Thinking about getting a Mondial 3.2 Cab

Hi everyone,

My first post in F-chat, thanks for looking. I have recently started looking around for a Mondial here in the NW. I went to look at the '87 at a Seattle dealership. I guess this car has been for sale quite awhile and I don't see it selling anytime soon. They are asking $23,900 with no records and it's in poor shape if you ask me.

It was my first time behind the wheel of a Ferrari. The Italian driving position came back to me since one of my first cars was a Fiat Spider 2000. I didn't drive the car as the battery was dead and I wasn't going to buy it anyway. But it did seem like my legs might have trouble fitting under the wheel. I'm 5' 11" and had no trouble with the Fiat. I saw a spacer for sale that will move the wheel aft.

So does anyone have a red 3.2 Mondial Cab they are thinking of letting go? I'd really like to look locally but I know that limits the choices.

Thanks!

Dave in Mukilteo

 

Hi, good choice on selecting the 3.2. Its a nice compromise and does not require an engine out for a major service and does have the relatively low maintenance cost of the 308/328. The 3.2 Mondial you saw was at AutoQuest, seen that one forsale for a while.
One thing you have to get passed which I came to realize fairly soon was a Ferrari is not like a Honda, Toyota, or BMW. The AC always will need a recharge, slow or bad windows, and gremlins on lights and switches that will need to be cleaned or replaced. Once you get beyond that and the car is actually running well, she will reward you with a great driving experience leaving a huge smile on your face as you drive down the road and everyone looking at you in awe!


There's a pretty clean 88 3.2 that's been forsale a couple of months that if I didn't have my 88, I would consider, see below:

1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet $29,333
1-866-698-6569 Sales
2727 Northaven Rd.
Dallas, TX 75220

link to ad
http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/vdp.jsp?ct=u&car_id=303505880&dealer_id=56020623&car_year=1988&systime=&doors=&model=MOND&search_lang=en&start_year=1981&keywordsfyc=&keywordsrep=&highlightFirstMakeModel=&search_type=both&distance=0&min_price=&rdm=1318414046596&drive=&marketZipError=false&advanced=&fuel=&keywords_display=&lastBeginningStartYear=1981&end_year=2012&showZipError=y&make2=&certified=&engine=&dma=WASHINGTON_DC_WE&page_location=findacar%3A%3Aispsearchform&body_code=0&isFlashPlugin=true&transmission=&default_sort=priceDESC&max_mileage=&color=&address=20155&sort_type=priceDESC&max_price=&make=FER&seller_type=b&num_records=25&cardist=1151&standard=false

Good luck!

 

Hi Dave, and welcome to FerrariChat.

You may not need a spacer; did you try adjusting the steering wheel? If not, I'd go back for another fit.

Also, here's a link to the Owner's Manual download that may help when you're looking at Mondials (you may need to hit the browser refresh after clicking the link).
Image Unavailable, Please Login

 

Yes, the joy of the Mondial. Tilting and telescoping wheel. Granted we are all proportioned differently but I drove mine cross country and found it very comfortable.

I've had my car two years and put it up for sale. Three days later I pulled the ad as I couldn't bear to part with it. Mine is black with tan though.

Don't be afraid to go outside your area. These cars are an investment of time and money and more time and more money. You will spend years with the car you buy and will have to deal with any needs that arise. Also there are many here that will go look at a car for you if they live in the area. I looked at a car once in Houston when I happened to be working in the area.

I guess what I'm saying is be willing to spend time and money in your search to get the one that is best for you. Do you know yet if you are looking for lower or higher miles, more of a show car or driver?

 

Ahh! I did find the steering wheel adjustment lever and moved the wheel up and down, but I did not know it telescoped as well. Cool, I'm sure that will do the trick. And thanks for the link. I've now downloaded the manual.

I've been reading up on the Mondial for the last week or so. The 3.2 does seem like a good choice for me. It seems like the best bang for the buck in the Mondial lineup.

