1985 308 QV w/ low miles, how to value? | FerrariChat

1985 308 QV w/ low miles, how to value?

Discussion in '308/328' started by s219, Sep 23, 2021.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. s219

    s219 Formula Junior

    Aug 26, 2021
    411
    So I came across a two-owner 1985 308 QV estate car with about 14,000 miles. Looks beautiful. Problem is, the last 1,000 miles took about 20 years to accumulate. The last 100 miles took 7 years to accumulate! Kind of sad really.

    I have looked over the service records going back to the change in ownership in 1987. The car was actively used and maintained up until about 2000. Then it was not driven much. Major "15K" services were done in 1996 (12,306 miles) and 2004 (13,478 miles). The owner kept up with basic maintenance (oil changes every couple years) through 2012 (13,793 miles). Then no records until 2019 (13,893 miles) when an $11K service was done that included timing belts and a lot of comprehensive work (belts, gaskets, seals, tensioner bearings, all the things I would expect to see done).

    Other service records over the years show several "battery dead, towed to dealer, battery replaced" events, so I don't think the owner was even savvy enough to put the car on a battery maintainer while it was in hibernation.

    Interior/exterior look great and all original in photos but I don't want to conclude anything until I see the car in person. CarFax is clean. Jack/toolkit/books/spare all there.

    I really want to get an idea of value and whether it's worth the time to travel 5 hours each way to inspect this car. Seller is asking $90K which is too high in my opinion given that there are a lot of unknowns lurking throughout the car due to lack of use for ~20 years (for example, I see no records of suspension work being done, ever).

    Any advice / valuation would be appreciated. I figure if I can come up with a comfortable offer, the worst the seller can say is "no" and then I move on. Just don't want to pass up a good opportunity if it is one. I am a mechanical engineer with good hands-on skills so I don't mind a project car if the price is right.

    thanks,
    219
     
    Jbrauer likes this.
  2. RodC328gts

    RodC328gts Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2021
    454
    Mexico
    Full Name:
    Rod C
    SAFE4NOW likes this.
  3. SAFE4NOW

    SAFE4NOW F1 Veteran
    Sponsor Owner

    Aug 25, 2004
    5,378
    Dallas Texas
    Full Name:
    If you know you know
    If it concerns you, back out the cost to perform the deferred services/repairs and make your offer.

    But I would , as others , strongly suggest having eyes on, either yours or a knowledgeable stand in.

    S
     
  4. Dave Bertrand

    Dave Bertrand Formula Junior
    Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 24, 2005
    770
    Castle Rock, CO
    If it's a GTS, I'd say 60-70k, which is in line with Hagerty's current valuation. Add a few thousand more if it's a B.

    I'd offer 65k contingent on PPI results, and see how they respond. If they hold firm on 90k, just sit tight and wait for it to show up on BAT.
     
  5. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2012
    26,820
    West of Fredericksburg, VA
    Full Name:
    John
    Also, do a search on "recommissioning costs" on here to get a feel for items that are frequently overlooked (but otherwise appear fine) due to time.
     
  6. blu308qv

    blu308qv Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2008
    275
    Florida
    #6 blu308qv, Sep 23, 2021
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2021
    $90k for a 14k mile QV? Definitely worth the drive! You may find an incredible car. The problem with asking the forum a valuation question is you get a bunch of answers based on nothing but someone’s opinion and they know absolutely nothing about the car. And most importantly, what is value to you may be half the value to another. Go check it out. All you have to lose is the cost of a few tanks of gas. The opportunity cost of missing out on the perfect find completely out ways a few tanks of gas.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/114955050285?hash=item1ac3dadd2d:g:hc0AAOSw3ydhNtOj

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/265323504949?hash=item3dc6836535:g:pL4AAOSwi8ZgybkH
     
    mike996 and Thomas Magnum like this.
  7. RodC328gts

    RodC328gts Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2021
    454
    Mexico
    Full Name:
    Rod C
    mcimino likes this.
  8. blu308qv

    blu308qv Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2008
    275
    Florida
    Somehow they seem to stay in business for many years, crazy or not.
     
    Thomas Magnum likes this.
  9. s219

    s219 Formula Junior

    Aug 26, 2021
    411
    When I researched that Merlin car a couple months ago, it had previously been listed by another seller for about $90K. I think Merlin finds these cars and maybe gets them closer to concours level, then puts a huge markup on them. I am told people will haggle him back down quite a bit. But still, that is an insane markup.
     
  10. blu308qv

    blu308qv Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2008
    275
    Florida
    I can’t complain, in fact I love it. I already own a QV. Sold it ten years ago and regretted if the minute it left. Bought it back for more than twice what I sold it for this year. So please everyone else selling these cars, keep driving the pricing up. It just adds more value to mine!!! Haha.
     
