PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR ALL THAT DON'T OWN A FERRARI!

WHOOPDEDOO??? Brrrraaahhahaha...did you hear yourself say that? Seriously WHAT are you doing here? You need to go stand in the corner until you can play nice with the others 'cause we all like Ferraris here.

 

The E36 is a far better chassis than the E30 and is a blast to drive, even if it isn't "fast." But the E30 M3 has entered collector status now, with values accordingly. Good ones are more expensive than 308s.

Truth. Independent mechanics who specialize, or learn to do the work yourself. I like doing the work, makes the car more special to me. LOVE the AllTrac turbo, talk about an unusual car. I've probably seen 2 or 3 in my life and they are nowhere to be found these days.

And to the troll above...ANY car can be fast. It depends on how you define it. I used to outrun a lot more powerful cars in my 914 and it was seriously FAST, with about 120hp. My team and I managed to finish a 24h LeMons race in 6th place out of more than 110 cars in a 95hp CRX. Probably the lowest-power car in the field, but it was FASTer than 95% of the field.

 

I like some ferraris...ones that have performance that I consider to be adequate for my enjoyment. The 308/328 are not in that category. 360/430 are.

That said, this "well its a ferrari" stuff is crap. Brand whoredom at its finest.

Ah yes, I'm jealous. Of course. Its not like, I dunno, I couldn't buy a ferrari if I wanted one right? Not to mention, everyone who doesn't like ferraris is jealous right?

I never said I don't like the marque. I don't like the attitudes of a lot of the owners, but for the most part, the cars are ok.

As for your opinion of my level of annoying, I've never really cared for you either, but I wasn't going to get personal.

Jealous? Of what? A 308? If I wanted one, I'd buy one. Same story with a 512, 355, 360, 348, 430, 550, etc. The guy with the modded camaro could probably afford a 308 as well. Either he didn't know that or he didn't want one.

Maybe the guy looked over at your car to admire its looks. Then he got into his own car because he likes more power than a 360 can deliver. Why does it have to be that he's jealous.

This immediate need for owners to scream "JEALOUSY" when someone isn't bowled over by their ferrari is so innately asinine. what it screams is "INSECURE".


I have no clue what your nonsense about victoria secret models is about so i won't even address it. I know, I know, i'm jealous

 

The amazing thing about the 308 is this: If they are in good repair (exterior), they gather as many lust-filled gazes as a 458. The masses don't know one model from the other. They know what they like to look at and a 308 is still a good looking F-Car. I have a friend with an '81 Rosso 308 GTSi, 80K miles, but looks like a new car. He gets as many oooohs and aahhhhs as my '09 Nero Scuderia. He loves it, I love it. He need not apologize to anyone for his 308, nor should anyone else unless they allow their cars to run down and become unsightly.

 

I read in the beginning of this thread that a 308 can be had for around 30k.
That seems pretty reasonable for a car of that class.
I read that a member said that after a month of ownership the 308 leaked oil everywhere, like all Ferrari do.
During the early eighties my mom asked me why I didn't buy a Harley instead of a Honda and I told her that was because harleys leaked oil and were not as reliable as the Japanese bikes.
I believe it was the poor machining that was the reason harleys leaked oil and broke down a lot and after they restructured and retooled that issue was pretty much eliminated.
Did early Ferrari's suffer from these same issue ? Or is it because they are so high performance that they have rigorous maintenance schedule ?
I was curious about cost of ownership, MPG, etc. So I went to Edmunds to check TMV and could not find anything on this model.
Edmunds only goes back to 1990
I would imagine that someone might want to know how deep the pool was before they made a swan dive into the shallow end.
Tony
P.S. As for the bafoon with the comment " all Ferrari's suck", when I hear people say things like that, I simply turn, walk away and smile,never giving it another thought.

 

You are right...

The 308 is one of the most beautiful cars ever.

You did a good thing taking the kid for a ride, not only did you create a Ferrari freak, you dispelled the notion Ferrari guys are snooty.

Leisurely ride or spirited ride, it is all so seductive!

 

Great point. I was 16 when I went over to a friend's house. His father worked for Mike Salta Pontiac, which was a huge dealership in SoCal in the 60's. Mike Salta happened to be visiting and arrived in his Lambo Espada. It was incredible! Salta tossed the keys to my friend (also 16) and said, "Don't crash it."

Even though it wasn't a Ferrari, it was that total class with which he tossed the keys and permission that made me decide I to would return the favor some day. Its almost like we are ambassadors for our brand. Keep them in great shape, put them out there and be cool. Bringing Converts to our "religion" is a great thing!

 

Better let them know that they'll need to "tithe."

The road to Paradise is heavily tolled.

 

My friend tells me that his average annual costs are less than $1000/year on his 308 GTSi over the last 12 years. He drives his frequently and keeps it in beautiful shape. He finally had to buy some cats this year to get thru California's smog check, but that's included in the average.

