Thinking about buying a 308GTS

I have thought about this for years now. I have had Porsches, Fiats, MGs, Triumphs, BMWs, but I have always loved the 308. I looked at a carb car a couple of years ago but didn't buy it. I am pretty mechanically inclined, and do all the work on my other cars, so I would definately like to learn the ins and outs of the Ferrari engine. I have the popular "magic question" so many others have....what is the true cost of ownership, and how reliable are they? I read one review that said it was about $5000 a year to own it. I loved my '82 911SC and my '72 911S. They were reliable, and easy to work on. I had a couple of friends with 308s and they said it was not the same with them. So, with regular maintenance, will it be worth it? Does the love of the car go away for many when it starts requiring the big items? Seems that no matter what, I always loved my 911. I really like the carb cars, but we started testing emissions in Chattanooga a few years ago, and I was wondering if anyone had trouble getting the Weber cars to pass. Otherwise, it is probably a QV car for me. Opinions????

 

don't think, buy! You will just forget all your "beetles" in no time

kiddng of coarse but once you own a ferrari you will soon find out that no other car will provide the same pleasure as a Ferarri does. Choosing a 3x8 makes this even more true.

 

my carb 308 gts euro even passes emissions in colorado. cost of ownership is about a buck a mile for me (including gas, insurance and plates) - and my car was very clean, needed nothing and low miles when i bought it. that figure includes upgrades for me also.

 

What does this mean? Is it that your friends who had 308s did not love their cars, or did they not find them reliable and easy to work on?

I can't speak to reliability, since I've only had mine a few months and it's still sitting on jack stands. However, I can say that other than the space and access issue, the 308 is easy to work on. I can't imagine that working on a 911 engine in that tight space is any better or worse than on a 308.

 

I can't answer all of your questions but here are some answers.

Regarding reliability, if you start out with a car that has been maintained, the engine and other mechanical parts are nearly bullet proof. You'll have more things go wrong with the interior components than you will with the engine, transmission and suspension. I think the fuse box may be a little weak but other than that, mechanically, these cars are very sound. If you start with a car that has had a rough life or has been neglected then all bets are off.

As far as yearly costs, $5000 a year sounds really high. I would say more like $1500-$2000 a year, averaged over say five years. On my 328, I spent around $3000 one year for some maintenance work and then spent around $300 the next year on basic maintenance (oil changes, other minor work).

I would say $0.50-$1.00 per mile is a good general rule of thumb cost. The more you drive, the less it costs per mile to operate, up to a point. I drive mine around 2000 miles per year so my cost per mile is closer to $1.00 per mile.

-F

 

Hi Eric,

When I bought my 328 2 and a half years ago a lot of my buddies laughed at me and s******ed about the running costs. Buy the time its 3rd anniversary arrives (all things being equal) it will have cost me a bit over $3,000 in total servicing. That's $1000 per year and I don't muck around. If it needs fixing/replacing I don't skimp on it. Hardly what I call expensive relative to the cost of the car. All other costs like fuel, tires, insurance etc and cost which are there regardless of make.

I am fortunate to have a very good independent mechanic who charges by the hour, not by the badge on the bonnet. If you can do most of the work yourself then it's a no brainer.

I have a lot of friends that have Porsche's and when we go out on a run, it's obvious which car gets the looks.

You can't go wrong if you buy a well sorted document car. If you buy a project car, then who knows.............

Bob.

 

I will definitely buy one with good records/maintenance. The one I looked at before was a '78 carb car. It was owned by a guy with a 328 also, and he did the majority of the maintenance. He went somewhere to get trained on Ferraris. Modifications it had were a Sandan compressor for the air with longer hoses for maintenance, updated fuse box, K&N Filters. It had about 90,000 miles on it, and he would take $27,000. Seems like the prices are from the mid 20s to high 30s depending on the car. Right now I am completing the restoration of my '70 MGB, and have a Volvo 1800E up next. I would like a good driver car to enjoy, not a trailer queen.

