| Author | Message | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6247 Registered: 8-2002 |
Michael Alpert, Tony, Gary, tators, Drop the act and do not discuss things above the IQ of 10 You know nothing about Ferrari's and are not qualified to give anyone advice. | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
Junior Member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 60 Registered: 9-2002 |
Guys, Thanks for the advice. I think I've at least calmed the storm for now. I'm sure in a few weeks I'll get the urge again to go hunting. Thanks, Jim | ||
| gary green (Minuke)
Junior Member Username: Minuke Post Number: 174 Registered: 7-2003 |
Dave, I have looked at quite a few 308's, your not kidding about cheap owner's, The last one I looked at was serviced at a Shell gas station. Talk about a POS. James, Do yourself a big favor, Listen to Dave. | ||
| dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1492 Registered: 5-2001 |
Thanks Thomas, Couldn't have been better said...I was ready to leave James to his own devices, but he deserves better. James the general consensus (including a Ferrari mechanic) is to not buy this car...do we have to get a 2x4 and hit you over the head? :-) Wait it out, there are plenty of better examples out there; surely one that you would be proud to own.... you don't want this "hooptie" with hole in engine lid, funky gold trim, rust bubbles and overspray, you'll be chasing good dollars after bad trying to get this thing straightened out, or look the fool driving around in it...."patience grasshopper". Sorry to be so frank, but I see these 308's all the time, often in the most unlikely places, and they make ya want to cry...they scream "cheap owner"! | ||
| Thomas I (Wax)
New member Username: Wax Post Number: 30 Registered: 7-2003 |
Go ahead and drive it, just to get the "never driven a 308" out of the way. Many months or years later, as you're driving a different well-kept 3x8 which will own you, look back on August 5, 2003, and laugh when you slap your forehead and say, "What was I thinking?!" | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
Junior Member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 59 Registered: 9-2002 |
Guys, Thanks for the inputs. The car is a us spec car. The shocks are good, and yes the rotors and lugnuts are somewhat rusty. The car runs, in-fact fires right up, but the idle isn't set right. It won't hold idle. I talked to Algar about it, and they said that if I plan to drive the car under 5k miles a year (which I do) then I don't need to worry about the emissions equipment anyway. About the service, the car was serviced at 45k, and then it sat for a long time. The water pump looks new. I know looks don't say much, but it doesn't look like the service has been neglected, except for the car sitting. The paint is new, it's just that the job isn't a very good one. If you look inside the door hinges you see overspray, and then I found the painted over rust bubble on each side (each are about 1" long behind the rear wheel arch near the side marker). I'm going to test drive the car tomorrow, and then I'll see what happens. I've never driven a 308 before so it just might completely turn me off if it's really SLOW. I'm used to driving a 12cyl jag that actually runs like it should. So if this is really a dawg, I might pass anyway. I don't really care if it's all that quick (bottom end), I'm more interested in tossability, midrange and top end speed that's fun but won't get me arrested. If I'm in a vehicle that has a lot of power, I'll use it, and lately that's a bad thing. Cops are everywhere, and I don't need to get arrested for doing 110 in a 35. Can someone tell me what the rpm range for good power is in a 308? | ||
| dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1478 Registered: 5-2001 |
PeterS, Big difference here, this car is a POS. Major cosmetic issues, and no emissions equipment, and aftermarket wheels... I think you need to be very careful that you don't get this guy thinking he has some "diamond in the rough" who dives in head first and loses his shirt. Let's face it $50k for ANY 308 is serious dollars, and not a common offer. Either the guy was stone drunk at the time, doesn't know the market, or you have yourself one VERY special car, but that is not typical, Euro spec or not. BTW, if someone does trade wheels with you, let me know, I have a some spare parts and bits from my old carb 308 that I would let go for $20,000 to that guy! :-) | ||
| PeterS (Peters)
Intermediate Member Username: Peters Post Number: 1253 Registered: 1-2003 |
James....Is it a Euro or a US car? If it is a Euro with a low chassis number (Like mine), you may think twice. I was offered $50K for mine with 96Km. Its extremely clean with a fresh major, new gearbox, new interior and a stainless-titanium custome tuned exhaust. and the paint is very good.I should have it on the road in about 4 weeks!!! One exception! I can't find a pigopn..Uhhh, I mean person to trade me the Gold honneycomb Gotti wheels for a set of 5-Stars  | ||
| dave handa (Davehanda)
