850CSi or Ferrari 328 ?

No question. 328 has gobs more personality and offers more driver satisfaction. I have driven the BMW and to me it's heavy and unsure of itself. 328 all the way.

 

Totally different cars in almost every single way. While your BMW is a manual trans car (great choice, by the way!), it really is a pretty heavy grand tourer. The 850 is comfortable, near-silent, rock solid, built like a dump truck (in the good way), and offers the conveniences of a more modern vehicle. While I know a few have made it onto tracks, they (like Mercedes SL600s) are just too heavy to be effective track cars.

Now for the 328: slightly unconfortable, tight, light (relatively speaking), loud, creaky, cowl shake like a belly dancer's hips (less so on the GTB, but still there), anemic HVAC...but on the upside, the 328 has very direct steering, throttle response and communicates nicely on the track. It's not a GREAT track car, but it's in its element on twisty roads carving the apex, whereas the Bimmer is for tackling Montana and a Dakota without breaking a sweat or getting a cramp.

Bought well, either will be good investments, because both were ultra desirable when new. (I remember when the 850 came off the truck in Boston into the local dealership. I was amazed how pretty and cool it was.) The 328, however, will provide return sooner. The Bimmer will certainly increase in value, but it is still ten years from starting its increase. Obviously, the v12/manual combo is the most desirable.

 

I would say that the 850 is more like a testarossa while the 328 is more like an M3. If that's a fair comparison.

Ace

 

+1. The BMW is more refined, but the 328 will put the bigger smile on your face everytime you sit yourself behind the wheel.

 

Alex,

Although the CSi is a huge step above the 850ci, and some could argue that the 328 is a step above the 308 GTBi, these are the two that I own. Fortunately, I have not had to choose and would recommend having both if possible. They are totally different cars for different uses. The GTB is a blast to drive but the wife doesn't really enjoy it like I do. When we go out I almost always have to take the 850. Since its only a ci I don't anticipate a lot of price appreciation but I really love the car. However, if I had to get rid of one, it would be the 850.
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Yeah, I know what you're talking about.

Guess what car is parked at the front of the row. NO competition....
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Forget about investment potential - buy the car you want. The 850 and 328 have very different functions: if you want a refined GT, go with the 850; if you want a sportscar, go with the 328.

My recommendation is to keep the 850. You know the car and its condition. Save your money and add a 328 when funds are available. This way you will have two vehicles to suit different needs.

Regards,

Art S.

 

Alex,
A good 328 is pretty dang reliable. Keep in mind that we're talking about a 25 year old car here, but a 328 is a pretty simple beast that was made at the higher end of the quality scale. You need only look at the vacuum lines attached to the carburetor on a Honda CRX of that era to marvel at the simplicity of such a high performance car.

One must also keep in mind that the 850 was a cutting-edge car for BMW, so it used quite a bit of new technology. Consequently, the 850 wasn't known for its great reliability. Heck, no BMW was ever really considered to be anything other than a maintenance queen until the E36 3-series. In all seriousness, though, high repair costs have always been an issue with BMWs, with the 5, 6 (E24), 7 (especially 745), and 8-series cars being the major culprits.

As for cost, you're basically at a point where the costs of most components that might fail on an 850 actually cost more than common failure points of a 328. For instance, the ignition coil amplifiers on a 328 are prone to going out (the coils themselves never fail), and the generic replacement parts are $16 each (and generally one replaces both.) In my experience with BMWs, there isn't a single part that can be acquired for $16! The fuel injection system on a 328 is Bosch, so parts are the same as if it were a Mercedes or BMW.

Since your BMW is a 12 cylinder model, the cost for plugs, wires, etc... is higher. God help you if you need an engine rebuild!!! (The BMW 12 is pretty stout, though.)

There are posts up the wazzoo about maintenance on a 3X8, but the fact of the matter is that the V8 is a very simple dual overhead cam unit that uses the same rubber timing belts as most other OHC cars that go 8 years or 80,000 miles between changes. As mentioned above, the injection system is just like the Mercedes "death and taxes reliable" 500SLs that seem to run fine even when broken.

As with any car -- it's a matter of finding an independent mechanic who knows how to read a manual, sometimes research on places like F-chat (so he doesn't have to guess or reinvent the wheel), and won't charge ten times as much because it's a Ferrari (or a Bimmer, for that matter!!!)

At the end of the day, both are good choices, and if you can swing it in the future, just put off selling the beautiful 850 grand touring car and buy a 328 to put next to it, so you can enjoy both for what they do best.

 

What he said.

As a driving enthusiast I figured out long ago that there is no one car out there that fits every need. I've had BMW, Audis, etc., and they're great, fast, safe cars that carry people and stuff.

But there comes a time when you want a loud, low, open two-seater, and the 328 is all of that.

328 trim pieces can be horribly expensive -- windows seals, driving lights, some switchgear, etc. The normal wear items aren't bad at all.

But your BMW is 14 years old, so as sammyb said I think there's a lot of electronic gear to fail. The 328 is a simpler car.

 

Hello Alex!!

Your initial post really sounded like you wanted the 328. I cant blame you at all, but to come into a Ferrari forum and ask this you had to have known that our answers were going to be somewhat biased.


Seriously, think about how you use the BMW. Would a 328 do the same purpose in your life? If so, then why not get it? If it wouldnt (luggage space for example), then perhaps you are better served by keeping the BMW.

Nice car by the way.



PDG

 

A 412i is probably closer in spirit to the 850 than the 328. Drive both and decide for yourself.

 

where do you source the coil amps from?

 

The BMW is great and might be more discreet.

I would say that the BMW being discreet is accurate. A Ferrari will turn heads 99% of the time in comparison. It all depends on what you are after.

 

I have been a long-time owner of both a '91 BMW 850i (6-speed) and a '75 308/GT4. I do all of my own maintenance work, so I can speak to those issues. I think I spend an equivalent amount of time and money maintaining each car.

They are completely different driving experiences. I live in rural Northern Nevada and there are plenty of good challenging roads around. I'll take the Ferrari for a fun afternoon drive down to Bodie or up the Kingsbury grade and around Lake Tahoe. Occasionally I'll take it over the Sierras to Auburn. When I drive to Denver, or San Francisco, Bakersfield, Boise, etc. I'll take the BMW.

When I drive to town for groceries, or for winter drives to any of the above destinations I take the Jeep Grand Cherokee. (Both the BMW and the Ferrari are hopeless in the snow, even with chains).

A car for every reason, and a reason for every car!

 

Especially when it comes to the 308 series. It is the most recognizable design ever brought to life. It looks and sounds sexy, dramatic and aggressive. Every time you take it out for a drive, it attracts attention (which btw is not always a positive thing).

Phil