Which is the better investment: 308 or 328?

I think that all Ferraris built before 1991 will be going up in value in the next 20 years or so. With the world getting more affluent, demand will increase.

Art

 

Buy the one you _love_, if you make money out of it in the future ...fine, otherwise it's easier to live with the car you love. As for me: '89 for the last of the series with most bugs fixed and improvements added, red and tan color: almost everyone wants a red Ferrari and so do I, and GTS for the air blowing in your hair (or whatever left of it) in warm sunny California day! Don't really care for GTB since most my other cars or truck are some kind of gtb already

 

"Don't really care for GTB since most my other cars or truck are some kind of gtb already "

LOL! Never thought of it that way - My GTS is the only open-top car I have ever owned; all other vehicles were some brand of "GTB"

 

Neither had I.

Hmm, Ford Lightning GTB.

Sure.

 

Looking for an investment? Try Bit-coins.
Leave Ferraris to those who love them for what they are.

 

That's the number one reason why I bought a 308. The second is that IMHO the 308 visual DNA seems less removed from the 288 than the 328.

 

The 328 will always be worth more than the 308 due to production number and rarity. End of story. However, If you are looking to get a car with more immediate future potential I'd go with the 308 as they are still relatively cheap and have a better chance at appreciating in the near future. However, both cars are about equal I'd say as far as prices go in the distant future. So just get whichever one you like more.

 

Ummmm.......NO

328 will be the forever winner.

 

+1

See my diatribe in 246 vs 308 thread

 

Sorry to say it's not about investment, at least for me it is true passion for ART! The 308 is the ticket, the 328 was run into a wall at speed and retained the pig-snout front end. The only problem I see is the flag mirrors and I deleated mine. Needless to say that is just my opinion and I am always right!! Yuk Yuk Lost

 

I've never been one to consider "investment" merely a question of numbers or balance sheets. Whether or not I ever see a nickel of the money I've put into owning my 308 ever again, it is one of the most rewarding investments I could have ever made. Realized a dream. Go for what YOU love . . . not what some idiotic bean counter tells you

 

Ok. A lot of views and only a few comments. So I will go out and say what I believe many others are thinking. Just about all well cared for, unmolested old cars that are in collector condition go up in value as they get older. (Even old ferraris as shocking as it may be for some). I do think gtb's are more collectible due to lower production numbers. I also think many people interested in a gtb settle for a gts due to price and availabity of gtb's. I'm saying that in response to why most end up buying a gts and not which is a better car. The majority of true collector condition cars change hands privately, not through channels such as eBay. Another thing with 3x8's is that there are so many in poor condition even the ones I have seen in shows that helps the value of pristine examples. Bottom line is that I think it is foolish to say that a very good condition 3x8 cannot be an investment car. If you have a POS and need to do a full restoration to get it in the right condition then I agree and would feel the same about most other high value collector cars with a few exceptions. My opinion is the 308 gtb qv may end up the most valuable car aside from glass 308s due to numbers in the USA. Lets give it 10 years I would be shocked if the go down invalue.

 

I think in europe ,it is the carb dry sump 308 gtb that is the better investment.To me it seems that way now and will continue as such.It is the purest to the original design which I think was spot on.

 

I think at this point in history, it's impossible to differentiate between any 308s or 328s to any appreciable amount of investment value with the exception of early vetrorisinas or the very few cars with racing pedigree. I doubt that will significantly change with time, either. If the price of one model configuration climbs (or falls), most likely it will be accompanied by the others. Only the relatively rare, very early cars could possibly be seen as an investment. Right now they're just classic cars to be bought and enjoyed, and the community is all the better for it.

 

Little fact for you guys. I know of a nice 89 red tan 328 that was local to me. When the ABS system went out on the car, several months and lots of time on the internet and phone revealed there are no new parts, and the one shop in Texas the used to rebuild them, no longer did. The owner found "the guy" that did the rebuilds for the TX company that had retired. He sent him with prized 1989 328 ABS assembly, all 24 pounds of it. More time goes buy and the Guy said it was not repairable. So then the owner had to scavenge the bowels of the earth to find a used one that " might" work and was stupid expensive I might add. Car was repaired and promptly sold. T Rutlands, GT car parts, SuperFormance, ET AL could not help.


So before the blind masses start extolling how "awesome" and 'valuable" and ABS 89 328 is, how about you guys spend your own real money on fixing one that is broke in your driveway. 308's are fun and beautiful cars. 328s are nice too. I have an 86 328. I would rather have a euro QV.

I refuse to believe the lack of parts availability and the lack of talented peopel to work on carbs and old fuel injection systems is going to get much better. The younger generations DO NOT CARE about these cars. Much as i could are less about a 206 Dino or pre 1970 anything at all.

There are more things in life to spend money on than "cars" and if these cars get too expensive, the music is going to stop, and demand is going to crash.


