HELLO PEEPS what are your views on these to buy or not to buy its my only way to afford a FERRARI at the moment i'm looking at an 85-86 car 3.0 QV or a 3.2QV BOTH IN VGC any advice sarcasm or wit welcomed (i really like a 308 )
cheers steve something positive, i was under the illusion nobody really liked them ???it has 4 seats its not a real ferrari you know the usual thanks otherwise i was looking at a dare i say PORSCHE 911
Ideally go for the 328 they have reasonable rust treatment compared to the earlier 3.0's. I have heard that the longer wheelbase of the Mondial gives better handling than the 308/328
its all down to money i'm afraid i can't be bothered to anymore its already burning a hole in my pocket
I own one of each, there is nothing wrong with the Mondial and it is a more usable (and comfortable car) than a 308 is. Only a little more "low key", but more fun to drive with the slightly longer wheelbase. Image Unavailable, Please Login
I bought my mondial in march of this year and I am still finding reasons to take it out for a drive, anything from the shop dear?. I had a test drive in a 328 which was great but my head was touching the roof, 6.4 inchs tall, the mondial has more head room. If you look at the car from the front or rear it has a great shape, the side not so good. The mondial is a cheap form of the first ferrari experiance, and you will be hooked.
Go for as late a car as you can afford, as previously mentioned, the earlier the car the worse the rust protection (partialy galv bodies came in after 85) you may also want to try to get a car without the milmetric wheels as the tyres a expensive for what you get (and you have very little choice michelin or avon)
My introduction to Ferrari ownership was a 3.0 Mondial QV. Although regarded by some as a "poor mans" Ferrari, it still had a 3 litre, quad cam 32 valve Ferrari V8 engine! - Nuff said!!!
they maybe nice cars but a 308/328 is nicer, if your hearts set on one get one im sure for a first ferrari you will enjoy it ,if not and you dont mind waiting save up and buy a 308/328,hey this is what id do but were all different at the end of the day its your choice.
Looked at Mondial 3.0QV and the 308 GT4's. Would have bought either. Glad I went for the older car. If budget stretches to late teens, you can't beat a 3.2 Mondial IMO. 270bhp over 240/250. I've never heard "any" not propper Ferrari rubbish on here or at meets because they've got 4 seats, just means you've got room for more friends/golf clubs etc. Dan (208GT4) is selling his for £8,995 if interested. (perfect for a V12 engine swap)
great i feel a bit better now i thought i might get shunned if i owned one LOL THANKS EVERYBODY FOR ALL THE POSITIVE FEEDBACK
Tony you won't be shunned for buying a very pretty car, a Mondial. However, you WILL be shunned for being an Essex boy!
The definitely have the right ingredients. So no shame in owning one at all (far from it). But...if your budget does stretch into the later teens, you could get a nice 308 (even a QV). If these are really what you want, you'd be better off waiting to find one at the right price IMO.
i'm from Berkshire if you don't mind (mind is that worse)and i can't wait to get an Fcar and meet you lot and see some proper cars for a change LOL!!!!!!!!!!!
Tony, If you find yerself in the Gatwick area one weekend, PM me and I'll take you for a "spirited" run in the GT4. Richard
now there is an offer cheers for that, mind you if my bike sells i'll be in an Fcar by the weekend whohoo!!!!!!!!!!!
3.2 is faster - more BHP and more low down torque. Body coloured re-designed bumpers too, if that's your bag. QV seems more fun to drive - you need to shift the gears constantly to keep the revs up if you want the power, and the steering and handling is a bit more raw than later models. No power steering makes them buggers to park, and the long wheelbase doesn't help. Whatever the age they'll rust - they're old Italian cars. Expect the electric windows to be crap and the electric glovebox release buggered as well. You'll never to able to see the speedo above 40 mph or below 120mph. The tachometer will also be invisible under 6500 rpm, which doesn't matter in the slightest as you don't need to change till 8. In fact the entire dashboard was glued on as an afterthought because they had a stack of spare dials from the 308 which they legally had to put into the car. You will physically be unable to change into 2nd gear until the car has been running for 10 mins or so. No one knows why, no-one cares - you just get used to it. The switch gear is from a variety of 80s Fiats, and the windows go up and down via string and pulleys. Really. Did I mention that the electric windows are crap? Yes, they are supposed to be that slow. If it has a sunroof it'll either not work, or will scrape on the roof edge when opening/closing. Ignore it and keep it closed - it just lets in water anyway. If you have an oil leak around the oil cooler, Ferrari will rape you to the tune of over £180 *each* for the two pipes leading to/from the oil cooler. The spark plugs are hidden under "spark plug extenders", which is the Italian way of saying "Hahahaha! Now get the fsck out of the engine bay!" If the car hasn't been driven much they will cause you endless amusement. You will become intimately familiar with the fuse box, and if you don't have them already, you will swiftly acquire god-like skills with the soldering iron and multi-meter. Mechanicals are pretty bulletproof - my QV managed to run quite happily for a while on only a bank of 4 cylinders. They handle superbly well - excellent on the track as well as on the road. Probably one of the best handling Ferraris of that era - they really are underrated in that regard. A real driver's car. Mondials are excellent Just make sure you drive it lots and enjoy it - regular driving and the car will reward you. Stick it in your garage and air it once every 6 months and it will fall apart. Avoid low mileage examples as they will be rubbish - if something on it isn't already broken it will be. Plus none of the essential maintenance will have been done. Earlier models (even the 3.2s I think?) had millimetric wheels. The tyres for which are Michelin TRXs, and they will set you back between £250-£270 *each*. And it's a 25 year old tread pattern and rubber compound - ie. wrapping the wheels in discarded condoms would give you better grip. Had my QV nearly 2 years now - still haven't stopped smiling, still piling on the miles. They're awesome cars! Not sure I'd ever sell it tbh Budget for a decent set of aftermarket wheels (17" at least), a K&N air filter, and give it a major service immediately - fresh oil, sparks, HT leads and distributor gubbins will give you a trouble-free car. You'll also want to speak to Hill Engineering and get a replacement gear shift gate and gear stick knob - they make the absolute world of difference to gear changes. And if you get a QV you'll be changing gear lots ;-) On a related note, my Mondial is off down to QV London this week so Phil can try some wheels on it. If they fit, QV will have several sets of wheels for Mondials for sale. Cheers, (an overworked) TOM
The 208 is no longer for sale... new girlfriend has forbidden me from selling it! The Mondial is more modern feeling, larger inside and heavier than a GT4 but IMHO it's slightly less thrilling to drive.
