talk me out of selling...or in to it.

after 6 years with the QV I've gotten the itch to buy a 360. Maybe not even the idea of a 360 but just modern convenience, driveability and safety. Get in, turn the key and give it the beans. the wife could drive it, air bags, AC, more room and 400 hp.

I'm on the fence. will the 360 just feel like any other modern sports car and will I miss the vintage feel of the quirky 308? probably. will 360's depreciate more and do 308's still have room to appreciate?

I wanna hear from the peanut gallery.

 

Drive one...that'll tell you all you need to know. How you feel after that drive is all that matters.

 

Well, the first thing I can say about that is don't refer to us as the peanut gallery
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I understand the question and the feeling. I sometimes see 355's or 360's and think I can also get me one of those instead of my GTB QV. For the same money even.
Sometimes I even ponder about Audi R8's or Gallardo's.

I know for sure that they are much faster and much easier to drive.
But I also know for sure that I will regret it and the novelty of the higher speed will wear off quickly.

The 308 drives like a classic racecar. A 360 drives like a modern sportscar.
I like classic racing cars. I also think that 308's will rise in value the next years. So I will not sell my 308.

 

I wouldn't do it. Certainly not a swap; a 308 AND a 360, why not, but selling the 308 for a 360, never.
Personally, but that's just me, I don't see the point of buying a 360 today, which has just entered the "dark bracket" during which a Ferrari of a "foregone age" (or "older generation") is just an "old Ferrari" and not a "classic" yet. The 355 is now coming out of that bracket, but the 360 is still far from out.

Performance wise, a 360 will be a step or two ahead of the 308, sure, but it is no longer at the front edge of performance.
Look wise, there is no comparison: the 308 wins hands down. But I admit without reluctance that I have never liked the shape of the 360 (or 430) - to me these are only "bulbous Ferraris" and I still don't like this, so...I admit however that the spider is better looking than the coupé.
Investment-wise, perhaps (but perhaps) the 360 would prove to be a wise investment, if it has now reached the bottom of its depreciation curve, but only the long term will tell.

Rgds

 

Having owned a 360 spider for 4 Years and driven on many occasions between Rome and the UK, sometimes in one hit.... i can certainly vouch for the 360 being a fantastic and rapid cruiser.
In spider form, i also think it is a very beautiful car and is ageing particularly well. Perhaps its not as universally beautiful as the 308, but then not much out there is within the price bracket we are now talking about!

If you are going to make the leap, these would be my recommendations for spec:
Spider
Manual (to protect your investment + its more fun)
Tubi Exhaust (a must to bring the best out of the engine sound)
Challenge grill
Original shields

If , as the previous poster recommends, you can have both, then i think you will have a fairly perfect scenario!
Here is a picture of my long lost love for inspiration..... as you can see , you can also drive a 360 (even a spider) in all weather conditions, something you cant say about the 308 (steel variants, at least)!

Good luck..... you cant really go too wrong!

BR,
Jez
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A few years ago I sold my GTB QV. Car had a laundry list of "to do "items, and a friend was going to lose his home to foreclosure so I sold it, used some of the funds to help him out. Thought I wanted a 360 also. Took me about 10 months before I deeply regretted that decision and was a 308 owner again shortly. I could probably swing the purchase of a 430 right now if I sold my other cars but the 308 is what does it for me. 2cts.

 

I think the 308 is a very special car. While not fast, it is unique in its stance, its go gart size, its ride, and great handling. The 360 looks nice. My 355 is very nice to drive. But the 308 is the best. The 308 is a forgiving car, easy to maintain, plain simple. You will find the later cars need another level of competence to fiddle with their issues. And they will dive deeper into the wallet. Your 308 is appreciating. The 360 is still depreciating. The 355 is either stable or slightly up. So financially the 308 is the place to be if you have to let the 308 go to get the 360.

But that is me today after a few months owning a 355. You need to determine where your sweet spot lies so go for a test drive and take a thorough look at the total ownership picture.

 

I sold my testarossa after buying a 400i because in my case another 2 seater excluded my family yet again. Loved the car but sold it at what is its current peak right now so to me a win win and no regrets. Having a ferrari that I can go out in with my family is worth more than what the testarossa offered me in performance and drop dead iconic looks in exchange for a box on wheels (a very cool box but still a box). In the case of a 308 vs a 360 if the newer car included your wife in the equation I would do it in a second, zero thought! A 360 also sounds better than a 308 plus all the other things you mentioned. As for appreciation I think a 360 will languish where it is with a 6 speed carrying a premium over an F1 and a 308 has plateaued. If the market has an adjustment (which is inevitable), you'll wish you had moved out of the 308 now.

 

Drive one and decide for yourself which one touches your heart more. Usability is not really that much different, is it? Both 2 seaters and can't fit a big luggage in anyway. Safety the 360 has an upper hand.

