. I tried to slide my foot down on the gas pedal a little then my knee prevented me from putting the car into 1st gear. 5.The only way I can staighten my left leg out completely is to shove my foot behind the clutch pedal. I am actually more comfortable in my 240, especially for a long haul. 6.I decided if I was going to spend the money at least part of the top HAD to be removable. 7.Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. Thats my experience as a first time buyer. DJ | ||
| Fred (I Luv 4REs) (Iluv4res)
Member Username: Iluv4res Post Number: 371 Registered: 8-2002 |
John, I agree with the others here. 70s is way too high. Why does it have a new top? 4 owners? Do they have all the books/records, etc..? My guess is very low to low 60's. | ||
| John R. (Drstranglove)
New member Username: Drstranglove Post Number: 10 Registered: 4-2003 |
Well damn. I was afraid of that...... I already signed a purchace agreement three days before I found this forum. Oh well... If I get screwed by $5000, I guess I will chalk it up to "My first time." BTW, this is the car at FAF Atlanta. http://www.ferrariofatlanta.com/cgi-bin/listings.pl?displaykey&132 Thanks Guys. Now I just need to ID a club in NC to join so I can cruse with other owners | ||
| Jason Wesoky (Wesokyjb)
Junior Member Username: Wesokyjb Post Number: 67 Registered: 1-2003 |
Also, just saw this http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2411152512&category=6212 on ebay; spyder no reserve | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 3323 Registered: 9-2001 |
agree 71 seems on the high side. | ||
| Jason Wesoky (Wesokyjb)
Junior Member Username: Wesokyjb Post Number: 65 Registered: 1-2003 |
Oh yeah, tell him that the car I described was in Mosley, Virginia. The car was in fabulous condition as well. | ||
| Jason Wesoky (Wesokyjb)
Junior Member Username: Wesokyjb Post Number: 64 Registered: 1-2003 |
Tell him you saw the following: 1994 348 spyder red/tan w/ 32k miles; 30k service done; new tires, alpine CD, stealth radar, clear title -- car had a reserve price of $57,000 and was eBay #2404201250. The reason you passed it up was because you wanted to buy from a dealer to create a lasting relationship, you know his dealership is good and you want to do business with him, but not at $71k. You can get that car anywhere for that price, just check ferrariclassified.com. I'd offer him $63k with the intent on going no higer than $68k. That's my $.02 | ||
| John R. (Drstranglove)
New member Username: Drstranglove Post Number: 9 Registered: 4-2003 |
Sorry, The car has 19000 miles on it. It HAS had the 30,000 service Dealer wanted $74,000 for it. Talked him down to $71,000. Your thoughts?? | ||
| Peter Sedlak (Peters)
Junior Member Username: Peters Post Number: 182 Registered: 1-2003 |
John; Can you restate your question please? Are you saying that you have 11K miles until the 30K is due? If so, get it in at 27K. It makes for good piece of mind and you may catch a major item. | ||
| John R. (Drstranglove)
New member Username: Drstranglove Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2003 |
http://www.bobileff.com/graphics/ferrari_348spyder_rts.jpg Well, I too am inking the deal on my "starter Farrari." A 348 spyder like the on in the image above. Question: 19,000 miles, has the 30,000 mile service... What should I reasonably pay? DrS | ||
| Vincent (Vincent348)
New member Username: Vincent348 Post Number: 40 Registered: 4-2003 |
Hopefully what you want and what you can afford come together at some point. Took me almost six years to find my car. | ||
| Peter Sedlak (Peters)
Junior Member Username: Peters Post Number: 173 Registered: 1-2003 |
I love my '77 Euro 308. Its fast on the top end, looks good and is fairly hastle free. Don't look at the Ferrari of your choice as an 'entry level'. I could afford a $80K FCar, but I am drawn to the lines of a 308. The early models (like mine) are sweet. I wanted a Euro and the only one I could find (without driving from N.Cal to Florida) was $15.5K the body and interior was excellent. I spent $8.5K for an extremely detailed major service (inclusive of the four carbs being re-build and a few very expensive bearings) and $9K to rebuild the gearbox and $2K for a custom exhaust (which I will post pictures when I get it). I am a bit upside down as far as the current value goes, but I am not going to sell it anytime in the near future and its the car I wanted. If you like the 308 style and want a 328, finance the difference to get what you want...Just buy what you want and what you can afford. Shop around. If you will pay a full market price, make sure you have all of the books. Also, spend $200-$500 to have the car looked at by a Ferrari mechanic that knows his or her way around the car. Bets of luck! | ||
