308 VS 355, PROs and CONS

Well, after many years of saving the time is coming to finally get my Ferrari. For as long as I can remember I have always wanted a 308 GTB. Now it seems like the good ones prices begin to rise more and more. The more I looked at clean 308's the more I realized for not much more a decent 355 could be within my budget. Now I have a dilemma. What to purchase. I wanted to get peoples opinions for both. A few of the things that keep me going back and forth are as follows. First is value, while the 355's seem to be falling, the 308's, especially fiberglass carburetor versions, keep rising. Would it make more sense to buy a 308 who's value seems to be rising as opposed to the 355?

Second, what about longevity of the models and their reliability. Obviously the 308 is quite old by now and has a proven track record of being fairly reliable. The 355 is newer and has more things that could go wrong as it gets older. Will the 355 be more costly to maintain as the years go on? How about cost of regular maintenance? Which model is better suited for someone to perform their own services on? Will parts be readily available for both cars as more time passes?

What are your thoughts. What made you purchase a 308 or 355 over other models? Please, any and all thoughts you have will be greatly appreciated. Thanks all.

 

Drive both, buy what trips your crank.

The 355 is absolutely more of a car, but if you end up with the problem trifecta of valve guides, headers and cats, you could end up sending more on those repairs than the 308 costs.

If you do buy a 355, get one that has already had those repairs, and watch out for OEM header replacements.

I once had someone offer their 355 GTB straight up for my 328 GTS, but the 355 was already blowing a -lot- of smoke from the guides and I couldn't justify the additional expense.

 

The 355 is an absolutely magnificent car to drive. Fast, comfortable, and my absolute favorite of Ferrari's V8s. That being said, they will break your heart. Tillman said it right when quoting the cost of doing the valves/guides/exhaust manifolds being near the price of a nice 308GTB. Even more sad is the fact that some 355s who have had this repair done with 'modern' and 'superior' components are repeat offenders..............as in, they are in for their second go-around for the guides etc. Sad but true. I still love them though.

An early glass or steel GTB are also fantastic and push different buttons than a 355. They are a more raw and simple Ferrari and are part of the last remnants of what I think an original Enzo Ferrari was and was intended to be. Simple and fun. Servicing is substantially cheaper. If the engine has not been rebuilt, plan on doing that. My engine ran wonderfully before tearing it apart, but when I did tear it apart I was astonished at the wear to the engine, save the main and rod bearings which were essentially as new. A full rebuild will set you back 10-15k or you can get into an example which has already been gone-through.

In a perfect world, I would own both. Although if forced to chose between my 308GTB and a shiny red 355 even with recent guides and manifolds, I would pass. Just MO. One day I will get into a 355, but never at the expense of losing my GTB. Nice GTBs are too precious to me now.

 

From a financial standpoint the 308 is a better move. Cheaper to buy, cheaper to run, cheaper to maintain, better resale. Expect to pay a bunch more in terms of total cost of ownership for a 355.

That said, there is really no comparison between the two cars other than they are both Ferraris. One is old and slow (classic if you will), the other is basically a modern car.

Drive both, it should become clear pretty quickly what type of Ferrari experience you prefer.

 

I would go for the glass 308 GTB or a late 70's euro carbed GTB. The 308 is a car that you can wrench on and is easy to maintain. Parts are not too pricey unless you do some engine damage. 355's are beauties but the repair costs kept me from buying one. They are also way more car than a 308 but you can use all the power the 308 has to offer on the back roads where the 355 would get you in some trouble with the law.

These 308 are now becoming classics and the early GTB cars are so damn good looking. They look more like a Dino.

308 Pros cheaper, classic, useable, easy to maintain beutiful in person, it defined Ferrari in America in the 80's.
308 Cons slow, a bit cramped, don't break your windsheild

355 pros, mega fast, sounds great, modern comforts, great styling and just beastly
355 cons repair costs dues to valve guides and exhaust manifolds..or the F1 tranny, sticky interior parts
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look at both

when you have 60 grand in hand - see what your options are and buy what you desire.

if your looking at values and the rest of the other stuff .... when the big bill comes ( and it will come one day) you will be convincing yourself you love the car (when you really dont).

buy what you want and desire .... .

 

Good input so far. I owned a 348SS - sold it and now have a 308QV.

VERY different cars and cool in thier own way. 355's are the coolest sounding devices on the planet, but people who work on Ferrari's LIVE on the 355's as there is always something going wrong with them.

The 308's are not free however - as they too are Ferrari's lest some forget that fact.

They are so different that as soon as you drive both or at least ride in them it should be an easy decision one way or the other for you.

