To belt or not to belt .. that is the question

Why not offer both options to potential buyers? One price without the major and another price with. If you are offering a price with the major I suggest including exactly what work will be performed and at what facility? We all see variances with what is included in a "major" service.

 

As a buyer I would prefer it had the major service done , but I see your point in giving the option upon sale

 

Put yourself, honestly, in the position of a buyer. I bought mine a month ago, and records indicate the engine was pulled out around 3 years ago and lots of work done. Since that time, it hasn't been driven that much. Based on what I've seen under the hood myself, I feel it will be "due" some time in the next 12-18 months for belts at the very least. But for now, I feel the car is mechanically sorted. This was absolutely a factor when I was shopping. I wanted to buy a car and immediately enjoy it - not buy a car, have it shipped to a mechanic, and write ANOTHER big check.

(I've been spending quite a bit of time sorting some non-major things out already, but that's a different matter than to your question. None of my updates are requiring major-service-level expertise.)

Ask yourself, given 2-4 options when shopping - which option would be more appealing to you? A car which is probably due for a major, or a car that is not.

It's not hard to find a 328 for sale right now. And prices are dropping, I think. So make your car one that the buyer feels confident about. You probably want them to start their ownership imaging the joy they're going to have... not thinking about the work it already needs.

If the buyer is already a Ferrari owner, they may have their favorite shop and prefer to do the work themselves. But a buyer new to this marque will not be "in the loop" already, ready to handle all such things. Sorting it out for them tells them two things: First, that you actually cared about the car. Secondly, that you cared about the next owner's experience. It can mean a lot to a buyer, if they believe you cared for the car as best you could.

But PT328 is also correct - his advice is a good failsafe, if you're hesitant to write the check for service.

 

Doing the belts will include a set of buyers who would otherwise dismiss the car. So if you want a wider potential sales base, do the belts.

 

Buyers who can do the belts themselves would prefer the discount. Offer both and be clear on the cost/delay with new belts and who would be doing it.

That's the catch with pristine cars, you want them to stay that way and feel guilty driving them.

 

Just choose what you want to do, but if you do not do the belts and rollers (not a very expensive job) you will loose certain customers and you also take the (very tiny) risk of snapped belts during a testdrive.

When I was looking for a 308/328 I also checked out a car with 9 year old belts. The testdrive did not feel comfortable for me.

I would just spend the money (around 1K) and get the job done by a qualified Ferrari-specialist.

 

I think that if the fee for the belts was only $1k it wouldn't be a concern, I think that it is much more expensive than that moreover, that isn't a "major service" but only part of it. From what I recall when I was looking into this a major is between $5K and $7K.

 

You could have the belts and tensioners changed, and fluids also, for about $1500 in Europe.
But I understand that the cost of labor is usually less here, and also that, as you say, this would not qualify as for a "major".

Rgds

 

Do the belts and nothing else.

 

Set the price of the car for what you think is reasonable as is. You know you will have to negotiate no matter what. Only you can decide what the minimum offer you would accept would be. If the car is as good as you say the cost of replacing belts should be in the noise. In other words, include the cost of a belt job in the asking price and then the buyer can negotiate it away and think he is getting something.

 

Robert, your machinists is correct if there are no leaks and he did the service. The 7 yrs mark as a threshold is fine. As others have stated I would list the car with both options. Buy with a service, or without. Set your price according. Maybe best to aim for the price first that includes a fresh service. And work yourself from there, good luck on the sale!

 

Good advice. I would list the car for sale at the price you would sell for with a fresh full service. In the ad I would clarify that the car is to be sold with a fresh service and that a reduced price is possible if the new owner wishes to do this themselves. Really it is the best of both worlds for a buyer where you give them options without telling them they have to pay more for the service and by listing a higher price you flush out the bottom feeders who only shop on price.

 

Good advice - been thinking about selling my '84 GTS, and I'm in a similar situation (don't drive it as much as I would like, it's in great shape, etc).

 

Belts and rollers are around 1K.
I never said a full major service is 1K.
7 year old belts and rollers can not be trusted (yes, most of the time they will be fine), so I would've replaced them years ago already.

