328 - The driving experience?

You can't argue against 12 cylinders, but the 308/328(GTB) is one of Pinin Farina's lovliest designs.

 

Not an issue at all. The 3.2 V8 will pull very happily in 5th from 1500 & there is no significant "off-power" band to deal with, it feels like the torque curve is pretty flat across 2000-6500. It is also common when cold to go from 1st to 3rd to bypass the "blocky" 2nd gear engagement for the first few changes - the engine is easy with this.

My dad drove my 3.2 Mondial up to a mountain lookout for his first drive & hardly got above 2500rpm despite my urging (pleading?). It wasn't a problem, even up the steep bits, and I think the Mondial has even taller gearing than the 328 2-seater.

The steering's not as good as a mid-engined Lotus, the power won't be as brutal as a current turbo-thingy & the suspension ride & handling on the older-style tyres will be not up to the standard of M3s, etc but as a total package it is a genuine driver's car. Find one at a dealers, get it warmed up (10 mins) and see for yourself (but NOT just in city traffic or you'll be disappointed).

 

Not much more to add here but a couple points anyway:

The 328 is NOT slow! Since when was 0-60 in 5.6 secs slow?

The handling is perfect. It may not have as high a limit as some of todays cars, but below that it is a blast. Thru the twisties, it is a scalpel.

It is easy to shift smooth and very easy to heel-and-toe.

My E46 M3 will flat out blow its doors off, but the 328 seems to handle much better and is more balanced.

The GTB is better looking and stiffer.

It is the most reliable Ferrari to date.

It IS the perfect car ever made. Period

 

Like many of the others have said, the 328 is great handling car. It's such a pleasure drive - because it has great feedback - in terms of the roaring engine, the go-cart feel, the suspension. It's been rock solid for me - nothing out of the ordinary besides the usual fluids change - anything else would be on my part to get it in tip top shape.
You won't regret getting it - yes it might not be the fastest car out there today - but once you've driven one, you'll understand it's just more than the 0-60 number, but the overall experience that would put an ear to ear grin on your face.

 

GTB vs GTS

If you're not a stock fanatic, you could always modify your GTS to look like a GTB, like I did with mine.

 

This months FORZA has an interesting article about using a Ferrari as a daily driver, including a 328.

 

Tim,

The 328 is a blast to drive! Tested an '86 GTB with 27k on the clock on the behest of my practice's Partner who at long last decides that Ferrari is the ONE. I've never driven one before and the accurate steering, go kartish handling and the smallish/practical size really bowls me over and IMO counters the oft-mentioned less than spectacular power. It is a 20 year old machine but you don't really feel it. It was taut, no creaks and possess almost telepathic responses. Reminds me of my Duke 996.

BTW, I drive a 355 berlinetta.

 

Ahh, much better info. Yes, that is a respectible 0-60mph. The vast majority of people under-drive their vehicles and this includes the go-fast cars. Case in point, my bone-stock 1972 automatic VW Squareback (Variant for you Euro volks) does 0-60 around 17 seconds and yet I still out accelerate 98/100 people off the line at stop lights and have to brake in corners so I don't smack their rear bumper. I see so many cars with 1, 2, and 4 more cylinders than my vehicles and still those other drivers have no clue as to the function of the long pedal under their right foot!

There's a reason I made this sticker for my car:

 

So true with many classic and antique cars. Only fellow enthusiasts would understand -- the common citizen will be clueless and you'll never be able to explain it.

I love that feeling!

 

I've not read the whole thread so sorry if I repeat anything.

I have a 328 and use it as you describe. I would say that compared to (say) an M3 it's significantly slower in a straight line and round the bends, but it feels much faster (low down, masses of feedback). You might find the acceleration disappointing initially because you need to really get high up in the revs before you get anything comparable with a more modern highly tuned engine. The low down torque isn't earth shattering.

Handling is as good as most super saloons, but the car carries quite a bit of weight so it's not as nimble as say a Lotus Elise. No power steering so heavy to park. brakes very good even by modern standards (mine's ABS).

