Troubled, confused, Can't make up my mind!!

I would stay away from the 89 because of the wheels....plus I could care less about ABS....my daily driver has ABS....plus there is normally a definite price hike for an 89

Either way....you cannot go wrong with a 328! Just my opinion.

 

The first ABS system was not that good. I had to make the same choice when I looking for my 328. I choose an '87 328 GTS. Never regretted it!

 

Don't buy it because it has ABS. Its the 1st generation of ABS. The breaks are good but nothing like todays cars. I think if you get either of the 4 years, you'll be happy. Buy the best 328 that you could afford. I have a 1989 328. Bought the car because I like it. Not for the ABS. I do like the rims, but I also like the other rims (concave VS convex). Recently, I really like the 308's much more. Love the inside (console) much better (toggle switches) and maybe it has a little more of that "classic" look. recently, Ive seen some mint 308's that are really nice. There a little older, so I think some are starting to get restored. Sorry to confuse you more, but not knowing your budget, you maybe able to get a better sorted out 308 (later model) thats just perfect. If I could do it all over again, I think I would of gone to a 308 or even the 246 Dino.

 

Are you looking at '88.5 as well? That has all of the updates that the '89 has but ABS was not standard so none in the US have ABS on them. Some people specifically want '88.5 because they are essentially '89's w/o ABS. For me, it makes little difference: '88.5 or '89 have the important updates, in my opinion.

 

Then go for a 1989. If you can, get one from a dealer. At least if anything goes wrong within the 1st 30 days, they would most likely stand behind it. The A/C alone could cost $$ to repair or replace. Make sure it just had a major. Good Luck!

 

Don't listen to these guys poo pooing the ABS. I'll bet none have ever owned one. One can argue that it is not that important, but it is actually very reliable and operates very well for an old system. I had an 87 GTS, now an 89 GTB. Put a lot of miles on both, and both were/are great cars. The suspension change improves the driving characteristics of the car substantially. I'll admit, I like the older wheels better but the new ones have grown on me as well. With 60K in hand, you can find a great, low mileage late year 328.

Dave

 

I had a 89 late 328, fantastic And the ABS was great.

 

As mentioned,
an 88 1/2 would be my number one choice.
It has the updated 348 style suspension, same as the 89,
but lacks the crapy ABS brakes found on the 89 year model.

 

Buy the best car. An '86 328GTS is a lot newer than a '62 GTO or a '72 Daytona, which are ancient used cars by anyone's definition. A '91 348 is newer than any 328, and sells for less. Anything that's out of warranty is on its way to being an old car, and it seems way more important to buy a good production year, and a model you like, that's been properly maintained. If the car has been driven, a lot of the working bits should have been replaced by now anyway.

IMO, the convex rims on the 88/5-on 328's make the car look a bit portly, but if you like those then consider all cars '86-'89. Tons of red ones. Get the best. I'm not sure the current premium for the '89s is justified, by the way. You might get a better car for the money by stepping back a year.

Gary's point about the 308 is also right -- people sometimes call the 308's old and point out that the 328's are newer. Realistically you're talking about a year difference between the last 308QV and the first 328. There are some compelling technical reasons to prefer the 328, but the 'youthfulness' of the cars isn't one.

 

I took 11 months to find my car - was looking for specific colors, and wanted a pre-88.5 car because of the wheels. If The Right 308 had come available, my checkbook was ready.

 

If you are really focusing upon the difference between the 89 and 86-88, then IMHO you should get an 89. Otherwise you will settle for something you really didn't want, and will obsess about it in bed at night.

In addition to the ABS, the 89 has some other mechanical tweaks, I believe, though others here are more expert on that than I am. Visually: upgraded interior door handles, upgraded sideview mirrors with elegant little Ferrari nose emblems on them, upgraded exterior door handles.

My only other suggestion would be to consider red/black as well as red/tan. Pretty much just as "socially acceptable" , and the black leather won't show scuffing and wear as conspicuously as tan. Ferrari usually made the red/blacks with red carpets, which adds a nice zing to the interior.

 

How long are you willing to wait to find a 1989? If you are dead set on a 1989 and are willing to look for years for the perfect example to cross your path, then go for it. At some point I suspect you will tire of the search and you will open your criteria to a broader range of vehicles for sale. By April there will be 3x the amount of Ferraris for sale as there are right now, as anyone looking to sell realizes the spring market brings the best prices.

You may also want to consider how far you will travel to see a car in person, would you fly coast to coast to visit a promising car?

 

I have found black leather actually shows wear, flaws, etc worse than tan even though this is counterintuitive. Almost all black leather cars have black carpets. There ae some tan leather cars with red carpets, a combo I like. I had this in my 87. I have seen black leather with red carpets and while it sounds good, I think it looks bad personally.

Dave

 

Have you owned an 89 or are just repeating heresay?

Dave

 

if you can patiently wait for another month or so, you can buy my freshly serviced 88.5.. let me enjoy it for a couple of months...

 

Agreed. The ABS doesn't have any negative impact from what I've seen. IMHO, there's little difference in joy of ownership between an '89 and '88.5 because of the ABS. Some people fear that the sky is falling with Ferrari's first ABS system but the reality is that just as many people want it. I think that it's far from a crappy system and, in fact, if you're looking for the least intrusive ABS on a Ferrari, this is probably it.

 

Correction. The "major" interior updates were done in the 87 cars (my 87 has the updates), NOT 89. Armrests were now black regardless of interior color, interior door lock handles and internal latch mechanisms were also redesigned.

You are correc,t I have noted the emblems on the 89's side view mirrors and the rubber gasket around the exterior door handle.

I've shared this sentiment before but my thoughts are the 328 really did not change much throughout its run. Remember, as it is, it's a very evolved car having come from the 308 before and to some extent the 206 and 246! Even the first 86 off the line is a very evolved car. I think overall the changes do not impact the ownership experience (of course, the recalls in some 86 models need to be addressed).

I echo someone elses points though: After you've read this thread and are still 100% unflexibly focused on an 89 for whatever reason, don't settle. Just like with color--don't settle or you won't be as satisfied. I will never settle on color (lesson learned a three or four years ago...). If you're passionate about 89 GTBs (like Dave and Ric, my local 328 "hardtop" pals), find one (you may pay $$$!). If you're more flexible, the most important thing is to find the right car. The ownership experience with an 86 328 is going to be pretty much identical to an 89. (IMO).

Good luck in your search! One thing that can be said is that the 328 is a tremendous car, and shows thoughfulness and evolution in design, as well as good build quality all over... It's not a car to let you down once you find the right one!

--Mike