| Andy Falsetta (Tuttebenne)
Junior Member Username: Tuttebenne Post Number: 72 Registered: 3-2003 |
Brian, You've gotten lots of opinions here and they're all good ones. But what are you expecting out of your "entry level car". Do you want something that will appreciate in value? Something that will handle well on the track and require only minimal service? An open car? All of this? If you are looking at $34,000 cars there are a lot of options. If I were in your predicament (what a great problem to have) I would consider a very early car like a 250GT 2+2 (unless you want a track car or one that you can drive every day). | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 1109 Registered: 4-2002 |
Matt: "Keep her lubed and she's good to go." ??? I thought this was a CAR forum. | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Intermediate Member Username: Parkerfe Post Number: 2115 Registered: 9-2001 |
If you're wanting "bang for the buck" the best choice is a TR. It is MUCH faster than a 348,sounds better, is more reliable and not that much more expensive to maintain. Plus, you can find a good one for around the same price as a good 348. And, it is a proper 12 cylinder Ferrari. | ||
| Vincent (Vincent348)
New member Username: Vincent348 Post Number: 28 Registered: 4-2003 |
I agree with Ross there are some nice 348's available right now. | ||
| Vincent (Vincent348)
New member Username: Vincent348 Post Number: 27 Registered: 4-2003 |
I agree with Ross, there are some nice 348's available. | ||
| ross koller (Ross)
Intermediate Member Username: Ross Post Number: 1077 Registered: 3-2002 |
obviously budget dependant but....best bang for your buck imho has to be a '92-94 348 gtb. sorted mechanicals, 300hp, modern (read more reliable) car, head turner, and relatively cheap (at least in the uk). around here i have seen them as low as $45k for a perfectly good example, albeit with high mileage. | ||
| Russ Turner (Snj5)
Junior Member Username: Snj5 Post Number: 89 Registered: 2-2003 |
Hans I agree! I was talking about the GTB/S on the height issue. The GT/4 is a fun car and a good fit - probably because the story is it was fitted to Enzo, not a small guy. The rest of the beautiful Ferraris (incl. Dinos!) were a heinous revenge of Battista 'Pinin' (Pinin=dwarf) Farina on the tall people of the world. The main component advantage of GT/4 over a Mondial is carburation, which I plan to remedy soon.  best to all rt | ||
| "The Don" (Mlemus)
Advanced Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 3798 Registered: 8-2002 |
Hans, (insert gt4 joke here) M Nothing beats the 308 carb series. I have mine as a daily (insert Magnum P.I. joke here) and It gets stronger every day. This car needs to be driven. It is a maintance pig but nothing too bad. Keep her lubed and she's good to go. M | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 1104 Registered: 4-2002 |
And Russ, the height issue is precisely why I got a GT4. I can't comfortably drive a GTB/S, but the GT4 fits drivers up to 6'4" or 5". | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 1103 Registered: 4-2002 |
Kevin: Performance of the carb cars depends upon year model. Later ones are 205hp, early ones are 240-255. I've personally seen the difference on the chassis dyno. Besides smog equipment differences, the early cars also had different cams. | ||
| Kevin Butler (Challenge)
Junior Member Username: Challenge Post Number: 130 Registered: 9-2002 |
I hear a lot about the carb 308's as a group. How does the performance of a fuel-injected QV compare? What are the other main differences (let's assume we're only talking US cars). BTW, I have done plenty of searches! | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 547 Registered: 10-2002 |
yah, guys... the prices might be falling, but "entry-level" probably also includes ownership - the early TR's probably aren't exactly inexpensive to maintain! I would vote for the 308 GT4 or a clean 308 Carb. | ||
| Eric Eiland (Eric308gtsiqv)
Member Username: Eric308gtsiqv Post Number: 730 Registered: 11-2001 |
Frank...you're right about the depressed TR prices. Was watching Marcus Adolfsson's eBay auction of his '85 TR that just recently had the full 30k service done -- it sold this A.M. for around $42k !!! | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
