Ferrari: Help - thinking of buying a 328

On Mon, 6 Jun 2005 19:57:50 -0400, <Nikola Tesla> wrote: 

No, you're not.
 

GTB or GTS? Sounds high, by about 9K. Check out
www.ferrarimarketletter.com.
 

Tons... Original Ferrari V-8, Keith Bleumel.
 

Yes.
 

It's a body on frame design: None/weight.
 

A 328 should have power brakes, iirc.
 

Shop somewhere else.
 

The most reliable and usable of the 3X8's by all accounts.
 

No. Not by any reasoned measure.
 

You certainly could.
 

I vote "Problematic": The dealer won't let you drive it and the low
miles means it hasn't been used and probably not properly maintained.

<Nikola Tesla> wrote in message news:com... 

Fine but its important to run it regularly to keep all the seals in tact.
That means running the engine up to get some oil temperature & running all
the fans & switches etc to keep everything moving. If you leave an old
Ferrari electric window in the same place for 6 months don't be surprised if
it doesn't feel like working afterwards! Don't suggest you drive it in the
snow & salt is your enemy.
 

The mileage is low - low mileage cars command high prices but often cause
far more problems than cars that have been used a bit. Your ideal 328 these
days would have 25-30K on it & have records showing regular steady annual
mileage. From what I know of US prices I'd say that is expensive.
 

Its steel
 

It rusts
 

0-60 in less than 6 secs, top end of about 163. Its a quick car but it
probably wouldn't live with a Subaru WRX - but then that really isn't the
point of it. Its not a big car & it drives like a go-cart. The steering on a
good car is fantastic & very direct- some of them are getting a bit soggy .
 

No power steering makes it a bit heavy to park in tight spots (but the tyres
arn't that fat - 205s on the front). Solution? Avoid parking in tight spots

The brakes are servo assisted & pretty good for road use. Upgrades are
possible if you wanted to track the car.
 

Highly reliable & pretty bomb proof BUT its a 16 year old car that hasn't
been used much. You may have issues with decaying hoses etc that need to be
replaced & maybe some issues with rubber trim & seals if they havn't been
looked after. For low mileage and annual service should suffice. Service
prices in the US do seem a tad steep though. US car cambelt interval is 5
yrs (Europe is 2 years). Unlike 348/355/Testa its NOT an engine out job -
which makes it much less expensive to do.
 

Not necessarily a problem. A dehumidifier is your friend if you live in a
remotely damp climate. Better not to freeze it though!
 

Insurance is cheap & a nice bonus
 

Much MUCH more expensive to maintain. The 328 is probably the least
expensive modern Ferrari to run & maintain. Its not that different to a
308/308GT4 & Mondial but, because it came along after, there are probably
fewer "bugs" in it. Things like oil changes & brakes are definitly DIY -
even for a half competent home mechanic.
 

You could. You either "get" having a Ferrari or you don't. For many F owners
the choice of a corvette,Viper, Lotus or a Ferrari isn't a choice. Besides
that I suspect you are talking C5 etc which means you are comparing modern
cars with a 16 year old car. Chalk & cheese.
 

If you buy a good car and then budget to spend some on it to get it straight
initially & then look after it right its definitly worth it - if you like
that sort of thing.
 

No problem - its what this place is for. Suggest you also check Google & go
& read www.ferrarichat.com as well. I've had my 328 for 6 years & its not
for sale :-)
 

welcome

I.

<Nikola Tesla> wrote in message news:com... 
expected. 
owners 
stretch 
I 


It needs a thorough pre-purchase inspection, by someone
that is not the seller and is familiar with these cars. Save some
cash for the hidden bits that haven't been put right yet.

 
does 


0-60mph in about 6 seconds, the tires are small by modern standards
so I suspect it might feel skiddish at the limit compared to more modern
iron. It'll feel like a twenty year old exotic car. Hot for '88,
interesting,
fun, and different for '05.

 


Aside from tight parking lots manual steering feels great to me.

 


Properly maintained it should be very reliable, but maintenance
is expensive by domestic standards, though somewhat cheap
by exotic standards (355, Testarossa, Lambo, etc. cost more)

 


Shouldn't be a big deal if proper precautions are taken.

 


Totally different car and much more expensive to service. If $59k
is tight you're not in Testarossa money.

 


You could, but then you'd

a)pass cars just like yours every day (Vette)

b)drive a torque monster down the road sideways but still
not have a Ferrari (Viper) plus it sounds like a vacuum cleaner

c)have a fun exotic with disappointing GM trim bits (Esprit)
or a killer track car with a Toyota engine (Elise)

 


Only you can answer that one for yourself. Do you want it bad enough?

 


Not an owner yet, but still planning on it...



-Matt- "..."

Iain Miller wrote:
 

I had a dream once that I was one of those ... then I woke up, put the
oil plug somewhere my friend would find it and went inside to throw away
my clothes.

M


--
"Leave the gun. Take the cannoli."

Pete Clemenza

Nikola Tesla wrote: 

Don't be nervous. If you want one, get one!
 

If you're going to have to reach a little, don't do it. Either that or
take on a nice QV and take the strain off. Remember, this isn't your
daily driver, and you're likely not going to use it enough to appreciate
the differences. I was in the same place a decade ago when I bought my
first one. I was shopping 328s and ended up with a 308GTS. As much as
I use the thing I'm happy to have the car and the extra $25k I would
have spent on the 328.
 
