I have been a Porsche guy for so long that I decided to take a new turn in my car owning career. So just sold the 991 Cab S - way to electronic for me and now looking for something more old school and visceral. And I have decided on the beautiful 328GTS as my car of choice. So having spent the last 5 days researching I have found a whole bunch that are available. From a 1988 with under 9,000 miles to a 1986 with 77,000 miles and all sorts in between but taking these 2 extreme examples and the $30k difference in price I wanted to initially know what the group opinion is on deciding between the two assuming the money isn't a factor - which it is but for this question assume it isnt. Would you go for the super low mileage one - that was last serviced at 5,000 miles and hasn't really been driven in the last 2 yrs since the service or would you go for the higher mileage one that has apparently been well maintained and runs fine - both look great from what I can tell. Does a car with super low mileage for its age means its more reliable and will give me less issues in the future than one with miles on it thats been a daily driver or should I forget both and go for a mid-price one with 24,000 miles. Do they get better if you use them rather than leave in the garage gathering dust ? I guess you may think this is a stupid question but part of my research has shown that if the car hasn't been used it will give me all kinds of problems in the future. I guess the bottom line is is this true or not ? Thanks !
In my opinion, all will need work. ALL! You know the obvious; low mileage car will have dried out hoses, gaskets, and on and on. A high mileage car will need checked for damage, maintenance records, what it will take to get it where you want it. My story; Bought an 83 with just over 16,000 miles. Got it for a "price". I think. It was delivered and hardly ran. Problem was one of the plugs on one of the digiplexes was not fully seated. Pushed it in, bingo! I drove from Pittsburgh to Detroit to view, drive and buy the car during a giant snow storm. With a buddy. Got there, the dealer had the thing on a lift at another shop. The oil cooler was leaking. Long story... I bought it anyway. Without driving it. No records. Just a visual. The car is awesome! I'm on a budget. But i do have a Ferrari. I suppose my point is, these cars are not overly complicated. And this forum is full of infomation. I know I didn't answer your questions, but thought my experience might help. Go for it either way! Amazing machines! Totally rewarding and best therapy I can imagine!
I've owned a couple of very low mileage 328s and they were both very reliable and didn't suffer any "garage queen" issues. However, I would worry about a car that has collected dust for years and would expect to spend some big money to catch up the deferred maintenance. I think for most people, the best car to get would be in the 25-40K mile range. Higher mileage cars would be OK but if the suspension has not been renewed, you may expect to face that cost. Dave
What hardtop said. I've had my 328 for 7 years and it definitely runs better the more often I drive it.
This sums up why I moved from a 2004 Maserati Spyder GT to my 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS. Definitely old school and visceral. But in comparison, you will find the 328 much less powerful, to have less braking capacity and less comfortable than newer cars that are so reliant on electronics, I don't regret the change. I agree with the general advice of "buy the best you can" and to "not buy on price alone." As to high mileage versus low, it probably depends on the specific car and your intended use. I went for a higher mileage car (65,000 miles) because, above all, I wanted to drive it and not worry about putting mileage on a show car / garage queen. For me, it's about the experience - much like travel, recreational activities, etc.. It's not an investment. As well, I thought a number of the "low mileage" cars looked overly worn for their declared mileage and compared to the car I ultimately bought. Although I didn't "know" my car personally, it had two previous long-term owners, the maintenance records appeared complete and the car was described by a well-regarded independent as an "honest car." It seems the Porsche guys drive their cars (even in the rain!!!) and don't worry much about mileage. That might explain, in part, the comparative market values for 911's and their contemporary 3x8's - the subject of another recent thread. We Ferrari guys might learn something from that. Best wishes for a fun and successful search for your 328. Jon
Yeah, what they said. I've had my '86 328 GTS for 4 years, and it likes to be driven. But they do all require maintenance. These are not modern cars that you just put in gas and change the oil every 7500 miles and expect it to run trouble-free for ever. No matter whether it has 9K or 50K miles, the work needed is pretty much going to be the same just because of age. I'd be more concerned about maintenance records and what's been done to the car, and how recently, then just mileage alone. A well-maintained car with 50K miles on it that has a recent belt service, new hoses, bushings, tires, etc., may cost you less in the long-run than a 9K miles car that has had nothing done to it for 20 years. Read the "sticky" at the top of the 308/328 section on buying and owning a 3x8 car. Also, a lot depends on what you want the car for. Do you want a show car or do you want a weekend driver, or do you want a daily driver? Provide a little information for us and we can better provide the pros and cons. You should also learn to use the search function here. Most of these issues have been discussed over and over again already.
+4 Condition trumps mileage. As Dave said the sweet spot is around 20,000-40,000 miles because within that range the cars have at least been driven (and presumably maintained) but they still keep their value. That said, there's nothing technically wrong with a high mileage (50,0000 miles and higher) 308/328. There are examples of them going past 100,000 miles with no need for an engine rebuild. The key is getting a car in good condition, that has been well maintained (as shown by receipts), not molested, and has all the superfluous items (manuals, tools, original wheels, etc.). The 328 is a fantastic starter Ferrari. Heck, it's becoming a final destination Ferrari because it is so fun to drive at reasonable speeds, it's gorgeous, and it's easy on the wallet. -F
I wanted one that had a little higher mileage because then I KNEW that the car ran. I was going to drive it and add miles to it anyway so I might as well let someone else take that depreciation and let me capitalize on it while the prices were still low. PDG
My Story I purchased my 1986 328 with just under 71K miles on it four years ago. It had just gone through a $40K restoration (Approx $20K in parts alone...). Was owned by a known Fchatter and FCA participant... It had all records from window sticker to restoration. I have to admit I was nervous of the mileage. First Ferrari...... I also have a modern Jeep Cherokee and a 1999 Porsche Boxster. For an out of town weekend trip, I dont think twice about reliability when choosing which to take... I drive is approx 2K miles per year and it never skips a beat.... With all new suspension and tons more done, it was twice as tight as the 30K mile cars that had nothing but routine maintenance done... At their age, it's not enough to see only a recent belt change.... So much more to do at this point.... Anything rubber is on borrowed time at best.... And, so many cars have had the odometer unplugged anyway.... It's one of the easiest to unplug. If you think a car like mine might be of interest, send me a PM. I have been toying with selling for a while now. Finally got married this spring and thinking the responsible thing to do is invest the money in something else... Yea, I know... And, although I'm biased, noting I said above was B.S. Condition and care trumps anything else... And, NEVER buy one of these that needs work just because it was cheap. If you do your own work, you might be ok, but it adds up quick....
