Selling 4 for 1. Opinions appreciated.

Hello to my fellow car enthusiasts. ( apology in advance for the long post). I thought it would be fun/helpful to get some opinions and discussion on something I have been thinking of doing. I’m going to post this in the Ferrarichat 458 section and also the 308/328 section as well as on the Alfa 4C forum.

My current car situation is as follows. I have an extremely nice 1986 Toyota MR2 all original with 21,500 miles on it, leather interior and fantastic shape in and out. Also a very nice stock turbo 93 MR2 with 71,000 miles on it. Also in fantastic shape. I have Nero metallic 1989 Ferrari 328 with 26,000 miles on it. Again in great shape. And finally I have a 2017 Alfa 4c with 1200 miles on it.


I love all the cars each for their own unique reason. Years ago when I was a kid I always knew that I wanted a Ferrari. A 308 to be specific. Automobile magazine came out and compared the Toyota MR2 to the Ferrari 308. I was in no position at the time to buy a 308 but an MR2 I could make work. To me they were comparing it to a Ferrari and that was close enough for me. I loved the fact that it redlined at 7700 and everyone that reviewed it raved about it. I sold my 87 Fiero and got an 86 MR2.


Then the new MR2s came out and of course they were called the “baby Ferrari “ so I set my sights on those and bought a 91 turbo. Absolutely loved that car! I used to drive it with the steering wheel tilted at the angle of a 308 to get used to it. It was the final stepping stone that I took and finally bought an 83 308 QV and it was a great car. I kept it for almost 6 years and put 20,000 miles on it in that time. Took it on a couple of long trips. It was a great ownership experience.


Basically what I have in my garage now is 3 much nicer versions of the cars I had when i was younger and then the 4C.


The thought of slimming down and simplifying has appeal to me. I also have a couple of motorcycles, I own a business and work a lot. There is only so much time to enjoy the fun things.


At minimum I’ve decided to sell the 2 MR2s and will most likely be listing them on BAT.

This will leave me with the 328 and the 4C which is a fine pair of cars to have that compliment each other well and satisfies the urge to simplify a bit. To me the 328 is just a beautiful car, fun to drive and classic.

The 4C is really an amazing car. There isn’t a time I drive it that I don’t think “ wow....this car is special”


Here is where it’s interesting for me though and where I’m looking for opinions. I got to thinking...if I sold all 4 cars........ ( all are paid for except the 4c and the only reason that isn’t paid for is because I have such a good interest rate. I owe a small amount on it ) I could sell all 4 and get a Ferrari 458! I absolutely LOVE that car. I have only seen one in person one time I think but it sure did make an impression on me. I’ve watched and read tons of reviews. By all accounts the car is amazing.


Trading down 4 to 1 would definitely “simplify” things. I would have plenty of space in the garage that’s for sure. The 458 just seems so “next level” to me. I was set to drive one at the exotic car experience in Las Vegas the first week of April but of course that all got canceled.

That could have answered some questions.


The 328 is classic to me. Sometimes I sit in the garage and just look at it. The lines are so beautiful, I love how small it is compared to todays cars. It’s amazing really to see it next to a modern car. I’m also a big fan of the interior and of course the gated shifter. It’s not a fast car by todays standards but plenty fast enough to have fun and it makes a great sound. Plenty of places you can run it out 1st thru 3rd gear. It’s the car I lusted after as a Boy.


The Alfa....like I said it’s a special car. The carbon fiber tub is a thing of beauty to sit in and the driving experience is fantastic. I love the no power steering and don’t get it at all when reviews complain how hard it is to turn when going slow. To me its a non issue but maybe that’s because the 328 really is hard to turn at slow speeds so I’m used to that. It’s a fast car for sure but not to fast for the street I don’t feel. It also makes great sounds especially for a 4 banger and yeah.....it’s beautiful to look at for sure. I think the 4C is definitely a car that could go up in value in the future as they made so few of them.


So with those two I would have a great mix of old school classic and also a modern sports car.

Both cars are rare and you hardly ever see one on the street. I live in Indiana and have not seen another 308/328 on public since I watched my 308 leave my driveway back in 2006. I’ve only seen one other 4C on the roads here and that was before I bought mine. I like a car that you don’t see on the roads often and I even get that with my MR2s.


Now to the 458. If the 308/328 was what I dreamed of as a Boy. I think the 458 is what I dream of as a grown up. They are absolutely beautiful, the sound to me is unreal and I feel like I would be up near the red line all the time. That steering wheel is all business and I love it! I’m a huge Schumacher fan so I have to say I like that he had input on this car. The engine thru the glass is art. That said I’m torn between the coupe and the spider but that would be a decision for down the road. Everyone says the handling is amazing and I believe it. I wonder though is it to much power for the street? All of my cars now I can have good fun on the street without being a lunatic for the most part. I think the power on the 458 would be intoxicating! I would push it every clear stretch and on ramp but that said I wouldn’t drive like an idiot with other cars around. So.......awesome power but tempered with is it’s to much for the street? Also I wonder if the Alfa would give me 8/10ths of the fun for a fraction of the price.


