Do 308 GT4 owners get any respect?

While I'm certainly no expert, the last FCA event I was at had a very nice GT4
that was actually a draw for the guys in attendance. Personally, I think they're
VERY cool and I doubt that 'these days' you would ever get bad vibes for showing
up in what was the original 3x8 F-car (despite being a Fiat Dino - we all know the
story).

Buy one and drive it like you stole it!

Jedi

 

A GT4 is a great machine - and a nice one will get the respect it deserves I am sure, and it will be a treat for you.

 

They got all my respect.

 

GT4s are definately getting more love. More people are appreciating the looks and also finding the rear seats genuinely useful. I even had a Testarossa owner's wife think it was a fair swap for her husband's car - although admittedly she was several months pregnant!

 

I can't stand when people choose their level of respect for another person based on the value or status of their car -- which is pretty much the situation you are talking about here. I want nothing to do with people like that.


By the way, I think 308 GT4s are awesome. Buy yourself another GT4, enjoy the heck out of it, and find some real car friends to hang out with, not a bunch of mee-too losers craning their necks over each other to see who can get the car with the greatest myth constructed around it.

 

I would argue that the the Mondial has taken over the "no respect" slot from the GT4. I'm have an 89 cabrio and love it. However, I relate to the attitude described in the first post. Maybe GT4's have the age to now be "classic"? I have driven several GT4's and wouldn't mind one in my garage!

 

Maybe I've been lucky, but haven't really seen any disrespect. Granted, we all joke around, but the f-chat guys that I hang out with (cars and coffee, haus of pizza, etc.) have a pretty wide range of cars. There are guys who don't own any ferrari's, to guys who own the latest and greatest. Doesn't seem to matter, just your enthusiasm. I've had guys with cars worth 10x mine swap cars for a drive. I've let plenty of others (owners and non-owners) drive my car. It's all in good fun.

Buy what you like, don't worry about what others think.

Dom

 

I too will risk reprisal by making a few comments.

I have a 308 GTS and have, at times, wondered if 308s get less respect, or if my awareness of the 308 market value makes me suspect that other models get more respect. The 308s are considered an entry-level Ferrari for this reason, but I'd like to think that my occasional self-conscious feelings are just personal insecurities poking through.

Personally, I love my 308 model and am thrilled to be part of the Ferrari club.

 

The gt4 is a unique car, kind of controversial styling when it came out but 30 plus years later I think it is considered a funky, quirky car the looks of which have really aged quite well. I've told this story before on here but one day I'm pulling into a bar parking lot and there's a 430 there. I park right beside it and get out and take a picture. A couple walks by and the attractive woman says "I like the old one better". Go figure.

 

I remember when i was a teenager late70's the same ferrari folk said the dino wasent a real ferrari.you could buy one for a song. now look at the dinos. i think the gt4 is the next dino everyone will want one. my 2cents

 

Like a fine wine that needs aging or posthumous fame of Van Gogh, Ferrari GT4 was simply ahead of it's time.

 

I get as much respect as the guy with a 355 or 430 in Ferrari circles. In the general public, most people don't know its a Ferrari until they see the badging, then it "COOL CAR!" I kind of like it that way...you see the inquisitive looks, smiles, then thumbs up.

JIM

 

They do from me!!!

 

I think i have an amazing car, a 78 308GTS. At a recent ferrari challenge event in nor cal i was parked next to two GT4's (red and white) and i think there were more ppl pondering those cars than mine.
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+1
Enjoy what you have - it will drive everyone else nuts.

 

+1,000 ! Yet I've seen that situation happen myself. Its really sad and you have to wonder what happened in thier life that screwed them up so bad. <sigh>



I'm pretty blessed and have a few cars, some older classic, or vintage, cars and some in the 20 to 25 year old range. Once cars cross the 30+ year old mark I see them begin to get treated differently by most people. Keeping a car on the road, in nice shape, for that long is a real challenge. People who know and understand cars are aware of that and appreciate it. Gazing at a 35 year old VW beetle in nice shape is a great way to spend a few minutes. Anyone who doesn't understand the effort and commitment it takes to keep a 30 year old car on the road, regardless of the model, isn't someone who should be making comments about old cars.

I've had the GT4 at a number of different shows and events. At the concourse d'elegance this past year I was surrounded by at least 30 Ferraris most of which were newer. I was amazed at the number of people who were drawn to the GT4 and the positive commens they made.

Drive your car, get on your knees and be thankful you're blesed enough to even own it, and quit worring about what some other bozo says about your possesions.
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Fully agree on this one Dave!

It's interesting how these GT4's either attract people or repel them. There doesn't seem much of an in-between. Most teens don't seem to care for it too much. They don't dig the old style and rather rave at an Audi RS6. Their loss!

One thing it is not either is a ladies car. If you want to attract pretty ladies, then get yourself a nice round Jaguar XK-120 or so. Or an Austin Healey. Or a Dino 246. In short, get a cute looking car. Most women don't seem to understand the attraction of the GT4.

But I don't have this car to attract women, nor do I have a particular interest in teenage kids. I've got the Dino to have fun!

In our local fchat group, we've got mondials, 308's, 328's, 348's, 355's, 360's, 430's, 360 CS's, 550's, a Gallardo spider, Murcilago, Diablo and even a Bugatti EB110. Despite the fact that the Murci or Gallardo owners could have bought 10 Dino's for their money and still have change left, there doesn't seem to be a hierarchy. They can hop around my Dino with the same enthousiasm as I do around their Lamborghinis. Same with the 550's and all the others for that matter. With the GT4, I certainly don't feel the odd one out. On the contraty, I feel that my little blue monster gains a some respect for being the oldest car of the bunch by far and yet being able to keep up pretty well with the rest during our drives.

But the bottom line, as Dave already indicates, in the end the only thing that matters is how YOU feel about the car.

Just enjoy it!!!!

Hans

 

The white GT4 (almost) in that picture is mine. And the guy in the red shirt and hat is me. Perhaps my best side as well.

The GT4 was one of the most represented Ferrari there with four cars and four owners. But Perfusion rode up with me so Michael from MV had bring two of his to make up for it!

 

heres another 'almost' shot of your car....
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Fchatter Bertocchi had an Italian car swap meet recently at his shop in MA. A bunch of fcars showed up including examples from just about every vintage. There were more comments about the GT4 than any other car. I heard thing like

"Wow, what a beautiful car."

"Man, those GT4s are hot. I want one."

"Those look so much better in person than in pictures."

An amazing car that definitely does not photograph as well as they look in the metal.

Birdman

 

A few years ago I went to an all Italian car and bike show.They judged all the makes of cars and awarded trophy's to most popular car by make.It was purely voted by the public.It was free to enter.There was a few 308 GTB, a Mondial,a 355,a 348 and my GT4.all up about 7 Ferrari's.They also had the same for Fiats'Alfa Romeo's,Lancia's/Maserati's and Lamborghini's.I was surprised when they called my name out and handed me the trophy.
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=84269&d=1096468408

 

Agree - the Mondial seems to be seen as Ferrari's "924" by some (non F-car guys I suspect), and I think the GT4 has gracefully slid into being seen as a "classic". Most people at shows will find themselves doing a complete walk-around of a GT4, while a more common model might just warrant a quick stop and look. But like someone on here has said - "who cares what others think about your possessions"? One drive in my '86 Mondial 3.2 cab - with or without the family - and I'm all smiles. Time just keeps on ticking - go get yourself into an F-car and have the time of your life!