First Time Ferrari Buyer | FerrariChat

First Time Ferrari Buyer

Discussion in 'Ferrari Discussion (not model specific)' started by JBI, Nov 2, 2024.

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

  1. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    Morning everyone. First time buyer here and looking for a 328 GTS, but still learning a bit about the car before I jump. Reading the threads in this forum have really done a lot to help me understand what I would be getting, and I already have my eye on a couple for sale here, but I had just a few things that I couldn't find.

    To start off, I get that it's an old car and as far as fast goes, it's not, compared to what's on the road now. My question to those who have driven one or currently own one is, does it feel slow, lack luster, unexciting? Or has just enough feeling to put a smile on your face? I'm not a racer and don't speed all over city streets, but I do like to push the gas a bit just to see a car move. Or at least be able to get away from the occasional annoying driver. Has anyone modified the engines to give a little more power or is that just blasphemy?

    Next, the maintenance between the 308 and the 328. I really like the classic look of the interior switches in the 308 over the 328, but everything I've read so far is telling me that the 328 would be less dramatic maintenance wise and cost wise to own. I also like the nose bumper look of the 308 over the 328. Do the cars perform about the same? Is there any more headache in owning the 308 over the 328? I'm not afraid to turn a wrench so which would be the more user friendly?

    Now, I've also considered going just a bit newer and getting a 348. I like the look, but not as much as the lines of the 328. But if I did go with the 348, does it offer night and day differences in performance and maintenance over the 328?
    Thanks for any answers to the above!
     
    anunakki likes this.
  2. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
    33,146
    E ' ' '/ F
    Full Name:
    Snike Fingersmith
    20+ year owner of a 328 here.

    Yes, the car is objectively slow these days. But being very low to the ground and all manual makes the car feel quick and engaging. 85 MPH in my 328 is riveting . 115 in my California T is literally forgotten.

    However, slow means that you really have to think about your passes and options when on back roads. The closes I came to dying in a Ferrari was on a group drive, when a pickup decided to açcellerate and close up the hole I was aiming at. The car wasn't fast enough to deny him that move,and didn't have the brakes to bail out of it. Luckily the two lane road could accommodate three wide .

    These cars can definitely be hot rodded. My buddy @ATSAaron has a 700HP 308. But adding power upsets the balance, so you'll need better brakes and cooling and shocks and springs and ....

    The 308 and 328 cover a decade of cars and at least 6 models, with power ranging from the low 200HP to almost 300HP (and a 2 liter version as well).

    The 348 is a very different beast.

    If you're in the market, look at the white 328 in the classified.
     
    anunakki likes this.
  3. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    Great reply! Thanks much. The 328 is about the last car I haven't had yet, that I really want. I'm not even that into cars anymore, but this is just calling me. The 348 I was only looking at to maybe satisfy me wanting more power, but it doesn't really look as good as the 328 does to me. There are absolutely no twisty roads to drive where I live, so all the enjoyment has to be flat and straight. I'll check out your buddy's car and yes, that white one is one of the top ones I was checking out. He seems to have it together well and I never really considered a white one, but his is very good looking in that color. Not to mention, him owning it for so many years, I would hope means I'd be getting a very well-kept car.
     
  4. Alex308qv

    Alex308qv Formula Junior

    Jul 1, 2016
    405
    PA
    Full Name:
    Alex
    Good luck. You're in the right place, of course, as there are countless threads here comparing models. As a 308 owner, my quick 2 cents is as follows. If considering a 328, the 308 to compare with is the very similar QV from 1982-1985. The 328 does have a performance advantage, but as you've noted both perform modestly (but remain quick!) by today's standards. The 328 has some reliability enhancements over the 308, but nothing earth shaking. The largest change IMO is moving to ABS. Both are beautiful cars, but to me the interior and exterior styling details like the ones you pointed out, also the black accents, makes the 308 more special. Side by side at a car show, my non-red QV seems to get the most attention. The 308 does not have ABS, if that is a concern for you. But ABS requires convex wheels, which to me are less attractive than the "deep dish" look of the 308 (and early non-ABS 328) wheels. As GrigioGuy says, the 348 is a completely different animal... much more performance, much more maintenance/reliability things to be aware of.
     