Running costs aren't so bad and seem to be falling as more marque specialists do fixed price servicing. Servicing is 2x per year, one's £375 + vat the bigger one about twice that. If worst comes to worst a full engine rebuild is around £8k.

Insurance is a bargain (mine's £400 for 4k miles)

Reliability: Biggest problem is flat battery due to the alarm running it flat in winter. Solved with £50 Halfords jump starter!

Rust: It's largely steel, hence the weight, so check the underside of the rear engine panel. Water accumulates there and it can start to rust, also the wheel arches. The aluminium fins on the bonnet almost always pick up stone chips but are no big deal to get sorted.

No of Owners etc: Very common for the cars to change owners every two/three years, many people trade up to a 355 as they make more money. Usual rules apply - no history, no purchase. Personally I'd rather have a car that's always been used than one that's "been in a well known collection" and has low mileage. Very common to have new speedo for two reasons: 1. Clocking, 2. they can break if you reset the milometre whilst moving.

Upsides: Usually very warm reception from other drivers, much less aggression than in a 550/575/360 etc. Rock solid residuals, but see my post in the UK section about this year's prices. Spares pretty easy to get, but check the switch gear as it's harder to come by and was made by Fiat, so it's often crap (esp. IMHO the electric mirrors). Every drive's an event.

Other: The Aircon's a joke (freezes your knees) and the other heater controls are counter intuitive and bemusing at first.

Compared to say £35k for a BMW that's going to be worth 50% in two/three years it's a very practical alternative financially and emotionally.

BTW don't worry about asking for a drive - why the hell would anyone consider one without driving one?

JG

 

Tim

I had a 328 in the UK for 4 years, happy to give some advice, drop me a line if I can help

btw I think the UK sectio nhas just settled down a lot so drop in down there

 

My experience with successfully/easily steering at low speeds has been:

* grip wheel on the bottom half with hands in a palms up position, at about '8:00/4:00' as measured in a 'clock' diagram. Wheel is actually contacted by palms + 1st finger of each hand 'pointing' along the wheel curve & touching the wheel the entire length of each 1st finger + thumb resting/riding lightly on the wheel, almost on top of each 1st finger. Long description, easy fit to your hands when you actually try it...

* if turning the wheel left, use mainly a right hand upward movement, not very hard or moving the wheel very far. Turning right, use left hand, etc.

* trick is to give it -barely- enough gas to get the car -barely- moving, -slightly- before you begin to turn the wheel. If you do this, the steering is quite workable, as you have the car working with you, instead of rubber that's welded to the pavement.

Where most people experience difficulty is in either trying to turn the wheel when the car is not yet moving(way tough), or in using the classic 10:00/2:00 hands position on the upper part of the wheel. Arms are straight out, next to impossible to budge the damn thing.

 

My 328 GTS is a great fun car to drive, very raw as if you are driving a go-kart. However, it is 17 year old so can't compare it with the modern technology especially the japs.
I also am getting 512 TR next week and the feelings between V12 and V8 from similar vintage are very much different.
However, 328 is a great car so my advice is test drive it and see how you feel.

 

Sorry for the late reply ... no, I wouldn't recommend an Elise for full time street use. I'm pretty limber, and under 5'8", and I thought it was a p.i.t.a. to get in and out. But - congrats, it's a very striking car and will embarrass almost everything else on four wheels. And with Toyota running gear that's likely to be dependable.

Good comment about evolution, though -- I would love to see a modern car that carried forward the simplicity and mystique of the 308/328. Money aside, the 360 and 430 aren't in the same spirit as the earlier V-8's.

Even my P-car (993) is overkill when it comes to electronics. It's gorgeous, sounds great, goes fast, etc., but the slower 328 is more visceral and I didn't think the '86 I drove was punishing.

As far as TR's - very nice, but the maintenance is scary, and the 328 is probably easier to resell due to more iconic status and a reputation for being a good "starter" Ferrari.

J

 

J
I said the Elise has a punishing ride. 328's are pretty compliant. I once drove an 87 GTS from Atlanta to Kansas City in one day and it was just fine, not fatiguing at all. I figure any car can be nit picked to death, but a few just seem to get it right as a whole. I would put 328's in that camp.

DAve