| Author |
Message |
Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member
Username: Verell
Post Number: 687
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 4:50 pm: | |
While the older Ferraris (ie:400s, 365's, 275's, 250's) do occasionally show up here, they have their own forums:
http://www.tomyang.net/cars/ferrari.html
http://www.330register.com/
http://www.400register.com/
http://www.masiarz.net/bb_resource/
Also, since these cars tend to be expen$ive, the owners tend to have deep pockets and hire their restorations/service done. Not to mention that there really were very few of them built, and even fewer have survived.
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Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Member
Username: Stickanddice
Post Number: 328
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 3:44 pm: | |
The price is not what is really driving the purchase. I just like the look of the glass 308s. They're light, and the dry sump horsepower is great. The F512M is the first Ferrari I ever drove so I have emotional ties to it. I also find it to be a great looking car. I haven't driven one for enough time to make up my mind. The 308 I was able to drive a couple for a good distance (both US and Euro).
Finding a Euro glass 308 has been quite a pain too. The repairs scare me because I do want to look for value. I don't want to spend 35k and another 25k on repairs and roadability only to find something else fail in the near future. In general the F512Ms, though in a different price range, seem to be completely sorted and clean vehicles.
Good point about the age of the vehicle. How come you don't see too many threads on the older cars then (365's, 275's, 250's)? Maybe they're old enough to undergo a complete restore?
I do want a carb car though. Keep in mind, I did say "Don't get me wrong, if a properly priced Euro 76-77 Fiberglass 308 comes along I'll snap it up." in an earlier post. |
BobD (Bobd)
Intermediate Member
Username: Bobd
Post Number: 1153
Registered: 3-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 10:06 am: | |
((( I was in the market for a 308 glassfibre euro model. Since, I've seen so many problems posted I'm thinking of going with a F512M. )))
Taek, this is a pretty significant jump. Glass 308s are $30K - - 512Ms are $140K. Sounds like you could afford to fix the problems in the 308! |
Steve Magnusson (91tr)
Intermediate Member
Username: 91tr
Post Number: 1741
Registered: 1-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 9:02 am: | |
Agree with the "age" difference factors mentioned, but IMO system complexity plays a role too -- i.e., with an older carbed F you've probably got a near 100% chance that you'll have one or two minor problems affecting runability to fettle over a few~5 years; whereas, with the modern, more electronic-based injected cars, say K-Jet with Lambda and anything after (KE, Motronic, etc....), you've got an 80~90% chance that you'll have no problems at all, and a 10~20% chance that you'll have a horrible problem (which leads to the vastly different reported experiences for some of the later cars -- "my '89 348 has been great" to "avoid early 348s"). |
Greg Owens (Owens84qv)
Member
Username: Owens84qv
Post Number: 781
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 6:09 am: | |
Taek...also as briefly noted here, the 308 series is an old car, even the '85QV is now 18 years old. Parts wear out. As the TRs approach this age, we'll see more and more posts on TR (512) issues. |
John_Miles (John_miles)
Junior Member
Username: John_miles
Post Number: 54
Registered: 7-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, May 01, 2003 - 2:24 am: | |
It's just that the 512s seem to have less issues in general.
Well, the newest fiberglass 308 is almost 15 years older than the oldest 512TR.
Try comparing the reliability of a '76 Honda Civic to a '91, and you'll hear similar anecdotes.
308s are, and were, cheaper than the various Testarossas, and sometimes that fact is reflected in the quality of maintenance the respective cars have received over the years.
Apart from all that, you don't see many folks struggling with the decision to buy an F512M versus a 308GTB. They are very different cars, sold at very different prices, and they'll offer very different driving and ownership experiences. If low maintenance is important to you, a newer 512TR or F512M with moderate mileage and an impeccable service history will probably be a good way to go. But jeez, you could buy three 308GTBs, even fiberglass ones, for the price of an F512M! |
Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Member
Username: Stickanddice
Post Number: 324
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 10:56 pm: | |
True. But Testarossas seem to have less problems on the board. I'm just looking at common problems I've tracked. Don't get me wrong, if a properly priced Euro 76-77 Fiberglass 308 comes along I'll snap it up.
It's just that the 512s seem to have less issues in general. I'm sure a lot of the 512 owners do their own fixes for minor stuff too.
That's why I'm starting this thread. Is it that they fix it because the fixes are so similar between car models of the era or is it because they send them in to the dealers? Maybe they're just more reliable, or maybe you're spot on in that there is not enough of a 512 representation.
You're definitely right in that a car's reliability should not be gauged depending on how many threads on problematic issues there are. |
Sean F (Agracer)
Junior Member
Username: Agracer
Post Number: 109
Registered: 2-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 9:13 pm: | |
One thing you have to remember is that most of the people on this board do their own work. It's not so much that they're problematic as people want to fix them themselves and come here for advise.
also, what Verell said is true. There are a lot of them and they are pretty much the least expensive of all the Ferrari's (notice I did not say Dino's). |
Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member
Username: Verell
Post Number: 681
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 8:52 pm: | |
It's not that the 308s are troublesome per se.
It's that there's a lot more of them than any other Ferrari, by maybe 4x or more! 3x8s were built for almost 14 years with evolutionary changes.
Also, they're affordable by a lot more serious amateur mechanics who are capable of doing their own work with a little help from their friends.
Thus there are a very large number of 3x8 knowledgable people, and parts are still reasonably available.
Just my $0.02. |
Taek-Ho Kwon (Stickanddice)
Member
Username: Stickanddice
Post Number: 322
Registered: 11-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 30, 2003 - 8:07 pm: | |
I was in the market for a 308 glassfibre euro model. Since, I've seen so many problems posted I'm thinking of going with a F512M. What kind of problems are evident in the 512 series.
This was the first Ferrari I ever drove, albeit a very short distance. So I would be coming full circle with this purchase. |
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