328 Series VS Mondial T

What year is the Mondial T? And is it a coupe or cabriolet?

Conventional wisdom says that the V8 Ferraris with the 3.2 litre engine (328, Mondial 3.2) are much more reliable than the V8 Ferraris with the 3.4 litre engine (348, Mondial T).

Thus, conventional wisdom says that the 328 is a more reliable car than the 348 or the Mondial T.

The V8 Ferraris with the 3.4 litre engine have electronics that were revolutionary for the time. These electronics can be problematic. I'm talking about all kinds of sensors and electronic control units that result in "Check Engine" and "Slow-Down" lights coming on at the dashboard. The V8 Ferraris with the 3.2 litre engine are much simpler mechanically; thus, there is less to go wrong.

I have a 348 and it has been very reliable; I've had none of the problems that 348 haters love to trumpet. The 3.4 litre V8 is much more powerful than the 3.2 litre V8, so you may find that aspect rewarding.

You should use the search function to find more information on this topic because it's been discussed many times.

 

Here you go. Please note that the 348 and the Mondial T can be equated for the purposes of your inquiry. They have the same mechanical/electrical setup.

http://ferrarichat.com/forum/search.php?searchid=245136

Start reading, start learning!

 

Dave is right on...the 348 also is a bit more expensive to maintain, as the engine must come out for the major service. But I would tend to agree, that the "348 problems" are probably a bit exagerated, expecially in light of what the 355 has amassed in various issues. I think people are just more willing to overlook the 355 issues, because the car looks, and performs so vary well! I think that is my excuse anyway...

Study up, and you can make your own decision. The two issues I have seen mentioned a lot for the 348 is the alternator (both the Delco (early) and Nippondenso (late) versions) and A/C controls.

You would also do good to find issue 19 of Forza magazine which did a buyer's guide on the Mondial series, and issue 30 which is the buyer's guide to the 348.

 

For the Mondial-T, I recommend you stay away from the '89s and go
with 1990 and above. The 1989 model had the older Motronic 2.5,
whereas the later ones had the Motronic 2.7. Learn to read the
ECU codes as they will save you some trips to the shop for the
more common issues. A number of other improvements or fixes
have creeped into later years. Some of the more common for the
Mondial-T and the 348 are listed below. While some may seem
terrifying, a well-sorted car that has been driven frequently will
have already fixed all of these.

Alternator upgrade from Delco to Nippondenso. When I had mine
done (6yrs ago) it was US$1500.00 for the
alternator upgrade 'kit' which includes the Nippondenso alternator,
redesigned mounting bracket, and new wiring harness ... at least that's
what my dealer told me when he installed it

The motor mounts were redesigned sometime in the life of the series. I
don't remember which came first, but there was a 4point mount (two
pads under the engine, two pads alongside the gearbox) and there
was a 3point mount (difference was that the gearbox hung from a
single large mount cast into the top of the gearbox housing. When
mine went bad (4point) it caused a multitude of probables that took
many trips to the mechanic to diagnose. Fix for mine was a set of
beefier mounts that Ferrari had spec'ed as a replacement.

The suspension ECU, sensors, and control motors were upgraded sometime
after my car (a '90) to sense car lean and speed in more directions.
The only downside I've seen in my non-upgraded unit is that it
gets confused on rare occasion and locks into the hardest setting, but
I find that preferable anyway. The confusion goes away when you
restart the car. Other than being a occasional nuisance, I don't think
this is worth the expense to upgrade all the parts.

One of the biggies is the engine main bearing upgrade. The engines
prior to #24720 had the older bearing (according to the factory parts
book).

Early gearboxes seem to have problems also. Ferrari beefed up the side
plates in later models and improved the attachment for the drop gears.

Clutch eventually went from twin disc to single disc, and the throwout
bearing was improved more than once. The early bearing had only two
seals and tended to leak. The newer bearing had 4 seals. I retained
my twin plate clutch as I haven't noted any real problems with it other
than the expense of the replacement discs.

I keep my roof down almost all the time. However, when I do
eventually put it up, it can be a real PITA because you have to
be careful to not put too much strain on them of the catch
will break. Caro Enzo, cosa pensavi?

