New member introduction, searching for a 2+2

Hello to everyone on this forum!

I'm on the hunt for my first Ferrari. I have been researching the marque, and I seem to have developed a fondness for the two models everyone else seems to dislike...the Mondial and the F400/F412.

I'd like to find a car I can work on myself. I currently drive a vintage Porsche 911 and an Audi S8. Both are fun cars, but I'm craving something that's distinctly non-German.

The 2+2 cars appeal to me because of the extra room. I like the idea of having a back seat for my young son. Plus I find their non-traditional styling to be kind of enjoyable; like a daily driver you don't really worry about kind of fun.

Any thoughts, both positive and negative, are welcome.

 

The Mondial will be easier and less expensive to work on as a DIY.

The 400/412 will be bigger and therefore more comfortable but much more complex and costly to repair.

The Mondial is more sportier looking, whereas the 400/412 is classier and understated.

 

What's the serial number?

...oh, wait, you're still looking.


This site has a very strong 365/400/412 following, so if you get one of those, you'll have tons of support. We also have quite a few Mondial owners, so you won't have a lack of support there either. Whether you can work on either depends entirely on your levels of skill, patience ...and sense of adventure.

Welcome to FerrariChat, by the way! You're sure to have a great time here. And while we welcome whatever question you can conjure, just remember that the search function is your friend. For example, if you're wondering about carburetors in a 400, go into the 365 GT4 2+2/400/412 subforum and use the search function to search for carburetor-related threads there.

 

Great post. Love when someone is drawn to the unconventional.

My vote is for a Mondial. You should talk to forum member Hank Sound. He has one of the nicest Mondials around and is an expert on the model.

Good luck !

 

As a Mondial owner I found the car to be wonderful for me. Very few compromises. I have put many miles on it this year including driving across the U.S. Always had enough room for luggage and got better than expected fuel economy too.

You mention less desirable which only means a comparatively lower purchase price. I was looking at late 80's 911s until I realized I could own a Ferrari for the same price.

I have no regrets in my purchase and can use the car to run errands if I don't have time to dedicate to just driving it so it never has to sit for lack of practicality purposes.

I'm also a fan of the 400 412.

Don't forget to update your profile, there may be an owner in your area that would be willing to show you their car.

 

have a look at the Ferrari GT4 as well.

 

Welcome!

You need to drive both-- they are very different driving experiences. Then choose the one you prefer. I used to own a Mondial, and currently own a 365GT 2+2, so I guess you can figure out which one I would choose.

 

Dizengoff,

What part of the country (or world) do you live in?

In your fchat profile it is helpful to enter a general area of your location, such as the State or Country you live in.

Best thing you can do is buy a 2+2 from an avid Ferrari enthusiast that has taken well care of it.
There are plenty of them out there with costly deferred maintenance items.

 

Why limit it to just one. I've had the 8 and the 365 together for a while now, both fun cars, almost no overlap in driving dynamics.

 

308 GT4 is the sportiest of the 2+2s. Many folks who have owned multiple Ferraris, including the blue-chip ones, have admitted their favorite driver's Ferrari is the 308 GT4. (Sense of speed is very high, and it is very nimble.) Very affordable ($20K)-- plus you get to enjoy the sound of four carbs.

The Mondial and 400/412 are heavier with more luxury appointments/electronics to go wrong....that's not to say these aren't great cars.

 

You guys are a ton of help and incredibly friendly! I appreciate the help and advice.

I'm in Chicago, IL. I know there have to be some local resources to draw upon.

Many people I've spoken with say the engines on these cars are quite reliable but the electronics and interior pieces tend to break. Is this consistent with what you guys see on your cars?

 

I think it depends on the year and model of Ferrari you buy.

The more modern cars have really improved in terms of reliability (for the most part).

 

Found an interesting 400i on Hemmings.
I don't know the car, so make sure you get a good PPI (pre-purchase inspection) if you like it.

