Long-Long Time 308 Owners | FerrariChat

Long-Long Time 308 Owners

Discussion in '308/328' started by 2dinos, Jun 8, 2013.

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  1. 2dinos

    2dinos F1 Rookie

    Jan 13, 2007
    3,025
    I'm getting close to 30 years ownership. Getting nostalgic to think of all the great racing events way back. Watching tracks change. The biggest change was the cars that would show up. Used to be a bunch of V12 cars at first like 275's, 330's and 250's, but that fell way to the newer hi tech 328's and then the wildly different 348's.

    Anyway - It wasn't that old when I bought her and I freshened the bejeezuz out of my 308 way back when. Mech / cosmetic / new stereo etc. Last weekend I pulled a door panel off to adjust the door lock, and the speaker cone suspension just fell off as the Nakamichi foam was completely rotten. Oddly enough, the window mechanisms which have 26+ years on them since I serviced them still scream (relatively speaking :)) and this made me wonder how much of my freshening really wasn't so fresh.

    Sorry for the trip down memory lane, but wondering if anyone has kept up to the nth degree on perfection after dozens of years.
     
  2. eric340r

    eric340r Rookie

    Mar 3, 2011
    45
    south france
    Full Name:
    eric eimberk
    i have a lot of respect for owners like you. 30 years with the same car !! i have my 308 gt qv since 3 years and it's the record for me with the same car
     
  3. jsa330

    jsa330 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2003
    10,046
    75225
    Full Name:
    Scott
    5.5 years ownership of '83 GTS, no plans to sell. At approaching my 64th birthday it may well see me out of this world.
     
  4. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,431
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    Almost 17 years. 56,000+ miles for me.

    Something that I am extremely proud of.
     
  5. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,431
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    Thinking back, the only thing that ever really gave me any problems was the stupid single wp/alt belt design. I swapped to a two belt system and cured that issue for good. I have beat the **** out of it on the track for over a decade too and it just keeps on going and going...
     
  6. singletrack

    singletrack F1 Veteran

    Mar 16, 2011
    5,805
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Being a new owner, I love hearing things like this. :)
     
  7. Dom

    Dom F1 Veteran
    Owner

    Nov 5, 2002
    8,489
    Recently celebrated my 10 year anniversary with my 308 GT4. It's been a wonderful experience. Met lot of cool people through stuff like Fchat get togethers, cars and coffee, etc.

    The only downside has been paying for 3 major services during that time period, but looking back, I have to say, it's been worth the cost.
     
  8. Mike Florio

    Mike Florio Formula Junior

    Jun 19, 2003
    599
    NW Rural Nevada
    Full Name:
    Mike Florio
    I bought mine in 1984 - do the math. I love working on my cars, and tend to keep them a long time. I had a 1977 BMW 530i that I put 250K miles on, then gave to my son who kept it running for a few more years. Right now, besides my '75 308/GT4 I have a '91 BMW 850i 6 speed with 150K miles on it and a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 150K miles on it.

    Every once and a while I get the urge to get a different car and think why? Which one would you replace? What's the cost/benefit analysis?
     
  9. FourCam

    FourCam Formula Junior

    May 19, 2004
    409
    Loveland CO
    Full Name:
    Cameron MacArthur
    23 years; 30,000 miles and counting. The grins, that is. Get to know every nut and bolt; take no short-cuts. (Like the song says, take the long way home!)
     
  10. howl

    howl Formula Junior

    Apr 10, 2011
    505
    Chicago/Boca
    Full Name:
    Tom
    I have owned my 328 for 14 years. I thought about selling due to the high cost of maintenance. Then my engineer, MBA wife pointed out that when you consider depreciation into the picture (it is still worth close to what I paid for it), total cost of ownership is not that high relative to a newer Sportscars (may have one or two if those). Mind you that this is the same woman who convinced me to buy the car with the following logic - If we got divorced, I know you would go and immediately buy a Ferrari, and I would like to date a guy with a Ferrari, so lets just skip the divorce. Wife and car are keepers.
     
  11. jsa330

    jsa330 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2003
    10,046
    75225
    Full Name:
    Scott
    Last summer my wp/alt belt broke - in the particular circumstances a very troublesome yet minor disaster, only glad that it happened but a half mile from my house.

    I've talked to shop owner about converting to a 2-belt system - what did it cost to do yours, Tommy?
     
  12. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,431
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy

    Don't forget to calculate inflation too. No injected 308 or any 328 probably has kept up with that at all. Those of us that paid in the low 30's 15 years ago could probably still sell for that now - but to be worth what they paid then, they would have to get closer to $50,000. That isn't going to happen except in very very rare cases.
     
  13. Andy 308GTB

    Andy 308GTB F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jun 2, 2004
    2,666
    Essex, UK
    Full Name:
    Andy M
    15+ years for me.