Some electrical problems:
1. Air conditioning draws too much power thru the fusebox.
Fix is to bypass the fusebox using a relay.
2. Starter solenoid is similarly fixed to draw power through a
relay to avoid non-start when hot.
3. Switches for windows, etc are poor quality and break
down (get stuck) over time. The worst symptome of
that was that the Electric trunk/bonnet/engine lid solenoids
can fry if their respective switch sticks. For the windows
I have used relays to take the load off the switches (this
problem is common to prior Ferrari's also).

Did I mention that I love the car? Odd as it may seem, I do.
I've driven a few 328s as well. My personal feeling is that
the Mondial-T feels better.


Lou

 

Steve,

When I began my search for my first Ferrari over a about a year and a half ago, my sights were set on either a 308, 328 or 348. Mondials were not on the horizon. Early this past summer I ran across a very nice '89 Mondial t coupe that really caught my attention. To cut the story short, we took delivery this past August and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The car has been compeltely reliable and has met every expectation so far. As Lou mentions, and nothing negative about the other cars we considered, the Mondial just seemed to just feel right.

I agree with Lou's comments and a number of improvements certainly did appear in the line during it's production life. The only comment I might make is that there is no reason fear a well sorted '89 with complete and (most importantly) accurate records. Don't skimp on test drives and a competent and thorough PPI.

Take your time and drive examples of all types that catch your interest and then, when you find the one that "speaks to you", buy the best one you can find. The hunt is fun - surpassed only by ultimately getting behind the wheel of "your Ferrari". Enjoy the experience.

Regards,

John

 

Maybe your solution is a Mondial 3.2? It looks almost identical to the T (which is to say I don't know the visual differences) and you get the reliability of the 3.2 engine.

 

"...The only comment I might make is that there is no reason fear a well sorted '89 with complete and (most importantly) accurate records..."

I agree.

I have yet to hear a valid reason why the Motronic 2.5 is something to be concerned about. In reality, the Motronic 2.5 is not near the hassle of the warning light prone 2.7 version. I have said it before, I will say it again: I prefer the 2.5 versions - and I feel that you just might as well.

Nevertheless, either "t" version is a fabulous car to call your own.

 

Drive both as they are different. Buy what makes you happy.

 

I have yet to get a f car, but it will be an 89 mondial t. I have been following the market for over a year, and reading all of the threads on the 328's and the mondials, I have seen both side by side, and I love both. from what I have seen, you can get a mondial t for a little less than a 328, and it has more power, more room and you can get it in a convertible. the mondial t's have rounded fenders, smaller side strakes, and folding rear seats when compared to the older ones. the 89 mondial t's have no bumper pads by your knees in the front two seats where the newer ones do. black one on ebay that looks good right now, for a fair price. I have not seen it in person though.

 

Conventional Wisdom
a regularly driven Ferrari works much better than a garage queen...service records on top of either helps. I think all of our relatively limited product cars suffer from the bugs being sorted out in our hands as oppposed to the standard million mile testing you might see from a large company. Thus, one that has been driven with full service records would be your best bet either in the 308 or T range. In other words...reliability seems to be realted to the above, not he model.

Engine Drop
All other things being equal...this add about $800 to the service. The rest of the stuff is pretty much the same. If you can afford the car...this should not be a big deal and I would not make it a factor. If budget is a concern, figure this in as well as the likelihood that you will make a greater percentage back on the 328.

2.5 vs. 2.7
I have owned a T in both the 2.5 and 2.7 specs and I can honestly say that in the hands of a capable mechanic, there has not been a difference in the service I have received. Perhaps if I was working on it myself, the 2.7 would have been adventageous but for me, it has not been a detriment.

2 vs. 2+2
The real question IMHO is 2 seats with limited storage beyond or 2 seats with limited additional seating and a whole lot of storage. (By Ferrari standards...) For me, the joy of having my young children out for drives with me as well as the memories I had as a young tyke in my father's Karmen Ghia with a modified engine makes me think that the joy shared is worth far more than the benefits I would ahve gained in a two seater. I have time for that in the future when my kids stop talking to me as teenagers...

 

The 328 is one of the most beautiful Ferraris ever made, whereas the t might be good looking, but the best thing about is that its front resembles that of the 328

However, the 328 was never an option for me as I definitely wanted a real cabrio and I wanted one with 2 extra seats for the kids.