308 or 512 price wise...

Nathan
Firstly, a 308 is a lovely but "old fashioned" car. You definitely need to avoid the early injection cars ('81/'82) as they were gutless wonders. Either go for a real classic (carb car ) with all that it means in terms of watching out for rust (if you are in the US there were no fiberglass cars imported) or go for a QV.
A 512 TR is a FANTASTIC car - I had one and kept it for 11 + years. However, it is a 12 cylinder and therefore costs more to maintain. I did in excess of 100 000 miles in mine that were pretty much trouble free but services and the odd 2nd gear synchro could get quite expensive.

A good 328 is - in my opinion - an ideal car. It is timelessly beautiful, modern enough that you do not feel like you are driving an antique, completely reliable and won't destroy your bank account when you get it serviced!

One final point, choose the car you buy on its condition and not its price. Have it checked out by an authorized Ferrari dealer, make sure it has a complete service history etc. A $70K 512 TR for $50K is probably best avoided as there is always a reason for the discount and you may only discover the reason when you get the bill.....

Also AVOID a 348 at all costs. The worst Ferrari EVER built - trust me I know

 

You people are just amazing. "Worst ever built". Gosh golly, you know the 246 wasn't even allowed to be called a Ferrari? The 400 was torn apart by the critics when it was released. The 308GTSi isn't exactly the high point of horsepower.

The level of "anti-348" bullsh$t on FerrariChat is beyond my comprehension. Half the people who hate the car don't have a clue what they're talking about. The other half is a bunch of super-rich Enzo/Stradale snobs who think they're entitled to look down their noses at everyone else. Oh yeah, and the third half is actually quite decent. You all know which side you're on.

What is coming of a world when there's actually a strata among Ferrari owners? Lord have mercy... my caviar is better than your Perigord foie gras.

-Daniel

 

Even Luca di M said that the 348 was the worst car Ferrari had ever built. I had one from new and persevered with it for 2 1/2 yrs of real horror. Have never met ANYONE who had anything good to say about it - except the day they got rid of it. A 328 is a FAR superior car and I don't have an Enzo!

Anyone who thinks the 348 is a good car is merely showing how little he knows about cars and is blinded by love of Ferrari to an absurd level.

 

You are wrong in the comments you attribute to Luca. His words were: "The 348 was the worst Ferrari I have ever driven. Of course it was a good car - but not a fantastic Ferrari." There is a gigantic difference between the worst built, and the worst he personally drove.

In the scheme of your 348/512/CS ownership, the 348 might certainly be bottom of the heap. But come on... don't be so arrogant to as to insult the many happy and satisfied 348 owners here on Fchat.

One more thing... if you are really so active in the French Ferrari Club (http://ferrarichat.com/forum/showpost.php?p=101356&postcount=31), how do your paying members who own 348's feel when you spout this stuff? I'm tired of watching you rail against Lamborghini, the 348, the new 430, and frankly, anything other than the CS. For Wayne (G-Force) the Gallardo was the right choice; for me, the 348 was the right choice. For you, the CS was the right choice. Everybody's in the game for different reasons, and with different means. Try not to be a sourpuss.

(By the way, why not fill out your profile and subscribe?)


-Daniel

 

Before someone reads too much into Luca's comments, remember, he had just come back on board and was ready to grab the company by the scruff of the neck.

Never take the chairman of any company that serious with the press. He was trying to enable change.

The 348 is a great car, especially with the challenge upgrades.

 

I have owned a 328GTS and a 348 Spider. The 348 is a far superior car than the 328 in all respects. It performs better, handles better and looks better IMHO. And, I had no problem with mine other than a bad ground at the battery that was repaired for less than $100. That being said, I will still go with the 512 as it is an even better car and it has 12 cylinders. As someone who has owned two 8s and four 12s, trust me, you do not get the true Ferrari experience until you own a 12 cylinder Ferrari. As for Luca's comments about the 348, #1 he was referring to one of the first cars that did have some problems and #2 he was trying to justify his position that Ferrari needed a change in direction.

 

I think there is confusion here between the 512TR and a Testarossa.

Testarossas currently range in price from the high 40's to the low 70's.

512TR's, which is a much improved and later incarnation of the Testarossa, are running from the high 80's to just over 100k.

After watching my buddy buy and maintain his TR I have developed a rule of thumb when comparing cost and maintenance of the TR to a 308. Double the cost on everything. It seems to hold true.

 

Talk about comparing apples and oranges! What you are saying is that you can AFFORD either a Testarossa or a 308/328 and wonder which one people think is "better". It depends on about a million things. Better looking? Better performing? Better sounding? Better in terms of maintenance? It's hard to cross shop these cars, they are so different in terms of size, cost, looks and maintenance bills. I do not own a Testarossa but everything I have heard is that they are much more expensive in the long run than the 308/328 series in terms of service, so if you can just barely afford to buy one, don't. A 308/328 gives you a much more comfortable margin for affordability in the long run. Besides, the 308 just looks better! (I'm just giving you TR guys a little jab, no offense! ;-)

Birdman

 

None taken (as it's mostly true IME) -- still, the additional available torque of a TR is a beautiful thing...

