OK, I admit that I'm not the best dressed guy in the morning while on a quick cigarette run..... I was coming out of the store, headed towards my very clean 82 308. Some guy pumping gas yells "hey, is that one of those Volkswagon kit cars?? I politely replied.. No. He then asked "well what is it then? I looked at him and said "IT"S A FERRARI" He then looked at me as though I was full of s---! I guess I'll have to make sure I'm dressed better next time and clean shaven. Hmmmm... better wear the Rolex and shades for good measure. I just find it funny how people think the 308 is such an expensive car and that the likes of me couldn't possibly afford one. Any similar stories??
I had a guy ask me the same question one day while at a stop light in my 328..."hey is that a VW kit"? I replied yep, you too can have one for around $45k! I dont worry too much about the doubting Thomas' I just cruise on with a smile on my face...I know the truth!
I always show them the Chevy engine with the Ferrari cam covers. They just walk away scratching their heads. LOL!
I always get asked how much money I make, or how much I paid for the car. But there are entire threads dedicated to those questions! I owned a red Lotus Esprit for many years, and I was regularly asked if it was a Ferrari. My 308 is black, and this past year I had three people ask me if it was a Lotus! How often does that happen?!?
I've gotten the kit car question 3 times in the 3 years I've owned my car. I guess an average of one per years isn't bad.
A few years back, when I had my Mondial QV, I was coming out of a store and found a pretty young blonde checking the car out. She asked, "What kind of car is this?" I said, "It's a Ferrari" "Oh," she says, "I thought it was a Mustang" "No, it's a Ferrari," I say. She asks, "Who makes those?" "Ferrari," I say. She says, "Well I saw the little horsey there on the front and thought it was a Mustang." "Actually, the prancing horse is the Ferrari emblem," I say. She looks at the car for another minute, looks at me and says, "It's a nice car, but it's no Mustang." She tosses her long blonde hair, turns and walks away. Oh well. But my favorite misidentification story is this one: I was riding with a friend of mine, who happens to be British, in his Jaguar XKE roadster, with the top down. We stop at a traffic light and an old couple pulls up on the driver's side of the XKE. The old woman in the passenger's seat rolls down her window and asks my friend, "Excuse me sir, what kind of car is that?" My friend, in his best British accent says, "Why madame, this is a Jag-u-ar E-type roadster." The woman turns to her husband and they talk for a few seconds. She then turns back to my friend and says, "My husband says you're wrong -- it's an Austin Healey." And the light turns and they drive off. We sat their laughing our arses off.
While at the Drag strip last summer I was standing near my car but nobody knew it was mine. Several people would stop by and look, make a few comments then walk on down the way. Two guys in their late 20's/early 30's stopped and one of them began to point out to the other that this was a kit car. He walked around pointing out this and that and it was clear to his friend that he was an expert in Ferrari's. I just stood there, acting like I was watching the races with my ear tuned into their conversation. The "expert" was saying, "this isnt right" and "oh look at this", "Yep, its a kit car"! I was just going to let it go until he pointed out the air intakes on the side of the car were "home made"! I walked over and said, "yep, they were home made in Italy"! I then popped open the engine hatch and gave the "expert" a tour of a real Ferrari. I was polite but a bit sarcastic with the guy. I just couldn't take it any longer! lol Joe
Not F related but reminds me of during our childhood my brother was commenting on a Lincoln Towncar (the older Mob-esque style) that we could see from the glass of an exterior elevator, in which were also two men. Brother says, "why would you need such a big car? The only reason you drive one of those is if you're mafia and need to throw some bodies in the trunk." As the elevator lands and opens one of the men says, "Yeah, that's why I got it, cause it's got a lot of room." We were expecting to wake up w.fish in our bed.
Happens all the time. If they ask if it is a kit car or Mustang, I just say yes. Recently as I was approaching my 430 in a parking lot, a guy was circling it. When I got close, he said "I finally figured out what it is----a Mustang." I let it go. Often people guess at the value of a 308 or 328, usually 150K. When I tell them the reality, they always look disappointed. They really want to see a 150K Ferrari. Dave
I was in my driveway one afternoon working on mine and a guy pulled over and rolled his window down. He knew it was a Ferrari but what pissed me off was when he asked me if I was working on it for someone. I told him no, it was my car. Thanks a lot.
Try driving a Lamborghini Diablo!! Basically nobody believes it's real, so now I just reply, "Yes, it's a Pontiac".
When I went to pick up my kids in my MINT Jaguar Vandenplas, my x said that I looked like the mechanic returning it to it;s rightful owner.
The funniest was one of our local Exotic Car Nights gatherings we had 2 rows of Ferraris and other exotics while sitting on the front patio. A dude pulls up at this club in the first spot by the door (I think a handicap spot) in a Fiero 308. I immediately run over there asking what the heck and he couldn't run away from me fast enough as he looked over to see the Ferrari Club was present. Middle aged guy showing up to a club in a Fiero 308 to get some hoochie.
When people ask if the car is a kit car, I always tell them yes. If they ask if it's a Mustang, Porsche, I always tell them yes. Unless it's a kid, and with them, I'm straight. Art
I considered buying a 308 kit. My wife insisted that I get the real thing! She can stay another week!
How could people mistaken one symbol to the other? Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Just remember to give the naive young ones a break. I've been lucky that no one has dissed me or my Ferrari other than those that think only 12's are true Ferraris. About 35yrs ago I was in high school working at a gas station when this silver & black sports car comes in. It was during the gas crisis & the guy is having to wait in line so the car is not happy at all as its poppin & smokin. When he gets up to the pump, I, the know it all teenager & car guru asks him which kit car it is as I can plainly see its VW based. He replies its a Porsche 904 & goes about filling it up. I have never seen another one & am still embarrassed that I didn't know better. I'd love to apologize to him face to face & ask for a ride now that I know better. How many did Porsche make? 100?
On my way from picking up my 328, I stopped in a small town in northern California, near the Oregon border called Weed, to get gas. Of course, I am already nervous because the car is new to me, I have been behind the wheel for about 6 hours already with a "new" Ferrari. As I am getting gas, I have interaction with two people. First is the guy behind filling up his F350 Quad Cab, and he thinks it's a Ferrari, but worth 250K. I explained to him, that his Ford costs more than what I paid for my 328, and he could not believe it. Nice guy, never looked at me, but looked at the car, motor and interior. The second one was a "expert", and he was sure it was a VW kit car with Ferrari emblems, just like he had when he was younger. Until I showed him the motor. I felt better the rest of the way home. I have had all sorts of sports cars over the years, Fiat, Alfa, AH, MG, Jags, Lancia, Z cars, still, nothing compares to what is sitting in the garage. I am sure proud of the kit that those guys in Italy put together.........
Had something like that happen. I drove the 328 to a charity car show. Other than my car and a couple MGBs it was all American iron. A guy was really looking at my car. He came up to me and asked "Is it real?". I was a little puzzled, so I reached out, touched the car, and said, "Seems real to me..." Which got a chuckle out of him, then he said no, no, no, is it a real Ferrari? I said of course it's real. His eyes lit up and he said he had never seen a real Ferrari in person before. I offered to let him sit in it but he said he was afraid he'd mess up a $150,000 car. I told him that it wasn't quite that much and he said OK, he didn't want to mess up a $100,000 car.
Was in an F40 when these two guys walked out and the guy looks and shakes his head "yep, that's a kit..."
