328 or 456? Newbie questions.

Good Morning,
I have been lurking on this forum for a while, but haven't posted much. I just put this on the 456/550/575 forum and think it belongs here as well. A few years ago I made the decision (with my wife's full approval) that I would buy a Ferrari for my 50th birthday. That milestone is now less than a month away, and I have begun looking at cars. A week ago I drove a 328 and was quite taken with its directness and mechanical personality. This week I will be looking at a 456M, which I also expect to like. I realize these are two completely different cars and offer very different driving experiences. My concern about the 456 is the potential cost of ownership. Both cars have apparently been very well maintained and major problem areas known for these cars addressed. I keep reading about the 328 as the perfect "starter Ferrari" and the relative simplicity of the model attracts me.

Thanks,
Doc

 

Those two cars are so different That they simply cannot be compared. Cost of ownership would be very different. One thing is sure, here in Europe the 328 has lost his "entry Ferrari" status two or three years ago. That goes now to the 360, I guess.

 

328 is a proper 2-seater sports car and 456 is a 4-seater grand tourer, what kind of Ferrari you really want?

Here in HK the 456 is currently the entry level Ferrari along with the 360. 328s are at least double the purchase cost of a 456.

 

+1

and you will probably like the compact feel of the 328 more, I've drove a 456, great Ferrari but it did not give me that desire of owning one, way different in many ways.

the 456 is not the best looking Ferrari either.

cheers
Johnny

 

If it helps, I already have an E46 M3 which I am planning to keep. More overlap between that and the 456.

 

There's several 308's on Canadian Auto Trader going for decent prices (31,000 US for an '83). Might be worthwhile looking into with the strong US dollar. Cheers, Dennis

 

If you want decide on an 8 cylinder, skip the 308 and get a 328. Lots of opinions on this, but mine is that you'll be happier with a 328.

 

I've been a BMW fanatic for a very long time. I have a pristine 1987 BMW 325i convertible, a 1991 318i track car, as well as a Ferrari 308 GTS QV.

The Ferrari will be a completely different experience than the BMW. In a BMW, like in a Porsche, you can go about your business with no one paying much notice. A Ferrari, any Ferrari, is a rolling carnival. You are constantly noticed on the road, you have to think about where you park it more carefully, it's more expensive to fix if you do something dumb on the track, etc.

Performance-wise, the M3 is an awesome car. The 3x8 has the M3 performance plus a qualitative perception of performance. A 3x8 sounds and feels like you're going fast even when you're going slow. It is a fantastic car. I would not look at the Ferrari for practical reasons. There is a reason why 3x8s have 50,000 miles and M3s have 200,00 miles.

A Ferrari a wonderfully impractical car perfect as a reward for turning 50 years. Have a Happy Birthday.

 

A Ferrari a wonderfully impractical car perfect as a reward for turning 50 years. Have a Happy Birthday.[/QUOTE]


^^^^^ This. This is why I want one.


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As has been mentioned, the two offer such different experiences and are built on such different design principles that, although they're both Ferraris, there's no way to compare them.

I have both a 308 GTS QV (obviously akin to the 328) and a 412 5 speed (somewhat akin to a 456). The 308 is light, nimble and a TON of fun and makes incredible noises...the absolute essence of a sports car. The 412 is luxurious, fast, refined, elegant and comfortable... The V12 makes some of the most beautiful tones I've heard out of any car - it's a true GT car. Both are beautiful in their own unique ways, but not at all comparable... I think you'll find the same between the 328/456.

I'd suggest driving both and see what talks to you the most. For me the 308 was the starter drug of sorts and I later added the 412 - I love them both, I could never get rid of either.

Enjoy the process... It'll be a fun ride either way! Let us know how it turns out.

Cheers!

Ruben

 

If you want the most trouble free experience - go for the 328. I love the 456 and they make a great combo exotic / daily driver, comfy, fast and good looking, but the electrics and shocks will take constant $$$$, and parts are becoming harder to locate - ergo the lower price points. the Auto trans cars are great but can be troublesom. the window regulators seem to be a particular issue... ive seen one that failed and then alowed moisture to seep in - delaminateing the dash and leather on the door caps ... $5k to fix - fill, new rubber, regulator and small re dye job... the "new Regulator" died in about 4 months!!! ugg!

on the 328 - there will be problems - its an old car, but if you buy a good one, they are amazingly reliable, quirky, but tons of fun. they are not as much fun on the track any more - unless you are out there with other cars of its age, but doing a mountain drive is a blast and it gives you that real clutch & stick old Ferrari experience. with the right exhaust they can be made to sound even more agressive.

while you cant really get much better on the looks with a 328. the AC will be challenging but otherwise they are GREAT.

 

This. I don't think the 308/328 is "entry-level" in the US anymore, either. But my 328 was a great car and has all the simplicity people are trying to relive (and failing, IMHO) by pursuing 360s and F430s with old school gated manual gearboxes. 328s are the real deal, where you can use most of the car's capabilities, and everything is done manually.

I would also echo Spirot's comments above -- parts costs on more recent Ferraris can be eye-watering, and there's more stuff to go wrong as they age due the cars being more complicated and feature-laden.

The longer I'm at this, the more I'm convinced the '80s were the tail end of the "long term keeper car" era. 328s were really well sorted (even better than late 308 QVs, which I have also owned) -- modern enough to be easy to drive, classic enough to be very mechanical rather than digital. My dream garage wouldn't really have anything after the F40.

 

Jon,

I know of at least one complete replacement of all valve guides on a 456, and it doesn't seem to be a pic-nic, nor is it light on the wallet. And I have been told this is a fairly common job to be done on 456s (but admitedly, we are told a lot of things).

Rgds

 

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So, I bought the 456. But I had some serious second guessing right up until it showed up in my driveway. The answer is, I need one of each. Now, just to convince my wife...


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Hello my friend! I own a 328 GTS and I’m in love with my car...but I’d love to get another one...the 456 GT 6 speed manual...tell me how you like it!!!! I live in Montreal. Let’s meet after the COVID please !

 

Get a 328 , and get an 89 if you can, next to the F40, the 328 is the most pure driving machine made in the world, its that simple . If you want a Ferrari V12, 550, 575 ,599 ,F12 or the ultimate ,modern F Car V12, the 812 Superfast. If you want a modern mid mounted V8 Ferrari, the 488 / F 8 / Pista are the weapons of choice.

Thank you