<1989 328 GTB> Not feelin' it like I used to...is it time to let her go?

It's a bit of a "Catch 22" situation, I guess?
Whenever I stay more than two/three weeks without driving one of my two 328s, I slowly begin to get convinced that it makes no sense to keep those cars with their values of today, and play with the idea of selling. But as soon as I drive one, everything is forgotten and forgiven, and my only thought is "how can one stay without driving these?".
Drove the GTB this week-end on a 150 miles trip including some highway, and I was even jealous of those outside who had the privilege of seeing my car passing by...
And should you decide to sell, by what would you replace it?
Furthermore, almost every person I know that has sold a 328 always tells me "I miss that car very much"...so...

Rgds

 

Will it? Some guys of the Dutch community tell the opposite. As mentioned before, driving fast in a slow car is much more fun that driving slow (and with a 430 or 458 even 200km/h feels slow) with a fast car. On track it is different of coarse but on the street with all the traffic and high fines, it does make sense.

But i must admit that it has some appeal...


For the value i'm in kind of simple: I could afford the car when I purchased it, so why should I look at it different now with the current value. Selling will by no means be a life changer regarding lifestyle, early retirement or whatever. Insurance premium will be slightly higher but they WILL l pay for any damage. Exactly the same if I buy a brand new model of any other brand.

Just how many here have a daily driver of 100K? Are you worried to damage that? What's the difference with a 100K 308?

 

There's no doubt power is addictive. Like cocaine, you're better off without it.

 

Parts, I guess?
Some standard replacement parts that should be easy to replace are"NLA" and get very, very expensive: not only the fog lights of one of my 328s will be the first things to break in a slight to moderate collision, they are at least 3.000 euros apiece...IF YOU CAN FIND ONE. And if you can't, which is very probable: well: you cannot drive the cars anymore.
"New" old stock front bumpers in GRP for "Euro cars" are not available anymore, and as with anything NLA on these cars, prices tends to rise rapidly...

Tool rolls that sold for 300€ complete and in good/very good condition three years ago are at least three times this amount...

Rgds

 

I had a client with a SWB California Spider. He had bought many years ago for $5 or $6000. He loved the car and drove it to the grocery store and the hardware store. People gave him a bad time about that and his reply was, to him it was a $5 or $6000 car. To his heirs it might be worth more but he wasn't going to sell so it didn't matter.

He loved his car, it sounds like you do not. If that is really the case sell it and take advantage of the current market.

 

AMA328: when you do drive your car, do you enjoy it? is it exciting? Do you fell better when you end your drive than you did when you started her up? If you haven't driven it much, take a period of time, a month or so and drive it frequently on a variety of roads. Don't worry about mileage accumulation...yours has enough going for it that another 1,000 won't make a difference. If the thrill is gone or diminished, make your deal and don't look back. If you can still see yourself excited to own and drive your car say 3 years from now and it gets your heart going, keep her. Of course, there is the lost opportunity cost if you keep it. The money you get for the sale might be spent on things that could provide you with even more pleasure.

 

I guess I should add in response to your query that I have had my 87 for 5+ years; it has 63,000 on the clock and I drive it a lot.

 

OP: You are ready. Then again, right after you sell it, you'll want it back.

Try this, imagine it is totally gone and play out your +/- list.

 

With all The New manufacturen methods parts is not my concern. And Part Pricing will be covered by an insurance . What exactly is your worry? I still do not see a difference with a modern car. Any loss will be covered.

 

That's basically what I said earlier. When I bought the car I could afford it so the current value is not relevant to me.

 

I was on the same boat last year. Loved my 328, but after 12 years of ownership, I decided it's time to move on, sold it, and got my dream 360. A few months after I sold the car, 328 values went up but I am not fretting. I'm 51, "we only live once," and am happier with the 360. Simple as that.

 

I sold my 308 QV to buy a 360CS because I wanted to experience a super car. I missed the 308. I happened to run across a 328 GTB for sale locally and bought it soon after. I still have the CS and will keep it, but the 3x8 series is special and a bygone, analog era. A also have a 355 B. I think that is the sweet spot. Small and nimble with plenty of power.