I'm not looking for a show car, just a fairly well sorted Sunday driver, and I do plan on driving it. I would like to take trips down our cabin or over mountains, within a 150 mile radius, so it must be dependable. So a car with some miles on it doesn't bother me. I did read a post that a lot of Ferraris drive around with the odometer disconected, so who really knows the acual mileage anyway.

I'm a A&P aircraft mechanic so I do most of my own wrenching. Back in the day when I had the Fiat, I rebuilt the motor and kept up on all the electrical gremlins. One thing I can't do without a car lift is the engine-out major, so the ability to change the belts in the car is a big plus.

I did see the ad for the '88 in Dallas. It is so hard to judge a car with pictures. The '87 in Seattle looked good in the ad, but up close and personal it was way worn. Has anyone been to look at the '88?

Of course everybody wants a good deal and I'm no exception. $30K seems high to me unless it is close to perfect and I'm not looking for perfect. I want to spend low $20's. The car can be due a service but I'd at least like to see the records of prior service. A private sale is probably the best. It would be great to talk to the owner directly but with only what, a couple thousand 3.2 cabs built, you find them wherever they are...

Thanks for the replies and I'll post a "Hi" over in the NW forum section.

Dave

 

Buy the best you can afford. Many say they dont want a show car. They buy something mid pack and end up spending many $$$ to make it better. For the same $$$ you could have bought a showcar.
Buy the best car now. Its cheaper in the end.
Have fun in the hunt.

 

In this economy, old Ferrari's aren't flying off the shelves, so you maybe able to get one in the mid 20s especially going into winter. But I wouldn't even worry about the service records, just as long as the Carfax checks out, you find a nice one for the price you can afford, and replace or do your own maintenance and start the service records from the time you own it. If you are good with cars, you will understand what needs to be replaced (usual suspects: spark plugs, air filter, oil, coolant, brakes, etc) and of course the cambelts, or timing belts if you are brave. And yes, lots of gremlins, light switch and windows... but at the end of the day, its only a car, nice one at that! Check out some of the Craiglist ads as well, there is a guy selling one in Tampa area that you can prob haggle for $28k in great condition. -all the best!

 

Yep. I know exactly what you are talking about. One of my hobbies is pinball and video arcade collecting and repair. I like to fix them up and have often bought a low-end machine and done the restoration. When I am finished with the game I'll have as much into it as I can sell it for, nothing for my labor costs. I'd rather not do the same for a car. Plus I know Ferrari parts are not as easy find as pinball parts.

It will be interesting to see what I can find. I don't expect to come across a car that fits my needs without some effort.

 

This is a local car near me that has been on Craigslist for awhile. I have no affiliation with it and don't know the owner. There are a few places here in St. Louis for a ppi.


http://stlouis.craigslist.org/cto/2605421086.html

 

WOW, that's a very nice t and 30K sounds like the right price or even a deal if it's as represented. Thanks for sending.

So, I think that tells me that a nice 3.2 with maybe more miles and not as precise records should be low to mid 20's and closer to low. That is my top end figure. Like a Soucorp said these older cars are not flying off the shelves.

Black is very attractive on the car. A bit understated, just like the Mondial itself.

BUT, gotta be ROSSO for me

Unless it's a steal of course.

 

There are no cheap Ferraris. You can pay now or later. Or you can pay now and later. Just depends on luck and ppi's and service records.

But as a 3.2 cab guy, I can tell you I completely love it. If you are thinking about a wife or girlfriend as a potential driver as well, then may I suggest the t. Power steering is the major benefit at driveway and parking lot speeds, otherwise the manual steering is perfect. The extra HP, adjustable shocks, ABS (offered on very late 88 Mondial 3.2's as well), and lower COG, are all the bonus items on the t, but aren't really necessary for typical cruising speeds. They are great things to have on spirited drives however. I'm not sure the engine service issues, smaller cabin space and mousetrack seatbeats are improvements, but everything else is. I also personally like the larger cheese grater sides better on the 3.2 than the t. Seems more Ferrari-style to me.

