BUYING a Ferrari 328 GTS
Discussion
Hello - first post ever here. I am about to buy Ferrari 328 GTS. It is an ore ABS model from 1988, about the last one that was pre ABS. It has a pile of history, plenty of cam belt changes and is in pristine condition. I am trying to get a PPI but everyone seems very busy and I would like it looked at soon - note too the vendor won't let it be driven to a garage but expects the PPI to come to him. he is in the middle of nowhere - this will not allow for a comprehensive PPI.
What risks in just buy ingredients it ?
It has 60K on the clock, 11 owners and has folders of history.
What risks in just buy ingredients it ?
It has 60K on the clock, 11 owners and has folders of history.
Benjamin 14 said:
Hello - first post ever here. I am about to buy Ferrari 328 GTS. It is an ore ABS model from 1988, about the last one that was pre ABS. It has a pile of history, plenty of cam belt changes and is in pristine condition. I am trying to get a PPI but everyone seems very busy and I would like it looked at soon - note too the vendor won't let it be driven to a garage but expects the PPI to come to him. he is in the middle of nowhere - this will not allow for a comprehensive PPI.
What risks in just buy ingredients it ?
It has 60K on the clock, 11 owners and has folders of history.
Good for you!What risks in just buy ingredients it ?
It has 60K on the clock, 11 owners and has folders of history.
If its an 88 with ABS wheels but no ABS then its what's referred to as an 88.5. It doesn't have the ABS but does have the revised suspension geometry from the ABS car. Its usually viewed as amongst the most desireable 328s.
Its a near 40 year old car so its bound to have some issues/wear at 60K miles.
The engines & transmissions are generally very reliable & bomb proof. Plenty around with a lot more miles on them than that. It should start on the button. There are a few weaknesses around oil leaks - specifically the cam seals into the distributor caps & also the front cam seal carrier housings where there is a silly round rection O ring in a square groove and the oil drainback hole in the head behind it is in the wrong place! If there is a lot of oil around the engine its likely one of those. You have to take the cams out to fix it.
Overall its a pretty simple thing, very little that you can adjust on it and it either works or it doesn't! Most faults are ignition related.
At 60K you'd expect it to have had at least one clutch - when was it done? Its not an engine out job to change it but its not a small job either.
Similarly, if the brake discs are original they must be close to the wear limit.
When were the valve clearances last done?
Belt changes are all well & good but more importantly is when were the tensioners last replaced & are they OEM or Hills (you want the Hill's bearings).
The AC probably won't work but has it been converted to R134?
Its a near 40 year old car & if the suspension bushes haven't been done well, they won't last forever.
There should be foam insulation at the back and front of the engine bay. If any of teh orginial is still there its likely disintegrating. Same with the flexible ducts between the side scoops & the air box & oil cooler. There are fixes around.
Check the obvious (CV joint boots, steering gators, exhaust leaks etc. )
It may not go into 2nd gear when its cold - lots of them do that.
The door mirrors are a fortune if you have to replace one - if you can find one - same for the front fog lights & indicator lenses - look for cracks & chips in those & get some heavy film on them if none is there.
Check the seat runners work & that the seat will stay where you put it. There is a very fine cog in the mechanism that wears out (its too small) & unless you can find a second hand part, there are no new ones available.
The backs of the seats may be a bit floppy. Its not difficult to fix, just loose screws at the hinges. Have a good look at the seat belts.
The most important thing is the state of the bodywork. Look for rust around the arches & the bottom of the front wings. Run your fingers down the groove between the front wing & the fibreglass bumper below in front of the front wheel.
The sills on a 328 are not structural. If they are bent or dented then likely some tyre shop numpty has tried to jack the car on it & that would be bad . There is a specific jacking point half way down the side - check those too, they can rust out or get bent..
There should be two tool kits with it - the one with the Jack in it & then the spanners & screwdrivers. Either one will cost you north of £2K to replace if you can find one. There should be a vinyl cover for the targa roof when its behind the seats.
