| Author | Message | ||
| Mike Procopio (Pupz308)
Junior Member Username: Pupz308 Post Number: 198 Registered: 10-2002 |
Not all have it so easy. My 308 was immaculately maintained, and I'm 8k in maintenance into it after 3k miles and 8 months--not counting all the little upgrades and other stuff I've done (wheels, power locks, leather cleaning, racing pedals, gear knob, voltmeter, etc.) Let's see... Alternator rebuild / Voltage regulator replacement, fuel pump, battery, carb rebuild and rejet, all filters, all fluids, spark plugs, rear header ($$), distributor service, horn, front rotors and pads, cooling fan, front wheel bearing rebuild, single point distributor conversion, ignition coils, radiator cap, other exhaust work, and a few other things. These cars are old. Things will eventually need to be replaced. This car had been cared for and maintained extensively by previous owners. 55,000 miles on a 78 308 GTS. Then again, I put mine through more rigorous use than some of the folks who have chimed in here--I track my car (how they were meant to be driven!) and it is my daily fairweather driver. My car runs very, very well. To those clowns who think 308 owners are bragging about their service costs, you have it very, very wrong. One day, you too will find yourself with a number of things that need attention--will you sell it, or fix it I wonder? | ||
| Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member Username: Verell Post Number: 629 Registered: 5-2001 |
Well, If you're not strongly mechanicly inclined, and able to put a lot of sweat equity into a car, things can add up fast at $75-$95/hour. This thread is a good example of what can happen to turn a bargain priced 308 into a wallet eater: http://www.ferrarichat.com/discus/messages/21/223051.html?1048197362 Peter just wanted a really nice car... | ||
| Tom Bakowsky (Tbakowsky)
Member Username: Tbakowsky Post Number: 282 Registered: 9-2002 |
I've been wondering the same thing. I've see the ads with $12000 in repairs just completed. I think their full of crap!! I've had my 82 308GTSI for over 2 years now and drive it all the time weather permitting(just got back from a drive). I have maybe spent $2500 in total including oil changes and fluids. Mined you I'm a mechanic and do all the work myself,but $21,000 seems way high for service costs. Hell you can buy a 308 for that money. | ||
| Robert Davis (H2oquick)
Junior Member Username: H2oquick Post Number: 224 Registered: 8-2001 |
Collin, I know how you feel. I think some people like to brag on how much it cost them to maintain their Ferrari. Maybe it is just to keep others from owning them by sharing their hi cost upkeep. I bought my Euro 308 gtbi 2 years ago with 61k...to date I have replaced the clutch, upgraded the window motors, cooling fans, changed the fluids several times(less than a 1000.00). Just finished doing the bodywork and prep, sprayed the car in Ferrari yellow (was silver) total cost under 500.00. Still have to do my timing belts and upgrade my ignition and wires. Also replacing the wheels with 16". Oh and I added a big Euro front spoiler 325.00. Now of course I do the work myself, but hey what fun would it be for someone else to do the work for me. Putting the car back together now plan to post in the showroom next month. | ||
| Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member Username: Vwalfa4re Post Number: 889 Registered: 5-2001 |
I have a couple of those drive on ramps you can get at Wal-Mart. Back the 308 up on it and drain the oil out myself. It doesn't take long. I think you'll find that it is worth at least $175 to do that yourself. | ||
| Mark (Markg)
Member Username: Markg Post Number: 414 Registered: 2-2001 |
Collin - you are very fortunate; it took less than 3 months for my repair bills to exceed $15,000. (and I had all receipts from PO!). I did not have location to do my own work at the time and had a shop that is very detail oriented do my work. Needed new belts, timing gears set, seals, clutch, flywheel, bunch of other stuff, added up fast! '82 GTSi | ||
| Ben Millermon (Brainsboy)
Junior Member Username: Brainsboy Post Number: 157 Registered: 5-2001 |
Its a catch 22, either you do not have the knowledge to fix things, and you have to pay a mechanic or you know too much and want to modify everything for more power, either way your gonna pay. However I do have to say, it was alot more fun to have my ferrari in the garage running and dreaming of rebuilding it, then now with a block, heads, and 1000 parts sitting all over my living room, and not being able to drive it | ||
| Mfennell70 (Mfennell70)
Junior Member Username: Mfennell70 Post Number: 106 Registered: 7-2001 |
12 months and 1000 miles (at $1.50/per) isn't a very good test sample. A "good" year for my Esprit S4s is 5000miles, $500 in required maintenance. The "bad" year was 10000 miles, $7500! The long term average (including receipts from the PO) settles at $2500/yr or so. I used to read the USENET alt.autos.ferrari group and there was a member who was very vocal about how inexpensive is was to own his 328. "Cheaper than my Toyota Celica!" When it finally *did* need some work, the bill was over $10k. Oops. If you own it long enough, I bet you'll see the "big bill" at least once. There's just no getting around the fact that things wear out and Ferrari parts are expensive. | ||
| Dave L (Davel)
Junior Member Username: Davel Post Number: 242 Registered: 7-2001 |
Its good to hear these inputs on maint. Find a good one, well maintained and drive it. Keep up with the basics, learn to do what you can yourself and find a good non dealer mech if you can. Parts can be cross referenced etc so that helps. Seems like most big bill show up when one finds and buys a car that has not been driven, or has been neglected with required maint simply not done. So it all piles on at one point and the guy has to have it all done, hence a high bill. Bottom line, maint is cheaper than repairs. Alot of repairs occur due to deferred maint...JMHO | ||
