Hi all, Im considering buying a 1985 308 QV. Will drive it in Friday. It’s a beautiful example, very clean, classic color combo etc, and has everything I’ve been looking for. However it has less than 4,000 miles. I know these cars need to be driven so I’m worried that this mileage is way too low and I will potentially be buying a problem! Be interested to hear what members think.
A PPI is advisable of course, and some questions would be: How many owners has it had, what climate(s) did it live in, why was it not driven more, was it regularly maintained despite the low mileage, how/where was it stored (temp/humidity), how long did it sit between runnings. To me this kind of history is important. Hopefully you're onto a beauty that was simply coddled more than driven!
Yes, thats the one. I understand it’s only had 2 owners. Will find out more on Friday but I’m uneasy with such a low mileage.
That car is probably one of the nicest examples you could own. Really just need to get the service history and have all the rubber parts looked at. It appears it has been humidity stored so most likely in decent shape. The test drive will tell you the rest. If I was doing it all over again, I would start from an example like that one. Haggling boils down to when the last major was done in a case like that. I would just double check no dry rot as well in the rubber components. Best of luck!
I saw it on Tuesday of this week……it’s an amazing example. As @Frisky says I wouldn’t worry about anything other than making sure it’s had a recent major. The rubber and everything is perfect…..it has to be its on their main showroom floor beside 2 brand new Ferrari models. I’m heading back there late this week if you want me to look at anything for you. I owned an 85 QV euro spec a bunch of years ago……..it’s an awesome car and you’ll love it!
Few things to recommend while doing the test drive. Double check AC is working. Be good to bring a thermometer to test what temp it is coming out. It is easy to be star struck while the salesman strokes you, but ask for 15-20 minutes to sit alone in the car. Test all the windows, door locks, all lights including directional, fogs, trunk. Also wiper and washer and any other function the car has. Most likely a car that clean checks on all the above, but you never know. Again, best of luck. It is awesome.
See if it has the service history record, it may be sitting around for a long time but if it’s been maintained regularly maybe it’s a good car.
I'd suggest that looking at the rubber parts isn't good enough - they could be NOS on the shelf, never used, and I still wouldn't put them in a car and trust the 39 year old rubber!!! That car might look perfect, but it needs to be recommissioned if it has original rubber coolant and fuel lines in it - every single coolant and fuel line should be replaced before the car is put into service. Gordon
I’ve just bought a Euro spec one in the UK. Not such a low mileage though. I got a major service done before I got it. The bits that don’t work are electrical niggles: central locking doesn’t: mirror adjustment temperamental and wired so up is down: courtesy lights don’t work on the door switch: map light switch won’t lock on: I asked that the wipers be checked for continuous running (not a quick flick and off) the tyres were 10 years old (£450 a corner as TRX metric) and I insisted they be changed. Other than that any car that age with that low likes needs recommissioning as more knowledgeable people have indicated above.
Service history is key. routine mtns. due to age. vs. miles. you would want to see that its been regularly gone through. To me the biggest concern would be electrics and cooling. Hoses and wiring that are brittle and failing. once you start to put a lot of heat into the engine bay all those hoses will start to flex and stretch. Cam belts, and ACC belts as well need to be changed and a valve adjustment. Leak down and Compression test should be excellent... if not - to me that is an issue. Brake lines and the brake bias valve could also be a problem once you start to use it. ( easy fix, but messy ) the cooling system would be my biggest concern. 308's were marginal on cooling when new - today they cant cope with modern traffic needs. water pump and radiator upgrades would be my first thing to do. upgrade fans as well.
Why not just drive it? In 2024 dollars a 308 was well over $200,000 today. Do you advise current buyers to never drive their cars? After all, it destroys the value.
presumably part of its value/cost is originality-easy as it hasn’t been used. Having paid out for re-commissioning once you start to use it this “premium “ starts to reduce. So if your interest is driving it a more used higher mileage one might be better. If it’s originality/investment it’s a different story.
Or as Spiro suggests below it may have been continuously maintained and need nothing. We do not know. Have had several clients like this but I'll choose one example. Man had a black/black 512M. I put more miles on it test driving it than he did. He sent it over every year and I had Carte Blanche to maintain it. He maintained it like a bomber for the Strategic Air Command. It could go anywhere any time. Our own TR was treated the same. It was serviced every year and never driven otherwise.
Some of us like to get a hotel room with clean sheets. I don't mind a car with a patina, but it needs to be my patina.
I don't give a **** what someone does with their car. Never have. But the irrefutable fact here is a massive MASSIVE premium will be paid for that low number on the odometer. If I were going to buy a 308 to drive, there are many other ways to throw away tens of thousands of dollars. But you already know this. Also, low mileage does not mean it is in a need$ nothing mechanical $tate - $o add that in before you get behind the wheel. I would drive my 127,000 mile QV to California tomorrow and not lose a bit of sleep on the way. No ****ing WAY I would do that with this car. I don't give a **** if it had only Prova miles on it. But you already know that too. Like you, I am not new to the 308 world - and you already know that also. And I know what I am talking about when I discuss 308's and their use and the market etc. And you already know that too.
Have you ever bought a brand new car? Well you spent a massive premium doing that too and you threw away tens of thousands. No difference. And don't be pissed off at me for pointing out your lack of consistency.
Whoever buys that car is going to be filthy with dough and likely filthy without. Are they going to just look at it waiting for it to fetch $1MM? I doubt it. They'll drive it to get their Magnum jollies and throw it aside 5 years from now like they did with their Big Wheel.