    I've never had enough money to get the car exactly as I want it - but that is a good thing as I've still got ambitions & plans for it.

    The guy who buys a car & immediately has a nut & bolt restoration by a specialist will end up with a perfect car, that has no faults. But where does he go from there?
     
  14. ClydeM

    ClydeM F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    Nov 4, 2003
    11,894
    Wayne, NJ
    Full Name:
    Clyde E. McMurdy
    12+ years & 55K+ miles.
    She's been good to me and I to her.
     
  15. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,431
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    straight to the garage and under a car cover - forever :(
     
  16. flashman

    flashman Formula Junior

    Jan 5, 2004
    491
    Star Valley, Arizona
    Full Name:
    William Rappaport
    #16 flashman, Jun 8, 2013
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2013
    Ordered mine June 1980 took delivery Febuary 1981. Longest relationship I ever had, 32 years! Out lasted several girlfriends and wives! (Hope she doesn't read this, it could be my last post!)
     
  17. Andy 308GTB

    Andy 308GTB F1 Rookie
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jun 2, 2004
    2,666
    Essex, UK
    Full Name:
    Andy M
    Exactly.

    My father (now over 80) has a couple of mid 1920's Sunbeam Twin Cams. Both cars he rebuilt himself over many, many years and he knows every inch of them and how they work. I have always joked that he would hate it if they never broke down - but it is absolutely true. He was a top Engineer in his day and fixing, improving, understanding the workings of the car is what builds the relationship. Driving the car simply validates the work you have done on it.
     
  18. dell550

    dell550 Karting

    Aug 24, 2005
    209
    London
    Full Name:
    george c
    308 GTB Carb model .. Registered February 1980 and the last registered carb engine 308 in the UK . Have owned it since it was two year old so it 31 years for that ! Have had my GT4 since 1989 , a 348 ts since 1992 and my 550M since 2000 and to be honest I can't see myself parting with any of them . They all represent what I consider milestones in my life and it would be like losing a member of my family .....
     
  19. Mike C

    Mike C F1 Veteran
    Lifetime Rossa Owner

    Aug 3, 2002
    6,081
    Southeast USA
    Full Name:
    Mike Charness
    I don't know if he saw your question, but if I remember correctly, Tommy got THE VERY LAST of the factory conversion kits.
     
  20. 308gtsqv

    308gtsqv Formula Junior

    Feb 12, 2008
    610
    Mass/Cape Cod
    Full Name:
    Mike
    My father bought the car when I was 3, now 27 years later is in my garage. I have memories of my older brother and I sneaking it out of the garage when he was 17 and cruising around. People would flip. So different then seeing a Ferrari today. The reaction was more of a look of shock back then. Good stuff.
     
  21. johnk...

    johnk... F1 World Champ
    Owner

    Jun 11, 2004
    11,223
    CT
    Full Name:
    John Kreskovsky
    28 years for my 308 GTB QV. Owned it since new. 30k miles and running strong. It's not going anywhere soon even though I have 12 days on the 355 parked next to it. I love the 355 but frankly if I had to sell one the 355 would go. To much emotional attachment to the 308. It represented a milestone, a goal, which I achieved in life. I bought the 355 just cause... Plus, I don't think the 355 will ever carry the Ferrari heritage the way the 308 does.
     
  22. Dr Tommy Cosgrove

    Dr Tommy Cosgrove Three Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Rossa Subscribed

    May 4, 2001
    36,431
    Birmingham, AL
    Full Name:
    Tommy
    I honestly do not remember off hand, but as Mike mentioned, you are going to have to pull parts from a salvage yard to change over now. I caught a line of luck like no ones business locating mine. That was around a decade ago.
     
  23. jsa330

    jsa330 F1 World Champ
    Silver Subscribed

    Oct 31, 2003
    10,046
    75225
    Full Name:
    Scott
    Thanks. Same thing I was told. Shop owner said he'd start to search for the parts but no promises on finding them or how much $. Also said since access is easy not so much a big deal on labor.

    Nevertheless it'll end up being expensive and I'll have to make a judgment call based on where I am about keeping the car long term.
     
  24. jimpo1

    jimpo1 Two Time F1 World Champ
    Owner Silver Subscribed

    Jul 30, 2001
    24,904
    Dallas, TX
    Full Name:
    Jim E
    #24 jimpo1, Jun 8, 2013
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2013
    I picked up my car Aug 8, 2001 with 38k miles on it. It now has 62k miles. I'd be happy to sell it, but there's nothing else I want.
     
  25. mustardfj40

    mustardfj40 Formula 3

    Jun 17, 2004
    1,142
    Northen California
    Full Name:
    Ken
    Have my '89 328 13.5 for years, I have been on this forum for quite a while seeing forum members came and went, most didn't keep their 3x8s for long.

    Still felt like like yesterday when I drove it home...
     

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