Intermediate Member Username: Davehanda Post Number: 1463 Registered: 5-2001 |
Don't walk, RUN. | ||
| Malcolm West (Ferrari_uk_tech)
New member Username: Ferrari_uk_tech Post Number: 22 Registered: 7-2003 |
Some other points to consider as the car has been sitting for some time (how long?) *Condition of rotors - rusty *Are the brake calipers starting to sieze *Do the tyres have "flats" - due to standing *What state are the Shockabsorbers in The list could go on and on - for my money I would find a better car | ||
| Philip Airey (Pma1010)
Member Username: Pma1010 Post Number: 340 Registered: 7-2002 |
Jim If he's asking $25K, my guess is you can get the car for $17 - 19K. To the points raised here though, you should ask yourself if this is the platform you want to put a LOT of money into. Unless it has been fanatically maintained the chances are you are going to spend a lot of money getting it right. Hmm, rack feels a bit worn...$500...control arm bushings feel like they need replacement, as do the shocks, shock bushings - $2K... Cam belt service $4K...Cam pulleys OK or need replacing? $600...Water pump ($1k)? Radiator hoses? Emissions equipment [need to search (GM parts), but the plumbing might be an issue]. Carb rebuild...Sorting out the paint a lot (I'd guess a good respray is probably a $10 - 15k job)...and so it goes on. I can see you EASILY spending $15K to take a "hasn't been run in a while" car and turn it into a well sorted car that you might be able to sell for $25 in a few years. Having been down this pathway, the old age of buying the best car you can is a money saving piece of advice. Matt's right, pass. Good luck, there are good cars out there, but few bargains. | ||
| Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member Username: 91tr Post Number: 1995 Registered: 1-2001 |
I'd deduct an additional $4~5K if the emission equipment is not intact/working (which, unfortunately, is usually the case). | ||
| "The Don" (The_don)
Senior Member Username: The_don Post Number: 6231 Registered: 8-2002 |
walk | ||
| Oldslow308 (Djparks)
Member Username: Djparks Post Number: 447 Registered: 2-2003 |
The way the market is ,the visible rust bubbles, gold trim, the hole in the hatch and the other misc items I think 19k is a good ball park to start from to go up OR down. A prepurchase inspection may reveal some additional skeletons that would clinch the lower price. Personally I would stay away from the rust. Find a dry car. What started out as a simple repair to a couple of rust bubbles on my 240Z resulted in replacing both rear wheel arches and 4 months of body work! In the long run, it has been my experience that a person is farther ahead to save a little more money, pay more up front for a better car. How much is YOUR time really worth? There are better authorities than myself on these cars so be patient and listen to what these guys have to say. Don't rush into anything. The market is slow right now and there are some pretty nice cars that aren't moving. Hope this helps, DJ | ||
| Sean F (Agracer)
Member Username: Agracer Post Number: 305 Registered: 2-2003 |
Get a PPI first. $19K for a car that needs paint may be to high. I doesn't sound like the current owner (or previous owner) took such great care of it considering your comments about the paint work. Cars that sit for a while can need a lot of things including hoses, belts, timing belts (& pulleys, etc.). You may have $4-5K of mechanical work alone in those things (unless you're a DIY'r). Body work is also never cheap. Honestly, I'd pass. | ||
| James Angle (Jimangle)
Junior Member Username: Jimangle Post Number: 58 Registered: 9-2002 |
Hi guys, I need your help in what you think a fair price offering for a 1979 308gts would be. Here are some details of the car: It has 46k miles. The car has been repainted (red) it's not a perfect job, in fact some rust bubbles on the rear quarter panels had been painted over. Next, a car phone antenna was installed in the middle of the rear engine cover, and then was removed so now there is a hole in the middle of the rear engine cover (right over the storage compartment area about he size of a quarter). Also, the owner put gold BBS wheels on the car, and then painted gold trim around all of the black louvers, and vents to make it match the gold rims. The seats were redone and look really good, the rest of the interior looks really good too. Everything works, with the exception of the drivers side window needing a new switch. The tires are good. I think the clutch has been upgraded to a qv clutch because it's very smoothe, and not stiff. They have the full service history on the car, and it has been serviced, but since it was sitting for a long time, it needs to be gone through again. The engine compartment is clean, and doesn't appear to have any leaks of oil or anything, but is missing the emissions equipment, and the pulley and housing for the air pump. The owner is asking 25k, but I think is flexible. I'm going to test drive it this week, then I'll make an offer. Right now, I'm thinking around 19k. Is this about right, or should it be lower? Thanks in advance for your help. Jim |