If it needs tyres (look at the DOT codes) then you can get Michelin PS4S's for it which would be the weapon of choice. It should have a full size spare front wheel in the front.
You can browse the parts diagrams at www.ferrariparts.co.uk to your heart's content to see what various bits cost & whats available & what's not!.
Good luck, by all means drop me a DM if you have any questions.
Edited by Wombat3 on Tuesday 19th May 14:40
Hi Benjamin, have you tired Tim Walker for the PPI? he'd be my go to,
whereabouts in the country is the car?
the 328's are mechanically pretty bullet proof should have a cambelt every 3 Years together with valve clearances.
It's a near 40 Year old car so certainly need to look for corrosion around the wheel arches and underbody
whereabouts in the country is the car?
the 328's are mechanically pretty bullet proof should have a cambelt every 3 Years together with valve clearances.
It's a near 40 Year old car so certainly need to look for corrosion around the wheel arches and underbody
F355GTS said:
Hi Benjamin, have you tired Tim Walker for the PPI? he'd be my go to,
whereabouts in the country is the car?
the 328's are mechanically pretty bullet proof should have a cambelt every 3 Years together with valve clearances.
It's a near 40 Year old car so certainly need to look for corrosion around the wheel arches and underbody
Indeed what Wombat said whereabouts in the country is the car?
the 328's are mechanically pretty bullet proof should have a cambelt every 3 Years together with valve clearances.
It's a near 40 Year old car so certainly need to look for corrosion around the wheel arches and underbody
Thanks guys. It's a non ABS and has dish alloys - my pref actually - so fully non ABS.
Amazing body work - no rest evident at all. Has had a small paid spray on drivers wing 3 years ago blended to car and the entire car polished to an inch of its life and pain flattening (?). Looks like new.
The underside is sweet - I haven't take the plastic shields off, but rest is amazing. The suspension bushes are what look to be new - I will check the service records. Clutch has been down a while ago I think. Michelin all round - new.
Thanks for the heads up on the seat - on wing mirrors, he has taken them apart as they were ceased and they now are good and flexible.
Both tool kits as well as the two covers for the roof and two covers for the car.
It's in east Kent - he has accepted my offer - I just was to get it surveyed. So thanks for the recommendation. Any others ?
It has been looked after extensively by Rardleys before this chap and I think Kent have had some recent involvement.
Amazing body work - no rest evident at all. Has had a small paid spray on drivers wing 3 years ago blended to car and the entire car polished to an inch of its life and pain flattening (?). Looks like new.
The underside is sweet - I haven't take the plastic shields off, but rest is amazing. The suspension bushes are what look to be new - I will check the service records. Clutch has been down a while ago I think. Michelin all round - new.
Thanks for the heads up on the seat - on wing mirrors, he has taken them apart as they were ceased and they now are good and flexible.
Both tool kits as well as the two covers for the roof and two covers for the car.
It's in east Kent - he has accepted my offer - I just was to get it surveyed. So thanks for the recommendation. Any others ?
It has been looked after extensively by Rardleys before this chap and I think Kent have had some recent involvement.
Benjamin 14 said:
Thanks guys. It's a non ABS and has dish alloys - my pref actually - so fully non ABS.
Amazing body work - no rest evident at all. Has had a small paid spray on drivers wing 3 years ago blended to car and the entire car polished to an inch of its life and pain flattening (?). Looks like new.
The underside is sweet - I haven't take the plastic shields off, but rest is amazing. The suspension bushes are what look to be new - I will check the service records. Clutch has been down a while ago I think. Michelin all round - new.
Thanks for the heads up on the seat - on wing mirrors, he has taken them apart as they were ceased and they now are good and flexible.
Both tool kits as well as the two covers for the roof and two covers for the car.
It's in east Kent - he has accepted my offer - I just was to get it surveyed. So thanks for the recommendation. Any others ?
It has been looked after extensively by Rardleys before this chap and I think Kent have had some recent involvement.