 

Be very careful. Everything is fine on these cars until it isn't and if you want to enjoy this incredible Ferrari experience, just know that what you spend up front may have absolutely no correlation with your overall cost of ownership. Just be ready for $800 ignition coils or $300 switches or $2,000 clutch replacements or $4,000 major engine in or $10,000 major engine out services, which these cars require every 3 years basically. I've had zero repair expenses this year, and several thousand dollar ones in other years. There are NO cheap Ferrari's. That may even be more true of 20+ year old ones like these Mondials.

 

I totally agree with jgoodman, a 20+ yr old Ferrari will be totally unpredictable, even if it passed its ppi ! when I got my 88, everthing worked beautifully, 2 months later, dealing with lots of gremlins, ie rear windows stuck on down, coolant expansion hose cracked, slow down lights, etc... But it certainly helps if you are mechanically inclined and can fix these things yourself! all the best, I still love my 3.2 despite her shortcomings!

 

Thanks for all the words of wisdom. I'm willing and able to sort all the minor issues I'm sure will pop up. As long as I'm not dropping mega bucks for an engine or tranny rebuild I'm good. And I know the interior pieces are hard to find so interior appearance is important.

These cars just don't change hands everyday, so judging the value is more difficult than your average Honda IMHO.

 

Dave, Just one more advice, don't be afraid to ask for a discount from asking price, especially if it will need a major service done. That's roughly $5k at the Ferrari dealer or $3k at a specialty shop for the 3.2 Mondial. The t's will demand $7k or more for engine out. When I bought my 88, I used the service quotes to get a 8k discount from asking, and the dealer said okay! so becareful what you ask for, might get it!

 

An exceptionally good choice...

 

Lots of sound advice above. I agree with the - get the best one that you can afford and a 3.2 is best.

My search for a Mondial took almost three years and multiple flights to various states to see what was described to be a perfect car, only to find disappointment.

As a point of comparison, I purchased my 1988 1/2 at Ferrari Maserati of New England about eight years ago. It had 6K miles on it. Red over Black, cabriolet. It had all service records from new and was - and still is absolutely perfect. (It has received three first place awards and one second in a local Italian Car Show.) It now has about 16K miles on it.

I paid $44000.00 which included a full dealer major.
It has been rock solid and a real pleasure to drive. I have only had one problem, which turned out to be a relay, since I have owned the car.

I have had had the dealer perform two majors, each of them cost about $6000.00 and I have annual "fluids and shine" service done each year before storage. This includes a comprehensive review, oil and filter and break fluid flush and fill and a full detail for about $600.00. I also had a clutch replaced last year which included a bunch of extra's - seals etc. which cost around $5000.00.

The reason I share the above details is to help you to understand what I believe to be typical costs of ownership. Lucky, you post that you are handy with a wrench and if you become an owner, you will find that the Ferrari community if made up of a great group of guys and gals and that Ferrari Chat will prove to be a great source of information and support.

I mentioned above about the need to replace a relay. This was a recent experience. My car suddenly did not want to idle and I posted to see if anyone could provide advice. If you want to get an idea as to the help and support that you can expect from fellow F-Chatters, have a look at that post. Invaluable!

I also have an 1982 Fiat Spider 2000 which I have had for about 20 years. Great car, lots of fun to drive, easy and very in-expensive to maintain and proven to be very reliable. I drive this car very frequently......

I wish you luck with your search. Be patient, stay in touch with F-Chat and feel free to contact me with questions.

Thanks
- Ron Frohock

 

You know Dave, this is so true. Once the car is bought it's easy to become passionate about how you present it. I attended the last Celebration Exotic Car Festival (Florida) and realized that, without too much effort, I could have entered mine.

 

A lot of guys who don't want to drop megabucks for an engine or tranny rebuild actually do. I have a 328 friend who last year had to have his engine rebuilt for $18,000, otherwise the car was a parts car. He didn't want to drop megabucks either.