 

A 308 carb is a great choice. I find the car somewhat difficult to work on because of access. It is nice to have a properly equipped garage to make things easier. My car passes smog here in California with no real problem.

 

Not sure how to quantify a "big item", but I can say that my love of my car and the 308 in general increased significantly with the more I learned about and worked on the car myself. I knew a lot of technical details and trivia about the model before buying one 12 or so years ago. I got to know the car the first 3-4 years while having it maintained by a dealer. But when I started to get my own hands dirty, so to speak, performing the services myself, the appreciation for the car increased significantly. At this point (short of a wreck God forbid), I don't think I'd consider any issue/problem a "big item", it would just be something that took some time to sort out.

Like you and most other people here, I've owned my share of American muscle and German brands. A lot of them were great cars in the own right. And nowadays, a lot of folks compare these mid-80s Ferrari with whatever the latest toaster or car being offered out of the Pacific Rim or elsewhere. But you can't, there is no comparison. Putting aside all the HP and other data points that lead to a new car being "better", the 308 is special. The 308 is different. It is unique. And if you consider yourself someone who will take pride out of watching over one of these for awhile (which is maybe a lifetime), maintaining it correctly and driving it rather than garaging it, then it is for you.

If you would rather have something new that goes really fast and handles like a modern day car, then a mid 80's Ferrari isn't for you.

I'd put true cost of ownership at about $1,200-$1,500 per year. Maybe you don't spend that ever year, maybe you spend $5,000 every three years. If you do it yourself, things are cramped so expect to have to contort your body. But that is no reason to not acquire one.

Reliability - I don't use the car everyday, so it's difficult to say. I've never been stuck with it, and every time I wanted to drive it, I was able to.

And if uniqueness is what matters to you, read what Red 328 GTS wrote above - pull into any parking lot or alongside any car on the road except maybe a brand new Ferrari or Lambo, and the 308/variant gets the attention. Chances are, you'll be the only one on the road when you drive.

I will never part with my 308. I may acquire another Ferrari and possibly even another brand sports car, but I will never ever part with my 308.

Phil

 

You may find some parts sticker shock, especially compared to your Volvo/MG. Ferrari parts prices in general will even make your Porsches look like Toyotas in comparison. Also, the Germans see to have much better factory support for their older stuff. Ferrari just wants to sell you the latest and greatest, forget about those 20+(or even 10 year old)cars.

 

IF you do your own work, as you plan to do, the cost will be FAR less. If you obtain parts from after-market suppliers recommended here, you can save even more. When my QV ate 16 valves, I repaired it myself for a cost of $4200. in parts. I've found Dennis McCann's AllFerrariParts.com to be great on prices and shipping time. I got the new valves from SI Valves in CA ($28./ea) , etc.

 

I have a '78 carb car. Cost of ownership is pretty much as described. It's not a fragile car by any means, but it took me a while to learn that.

Also factor in that you probably won't take much depreciation, if any, and your car may even appreciate a bit during your ownership.

 

I cam from the Porsche world as well. I had a 3.2 911 which left me stranded once due to the DMA relay going out (common issue, no biggie), the 915 transmission shifts oh so terribly, and the head studs pulled forcing me to rebuild the top-end.

I guarantee a carb 308 in good shape will pass emissions anywhere and will never leave you stranded (jet carbs for testing and then jet it back for performance once done). If you do a major on your own every 3-5 years, you can get away with spending around 1500-2000 in parts only and you are good for a while. I suppose if someone were to have a Ferrari mechanic work on the car, $2k a year sounds like a fair figure. For a saavy mechanic, these are not difficult cars to work on and they are pretty much indestructable so long as they are maintained correctly. Carb cars are my favorite, especially the early '76-'77 cars with hotter cams as they really have a lot more low end grunt to them and are the lightest of the batch.