If its been looked after by Rardleys and / or KHPC then its likely to be good. There's not much they don't know about them.Amazing body work - no rest evident at all. Has had a small paid spray on drivers wing 3 years ago blended to car and the entire car polished to an inch of its life and pain flattening (?). Looks like new.
The underside is sweet - I haven't take the plastic shields off, but rest is amazing. The suspension bushes are what look to be new - I will check the service records. Clutch has been down a while ago I think. Michelin all round - new.
Thanks for the heads up on the seat - on wing mirrors, he has taken them apart as they were ceased and they now are good and flexible.
Both tool kits as well as the two covers for the roof and two covers for the car.
It's in east Kent - he has accepted my offer - I just was to get it surveyed. So thanks for the recommendation. Any others ?
It has been looked after extensively by Rardleys before this chap and I think Kent have had some recent involvement.
If Tim can't PPI then try MArk https://morethanpolish.com/product/car-inspections...
Otherwise as noted talk to KHPC & Rardley to see what they can tell you
Otherwise as noted talk to KHPC & Rardley to see what they can tell you
New Clutch 5K ago.
I just looked up prices of those wing mirrors - wow ! They are OK though.
What does this forum think is a reasonable price for a well sorted fully services (every 2 years), driven (not garage queen) 328 GTS with all the bits at 60,800 miles ? 1988, pre ABS, Red in perfect paint condition - Crema interior, carpets all repaired / new from Ferrari independent
??
I just looked up prices of those wing mirrors - wow ! They are OK though.
What does this forum think is a reasonable price for a well sorted fully services (every 2 years), driven (not garage queen) 328 GTS with all the bits at 60,800 miles ? 1988, pre ABS, Red in perfect paint condition - Crema interior, carpets all repaired / new from Ferrari independent
??
Benjamin 14 said:
New Clutch 5K ago.
I just looked up prices of those wing mirrors - wow ! They are OK though.
What does this forum think is a reasonable price for a well sorted fully services (every 2 years), driven (not garage queen) 328 GTS with all the bits at 60,800 miles ? 1988, pre ABS, Red in perfect paint condition - Crema interior, carpets all repaired / new from Ferrari independent
??
If its the one I think it is on Autotrader then a couple of things:I just looked up prices of those wing mirrors - wow ! They are OK though.
What does this forum think is a reasonable price for a well sorted fully services (every 2 years), driven (not garage queen) 328 GTS with all the bits at 60,800 miles ? 1988, pre ABS, Red in perfect paint condition - Crema interior, carpets all repaired / new from Ferrari independent
??
The gearknob is not original. The vinyl cover on the boot looks like its not original. Its missing the sound deadening/carpet under the bonnet
The paintwork looks too shiny to me - are you sure it hasn't been painted? There was no clear coat on these cars from factory.
Never been a fan of shields on the wings on the older cars but that's a personal thing. Has it got the original folding key?
As to the number, it doesn't look expensive.
Wombat - thank you. Have you been to see the car then ? It is that one that you mention on Autotrader in Ramsgate.
There was some paint work done in 2024 to the drivers wing, by Rardleys. At the time they then also detailed the car and "flattened" the paint - not sure what that means, to blent the car. It doesn't look like its had a lacquer coat to the top of it or maybe ceramic coating ?
the gear knob I have sourced - original one.
the sound deadening - are you talking under the front or rear Bonet ? there was some notes around taking the foam liner out of the engine bay and replacing it in 2024, if you mean the front Bonet - I think I see you post - maybe it deteriorated and they didn't want to replace it / moisture holding ? preferred the look without.
It certainly lacks a few original parts.
teh vinyl cover in th boot - he explained he fitted this - it was an OEM part that had been in a sealed bag for years - the car didn't come with one, so he sourced this and it had the lines where it was folded up in the bag.
There was some paint work done in 2024 to the drivers wing, by Rardleys. At the time they then also detailed the car and "flattened" the paint - not sure what that means, to blent the car. It doesn't look like its had a lacquer coat to the top of it or maybe ceramic coating ?
the gear knob I have sourced - original one.
the sound deadening - are you talking under the front or rear Bonet ? there was some notes around taking the foam liner out of the engine bay and replacing it in 2024, if you mean the front Bonet - I think I see you post - maybe it deteriorated and they didn't want to replace it / moisture holding ? preferred the look without.
