Considering 308 QV - Looking for advice

There is a pretty good list of things I would look at but I wouldn't be afraid of 100K miles if the car was good and the pricing was realistic. Best bet is to find a local expert to do a PPI, since it can really help identify issues and also provide you with data to adjust valuation and make an offer (if you decide to go forward).

Offhand, two age/wear things I didn't see on the list were the undercarriage (bushings, joints, etc) and fuel lines/hoses/sleeves (low pressure hoses, tank connection sleeves, filler neck sleeve, etc).

Can you get underneath the car and look around? That can be quite educational.

 

At 100k I'd be thinking about valve guides. I don't know how long they last, but there have been a few heads rebuilt here around 100k miles. The other thing is synchros. But if it shifts nicely with no crunching - the 308 is notchy by nature, not buttery - then I'd call it good.

For sure if you are looking for a car that won't need constant feeding and fiddling then any 308 isn't a good choice.

 

First, the fact that you're going in with eyes open and asking for help is a really good indicator you'll do just fine.

I totally agree with getting a PPI from someone very knowledgeable. Maybe even put the request here on this forum. Where is the car located? Assuming it's not too far away, people are generally happy to help. Often for free. I like to ask for a donation to my favorite charity to pay things forward.

As for the things on your list, in addition to the suspension bushings and condition of hoses, I'd add a compression/leakdown test...and a request to see whatever records the seller has. That will tell you a lot. Sometimes, in situations where there are lots of unknowns about a car, it works well to agree on a price and put money in escrow, pending further inspection. A service like escrow.com is perfect for this (no affiliation). By actually putting some money up, it locks in the deal while you sort through all the unknowns...and proves to the seller you're serious. Best case, you leave the price as agreed and close the deal. If other stuff is discovered, you can renegotiate, and if you can't agree, your deposit is refunded.

The most important thing I've learned buying collector cars is that buying the seller is equally, if not more important than buying the car. If the person is known in the community and you feel good about how the deal is going, that's a good sign. Best of luck with the purchase!

 

If it was a recent purchase, do a google search on the VIN -- that may turn up some helpful info as well. Some of these cars get around and have quite a history.

 

Cool. Suggest you start a new thread called “PPI needed in Savannah, GA”. If possible, travel out for the inspection. Plane tickets are way cheaper than Ferrari repairs. Or at least they used to be!

 

I have a 100K car. They like to be driven so the mileage wouldn't bother me too much. Just the additional wear.
Additions to your list;
Check steering rack
Check engine mounts
Check the suspension bushings
Check for rust around the fenders & battery tray
How's the directional/light stalk. cracking yet?

 

Believe it or not, for a 308, mileage really isn't that big of a deal provided it's been properly maintained. I have a friend with a 1984 QV that has damn near 300,000 miles on it. He's owned it since 1991, and it's still a concours winning car today.

It sounds like you are headed down the same path I did. My dream was always a 308 GT4 when I first saw one as a teenager. Like you, I decided it was now or never, and I quit letting other things get in the way. Last October, I bought my dream car and finally became a Ferrari owner, whilst fulfilling a life-long dream.

My advice is the same that was given to me: Find and buy the best one you can. When I found my 308 GT4, it needed nothing, in fact I could have driven it straight on to a concours field and taken home some sort of award. The 308 is a great car, but it's only getting older, thus parts are harder and harder to find, and getting more and more expensive. If you buy something that needs some work, then it could be sitting in the shop for months just waiting on parts to be found, ordered, and delivered.

Find one that's well documented. I got lucky with mine, I have all the records of the car since it was new (1975), I know the complete ownership history, and I'm even in contact with the original owner. If it's well documented, you can look through all the paperwork and form the life story of the car. Obviously, like others have mentioned, have a PPI done by someone who knows 308s.

Also, think about what your goal is with the car. Is this a car you just want to drive and enjoy? Is this a car you want to show at small gatherings like cars and coffee? Is this a car you want to show at concours events? Your goal with the car makes a big difference in things you might look for. If you're going for concours shows, then it needs to be a 100% correct car. If you're just driving it for fun and pleasure, and don't care to show it, then 100% originality isn't a major concern. For me, I wanted to drive the hell out of it, but also take it to concours events, so originality was key for me… plus, I don't tend to like after-market additions or upgrades anyway, on any car.

