Hi I'm purchasing a 1983 308GTS. This is the work that has been done to the car. Timing belt and belt idler pulleys, plugs and extensions, front wire set, fuel accumulator and filter, clutch, pres plate and release bearing, new rear exhaust grill, rebuild water pump, all new engine gaskets, Fr tires, center caps, new stereo and door speakers,Rear hood emblem. Exhaust donuts and gaskets. Cosmetically the car looks in great shape exterior and interior. Is there anything I should be looking for when I go to see the car next week? Thanks, looking forward to being a part of the community.
Barry, I hope you will find the right car to become a Ferrari owner. Like any car look for anything that look wrong. Try all the electrical system and little fuse box. Their rust prone area are lower front fender rear section, bottom of the doors and at the black bodyline right behind the rear Wheel. Sometimes the passenger side steering rack bushing is worn. Front roof weatherstrip is expensive but new repro are now on the market at cheaper price. Are the wheels metric? If so those Michelin tires are expensive too. Does the car have it's books, Tools, spare tire and jack? I don't know how much you've read about these cars but do your homework to know it. If you need more help post serial number and pictures if you're in doubt and someone should help. This is a great community but sometimes a bit negative about our great cars and tend to scare the new prospectice buyers. They are great cars and not that hard to maintain and from my experience they are reliable. My 308 is the car I loved the most in my entire life and my GF loves it too. Good luck and let us know what happens.
Hi Barry, Welcome to the forum, and best of luck checking out that car! Have you read through this forum section's sticky thread http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/308-328/175886-what-look-when-buying-308-328-buyers-guide.html ? It has a lot of great advice! I bought my 84 308 in Calgary last year, and did much of the maintenance work myself that it sounds like has been done recently on the car you're considering. How long ago were the timing belts done? They're recommended to be changed on age at 3 to 5 year intervals, and some will let them go to 6 or 7 years. Have a good look for oil leaks - a bit of oil damp is considered normal, but any large leaks should be noted and factored in to pricing. Notorious spots for leaks are the cam covers or around the cam seals at the front of the engine (passenger side for LHD cars), and around the shift shaft seal into the crankcase at the bottom front of the engine. As godabitibi advised, check closely for rust! Is the car a local Winnipeg car, or are you traveling out of town to see it? I had my 308 to Winnipeg for a day in the middle of September, just a very quick road trip from Calgary. There are a few active forum members in Winnipeg, but this online community is very helpful. Good luck, let us know how the car looks and feel free to ask any questions!
Sounds like a descent QV. If you get a chance to drive the car, do so as this will also tell you the condition of the suspension, brakes, steering and engine performance. And yes, welcome!
Thanks for the welcome and great info on what to look for. I am very excited about getting a 308 QV. The work has all been done in the last few years. The car is located in Alberta and I will be bringing it to Winnipeg. I will keep you all posted.
what matters is not that maintenance was done BUT WHO DID IT. Be careful buying a car maintained and serviced by a non Ferrari specialist and or a specialist who is not known. Also get a PPI.
do a PPI - compression test - shoudl be 170 - 175 per cyl.... that tells it all. belts done in the last year is great.... all the other stuff is on going mtns...
Seeing where you live, hidden rust or damage for openers. Not just bodywork, either. I once bought a Morgan in the UK, and asked that it be stripped to the metal, which it was, according to photos they sent. When I got it home to California I discovered that they stripped it, all right... in the outside. what they didn't do was remove the wings, etc and strip it on the underside as well, which I discovered by putting my finger slightly on a couple of paint blisters.... all the way thru the bodywork! So the undersides and interior panels, where mud/water/salt collect is where to look, after the outside. Be cautious about buying a freshly repainted car in the northeast, for that reason. Cheers, Rich
The owner of 308 I am buying is a mechanic and he has done all of the work himself. We have chatted almost every day and I will be seeing the car next week. The paint is original and from the pics, it looks great inside and out. I was told this one has not seen a winter so I'm not concerned about salt etc. but I will check the areas GODABITIBI mentioned for rust and corrosion. Again I appreciate all of the great advice. I'm very excited to become a member of the Ferrari club
Not necessarily, I would be more careful and have a thorough PPI. I would also be sure there were receipts for parts. Lastly, as far as resale the lack of service documentation may affects value.
Original paint? The only way to be sure is with a paint meter. See if you can borrow one. I bought one, best investment I made. I have inspected many cars that claim to have original paint... till I measured them with a meter.
The seller is not the original owner and he told me the car has never been painted. I'll get a PPI done. Keep you posted
I bought mine with all the papers and maintenance etc. PPI? I guess that is Pre Purchase Inspection. Very good idea to get it inspected mechanically.
When you drive it pay attention to the syncros. These are not a cheap fix on these. Ask me how I know. You mentioned that the clutch was replaced. There is a special tool required to torque the locking nut. I know because the clutch on mine had been replaced by someone who did not have one. The result was ruined splines on the clutch shaft and drop gear. I have done almost 100% of the work on my car myself. I have had it for 12 years. They do take a bit more research to ensure you are doing things right. The folks on this forum have been a tremendous help over the years. I have never lived any near a Ferrari specialist so I did not have that option. You may be in the same situation. Most shops will not touch these and that is probably a good thing. I have a friend who has a 328 and lives 4 hours north of the Ferrari dealer in Detroit. They will send a flatbed to pick it up for service. Sorry for rambling but these were the thoughts that came to mind.
