Particularly slow off the line - is this normal?

Reviving this thread with an update. I had my car at Domenick’s in White Plains for yearly maintenance, oil change etc… and Santo (owner there) thought the idle didn’t sound right. Found a cracked distributor, ignition wires were arcing and said that it was not firing all cylinders at low RPMs. Replaced rotor, cap, wires and plugs and the car torque feels more linear now. Still not jumping off the line but no longer that feeling of a sluggish start that then boosts to normal after a few seconds (when all cylinders were firing, I guess).

 

1st gear in these cars tends to be very low geared, like a race car, it's only really used to get you initially rolling from stationary.

In everyday driving, even in the slowest corners you don't need 1st gear (hence it being all on it's own on the dogleg) - These cars are to all intents and purposes really 4 speed cars. In most situations, once the gearbox is fully warmed up, you can pull away in 2nd gear and the cars will just pull away without a fuss - No clutch dragging, no shuddering, no bogging down, they just roll onwards.

The dogleg shift from 1st to 2nd is quite a clumsy shift compared to a straight back 1st to 2nd shift, and the Ferrari gearbox doesn't particularly help the situation.

They were never meant to be drag racing style cars that are rapid from a standing start, they were designed on the theory of circuit race cars that are already carrying speed.

They shouldn't be pedestrian slow from stationary, but they shouldn't be expected to be "big shove in the back", "launch like a leaping tiger" fast off the line either.

The 308's/328's and 348's are all strange cars - They don't feel as though they're pulling hard to accelerate, in the way a 3.0 BMW does, with a torquey shove in the back, but once you're on the move, you glance at your speedometer and surprisingly find yourself exceeding the speed limit.

 

Such a subjective topic...my car hobby background started in muscle cars before transitioning to sports cars. My current daily is a Stage 1 Audi S3 (approx 325 hp/350 tq with the torque all-in at 2000 rpm), so I'm pretty familiar with engines that have plenty of oomph down low. That said, I've never felt my 308 ('83 GTS) lacked anything off the line. Sure, it doesn't pull like a 7-Litre Big Block Chevy, but cold drive-off, staying below 3000 rpm, and shifting from 1st to 3rd....it just chugs along as long as you respect the amount of throttle you're giving it. Fully warmed, easing the clutch out at idle and then nailing the throttle from say 2000 rpm: my car exhibits smooth, responsive pick-up...certainly nothing I would characterize as "sluggish". But again, one person's sluggish could be another person's "Holy Shirt!"
- Dave

 

Whether stuck in crawling traffic or just in line to get into the concours you'll learn to appreciate that low 1st gear. It serves a purpose.

 

My 308 is the slowest car I own. Even my SUV does 0-60 in 4.2 seconds. It's just a product of its time. Compared to my 84 MR2 its a rocket ship. However, with 16" wheels and modern tires I don't think I own anything that can corner with it.

 

I posted an update above (post 26). It was an ignition problem that wasn’t firing all cylinders at low rev.

I’m aware of the speed and acceleration limitations of the car vs modern cars. My issue was always the sluggish response to throttle off the line at low rev, which would strangely go away and almost a mini boost when reaching 2.5-3k. That was a result of the engine eventually firing in all 8.

 

My 3.2 was sluggish off the line until it hit 2500. Then it was like a kick in the pants, when I had my major done last year they found a few bad spark plug wires and one plug extender like this, all replaced in addition to a lot of other things and now she's powerful and smooth from idle all the way up to redline.
Alden
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