Maintenance Question>>>>>

I have a quick question, I'm debating between a 348-Mondial 3.2-308-328.
The question to owners of these cars is, How much do you guys pay for service and how often? Just any info would be good. I love working on cars, so I might consider doing the work myself. But just curious, before I go jumping in.
Thanks

 

FWIW, the dealers usually tell me the 348 is the most expensive of the 3x8/355 cars to service...
Philip

 

i work on mine, with the exception of some trans work i may have done , i am the only one "I" want working on it. if you are competent with any normal carb / FI car, then a ferrari should be no different. dont let the little horsie scare you , it still needs fuel, air and fire to run!

 

If you do most of the service yourself I would say expect 1k a year and you should come in under it, it you do some stuff but not everything figure on 2k per year, hey these cars ain't cheap

 

My mechanic charges under $500 for oil/filter, brake fluid, coolant flush, and gear oil on my 328.

 

I remember at one time I asked fellow ferrarchat members the same question as you are?.

During the year of contemplating on purchasing a ferrari, I studied parts manuals, and the workshop manual on a 308, and most importantly read many many threads on ferrarichat, which I have great respect for many of the fchatters who know there stuff. and have helped me learn so much, and I am greatly appreciative of all the help. A few months back I purchased a 1978 308 GTS. The car is great. When I first purchased it, Fchatter Spasso, gave me the best advice, he described some procedures that were unbelievable. He indirectly saved my life, because when I purchased the car he told me to replace all the hoses because of known gas leaks. Sure enough the day I got it, I looked over the hoses, and there was a huge leak. I changed all the hoses. By doing this I really got to know the car. As of now, I feel more confident in doing my own work. I have read about clutch replacements, and valve adjustments. I truely believe in preventative maintenance. I myself love doing my own work. In two years I plan on taking out the engine, and doing a complete major on it, which isn't difficult, just timely, but what else is there to do. I have own many cars in my time. I figured, by a ferrari because where wver you go, and how ever old it is, it always a ferrari.

 

I should clarify my post, the scheduled maintiance is not really the issue until you come up on the major 3-5k, plus the little stuff here and there, that how I came up with the average per year

 

Dear Ferraristi,


Please check out the tread Testarossa vs. 348 or something like that. Awhile ago I was where you were. I was upscaling from my 308 GTSI and didn't know what to go for.

A 328 is much like a 308
A 348 seems to have electrical and HVAC control problems
A 355 seems to have header problems
A Testarossa is so darn expensive to maintain (done right of course)

I chose the TR (91) Yes, expensive but quite a pleasure to drive. I have to admit, I do miss my 308 Yes, it is underpowered, but the noises it make is wonderful. Love that gear whine. It feels more "hand built" and "connected" than the TR. The TR is used on to go back and forth between my homes in GA & FL. The 308 no way comes close to interstate travel and comfort.

As a beginner, maybe a 308? Parts are easy to find and on the pocketbook. Simpler to self-maintain and repair.

This is just my personal opinion and I cannot offer a professional oppinion on the other cars. I AM NOT "dissing" the others.


Shamile (91 US Testarossa )

 

Whatever you buy, rule of thumb is to set aside 5% to 15% of the purchase price for initial expenses getting the car sorted out the way you want it. 5% if it's quite new, 10-15% if it's 10+years old, and/or a low mileage garage queen.

If your contemplating self-maintenance, go with a 308. It's the most approachable. & will teach you enough so that you'll have a chance at maintaining something newer/more complex if you decide to trade up.

Also, get a pre-purchase inspection, by a whmechanic or strong self-maintenance person who knows that model.

If you're uncomfortable about a particular car, walk away, there are a lot of cars out there. Take your time.

 

Lots of great advice from the guys so far. Here's my 2 pence: I don't believe there is such thing as a Ferrari that is actually "cheap" (i.e. Toyota Corolla) to maintain unless one skips maintenance here and there. IMHO all Ferrari's are all dogs in one aspect or another in that each model represents a limited production run of what is now basically an "antique" car (348's and older of course). Any older car, not just a Ferrari - is going to have some maintenance issues. Some models are less complex (engine must come out for belt changes) or have more available parts (308 parts vs TR) but that's about it as far as I can tell. As others have pointed out on the average there's some known (or percieved) strengths & weaknesses in each model. Study the WS manuals of your potential purchases and talk to actual owners of each model to get the real deal. Consider that everyone's experience is different. Most will say the 308 or 328 is a great first F-car but for me that was not the case. Great model for the right owner, but wasn't my cup of tea. I love my 348ts although it is not the darling of the Ferrari models. My 328 was a maintenance hog compared to my 348 - go figure. My engine-out major on my 348 cost me around $1K and my oil and filter changes cost around $60, as I like to do most of the work on my car. I plan to get a TR once I feel I have mastered the mechanicals of the 348 and can comfortably work on both. Of course any dealer maintained car is going to cost astronomically more to maintain but if you can do some routine things yourself, maintenance is less of an issue. I cannot see paying dealer price for an oil change but that's just me - to each his own. With that said, life is short. Buy what appeals to you that you can afford and just drive. If it breaks, fix it then go out and drive again. You'll get more smiles per gallon than any other car on the road.

 

The best general rule for happy ownership is to buy the best condition, best history car you can GENUINELY afford......

It rarely pays to buy a cheapie thinking "one day it'll be worth double"...ain't gonna happen and you'll probably never get to really know it as it's constantly needing something.....

For me in your position..I'd get the best condition/history 328 you could find within your budget.

Mileage and number of owners means almost nothing....condition and history are everything

 

If you're new to Ferraris, I'd say go looking for a mechanic first. Any car is a pig if not maintained properly. With the help of the list, you can do a lot on these cars, but if you have no experience with Italian cars, you might want a "go to" mechanic as a safety net.

With a good mechanic on tap, you can get a "fair" example for relatively cheap (if you're willing to be (or hire) an SOB about pointing out the flaws during the PPI), and then put maybe 25% into getting the car made "right". If your mechanic will let you in the bay to follow the progress, you'll become more familiar without the pressure of having to make it go again on your own. You'll learn more doing it yourself, of course.

And a good mechanic might have a handle on a good car for sale.

As far as which model, that's a matter of taste.

The Mondial 3.2 has a subframe mounted engine and rear suspension, so (if you have the facilities), you can drop the subframe out for easy access. Access isn't all that easy without dropping the subframe. And the Mondial has a back seat.

Visually, the 308 has the classic exterior, while the 328 has the updated interior from the 288GTO. Which exterior/interior you prefer is a matter of personal preference.

Mechanically, the 308QV and 328 are very similar, except that the 328 has 0.2 more litres. They're very well sorted out, being evolutionary developments, with many updated components.

The 308i (2v) is somewhat underpowered, compared to other 3x8 cars. So it might be the cheapest entry.

The carbed 308s are going to have the complexity of balancing multiple carbs, but some swear by the exhaust sound of the carbed cars.

The late '88 and '89 328s come with ABS standard and have a few suspension upgrades, and will be more expensive than earlier examples (unless they've been thrashed).

The 348 ... that's a whole topic in itself.

But get the mechanic first. Many Ferrari mechanics are wizzards at webber carbs, but don't know much about CIS. ("It never goes wrong". That may have been true for a while, but these systems are getting 15-24 years old, now.)