First drive of 328-Non Fcar Owner-Input needed-Ride Report / Car Report

Walk away from this one. It sounds like the 328 you drove wasn't in prime form (to be charitable...), and unfortunately with only 260 horsies back there it needs to be.

Blue smoke is oil burning, could mean a number of things, among them that oil is getting by the piston rings and being burnt along with the usual fuel/air mixture. I'd bet a compression test on this car would come back poor.

The gearbox on the best 328 will always shift better once it's warmed up. However, once it's warm, every gear -- including 2nd -- should be accessible instantaneously. It is very normal on 308/328's for 2nd gear to be unobtainable for a few minutes after startup. There should be no gearbox 'whine'.

One thing to consider, as well, is that if you're not accustomed to the gated shifter you won't shift as smoothly as you do in a 'normal' car. So, while it sounds as though this isn't a healthy 328, it takes a bit of driving before you get proficient with the Ferrari gearbox

I'd say: forget this one and go find a good 328. I just got back from a morning drive, and shifting and driving the car should be an absolute joy.

EDIT: Birdman may have it right - blue smoke from the exhaust would be more serious.

 

Judging by where you say the smoke is coming from, sounds like a leaking cam seal dripping oil on the engine or exhaust. Pretty common and not too hard to fix.

 

James,

As someone who is researching the market and may jump in this spring (and has never owned a Ferrari), your reports are very informative. Keep it up.

-F

 

I agree about the smoke - oil leaking from somewhere on a manifold. Take along a fire extinguisher on the next drive. As for the gear whine, not a good thing as the trans should not be whining about anything except not getting a good run thru the gears! 2nd should be stiff, but not impossible to enter regardless of temp. Remember to match revs in downshifting and it wouldn't hurt to do this upshifting if u get stiffness, but I don't make this a habit. Personally I always used Red Line synthetic in the trans and never got this problem unless the mechanic forgot to use what I speced; then they redid it.

As u have noticed there are different driving epxeriences thru the 308 range of cars depending what year and if it's a QV, carb or injection car, not to mention 308 vrs. 328. The most viceral experiences are in the older carb cars. The most refined in the 328's. 308 QV's (1983-1985) offer a pretty good mix. If u have your heart set on the GT4 feeling but want a GTB, then look for a 1976 fiberglass car and be prepared to spend some $$.

 

As others have said, oil is hitting the exhaust. Needs to be taken care of quickly. However, if it is a cam seal, this is a big job as the cams have to come out. Basically, you end up doing a major service. It could be leaking from a cam cover gasket (this happened to my car last year) which is not a big deal. How many miles on this car? Every 3X8 shifts a little different from others. I had an 87 that was pretty tough to shift. My current 89 is very smooth by Ferrari standards. May I ask who in Castle Rock is selling this car?

DAve

 

Just drove a 76 308 today - trans was smooth as silk on non synthetic fluid. weird eh? I guess hardtop might be right about all 3x8's being different.

 

OK. like I said in the other thread, I'm sure this is the guy I bumped into last spring in Castle Rock. I was driving my 430 and a friend of mine was there in his 328, so we struck up the conversation. I had seen both his cars on the road fairly often and learned they belonged to same guy whose name I can't remember. I do remember he bought the 348 from Bill McAbee who also lives in Castle Rock and used to work for Ferrari of Dallas and Ferrari of Denver, but can't pass on any words of wisdom on the 328. With a good PPI and a price of 35K, it may be OK. Might cost another 5-7K to make it really "primo". I know it has been driven regularly the last couple of years which is a plus in my book.

Dave

 

As others mentioned, the smoke is likely an oil leak, and the transmission shouldn't whine. Probably a change in gear oil will fix the whine, but you'd want it looked at closely. Mine shifts smoothly into second at all temps, but it also has 94XXX miles on it and is probably a bit more worn in than most

Heavy steering at parking speeds is normal, especially if the front tires have been upsized. Acceleration in top gear is pretty dismal on most 328s I've driven -- I know it is on mine, and I have recent dyno graphs proving my motor's fine. You got to drop a gear for ramming speed.

Sounds like a major service and a good detail would have you into a nice driver.

EDIT: Heck, I didn't notice the price before. $35K is priced right for the car as described (assuming no undisclosed catastrophes).

 

If it's on the pass side, that could be oil leaking from the dipstick tube junction -- I had that before my last major, although I could barely detect it.

Riding a motorcycle to test drive a sportscar is probably a bad idea. Any decent crotch rocket will walk away from a sportscar in a straight line (power to weight ratio). Turns are another matter entirely (two narrow tires versus four fat ones).

The 328 isn't a dragster. The EVO will dust it in a straight line (after the turbo gets around to spooling up). The Ferrari lives for the turns.

 

An EVO, STI or (fill in blank with modern car) will dust a 328 in acceleration, cornering and braking BUT the 328 is more fun.

Dave