Quest for 308

Hello!

I am looking for advice and or assistance in finding my first 308 QV. I've done my research on the net, read all the buyers guides, I bought the books, studied ebay auctions, etc. I'm in San Diego. Other than ebay, Google looking for car for sale pages, what other avenues do I have to find my special ride?

I am looking for a red with Beige interior GTS QV. Any advice on finding a person to do a Pre Purchase Inspection?

I've read through all the forums and know the pros and cons. I want to be hands on with maintenance and performance upgrades, brakes etc.. I have the Manuals etc.

So, any advice would be appreciated. I read on forum where a guy spent 8 months searching for the right car for him. I hope I don't have to wait that long. I hope I can be driving it soon.

Thanks in advance for your help and direction.

Marc

 

308s aren't old enough to be in vintage, the folks in the classic section will be better at giving you advice.

Regards,

Art S.

 

I know of one forum member who just sold his yesterday for $22k and another who brought one home for under $20k. The cars are out there, and can be had for very reasonable prices. There are also $50k 308QVs that stay on the market forever. Here are some sites to check out in your search:

www.ferrariclubofamerica.com (check their classifieds section)
www.ferrariclassified.com
www.hmn.com (Hemmings Motor News)
www.ferraribuy.com
www.ferrari-forsale.com
www.ferrariNA.com (Ferrari North America website - check the "marketplace")

And of course, check with your local dealers and classified sections - www.craigslist.org - probably not a bad place to check on and off for private-party sales, as well. Last, and certainly not least, you can subscribe to the Ferrari Market Letter.

Best of luck!

 

Expect to pay no more than 35K or so - tops. DO NOT WORRY ABOUT EXAMPLES THAT HAVE MILES. Have I made that clear enough? 60,000 miles is fine as long as it has been maintained. In fact 60,000 is about perfect. DON'T avoid those cars for a $42,000 example with 12,000 on it. Trust me.

 

sound advice.....i am a firm believer.

 

You should hook up with the local Ferrari club if there is one nearby. Many times there's cars that trade hands without ever being advertised, and it's a good way to get to know the local people and cars.

 

you're spending time here, so you're on the right track.....
my biggest advice is take your time and get a PPI.....

 

Don't forget...

autotrader.com

or

recycler.com

 

Join the FCA and receive the printed newsletter.

IMO, the classified ads there are the best, you can see the whole range of cars out there, and club members tend to be better caretakers of the cars, than say.....rap musicians or Brittany's husband!

Ferrari Market Letter is also a good resource......

Check with Ron Tonkin, up in OR, also........no sales tax in OR!

 

Oh, I lived in Portland for 6 months when I was in grad school, and believe me, the state of OR is hip to that game. Plus in CA, we have to pay sales tax even on *private party* sales. Can you believe that?! This state has us by the short&curlies in every way possible...

 

I just bought mine 5 months ago, I wanted a basically original 308qv, I'd say 1st , find a qualified mechanic before you buy.
2nd- don't be in a rush- it took me about 6 months of intense looking(daily), Ebay, cars.com, etc, calling and talking to dozens of owners about records , maintenance(a must), "Modifications-(panels cut for speakers etc") . I finally found one in a Ferrari chat room !
Most of the cars I found were rough, less desireable colors, no recent service, very high mileage(over80k), most had many minor and major things that didn't work- from power windows to A/C, fried fuse blocks, wiring modified for alarms, stereo amps etc, these things can be sorted out but be looking out for them. Even original wheels($500ea) , books, tool kits etc. can be tough or expensive to replace. Get a good PPI (inspection) from a qualified Ferrari mechanic before you purchase.
Enjoy the process of finding one, it's a great memory for me right now-and worth the wait for the right car. Be picky not impatient, look for a complete sorted car, not the cheapest you can find.
Good luck,
Steve

 

You may want to focus on the 84-85 QVs. 83 isn't bad but all things being equal I would want to stick with the other 2 years. The biggest "problem" with most of the 83 line was the wheel size. Ferrari switched from metric close to the end of that year and you really don't want the metric wheels. You are limited to just one tire and they are expensive. It is nice to have the 16 inch wheels (84/85) because you have many choices of tires and they are much much less expensive. Many folks have already swapped their wheels to the 16 inch and some 83's had them from the factory so you have to look at each one to make sure.

 

By the way, there is really no significant difference between the 84 and 85 cars so forget about that part of your search. In fact there is only one little cosmetic difference between them and you have to look closely inside one to see it.

 

like doc said you REALLY don't want the 390s. One addendum to what he said about the '84/'85s is that the (some?) euros (at least mine, '85) did come with 390s.

 

I was told the 83's did not have a O2 sensor and the 84-85's do and that makes them easier to pass Calif. smog. I did not know about the metric tire issue of the 83 but because of the easier smog I had already decided on a 84-85.

I will miss carbs and as I posted in a different thread I am concerned about doing my own work on a FI car but living in Calif. smog tests is something to worry about.

 

I didn't know that.

 

yes, as I understand it , the 84'-85' emissions system was greatly improved over the 83'. I think the 83' uses a smog pump where as the 84'-85' use "pulse air injection" so no air pump.
Steve

 

Thank You kind of seals the fate of the 83 for me and confirms what I was told...its going to be 84-85.

 

390s, really.....My '85' Euro came with the 16 inch wheels.

 

apparently some did come that way and some didn't. I am going to look into this a little more.

 

Marc,

I'm in San Diego, recently bought a 328. You might want to call or visit Gary Bobileff (858.622.1600). He's a well-known Ferrari service guru, and also sells and takes cars on consignment. The benefit is that he also services many of the cars in San Diego, so you can find "known" cars through him. He actually has a high mileage 308 now, but it's black/black and has been there for several months at least. I'd recommend Gary for a PPI even if you buy elsewhere.

He's been recommended to me by Ferrari specialists in Summerfield, NC and in Cleveland, OH.

I started out looking for 308's, and frankly most of them are in sad shape. The 328's tend to have been better kept, overall, and also may be more robust cars to start with. That said, an 84-85 308 is a nice car. Forza up in Connecticut seems to specialize in them -- long distance, though.

Let me know what you end up getting.

Jon

EDIT: And fill out your profile!

 

Mine too...

 

OK,
Here's my two cents.
a, price is driven by mileage.
b, very low miles can mean disconnect of odo or worse, long term storage, dry seals and old belts, seperation of fluids, acid & moisture damage, frozen moving parts, or just a generally lonley neglected race car (you get the picture)
c,PPI or very very thourough self inspect is a must for evidence of crash repair, paint work, leather re-dye etc.
d,get very clear sevice records from reputable Ferrari shops, or pass on the car. 30,000 mile service is a VERY big deal, and should be done at lower milage if the car is old and has been stored and not driven.
e, Euro cars are lighter, higher HP, have sleeker looks/bumpers and demand a higher$$$, but can be a problem for California registration. Expect to spend an additional $4500 to $7000 if you want to play by the rules and do a legal conversion for Ca EPA.
The purchase process is fun though, enjoy!!
Ciao,
Luigi

 

sure wish mine had. I hate the 390s and will go 16s next time I need to replace the rubber.