For those on the fence...

i think i have spoken with you on a countach last year,well it did'nt work out but a 328 did.. i want a testarossa to keep it company in the grotto...maybe in a week or 2 they will meet.. Matt

 

Robb, great post as you're hitting all the right buttons. As a lifelong car and motorcycle guy with a long career in the auto industry here in Detroit, I've cycled in and out of my fascination with cars over the years. When I got into BMW's a few years ago I thought I'd found the holy grail, which I had at that point in my life. An incredibly competent, capable, performance oriented marquee with no downsides. However, as I rapidly approach my 47th birthday, I'm realizing that a 'performance oriented' 4-door sedan just isn't filling all the gaps.

To digress for a second, I read an excellent article in Motorcycle Consumer News a few years ago that captured it perfectly; it was a response to a typical 'which motorcycle should I buy' question. The answer was perfect e.g. they will each have their own attributes for function, feel, performance etc. However, there's always that one that grabs you in the gut for whatever reason, the one you can't get out of your head even though it's not the most practical, fastest, cheapest, comfortable, etc. As they pointed out, that should be the decision point, not all the data surrounding the others but the excitement and passion involved in the ownership experience.

I'm getting the point here and appreciate the feedback from the great forum community you appear to have here.

 

Just had to throw my 2 cents in on this one. (Ok, maybe 5 cents). I've owned a few BMW cars both in and out of warranty and have played with old classics for a couple of decades.

1) BMW is NOT what it was in the 80s. Just like Merc they've been falling in quality for years. Initial quality (up until the current 3 series) has been good, but after that warranty ends, watch out. My wife's 5 has been plagued by the well documented expansion tank burst, radiator leak, cam sensor shutdown, etc. My point is, they do not hold up as a good used car unless you are willing to put money in them. Good used BMWs stopped with the E30 and E34.

2) Even if you get the perfect low mileage 328 it will still be an OLD car. Unless the guy before you has gone completely bonkers and done a full nut and bolt restoration and over-hauled every part, something will break. (Read up on speed sensors!) And even then, something will still break. When it does break, it is usually expensive. A Ferrari/Bosch starter is around $1800USD! Plus the fact that unlike a modern car, they require constant maintenance.

3) And remember an old Ferrari will not hold a candle to a modern luxury car in terms of comfort and refinement. A 3x8 is loud, obnoxious, hot, stiff, and VERY anti-social (which is why I LOVE this car).

The only reason I bring this up is that if you've never dealt with old cars owning one may come as a bit of a shock when compared to a "modern" car. I'd hate to see someone buy one of these expensive toys and find out they really hate owning an old car. Unless you want garage art, drive or ride in one in the heat of summer. Stop at gas stations to see how people in your area react. (In my neck of the woods no one cares. But just up the road in Jax I hear they are quite rude) Find out how much service is in your area by someone who has dealt with these cars before. Oh, and how close they are to your house!

Of course all that said, they are a freakin' blast to drive!

And remember the first rule of Italian motoring: Ferrari cars do not break down, they stop to be admired. (OK, maybe the second after "What is behind you does not matter")

 

Great thread. I've wanted a 308 all my life and came very close to buying one but wimped out and went the safe route and bought a new s2000. I've been happy with the s2k but still am planning on buying my dream car a 308. I guess its just a mindset you think Ferrari and just get scared to death that you want be able to afford the maintenance.

 

Alas, not really. People may daydream about it, but the minute you mention that a GT4 can be had for under 30K, they go into "excuses" mode.
People actually *like* to think that every Ferrari costs "a million dollars" -- it's the excuse to not own one.

There is a large part of the population that knows nothing about driving or cars, and couldn't care less.

Consider: the town has installed "speed tables" on the roads -- shallow speed bumps on a 25 mph road. Virtually everyone does the same thing: they hit the brake (from < 10mph) just as they come to the (25 mph) bump. .... Thereby shifting the car's weight to the front wheels just as they're trying to move vertically. Doh. No wonder people have to replace their cars so often. But where people haven't mastered the steering wheel, I guess any concept of throttle control, weight transfer, or suspension loading is too much to ask for.

(The 328, with four inches of ground clearance, can take those bumps at the posted speed without a problem. It's crawling over them at less than walking pace that causes it to drag the front plate.)


But the *worst* part about owning a Ferrari: "You're a car guy -- should I buy the Sentra or the Saturn Astra?". (Hand me the barf bag. Gak!)
(That, or the schmucks in the 60K$ SUVs that decide to block the "rich guy" in the 20 year old Ferrari. )

 

I've had my GT4 almost 2 mos. and I can't stop loving every drive in it! It's what I've always dreamed of... simple, carbureted,loud, electronic free & RAW FERRARI ! I truly enjoy that I have something that needs attention and keeps me wanting more. I am perfecting and adding to my Ferrari to make it MINE! Connecting with it like no other car in the world! I love performance but also being part of the machine and being in tune with what it means to truly DRIVE a Ferrari! Old school F1 sounds RULE!
FORZA FERRARI!

 

I'd even take it further. When someone sees or finds out about my car, they always tell me about the Porsche they own/ed or their BMW, as if we're in some kind of "I'm Wealthy, Too" competition. Outside of Ferrari circles, no one has a clue what any of these '80s Ferraris sell for.

On the plus side, to keep a positive thread positive, I agree with many of the posts here that every time I get in the car I realize there's no better car available in terms of looks, sound, visceral driving feel, rarity and basic reliability. There are other interesting exotics out there for <$100K, but when you really think about it you wouldn't trust most of them to get you from Point A to Point B. The 328 offers that comfort level, which is normal in a modern car but not a safe assumption with most old Italian exotics.

