Thinking About Pulling The Trigger - Your Thoughts

My first comment about that car, and one that I have made several times with regards to other cars, is that this is a European model car wearing a MPH speedometer/odometer. Don't think for a minute that 31k is the original mileage for the car. It had some miles when it was imported, and those miles were "erased" with the new speedometer.

This is yet another of the fifty million "30k mile" 308s that have been perpetually for sale with 30k miles for the past 15 years that I've been reading 308 classified ads.

With that said, it's a GTB QV -- rare as kosher pork chops in U.S. model trim, and while they turn up semi-frequently in the States as European models, there can't be that many of them this side of the ocean.

 

"rare as kosher pork chops", good one, eh.

 

How do you know it's a new speedometer. Most ferderalized cars imported had overlays put on the original euro speedos, while still showing the odometer in kms!

 

1. It doesn't look like an overlay
2. Seller states miles
3. It doesn't look like a 20k mile car.

 

1) IMHO Condition is more important than mileage as long as it's between 30k and 70k when other factors come into play negatively. I certainly would never buy a 10k 40yo car and think above 70k 10% is lost each 10k.
2) The 1983 has the advantage of not being encumbered with the Lamba fuel injection. Any time you add more electrics and gain nothing but emission, I take that as a reliability sacrifice. 1983 has the simplicity of the simplicity of 1980-82 CIS cars.
3) It has the advantage of the increased fuel flow from better valving and cams.
4) I (and others) personally don't like the boxes black below the trim line but some highly favor it. It can be an issue on resale.
5) California might have difficulty passing emissions of a Euro. touchy.
6) OTOH, some feel Euro means faster.

Offer $30 cash, it's reasonable, and put a smile on your face. If your ego needs to beat them down further on price, get them to throw ina free oil change.

Know that you will never find that ONE perfect car, just as you won't find your one perfect soul mate, UNTIL after you've committed to the current one. Or you can keep looking with your hands in your pockets and and watch the world go by.

 

To clarify, most of the Euro QV cars do not have Lambda regardless of year. I can't say none, as there may be specific markets that had tighter US style controls, but the basic Euro did not have Lambda.

Also, registering in NJ should not be an issue if you get historic QQ tags (no inspections). You might have trouble otherwise.

 

I love the "boxer' trim on the Euro 308 ....

PM sent.

John

 

Shashi -

Here's my $.02 worth, coming from a first time Fcar owner as of 2 weeks ago. I spent a couple of years dreaming seriously about a Ferrari. I was uncertain whether or not I wanted a 360, a 355, a 328 or a 308. I drove a few of each and came to my own personal choice that I wanted a 308. This was based not so much on cost (although definetly a factor) but on the experience I wanted to have with the car. I wanted a car I could work on as well as drive. I love the lines of the 3x8 cars, but ultimately fell in love with the classic look of the exterior and the old interior. From there I spent almost a year hunting down a Euro car. I drove many around the US (not the one you are looking at though) and found that they felt widely different. I liked the idea that they were more "pure" than our smog-laden US models and I like the lines a bit better. I also realized that most of the Euros had many more miles under them than you will find on their clock. I was something to watch carefully for but since I was going to be driving the car a lot it wasn't a deal killer. So... get a PPI on any Euro car you are serious about, it is worth every penny. Drive the car critically and assess any unusual rattles, squeaks, belt noises, etc.

Ultimately, it is going to be your car so don't worry about the boxer trim. Some love it some hate it. The real issue here is whether or not YOU like it. While I love a traditional Rossa Corsa Fcar, I have come to really appriate any Ferrari that looks a little different (part of the reason I bought a 84 Blue Sera) As far as the price my take is that in today's market that is a fair price for a no stories, well maintained 308 provided that a major is not immediately needed. (I bought my 84 US QV with verifiable 30,000 miles on it and a recent major for just a bit more than that.)

