308 vs. Testarossa

Agreed. I like the the TR, but there are a number of areas where I like the 308 better. Primarily they have to do with style. I may add a TR someday, but I don't think I would give up the 308 to do it. That said, I would probably give up the 308 to trade up to a Boxer. The Boxer has most of the looks of the 308, plus that 12.

One of the other big reasons I went with the 308 is that I like to do my own work. I wasn't confident I could do that with the TR.

 

All day long on the track perhaps, but on regular roads...not so much. With law enforcement and minivans around, chances of prolonged speed are unlikely. Plus, the size of the 308, and with roof off, makes it feel fast

 

The 308 is a great starter Ferrari, the TR isn't. I should know, my first 9 Ferraris were all V8's! I wasn't bashing your 308 passion, glad to see the old lady gives you that feeling.

 

Here ya go
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9doD25_ENZ8

 

I also have to say, without the black dash, the Testarossa interior is what really looks dated.
(not the 512 TR)

 

LOL!!! I love it how everyone is "defending" their own cars. This is a true passion we all have, very cool to see that passion amongst all different Ferrari owners.

 

Not to forget the _______* seats ( * you fill in your favorite negative adjective there )

I am not a big fan of the Testarossa but if I had to own one it would be the 512TR ( Red/ Crema ). The ultimate and nicest Testarossa.


In all subjectiveness ...

 

If driving was a priority:

The 3x8 wins hands down. It's a lighter car, very tossable, and "feels" fast. I have driven a TR and around the twisties/town, its just heavy and hard to manage. Can't beat the straight line torque of the 12, however.

If collectability is a priority:

The 512M, 512TR wins and the price dictates that. Any other variants, the 3x8 has the nice flowing lines that the public likes. The sharp edges of the TR is best left for the lambo. crowd.

If service is a priority:

The 3x8 wins without any issues.

If looks and head-turning is a priority:

Then that depends on where you live and what floats your boat.

Just my $0.02

Ace

 

I'd say the 308 is the icon.

I'd recommend a 360 as a great starter Ferrari (for the price of a Porsche 997 coupe) because there are many cheap ones in lightly used condition. It's fast, roomy and has a pseudo-automatic which will help resale. At this point, I think the population of "cheap" 308s is misleading, because I could probably find $10K-$20K worth of refurbishment to do on any of them, including the ones that have sat around for 20 years and have pretty odometers. Also, the 308 is an old car, and the market for old cars is more niche than what you'd get for something modern and easy to drive like a 360.

Good, because you will lose money.

And btw the market has been soft for on TRs (and 348s/355s) precisely because of anticipated repairs and service. None of these '80s/early '90s Ferraris are valued based on performance, cylinder count, etc. Pricing comes down to style (328/308 favored) and expected costs of ownership.

I wouldn't call anything after the Daytona/246 timeless. But I would call the 328 and Euro 308 the landmark sports car design of its era.

No. They're both very common Ferraris.

Given initial costs, service/upkeep and likely future value, the 308 GTS QV is probably the better financial move. But, ultimately, you have to buy what you like and not regard it as an investment.

 

360 F1 as a first Ferrari?? For who? Automatic has better re-sale value? What are you thinking? Hands down the 328 is still todays' best first Ferrari for anyone. Best maintenance costs, most reliable V8, and as you said, a landmark sportscar.

 

There is at least one Fchatter that has his - which sure seems like far more than just "half decent" - for sale for that price.

 

I was amazed at how nice that white on white Testarossa looked for the price.

I know you can't get that good of Countach for 40-45k. What's the difference ? 80s Lambo V-12s rarer than Ferarris ?

308/328s are beautiful cars and someday one will be my first F-car, but the Testarossa was a supercar, for me personally, it's higher up the chain of desirability. If service/running costs were the same as the V-8, or the difference was a trival matter to my finances, I'd take a Testarossa, or more precisely a 512TR or 512M (I like them).

 

If I had the money a good TR is going for these days along with the $50K in reserves you'll need in case it breaks, I would probably just move up to a 355. The 355 shouldnt cost any more than a TR once you consider repairs and maintenence and it's probably cheaper, its light years better looking, and way more fun to drive. If you really want V-12 sound, there are more economical ways to achieve it.

The 308 is a very nice, fun and reliable car you can own and enjoy without losing vast sums of money. Its one of only a handful of Ferrari's that can be said about. A TR is not one of them.

 

Both cars are dated not just the TR which was my point, the 308 is not timeless looking its just a nice shape thats different than a TR. I see no 308 in a 360 or 430, they share nothing except round tail lights but even they dont interchange.

 

Agreed and any wedge car is 80's to me, my boxer included but I love the lines among other things. Just wish the 308 had 288 power.

 

I realize we could debate the merits of any given car from now until the end of time and never come to any sort of conclusion.

I agree with the earlier poster that said that people who shop for one arent really going to be in the market for the other. Maybe thats due to personal taste, maybe due to upkeep, maybe due to entrance cost?? The cars are very different in character, appearance, and performance for all the reasons stated above.

My opinion is that the Testarossa does look quite a bit more "dated" than the 308 although the design has aged well and never really was "uncool." I think that the 308 is perhaps more popular due to its many appearances in television/movie, although the Testarossa seems to have had some successes on its own.