I noticed on hot days and hard driving, the Porsche would creep up to 250+F oil temps. A 308 does not get that high. QVs run a bit hotter than all the others due to more moving parts, so expect it to get pretty hot in traffic but otherwise they are super easy right out of the box. Carb cars really benefit from a ignition upgrade which makes them drive almost like an injected car on the low end and it helps make emissions testing even more of a breeze.

Good luck!

 

I think the maintenance/parts costs of $1000 a year is about right if you do the work yourself. The problem arises when you want a $2-$3k Stebro or Tubi exhaust to replace the power robbing thermal reactor, $2-3k for 16 or 17 inch wheel/tires to replace the antique 14 or metric wheels, $1.5k for modern ignition, Euro bumpers with grill, spoiler & lights is another $2k. In 4 years I've spent about 12k for upkeep & the above mentioned items making my per mile cost at about $1.25. Moral of the story is buy one that doesn't need the upgrades unless its going to be a garage queen and you can leave alone. I couldn't, I thought I could but its a freaking Ferrari man, would Enzo really want you to drive around with old school 14s when you could have GoodYear F1D3s that fill the wells & stick like super glue. Would he want you to drive around with 80 pounds of bumpers when you could have the light Euro ones? Etc Etc.
In hindsight I should have bought a QV but I really feel the carbs gives me the old time Ferrari Experience I dreamed of. If I were to spend 35k today I'd go for the maligned 348, 300HP is almost 30% more HP than any 308s.
Just my .02
Bill
I have never nor can I imagine ever regretting buying a 308. I'm not saving it for the next owner, I drive it like I stole it. I also drive it year round, snow and traffic permitting (its too low and small for heavy rush hour traffic)

 

There is that. Parts are expensive.

-F

 

Perfect timing for this question. I have been wondering about this also. No way do I want to spend $4000-$5000 every year, even if it is a Ferrari. I am willing to take on $1000-$2000, with the understanding that every few years a major may be required. I really, really want a 308, but I do not want to be rash and buy one without considering all the costs down the road. Some days I think I'm ready to pull the trigger, other days I'm not so sure.

For some reason, I too was under the impression that it would tale upwards of $5000/year to keep a 308 up. Maybe I got that from the long term test that Edmunds did. Anyway, these comments make me feel a little better. A friend at work just bought a Corvette for a little more than what a really nice 308 would cost. Sorry guys, but I was tempted all day to forget about the 308 and search for a Vette. Please forgive me!

Now I need to make up my mind about carb vs injection. Seems like most of the carb owners wouldn't have it any other way, and the injection owners feel the same way. I'm sure I'd be happy with either, but I do like the looks of those four carbs.

 

What a statement! This post read almost like poetry,and if I ever get one myself I'd feel exactly the same way you do; in fact I already do, it's just about time I did something about it...

By the way, folks keep talking about parts being expensive. Expensive being a relative term not withstanding, what parts in particular are the expensive ones? Yearly upkeep as far as parts go has me at a loss I mean what could you possibly need to replace on a car every year that would cost 1-2 grand for routine maintenance? This is asuming you are buying just the parts you need and replacing/servicing yourself. There's oil changes, and 2 cam belts that are changed how often?

Camshafts, pistons, heads, major things like that I could understand being high but belts, seals, hoses and the like I can't imagine.

If there is a thread already covering this aspect in detail feel free to post a link to smarten me up about all this.

 

I went for a drive late last year with a mate of mine who owns a 996 Carrera 6 speed. When we parked the cars in the restaurant car park he was a bit put out with how little attention his car got by comparison.

Ferraris here in Australia are relatively rare but Porsches are a dime a dozen.

The comment I get the most is the disbelief that my car is now 21 years old.
It just shows how timeless the 3X8 shape actually is.

Bob.

