Assistance please: Euro Mondial worth it?

For older models like this as long as it passes smog in your state being a Euro is a big plus. You should have no problem getting it registered. Do ask if it has cats if the state you live in does smog tests. My 83 Euro did not have cats when i bought it. Euros have slightly more power and less weight.
Ask for DOT papers and EPA exemption or proof that it was smogged. That said as long as it has been titled here in the US i think those papers are moot.

When i registered mine of course the VIN # didnt make sense to the DMV computer, but because it had a title they just overrided the system and laughed about "well its and old Ferrari!" no eyebrows raised at all.
I had all the proper paperwork but thought explaining this to the lady at DMV would have kept me there all day!
Good luck in your search.

 

I had an '84 Mondial QV Euro car here in NJ that I sold last year. I loved the car, but always wanted a 308, which I now have. $18K sounds like a very good price, assuming it's in good condition. Be sure to have a PPI, unless the dealer is giving you a warranty (in writing, of course). Check when the last time it had a belt service, as that can be expensive if you are not doing it yourself.

I did not have problems with emissions testing because I registered the car as a "collector" car. Not all states allow that. If the car was properly "federalized" when it was brought into the US, there should be documentation to go along with it, and CATS should have been installed. Make sure the dealer guarantees that the car will pass emissions standards unless you are prepared to register it under a collector car or historic designation if allowed in your state.

Good luck and post some pics if you end up getting it.

Steve

 

I know the Mondial rear seat is different than the GT4 seat, but I cannot get a child seat in the back seat of the GT4 to strap in safely. At least one owner with a Mondial had the same problem, do a search and see if you can find his thread. His solution was to custom make a five point child harness in the back seat of the Mondial. I doubt that this is really legal, but I also doubt you would have a problem and could in fact even be safer that a child seat. Would the CHP officer agree? I don't know.

The child seat does fit in the front seat with no problem and with no airbags it's not an issue for my daughter to be up there. But this is why my 2 year old has gone for rides in the new Ferrari and my wife hasn't!

YMMV.

"Make sure the dealer guarantees that the car will pass emissions standards"
You might even want to be there if the seller is doing the smog. Sometimes the smog check happens on the wrong car to get it to pass. A PPI should ease concers here.

Sounds like a good price, though! I hope it is a good car!

 

If it was me I would by a good Mopar

 

I think you should!

 

I definitely agree with Brian on the smogging issue. Ask that the dealer get the car to pass SMOG before any money changes hands. Ask to be present at the time of said testing, because in 2 years, it'll be your turn all by yourself. If you do a little digging - I think it's on the California Air Resources Board website - you can find the smog history of any car titled in CA with either the current license plate OR VIN #. I tried it on my cars, and it's quite up-to-date and accurate! At least you'll know if the car has a "history" of having trouble passing (or not) that CARFAX might not be able to help with due to the age of the vehicle.

 

I'll get crucified for uttering this name here, but there *is* another option for 2+2 driving with the wife and son while still maintaining the "sports car" feel that fits your pricerange...Shhhhh.....

Porsche

 

What about a 365/400i/412i? Ferrari V-12 power on the cheap!

I think the Mondial is just a terrific car with a pretty useable back seat for kids, although you will have a tough time getting a rear-facing baby seat in one. Front facing, no problem.

Aaron, you just earned yourself a "time out" for uttering the "P" word. Now go stand in the corner quietly for 5 minutes.

Birdman

 

on my mondi, i use the recaro booster seat for my older son, fits just fine. if i need more space i take out the seat back as it will allow the booster to further back. i spent an afternoon at the local baby store fitting all the seats they had into the ferrari. it was kinda of neat as the staff was more than willing to let me try and fit each and every one, and the onlookers watching me test fit kids booster seats into a ferrari was priceless.

 

Bob,
when you take out the seat back it has a material backing laready in place so no need to fab on up. i was going to make a flat panel, 12ga sheet aluminum and cover it in leather to replace the molded seat back so it looks nicer, but i'm lazy have way too many projects and with the booster seat in you can't see anything.

 

Scott, how hard is it to get the back seat out? Do you take out the whole seat or just the upright section?