Little high. Plenty on offer for less that that that have been driven.
I'd be more concerned about a car that's not been used than a 30k
mile example that's been out and about and has been properly maintained.
 
The sales guy doesn't know the car. If you found a factory aluminum car
you'd really have something!
 

Believe me, if you've never driven one before, don't buy this one. I
drove about 20 cars before I bought mine.
 

Doesn't even phase me. It's nice to DRIVE the car and not have the car
DRIVE YOU!
 

Which will be part of the particular charm of owning it. It's different!

Of course they won't let me test drive this car yet. 
Why not? If they're not letting you drive it, don't buy from them.
Walk in, look the sales boy in the eye, say, I'm interested, I want to
TD this car. If they give you the Heisman, tell them they lost a
possible sale and move on. 328s are plentiful. It's not like you're
buying a one off car worth millions. You can roll up to just about any
Merc/BMW/etc dealer and TD a car worth far more than a 328 with nothing
more than a valid DL. If you're not drivin', they're not sellin'. I'm
guessing this isn't a dealer that usually sells Ferraris?
 
Plan on spending a couple of grand on getting it set up right and then
just enjoy it.
 
Move!
 
I'm sure, if you only can drive 7 months out of the year I'm not surprised!
 
Run away!! Too much car, too much deferred maintenance, declining
values. The early TRs are the 412s of the 21st Century!
 

You could also buy a Toyota...
 

Are you prepared to splash out for something you'll use once a week at
best? Are you prepared to live with a car devoid of basic creature
comforts? Are you prepared to own a car you're not likely to take/enjoy
long journeys with? Are you prepared to have fun? If all answers are
yes, buy it. If you hesitate or answer no to any, don't.
 

Hopefully you've found a few here!

T308

--
LIVERPOOL FC - European Champions 1977, 1978, 1981, 1984, 2005

<Nikola Tesla> wrote:
 

No need to be. You're about to experiment something great! I'ver owned a
328 GTS and I still miss it. 

GTB our GTS? The latter is preferable, particularly if you drive it only
in the spring/summer. 

Don't know about the US prices, but it seems quite high. Here (France) a
good 328 is about 40,000 euros ($49,000).

The mileage is very low, 328s usually have around 30,000-40,000 miles.
 

A 328 is steel made, except for the front and engine hoods. Look at them
carefully, they tend to distort.

The obvious disadvantage of steel is rust. Beware of salt!!! Places to
look at: the sills below the doors, the window seals (particularly the
small windows behind the doors), the windshield frame. 

The power may not be outrageous compared to modern sports cars, and it's
true you won't compete with a Sub or an M3 at traffic lights. But it's a
Ferrari, which says all: it's all in the way it delivers the power and
uses it.

It's hard to define. Let's just say that, when you drive a Ferrari, you
FEEL that it's been designed and built by people who know everything
about performance.

For instance, the power curve is very linear (as opposed to a Porsche -
oops, did I mention the cursed name?). It's an engine you must rev (red
line at 7,500 rpm), but it instantly answers to your right foot, and
you'll become totally addicted to pushing it to the red line on each
gear.

As for handling, it behaves like a kart. A bit skiddish on the wet, but
easily manageable.
 

I loved it (except of course in town, where maneuvering is a pain in the
ass)!

And it DOES have power brakes (but no ABS, except on latter models).
Brakes might be the only real weak point in this car. The front is very
light, and front wheels tend to quickly block in emergency situations.
 

Find another dealer. NEVER buy a car without test driving it,
particularly a 15-year sports car.
 

Ferrari maintenance is expensive, but the 328 is one of the "cheapest".
I never had any major problem with mine.
 

Definitely not. More expensive to buy and maintain, and less convenient
in everyday use. 

But it wouldn't be a Ferrari. This car will ensure you unlimited
pleasure.

--
J.C.

The 328 I was looking it is overpriced. Better deals can be found - with a
few more miles. Great comments about the low milage. I didn't think about
the fact that a car *needs* to be driven enough to keep rubber/fluids/pumps
working properly.

I find your comment about the 328 being the best of the 3X8 cars interesting
because now I am finding a few 348s newer & cheaper with about 20K miles.

Do you have an opion on the 348 ?

Thanks to everyone else for the feedback.

I do drive a Vette C5 now, but instead of buying a newer Vette, I am
thinking about the used Ferraris. They have been my favorite car for as long
as I can remember and I'm sure everyone here can understand that. I am ready
to trade in newer faster technology for the exotic car of my dreams.

So, I guess my choices are 328,348, 355 (wait a few more years)

Thanks to all.




"F2005..." <com> wrote in message
news:com... 

<Nikola Tesla> wrote in message news:com... 


It's a good bit more expensive to service than a 308 or 328
due to the engine being mounted north-south instead of east-
west.

It's also more modern, faster, and the handling is more, umm,
well it's allegedly difficult at the limit but it may have more ultimate
grip than a 328.


Pay less now, pay much more at service time.


You might still be in 328 territory but drive a few cars, get
quotes on servicing, and see what you think.



-Matt- "..."