Hi All- Newbie here. I've been casually looking at buying a 308 or 328 and came across a couple that are for sale. What scares me is there is no paperwork or documentation when it comes to maintenance. *One I saw in person is an '87 328 GTS w/ 26k miles--no documentation and they want $85k (looks nice in-person, but I didn't drive and not sure what to look for) *One I see online is a '77 308 GTB w/ unknown miles and a rebuilt engine in 2017, so they say. They want $31k. (paint issues, but looks cleanish). Seems too cheap. May fly out to see it, but don't want to waste time/money if it's too good to be true, etc Any buying advice in general? I don't want to buy a cheap one and get stuck dumping $30k into it immediately. I also noticed prices fluctuate from $75k-140k and not exactly sure. I assume condition, mileage and docs/paperwork. Thanks in advance!!
For the 87 328 GTS , if its w/ in your budget and you like it. Why dont you hire somebody who is an expert in Ferrari’s ( Ferrari specialty shops that services / fix these vintage model ) your area to do a pre purchase inspection so that you’ll know what your getting into. Its worth it . You can test drive the car first and if you want it do the PPI . Useless to do the PPI if the car’s character does’nt suit you.
Where are you? Take a look at this one: https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/1987-ferrari-328-gts-69k-miles-79-900.697218/ Great seller, solid car, it's well known in the Dallas Texas area.
To me you need to decide if you want a 308 or a 328. They are not the same car. Once you figure that out its easier to search and compare. Then you need to decide if you want a coupe or targa. If its a 308 you need to decide the model year. Do you want carbs or Fuel injection? 2v or 4v? Each are different. If its a 328 then then decide if its the last version with ABS or all the rest without. Again there are differences, particularly in the wheels. Then there's the issue of does it need timing belts and a clutch or not. If recently replaced, you've saved several grand. If not expect to pay it shortly. No matter what you buy you are going to have to put money in it almost guaranteed. So have a budget for that. If you don't, put the rest in your pocket for a rainy day. If you buy one with good paint and interior, no rust, no serious crashes, and everything "working" that's great -- but expect there will be more. Carb work, fuel issues, fuel injection, radiators, smog, etc. The engines for both are quite solid if well taken care of. Personally I would not buy a car for use in CA that doesn't have all its smog stuff, which is commonly removed by owners over the years. If you want a specific color combo other than red/tan or red/black its going to take time. Then you need to decide if you are going to drive it or you want a showpiece. A showpiece is very low mileage. A driver is higher and probably not "perfect". Even a showpiece with low mileage may need work just from sitting around for years. Lastly, I suggest actually sitting in one. They are not really for large people. Yes you can drive it as a larger person but smaller people will fit better. They are not for everyone. Now that I've given you the vinegar, let me assure you that owners think there's plenty of sugar in owning and driving one to overcome it. Aside from body and interior parts, getting replacement parts and keeping them running is not an issue which is why so many survived. Metric tires for early 308 however are expensive.
Very helpful and appreciate the details above. Lots for me to think about and research. I read 328s are easier and less expensive to service, but I could be wrong. If it weren't for that I'd prefer the looks of a 308 GTB but open to GTS. Thanks!!
You'll find the car for you. Don't be too impatient but I always say: Don't lose a good car just for a few grand. If you find the right car, buy the right car. You don't buy these every day so buy the one you like and want rather than "the best deal".
They drive very differently - try to get a test drive for both versions if you can. Without generalizing too much, the GTB is a better handling car at the margins, but if you just want spirited cruising, the GTS is more than capable.
" the GTB is a better handling car at the margins, but if you just want spirited cruising, the GTS is more than capable." The GTS is a much better daily driver! You can't carry 8ft 2x4's or a Christmas tree in a GTB! (yes, done both!)
Lots of great advice above The old advice of buy best you can afford / good history / get inspection never truer than for a Ferrari. The 3x8s are relatively simple and numerous which helps on maintenance costs. This forum a brilliant asset! Good luck, enjoy the journey and don’t rush into buying first car you see! John
Wrong. You can put roof racks on a GTB. To the OP, I don't think you will find a 328 easier or cheaper to service than a 308 QV. As for the $31k car, stay away. No one sells a decent 308 for $31k. Don't wast the airfare.
Having owned both a 85 308 GTS and 88 328 GTB The 328 has just enough extra power to find the sweet spot. GTB structural rigidity makes all the difference. cost to service is the same
Skip the 308 2V FI cars..... not much on performance. I haven't had a 328.... hear they are great cars. Have owned a '77 308 GTB (loved it and very reliable), a '81 308 GTBi ( a real pig), and a '83 QV (good car, geared differently and decent AC). If you find something in the Phoenix area, I could have a look for you.
BTW.... emissions testing on the carb cars may be a little tricky in California, as opposed to the later FI cars. Something to keep in mind. When I had my '77 308 GTB in Bakersfield back in the 90's, it was tough to get it smogged. Just a thought. The '83 GTSi QV never had a problem meeting California emission requirements.