Good advice Ron. And happy you're rolling again.

 

100% agree - the t just doesn't look as striking as the 3.2 - but the interior is lightyears ahead. Take the good with the bad

Erik

 

jgoodman said, "...I have a 328 friend who last year had to have his engine rebuilt for $18,000, otherwise the car was a parts car..."

$18k for an engine, that's insane! Why did he need to rebuild the engine? Did the timing belts snap or a blown head gasket, over heating?

 

I'm looking at a lot more than that for my 348 service -

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=338260

I was in a similar situation - if I didn't go through with the full motor service, I would have had to part her out - bent valve, blown headers.

Erik

 

Hi guys. Jay PM'd me and suggested you may be interested on my engine fix. So here it goes. I had a head gasket go bad on a 1988 328 GTS with 37,000 miles on it at the time of the repair.

Engine out and heads removed. The facility had the heads sent out for checking and decking. The exhaust valves had to be replaced from the worn valve guides causing abnormal wear. All the guides, intake and exhaust were replaced along with the all the exhaust valves. The fuel accumulator was replaced. The clutch, throwout bearing and pressure plate was replaced due to nearing the end of its life. This saved me $1,000 if I had it replaced it in a year or two. The coolant and fuel lines were replaced at this time since it was the best time since the engine was out. A full major was also done including valve adjustment, cam seals, various other seals and rear main seal which if it goes bad ruins the new clutch. New spark plugs and new wires were also done. I had all fluids flushed and replaced including brake fluid. The door hinges were regreased. All that ended up costing $19,000. Damn that hurts writing that sum again.

This was done at a very well respected and trusted independent shop. They cut me a brake on labor and parts. They saved me major money on getting the valve guides and valves aftermarket vs from Ferrari. That alone saved me $6,000 dollars

I could have parted the car out, but there is no way of telling getting another car, if I would have had other issues or similar. This way I know it is as good as I can get it. Thank heavens the heads pressure tested good or the bill would have been out of sight.

The head gaskets are quire expensive. All this after 6,000 miles of mostly trouble free driving. The shop stated the previous owner must have run hot at some time which eventually caused the head gasket failure.

Remember these cars are 20-25 years old and other issues can show up from suspension parts , coolant system, brake system to electrical. GET THE FUEL LINES REPLACED. The car is currently in the shop for an electrical problem. All in all I love the car and hope to get it back soon to enjoy the wonderful weather this time of year. Buy the way drive and enjoy these cars as much as possible. I currently have over 9,000 miles on the car in 2.5 years and that is with from October of last year to May of this year with the car out of use.

Just because you have a newer Ferrari doesn't mean no problems. At the shop that works on my car they have a 599 there which needs a new fuse panel costing $3,000 just for the part.

One may get a car and have numerous miles trouble free but eventually, if you keep it, especially an older one, dollars will have to be spent whether you do your own work or have someone else do it. Parts prices at times can be high. There is nothing like a Ferrari for pure driving enjoyment. Don't let this scare you from a Ferrari purchase just go in eyes wide open. Remember the Z06 Corvette owner that bought one new 4 years ago and sells it now is taking $20,000 to $30,000 hit and it will continue to depreciate and we won't talk of the Maserati, AMG or Murcielago depreciation.

 

jrinehart , thanks for taking the time to write up your story. A head gasket problem is a sure thing anytime the car is running and there is no coolant running through the engine for cooling. Sounds like the previous owner may have had a coolant rupture or very low oil in engine that caused some serious temperartures damaging the valve and blown headers. I had a Landcruiser that did just that, busted coolant hose but I kept driving to get to a safe place. The engine was toast, needed a rebuild as you described. But note, these are rare occassions, it happened to me only 1 time out of 25 cars I've had and it was totally my ignorance that caused it. My advice, pay attention to your gauges, its their for a reason so if it goes bad, stop and tow, -not go go go.

 

Off topic but in the second picture down in your 348 service thread what is the hose on the right hand side that is just below the muffler?