Looking at a 308 100k miles | Page 2 | FerrariChat

Looking at a 308 100k miles

Discussion in '308/328' started by Imatk, Jul 24, 2020.

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  1. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed Silver Subscribed

    Mileage and condition do matter. Is anybody here going to tell me they are out looking for a high mileage Ferrari!!!!!!!
    I can dig it if you bought one and then put the miles on it, buy buying a Ferrari with 100K on it is insanity. My 308 had 15K on it when I bought it and 22K now. I have had the car for a very long time. Drove it last week and it runs like the day it was delivered.
     
  2. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Feb 24, 2006
    15,517
    Cerritos, CA.
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    Mike
    Before I bought my car 14 years ago, I was choosing between a 35k miles QV, a 45k miles QV, and a 67k miles QV and guess what, I bought the one with highest mileage, the 67k miles QV because it runs way better than the two with the lower mileage. So, just because a car has a low mileage, doesn’t mean it’s a good condition and vise versa, just because a Car has high mileage, doesn’t mean it’s a bad condition car. My car has a lost 87k miles now and it still run like new and I drive her like I stole her.
     
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  3. kcabpilot

    kcabpilot Formula 3

    Apr 17, 2014
    1,527
    California SF bay area
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    Paul
    +1 Mike, the more I flog it the happier it seems to be, this is a car that loves to be rung out. I think there are two distinct camps here and if you are in the DIY'er camp then this low mileage thing is nonsense. I put 10,000 miles on mine in the first 12 months I owned it. You don't want to p*ussyfoot a Ferrari, they don't like it. You also don't want to neglect it, you need to get in there and exfoliate your knuckles. That's the best part of the experience!
     
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  4. Mantinger

    Mantinger Karting

    Jul 30, 2004
    145
    Netherlands, Drenthe
    Full Name:
    H
    Milage is just the distance the odometer has been counting. The engine may had a rebuild in its lifetime and many other parts have been renewed.
    Just look at the current state of the car, so... do a compression test, look for blue smoke and do a visual check on the body and fittings.
     
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  5. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Sep 3, 2002
    6,370
    Toronto / SoCal
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    Rob C.
    Higher mileage Ferrari's are wonderful opportunities for people who are mechanically inclined and are planning to own the car for a long time. From a market standpoint a 100K 308 is very difficult to sell but if it was treated well, it can be a very good and reliable car for a significant price savings over a lower mileage car. If you are in it for the long haul resale should not really enter into your concern. If you are good with a wrench then the only thing to really worry about is the body and interior condition which can be very expensive to fix. Give the car a good service and drive it. You sound like the right buyer for this kind of car so you may want to really have a serious look at it rather than be discouraged by people who buy odometers.
     
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  6. Brian A

    Brian A F1 Rookie

    Dec 21, 2012
    3,079
    SanFrancisco BayArea
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    1983 US 308 GTS QV
    When my Estate is selling my car, all 308s will be 100k cars. It will be the new normal.

    Regarding the effect of 100k on a 308, there IS a negative mileage effect; piston rings have seen a lot of use as have valve guides as have bearings. Much of the condition of the car is maintenance related so suspension or upholstery can be terrible or great in a 100k car but the innards of an unrestored engine are a different thing.
     
  7. derekw

    derekw Formula 3
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    Sep 7, 2010
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    London, UK
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    Derek W
    ...good correction. What I meant to say is the main point to consider with the high miles will be the resale value. I wouldn’t worry too much otherwise as long as you can do the needed work to replace the time and mileage affected parts, valves, guides, rubber ... Sounds like you’ll enjoy it and you’ll probably get your money back and some extra when you need to pass it along.
     
  8. 348KYD

    348KYD Karting

    Jul 29, 2007
    65
    Bedfordshire, UK
    Full Name:
    Nick
    Have you bought it yet :cool:
     
  9. Imatk

    Imatk Formula Junior

    May 6, 2007
    290
    The only thing that really intimidates me honestly... is it's a Ferrari :)

    I've never done valve adjustments on any other car because no car I've ever owned has needed that. So that's completely new to me. After an earlier post about the sodium valves that scares the holy crap out of me but if I can lean on some folks here for information maybe I can accomplish adjustment/replacement of valves if need be.

    I've done timing chains, but not timing belts. Although my VW does have a timing belt I've not had to change it yet.

    I've never rebuilt an engine, so I would be completely new to that and without guidance I'd not even want to attempt it.

    So far on my own cars ('07 GT500, '91 Mustang GT, '87 VW Scirocco 16v) I've done CV joints, brakes, intake gaskets, valve cover gaskets, supercharger installation, heat exchanger/radiator installation, speedo cables, fuel pumps, clutch replacement, tie-rod end replacement, power steering pumps, sway bar replacement, shock/spring replacement and timing chain replacement off the top of my head.

    But I've never dug into the guts of an engine and done any kind of rebuild. Never done any kind of transmission rebuild either.

    So that's out of my wheelhouse for sure. BUT if I had information and a guide I have no question I could accomplish it... I'm pretty methodical and can figure stuff out fairly well. It would just take me longer... but I LOVE working on cars... it's my Zen so that's part of the dream of owning it.

    I've put so much literal blood, sweat, and tears into my cars over the years... I would LOVE to be able to work on a Ferrari... my dream car.

    P.S.
    I am very close to finding finalizing the sale :)
     
  10. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
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    Trailer Swift
    Think of it as 2 FIAT motors bonded at the hip, with a VW injection system. Honestly, they're pretty simple mechanically.
     