Find a religion, any religion, with a lower tithe for your soul's salvation!

 

BTW.. The "insecure" card is always played by someone who "doesn't have a Ferrari. But who could buy one right now... in cash! If they wanted to of course... But don't because they like their Kia better." (Yawn) You know, the same guy that's shouting how the rich all are terrible people and the one percent are the evils of the earth. Yeah yeah save it for the rally.

There are alot of cars out there that are faster. On a Ferrari forum it usually helps when the critique comes from someone who has actually owned a Ferrari. Otherwise it comes off as just another jealous troll visiting from the Corvette forum.

So go move on and drive that insanely powerful.. whatever it is... I just don't care.

 

I find it ironic when some dweeb decides to block the "rich b*st*rd" in the Ferrari, when he's in a luxo SUV that costs more than my 328.
I had a flatbed driver jokingly offer to "trade me", at a light. I didn't have the heart to tell him that *either* the truck or the SUV on the back would cost more than my 328.

The 3x8 series did redesign some oil seals for the QV and 328. The only time my 328 ever leaks any oil is when the shift shaft seal goes. (I think I've replaced it twice in 13 years of ownership.)

Most ricers come from the factory detuned for reliability. Which is why the modder crowd can get much more out of them ... at the cost of that reliability.
Stock, even my EVO DD just goes on and on without much service.
But Italian cars are peaked before they roll out, so it takes sticking to the service schedule to keep them there.

I've owned Fiats, Alfas, and Ferraris, and all Italians *must* be serviced religiously.
The reputation Italians have for having frequent failures comes from those who defer maintenance until things fail in use.

I used Alfas for my DD for ten years. Properly maintained, they're perfectly reliable. But don't skimp on maintenance.
I even used my 328 as a summer DD for a few years. (I put the hard "short trip" miles on the EVO, now.)

The funny thing is that I owned a rally homologation ST-182 (Celica AllTrac) and the 328 for the same four year period. They both cost just about the same in service, maintained *to the same standards*.

It's not the marque that costs in service, it's the standards.

And when co-workers rag on me about the cost of maintenance on my sports cars, I ask them what they lose in depreciation, trading in a Lexus every two years.

 

I bought my first Ferrari (2 yr old 246 Dino) when I was 21, my second F-Car (new 365 BB) came a few years later. After selling them and returning to the U.S. I bought other fun cars...but when a Ferrari approached, I, a former owner, went through the lunatic rantings like our non-Ferrari-owning contributor quoted above...I was angry, alone and felt a pain the source of which I could not describe. My family was unable to help as I spiraled down close to despair.

All of that was cured when I traded in 2 of my highly engineered, never a problem late model Porsches on my first Ferrari in 30 yerars. Problem solved! Six weeks later I traded my Turbo Carrera and Z06 on another Ferrari, eight weeks after that, I bought a Scud. Sorry Quad-whatever. From the outside, I heard a lot of people say exactly that about which you blather; but in your heart you know its so (Shakespeare said it best, "...methinks s[he] doth protest too mightily"). You are either too cheap (since you say you have lots of money for a Ferrari), to afraid, set in your ways or lacking in confidence...whatever is lacking...to buy a Ferrari and see what it is all about.

Arrogant, you say? OK, go for it...I don't mind the name. I have been called that before and consider it, for what I do, as a positive. Who wants a lawyer or surgeon who is humble? Nope, you want the smart, skilled arrogant ones. (We at one time called them "winners" until Charlie Sheen.) I get my warm and fuzzy hand-holding elsewhere. Oh, and before you pull out the American V8 card, I have one of those too...a 706 HP, mid 10's fire-breathing monster Chevelle frame-off resto...I've been there and love that too. I had a Porsche Turbo, Ferrari 360 and a Z06 Vette in my garage all at the same time. Not a problem. They are all great and fit a certain niche. I didn't need to lambaste one brand to feel better about the other. One thing I know for sure, when I walk through my garage and pass my f430 and my Scuderia, that alone makes up for the price of admission...PLUS, motivates me to go out and get the wherewithall to repurchase that 246 Dino I miss so much!

Read the Rx the good doctor quoted above, take some of your money, buy a Ferrari, see what its all about...let the healing begin.

BTW: Re-read your own post...Arrogant? Without a doubt!

 

+1 In fact I was unemployed when I bought my 308 QV

 

Arguing over whether one would prefer a Ferrari or a Mitsubishi (or whatever) is like arguing Vanilla or Chocolate. There is no right answer.
Now, I have had the pleasure (and at times pain) of owning a Ferrari. One of the slowest, if not THE slowest..a Mondial 8. I had it for three years and am glad I did. It was way more fun than truly fast cars I have driven. That said, if someone wants a superpower car, have at it.