It certainly lacks a few original parts.
teh vinyl cover in th boot - he explained he fitted this - it was an OEM part that had been in a sealed bag for years - the car didn't come with one, so he sourced this and it had the lines where it was folded up in the bag.
Benjamin 14 said:
Wombat - thank you. Have you been to see the car then ? It is that one that you mention on Autotrader in Ramsgate.
There was some paint work done in 2024 to the drivers wing, by Rardleys. At the time they then also detailed the car and "flattened" the paint - not sure what that means, to blent the car. It doesn't look like its had a lacquer coat to the top of it or maybe ceramic coating ?
the gear knob I have sourced - original one.
the sound deadening - are you talking under the front or rear Bonet ? there was some notes around taking the foam liner out of the engine bay and replacing it in 2024, if you mean the front Bonet - I think I see you post - maybe it deteriorated and they didn't want to replace it / moisture holding ? preferred the look without.
It certainly lacks a few original parts.
teh vinyl cover in th boot - he explained he fitted this - it was an OEM part that had been in a sealed bag for years - the car didn't come with one, so he sourced this and it had the lines where it was folded up in the bag.
To me it looks a lovely car and reasonably priced, you can work on the non original/ missing parts if it's important to you, the boot cover zips fail which is why many are replaced, I owned 2 different cars, one an 87, and one like this a pre ABS 88, lovely cars to own and driveThere was some paint work done in 2024 to the drivers wing, by Rardleys. At the time they then also detailed the car and "flattened" the paint - not sure what that means, to blent the car. It doesn't look like its had a lacquer coat to the top of it or maybe ceramic coating ?
the gear knob I have sourced - original one.
the sound deadening - are you talking under the front or rear Bonet ? there was some notes around taking the foam liner out of the engine bay and replacing it in 2024, if you mean the front Bonet - I think I see you post - maybe it deteriorated and they didn't want to replace it / moisture holding ? preferred the look without.
It certainly lacks a few original parts.
teh vinyl cover in th boot - he explained he fitted this - it was an OEM part that had been in a sealed bag for years - the car didn't come with one, so he sourced this and it had the lines where it was folded up in the bag.
Benjamin 14 said:
Wombat - thank you. Have you been to see the car then ? It is that one that you mention on Autotrader in Ramsgate.
There was some paint work done in 2024 to the drivers wing, by Rardleys. At the time they then also detailed the car and "flattened" the paint - not sure what that means, to blent the car. It doesn't look like its had a lacquer coat to the top of it or maybe ceramic coating ?
the gear knob I have sourced - original one.
the sound deadening - are you talking under the front or rear Bonet ? there was some notes around taking the foam liner out of the engine bay and replacing it in 2024, if you mean the front Bonet - I think I see you post - maybe it deteriorated and they didn't want to replace it / moisture holding ? preferred the look without.
It certainly lacks a few original parts.
teh vinyl cover in th boot - he explained he fitted this - it was an OEM part that had been in a sealed bag for years - the car didn't come with one, so he sourced this and it had the lines where it was folded up in the bag.
I've only seen it on Autotrader. I already have one so not looking for another one!There was some paint work done in 2024 to the drivers wing, by Rardleys. At the time they then also detailed the car and "flattened" the paint - not sure what that means, to blent the car. It doesn't look like its had a lacquer coat to the top of it or maybe ceramic coating ?
the gear knob I have sourced - original one.
the sound deadening - are you talking under the front or rear Bonet ? there was some notes around taking the foam liner out of the engine bay and replacing it in 2024, if you mean the front Bonet - I think I see you post - maybe it deteriorated and they didn't want to replace it / moisture holding ? preferred the look without.
