hey everyone, been a lurker here for quite some time, but have recently begun exploring different options and have a few questions. hope you take it easy on me. Im a huge car fan who has been playing with older muscle cars for most of my past. few porsches here and there, but mostly old american big block stuff. like any true car fan, ive loved ferraris since the beginning, but the budget hasnt allowed one up until now. Ive always been very interested in the 308 and looking for some advice on possibly purchasing one. Surprisingly, I havent found too many websites giving information about them, and unfortunately I dont know that much about these cars. What should I look out for when buying? What are the major problems these cars have? If one has been well maintained how reliable are they and how costly is maintenance? I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction of any good websites that give some history or data that I can use to educate myself. Thanks a bunch.
use the seach function on this site. every possible question you could ask is in there. don't forget to seach the old archives too. if you've been turning wrenchs long enough you should know a car is just a car. once you get past the ferrari mystique you'll find that out. the only real difference is the price of parts and their availability. this site is a gold mine of information and if you utilize it you litterally can diagnose and fix most any problem. good luck.
Yeah, what tatcat said. Take a look here too: http://www.birdmanferrari.com/ Welcome and hope you join the Ferrari circle soon. Henry
If you have been turning wenches on old muscle cars, you'll be very happy to know that 308's don't require laptops and sofware to fix either. None. Good luck with your search. I hope you find a good one.
If you're accustomed to the pull of of an American big-block, you may be happier with a carburetor Ferrari 308, specifically 1976-77 years. They have no cats, and hotter cams. My 77 pulls very strongly, and is very satifying to drive. 80-82 were the "not so strong" years, and 83-85 went 4-valve. The early cars ran cooler because they had no cats. My engine bay is never super hot, where my old '83 used to run SUPER hot... Best, Greg
thanks for the replies guys. birdmans website was great. answered a lot of the engine questions for me. ill have to decide on whether to go carbed or go qv. ive accepted the fact that the car will not be super fast, but i do want to maximize power. i like what i hear about the sound from the carbed v8s, but i also like the idea of 4v per cylinder.
Rv5, The first step is to zero in on which generation to get. The carb cars, especially pre-cats are the coolest of the bunch and the most brutish. The QV's are easier to live with because of continued development. Also, rust proofing really began in 1984. Finding a really nice early 308 can be a challenge so be patient. For the home tinkerer, the carb cars may be more satisfying to own. If you just want to get in and drive, the QV may be a better choice. Good luck, Dave
My best suggestion to you is to join the local region for the Ferrari Club of America and attend a few events. Check out http://www.ferrariclubofamerica.org There will be some 308s or 328s in the group, and the owners will help you with your questions and probably help you find a car. You will save money buying directly from the previous owner rather than through a dealer. Insist on a prepurchase inspection be a Ferrari specialist, either the dealer or a local shop specializing in the car. I had MASSIVE concerns about buying a 20 year old car, trying to learn about each car, but I found the local club greatly helped me with concerns and pointing me in the right direction. You don't have to own a Ferrari to join, and Ferrari folks are friendly (and a little wild). Good sources on pricing are Cavallino magazine, Sports Car Market (magazine and on line, auction results) and Ferrari Market Letter (on line, contains only asking prices). Once you drive a 308 in third or fourth gear on windy roads you will be hooked. Steve
I've got a '79. It's a pretty easy car to work on once you get past the fact that you will have to remove other parts to gain access to the one you want. Like the layers of an onion. I'm a wrench turner and I've been able to do pretty much all the work on the car myself. The only work I had an independent mechanic do was the tire balance, front end alignment and synchronise the carburetors. Everything else I've done myself with basic hand tools and a good timing light. In the 4 years I've had the car I've spent probably $1,500 in maintenance (and that included converting the points over to electronic ignition). I plan on spending another $700-1,000 or so this winter changing the cam belts, idler pulleys and water pump. The only downside is that you can't get the parts down at the local parts store. (Well, some parts you can get if you tell them it's a Jeep or a Fiat. As soon as you say Ferrari they say, "We can't get it." or "We don't have a listing." Do some research first and you'll find you can get pretty much all the common parts locally. I even got the trunk lift cylinders at the local discount auto parts place. Don't say Ferrari, give them the part number, and you still have to argue with them because they want to know what it goes on and whether or not you have A/C and power windows. "It's a K&N air filter, here's the part number, forget about what it goes on. This is what I want." "Well Sir, we need to know what it goes on to make sure you get the right part." "OK, fine. It's a 1979 Ferrari 308 GTS with a 3.0 liter V-8, manual transmission, A/C and power windows." "I'm sorry Sir, we don't have a listing for that car." "I know you don't have a listing. That's why I gave you the part number of the filter I want." You get the picture. It's like finding parts for a Studebaker or an Edsel. They are out there if you know what to ask for.) If you want the car as a collectable and a hobby and you like to roll up your sleeves you will be very happy with it. It's like driving a freakin' go-cart. If you plan on using a 308 as a daily driver you will be better off buying a brand new Jetta. Hope you like automotive electrical work. The Italians may be great at performance and design, but they ain't electricians. The electrical system is weak. The other thing to look at, like any of the other American cars you've owned, is rust at the bottoms of the doors. Common on the 308 and it doesn't get better with time. I think with the QV they started using rust-proofing.
It can be you're willing to insist a bit and remember that boost is your friend....my qv is well over 500 hp and pretty quick.... and it only took 20 psi to do it
