| Author | Message | ||
| Richelson (Richelson)
Member Username: Richelson Post Number: 379 Registered: 12-2001 |
I agree with Magoo and others. It isn't very nice. I would have chuckled a little too. There is nothing wrong with that. Why do you think all of these people modify their Hondas, etc. To get attention. This is the same thing. I think it does give a false impression of Ferrari. What if someone thought this was the real thing because they had never seen one before. When I first saw a real Ferrari I couldn't believe it and it looked Fabulous. It reminds me of someone cheating on a test after you studied weeks for it except most of us saved up our entire lives for these cars. Our Ferraris show us that we have accomplished some level of success and achieved this goal. I think that we should be proud of this. | ||
| bill v. (Doc)
New member Username: Doc Post Number: 18 Registered: 9-2001 |
Well, they don't sound like a Ferrari since these engines operate at a much lower rpm range. However, they do have a nice, deep-throated sound, even with the stock exhaust. What many owners have done has been to install an aftermaket, lower-restriction cat, which makes the sound even better and gives a little more horse. It's a cheap and easy upgrade. | ||
| Michael (Mtabije)
Junior Member Username: Mtabije Post Number: 217 Registered: 10-2001 |
What kind of sound did this Mera make? Did they do some exhaust sound tuning to make it sound like a Ferrari? | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
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Willis, I don't dislike the 360, I just don't like the front end of it. Like I said before there is something about almost every Ferrari out there I don't like. But, over all I like every Ferrari as a whole. The inside door panels of the 348 suck, the dash on the TR is terrible, the black painted front vents on the 308 look cheesey, the rear end of a 400 looks like a Buick,... I could go on and on. If I were to spend 150 large of my money for a Ferrari I would go with a used 550 though. I'm still thinking as to what part of it I don't like. | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
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Umm...Frank, have you seen the Winter 2001 issue of Rosso Ferrari? There was an interview with Pininfarina plus a list of cars (on page 27). The 360 was number 10. There you go again. Dissing the 360 at every opportunity.  | ||
| Michael Fennell (Mfennell70)
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I saw my first 308 replica over the weekend. I don't think it was a Mera. Front heel track was completely off and the rear deck was way too high. It had gen-U-ine Ferrari badges on it though. Also had an automatic transmission. Ugh. For $18k, if I just had to have a Ferrari, I would buy a 308GT4. Not the natural beauty a 308 is but you get the drivetrain and that's what it's all about IMHO. | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
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I'm sure Pininfarina would claim he liked every design his company had had anything to do with. But, the 360 was not specifically mentioned by him as one of his 10 favorite ferraris of all times and the TR was > | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
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"Traditionalists" may not like the 360 but Sergio Pininfarina sure does. | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
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That has been my point about the side grates on the TR and 348 models. A lot of people make the claim that no one liked them. However, you will note that not only are there a lot of kit cars out there that copy them, there are also a lot of production cars that mimic that look. Just look at the Mitsubishi Eclipse. It looks like a Japanese version of the 348 and is one of the most popular cars out today. The Spyder version looks just like my 348 Spider from a distance. Most people love the side grates on the TR and 348. It was the old school traditionalist that didn't like the TR or 348 when they first came out, not the average Ferrari fan. The traditionalist doesn't like change and the TR was a radical change from the Boxer as was the 348 from the 328/308. But remember, those changes brought the radiators from the front of the cars to the rear-sides and continued that way in the 355 and now 360. It was an improvement that made the car cool better and remain cooler in the cockpit. Pininfarina said that the TR was one of his favorite designs in a recent issue of Forza magazine. By the way, the traditionalist don't like the 360 either because of the lack of the eggcrate front grill. You can't make everyone happy any of the time. | ||
| Harlan Mott (Hmott3)
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Imitation is the most sincere form of flattery! That guy you laughed at probably loves Ferrari�s as much as you do, he just doesn�t have the means yet. I would guess at least 1/2 of the 308 owners here thought about a kit car alternative. They don't make copies of the 308/TR/355/F40/Daytona because no one likes Ferrari's, they make copies because people who can't afford them and love them will do anything to have one (even build it themself!). | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
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Bill, only 10k depreciation - not bad for 13 years. Many 308 owners would like that. | ||
| J. Grande (Jay)
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Bill, I guess we are both deserters huh? LOL! I also went through the kit car phase, I had a 246 Replica (which was okay, but not great). Sold that for $10 000 then did the N* conversion on an 86 GT. Sold that for $15 000 and now bought the REAL DEAL 1975 308 GT4. I've loved Ferrari since birth. You will not regret buying the 308. Been by PFF lately? | ||
| bill v. (Doc)
