I need advice on buying a Mondial

First, welcome. I have a 328, not a Mondial, so I'll give some general advice and then defer to the guys who own Mondials...

If you're new to Ferrari, and the car's not being sold by a Ferrari dealer, I would recommend having a PPI (pre-purchase inspection) performed by a Ferrari tech recommended on this board. Mondials tend not to be expensive, but Ferrari engine service - and parts throughout the car - can be horrendously expensive. Things like clutches are also costly and don't seem to last too long. Broken switches that would be nickel-and-dime stuff in a Toyota are hundreds of dollars in a Ferrari.

With regard to the recent service, if it's an '89 I think it's a Mondial T - which has the longitudinal 3.4 litre engine. Service is more expensive on these, because engine removal is required for that 30K service - and Ferrari recommends every 3 years for that (belt change, at least). I would have a hard look at the receipt for that recent service, see what was done, even verify with the shop that did it, because you may be looking at another $6K+ service bill if the car is due for a real full service - i.e., belt, tensioner bearings, water pump, valve adjustment, etc.

Also you'll want to check Carfax (doesn't always reveal everything, but it can) and have your Ferrari tech confirm that there is no underlying collision damage. Many or most '89 and earlier Ferraris seem to have the usual respray up front for stone chips, but as with any other unit-body car you'll want to know if it has taken a significant hit.

Good luck with it.

 

good advice for a T

what you need to look at on the 30K is time in history: stick with the 3 year model, and you'll sleep better, albeit, with less money in your disposable income
and
check the amount of miles, ago, it was done: time and miles is the key.
having a 30K done 1 year ago BUT 15,000 miles ago, might require a PPI for ease of mind.
AND make sure it passes smog, if it doesn't the 30K obviously wasn't done correctly.
CHECK the fuse block for warping and signs of separation: getting a spare or replacement is difficult and costly, my advice is pass it up if block show signs of problems.
Seat belt motors might not be in order, but not a big deal: way too costly to repair unless anal about complete features working, my advice is don't use the auto retractors BUT the seat belt light may show a fault if not used.
lots of 'other' minor issues, but you should troll the posts and see those items.

 

I am not an expert yet. there are two back issues in forza that is really good. I am learning there are a multitude of little issues that can be costly. there is also maintance vs restoration costs and this should be considerd in the negotiations. I would guess that the value is somewhere between 38-45k. also a good body man is different than a good mechanic, so have the car checked out by both. a prepurchase should include a compression and leak down test, with no more than than 10% leak greater than 20% and the engine needs rebuild. this is all the stuff i have learned so far, I am just regurgitating. good luck, there is more but i dont want to type forever

 

Hi, we just bought a 92 mondial t cabrio and are still working the bugs out of it. Our car sat for the better part of 5 years and I believe this is the root of our troubles. I would look for a car that was driven fairly frequently by the last owner. There are lots of electronic parts that don't like moisture. Dave

P.S. I still love the car!

 

I've had a 3.2 for about 11 years. I like it a lot and it's part of the family now.