Birdman

 

Its easy i have done the same thing to make more room for my daughters booster seat.
Under the bottom seat cushion on the shelf it sits on there is one bolt right underneath the cushion. You will notice a small split perhaps in the carpet there as you fumble around looking for it. Pulling the carpet down carefully...there it is. Loosen the nut, no need to remove it. Pull up on the bottom, then slide it out towards you. The backrest if I recall is on a hook like rail thingy just slide it up an it will be off.

Takes jus a few minutes to do, but then when its done you will want to clean the cushions which will take longer and you wish you just left them in...

 

here's how i do it. if it's me and my older son, he rides up front in the booster seat. if it's both boys, the younger one is up front and the older one is in back. if it's the faimily kids in back wife up front and the all too needed just in case fire extingisher is ALWAYS on hand.

thankfully the mondial is not as suseptable to the fire issue as the 308/328's as the fuel tanks are under the rear seats and behind a firewall from the engine bay. make sure all fuel lines and vent lines are new and no screws or bolts or holes have been drilled into the rear seat/bolster area.

when fueling it may look strange to some but i go pit style, bonnet open, fire extingusher out and ready while re-fueling.

 

Time served....

Riiiiiiight. Cheap to buy, maybe. Cheap to drive?! Meh. I'd love one, too... I'm just not a sadist. GT4 *AND* a 365/400?!?!?!?

 

Total waste of time obviously.... Life would be much easier if people were honest about the cars they are trying to sell.

[begin shameless plug]

So, there is always my 89 Mondial t, which needs a major soon, needs a new roof latch, A/C fan speed knob and fog lamp switch. Had what turned out to be a minor but VERY expensive scrape last year, now perfectly fixed by Dave at Premier Motorsport in Culver City. On ferrariads.com for 39,500 and that includes a new latch, knob, and switch, with room for negotiation about the cost of a major. Hopefully, being honest about my car will ensure a sale.

http://www.ferrarichat.com/ferrariads/showproduct.php?product=2053&sort=1&cat=11&page=1

[end shameless plug]

Good luck in your search. While there are bargains to be had, it is very unlikely you'd ever get one from a dealer. They are there to make $$$ - nothing else. They might have cheap Ferraris for sale, but never a good cheap one. If it's that good, they would sell it for more.

Finally, when you post pics, can you also post the VIN or chassis number so we all know which car NOT to buy or waste our time with I mean really, what 86 Mondy has airbags? Mind you, it does have a V12 so anything is possible! Truth in advertising? Yeah right.....

Regards, Dave

 

Just looking at your beautiful car and in the interior picture I noticed the e-brake is outboard of the driver seat, just like my 914. Huh! I did not know that...something new learned. I love this site!

 

355s are the same too. For another little bit of trivia... Did you know that the e-brake is actually a drum brake inside the hub? The disc is one piece with the hub, and that's why many after market big brake kits do away with the e-brake.

To adjust the e-brake, there are 3 adjustment points. The first is on the cable itself where it splits to go to either wheel. this is on the left side of the car, accessible from underneath just in front of the left rear wheel. The other 2 adjustments are in the drums themselves. When you remove the rear wheels, the hub has 7 holes in it's face. 5 are for the wheel bolts, and the other 2, which are at 180 degrees to each other, provide access to a little ratchet wheel inside the hub, which is used to adjust the shoes. The access holes must be in line vertically, and you reach in with a flat screwdriver and ratchet away. It is only at the top hole that this is done. The other hole is for convenience and balance I suppose. The drum adjustments are done first, and the cable last, and may not even be required as it is only in response to stretch of the cable.

When I got the Mondial, it could not keep still on the flat! Now, 3 clicks and the e-brake can hold the car on the steepest of hills when parked. Best 15 minutes ever spent on the car.

I wonder if the Porsche is the same - there was a lot of parts sharing back in those days....

 

Bob,

Sounds like you have the right attitude on this one. Run, don't walk, away from that car. Sounds like a proverbial basket case. You know that whenever you start poking around in a car and doing much needed maintenance, it always ends up being much more work, time and money than you originally estimate. If you estimate $10K in work, double it. $6K for a paint job could be $10 to $12K if there is a lot of body work needed under the existing paint.

As you point out, there are plenty of nicely sorted and well maintained Mondis out there in the $20 to $30K range. There is absolutely no reason to take on a project car when you can get one that is in good condition and that has been cared for throughout its life.