Intermediate Member Username: Parkerfe Post Number: 2100 Registered: 9-2001 |
The best entry level "car" is probably a Honda. The best entry level Ferrari is probably a TR as their prices are currently so depressed or a 328 if you want to go the V8 route. | ||
| djmonk (Davem)
Junior Member Username: Davem Post Number: 222 Registered: 1-2002 |
Whenever people ask about the Mondial QV, 3.2 are 'T'. I think about how the 328 is the most desired from reliabilty standpoint. Though the 3.2 is slightly diffrent on the exterior than the 'T' its not much, so you dont have the styling issues of the 328 versus 348 to contend with. That said i went from a 83 euro QV to a 88 3.2 much better in so many ways. Pricewise a 3.2 is not much more than a QV but a lot cheaper than a 'T'. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 3275 Registered: 9-2001 |
the price diff to the T is a little greater but so is the performance - on the downside the maintinace is generally higher | ||
| Jason Wesoky (Wesokyjb)
Junior Member Username: Wesokyjb Post Number: 60 Registered: 1-2003 |
Some think that it's worth the money to go from a QV to 3.2. Is it worth the money, then to go from a 3.2 to the "T"? | ||
| Russ Turner (Snj5)
Junior Member Username: Snj5 Post Number: 85 Registered: 2-2003 |
Extreme personal opinion only: I went for a Mondial 3.2 coupe as I wanted a daily car that I could use in the true GT sense of the word, in addition to being 6'3" tall. It's faster than many earlier 308s and I've driven mine around Europe and America with wife and baby. While I'm a big 308GT/4 fan as well, I think the Mondial 3.2 coupe is the best looking and best all around usable small 2+2 Gran Tourismo car of any ilk ever. (Cue irate GT/4, Mondial Cab, Mondial t, Jalpa, Maserati and Porsche owners ) Period Dot. I would not recommend it for a short term investment, though. If you want more of a sports car (and are under 6'1" tall) I'd agree that a 308 carb is the way to go. If you are over 6'2" tall, hard to beat a 911 (Nomex on here, but it is a great sports car). Most of all with whatever you get - have fun! | ||
| Tim Barnett (Tim_barnett)
New member Username: Tim_barnett Post Number: 3 Registered: 4-2003 |
I have to agree with Dave as well. If you have to have a Mondial I would try to get a 3.2 - it's the better drive. As I recall, the Mondial is upwards of 3,400 lbs and even the QV will feel a little lethargic. However, if you can give up the convertible, a strong GT4 offers great value. I know not everyone likes the Bertone styled GT4, however it's more attractive than the Mondial IMHO. Tim | ||
| Dan Watkins (Dan360)
New member Username: Dan360 Post Number: 9 Registered: 2-2003 |
I faced this choice as well when I bought my first Fcar - for me it had to be the 308GT4 rather than the Mondial (not having enough money for a GTB/GTS). For me it was the 70s interior on the GT4 that won me over. IMHO, The Mondial has a fairly kitch 80s interior that lacks the style of the GT4. I'm also one of the fans of the Bertone GT4 styling. Of course the gt4 does divide opinion in a way the GTB never will, but I think there are more people that actually *love* GT4s than Mondials (cue irate Mondial lovers...). Plus if you are going to drive it hard, the GT4 has a slightly longer wheelbase than the GTB and is more forgiving to drift... and trust me you will drift on those old tyres. Just my 2 cents - I'm lucky enough to be in a 360 now, and all I can say is I've enjoyed the upgrade path. Dan | ||
| Dave328GTB (Hardtop)
Member Username: Hardtop Post Number: 499 Registered: 1-2002 |
Brian, You don't really say what your purpose for a Ferrari would be. Drive a lot? Show car? Something to tinker with? The answers to these will lead you to the model to suit your needs. If you like to tinker and drive an average amount (2-3K/year) a carb 308 is hard to beat. Classic good looks, fun to drive and nothing overly daunting to work on. These are getting old, so they always need something. For driving more, but tinkering less, a 308 QV is an all time great car (I have owned 2) They don't have the charisma of the carb models, but are easier to drive and have more robust mechanicals. Mondials in general are more problematic (mostly electrical issues), but if you want one, I would pay a little more and get a 3.2. Better power, better build, plus the 8's and QV's had those awful bumpers. If you can find one, I am told by owners that the 3.2 Mondial coupe is a great driving car, and less than 30K even for very nice ones. Of course, my personal favorite is 328's, even over newer cars. They feature stunning good looks, good all around performance and are considered by many to be the most reliable Ferraris ever built. Good luck, DAve | ||