  5. LVP488

    LVP488 F1 Veteran

    Jan 21, 2017
    5,901
    France
    The 348 feels a lot more "modern" than a 308 or 328; it's (significantly) faster too, but it's so far away from current performance standards that this difference has become irrelevant.
    A 348 does not have yet the same collectible status as a 308 or 328, so it will be cheaper to buy and maybe easier to use more casually.
     
  6. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    Thanks for that! Seems like going for the collectible status might be more useful to me as well.
     
  7. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    They are both absolutely beautiful. Those classic switches on the 308 really get me. Most everything I’m reading and watch says I might be happier with the 328, but I think I’ll widen the search and just go with the best taken care of I can find.
     
  8. GrigioGuy

    GrigioGuy Splenda Daddy
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Nov 26, 2001
    33,146
    E ' ' '/ F
    Full Name:
    Snike Fingersmith
    "Buy the seller." I don't know where you're located but find your local Ferrari club and get hooked in with them. Some of the best cars (note, I did NOT say least expensive) are traded on a friend-of-a-friend comment and never show up on advertisements.
     
    020147, JohnnyRay, kestrou and 2 others like this.
  9. dustman

    dustman F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2007
    11,459
    Such great advice.
     
    Texas Forever likes this.
  10. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    Lots of great advice here.
    Let me ask this. In aviation they do prebuys on aircraft, and on my boat I did a prebuy based upon an agreed price. Can I assume the same here with these cars?
    Are there shops that will charge a flat rate and do a full inspection on the car? Have people agreed on a price based on prebuy outcomes before.?
     
  11. stoked_7

    stoked_7 Karting
    Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 9, 2020
    216
    USA
    Yes, pre purchase inspections (PPIs) are common and almost any legitimate seller will agree to one. Ask in the regional forums for suggestions for quality PPIs in your area.
     
    Texas Forever and JBI like this.
  12. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    Great! Thanks!
     
  13. 020147

    020147 F1 Rookie
    Rossa Subscribed

    Jun 12, 2006
    4,608
    Midwest
    This absolutely applies to a Ferrari! When you find an example you’re interested in create a thread asking for PPI recommendations in the area the car is located in. You’ll receive recommendations from many of the outstanding members here. Happy hunting and enjoy the search!

     
    JBI likes this.
  14. TheMayor

    TheMayor Ten Time F1 World Champ
    Rossa Subscribed

    Feb 11, 2008
    106,181
    Vegas baby
    #14 TheMayor, Nov 6, 2024
    Last edited: Nov 7, 2024
    I've owned an F430 spider, a 458 spider, and now my daily is a Corvette C8 which goes 0-60 under 3 seconds. Its pretty fast for a daily that you can take to the supermarket.

    I still enjoy driving the 328. And here is why. Because I can wind it up and drive like mad and not be put in jail in this car. Its certainly fast enough for city driving. Will it set your head back? No. Will it be fun to drive quickly? Yes. And it has a surprisingly comfortable ride.

    Its not for big people though. If you are big, I suggest you sit in one first. Over 6'2 and 250 you might have a problem.

    I'm not going to knock the 308 as I agree, the looks are more iconic and aggressive inside and out. Its more of a pure statement with more of an edge. But the 328 has more HP and more torque, a better AC system (when it works), and a lot of little refinements like windows that go up and down before winter sets in. It also has a galvanized steel body which is why rust is less of an issue with them. They run cooler in city traffic if properly maintained. They are generally a little more expensive apples to apples.

    It is quirky though and you have to get used to the driving position, the lack of power seats so you're always moving he seat rack, and very little interior storage (no cup holders). But, either the 308 or 328 would be a good choice. I think it boils down to which looks do you prefer, the condition, and the price.

    I do have some advice about selecting a car. When you find the right one, don't lose it for a few hundred bucks. You don't buy these every day. This isn't a contest to find the cheapest one out there. Quite often its pay me now or pay me later. And I do agree that a purchase of a 40 year old car might best have an expert give you the info a novice couldn't find.

    And my last suggestion. Whatever you pay for it, put another $10 grand in a kitty for it that you'll probably be spending on it. If you don't need it, great. But if you do you'll understand you already knew something or things might need to fixed. That goes for both 308 or 328 because the cost ore repair is very similar.
     