| Collin Hays (Chaysintexas)
Junior Member Username: Chaysintexas Post Number: 63 Registered: 4-2002 |
Matt, good point. But only an IDIOT would do that, and I have found that idiots exist in all types of business. Would Ferrari shops be exempt? | ||
| Matt Boyd (Mattboyd)
New member Username: Mattboyd Post Number: 50 Registered: 1-2002 |
Collin, Probably ok for that stuff, but I have heard of someone bringing the car "into the shop" for an oil change and they drained the gearbox fluid, topped off the engine oil, and off they went. -matt | ||
| Collin Hays (Chaysintexas)
Junior Member Username: Chaysintexas Post Number: 62 Registered: 4-2002 |
Tillman, you definitely got taken on that oil change. Last week, I had every fluid and filter in my 308 changed (gearbox, coolant, brakes, oil), plus they vacuumed the car out, all for $237. Of course, I don't use a Ferrari shop. I use a "light mechanical" and oil change shop that's a mile from my house and I have a mechanic there I trust to do these minor things. Since it's a Ferrari, he treats it like a queen and goes strictly by my instructions and the owners manual. Owners, is it heresy to use someone like this for an F-Car? I mean, how can you screw up changing fluids and filters? | ||
| Dom Vitarella (Dom)
Junior Member Username: Dom Post Number: 114 Registered: 11-2002 |
Hi Collin, Looks like you got a good deal. I got delivery of my GT4 in feb, and have already driven it over 1000 miles. (It had 23000 miles on it when I bought it). So far so good, but yesterday it went to the mechanic for the first time. My voltage regulator is shot, and I figure that while he's going to be at the alternater, might as well have that rebuilt as well. Plus a few other little things. We'll see what the repair bill comes out to. Hopefully won't be too bad. Parts can sometimes be expensive, but oftentimes you can find a cross reference to a part from another car and save some money. Dom | ||
| Tillman Strahan (Tillman)
Member Username: Tillman Post Number: 475 Registered: 11-2001 |
Thus far, my experiences are just about the same. I've put 4000 miles on my 328 since October, and have had the following costs: 1 oil change = $175 (!) 1 broken clutch cable = $350 2 rear tires = $300 1 stupid mistake by me = $300 That's about it. Total cost is just over $1000, and if I hadn't been stupid when washing the car I would have had $300 less. Not too bad. Tires are comparable to my pickup. the clutch cable was simply due to age. The oil change was a bit high -- I've got to learn to do that myself. I'll probably be due to for the 15K this year. | ||
| Collin Hays (Chaysintexas)
Junior Member Username: Chaysintexas Post Number: 61 Registered: 4-2002 |
I've driven it 1,000 miles or so. I just putter around in it on the weekends - not my daily driver - but I'm still amazed at the reliablity. It could be that major maintenance and repairs are seen more with owners that really test these vehicles - slaloms, high speeds, fast shifting - beats me. I'm not a race car driver so I don't drive any of my cars that way. I took my Ferrari to an independent mechanic that is Fiat trained, and he basically said "Looks a lot like the Fiat to me...I can't see what might give you major problems if you just keep the fluids fresh." It is interesting all of the ads for exotics that brag about these "shock and awe" repairs and maintenance expenses. Must be an ego trip for some. | ||
| Jerry W. (Tork1966)
Member Username: Tork1966 Post Number: 566 Registered: 7-2001 |
Ya, take it to a dealer and find out that your sphincter gear and Johnson valve are bad.  | ||
| Randall (Randall)
Junior Member Username: Randall Post Number: 167 Registered: 1-2003 |
It's easy. Take your car to the Ferrari dealership to do all that work. I'm sure they'll come up with "one more thing" that you should do. I almost didn't buy my '82 308 due to maintenance concerns, and then I found out I can do it all myself and make it feasible to own. It also sounds like your car has been pretty solid fo the last year, which is great. How much have you been driving it? | ||
| Dr Tommy Cosgrove (Vwalfa4re)
Member Username: Vwalfa4re Post Number: 881 Registered: 5-2001 |
Probably just a way to jack up the price or make themselves look really stupid. People spend that much on a car they are planning to sell? It just doesn't make sense to me either. | ||
| Collin Hays (Chaysintexas)
Junior Member Username: Chaysintexas Post Number: 59 Registered: 4-2002 |
I was scared to death when I purchased my '82 308GTSi, flipping through various ads for such cars with people bragging things like "$21,000 in repairs receipts..." yada yada. You've probably seen them too. Now I'm no mechanic, but what the HECK are these people spending their money on ??? Here is what I have done and spent in the last year: 2 oil and filter changes 1 coolant flush and replace 1 brake fluid flush and replace 1 gearbox fluid replace 1 clutch oil replace 1 new horn stripped and re-dyed seats (did myself) 4 new TRX tires 1 new fuel filter Total outlay: $1500 or so. I had a mechanic thoroughly (I guess) inspect the car before I bought it, and he said "You sure you want that car?" Yet in the last 12 months, the darn thing has been reliable. Sure, it has a few quirks, and if I was super fussy, I guess I could spend on it till the cows come home. I just can't understand, with even decent maintenance, how somebody ends up with "$21,000 in repairs receipts." |