Drive other 308s!!! You said drove this one, but that you have "zero frame of reference for this car" because you haven't driven others. Find others, and drive them. It's not always easy, but in my case I did find and drive two other 308 GT4s before I found the one I bought. You need a frame of reference, these cars are old analog cars that will drive completely different than another one. That has certainly been my experience. I recall driving one that I was considering and thinking it was amazing, then I drove the one I bought and couldn't believe how much better it was than the other one. Don't marry the first car you meet.

Lastly, visit Ferrari mechanics and see if maybe any of their customers are selling their car. That's exactly how I found mine. Forget the online auctions and whatnot, those are too popular and you'll overpay for it (and likely without the opportunity to even see it first). If a local mechanic knows of one for sale, you're likely not competing with anyone on the purchase (unlike the internet).

Good luck!! Maybe the one you've already found it the one for you, but definitely do your homework before making the leap.

 

I have 126,000 + on my QV if that makes you feel any better. Factory sealed engine. Runs strong. Bought it in 1997 with 57,000

 

There will be other cars. It's good to ease into this carefully and not make impulse decisions. As you gain experience, you'll be able to make smart/educated decisions and have proper perspective.

I can tell you I am glad I missed out on the first couple cars I looked at, and I am glad I backed away from some other cars, due to condition or pricing. When the right one comes along you'll know it -- be prepared to jump on it.

 

I looked for two years before finding/buying my 328 in August, '08. So, as has been stated, don't get in a hurry. As has also often been stated, buy the best car you can; it will cost more to pay less/put a car in the condition you want than it will to buy one already in that condition.

 

If the car doesn’t come with complete ownership info, is there a way to track it?

 

If the car doesn't come with it, I'm not sure how to go about it. My car, amazingly, came with almost all the DMV records as well as insurance records from the previous owners. You might need to "know" someone at the DMV in order to get the history, but then again, not sure if that's legal? Maybe old service records can help (looking at who's name is on the receipts). Dealerships or repair shops? Hire a P.I.? I don't think there's any one, easy way to do it, just lots of research down every conceivable avenue (and even then you may turn up nothing).

 

I wouldn't bother. What real purpose does it serve UNLESS you are interested "just because" OR you are researching a car with a high price due to alleged connection with a famous person or historical use of the car.

IOW, what is important is the condition of the car right NOW which is easily determined by an appropriate inspection.

 

It was more of a “why not” kind of process.

 

Mike is correct in it really doesn't matter, unless there's some sort of ownership provenance (but then proof of that would probably come with the car). I just think it's cool knowing where the car has been since it was made, how long each person kept it, and so on. It's interesting, and if mine hadn't had all the records, I might have tried to research it myself for the "why not" aspect of it.

 

I completely agree if the reasoning is that the buyer wants to do it out of interest - heck, I like the fact that I have all the records for my 328 beginning with the window sticker and sales receipt from the original purchase. I was thinking more in terms of whether the info was vital toward a purchase decision. OTOH, I admit that if I was trying to decide between two cars that were in the same condition and price, if one had all the the records and the other didn't, I'd choose the one that did.

 

Ownership info isn't super important to me, but condition and maintenance records are.

I do happen to think that historical information and documentation adds to a vehicle's appeal. I have a binder full of records for my 328 that includes the original window sticker, the "sold" tag that was put on the car when it was bought, the salesman's card, the brochure, magazine articles from the time period, etc. It is fun to look through that info and I suspect it will appeal to a collector if I ever sell the car. None of that entered into my decision to buy the car (I was strictly focused on condition, maintenance records, and the PPI results) but I think it would sweeten appeal to a collector. I have been adding records and receipts to the binder so the next owner will have a nice continuous record going back to the beginning.

 

These are the same thoughts I have. I got this 308 because it is exactly what I was looking for. The record search is for my own curiosity and for “the next person”, having it is more interesting then not having it. So any advice on where to obtain any historical info would be appreciated!