512BB questions from a prospective buyer

Worth the trouble, get the best one you can afford. Have it checked by a boxer guy before you buy. Best of all they hold their value.

 

Take a look in the UK & Oz sections to see who are mentioned in the context of exports from the UK (probably Rardley / KentHP / Walkersport) - in your shoes I'd be very tempted by the relative simplicity of a pre 85 308 or at least a car of which someone has proven experience of maintaining locally

 

Bahhhhh! Not the right answer. A boxer is amazing, you should know that! I sold my carbed, restored 308GTB at a loss and kept the boxer because of the mind blowing experience the boxer offers over the 308, the boxer ruined my 308 experience. How can one resist the flowing lines as you stand in the garage, cigar in hand, scotch in the other, eyes gazing over the hips and the clamshell knowing some craftsmen toiled over the aluminum sheets on a jumbo wooden stump in a dimly lit shop, shaping the metal by hand, fitting it, rechecking it, over and over until it brought a tear to his eye. After almost 5 years of ownership the car still excites me as much as the day I bought it. Cant say that about any other car Ive owned out of 50+ that I have had.

As for always needing repairs or more time in the shop than on the road, hogwash unless you buy a "cheap" one.

 

+1
I like the 512, always have. If the gov't doesn't interfere with your ownership, buy a dozen

 

Oh geeze Newman, you almost brought tears to my eyes, as you scribed the above with such obvious heartfelt and unabashed adoration

But none the less, for the question, a carbed Boxer for sure!
The best way to keep one on the road is to get a good one that's had the service kept up. And not just the belts changed, but coolant and fuel hoses replaced, the radiator, fans and cooling system in good condition, and with the carburators and clutch in good condition for a start. Finding a car with a MSD ignition and good spark plug wires will save money down the line too.
Don't worry about the computer,, it doesn't have any.
Don't worry what it'll sound like when you get it rolling and punch the throttle,, it'll sound glorious!
The main serious worry points might be the sodium filled exhaust valves and the maybe weakish crown gear carrier. A few cars have had valves break and some have had the carrier break. Either of these breakages will result in a eye watering repair bill. But the valves can be changed out before breaking, and the above poetic Newman can supply a updated carrier.
I've had my BB for almost 4 years, and it's never stranded me yet. But I am changing the carrier early next year.
Read through the Boxer Buyers guide and Boxer Repair threads at the top of the page for an idea of what to expect.
John

 

Its not a late model Ferrari, by no means is a 360 or a 430, but when I asked Andrea Pininfarina what their favorite design has been, he said the BB.

Its just a beautiful car. Not modern, but a great vehicle for cruising.

 

Not that anyone should EVER buy with this in mind, but there's a decent case of this car being a solid market performer when people regain their sanity. So, likely whatever you'd spend to 'maintain' one can be offset by the anvil-drop depreciation of the more common modern car. Aside from that -

The Boxer is all that's been said, plus more, because your experience will make that variable. For me, it was getting the car that graced the R&T (US magazine) in 1977 I believe. Then it was meeting the previous owner, having a friendship with him still, based on this car. Learning from this site, sharing the enthusiasm. Meeting others who ogle it at gas stations.

You'll note NONE of that so far has a darn thing to do with how this beast behaves or makes you feel.

It's a joy to look at, to drive, to fondle the handbuilt bits, to hear, and to fling (relative term!) as you please. Not likely to pass yourself on the street in one either. Boxer ownership is sense of occasion all around.

 

My 512BB has been the most reliable Ferrari I've owned so far. Sure, it's not cheap to maintain, but it's rarely given me any significant trouble.

I'd be sure to drive it regularly, though-- I hear that lack of driving is one of the main reasons why people have issues with Boxers. That and the dodgy US federalization efforts.

 

Also the Boxer is similar to the TR in many ways.
If there is someone qualified to work on a TR he should be able to cope with a BB.

 

Go get the BB! Stupendously beautiful, more so than the already lovely 308.

I reckon BB values will only move up so longer term, you either wouldn't lose $ or you will just lose a lot less than the modern cars + owning a unique machine.

Carb BB for sure sounds better and should be worth more but a BBi should be a trouble free drive (or most of the time). Being mainly mechanical rather than loaded with electronics, I think the 512 will be easier and cheaper to maintain over the long term than the modern stuff.

I too would love to bring one of these in from the UK when the time is right. Boy's dream machine!

 

Hold that thought and dream!
I did, although it took a while!
John
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Well if money's the issue, it is the cheapest version out of the 3 so yeah, go for it!