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  11. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
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    Sep 3, 2002
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    Ferrari or not its just nuts and bolts. I always laugh when I see someone terrified about 3 year Ferrari belt change intervals and then will drive their Honda flat out stone cold never thinking twice about its 10 year old belts. Fact is that they are both machines and should be worked on the exact same way regardless of brand. Good mechanical practices are the most important thing and it is pretty easy to figure out for anyone comfortable with a wrench.

    Some Ferrari mechanics would have you think that what they can do is only the domain of the anointed few. Total nonsense. If you are good with a wrench then you'll be fine working on a Ferrari.
     
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  12. kcabpilot

    kcabpilot Formula 3

    Apr 17, 2014
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    Paul
    Being mechanically inclined is a skill set. You don't need to have done something already to accomplish it. In fact that would be impossible, at some point you are going to have to do something for the first time. If this 100,000 mile Ferrari has never been broken into and you want to keep it then I'd say that, at the very least, you'll be taking the heads off at some point and doing the valves and guides. To do that you really need to pull the engine. The bottom end is most likely going to be okay if it's been properly cared for. Doing valve clearances is not that bad, it's just a little bit of math with some calipers and feeler gauges. With the engine out access is real easy and while it is a Ferrari the mechanical bits and pieces are pretty much just like any other automobile.

    In other words - you can do this.
     
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  13. Nuvolari

    Nuvolari F1 Veteran
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    Sep 3, 2002
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    Rob C.
    Lots of people fret about the sodium valves so here are some numbers. I recently helped a friend do his and did mine. In both instances we pulled the motor and the heads and sent them off to be re-done before re-installing them ourselves. New valves, guides, etc. plus new head gaskets averaged about $2500USD per car. Throw in an extra $1K in parts and you can do the belts, tensioners, hoses, and some other service items. Our time is always free of course but for a modest investment we removed the sodium valve worry and gave ourselves a freshly serviced engine. These cars are not expensive to service and are quite robust.
     
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  14. miketuason

    miketuason F1 World Champ
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    Feb 24, 2006
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    Cerritos, CA.
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    Mike
    If you said you can change timing chain, then you can definitely change the timing belt because I think changing timing chain is a lot harder.
     
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  15. Imatk

    Imatk Formula Junior

    May 6, 2007
    290
    Thanks guys I'm feeling better about this :)

    I do have a lift (MaxJax) but I've never had to actually pull an engine. I imagine with the lift it will be a lot easier to drop it from the bottom.

    Wish you were closer to Austin Rob. I'd love to have someone there to supervise the valve job.
     
  16. Dane

    Dane Formula 3
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Apr 25, 2002
    1,512
    I owned an '81 GTSi with 94k miles. Beautiful car. Well maintained. Ran beautifully before it was stolen, crashed into a police cruiser during attempted escape and mutilated further by that idiot Jesse James. A trio of heart breaks, but I digress.

    I also owned a '77 GTB with 24K miles. Same. Beautiful car. Well maintained. PPI.

    Each ran exceptionally well.
     
  17. kiwiokie

    kiwiokie Formula 3

    Aug 19, 2013
    1,455
    Tulsa, OK
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    John McDermott
    I believe the engine always needs to come out of the top due to the transverse chassis members that the engine mounts sit on but being able to get the car higher up off the ground will make many jobs less uncomfortable


    Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat
     
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  18. 348KYD

    348KYD Karting

    Jul 29, 2007
    65
    Bedfordshire, UK
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    Nick
    You won't be doing anything that others on here haven't done many times previously, you're in the right place for help and support.
     
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  19. kcabpilot

    kcabpilot Formula 3

    Apr 17, 2014
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    Yes, engine will come out through the top and it is a bit of a squeeze but the lift will help greatly. I pulled mine last year and used my MaxJax, it's a good tool to have.
     
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  20. 2dinos

    2dinos F1 Rookie

    Jan 13, 2007
    2,772
    They're very solid machines. Ferrari didn't win all of those races and constructor championships for building fragile machines. Of course abuse doesn't count. It's the care more than the mileage. Have someone knowledgeable set out with you to look it over. As far as desirability, it's saddening to hear the squabble over the carb/early injected/QV. I wonder if this occurred in previous generations of Ferrari owners jibing the 275 versions? All of the 308's are great fun to drive and plenty fast when well tuned. Maybe with a stopwatch you can tell the difference? But the results may surprise some folks. Fastest 308's at the Virginia City Hillclimb for years haven't followed any set rules for 308 variants. Lots of entry's with the 308 family and the TR so gobs of data to compare. Of course back in the day, the F40 was really fast, and a magnificent race prepp'd 365 Daytona (I digress). Don't be intimidated to work on them. Just be very patient. Take your time cleaning. Get all the tech manuals you can find.

    Good luck in your hunt!
     
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  21. Imatk

    Imatk Formula Junior

    May 6, 2007
    290
    NOOO, that's so horrible! Did they steal it from your garage?
     
  22. Imatk

    Imatk Formula Junior

    May 6, 2007
    290
    Thanks... just waiting for bank stuff right now and I'll be a new Ferrari owner :)

    I'm going to guess you have a Dino... or 2?

    Those are so amazing.
     
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  23. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    35,288
    Birmingham, AL
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    Tommy
    So does mine with 100,000 more miles than yours.

    If you want to save yours for the next guy, it's your car. but I'm living life with mine.
     
  24. Glassman

    Glassman F1 World Champ
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    You have convinced me...........I am now looking for a Ferrari with 200K on it. I will not give up without success.
    Actually I think my 250GT had about 200K on it!!!!!!
     
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  25. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
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    May 4, 2001
    35,288
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    Tommy
    Think of how rare and unique it would be if you found one.
     

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