    Thomas Magnum likes this.
  11. RodC328gts

    RodC328gts Formula Junior

    Aug 17, 2021
    454
    Mexico
    Full Name:
    Rod C
    and I must recognize they are good
     
  12. pizzadude

    pizzadude Formula 3

    Feb 20, 2001
    1,265
    Indianapolis, IN
    To me
    An 85 with those low miles. If it were truly in good shape.
    It doesn’t seem like a ridiculous ask to me. Especially in this market.
    Plus only 2 owners to boot.
     
    mike996 and Thomas Magnum like this.
  13. s219

    s219 Formula Junior

    Aug 26, 2021
    411
    Merlin raised their price to $160K on that car linked above, maybe they are watching the thread and did it out of spite!
     
  14. 308 milano

    308 milano F1 Veteran

    Jan 15, 2007
    5,257
    Montana
    Full Name:
    Kim
    Make’s last weeks pricing seem like a real bargain.
    Merlin know something the rest of us don’t? $160k does seem a little overzealous. Guess time will tell.
     
  15. thorn

    thorn F1 Rookie
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 7, 2012
    3,322
    Tallahassee, FL
    It's nice looking car, for sure. But for that price I'd buy a 355 gts, and save the rest for maintenance that I can't do myself... Which was a factor when I did not buy a 355. ;)
     
  16. Jbrauer

    Jbrauer Karting

    Oct 12, 2016
    205
    Pasadena
    Really nice original 308 QV are 80K plus. 90K is not that far from selling price. If the car is a 9/10 all original. With window sticker, clock tag, all books, original keys everything perfect.
     
  17. blu308qv

    blu308qv Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2008
    275
    Florida
    I may have told this story many years ago on this forum. A very long time ago I traveled across the state to make an offer on a 328 at a Ferrari dealership. Needless to say They didn’t accept my offer. But on way out I saw a red on black 246 GTS with chairs and flairs. They were asking $39k. I asked the sales guy about the car and he did everything he could to talk me out of it. He said: “It’s not a real Ferrari, it doesn’t even have a Ferrari badge on it and it has a Fiat manufactured V6 motor. Don’t worry, we’ll find you a proper 328 at your price.” So, I left. Crazy how things change over time.
     
    Jbrauer likes this.
  18. judd10

    judd10 Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Dec 30, 2006
    456
    Seattle, WA
    I looked at that same car and they've had the car for a while! They had a buyer over a month ago who bought it and then backed out... The car looks like it has been driven more miles than the odometer shows. The interior is really funky... the leather looks very faded and the various seats/door panels/pieces are all different colors. The undercarriage looks like it needs a lot of work (sometimes hard to tell though the mileage from the undercarriage) and the paint is uneven... hard to tell if it's original/been repainted. Also, the pictures we're from the last owner... not current pictures. If you get it, I'd anticipate a pretty good amount of funds/budget to sort out the suspension, engine and redo the interior. my two cents.
     
    energy88 likes this.
  19. energy88

    energy88 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Jan 21, 2012
    26,820
    West of Fredericksburg, VA
    Full Name:
    John
    Very good point when considering any car from afar.
     
  20. robertcope

    robertcope Karting
    Silver Subscribed

    May 3, 2021
    236
    Houston, TX
    Full Name:
    Robert B. Cope
    I searched for the VIN on the car I bought and found some great pictures of it. The pictures on BaT were pretty awful, which I think was one reason people weren't bidding. But the pictures from the previous sale were much better. And since it only had a few hundred miles since then, I was pretty sure it hadn't change much.

    Did the same thing on my SC400. Bought it from a guy who had no idea what it was. It was modified pretty nicely. I thought, can't be too many SC400s with a manual swap, nice suspension, etc. Sure enough, was able to find the original build thread easily. And man was it beautiful. Easy purchase after that because I knew what I was getting.

    Definitely use the tools that are free and easy when making a purchase!
     
  21. Banzairacer

    Banzairacer Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    Aug 24, 2017
    482
    San Diego, CA
    Full Name:
    Sanjeev Thohan
    I have an 85 Prugna QV.
    90 is a premium and raising prices to unrealistic ceilings means they may not really want to sell it - no rhyme or reason needed for business decisions.

    here are some estimates
    New suspension bushings ($3-5k)
    brakes ($500+)
    Hoses etc (up to $3k depending)
    Slow windows - $2-4k depending on the motor rebuild and labor costs.
    The seats if not in the best of shape ($3500 to replace just the leather and install extra)
    Carpets $2k
    A nice addition is a 5% IR blocking TINT (heat shield) on the inside of the windshield to reduce the windshield heating in sunlight. sound dampening on the floors is a nice to have also
    ($100 for NVX - heat and sound
    When you do the carpets).
     

Share This Page