What one should be my first?

If you like E31s, then you need a TR or 512TR, the lack of torque in the 3x8ers will leave you wanting.

Side note, how reliable has your 97 been? I am looking at getting a 97 850Ci and was wondering...

 

What part of the world are you from? i have been looking for a 850i for a while now, can you give me any info how the car is, IE reliability driving experience, anything basically.

 

a 308/328 would be a good start, if you can't handle service costs of a TR.

 

If you like the look of the 512 and test but cant afford to buy then the 348 is for you, cause they look the same(almost). but if its not for the looks and its for the V12 then try and get the test or 512.

 

Suggest you take a look at an early F355. They in roughly the same price range as the 512 TR's. If you want to go a bit lower, than a 328 is a great 1st Ferrari. The 348 is a different issue and tends to produce very polarized opinions.

 

I like that "very polarized opinions for the 348" a nice tactfull way not to offend anyone.

 

Thanks. Learned that the hard way.

 

Oh my, your 850 is absolutely stunning. I've always had an eye for what I consider to be the more special BMWs; the 1980s 633/635s (had one in high school!), and the 840/850. For the latter, black is the only way to go--and those wheels are fantastic.

Funny, I'm in a 328 now, and I love the 850, but wouldn't give up the 328 for anything. It's perfect. I'd have to get the 850 in ADDITION to the 328!

328s are largely similar across the whole range, from 86 to 89; more so than the 308, which had fairly radical changes from its run from 76 to 85. The 328 is a very evolved car. At the price level you're at in the 850, I might suggest a 328 for you over a 308, or if you're looking for a step up a 348 (if that car does it for you), but a 355--even an early one--is a significant cost step up from the 850 you're in now.

Are you REALLY sure you want to let the 850 go?

 

Whatever Ferrari you decide to get, be sure it has 12 cylinders. After owning the BMW 850 with its wonderful V12, you will never be satisfied with the little 8s in Ferrari's 3 series cars. If you just want a toy, rather than a daily driver, look at some pre-TR Ferraris. I have a BB512i Boxer that I love. I have also had a 330GTC that was a wonderful car as well as a 400GT and TR that I enjoyed very much. From my experience after having owned 328GTS and 348Spider, the 8s in the Ferrari are lacking when compared to the 12s, both in sound and performance. Once you have a 12, an 8 will never be enough!

 

Lotus:

Lots
Of
Trouble
Usually
Serious

 

One of my best friends owns a Lotus Esprit V8 turbo, absolutely no trouble in over four years of ownership aside from the alarm. A serious and capable car but if you are lusting after a Ferrari the Lotus will not satisfy your need IMO.
The question of which one has been discussed loads here, indeed i posted the same question before buying my first one. I wanted a Boxer 512i and upon advice also considered the 512tr as a more modern alternative and the 355 as a more useable and less maintenance intensive proposition, but in the end I let my heart rule and bought the boxer. I dont regret it for one minute.
Steve

 

Hmmm. Let's see. Can anyone predict my answer to this "polarizing" question?



.



3



4



8




Yep, that's the one to get.


-Daniel

 

Lots
Of
Taste
Usually
Sophisicated

 

Just returned from a track event where one of the drivers had an 850.
Nice looking car! According to the owner a bit heavy for throwing around on a track but he wanted to play with it.
What to buy? How much money do you want to spend?

Track Car: 348/355/360 (in order of costs, both purchase and maintenance)
I track my 348 and will do the appropriate modifications to stabilize my car (ie. widen the rear track, 18" rims, etc).

Driver: Your pick here: 308/328/512/Testarossa - whatever looks good to you (I'm tempted to get an '85 308 and pump it up a bit, perhaps Norwood Turbo - love the look but they're not very fast).

My 2 cents.

 

I used to have an 850i...a 91'...I bought it to suffice my desire for a ferrari. Didn't work. I really liked the car but it still wasn't a ferrari. So I sold it, and guess what I bought...the treaded 348. I am reading all these posts about 'don't get an 8 ferrari, you wont be happy'...we'll I'm happy, very happy...and I can't even drive my car right now because it's torn apart to do a clutch job. The 850i and the 348 both have 300hp...except the 348 is about 700 lbs lighter. So its not like your going down in performance. I love the testarossa but i love the 348 even more...looks a bit more modern.just my 2 pennies.

 

I understand what you are going through....

I drove my Corvette for a few years.... picked up an 850i .... now Im looking at a Testarossa. I still have the Vette and plan to keep the 850i for as long as possible.

Pics of my 850i: http://eelinux.ee.usm.maine.edu/~jowappel/bmw/

-JRW

 

Start with 3x8 and see what you think of it eventhough they are 8 cylinders but never disappoint when driving it as I currently own one.
512TR is also a great 12 to drive but more costly to maintain.

Try both of them out and see what you prefer.
Good luck.

 

Depends on your purpose.
If you want a beautiful, classic Ferrari, then 308/328 is a good choice. If you are looking for power, you will need a 12 cylinder or 355/later 8 cyl. If you want really good handling (by today's standards) you'll need a 355/later.

If you choose a 328, there are really two basic decisions. 1. GTB vs GTS. 2. 86-88 or 88.5-89 which had the suspension update. GTB's are hard to come by, but are better, prettier cars. The suspension upgrade makes the car feel more modern with sharper steering but does not improve the handling very much in objective terms. They were great cars from day one with legendary (by Ferrari standards) reliablilty.

Dave