 

The more you work on a 308 the more you going to love it

 

Buy one and you don't have to imagine. I love a "normal" tune up parts list. If you had an old Chevy an ignition tune up where you throw in a bunch of new parts would cost $60. For a 308:

Points (4 sets if you have the factory setup) @$90 each =$360 (http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=261323)
Dist caps (2 caps in most instances) @$225 each = $450 (these are cheaper repros, not OEM - http://www.ricambiamerica.com/product_info.php?products_id=261342)
Rotors (not included with caps! 2 also) @ $50 each = $100
Condensors (4 again) @$40 each = $160
Plug wires set $250 (I must be reading Ricambi's site wrong because I keep coming up with $600+ for both sides)
Spark Plugs $20
You should consider replacing the extenders as well at $20 each = $160.

Using round numbers - $1400.

Of course, just throwing in a bunch of new randomly is a bad idea. People with old Chevys only do it because the parts are so cheap. And most 308's have lost the second set of points, etc. But you get the picture.

 

That's what I was looking for, exactly. Thanks for that.

 

I've had both, QV and now a 76 carbed car.
Both have been great, relaible and not many$$ to keep going.
Same as above, buy a cheapie and you might spend more to get it back to the right place.
Whether it is good when you buy it or you buy a bargain, once it is right it won't cost the earth. Even better if you work on it yourself like most of us do.
Go and do it, you won't regret it.

Steve

 

Eric, if you're mechanically inclined and enjoy doing the work then you'll really enjoy the work on a 308. It's quite different than a TR3 or a Fiat or MG or Porsche. The level of engineering finesse is very high, just like a 911, but executed a little differently - as you know, on the 911 form follows function, on a 308 it's often quite the reverse.

I'd say that $5K a year for a car that is completely dealer serviced (not DIY) is probably a little on the high side assuming the basics are in reasonably good shape (good compression/leak down, transaxle shifts fine, etc.). Of course, if you have to do a valve job or an engine rebuild then $5K won't even come close to covering just the parts costs. But, a major part of the cost of running a 308 is the labor costs so you're ahead of the game there. Be prepared to spend 2-4 times the parts costs for a 308 v. a 911....need an oil filter and a set of plug wires and cap/rotor and that's more like 5 or more the cost of equivalent 911 parts. The Ferrari OEM parts aren't any better than Porsche, they're just a lot more expensive.

If I was you I wouldn't go pay a premium for a car with complete service records, low mileage, uber classy dealer showroom, etc. Because you've got good mechanical skills I would consider a private party car that perhaps needs some tidying up - that'll be a lot less expensive. You'll be able to evaluate its condition pretty well yourself. You might save $7,000-$10,000 in so doing and thereby have some money in the bank for parts costs. My personal experience is that the glitzy showroom retail sellers are trying to sell 308s with as many (or more) problems than private parties are (who tend to be more forthright and knowledgeable about the car's history and recent service).

My advice: stay well away from any 308 that has rust, or poor compression/leak down. Everything else (brakes, cosmetics, electrical, etc.) can be rectified by a careful and semi-skilled DIY guy.

Good luck and enjoy!

 

I have had my 328 for 8 months now and besides changing the transmission oil and recharging the A/C,,I haven't had to spend a cent on it..The belts and bearings were replaced just over a year ago so have another couple of years left for them..I will probably change the spark plugs,engine oil and filter and other fluids some time this year....I cant see $5k a year unless you bought a dog to begin with...

 

Thanks for all the info about the 308. I thought it might be more reliable/affordable to maintain and drive than some of the things I had read. Now...which one to buy is what I need to decide. I love the sound of webers, but a fuel injected QV car seems like it would be less maintenance. I can tune webers (and SUs with all the British car I have) pretty well, but it is time consuming, and I have a 4 year old, and 4 month old, so time is a big commodity at home right now. I've seen a couple already listed here and there. Some say the price is lower because it is due for a major service.....so what does that entail, and how much should that cost?