It certainly lacks a few original parts.
teh vinyl cover in th boot - he explained he fitted this - it was an OEM part that had been in a sealed bag for years - the car didn't come with one, so he sourced this and it had the lines where it was folded up in the bag.
As F355 said, it looks in good shape, but you'd have to drive it to really know. It seems like its been well looked after by people who know what they are doing.
Thank you all for your excellent advice. Today was supposed to be the day. However, I spent yesterday evening with a former sales exec from a local Ferrari dealer (independent) who insisted I ensure the car is PPId before I part with cash. teh seller, as advertised on Autotrader, refused to let me have it PPId, saying he wouldn't let it be driven to Kent performance (the nearest). I had considered just buying it outright on a sole as seen basis, and made the transfer to my own account to allow for this purchase this morning - but having been told by several people to ensure it is PPId...., I said to teh seller, no I need it PPId.
He turns out to be quite unreasonable and unpleasant - apparently the closest I will get to owning a Ferrari is to buy a cap - no chance at all of taking it to have it on a ramp and checked apparently.
I think I may have dodged a bullet here - off to Autofficina or Rardleys direct instead (and I will wear my cap while on the test drive.
Happy weekend.
He turns out to be quite unreasonable and unpleasant - apparently the closest I will get to owning a Ferrari is to buy a cap - no chance at all of taking it to have it on a ramp and checked apparently.
I think I may have dodged a bullet here - off to Autofficina or Rardleys direct instead (and I will wear my cap while on the test drive.
Happy weekend.
Benjamin 14 said:
Thank you all for your excellent advice. Today was supposed to be the day. However, I spent yesterday evening with a former sales exec from a local Ferrari dealer (independent) who insisted I ensure the car is PPId before I part with cash. teh seller, as advertised on Autotrader, refused to let me have it PPId, saying he wouldn't let it be driven to Kent performance (the nearest). I had considered just buying it outright on a sole as seen basis, and made the transfer to my own account to allow for this purchase this morning - but having been told by several people to ensure it is PPId...., I said to teh seller, no I need it PPId.
He turns out to be quite unreasonable and unpleasant - apparently the closest I will get to owning a Ferrari is to buy a cap - no chance at all of taking it to have it on a ramp and checked apparently.
I think I may have dodged a bullet here - off to Autofficina or Rardleys direct instead (and I will wear my cap while on the test drive.
Happy weekend.
You have to wonder what goes on in some people's heads!He turns out to be quite unreasonable and unpleasant - apparently the closest I will get to owning a Ferrari is to buy a cap - no chance at all of taking it to have it on a ramp and checked apparently.
I think I may have dodged a bullet here - off to Autofficina or Rardleys direct instead (and I will wear my cap while on the test drive.
Happy weekend.
Good luck with your search, you may well find that Someone like KHPC or Rardleys can dig a car out for you and find one that's not otherwise on the market. They obviously know where a lot of them are.
(For years I got a phone call once or twice a year about selling mine...but I think hes kind of given up now ! )
Thank you all.
Over the last 12 hours or so the chap has launched a series of really very distasteful communications - on basis of my asking to let me PPI.
If you were interested in this vehicle in Ramsgate, I suggest tread with care - and do not be of a sensitive nature. This chap really is unpleasant.
Over the last 12 hours or so the chap has launched a series of really very distasteful communications - on basis of my asking to let me PPI.
If you were interested in this vehicle in Ramsgate, I suggest tread with care - and do not be of a sensitive nature. This chap really is unpleasant.
Benjamin 14 said:
Thank you all.
Over the last 12 hours or so the chap has launched a series of really very distasteful communications - on basis of my asking to let me PPI.
If you were interested in this vehicle in Ramsgate, I suggest tread with care - and do not be of a sensitive nature. This chap really is unpleasant.
Then I should just block his number & email etc and ignore him. There's always a nutter......!Over the last 12 hours or so the chap has launched a series of really very distasteful communications - on basis of my asking to let me PPI.
If you were interested in this vehicle in Ramsgate, I suggest tread with care - and do not be of a sensitive nature. This chap really is unpleasant.
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