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Well, at the risk of being ostracized by you gentlemen, the Mera in the pictures was my car. I just sold it for $18k and am presently in the process of finding my first Ferrari--either a carbed or QV model.Since I've always been enamored by the shape of the 308,but was up until recently unable to afford one, the Mera was a good choice. About the Mera, they are not kit cars--they were promotional vehicles which could only be purchased new at Pontiac dealers in 1987 and 1988. The cost at the time was between $24k and $28k , depending upon options. As a result of Ferrari's lawsuit, only 247 were completed, with only about 150 accounted for today in the Mera Registry. One point of note was that they did not come with Ferrari logos, but many owners substituted them for the originals( in fact the original Mera logos are now hard to find).The Ferrari lawsuit was not about logos, it was about styling infringement. Overall,however, the '88's are good cars--equipped with Lotus suspensions , 5-speeds, and 2.8 V-6's, and Chromodora wheels.The 0-60 performance is very close to the bi-valve injected 308's and they're very reliable and cheap to maintain. These are not bad cars , but, for sure , they are not the "real-deal". After my first road test in a QV this week, I'm sold on having one asap! | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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It is strictly a "knock off" nothing more. It will die off as junk as the other knock offs have done. | ||
| Rob Lay (Rob328gts)
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I could handle it better if it had Pontiac on it, instead of the prancing horse. This car gives Ferrari a bad name, but it makes Fieros look awesome. | ||
| magoo (Magoo)
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I just can't believe carbon fiber makes up part of the construction of that replica on a Fiero chassis. | ||
| Tim N (Timn88)
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thats actually a pretty good replica. The gated shifter is a piss-poor imitation of the real thing though. So is the rest of the interior for that matter, and carbon fiber?! what was he thinking. | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
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No Nick, I acknowledge the fact that I acted like a d*ck. Maybe someday you can do the same? What happened was just a reaction, nothing more. Something about this event struck me as funny. I go out of my way to be gracious about my car, opening the rear end to show the engine at the gas station, offering rides to people that express interest and generally taking time when I normally wouldn't. | ||
| nick l (Nsxnick)
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it really is ashame how some of you perpetuate the negative stereotypes of ferrari owners. at least you acknowledge the fact that you are a d*ck. | ||
| Ken Thomas (Future328driver)
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That's OK Jim....if (I mean when) I get my 328, i plan on driving it as much as possible. Does naybody make snow chains for a 328? | ||
| J. Grande (Jay)
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from the back  | ||
| J. Grande (Jay)
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This is a Pontiac Mera. They even had serial numbers! If I owned a 308 GTB/GTS I'd buy a Mera to drive around in the winter! This one is exceptional. Even has Cromadora rims.  | ||
| Erich Walz (Deleteall)
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What is unique about the Mera is that as far as kits cars go, it's pretty good. If you're going to get a 308 replica, its the one to get as they actually tend to hold their value. Of course, this is partially due to the fact it wasn't really a kit. It had Pontiac's blessing and was sold turn-key through Pontiac dealerships. It was the Mera which caused Ferrari to start cracking down on Ferrari lookalikes. | ||
| Adam Goldman '86 TR (Icnsltmfg)
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I have a friend named Meru.... | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
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I wondered when one of you guys was going to call me on that. The streets around my house are mostly dry, and I couldn't stand it anymore. I haven't driven it in nearly a week and it's only a mile to the school. It needs washed anyway. | ||
| Ken Thomas (Future328driver)
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Jim, I think I have seen that car around in Dallas. You drive your 328 in this crappy weather??? | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
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Randy is correct, a Mera is Ferrari replica built on a Fiero chassis. | ||
| Frank Parker (Parkerfe)
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What is a Meru ? | ||
| Willis Huang (Willis360)
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Very funny. I think that guy probably said that in jest knowing full well that he just pulled up next to the real thing. I'd just smile and move on...and maybe cracking up a mile or so down the road. From the back the Mera could almost pass for a real Ferrari. | ||
| Randy (Schatten)
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didn't know what a Mera 308 was - but thanks to google: http://members.tripod.com/~llcobra/mera.html replica. looks like a good replica, but its still... not the same. only kind of replicas that I could live with would be a Cobra replica from factoryfive.com or one of the Super 7 replicas. | ||
| Jim E (Jimpo1)
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I took my Ferrari to pick up my son at school this afternoon. While waiting at a stoplight, a grey Mera "308" pulled up beside me on the drivers side. I glanced over and the driver gave me a nod like "Hey fellow Ferrari driver". I burst out laughing. Poor guy, I didn't mean to be a d*ck, but I couldn't help myself. |