 

Uhhhhh, I think a few glass 308s made it over here.....

I'll share what the long time Ferrari Importer here told me when I asked the same question:

"Well the TR can carry a larger ice chest.."LOL

Other comments concerning care and feeding are spot on. Buy what you can afford to maintain. The 12s are some hungry beasts come service time...

It's a little more than 4 more spark plugs...

 

Daniel,

Not a "sourpuss" far from it - love ALL Ferraris (except 348s!) but in the case of the latter I seem to have touched a nerve??? Maybe the truth hurts?

As for railing against Lambos - ABSOLUTELY. Anything other than a Ferrari should be railed against! And you ain't heard me when it comes to Porsches either!!

As for the French members who have 348s : As we do lots of track events, most have traded them in for 355s (those who could afford it) or added a little money to get a nice clean 328.

You see in Europe a 328 is worth more than a 348, and that is the market not me,

Also please do not be quite so sensitive - i am only talking about cars!

 

I don't trust you. In my experience with having owned both a 308 QV and a 348 the 348 is the best bang for the buck out there

 

ChalSrad, are you french? If so, why should anyone trust what you have to say anyway...or even listen...more less care ! LOL

 

Does he have pics of his F-Cars present or previously owned ???????????????????????????

 

I'll vouch for that! I drove my buddy's TR (with Tubi) while he drove my Oldslow308. What a huge torque band. I'm sold on one, maintenance costs be damned! I will own one someday.

 

FYI, I have had a TR and now own a BB512i. I have not noticed that much difference in maintenance costs over the 328, 348, 330GTC and 400GT I previously owed ;other than the cost of the major service of the 348, TR and Boxer was more in that it required the engine to be removed.

 

Frank - I don't question his ownership of the cars. I think it's documented that he's had at least a 348, TR, and now a CS. I think it's great -- and I'm glad he's an active member of the Ferrari club and gets the car onto a track with some conviction. All that stuff is good. I'm just not happy about bashing any Ferrari -- regardless of it's supposed reputation or his singular ownership experience -- on this board of enthusiasts.


-Daniel

 

I can't imagine any non-garage-queen 328 -- including '89 ABS models changing hands north of 50K USD. If I'm wrong, please correct me.

Non-Spider 348's probably all change hands in the high 40's/low 50's range; Spiders probably trade closer to 60K.

 

oh well i suppose its my turn now i have had a in order from first to present
testarossa---1990
308--1977
testarossa---1985
348gtb--1994
355gtb--1998
328gts---1996
f521m--1996
had the tr first great car but crap brakes, then a 308 drove crap compared to todays standards but bet it was good in 1977 when it was new,
then came a older tr with sports exhaust drove great sounded great but crap brakes and heavy to drive, then a 348gts lovely car but not for me lacked power compaired to the tr
read so much about 355 with power steering so bought one it was so dissapointing to drive there was know challange power steering easy to park the wife used it all the time i hated it as it was like driving a bmw, so then came the 328gts loved it great car to look at and easy to drive but it felt to small
then i found my dream car f512m a testarossa with all the problems sorted as i am in the uk there is nothing else that i can buy rhd i would love a F50 but lhd is not good for me so it looks like a lambo for me next as i love 12 cylinders and ferrari dont make anything any more for me to replace it with

 

I agree with authority !!! the 308gt4 is a beautiful car and is tagged as the ugliest design by ferrari, completely subjective IMO, and no I do not own one. I have an 86TR with the single fly mirror, and always hear about how the early ones had issues. Grow up out there, a ferrari is still a ferrari !!

 

I have a 308gt4 and yes it gets alot of bad press, but I enjoy driving it and would love to own a better ferrari in terms of performance and being more modern. But can't afford the big financial jump to a 328/348/testarossa. Yes they are all better cars in different ways. But having been in a more modern one I have come to the conclusion that I love my car because it gives me enjoyment when I drive it. Its noisy you have to drive it and it gets hot, but the experience is fab. What ever ferrari you drive as long as it give you enjoyment then who cares what other people think, let them drive what they like. To answer the original question drive a 308 and a testarossa and buy the one you like and can service properly.

 

Why do so many people think the 308 is such an old driving car? Because it doesn't have power steering and the brakes take effort? My 79 doesn't feel dated at all. I've driven plenty of cars and to me the car drives just like it was designed, and an old feeling is not one of the descriptions I would use for this car.
Anyway, here's some advice about anyone wanting any 12 cylinder car, ferrari, Bmw, Jag, etc..... No matter which one you want, it will have problems. The reason is that it's really too much engine for real life use. Unless you use the car for freeway commuting fairly regularly or for racing, you really don't need a 12 cylinder Ferrari. The majority of the people that buys these cars don't have time to really drive them the way they should, so they sit, and get started and driven around the block once a week, and never really broken in.