Can you get a PPI from the dealer your buying car from?

Well, normally I would not have the dealer that I'm buying the car from do my PPI. Picture this, I'm going to sell you a car and then I'm going to do a PPI on it and tell you everything is fine. Is there a conflict of interest there? If you believe the dealer, then buy the car. Personally, I wouldn't spend the money to have the dealer certify a car that he is going to sell. I'd look at the car and see what up with it. Are there any cracks in the frame? Are the wheels straight? Does it start and run good? What does the oil look and smell like? Check out all the electrics. Do all of the guages work. Check out the heating and AC system to see if it works. Those are the kinds of things that you can look at with out tearing the car apart to see what's what with the car.

Somewhere on this list there's a check list to use to check out buying a car. Find that and follow it.

Good luck,

Bob Wassam

 

It's easy to fall in love with these cars, but...

don't.

It says 23K in the ad (?) There looks to be rust on the seat hinge and tracks - suggests the car sat out in the rain with the top off, or leaked badly. The seat cover may have been replaced and poorly fitted.

No service history? They didn't bother to print out a receipt for $7000 worth of work? (!?) And now you would pay them another $500 or so to inspect the car they did the work on? (hmm)

No pics of the engine bay - how did that look?

All these photos are tiny, can't tell anything from them.

Proceed with extreme caution. Actually, I'd say proceed over to Philly and buy that gorgeous red 308 Algar has in their showroom. I've noticed there are almost no nice 308s or 328s for sale right now at the dealers or highline used exotics dealers, but be patient. (Easier said than done, I know...)

 

Black is the prettiest color, hands down. But red is usually easier for resale.

It's high, but $50K-ish isn't out of line for a top-tier 308 QV with a good history/records. There just aren't that many left, and that's the best one for sale right now.

One with rusty seat hinges can be had for less...

I'd at least wait to talk with someone who has a clue. It doesn't hurt to look at a few cars before you buy, especially if they're local.

Other places to keep an eye on for 308/328s are Forza Motorsports in CT, Sport Auto in NC and Motorcars in MO.

 

http://www.ferrariofdenver.com/inventory_detail.cfm?id=760

Not black, but looks promising.

 

Has anybody seen the Denver car Bullfighter mentioned? The pics are lacking but that engine looks prestine for a QV.
Reid

 

climb: If you want to pursue it, you could ask this place if they will do a PPI on the 308 at Exoticars:
Auto Palace Sales & Service Inc.
4627 Baum Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15213
(412) 687-4002

You could also try a post in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

I bought my black 308 at Exoticars and am one of those who has provided some favorable comment on them here at FChat, but in good conscience I couldn’t advise anybody to buy a car without a PPI. I’d be glad to help you out but I really don’t have enough mechanical or Ferrari knowledge to give you a meaningful inspection.

 

This is an off the cuff observation from merely looking at the pics provided of the interior.......I'd say that without a doubt the mileage as represented is incorrect.

I am not saying that the dealer is deliberately or unwittingly misrepresenting the vehicle though......just that the mileage as shown on the odometer is what is being quoted in the add......and IMHO it is probably higher.

 

It is easy to drop $20K into a used 308. A PPI is your only defense against it. Regarding using the selling dealer to do the PPI, it reminds me of an old friend that used his wife's attorney to represent him in their divorce. He figured it would save him some money. I'm sure you can guess the outcome of that piece of logic…..

 

I'm not a professional mechanic by any stretch of the imagination, but leak down % north of 10 sound horrific. Unless I've misunderstood your numbers, the leak down doesn't look good. Anything above five per cent is the starter's pistol to me. For what it's worth, my 328 showed less than 2% leak down across the board in the PPI I got.
If you're thinking of dropping 45K+ up front, you might want to look at some 328s as well (unless your heart is set on a 308).

 

I hear that. Ferraris are all about getting what you want, not what someone else tells you to want. In the end I decided that I wanted the performance and reliability enhancements of the 328 more than the coolness and slightly better looks of the 308.

 

Keep looking, you'll find the one.

 

I don't know where you are, but have you looked at
www.cannillomotorsports.com (Long Island) or www.forzamotorsports.com (Connecticut)? These guys sell a bunch of 308s.

 

I also wanted the performance improvements of the 328, but thought the styling was better than the 308. Just didn't link the black front and rear bumper. Personal likes and dislikes facter into what you get. So get what you like and want, not what someone else thinks you should have.

 

That's the one you want to consider. Keeping a "binder" on a car is a huge positive flag that generally indicates the owner cared for the car. Make sure it shifts well!

 

I've actually gone back and forth on the looks of the 328 vs the 308 (various incarnations) over the years, so it's a slight difference for me. I remember when Road and Track did a 328 vs 308 road test and they had both cars on the cover "racing" on a road with the 328 in front and the QV looking forlorn in the background. At the time, my ten year old self was horrified at the changes to the nose, but it grew on me.