 

Taking into account you live in Malaysia, I would advise that you do not buy a boxer. Having lived through 8 Australian summers in a boxer I can guarantee you will hate it. Your summers are hotter and longer than ours and you will find the cabin heat unbearable. The aircon will not be up to it (and most likely wont work anyway). You will find that you will only have a few days a year when the ambient conditions will be right for taking out a BB, hardly worth it. In addition, BB's are complex animals that require experienced mechanics (ie experienced with BB's) and the Ferrari dealership mechanics in Malaysia wont be up to it (I doubt they would have ever seen a carby car-same situation here)

If you want a Ferrari then go for something modern like a 360 or 550 and you wont look back. If you really want a BB, then suggest you park it and service it in Australia and fly in to use( it will be cheaper in the long run)

Don't listen to Newman. He has perfect BB driving conditions in Canada as summer there only lasts about 1 week

 

Hey come on we got 2 weeks this year! Now we have snow

 

I have loved the looks of the 512 especially the front end w/o the black boxes of the USA market 308 bumpers. I but could not see me affording it when it came out. Then when the 328 came out I saw the front end, similar to the 512, and fell in love with it. I was able to obtain the 328 this year. If I had the means I would have purchased the 512BB. I still feel the 512 is one of the most beautiful cars of all time. Go with the 512 and if it falls through get a 328.

 

This is good advice. Even in our relatively mild Oregon summers, air conditioning is a must. Mine works (and if it ever stops working, I will fix it, as I consider it a no-go item in the summer), but it can't really keep up with the heat generated by that huge windshield.

Opening the windows doesn't do much, as you get the hot air outflow from the radiator coming through the open windows.

 

Would you guys say a Boxer is a better handling car than a TR? How about with uprgraded wheels? Is the acceleration on par with a TR? How about top end?

Jim

 

I drove a 91 TR this summer and my boxer felt quicker, more responsive but without a drag race I cant be sure. The TR would handle better because of wider wheels even in TRX form. Both are heavy and not the number one choice for a track car. Two very different cars to drive, they feel completely different even as a passenger.

 

I know the question was 'TR' as in Testarossa, but I'll jump in with the 'other' TR.

To me - and I think comtemporary road testers would bear this out - my 512TR is decently quicker than the BB. Sorry to say, a better handler too. I'm sure someone around here has the Fiorano numbers. (To be fair, my BB is probably out of tune somewhat, but it's still at an 80 hp deficit at peak tune.)

The TR also feels heavier - for better or worse - but doesn't 'push' (understeer) as dramatically as the Boxer. Steering effort in the Boxer is way less, a bit more 'jittery' and 'alive' feeling if that translates properly.

Fairly different feeling cars, but 10 years apart too.

 

Thanks for the reponse guys. I figured the 512TR wasn't a good comparison due to the upgrade in design, refinement of the car, which from what I have heard makes it a huge improvement over the Testarossa. I know there really isn't a big difference in power between the Testarossa and the BB, and so I was wondering if it's basically the same car, with a different body, and a slightly wider track. I like both stylings of the TR and the BB, and I was just wondering if the BB is worth the $100k in price premium. The BB is one of the last classics, but I think a Testarossa in the right color combo has a timeless look and might be a great buy. What I hear coming from Testarossa owners is that the Testarossa is a raw beast, and so it doesn't seem that anything has been lost in transition from the BB to the Testarossa. I haven't driven either one of them, but both are on my radar for a possible future purchase.

Jim

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread.

 

Doesn't offend me and not sure why it would anyone else. These cars are products of their time. My 550 outhandles any 512, doesn't mean it's a more special car. Just as special, but in a different way. They all have their niche in history.

I far prefer the 365BB to the 512BB and BBi. Is it the better car? My word, no! The later models are definitely better. But to me they are more of a modern Ferrari, easier to drive and a bit easier on the senses. Which is fine but not what I was looking for.

To respond to the previous poster, jimangle: you must go and drive these cars and decide for yourself. For some the BB will be worth the premium, for others it's a rip-off. You won't know until you experience them. Your assessment that the Testarossa is a great buy is certainly 100% on the button - they are. If you like them, they are very hard to resist.


Onno

 

I'd like to swap my BBi for a 365 for 30 minutes on average fun back roads. Not the track. Not the highway. Just getting around on some nice back country. Even the occasional traffic light and some stop and go to get a feel for the clutch.

Perhaps in the spring.....

 

1. The sound and feel of the BB = A symphony and the best PG rated fun available - period.
2. Expensive to work on - sure.
3. Hard to work on - you bet!
4. Parts prices can be frightening
Worth owning? See #1.