This saga occured prior to the run up in price, so the decisions were purely driving experience oriented.

 

Good for you Skip.

 

I regularly think about selling the 328. The reality is there's nothing else I want for the same money. Ive considered a 360 but I've never lusted after one. A 550 would be fun, but prices for them are on the rise too and I don't want one more than the 328. I wanted a 308 when I was 16 and waited 24 years for it. Nothing else meets that standard.

 

This.....absolutely this! I bought a viper a few years ago because I wanted to scratch the itch. I drove it the last three summers, but this year I wanted to put some mileage on the 308. Although the viper drips with attitude and is capable of peeling off your face, somehow its nowhere near as fun as the 308.

 

The answer is probably something like this. Unfortunately I don't have a California Spyder, but I did buy a Porsche Speedster with a decent racing history a few years back when they cost about the same as a new 997 cab.

It still pushes all the right buttons for me as a car enthusiast, so ... zero interest in selling. I drive it at least once a week and the magic is still there.

So: If you love it, keep it. If the magic is done, sell it while prices are up. I wish I'd kept mine.

 

Yep..let it go. These cars are effectively toys, with the practicality of an ice-maker in an igloo. Eventually, most owners either, 1. Stop driving the car and it sits, or 2. Sell and buy a different model then "rinse and repeat, or 3. Just sell and move on. I fell into categories 2 and 3.

I know how you're feeling, the initial love and passion...well...they say familiarity breeds contempt; that isn't the case here (though certainly the repair bills and such could warrant this), but it certainly can and does breed indifference and boredom.

 

Sound a lot like soure grapes from somebody who sold his three cars just before the boom. Hardly an objective advice.

 

my 328 GTB has a little over 10k on it...at this point it is really tough...Its my favorite car to drive but I feel guilty when i do, can't drive the TR anymore either....its dumb to some people but I'm almost at the point where I would rather buy a high mileage/rough around the edges car to enjoy without worry...probably would be much cheaper in the long run vs the depreciation

 

In the end, long term ownership is about having a level of connection with the car such as past experiences, dream realization and then eventual reenforcement of ownership and driving experiences. From your previous post, it sounds to me like you may not have this level of affinity for the car. If so, then selling it is a good idea at today's higher values.

I've had three 3x8s - a 328, a Euro 308, then another more pristine 328. I bought my first one over 15 years ago as it was in my price point both from initial purchase and maintenance cost reputation perspectives. Admittedly, it wasn't Ferrari that I lusted after but a lot of folks including ones here mentioned is a great model to own especially as a first Ferrari. Most were right in that I ended up owning three of them over several years.

But there was one thing missing, I realize that these models are not what I really would like to have. Eventually, I stopped driving them for various reasons: adding miles affected values, too nice to drive, parts harder to get. The biggest reason was that these street models were in no man's land for me: too soft for 8-9/10s driving (track) and too uncomfortable for longer street drives. All these factors contributed to me selling my 3x8 cars. While I will always have a soft spot for these cars as my first foray into Ferrari ownership, I'm glad I moved on to another model in which I've had a high level of desire to own and has matched my ongoing driving and ownership experiences to the point of driving without worries of the odometer reading, value.

I was lucky in being able to sell my last 328 at a price wherein I could buy what I really want (355 Challenge) and have money leftover. Interesting thing is that 355 Ch prices have also gone up. At $175k, would I buy my old 328 back? No. Would I buy my 355 Ch again? Yes.

Buy what you really like and you won't look back.

 

... why I really don't like low mileage cars as much as I used to.

 

Keep the 328 and buy another Ferrari, that is what I did and am very happy having both cars. If I want to drive slow around town and get many comments I drive the 328. When I want to go fast and take long drives with with my friends I take the F430. Now I'm looking to add a 458 to the others. My 2 cents...

 

Amazing how different people are. I had a 355ch (road registered) and my glass 308GTB at the same time and decided to sell one because I wasn't using them enough. I wrestled with the decision for a while, but eventually sold the 355 to a fellow fchatter and have never regretted that decision! The exact opposite of you!