Best of luck and buy the nicest example you can.

MB

 

Was in the same boat for two years while I was looking. Started to look at 308s since they were affordable. Then looked at 328s due to the reliability. Found out, like you did, that 355s were not much more money and, like a house, started to look higher and higher (dollar wise). Had a bunch of crack-pots here that told me I didn't really know what I wanted, but like most of you, I wanted the most bang for the buck.

To me the 328 wins for the sense of the ride, being a classic, bottom of the depreciation curve (if not going up) and easy to work on (since I try to fix my own cars).

With the 355, it's a totally modern vehicle with working AC, excellent sounding exhaust, and a transmission that shifts wonderfully. BUT the cost really scared me and I just couldn't justify a 20k repair bill. Not that all of them would have those problems, BTW. But MOST 355s seems to, for one reason or another.

Also remember that you're buying an old used car. Like all used cars, there sometimes is a good reason why people are getting rid of them.


Ace

 

I wouldn't touch a 355 with a 10 foot wallet.

 

You could also jump into a TR. FInd one with the updated transaxle from a 512 or a new rear dif carrier.

 

Gosh maybe this should be a, "when will 308s eclipse 355s in value" thread. It's bound to happen with all the rogue 355s that will be around in the coming years. I can see it now. 355 owner X heads to the dealer due to failing an emission test or a bit of smoke, friendly dealer service guy says..........uhhh are you sitting down sir? In the meantime the owner's inner monologue suggests he knew he should not have purchased a Ferrari and proceeds to search for his finest chair to brace for the obvious catastrophic news. Dealer service guy advises repairs will be upwards of $20k and a date with your super-hot daughter is required to have it done before the Cubs win a world series. Owner then dumps the car and tells his daughter to become a nun or gain 20lbs.

What's really rough is even for a really good DIY guy, replacing the guides and valves alone at a GOOD machine shop is $5k on its own........... hurt. That's approx $2500 parts and $2500 machine shop labor cranking the thing out............oh, and that will be another date with your super-hot daughter to have the machine shop guy complete the job before mankind reaches Uranus.

 

Really? Seems to me like they just get cheaper and cheaper.

 

I would test drive a carbed 308, a QV, a 328 and a 355...or two. Understanding that there are certainly pragmatic elements to be considered in buying a Ferrari, you also want to make sure that you buy the car that most "flips your switch". All of these cars have different "attitudes/personalities". For example, 355s are awesome cars, but you may find them to be a bit more refined than what you're looking for; likewise, a carb car may be TOO "old school"; or?...

As others have so aptly pointed out, a 355 is simply "more car" than the 308 or 328 but this does not necessarily make it a "better" car for YOU. Just because a car is a better performer does not automatically make it more attractive, otherwise we'd all have Vettes. I, too, love 355s but am also scared off by the specter of the potential ghastly repair bill; I'm also not a big fan of the power-assisted stering.

I have a 328 and a Euro dry sump 308 GTB. The 328 is the better built car but the 308 makes me smile a lot more. They're both great cars but very different; one is the ultimate refinement of the 308 line, the other is one of the earliest incarnations and, in the end, the more pure, unfettered experience, I find.

Good luck

Scott

 

edit --- Dog VS Cat, PRO's and CON's ----

....seriously, man.... this is a real "apple" and "orange" comparison.

 

WHERE OH WHERE CAN I GET 17 OR 18 INCH WHEELS JUST LIKE THE ONE ON THE YELLOW 308..I WANT A SET FOR MY 89 328GTS...THX....BRETT...THEY LOOK GREAT,,,,IVE SEEN THESE BEFORE,,BUT I SINCERLY DONT KNOW WHERE TO START TO TRY AND GET A SET,,,

 

i own an 89 328 that im still in love with 11 years later....but i dream of having a 355 someday...i have heard that i would need to get a late 97 or 98 so i dont have the valve guide problems to deal with,,,i was also told by my mechanic that the 98 s have the better electronics,,,but after reading your threads,,,the 355 s sounds like they are a real nightmare...is it possible to buy one that has the same reliability as my 328...????,,are there examples of 355 s that have all the proper updates ?? and if so,,,would they now be trouble free,,,????..it seems like ferrari really screwed up with this 355 model,,when it should have been then very best v8 up to that era,,,,,what the heck went wrong,,,i want one..of course,,,but i wont be able to afford huge repair bills,,,,my 328 is very managable service wise,,,thx brett...ps...whats with the exhaust system...i havent heard about that problem....thx brett

 

Already happened on the edges of the bell curve. Really good 308s are going for the same or more than poor 355s, call it low $40s on either side. Average 308s are still $25-35k, average 355s are $45-55k, but they are definitely moving closer together. Yet another reason to buy a 308. I know I wouldn't let mine go for the price of a poor 355.