MY last recommendation is to be careful and critical as you examine this car, but in the end - buy a 308!!! There is nothing but miles of smiles awaiting you.

Chip

 

all very good points listed above... too add for 30grand it looks good from the pics to start, though those added on crappy shields hurt the car, and that bottom high gloss facia looks horrible....and alot of armour all on that interior to make it shine.

1) CHeck the VIN (past ownership) see how many hands its past through...and if every 18 months new owners question it , could be there is an underlining problem discovered once taken and nobody wanted to invest into it and flipped it again (hence why these prices are depressed ...alot of crappy cars out there)

2) Have it checked by someone you trust, use a flashlight and take the wheels off of it and see whats underneath

3) Check your service history ...when was it done ? are the spark plugs 15 yrs old along with the wires or original ? are the tires dated 1995 ? when was the last time the tranny oil changed ? if there are no bills for this, or limited...you MUST assume it was never done.

4) Im assuming if the service history is non-exsistent, then the 30k price point is about right ...cause your gonna need another 20K potential "slush fund" on hand for that just in case...through your 1st yr of ownership.

5 As mentioned above dont believe that ODO...iv been around these cars for 15 yrs now, and i still see 308s with 25,000 miles-35,000 miles...15 yrs later. buy it based on quality and condition of the car, make sure it has its original books, warrenty card...tool kit...jack...getting it up to spec after once you have all the cookies in place for under 50 or around 50, you can have a great little car....(check your suspension, shocks, sterring rack as well)

Good luck, lets us know

 

FWIW a euro '85 GTS QV was recently posted on fchat ads, red/black, and while due for a service it looked better than this car. Fully red, nice interior, with 16" wheels (not the TRXs that the Scottsdale car has), one enthusiast owner for 5 years who wasn't afraid to drive it (means nicely sorted) and just looked great. Originally posted at 32.9k and sat there with no action, and then the ad was revised yesterday morning for 29k and then removed a short time later. Did it sell? I'm guessing it did because that was a very good price for a late QV, and the ad came down fast. Do the math for transport and the service and you have the market value for a very nice driver QV. The Scottsdale car is probably similar, but being a 'B' with metric wheels and boxer trim makes it harder to market. There's your negotiating power.

 

The overlay is what my euro Mondial has on the speedo. You can't tell at all by just looking at it, although the little horsie on it doesn't have quite the detail as the one on the tach face. The way you can tell is at night, the light coming through the underlying numbers of the original face only come through parts of the numbers on the MPH face. Although on mondials the odometer is a separate gauge and not contained within the speedo. My odometer is still in km.

 

i wanted this car in a bad way. but it has metric wheels and tires, which are "correct" but a minus none the less. also, it has some really strange paint work. (the black license panel, and the front the louvers). also i will mention one other thing nobody here has. ( have not read the thread yet, so i may be wrong)

this car is THE FIRST GTB QV......EVER. its the very first one made, according to Ferrari, and is as much a GTB "I" as a QV. i want a red over black QV, even if i have a paint a red car.

$25-28 is all i want to spend on another QV. i will just wait.

 

ps.... anybody know if the car in question has EPA DOT papers? my former GTB QV did, and everybody that asked about the car wanted to see the papers before they went any further. some states it may not matter, but i am not sure i would buy a euro car for top market, without all the EPA,DOT and US Customs papers.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1983-Ferrari-308-GTB-Nice-Local-Car-Red-Black-In-AZ_W0QQitemZ280476790100QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUS_Cars_Trucks?hash=item414db82d54

 

Kosher Pork Chops - That's a good one! Will try to make the Cleveland run this summer.

Ciao,
George

 

http://www.r-design.net/308/index_e.html

308 GTB QV 1982 — 1985 748 (s/n 42809 — 59071)

VIN# ZFFLA12B000042809

 

I like it! Not the paint nor the wheels but the car as a whole looks great to me.

 

Are you kidding; I know you must be!

If it's a split window coupe in good condition, it should sell in a heartbeat!