Reliability seems like a non issue for the most part from what I read so that is good to hear but still I do worry a bit as I’m sure things could get very expensive on that car.

Suspension, transmission, electronics etc. My 328 has been bullet proof ( knock on wood) and The 4C has a good reputation for being reliable plus its under warranty for another 2 1/2 years.


I sure would like to hear what people think. Especially maybe from people that have driven the different cars. One thing I would like to say is I was thinking a lot about this before all of this started with Covid19. I still am not but I’m not sure it’s the best time to be selling cars and I would need to see how things shake out with the economy and business as it gets going again and what “normal” will be like.


Still it’s fun to talk and look and I’ve been doing a lot of looking!


If you read this far thanks for reading !

 

I actually think this a lot.
I know it’s a first world problem but it takes work and time to keep everything clean.
Driving them which keeps everything in good working order.
What’s funny is I won’t drive one of the MR2s for a while and think “ I need to sell that car” and then I drive it and think “ don’t sell it !!”
That said I am ready to simplify so at minimum I’m selling the 2 MR2s.
Also in light of all that’s going on simplifying seems to have some extra appeal

 

You see I find this interesting because I was under the impression ( maybe falsely ) that the maintenance on the 458 wasn’t too bad.
No timing belt change right? I thought I read that but I’ll check to be sure.
They say the carbon ceramic brakes last a long time and they don’t seem to have many things go wrong. The DCT doesn’t burn up like on the 430 and 360.
Now having said that....I bet when something does go wrong.....it ain’t cheap!

 

Ok....you definitely have my attention. I do ok but I am not crazy about the thought that I would have to ship the car off to a Ferrari dealer.
I have a a great independent mechanic I have used for almost 20 years here in Indy. Not sure how much he works on 458s though.
Also I do feel like the 328 or even the 4C I can work on them quite a bit. A good friend of mine races and rebuilds his engines etc so he really knows his way around an engine. The point being I have someone the lives right around the corner that is always willing to help.
With the cars I currently have. The 458 I have no clue what’s involved with those.

 

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here’s the two just as FYI

 

Just wanted to thank everyone for all of the great responses. I am (like all of us I would imagine) exhausted with the constant barrage of news ( mostly bad) and this thread has been interesting and a lot of fun for me to read. A lot of great advice and the out of the box suggestions are fun to consider also.
I have played around with SO many car combinations.
Brian A to your point one of them was sell them all except for the 93 Turbo MR2. The 93 Turbo is T top so that would give the choice for an open air car and a 5 speed. Which I could pair with a 458 and since I have open air I could get a coupe which would cost less, I love the lines of it and that you can see the engine thru the glass.
And countless other combinations some of which entail selling my FJ cruiser and keeping either the 328 or 4c.

 

Believe me “ the grass is always greener” saying comes to mind in all of this.
That and I always seem to be so caught up in “ the hunt” as I’m sure many of you know. I think as car Guys we all get the thrill of the hunt.
Which maybe goes with the grass is always greener saying or I could play the “variety is the spice of life” card lol.
I think we all share the same passion for cars and could agree there are much worse things we could spend our time talking about, dreaming about and hopefully enjoying driving.

 

FiatRN
2 MR2s is a lot and I’m going to list the 86 here in maybe a month or so. The 93 I may hang on to a little while longer.
That will get me down to 3 and I can make a decision down the road. Maybe list the 93 next season. By that time maybe there will be some more clarity to this mess we have going on.
It’s a good point about needing something more modern than the 4c. I’m not sure I do.
What would the 458 get me that I can’t quite say. It just is so highly praised by almost everyone and just seems so next level.
That said I have been really thinking hard about how much I would miss the 328 and the 4C,
They are both a blast to drive and even just to look at in the garage.

 

Thanks Stuart for the feedback.
Just tonight I was driving to work and a 488 spider went by. I snapped to attention quick and went “ohhhhhhhhh look at that” and it sounded good.
Also I just found out tonight that my sisters boyfriend who is a HUGE car collector is interested in both my MR2s.
He has like...40 cars. Drives them, works on them etc. His collection makes my little 4 car stable look like kiddy stuff lol
He’s a true enthusiast.

 

ChevyDave
Keeping the 86 and pairing it with a 458 is something I thought of.
That way I still have a sick and to me the first gen MR2 have one of the best gear box.
It’s a blast to shift.
Always had a soft spot for the X1/9 too.