 

You're asking this in the 308/328/Mondial section.
You might get a different answer in the 348/355 section.

 

Here's a good way to put it. Ask your favorite mechanic in person which he likes the best and watch the reaction on their face when you say 355

Sorry 355 guys, I truly adore your cars, I really do!

 

Indeed you will. The guys I know who have 355's love them! Again, we stress, this is an apples to oranges comparison, and the reason I tell people all the time, all of these cars are cool in thier own way, and we can all find one we like (or two, or...)

In any case, if you ride or drive in both you will know pretty quickly between these two which one you want.

MB

 

Today, the 2 cars have a real different feel to me. One vintage and the other modern. Their is a huge difference to me in this respect. Both great looking. The 308 can be driven to its potential often. With the 355, you really have to break the law to get it going. 308 is more fun to drive as a weekend enthusiast car but the 355 is much easier to use all around. My wife likes going places in the 355 but not so much in the 308. The 308 is not much fun in the city. I have had 15K repair bills on both. 355 is a more expensive engine to maintain but with the older 308's, they need rebuilding on most everything so it has been at least as expensive to run. You will put more miles on the 355 as you would drive it more so the cost per mile may be worth it. The 355 has only 10K miles less than my 308 being 21 years younger. You should really drive both and decide which one you like the most. I don't think either will see appreciation any time soon and both will be really expensive relative to value to maintain so get the one you will love owning and driving.

 

I'm always looking ahead to the next one, and am trying to decide whether to go back in time or forward.

My first Ferrari had to be a vintage front-engine 12, no questions about it. At present, as a result of the experience of owning the 308, I've come to have a tremendous appreciation for the rear-engine V-8s.

Some posters have said the 308 as a model is more "vintage" than "modern"; IMO, that's probably an accurate statement for the carbureted and 2v injected models, but again IMO, the QV model years lean more to the modern side. 5 years of owning a Series I 330 2+2, followed by 2+ years of the '83 308 QV substantiate this, at least to my satisfaction.

So where is this going? Last week, I took the 308 to the shop for minor stuff and talked 355s, 360s, and 550s as possible next models to shoot for...the reply when I said 355 was that they are a maintenance nightmare, best to skip over it and go for a 360, or a 550 if I want the front-12 back in an up to date version.

 

I considered the 355/348/328 when I first started looking for a Ferrari. I liked the look of the 328 and the performance of the 355. I eliminated the 348 pretty quickly because to me it was sort of odd-man-out. It didn't have the performance of the 355 or the classic look of the 328. I bought the 328 because the 355 was (at the time) at the very top of what I could pay for a car - and a really nice one was beyond that. Had my available funds been perhaps another 20k, I would probably have purchased the 355 just because of the performance and sacrificed the looks of the 328!

HOWEVER, now I am happy I did not buy one because since then I have received exactly the same advice from Ferrari maint folks that jsa330 referred to - that the 355 is a real maint problem and that the 360 "fixed the issues." So if I was looking for a newer, faster Ferrari, I'd look for a 360.

 

Interesting observation about a 330 vs 308. I've never had the luxury of driving a 330 but I guess it's hard to know how "vintage" can a car get. No power brakes maybe? My euro 328 is reported to be more "raw" than the US 328, by the people that have driven them. Maybe that's a good alternative to the US 308s.

BTW, I've heard that the later year 355s have the valve guide issues as well. Maybe they have not gotten there yet!

Ace

 

Mine was an early build...the twenty-first production 330 2+2 after the 250 GTE/330 America model runs.

It definitely had one end in the '50s and the other in the '60s:

-No power brakes or steering

-4 wheel disc brakes which were adequate for one hard stop before fading.

-No air conditioning, sliding-lever heater controls.

-crank windows with vent wings at the front, lever-action out-pivoting windows at back

-Manual choke (I considered this a positive)

-carbureted engine with dual distributor-controlled ignition (The heart and soul of the Vintage Ferrari, but antiquated by "modern" standards.)

-electrically actuated overdrive unit instead of a fifth gear.

-bottom-pivoting pedals (a pain in many ways)

-tiny, completely inadequate rearview mirrors

-It was built before Federal standards were implemented in US auto industry...didn't even have seatbelts when I bought it. I added 3-point rollup harnesses.

My 308, by contrast, lacks airbags and power steering and has lever-actuated heater controls, but the rest is more modern than vintage. The most noticeable vintage quality is the manual steering...a real bear when backing out of the driveway, but superb when in forward motion.