Both are icons in their own right. Keep in mind that of the more than 10 year runs of both cars the 308 (1975-85)and Testarossa(1984-96) only really overlapped in 1984/1985, so the better comparison might be the 328 and Testarossa if you want to compare contemporaries. The QV would obviously be the best comparison of the 308 cars though.

So, this whole argument really comes down to are you comparing apples to apples...


PDG

 

Given initial costs, service/upkeep and likely future value, the 308 GTS QV is probably the better financial move. But, ultimately, you have to buy what you like and not regard it as an investment.[/QUOTE]

+1

Get what you like. For me, nothing is better than the 308 styling and the general "usability" of the car. If maintained properly, it can last a lifetime and is easily maintainable by the owner who is so inclined to turn a wrench every now and again. I would definitely agree that a great no-nonsense "starter" (which again, I hate that phrase) car would be one that is easy for acquisition (cost) and doesn't need the same attention as a 30+ year old car. The 360 would definitely fit the bill there. Especially with prices coming down the way they are.

The fact that people have bought 308s as "starter cars" over the years lends to why there are some pretty ragged out examples out there: folks buy them and think since it is a starter car, and I am just going to sell it, I don't really have to take care of it. So with that mentality, in about 10 years, you will probably start to see a lot of ragged-out 360s floating around.

Bottom Line: buy what you like AND can not only afford to buy, but afford to maintain. If you use this formula, your Ferrari ownership experience will be a good one.

 

Thought this might be of interest to the group. It's Saddam's TR. He hasn't really been able to maintain it that well....
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The 328 is today's best first/last Ferrari as a long-term keeper, among the post-vintage cars.

But: I see a lot of newcomers thinking that because they can get a 328 for $50K that it is a "starter" car while an $80K 360 is "one to move up to". I disagree that they're comparable. A 328 demands completely different priorities from its owner -- aesthetics over absolute performance, sporting cockpit over luxury, exertion over automation, etc. The 360 is a Ferrari that someone accustomed to modern cars can simply step into and drive without learning the intracies of old Ferrari ergonomics, a temperamental gearbox, bizarre "climate control", old spec brakes, etc. This isn't necessarily bad -- Ferrari sold 17,000 360s because they paid attention to the upscale car market. The 308/328 were peculiar cars in their day -- no one else made a manual gearbox that had a reluctant second gear until warm, for example.

As long as we keep defining "starter Ferrari" based solely on price, we're doing a disservice to guys just starting out.

If someone buys a 328 because they love the 328, I'm hugely supportive, for all the usual reasons: well-built Ferrari, maintainable, real driver's car, looks great, uncomplicated targa top, etc.

If someone buys a 328 because it's cheaper than some other newer Ferrari that they would have preferred, they're setting themselves up for disappointment. (I'm reminded of a Boxer "resto-mod" featured in Forza a year or two back, where the owner "wanted" a Boxer and then proceeded to tear it apart and go nuts with carbon fibre, etc. -- which tells me he didn't **really** want a Boxer, but a modern car with classic looks.)

Given $80K of my own money, I would absolutely take a pristine 328 over a 360. But I have a bias toward older cars. I think they are more honest, and more likely to endure over time (physically, and in terms of obsolescence, and with regard to driving involvement). Every time I see Malcolm B's yellow Daytona at the Bella Italia show in San Diego, I lose interest in pretty much everything else. While they are not at the 365 GTB/4 level in terms of lustworthiness, I would put the 308 and 328 firmly into 'great old car' territory, which IMHO is a great place to be.

But the reality is that most younger people, especially, have grown up in the Porsche 996/Ferrari 360 era. I think it's disingenuous to lump all the '80s Ferraris into "starter" territory, just as it would be useless to tell the prospective Lotus Elise owner to start with a '60s Lotus Elite.

Given that analogy, and given that the 308/328 is basically a 1970s design/architecture, I would strongly encourage prospective owners to experience the 308/328, but I would not look at it as some kind of stopgap model until you've saved up enough cash to buy something newer.

 

Has anyone on this thread mentioned... what a wonderful problem to have? Deciding between a 308 or a Testarossa? Oh, the misery!

 

I own a 308Qv and I love it.
But if a Testarossa came my way, I'd own it too.
Two different cars. Two gorgeous cars. Saw a Testarossa pull into the Cars & Croissants today. It still makes me smile.

If I wanted reliability and comfort, I'd look at a 360.
If I wanted speed, I'd be looking at a Challenge or Scuderia

 

I like the TR, especially when it has larger rims a la the 512 TR fitted; REALLY helps the look, I think. However...it is a 3700 pound car. Most Ferraris are too heavy in my book. As I've mentioned in a couple of previous threads, I wish Ferrari would significantly cut the fat, as they did with the F40. The TR has 390 HP but, again, it weighs 3700 pounds. Why SO freaking heavy?? My 328 at 3100-3200 pounds is also too heavy, especially given the HP. I will take less HP and less weight over more HP and more weight any day. Thus a TR would not be for me. Now...a 365 BB...sigh...

 

Now THATS a low maintenance ferrari!

 

Was the blue GTS yours? I was there with my son yesterday.