Ferrari: Using a 308 as a daily drive

"Sharknose" <com> wrote
 

I have owned a 308 for nearly 10 years and I'd say I've done more miles
in her than most Ferrari owners are ever likely to do in theirs (sadly).
I love the 308 (in fact I'm taking her out to a picnic with my wife this
evening!) and on a sunny day I doubt there's much better...

....but a daily driver? Not for me.

On cold/rainy days, condensation on the windscreen can be a pig. After all
these years I'm still not sure of the best way to shift it (sometimes the
aircon
works best - which is great in December). I wouldn't fancy that all winter.

There is a (serious) design fault with the windscreen/dash assembly on
308s (and 328s, I think). In bright low sun conditions (dawn/dusk) you
get the top of the dash reflected clearly (and very distractingly) on
the windscreen. This is generally just an iritation, but on occasion it can
be quite dangerous.

She's actually surprisingly good in the rain (but see misting, above),
however
my GTS leaks at the top of the doors.... and drips cold water onto my right
knee.

At night, due to how low you are (which is surprisingly low - Paul's
surprising
fact of the day: the higest part of a lotus seven is higher than the highest
part
of a 308) other vehicles headlights can be quite blinding.

So, imagine yourself driving along in heavy rain, with a cold wet right
knee,
freezing to death with the aircon on trying to keep the windscreen clear,
straining to see into a sharp corner past the blinding headlights of
oncoming
traffic... And if you clip one of those oncoming cars the damage will cost
you
more than a the price of a second car.

Oh, and if you rack up the mileage, the service costs will hit you hard.

For £2 - 3k you could get yourself a decent five year old hatchback
(you can pay £2k for a 'little work' on the 308), that's your daily driver.


-Paul

I had a 328 as a somewhat daily driver for several years in oppresive
Texas heat. Only once in a great whil would it run hot in traffic. Not
a bad car for a daily. Maint. is cheap compared to a Testarossa
(current car). 14 miles has just got the gearbox warmed up. Find some
backroads on the way home and you shall enjoy the drive more. If you
have private parking onsight then go for it. If your going to a metro
area and parking in public parking, save the car for evenings and
weekends to prevent vandalism, theft.

"Paul Duffin" <com> wrote in message
news:BeApe.296301$news.easynews.com... 
Thanks Paul. Are there any particular things I should look out for when
checking them out? 'Original Ferrari V8' is my bible so I know the car
pretty well but as regards areas prone to rust, leaks, etc I'm not sure what
makes a bad 308 versus a good one.

Regards

SN

Sharknose wrote:
 
When you want to talk about rust, paint, or leaks, MCPD's your man!!

:-)

--
It's a place where you will learn
To face your fears, retrace the years
And ride the whims of your mind
Commanding in another world
Suddenly, you hear and see
This magic new dimension

"The Dream" <iwalkthe@thinlineforyou> wrote in message
news:commspeed.net... 

Sad but true.

Check out the horror story on my website from a few years back
http://www.redmist.freeserve.co.uk/ in the photos section.

5 years on there are a couple of spots re-appearing :-(

The really scary bit is not that an eejit like me failed to see the
extent of the corrosion, but that a chap who restores cars for
a living couldn't see it until he started taking things to pieces.

Anyway, rust aside, You really should have any prospective
purchase looked at by an expert - and this means a specialist,
not the AA (AAA for you 'merkins!) or RAC. A couple of
squids spent on this could save much grief later.If you can't get
someone from a garage out, see if you can get any owners to
help.

I haven't got time to provide a complete check list, but if
you want to drive down to Hampshire I'll walk you round mine
and show you a few things to look for (you can help me wash
her! - actually jokes aside, washing a car is a really good way to
examine the bodywork; you might walk round a car that you're
looking to buy. but you wouldn't spend an hour running your
hands over every visible surface).


-Paul

"Paul Duffin" <com> wrote in message
news:9tbre.376630$news.easynews.com... 
Hi Paul,

Thats an incredibly generous offer. When I'm a little closer to buying (most
likely September, after my 1st born is due to arrive!) I'd love to meet you
and your 308. Can you recommend a reputable dealer in the UK? I've spoken to
a few (Joe Macari, Talacrest, Verdi) and they tell me that they don't tend
to get in a lot of 308's these days. They also don't seem to friendly! I
guess if it was a 360 Modena I was asking about they would be...

Best regards

SN

"Sharknose" <com> wrote
 

Dunno Joe Macari. I went to Verdi years ago and thery were very friendly -
gave
me a test drive and didn't complain when I crunched second gear <blush>

Talacrest....

....doesn't surprise me.

I can't say what I think about some dealers in a public forum, but there is
one
well known independent garage in London that I would avoid like the plague.

Your best bet is the Sunday Times, but 308s are increasingly rare.


-Paul

Paul Duffin wrote: 

Which, I would think, would make the price start climbing ...

I thought you and Iaian were all over QV - are they just a repair place?
I thought I saw cars for sale on their site ...

M

--
It's a place where you will learn
To face your fears, retrace the years
And ride the whims of your mind
Commanding in another world
Suddenly, you hear and see
This magic new dimension