Fellow Ferrari Aficionados, Take a look at this one: http://www.cannillomotorsports.com/inventory/qv83/qv83.htm I know it falls outside of the date ranges that some people have suggested (like Bullfighter), but any thoughts on this car? Thanks. Gregory
Could be a good buy, if the services are truly "up-to-date." Bear in mine that this car, being an 83, has no rust-proofing, and it also appears to have the 14" rims and old TRX tires, rather than those fitted to the 16" QV rims. As I understand it, the TRX tires are hard to find and accordingly expensive. Also, the engine bay looks a little "untidy." But...the only way to know for sure is to drive it and PPI it, and even then... I didn't check your profile...are you local to the dealership? Cordially, Scott
Scott, I just signed up here - no real profile yet. I am located in Chicago... Thanks for the advice. Gregory
+1 what he said. I like the car, just not the US bumpers, but they can be euro'd! If the ppi checks out and you see some records then, the engine bay can be cleaned up with a good detail. See and drive the car. Robb
I am formerly from LI N.Y. and have been to Cannilo's on many occasions. The owner Mike, has every car he sells totally checked out. I wish I could've bought my 308 from him. He knows what he's buying AND selling. You can feel confident in buying a car from there. Give Mike a call...... And, NO, I am not a friend of his!
Where did you buy your 308 from? On this type of car, what should I expect for service records? What would be best good average below avg poor in terms of what to expect with regards to service docs/records? Mike for example said that he has at least a dozen service records that probably go back 5-10 years. This obviously wouldn't get a "best" in my ranking above, but is this good or average or what? Maybe this is trivial, but should I expect service records to be loose invoices in a folder? I would imagine best cases have binders, etc. Thank you everyone.
Just a minor point of interest to me. This car differs from both of my 308s in that the A/C vents are above the radio. My A/C vents are below the radio.
my '83GTB also has the A/C vents below the radio. There's more custom work with the Radar detector replacing the small dash shelf. And what are those rivets/buttons? on the console side in front of the shifter?
You'll need to look for periodic service. The car should have been looked-after regularly by a mechanic/shop that is experienced with European machines. If the shop names on the invoices are still around, you should call them to verify the car receips are genuine as well as get an impression of the car from the mechanics who worked on it. If the records are sporadic, that should be a concern. Service should include basic items that deteriorate with age or regular use - belts, hoses, bearings, thermostat, fluid changes, minor electrical stuff, brakes, etc. Nothing out-of-the-ordinary. If problems were diagnosed by the mechanic/shop, but NOT addressed in the repair bill, RUN AWAY. You have evidence of a 'cheap owner' who has deferred something expensive. Big-dollar repairs, done right and completed, are a good sign regardless. If prior owners took care of the big things if/when they happened, then there is reasonable expectation that the small stuff was taken-care of regularly. Unless the car was in the possession of a hardcore DIY'er, I would expect to see a service record at-least once/twice a year for fluids/inspection/safety-check. In the past ten years, every Ferrari should have had a 30K major - only fools run $25,000 engines on ten-year-old timing belts. I don't run my Ford Ranger on a ten year old timing belt. Sure, some loudmouth will brag about how they ran their Ferrari for decades on the same set of timing belts, therefore, you can too - and Russian Roulette is such FUN! A 30K invoice should be reviewed with a fine-tooth comb - this is when a mechanic really has a chance to critique the drivetrain and note problem areas - were problems found, but not addressed/deferred? Was 'everything' made right? Any service claim that cannot be visually verified with an actual receipt should be treated as pure BS until independently verified through other means.
BTW, there is nothing 'wrong' with a car that has period-correct wheels/tires, US-spec bumpers/valences, and a serious lack of aftermarket 'CRAP' on the car. You want other wheels? Not a problem, there are many vendors to address that. The interior looks quite good, the engine compartment could use some aesthetics treatment, but it looks like a solid car.
There is $ 5050 difference between the euro e bay Car and that black sammie slug.The BSS has trx,JUNK,the euro has the correct 16s mags,thats almost $5000 right there IF you could even get a set of originali wheels. The euro is hundreds of pounds lighter, sounds like a giant chainsaw and will whip the **** out of any sammie.Do you want the Car the Factory designed and built or do you need Nancy Pelosi types to make your Car "safer",slower.uglier and as the Commenatore said "stupid" This is the best buyers market in a long time and you can snag TRs under $50,355 under $55 and 550 around $70,this is what dealers are paying and there is lots to choose from.Pay close attention to cosmetics,mechanical repairs are routine,cosmetic repairs are undesirable.Dont forget heirarchy,dont pay 550 money for a TR,or 355 money for a 328,second thought forget 328s save euro models.Today on ebay there are more 355 spiders than 308,TR and 550 combined,the market looks to me like 355 spider @ $58 is a doable target and a hellava buy.