Ferrari Chat has almost all the info you would need, yes, there will be some searching. the key topics to research: 308: Cam belt service Water pump, Cooling, and Radiator. 328 : Cambelt, Electrics & fuel pump. Rule of thumb - every 5 years cam belt service and water pump rebuild at the same time. AC - forget about it ... some work some dont... its not a car for creature comforts. Expect lots of DIY fixes over the years. Alarm systems, custom sound systems etc... Ferrari at that time did not offer a lot of "luxury options".... Documentation. It will be difficult to find cars with service records from day one - they are out there but rare and expensive. You need to buy on condition and to some extent gut feel. a cheap car will be expensive ... and an expensive garage queen can be even more expensive ... and vice versa. My personal opinion is a car that is used more often is a better buy. The more they sit, the more issues come up... mostly as people use them, they tend to fix the niggles that prevent usage... so its a better car. Expectation: not sure of your classic car history... but 308's are now old cars and will have old car issues... and one that is becoming a problem is finding people who actually have knowledge and skill to work on them. They are not hard DIY cars, but there is just some institutional knowledge that is now going away.... Issues to expect: Electrics... Most running issues ( FI cars) in my experience are electrical in nature or vacuum issues. BUT most people jump to the Jetronic system right away.... Its not "bad gas".... unless the car sat for years. Fuse block on all cars not great... connectors are weak, expect blown fuel pump circuits, and some relay issues. BE GENTLE on the light stalk... fragile and hard to fix - source parts... Expect slow windows. Engine : -very durable, and pretty solid. It needs oil...and will leak oil all the time. Radiator / Cooling: on 308's very marginal... its a combo of build up of gunk over time, and under engineered for todays driving conditions.... But it can be improved. 328 - Very good cooling, and should run at 195C all day...if not there is an issue. Interior - Leather is fragile on all cars, but can be repainted. 308 Switches are mechanical and pretty easy to fix... 328 switches are getting rare and are electric / plastic and extremely fragile
Just from my personal experience, I bought a higher mileage but well taken care of 328 Gts from a private party on Fchat and immediately put $15K in it even though it was in good shape. Replaced every rubber hose in the car, corrected some improper past repairs, fixed a lot of Fi issues and replaced the injectors and fuel filter, replaced the ignition wires and caps, did a Cam belt service, replaced the door latch mechanism in both doors and got the windows to work better, fixed door switches, fixed oil leaks including the cam covers, some bushings replaced, and replaced the AC compressor with a modern version, replaced the faded clock face, complete oil, brake fluid, and coolant service, etc. I knew I was going to do this going in so it was in my budget when I bought the car. So when I hear someone saying they don't want to put in $30K right off the bat, I think its fair to say -- that might be rare but could happen pretty easily. They are after all 40 year old machines at heart. Bottom line, know what you are buying going in and factor accordingly. "Pay me now or pay me later --- and sometimes both!"
In my opinion any 308/328 will take as much servicing as you let them have. Like TheMayor said they are 40s year old at this point. Even the 6 figure cars have something that could/should be addressed depending on how perfect you want them to be. Also in agreement that you should really sit in one. I'm 6 feet and 200 pounds and if I was any bigger/taller I'm not sure I'd be comfortable in a 308. I had an 89' 328 previously, and an 85 QV now, both GTS. I ended up selling the 328 (way too cheap) because I could never quite love the facelifted front end and interior (as petty as that sounds). My biased opinion is that the QVs are the cars to have. Totally reasonable to get the color you want, it can be polarizing, e.g. I would NEVER drive a yellow car but that's just me. If someone gave me a yellow F40 I'd take it, but get it wrapped... Lastly, re: GTS v. GTB I think the GTBs will be more collectable (fewer made) and have better styling, but I couldn't pass up the open roof experience especially in California. I would maybe buy a GTB in addition to a GTS. These are of course just my opinions. Good luck! Mike
Thoughts on this car? https://speedway-classic-car-inc.com/ad/1977-ferrari-308-gtb/ No records at all and minimum 70k miles. Recent 2017 engine out service they say. Paint imperfections, etc
Seems too good to be true, I'd want to look very closely for rust / undercarriage rot / damage. Clear title? Maybe run a paint meter over it and look for body work? I dont know much about the carb cars. You might search the VIN, or last 5-digits of VIN online / in this forum. Edit: noticed that shop NJB Auto is in Ohio, further raising my suspicion about rust. Edit2: I dont see any license plates, and I'm not sure what it takes for the carb cars to get registered in California but this can be a challenge with some 308s e.g. the Euro cars. The big bumpers suggest this is a USA spec car, but would be worth getting feedback of someone more familiar with carb cars w/r/t passing emissions in CA if you intend to license there.
OP, be careful. I don't like the feel of that website; I don't think that dealership actually exists. No one is selling a 308, any 308, for $31K. Take a look at their other listings; they are all in that same price range for vehicles that, even if they had caught on fire, would not be selling for those prices. A WHOIS listing for the domain brings up that this domain was just registered four days ago. The registration info is hidden and goes to someplace in Sweden. My bet is that this car doesn't exist, and my antennae for spotting these kind of scams is pretty good.