| Byron (Bmyth)
Member Username: Bmyth Post Number: 545 Registered: 10-2002 |
Brian, buy Matt's ("The Don") Carb 308. It is well maintained and drives very strong. For the money, it is a very great example. I've driven and ridden in the car - it is very smooth and handles great in the turns. | ||
| Allen Cook (Alcook62)
Junior Member Username: Alcook62 Post Number: 74 Registered: 3-2002 |
Brian, I have had my '78 308 GT4 for a bit more than a year now and can't say enough good things about it. Great first Ferrari! | ||
| Ron Vallejo (Ron328)
Junior Member Username: Ron328 Post Number: 78 Registered: 3-2003 |
If you are considering a Mondial Cabriolet, there's an '88 3.2 cabrio (15k miles) for $39,900 at Steve Harris' Imports (Salt Lake City. I am sure Sean Harris can help you. Good luck! | ||
| Hans E. Hansen (4re_gt4)
Intermediate Member Username: 4re_gt4 Post Number: 1102 Registered: 4-2002 |
Get a carb 308 (well, GT4, but I'm prejudiced). Best back-yard mechanic car. | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Intermediate Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 1420 Registered: 8-2002 |
Tom: Ssssshhhhhh! | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 3253 Registered: 9-2001 |
l wayne, what about the fact you took his car to redline right after startup | ||
| L. Wayne Ausbrooks (Lwausbrooks)
Intermediate Member Username: Lwausbrooks Post Number: 1419 Registered: 8-2002 |
Martin, it's a Mondial QV Cabriolet, not a Mondial 8. Brian, $34K is all the money and then some, but there are PRISTINE examples out there that will sell for that. I would actually recommend considering Matt's 308 GTS. I've driven the car myself and can vouch that it is a well-sorted and well-maintained car. | ||
| "The Don" (Mlemus)
Advanced Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 3770 Registered: 8-2002 |
Martin, Looking for a 308? LOL! M | ||
| Martin - Cavallino Motors (Miami348ts)
Advanced Member Username: Miami348ts Post Number: 4311 Registered: 5-2001 |
The mondial should go for a little less. If it is in great condition maybe $ 28K. A friend of mine bought one for below $20K the other day. $34K for a Mondial 8 is out of the question too much asked. I have seen Ts running in the mid 40s. A 308 is a good entry level. The GTS/GTB or even a GT4, although there is a love hate relationship. I am sure Matt's 308 is prestine. I would rather buy that than a Mondial 8 if you ask me. Gotta make a quick decision though I think Matt needs to know today. | ||
| "The Don" (Mlemus)
Advanced Member Username: Mlemus Post Number: 3769 Registered: 8-2002 |
308 carbs are great cars. I am trying to sell mine to get a 360. | ||
| Dom Vitarella (Dom)
Junior Member Username: Dom Post Number: 128 Registered: 11-2002 |
If you want more a primitive car (carbs, etc.,) and 1975-79 308 GT4 is a great first ferrari. You should easily be able to find one for less than $25k, and even some decent ones below $20k. Dom | ||
| Ron Thomas (Ronsupercar)
Member Username: Ronsupercar Post Number: 638 Registered: 5-2002 |
I've been told by a good friend of mine on this site to get a 77-79 carb 308.. Pretty easy to maintain on your own and best bang for the buck.. If a Mondial is what your after I hear that the early ones were problematic and beware of tranny issues... Good luck to you.. | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Advanced Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 3250 Registered: 9-2001 |
an 84 modial convert would need to be in prestine condition with verifiable service and new tires to get over 30k. If you are used to p cars you can do the basics on a 80s f-car - go for it | ||
| Brian Puskas (Inter911)
New member Username: Inter911 Post Number: 1 Registered: 4-2003 |
I'm sure this has been discussed before but... What is the best entry level car for the money at this time? I've never owned a Ferrari...closest I ever came is when I bought a Mercedes over a pristine 246GTS in the early 80's. I know, kicked myself many times... Currently have two old Porsches and am a bit of a backyard mechanic but I do know my limits. Looking at a 2 owner 84 Mondial convertible, about 24K miles, major service done, records...asking about $34K US. Any suggestions, opinions, etc? Brian |