Even a Euro 308 is SLOW in 2008. Holding out to buy a car that is supposed to be so much faster doesn't make much sense when, if all you want is a 308, and you still end up with a car that cannot outrun a new Honda Accord with my mother driving it. I'll be happy to run stoplight to stoplight in my Toureg with anyone's Euro 308. I will not be the one that is embarrassed. Let's go... Also, you can buy 16 repros at T. Rutlands for $1600 and no one, including half the concours judges in the FCA, will be able to tell a difference. You do not have to spend $5000 to fix that issue. By the way, NO one loves a 308 more than me. Period. These are just the sad facts that even I have to accept as an owner.
Can't comment on the dealer - no experience there. This looks like a driver-level car. If you're OK with that as your first Ferrari, it's probably worth something in the low $30K range, but if you buy it and think you want to make it perfect it will become a huge money pit. As someone posted, the engine bay is very tired looking. (For example, that coolant expansion tank was patched, but I wouldn't trust it on a long drive -- rust showing by the brackets.) That doesn't mean it hasn't been serviced, but the owner was pretty indifferent to how things looked under the bonnet -- not the best sign. The seats were probably re-covered (puckering on the sides), although the bolster piping has started to wear again. Normal for a car this old. All the radar detector/audio modifications are a minus, and I don't know about all the rivets in the center floor console -- looks like someone got a rivet gun for Christmas and went nuts. 308 electrical systems are rubbish, and you don't want a long history of accessories being added/ripped out. IIRC the '83 308s had a smog pump that was discarded with the '84 models. Not a big deal, but Ferrari seemed to improve things every year (or less) on these cars, and emissions was something they struggled with. My main reservation with this one is that once you break into the $45K-ish area you can get a great '76-'77 carb'ed 308 or, if you want less fuss and can live with less noise, a great '84-'85 308. At $55K, you're into (VERY) decent, driver-level 328 range. Because you will be spending $5K on a major service for a tired old driver or a showcar (and $400 for a new coolant tank on this one next week...), my inclination is to pay the relatively small premium and start out with a good car.
Spoken like someone who has NEVER paid a Testarossa or 355 service bill in their lives. You must print your own money to pay a mechanic $150/hour to service your car. God bless you.
Thanks for thoughts on this car. My search for a 308 or 328 continues... I do continue to learn more however it is quickly apparent that my knowledge pales in comparison to what should be known when making a smart decision to buy one of these cars. I will continue my quest or Ferrari knowledge - thanks guys.
Well just understand your brief "308 or 328" description covers a wide range of cars and technology, Forza magazine had a good buyer's guide and I have a few period R&T articles.."Prance for Less" was a good one...'less' being a relative term.... But as these guys destract you with wheels tires and bumpers the real question is "early fire breathing NON CAT legal carburated cars".........or a later injected car going all the way into the final ABS tuned suspension og the last 328s, (with convex wheels)..the early 80's 2V injected ones are the lowest horsepowerwise but still have the styling flash of any other year, so often a "value buy"... So it is a lot to learn.... Or I just paid my $30K Life's Savings and drove home in terror! The other later purchase were more fun, involving girls and adventure! LOL!
Gelilien, If you live in California (especially) or another state with strict smog check rules this could have an affect on your selection. The early carb cars can be an issue in California as well as the Euro cars since they were a third party federalization. If you haven't already, invest the $35 in "Original Ferrari V8" by Keith Bluemel. It will get you reasonably acquainted across the range. Forza magazine #25 is a bit old now but gives a buyers guide for the 308 series. Look at the website for Eugenio to understand the difference in maintenance costs. If nothing else it gives a relative pain level to expect for the service costs. Jeff
The 83 model year was the 'cutover' year for the wheels, some had TRX while later cars received the 16" rims.....
you beat me to it It is very rare to see an 83 with 16 inch wheels. A few are out there but most of those have been converted by an owner.
This is the kind of car you'd drive just for the love of owning a 308. Nice that it's a qv but the interior looks redone and tired. Looks like a satellite dish was installed at one point and patched with about a dozen screws. Engine bay looks tired and as mentioned the expansion tank is corroded. Wheels would need to be replaced with either $1700 repros or sky is the limit original 16 inch QV's. You could just check for the belt service then just drive the car and only fix things as they come up. To put 5k-7k in a major service just to get a tired looking car back would be a dissapointment. To me it wasn't about Euro, carb or QV but overall condition. I went for the cleanest car i could find. That way i can easier justify and engine rebuild or whatever expense pops up and still feel good about the car. I couldn't with that car. If you feel ok with the cosmetic condition make an offer in the high twenties or so.
The "a/c service" was putting in $60 worth of 134. I hope the next owner loves his fresh new 63 degree air.
