Did you test drive your 3x8 or Mondial before buying it?

Bought them all sight unseen. Last one i purchased, the PO sent me an ancient Polaroid with the title so i could see what i bought. Recieved the car 2 weeks later.

 

Yeah - drove it just fine. Saw the TWO different PPI's - one I paid $500 for,
the other the PO paid $500 for less than a year before.

$27,000 later the car is now fully sorted.

Jedi

 

test drove the Mondi with no issues. Shipped it home to find a slowdown light and suspension fault.

 

I PPI'd a Mondial that I was looking at, and was glad I did, because it was a lemon. It was later bought by a guy who didn't PPI it, which was a mistake. I noticed he sold it a few months ago on eBay (likely to another guy, sight unseen, no PPI - the cycle continues!), after having had it for only a few months.

The one I ended up buying, I did not PPI, or even see in person. There were many factors which gave me confidence in the car and the seller, though. And I did speak with the shop that had recently done the major on it.

The car was perfectly as described (maybe better), and has cost me zero in repairs over the past year.

 

HELL YA !!!

 

Nope, I had a friend drive me from Los Angeles to Phoenix, got dropped off there by the friend and I drove the car home! In hindsight, that was pretty stupid! LOL

But after a long search on the internet, I fell in love! It sure sounds like internet dating!

 

Nope, didn't drive it until I paid for it. No PPI either.

Turned out to be a great car, though.

 

Drove it around the block in traffic. I parked after the half mile sloooow drive and said ... ugh, I'll take it ;-). No PPI, just a went over a bunch of papers/ tips that I printed out from F-Chat, ha, ha.. Went with a gut instinct and I am sure glad that I did.

 

Rode as passenger first. Then, after reassuring the seller that "I'd be gentle" I drove it myself. Bought right after drive. No PPI.

 

Did my own PPI with some items found and noted. A few missed but not too bad. Then about a 45 minute test drive---my first time in a Ferrari, got better every mile. Hauled it home on the trailer.
Frank
82 Mondial 8

 

when I bought it the day I passed the money over is when I first drove it,but last month when I sold my car I let the buyer drive it three days b4 he passed the cash,but I let my 17 year old daughter drive it the day I took it to the new owner

 

I brought my tools and did my own PPI right there with the PO watching! Verified inside out that it was truely a 3,000 mile garage queen , gave the PO 2 cashier checks, then drove it home under the rain. I still remembered the 1st time I've seen it: hid deeply inside an 8-car garage, the the PO pulled the car cover: It looked just a brandnew car, my heart almost felt out seeing it

 

So Mike, did your daughter completely flip over driving the F car - - or is her cell phone still the coolest thing imaginable?

Whatever, I'm sure she had a "lasting impression". Hats off to you for utilizing that last opportunity to share "Ferrari" with your daughter. If the bait was taken, she'll be phoning her friends and telling them about "the drive". How totally cool is that?

Cheers,

Hank

 

Bought my Mondial off Ebay (Item # 220458413694 for those interested). I'm in Toronto and the car was ~3400km away in LA. I was going to fly out to look at it, but instead an Fchat member went to check out the car for me. I was already committed to buying the car, so I was really only looking to verify the listing (and the seller) rather a typical PPI.
The car arrived in Buffalo a couple weeks ago (by Intercity Lines, FChat sponsor, btw, would highly recommend). I drove it home from there. It was as described in the listing... but... it was definitely down a lot on power. I didn't have the chance to take it to Brett at Gran Turismo until last Friday. I talked to Brett about it this afternoon and the news was "mostly good", but from my perspective, it was way better than I had any right to expect. Basically the ignition wires were shot and the car had been running on 5 cylinders! Also, there was a vacuum leak that made it sound (but not perform!!) like a turbo. There were a few other minor odds and ends (like front suspension bushings and some wheel bearing play), but otherwise the car is in good shape. The compression was about 150 in all cylinders, so that was good news. All in all, I got lucky. In hindsight, the risk was way too high. It was not a smart thing to do. I was exposing myself to way too much downside potential, sight unseen. However, also, in hindsight, I am still thrilled to get the car at that price, so it worked out but I doubt I'd do it again.

 

Now that was a pretty big risk, to buy one with that many miles with no inspection at all.

But wow, what a price! That seems like a real steal, congrats and enjoy the car!

 

Thanks. Funny you should say that, because those were the exact words Brett used when he gave me the update. I'll post again later when I get it back and have had a chance to drive it. Will also post some pictures after it's been washed and waxed.

I'm a complete newbie to this stuff. 47k miles seemed to me to be reasonable to low. This car had spent its entire life in California. That's just over 2k miles per year, when it can driven year round. I'll be putting a lot more than that on it in 6months/year, future mechical condition permitting of course.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "easily" or "with difficulty":
Are you referring to the difficulty of getting the seller to allow it, ...
... or the difficulty those new to Italian cars might have with 2nd gear?

 

It's probably a good thing you didn't have a PPI done on it, because the shop would have noticed the running problem, which probably would have scared you away.

At the price you bought it for, you can drive the heck out of it for years, and probably get back what you paid. Even as a worn out parts car, I'd imagine you'd only lose $5K on the purchase price (maybe less).

I can't believe how low prices on these have gotten. Your car, the recent '85 308QV sold for $24.5, and some others, wow.

BTW, 47K miles on a 22 year old car only seems low to you because you are a newbie to the Ferrari world. To the experienced, jaded Ferrari guy, that mileage means the car is pretty much at the end of its useful life, and can blow up at any time.

 

what is a PPI ?
pay per inspection ?
the PO did not let me drive it before I pay. He did the driving, me on the right seat.

 

No, but it wasn't the first 308 I looked at either.

 

I test drove every other 328 before the one that I bought.

On this one I rode with owner and after the PPI and completion of transaction I drove it home. Considering that it worked out, maybe it is better this way.

 

The mondial I bought whas a real garage queen. Whas parked inside since 10 years, not touched. The original bumpers where of and the brakes did'nt do it.
So the guy, a garage owner, brother of the owner, drove the car in a small road near his house. Accelarator full down, the car went to 120...140 km/hr in only a few seconds...and then he realised the brakes did not work. Luckely for us there whas no car crossing the next point of intersection. After the deal he bring the car the my house in a trailer.
The next 2 years I dismanteled the car almost completly and until now (8 years later) I find new things to look at or to repair. Ferrari all the way.

Guido

 

I have bought 7 Mondials, and all sight unseen without test drives or even PPI's, never a problem or a significant issue when I got them.

 

Of the 7 Mondials, which model did you enjoy the most? Does the power steering on the T make the steering much faster (less turns lock-to-lock)/
Just curious