 

My first Ferrari was a 330 2+2...had to be because front-12 was what Ferrari was all about in my "formative years". A great car, and will always be glad I took that insane plunge at age 52.

Now own an '83 308 GTS, and it has opened a new door. I'm very happy with this car, and have become keen on the 308/328/Mondial models.

I can easily visualize a carbed Euro 308 GTB in the future, but can also see an ass-ripping 365 GTC/4. Getting kind of old, and would like to round it out with at least three Ferraris owned...we'll see.

Regarding Ferrari ownership in general...no regrets, even in the wake of some big restoration, service, and repair bills over the last 5+ years, as well a total-loss accident involving the 330. There's only satisfaction at having done it, ongoing enjoyment of my current car, being able to share knowledge I gained with the first, and being a humble member of the "owners club".

 

Sitting on the fence...

When you find the right one...(Ferrari or otherwise...), are you prepared to make the decision and move forward? I'm sure in one fashion or another, we all talk about it and when the moment comes do you seize the opportunity?

We all make choices. I really believe it's those who carry through and actually do what they say when the moment is in front of them, that make all the difference. However, no regrets either way...pick your path and go!

Was my decision objective or emotive? It was EMOTIONALLY objective! I was fortunate to have good (and qualified) friends check everything out for me, so my illogical emotions could take over...

My Ferrari passion lives...

What's next...hmmmm....

Later.
WSPi.

 

"Paint can be buffed, rust fixed..."

Hi Joe,

I don't necessarily agree. Rust is kinda like cancer. It's expensive to treat and nearly impossible to cure. For all the surface rust you can actually see, there's probably more you can't. Rust is a huge concern for me when considering a old(er) car.


IMHO

Joe

 

Robb,
I didn't read your original post as a put down to anyone. My apologies if my response read like that. In fact, your post would likely push many to make a decision, either way... Encouragement is always good and taking the plunge (murky water or not) can give folks that unique and personal rush.

Live every day as there are ups and downs. Put it in gear and just go!

Thanks for your encouragement and keep posting!
WSPi.

 

Scott, you're only as old as you feel. I'm visualizing #'s 4, 5 and 6 within the next five years myself, and the next three on the radar screen are all Mondial or 308 derivatives...

 

I feel about 30, and have a much more diversified and interesting life than at that age...looking in the mirror or at a photo and seeing the reality is the shock!

After the 330 total, I lost classic-car insurability and agreed-value coverage, but it's re-uppable in Oct. '09. With deciding to stay in our current house instead of an expensive move, and me working again, there will be some $$$ on the table by then.

As long as mrs. jsa's happy, everyone's happy. She loved the 330, loves the 308, lurks on Fchat, and enjoys looking with me at websites like Mike Sheehan's and Fantasy Junction. Objectively, there are very real future Ferrari possibilities.

For the present, the QV is a blast, and the future will bring what it brings.

 

Drive a 365 GT/4 2+2, it will surprise you and they still haven't gone up through the roof. Makes a good stablemate to a 3x8 for those special drives...

 

I like the GT/4 2+2 model, and the price.

 

Samething here. Had a Ferrari t-shirt on the other day and some guy comes up and asks, "where is the Ferrari?" I replied "at home in the garage." The look of suprise on is face was priceless."

 

I always like the look on faces when I answer that question "which one?".

 

My Ferrari ownership thus far has been more extraordinary than I could have imagined. I am one of the few people I know (present company excluded) who has actually crossed a dream off their list. So much so that my Ferrari has become a sort of inspirational story my family and friends seem to share. My father-in-law, has told just about all his friends about my little black car and some have even contacted me about getting one for themselves. I can usually figure out pretty quickly if it is going to work for them. If one of the first questions is, "how does it do on gas?" I tell them they probably won't enjoy the Ferrari and should consider a nice porsche. Why? IMO Ferrari's do not lend themselves to a cost benefit analysis. They look awful on a spreadsheet. They are Anjolina Jolie before she had kids, when she was batSh@t insane, kissing her brother and wearing viles of blood. By contrast, Porsches are the new jolie with 80 kids and working for the U.N. Most people would take either one, but it takes a special kind of crazy to go for the early Jolie. Most Ferrari owners fit squarely into the first camp.

IMHO, the people best served by Ferrari are those who are out of their skull in love with them. Otherwise, you will quickly get annoyed with all the Ferrari "quirks," including, but not limited to the fact that whenever Ferrari has an A or B choice, it chooses C.

You cannot rationalize your way into a Ferrari, but there are a million ways to rationalize your way out of one. So I say, unless you believe in reincarnation, figure you only have 50+ adult years, buy yourself your dream--whatever it may be-- and drive it like your hair is on fire.

That is EXACTLY what I did...and every day so far has been like Christmas...literally

just my .02

 

'tis better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all.

 

Thing that put me over the edge was working for BMW and our F1 crew would stay in the same hotels as the Ferrari guys.

To see the red everywhere and the cool luggage and the expressive passionate way the Ferrari guys would communicate with one another just brought the childhood dream to the surface again.

By contrast the dry, staid and bland demeanor the BMW corporate world lived in just felt stifling. One night when MS came in the hotel and parked the Harley outside some of my co-workers went on about how gaudy a Harley is an how it figures that the Ferrari driver would like one and i went off on this little rant about how i'm one of them at heart. Everyone was stunned and shocked like i'd gone off my rocker.

I knew when i was 8 that i wanted a Ferrari 308 when i heard and saw one while walking to the beach on vacation and it took me
30 years to get it and i only wish i'd done it sooner.

If you love Ferraris there is nothing else like 'em..nothing.