 

I did that myself soon after purchasing mine: Found some guy selling a "lot" of 20 identical, silver, 308 Hot Wheels cars. Bought 'em up, handed 'em out, now I can't find a source for more. Seems Hot Wheels likes to market their cars based on luck-of-the-draw; i.e., you get whatever they happen to have in the store. . . or not. I can't find a way to order the specific car I want, and eBay sellers seem to have decided that the HW 308's should cost $8 - $10 a piece.

Oh, well. Still love the car. Still give rides to anybody who asks nicely. Still let kids sit in it (w/parent permission) at car shows. . .

 

That'll be all the kids you gave toy cars too.

 

So obvious I didn't see it.

 

Never tought of blasting Sinatra while driving the Ferrari......too bad it's stored away for the winter but as soon as it comes out, I will do just that!!!!

 

I fell in love with the 308 when I was a kid watching Magnum. For a while back in the day I just thought of them as an outdated old car but now I look at them and think that they are one of the most beautiful cars ever made and a true timeless classic.

I bought a "Best of Magnum PI" DVD in the $2.99 bin at Walmart and watching that show brought back an even more appreciation for the 308. I truly believe that good ones are going to appreciate. If I had more room and time and would love to have one in my garage even just to enjoy looking at it. To me it is way nicer to look at than a 360 or 430.

 

Well said.

Some people get it.

Some people say, "Well, two and a half decades later, hopped-up Civics can be made to go faster."

Some people don't get it.

If you want a hot-rod, buy a hot-rod, build a hot-rod, invest in a Camaro or whatever. The world would be a boring place if everyone had to own the same stuff. Just don't put down the people who made whatever choice for whatever reason.

With regard to the 308, I find it stunningly beautiful, thrilling to drive, in a way that is almost ethereal.

With regard to 308's, I get it. Completely.

 

Interesting.

Fast forward to 2012 from this post in 2008. I bought the car with 38k miles 11 years ago. It now has 62k.

I'm still well over $1/mile in maintenance. Not tires, not gas, not insurance, maintenance. Maybe I'm not at the upper end of the curve after all after 11 years of ownership.

On the other hand, I took it on a Toy Run last weekend. I wound up leading a group that consisted of a 550, 2 355's, an FF, and a CTS-V. My little 3.2 liter V8 being aggressively driven was never passed, and I actually got a "thank you" for leading the pack on an 80 mile spirited drive. The car does have its merits. I'd sell it if ANYTHING else came close to the entertainment factor the car provides for the money.




Sorry about your grenaded engine Rammer.

 

Reminds me of the Ricers who brag about their Honda Civic beating a Mustang.

I always think to myself:

"Yes, but it's still a Honda..."

 

This whole thread is slightly too simplistic!

I'd love to own a 308 GTS - but, where I live, I have on street parking only, there are no garages to rent near by where I could store the car, I'm surrounded by college students in term time who have a rather nasty habit of going out every night, getting drunk and then coming home, throwing bins around, knocking on doors at 2am and, for some reason I've yet to fathom, they seem to think it's fun to rip door mirrors off cars! (My BMW's drivers side mirror got ripped off last Christmas!).

Walking down the road the other day, I found a row of cars with their boots (trunks), roofs and bonnets (hoods), indented because someone decided to walk over the line of cars!

Now, believe it or not, I wouldn't say that I live in a bad neighbourhood as such, in fact it's quite a nice part of the city, but a Ferrari wouldn't last 2 days before some moron tried to either steal it, steal the badges off it, key it, rip the door mirror off it or have their picture taken stood on it's roof!

Why don't I move?: Because all the other decent neighbourhoods in My price range are pretty much the same, old family houses now converted to student accommodation because the City has become a college City and there's good money to be made out of renting to students.


To the OP:

No, you don't necessarily have to be rich to own a Ferrari - as long as you live in the right sort of area, with the right sort of people around you (you know the type - the one's who respect other peoples property and leave it alone! - they're getting rare these days!).

Sadly, sometimes owning a Ferrari is simply not a viable option (for the good of the car if not the bank balance!).

 

Okay, I know where you're coming from. My first two cars in college were Saab 900 Turbos from the eighties, a car from which removal of the stereo from the dashboard was probably the simplest of any car manufactured before or since. I attended an urban university, and lost a great number of stereos as off-street parking was unavailable. The local police considered stereo theft from vehicles as a victimless crime - almost not a crime at all - and refused to investigate, even making it extremely difficult to file a report. My insurance went through the roof from the number of theft and vandalism claims I filed.

For those without garages, ownership of any nice car can be more of a burden than it's really worth.

 

It does sadden Me and I have considered the possibility of moving, but despite the risk of vandalism, I do like the area I live in - I just wish people had more respect for other peoples property these days!
(It's fine in the day time -it's just when the pubs and clubs close and the drunks come home with their bright ideas of fun and games!)

I have also contemplated the idea of taking the risk and having a Ferrari anyway, but the thought of coming out one day to find the car gone or smashed up by some drunk/jealous moron would just be too heart breaking!