If Only I Could Afford It/ Rationalize It...

I'd agree with that. Not to mention 360's. There are 3 listed on Autotrader <$70k right now.

BTW, off topic but gotta ask, when you created your FChat login ID, were there already 7261 other wazies?

 

Yup.

I have come to the conclusion that my 308 is a pig. A nice looking pig, but still a pig.

It was moderately fast 30 years ago compared to other cars, but now, the most pedestrian Volkswagen will out run it, at least up to 50 MPH.

Time and technology has marched on.

The worst part is, 25 years ago, girls would follow me home from the grocery store, now they look and probably say "look at the old guy in the quaint old antique sports car."

Doug

 

BTW, after pricing syncros, pistons, rods, and a whole bunch of other parts, I fail to see how a 355 could be that much more expensive to maintain,assuming you have some mechanical skills, or maybe I haven't priced 355 parts.

Doug

 

As you know Scott, I'm on my way up...........................

 

The newer Ferraris are better track cars.

But have you ever tried to keep a siberian husky in a city apartment?


I had the opposite "rationalize" problem, when the prices started falling on used 550s. Considering 90% of my commute is spent sitting at traffic lights, I can't even justify a 4+ litre Maser V8, much less a V12. I barely get 100 miles out of a tank on my 328.
(Heck, I only get about 150 miles on a tank in my 2L EVO .... compared to about 250 around Boston.)

Where was that new "baby" Ferrari (new Dino) we were hearing about?


When I see lamenting dyno threads, or junior clarksons ("powwwerrrrrrr!" ) with engine envy, I remember that the most fun I've had in cars was in a rallye Fiat that, even tweaked, only dreamt of hitting 100 BHP.

(And I can usually catch the Vipers in the corners. )

 

For less than $10K you can make a 308/328 perform as fast as a 355 and yet still have the classic body style.

 

"The only reason I don't have a 355 is the fear of the cost of repairs..."

Well, that IS the issue isn't it? I went through the same thing when I was looking at buying a Ferrari - 355 0r 328 (didn't care for the 348). Did I want a beautiful and iconic mild-performance car that is essentially bulletproof and easy to work on or a nice looking high performance car that is troublesome and very difficult to work on?

Every Ferrari tech and shop I talked to during my search suggested I stay away from the 355 and, if I needed that level of performance, go to the 360 (which I couldn't afford)

Sure, if repair/maint money is not an issue, the 355 would be great. But if money wasn't an issue, I'd be driving a new Ferrari!

As noted, one can get the same power out of a 328 but, of course, your maint will increase and your bulletproof-ness will decrease...

 

What would you do to get 355 power from a 308?

 

Im sure you can pick up a nice 350Z for not much money and it has low maintenance costs.

Aaron

 

I considered this trade a month or so ago. 355 spyder with all services records. The last bill included a major service, new cats, and repainted the front airdam, plus the usual "while you're in there."

The total was $39K

That service was more than my car cost plus service over 5 years.

My 308 has been turbocharged (original owner did it back in 1983). Not sure how much power it makes (I'm afraid to get it dyno'd...that I'd be disappointed). It's enough power to feel fast to me without overwhelming the chassis, 328's don't pull away from me, and I can keep 360's at least in my line of sight.

Maybe I'd move to a 360...but the 308 catches my eye every time I see one.

 

Not Mike, But supercharge.

 

Sure - forced induction would be the way to go. As someone recently posted, look at the 288 GTO and its power output. Nitrous could easily do it (easier/cheaper than any other method) but you have do deal with refilling the bottle periodically. Then again, how often do you really NEED that additional power? Usually it's just to "win" a drag race...

There was a great series of posts a while back about the 928 supercharger kit for $5900 that I seriously thought about but they no longer list any Ferrari-related kits on their website. http://www.raptorsuperchargers.com/

 

Yep, hard not to like the 355 or any modern Ferrari - but, look at your 308 in a month un-biased - you will see (once again ;-)) why its one of the coolest cars ever made!

 

There is a couple different type of Supercharge available for the 3x8

 

Recently, there was a thread about 3X8 prices where I argued that I don't think the current price premium of a 308QV over a 2Vi is justified (it should be small). Following that line of thought, I don't think the 328's premium over any 308 should be as large as it is, either. Your statements, and those in this thread that echo your sentiments, are further reason for my claim; Why pay close to 355 money (328) for a car that is nowhere near as fast or as good overall?

Maintenance and repair costs of the 355 is not the answer; maintenance costs usually make a car unattractive and drive the prices of cars down if anything. If the 355's operating costs were unattractive enough to offset how much better the car is, then they'd be even cheaper than they are. But people are obviously still willing to pay the prices they are paying for 355s and swallow the more expensive bills that follow.

The only answer is that one prefers the older car for reasons of it being a classic, and isn't looking for the newest or best car he can afford. And if that is the case, then once again, the imperceptible to mild improvements of a QV over a 2V or noticeable improvements of a 328 over a 2V should not make a big difference in price. . . .


- TK

 

To the OP; sit tight. Strange things are afoot in the marketplace. There is a large oversupply of used Fcars for the number of serious buyers. At the lower end we can see the "squeeze" as the prices of 308, 328, 348, 355 and now early 360s are in a $30k to $70k zone. Sure there is a 100% difference between the the price for a nice $35k 308 and $70k for a 360 Modena, but consider what you are purchasing. I think that prices will go down more over the next few months. There are simply too many cars and too few buyers. FWIW, if I was looking for "more Ferrari" than a 3x8, I'd move up to a 360 rather than a 355.