These cars were a freaking blast when I was buying them for $18 to $25k cash. As prices creep up, parts dry up, talented shops disappear, i am not as inclined to have money tied up in the cars. The 2v cars are a time bomb. The sodium filled vales and ancient Sumerian head-gaskets were not designed to last 30+ years. the 4v cars have more service life, but much like an aircraft, they have to be taken apart and resealed and torqued to keep them from having a failure. Most owners want to drive them 2000 miles a year and wipe them with a towel.

NO way are the Qv and 328 series not going to start having valve-train and head-gasket issues to to rotten gaskets and infrequent valve adjustments.

So spend your money wisely, and keep believing that the 308 series is going to be "all that".

The music is going to stop just like it did in the 80's crash. Hope you really, really like the cars you are stuck with.

 

I have two late models 328, a February ’89 GTS without ABS and an April ’89 GTB with, and I never looked at these as an investment, nor will I do in the future.
If their value rise towards, let’s say, the double of what they are valued at today – about 45/50.000€ each, so if each would be valued at about 100.000 euros, I would have to sell, this with regret, because I can afford and enjoy driving a 50.000€ 328, but can’t neither afford nor enjoy driving a 100.000€ 328: it would not be a “toy” anymore. I bought the cars to enjoy them and to drive them, that’s all.

I would consider myself more than happy, should the need to sell one or the other, or both, arise, to sell for about the price I paid; knowing myself somewhat, I would probably even discount if the potential buyer looks a nice guy that seems able to take good care of my car(s).

Back to the question: in my own financial perspective, to be seen as an investment, the car must see a rise in its value that is sufficient to cover also all the ownership expenses since the beginning, and inflation also; then the term "investment" makes sense. Well, I don’t see any tendency for this to happen now; nor any tendency for this happening for at least the ten years to come; and certainly not beyond, as I believe that in our country, the evolution of regulations will make driving them a real hassle. Wait: it is already a hassle, with the obligation to downshift to 1st to climb those “#&@! speedbumps that are growing every five kilometres, the roundabouts, the automatic radars and what-have-you...speed limited to 30 km/h (20 miles) in the whole of Paris for instance? Wait, that project has been anounced yesterday, guys...

For a very long time, the price bracket in France have been more or less (without any premium on the 1989 cars)
- 42 to 44.000 euros for a good 328 GTB; perhaps 48.000 for a very good one; 52.000 for an exceptional car
- 44 to 46.000 for a good GTS; perhaps 50.000 if very good; 54.000 if exceptional.

I do not see any clue that these brackets are not still valid today.
Now it is indeed true that, for the first time in years, we do see 328s advertised at 65.000 k€, but, surprise-surprise, it is precisely the amount at which one clean car sold last year in an auction, and I do think this is not a coincidence.
On the other hand, a lot of cars advertised in the brackets given as “standards” above have been for sale for more than a year, some for more than two, and they do not sell. And I have first-hand knowledge that some of these cars are nice indeed, with full complete history.

I really can’t see any sign that the real market is on the rise, and furthermore I have never looked at my cars as an investment. Plus, the market is now awash with 355s, 360s, 550s in the same price brackets, and the 430s are plummeting down now to what will very soon be the same levels, so any prospective Ferrari buyer has a lot of different options open to him to consider.

I don’t believe in a rise, and certainly not to a level that would allow our cars to be considered as an investment.
Enjoy them, drive them, and “advienne que pourra”, “que sera, sera”, etc…

Rgds

 

I'm with Rob on this one.

 

What Nerofer said! +1

 

There should be a poll including the word "NOT!"

 

You still want the cars to be 18K - 25K and they are not anymore, just as Lussos are not 25K anymore or 250 PFs are not 50K anymore. You don't want to spend money on one but many, many people do. I don't know where the market will be in 10 years and I'm willing to bet it is up.

Before i bought my E-type Jag I was looking at Dinos and they were comparable in 1999 40 - 60K for a great car. Did not find a Dino I liked and I did not expect them to rise much and went with a concours Jag. Two years later I went looking for a Dino and they were 85Kish for a great car. One day I'm at FOLI and a guy buying a 360 had his 308QV outside, never really liked 308s as I could not stand the whole Magnum PI crap. I Always thought of Ferrari as special, not mass marketed. You either knew them or you didn't. Regardless I wound up with the 308 and it drives very similar to a Dino. Would I buy a Dino GT for 290K - 350 or whatever, if I had the money I probably would as it is one of my favorite body styles on an automobile and fun to drive.

Iconic Ferraris will always be sought after like any scupture or atrwork, they will not just be passed over by a generation. Ferraris are not for everyone and are not meant for everyone, only the discerning eye will look at ferraris and appreciate them for more than just an automobile And this is why I think 308s will not be back to the low levels you speak.

I don't recomend them as an investment, but I don't think they are going to be cheaper later in life.

 

I also think this is what will make them more desirable. Other than a few NLA parts these cars are relatively simple and easy to work on. I can do 90% of the restoration/work myself in my garage or warehouse. No need for special computers to diagnose and fix issues. Just the computer between your ears.