Which V-8 car will become the most desired

+1

 

Is this another poll where the majority of people vote for the car they own? Or their favorite car?

 

I predict that all classic V8 Ferraris will suddenly become higly sought collectibles once Kieth Martin and Mike Sheehan are no longer the dominant voices in the Ferrari collector world.

Their (particularly Martin's) insistence that "no V8 Ferrari will ever be collectible" and similar sentiments has certainly had an effect on the throngs of collectors who get their opinions from what others tell them and can't think for themselves.

 

I like early carbd 308's. But, we do understand, dont we, that investing in a Ferrari is a contradiction in terms, right? I mean, and it HAS been acknowledged here before: ferraris are not an investment. They are an expense. They are not a good way to invest, period.

Its kinda like real estate these days, eh?

 

308.
But there's a caveat;
Fiberglass.

 

Real estate will probably turn into a good investment again in the near future. Looking at the past performance of the market, real estate prices go up and down. They'll go up again.

But a car - any car, not only a Ferrari - is NEVER a good investment.

While there are some stories of cars that did turn out to make their owners money, in hindsight, there is simply no way to predict which cars will appreciate over time. And even among the ones that do, even such sought-after cars as the early Deausenbergs that are now worth so much money, the equivalent amount invested over the same length of time would have appreciated more.

There are too many variables involved in predicting which make or model will be popular down the road. Who, for example, would have predicted that huge, clunky American gas-guzzlers with questionable build quality and sloppy handling would fetch prices in excess of $100k 25-30 years after they were built?

Asking which V8 Ferrari will become the most desired probably results in exactly the same responses as asking which V8 Ferrari is your personal favorite. Everyone wants to believe that his own coveted Ferrari will be the one coveted by others.

Some of the predictions here sound plausible, and the reasoning is often sound. In the end, however, given the unpredictable nature of human beings, the most accurate answer is: "Who can tell?"

I've said it here before, but it bears repeating: Buy a Ferrari because you love it. They make lousy investments.

 

Now, if the OP asked "Which V-8 Ferrari (excluding exotics) will become the most desired by non-Ferrari types?

That's easy... the 1989 U.S. Spec Ferrari Mondial t Coupe. Only 41 examples built

 

Wow, that might become almost as desirable as the 250 GT0! You might also consider the U.S. model 308 GTB QV -- built in similar numbers, so I've heard. Rarity equals desirability, y'know! (wink wink, nudge nudge)


By the way, contrary to all of the votes, a 355 will never be desirable -- they made too many of them!!!! (At least that's what they say about the 308 and 360. . . . )

 

308/328 looks alone coupled with lower cost to keep on the road. Individual vote, 360 cs. Definitely not 355 because no one wants to spend $50K to buy one and then spend $10K every 3-5 years. If someone made a timming chain to eliminate belt changes I would vote for the 355.

 

Chains only cost the drop of the engine, the belts work and engine back in, maybe $2000 or so. The $10,000 service is only "needed" to those that are willing to be raped because they believe that everything had an expiration date, but chains do need replacing for obvious reasons.

 

Gonna have to wait and see. I'd put my money on the older ones. Made before 1988.

 

The service costs are steep, now that 355s are in BMW 3 series territory pricewise. That could be a turnoff to a lot of people (see "Testarossa"). At some point, even those of us who love these cars will look at a $15K major service-plus-incidentals bill for a 355 worth maybe $40K and say 'no thanks'.

Also, as I've posted already, the simplicity of the 308/328 -- not quite 246 simplicity, but close -- will probably appeal more in the long term than the yestertech 355. We don't really know how 30-year old electronics-laden cars are going to fare, because cars didn't turn into rolling computer labs until the 1990s. Even assuming OBDII is easy to keep running in 2016, who the hell will want OBDII in 2016? Or the jerky first attempt at a paddle shift gearchange? Or the crap first gen ABS on the last 328s and 348?

Overall, the less of that stuff, the more desired the car will be.

One big wildcard: From a Californian's perspective, I would say the 308 QV/328 are a great blend of looks, usable performance and durability. If the CA smog gods ever decide to exempt cars prior to 1980, for example, I would vote for the Euro 308 being most desired.

We have a winner (but make it before 1988.5).

 

The one somebody put a V12 in

 

I vote for none of the above. Some day the population of earth will lump all V8 Ferrari cars together and decide there are entirely too many. Everyone will want a V12 as Enzo intended and all of our V8 cars won't be worth spit. I'm going to rebody mine in canvas to save weight and use it for high fuel economy.

 

Sell the Dino now, it will be worse than a V8 car in value. 6 cyl, people will start using those to power their coffee grinders.

 

+1

 

all of the above but when it comes to $$$ its supply vs demand.
I recently checked EBAY and there were 24 - 355 vs only 7 - 348 for sale.

 

Wine post???



I meant belts all the times and kept talking about chains!!!

 

I agree with several of the above posts: supply and demand will dictate price and the car that is most likely to be the hardest to come by will be the 355. Why, because it will soon be so easy to part the car out or just let it sit in the garage or....pull the motor and mount the car on the wall! Meanwhile the earlier cars will continue to be easily and inexpensively repaired and will remain available.

In addition it is the best of the cars on the list, even if the list included the bloated luxury slushbox soap bars that were produced after the 355.

 

i will NEVER buy a 348 or 355.

i would rather have TWO 3x8's than one of those.

 

I would agree. Although to be fair I would have liked to have leased a 355 when it was under warranty. They were seriously fast when they came out.

In terms of long term ownership, though, I think the 308/328 were the end of an era in cars. Ditto the 1989 Porsche 911 -- the stuff that came later was faster, but not especially timeless.

 

Why, particularly?

I love my 308QV but have the usual gripe: It's too slow on the grunt end.

Next year, a modest investment will mature, giving me some discretionary cash. I'm thinking of selling the 3x8, going back to the Vintage 12 era, or notching up to a 355 or 550 on the modern end. Looks like the 355 is more afordable to purchase.

I'm one of those folks who thinks the 308 is a purer aesthetic design than the 328, and you lose me at the 360.

 

to each its own.. Q. have you driven a 348 or 355 with a tubi exhaust no cats in a tunnel?


they should remake the 348 or 355 a smaller version with 12k-15 rpms...

 

I think the one car that is a keeper and isn't on the list: F430. Low maintenance, seriously fast, and the last of the manuals. 20 - 30 years from now, that will be the car that everyone wants. I don't see cars getting too much faster, the limit is the tires and available traction, and while it isn't the absolute ultimate, it's close enough for us old guys with enough money to buy one, and not enough ability to use it's power.

Art

 

That's right. 0-60 in less than 5 seconds just isn't that big a deal.