Value, forget about the future slump. If there is one soon, both will go down and likely at the same rate with 308 holding up a bit better. If there is no slump, 360 will still depreciate and 308 go up steadily or at least level.

360 is no where near the modern sports cars. Even a Maserati Gransport can smoke it.

 

Interesting that you think that the 360 is 'languishing' , Newman. My old 360 Spider has just gone up for sale at £25k ($38k) more than when i sold her to the same dealer 3 Years ago ..... prices in the UK have gone mad for manual 360's in particular, which are almost at parity now with standard 430's!
Haven't seen any let up in the 308 pricing either .... record price after record price being attained (not just asked).
to go back to the OP question, i think it depends what he wants from his Ferrari experience, if its touring with his good lady, sharing the ride, then i think a 360 is the best place to park his gains from the 308. I also think if he goes manual, then in the medium to long term, his money is also fairly safe.
BR,
Jez

 

In our country, any 308 can buy two 360. People look at 308s but not 360s (as they are too many of 360s). Changing the F1 shift system costs the price of the whole second hand 360! Don't see the point of swapping 308 to 360. Sorry to be nasty but thats my 2cents.

 

No shortage of 360's on the market here and they aren't selling fast and 308's aren't moving much either. In fact I see asking prices for 308's going down and still not selling. Testarossas the same thing 246's too. You can ask what you want but give me examples of LHD steel 308's or QV's that are getting big money and flying out of the showrooms. A 360 isn't special but its still cool and I can buy one tomorrow in any colour I choose.

He mentioned his wife so I suspect he wants her to be a part of his passion if she isnt already.

 

A great read
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/ferrari-discussion-not-model-specific-sponsored-algar-ferrari/507642-early-1990s-crash-collector-porsche-ferrari-values-how-did-happen.html

 

Initially I wasn't specifically targeting Ferrari when I settled upon finding/buying a 308. I think they are very special antique cars. You know that already.

Is there any possible way to overlap the purchase and own one of each for a year or so? By the end of the trial year you can decide which one to sell. Rent garage space across town if you need to.

 

That's exactly what I did when I bought my '89 328 GTS in December 2010, two years after I bought my '89 328 GTB: I wanted to know which one was the best and which one I prefered. The result is that five years later, I still have both...

Rgds

 

I've driven (3-pedal) several 360's and love them. But, I know I would miss the low to the ground, more "go kart" and vintage feel of the 308. For me, it would need to be my 308 and a 360.

 

I think your best bet is to keep your 308 and add a 360.

 

All great thoughts guys. My friend owns a 360 and I will get some seat time in the spring to see how i feel about it. My wife does like the 308 but she's a passenger. With an F1 360 she could be a driver. I also have a 2 and 4 year old that love the 308 but i tend not take them out in it because it simply isn't that safe and my kids are too precious to me to risk it. I would love to own both cars but that wont happen. I think I would really like the 360 and i would really miss the 308. This is a tough one. In 2016 the 308 is getting a full mechanical restoration and major (less a rebuild) just to get it ready in case I sell. If i keep it the only item left to do is a repaint.
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...............my vote.
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I sold my 328 in 2014 and bought a 360 F1. I owned the former for almost 12 years and loved it. But am getting older, and life is too short not to fulfill a dream. To this day, am really loving the 360 experience. The 328 is a beautiful classic, but to me, the 360 is better in all aspects. I haven't looked back.

Try to get the latest and well-sorted model you can afford. It is worth spending the extra $$.

 

When I bought my 328 my kids were 3 and 6. My oldest rode with me when I drove it home, 700 miles. I used to take them both to school in it, one riding on the console, the other in the seat. They've both grown up riding in it and a high end car seat was a permanent fixture on the passenger side. They've been on countless spirited drives with the local Ferrari group of crazies. I couldn't leave them out of something I enjoyed that much. Your kids will get bigger, and it'll be easier to take them along.

I've owned the car 14 years and there isn't another car that does it for me. Sometimes I wish there was, but there isn't. I've been informed by my kids that I can't sell it anyway, because it's "our" car. My oldest was driving it the other day and started laughing. I asked why, and he said "this car isn't that fast, but it's SO much fun!". Pretty well sums it up.

I think if you sell, I think you'll regret it. My $.02, worth exactly what you paid for it.

 

And you don't need a 360 to let your wife drive. My girlfriend loves to drive my 308.
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I have both a 360 spider FI and a 308 GTS carb. Enjoy both cars. When I want an adrenaline rush I grab the 360. When I want a cruise the 308. The 308 has the best ride around with the 14" wheels and new suspension. Bumps that the 360 hammers over disappear in the 308.

 

I went from a 308GTB to a 512TR to a 360 Spider (w/ a manual trans) back "down" to another 512TR, then back my '76 308GTB VR. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed the 360 it is no coincidence I came right back to an early carbed 308GTB!
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