 

This reminds of 1998 when I owned my first 328. I test drove a 94 348 TB challenge with 1500 miles on it and had to have it. I was seduced by the power, the tightness, indeed the newness of the car. So I sold the 328 and bought it. After about a week, I regretted the decision and although I kept the 348 3 years and put 15K miles on it, I spent most of the time dreaming about getting a 328 GTB which I eventually did. Now, I have driven 355's and I'd be the first to admit it is a much better driving car than 348's. At one point, I planned to get one, but as years went by and the issues with 355's piled up, I abandoned the idea. There are many others like me and that is why 355's are so cheap. I have a friend who went from a 355 to 328. He just enjoys the older, more raw feel. The lower maintenance cost is just icing on the cake. I have a 328 and a 430. Getting a 430 has not diminished my appreciation for the 328 and how it drives.

However, I say to Scott to get a 355. You won't be happy until you do. I hope the experience is a good one for you. If not, there is another 328 waiting for you somewhere.

Dave

Dave

 

Where's BF when you needed him. Wait, I forgot, he's no longer in the camp as he just sold the 328!

I also seriously was seduced with the power of the 355 and the sound....gotto love that sound. But when I was looking, which wasn't that far off, I could not find a "good one". So I bought the best that the market had to offer. While I do not regret my decision (since I now realize that it's vintage that I want), I would not mind finding a 355 or a 360 to her company! Then again, a 250 or a lusso wouldn't be a bad idea for me either. I think I just need to have one of each! They are all so different and all so desireable.

Ace

 

Sorry Mike, it isn't the only issue, although the list of 355 repair issues is appalling,

The 328 has just always felt to me like a well made, classic car, whereas the 355 feels a bit chintzy with airbag steering wheel, black plastic (sticky or otherwise), etc., and while it is a handsome car the design was a sanitized a bit much -- no daring curves anywhere, just nice proportions, and the cockpit feels like any other car, in many respects.

With 360s being available for $70K-$80K, that would be a better "modern" car with performance that will keep up with the latest Porsches and Mercedes.

TK, the beauty of the 328 is that it is a classic in some very cool ways (no computers driving for you, a real steering wheel with a 288 GTO steering rack, compact proportions, simple manual box, proper balance, etc.) without all the bullsh!t that typically comes with classic cars (rust, carburetters, overheating, flaky electrics, stiff clutches, etc.)

The 328 is a real sweet spot in Ferrari history. As a former owner with no horse in the game, I would candidly say that the only two post-Daytona Ferraris worth buying right now would be the 328 (for looks, value, pure driving experience) and a used F430 (for performance and warranty/newness security). Everything else is some kind of compromise with regard to reliability, performance and aesthetics.

Nah, I'll always be in the camp. The 308/328 to me wasn't a starter car. It is one of the important sports cars of the last 50 years. I bought it not because I "couldn't afford something newer" but because I wanted a 328. Period. Frankly, cars like the 599, 360, etc., I can appreciate but in the long run they don't matter aesthetically, and technologically they will age like milk.

I have a personal list of cars that are my must-haves based on style, driving experience and importance. Some I can afford now (328, early Porsche 911S -- both absolutely invigorating in their different ways), some are for someday, some I probably could never justify (Daytona Spyder, 250 GT SWB). If all goes well, I'll have another of my all-time automotive loves in the garage before spring.

The 328 was one of those. The 355 is nice, and you can't argue with the sound, but I wouldn't spend 328 money on one. Long term, it's another in-betweener car that doesn't quite have the character or purity of the classic sports cars, and lacks the high-tech firepower of the truly modern stuff. It's a car to use up and enjoy. The 328 is a forever kind of car.

 

I have read with disbelief on this thread that some would buy a 360 instead of a 355. I can hardly believe that some one who owns one of ferraris most beautiful classic designed cars ever, in the form of the 328/308. Will over look the 90s equivalent work of art, the beautiful 355. For the ugly jelly mould that is the 360.
Now i know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but come on. One eye must be seeing beauty but the other eye.......

 

My issue with the 355 is simply the negative stuff I was told about it from Ferrari techs; the 360 corrected those issues - again, per the Ferrari techs. Looks wise - IMHO the only other Ferraris that are equal in looks to the 3x8 series are the two GTOs. Sadly, the cheap GTO seems to be around $600k+ while the other...

 

It's all relative.

Riding a Ducati ruined me forever with my expectations for cars. There's simply nothing out there that can accelerate or turn like a street bike, even a cheap one.

 

........ there are always going to be bad examples of every car .............. swinging your own wrenches will take a huge margin off the expense ................. put simply ....... life is much too short to allow other peoples fears color your decisions ............. that said the 355 is definitely not for the faint of heart ................ but let me tell you there is no possible repair scenario that will keep me away from this .......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ts50AXdWTcY&feature=channel

............. the 355 is not for 'everyone' ....................

+355 ............... just like all f-cars the 360 has a great many of its own issues, IMO the car one likes, is what one should get .............. I chose the 355 for its perfect balance of looks, HP and glorious sound ........ see youtube video above for more info ...........

 

How does the Duc size up to your "Viper" and not the four wheeled type. The Viper has the best of the best for acceleration and turning....I truly envy your "work" ride.