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/dealer/ferrari/400i/1312358.html

1981 Ferrari 400i with 36k miles.
4.8 L (4823 cc) V12 producing 340 hp.
3-speed automatic trans from General Motors (T440).
Dark gray metallic repaint in the original color.
Asking $29,950. Located in Jamul, CA.
.
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On my 87 3.2 Mondial I've had no electrical issues since sorting it out. Been about 1.5 years since I've had to do anything electrical to it. About 15,000 miles. They have weak spots and any number of shops can bypass them for you if they have not already been done. Searching around here will bring up hours of fun reading about electrical issues. I too have heard the engines are very strong but at only 66K I can't speak to that.

 

My Mondial was an electronic disaster. Warning lights always on, shorts, etc. Of course, mine was a pretty poor example generally. Word to the wise-- the Ferrari that's cheap to buy will be the most expensive to own!

 

I saw that, and I absolutely love it. $29k seems a little high to me, but what do I know. Is that a reasonable price to pay? PPI is something I learned from buying my 911, although I found they overlooked some things...

There's a saying in the Porsche world: every Porsche is at least a $20k car. You either pay it when you buy, or you pay it by dealing with deferred maintenance. Ferrari is no different I gather...

I've heard the first years of Mondials were the ones with the most electrical problems.

One thing I learned from the Porsche world is that you tend to get more car for the money by getting involved with a forum community and then waiting for the right car to come up for sale on the forum's for sale section.

 

Well, it's an asking price. Offer them lower and take it from there...

Recent Cavallino evaluation (issue 185, Oct/Nov. 2011): $15 to $50K.

Recent Ferrari Market Letter evaluation/API (Vol 36 #24, Nov. 26th, 2011): $21,717 (essentially an average of the asking prices in their publication and other sources).

There are lots of discussions about PPIs here on F'chat too and yes, there are stories of missed items as well. In the end, you can have all off the PPIs done in the world, but with a close-to-30-year-old-car, anything can happen (Murphy's Law: usually after you take possesion of it! ). Trust your gut instinct.

 

Mine was a 3.2, which in theory should be one of the better ones. And, the drivetrain was pretty good.

The build quality on that era of Ferrari wasn't very good, and the Mondials had a hokey early centralized warning system which really didn't help things.

 

Another car I've always liked the look of is the Bertone design of the 308 GT4.

I think the back seats might be a little smaller than some of the other 2+2 Ferraris.

Here's a short video of one "going around the block".

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGcF2VfdHXY[/ame]

 

There are a few 400s in the Chicago area. There is a shop on Addison that usually has one or two that Giovanni is working on and/or selling. If you are interested in using the back seat for you son, forget about the 308GT4. It doesn't have three point mounts and there is no practical way to safely add them.

 

Wow, that's a beauty! The ad says...

... are those TRXs?

 

Would that be Autosprint LTD?

 

Yes. Giovanni has a good working relationship with one of the best Ferrari electrical guys in the Midwest. He rebuilt my alternator and regulator a few years back for a fair price. As far as authorized dealerships, I prefer Continental to LFSC. I have nothing against LFSC and my few dealings with them have been excellent. If I were in the market for a car I would not hesitate to buy from them. As a DIYer I find Continental to be more my speed. They are very helpful and Thom can find virtually any part I need. Continental is also always competitive when it comes to price. Gary and Scott run the service side and they have taken the time to get to know me and will honestly tell me if something is within my skill set or not. When I get over my head and need to take my car to them, the techs have extensive knowledge about the older cars and seem to have the right mindset about how to work on them. PM me if you have more questions. You might also want to post your questions in the Chicago section since there is at least one Chicago area 400 owner who regular checks FChat.

 

Like the GT4, the 400i (and the similar cars) get prettier every time I look at them.

Better and better.

I think history is going to be very kind to them.

 

Thats a bummer. All my warnings work properly. If any hatch on the car opens the bonnet light goes on. I've had the oil light go on once when the level was a bit low (there is a sensor at the bottom of the dipstick). Coolant came on once when a bit low when I had a bad radiator cap and it purged some fluid. I also had a "exterior lights" light that was intermittant. I found that the license plate light connections were corroded and cleaned it all up and have not had that problem. But as in this example a problem that may not be noticed in another car will cause you to pull every bulb on the outside of the car to clean all sockets and put some dielectric grease on them. It is an old car now and as I worked through those issues I found that all the warnings work accurately.