    Texas Forever, JBI and stoked_7 like this.
  15. peterp

    peterp F1 Veteran

    Aug 31, 2002
    6,685
    NJ
    Full Name:
    Peter
    To me, if you frame your mind in the 1980's perspective, the 328 feels like it performs very, very well. 0-60 times for a 328 are in the mid 5-second range, which was very fast in period and honestly is still pretty decent today. But 0-60 times often aren't a good indicator of how a car feels to drive. The pre-2022 Subaru BRZ goes 0-60 in 6.2 seconds, but it felt like a 9+ second 0-60 car to me when driving it. The 328 is super visceral, quiet and docile when driven modestly, and just enough rawness and noise and clicking of metal shift gates when you put your foot in it that it feels great, and engaging, and very spirited, no matter what the stopwatch says. Don't rely on performance specs -- the best thing to do is to test drive one and see how it feels for you because everybody's benchmark for driving feel and performance is different.

    The 308's should not be discussed in one bucket. The QV has very good performance, as do the early carbed 308's. The first injected cars (308 GTSi and GTBi) did not have a lot of power -- it was just bad timing on emissions regulations that killed performance (along with the Mondial 8)-- and it is NOT at all easy to mod those first injected engines to get more power. Given your concern about performance, I would definitely not recommend a GTSi/GTBi -- but the QV and much earlier carbed cars would probably be very enjoyable (again, best to drive all of the models you are considering). Reliability-wise, they are all quite good. The more advanced 328 will be more plug and play for daily use, but honestly, even carbs are pretty maintenance free once they are dialed in properly.

    The 348 is more complex and probably will be more expensive to maintain. Since your preference is for a 328/308 anyway, I wouldn't consider a 348 in your shoes unless you found performance really unsatisfying in the 328/308 (which I suspect is unlikely).
     
    Texas Forever, JBI and TheMayor like this.
  16. Rosso328

    Rosso328 F1 Veteran
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Dec 11, 2006
    7,345
    Central FL
    Full Name:
    Paul
    Also, if maintenance is a concern, the 308 and 328 can do a major service and belt change with the engine in place.

    With the 348 switching to the longitudinal engine placement, the same job requires the engine to come out. That’s a huge increase in effort if you’re handy enough to do it yourself, and a huge increase in cost if you take it to a shop.

    And it also means you lose the rear trunk space that the 308 / 328 has. It’s not huge, but it has proven to be plenty for Mrs. Rosso and I on weekend road trips.
     
    Texas Forever and JBI like this.
  17. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    Great info Mayor! Really appreciate the reply. I’ve had a few Vettes with my last one having been a heavily modified 01 Z06, but it was loud and shook a lot. LOL. Got tired of driving it everywhere and eventually got back into driving pickups. Now my daily is a Tesla Model 3. Has get up and go and saves a ton of money a year. Me wanting the 308/328 is scratching an itch I’ve had for too long. Your info was perfect. Thanks much!!
     
  18. JBI

    JBI Rookie

    Oct 25, 2024
    11
    Full Name:
    Jason Buzio
    Thanks Peterp. Very good insights and appreciated. After reading more, I have decided against the 348 and going to stick with my search for the 308/328 instead. It’s what I wanted originally so no sense in changing now.
     
    peterp likes this.
  19. JoeCab

    JoeCab Formula Junior
    Silver Subscribed

    May 27, 2014
    439
    Colorado
    Full Name:
    Joe C
    The things that I was looking for, and found, with my 355 are as follows. I think they really apply to every vintage Ferrari:

    1) Precise mechanical feel, especially with regards to shifting

    2) Acceleration, sounds, and feel at high RPMs

    3) Responsive handling with fairly high grip limits, but also a car that is entertaining when not on the limit

    4) Emotional response

    Note, the importance of all of these is they can all be evaluated subjectively, not objectively by comparing to other cars. If it does it for me, it does it for me, and that's all that matters. That's a pretty nerdy way of saying if the car is exciting for you to drive, then buy and enjoy it.
     
    JBI and Texas Forever like this.

Share This Page