 

Exactly. This car doesn't need anything but belts and tensioners.

But here is where the numbers start getting "funny". Potential buyers are going to beat the price down quoting stupid ass major costs and noting it has been 7 years.

The big universal red flag is planted firmly on those belts, like it or not. Replacement philosophy aside, you will never be able to escape this and the price negotiation and you will just not believe what you are going to hear - "it costs $7000 to do new belts so I want $7,000 off the asking price or I'm walking". **** like that.

You put a grand in in for new belts and you just erased all that because few, if anyone, is going to go nuts over the last valve adjustment.

New belts = good to go to most out there.

Do yourself a favor, spend the thousand on them now and save the price beat down you are going to be handed that is going to be far and away more than that grand.

 

The problem with that then becomes .... Did you do the water pump ? Did you do the valve adjustments ,how about the alternator belt .... It's a no win proposition in only doing the belts. I would list and wait to see what comes of it before spending the $1,000. As much as I agree with your approach, we don't know if he will get a buyer that's serious.
The chatters did it to themselves for years with the beat down, so everyone deserves the medicine on resale time.

 

Nothing of a strictly "mechanical" nature of a major service will need work because the car was not run much for X years. IOW, valve clearance does not change if the engine is not run, etc.

Rubber parts/ seals are a different issue, of course. As others' have stated, I would do the belts. I wouldn't do anything else unless there is an indication that there is a problem. If the water pump isn't seeping, I wouldn't mess with it. But I would consider seven year old tires to be an issue if I was buying the car. So to me, belts/tires are worth considering for replacement.

 

The car hasn't been driven much since the last "major" so as long as its not pissing oil there is no need to take the cam covers off (I.,e. valve clearances, oil seals etc). If the valves were checked at the last major then they will be fine

So all that's required is a competent mechanic for a day, a pair of Hills Tensioner bearings (around $150) a pair of cam belts ($20) and three V belts (maybe $40-$50)

Anything else (water pump, hoses, plugs, ignition leads etc) can be done by the new owner as and when they are needed.

Its just a car.....

 

If I was buying your car I'd add in $5k for a major in my acquisition cost analysis. Not just belts, a major. It's been 7 years. It's due. I'd be reluctant to buy it if you did belts and not a full major because I'd think if you cheaped out on that service, what other costs did you avoid?

I bought my 328 overdue for a major. I could've had it done prior to taking delivery out of state at a higher purchase price, but I chose to start a relationship with my local mechanic and have it done close to home.

 

Then you are not being very objective imo. What exactly is a "major" anyway? In many cases it looks like servicing for the sake of it. I've seen discussions about changing water pumps on a schedule for heavens sake. Its a pump, if its not leaking & the bearings are fine leave it alone!. Same for the cam seals and many other things.

If a VW can run for 30-40,000 miles on the same set of spark plugs then a 328 definitely doesn't need them changed every year. If the ignition leads are working then leave them alone till they arn't

Its a car (and a fairly simple one at that), change its fluids regularly, change its cam belts and bearings, wipe its backside & drive it & it will be happier for it!

Now rolling restoration (hose renewals etc) that's a different matter & that's something a new owner decides to do or not. Expecting all the hoses to be replaced before you buy a car (or as part of a service schedule) is nuts IMO. That kind of renewal is part of owning the car & you pick up from where the last guy left off - but don't confuse it with routine servicing.

 

Agreed and well said. Ferrari's in general are MASSIVELY over serviced and babied with perfectly good parts being replaced way before their life.

 

And the only thing I disagree with about what you wrote is that I'm not being very objective.

 

Its just a design issue & its usually the tensioners that are going to fail rather than the belts.

For what its worth I am in the middle of a belt change just now. I have just removed a set of Hills tensioners that I put on there in 2011 about 11-12K miles ago (its had a couple of belt changes in between). They seem perfect but are being replaced with another set.

If you are selling it then change its fluids & filters, change the belts & tensioners (and V belts), change the tires if they are over 5 or 6 years old, the brake pads if they are more than half worn and call it done. Anything else is restoration (and for the next owner to worry about) not routine servicing.