thinking of buying an older Ferrari (328/348)....
Discussion
Hi, I'm new here!
I currently own a 996 (for weekend & evenings) and am thinking of changing to something else. My options are either
a) Safe bet - a newer 911
or
b) A 80s-90s Ferrari. I was thinking of a nice 328 GTS or a 348.
My question this - will buying a Ferrari simply hemmorhage money from my wallet? The 996 is a fairly decent car and is quite straight forward to maintain, but I hear some horror stories about these cars that they cost so much to run and regularly break down.
I'd be interested to hear from any owners of these cars, their experiences etc.
I currently own a 996 (for weekend & evenings) and am thinking of changing to something else. My options are either
a) Safe bet - a newer 911
or
b) A 80s-90s Ferrari. I was thinking of a nice 328 GTS or a 348.
My question this - will buying a Ferrari simply hemmorhage money from my wallet? The 996 is a fairly decent car and is quite straight forward to maintain, but I hear some horror stories about these cars that they cost so much to run and regularly break down.
I'd be interested to hear from any owners of these cars, their experiences etc.
My Dad is on his 2nd 328GTB.
Neither has had any big issues.
First on he owned for 4 years. Did about 25k miles in it.
Current one owned for 6 months, just did Edinburgh to Le Mans and back with no issues.
Look for rust on inner arches and bottom of doors.
Engines seem to be solid.
Average about 27mpg.
Must be garaged though.
Neither has had any big issues.
First on he owned for 4 years. Did about 25k miles in it.
Current one owned for 6 months, just did Edinburgh to Le Mans and back with no issues.
Look for rust on inner arches and bottom of doors.
Engines seem to be solid.
Average about 27mpg.
Must be garaged though.
I have a friend with a 308 GTB that's got about 75k on it, which is high for a Ferrari. Great looking car, build quality feels a bit hmmmm brittle to say the least, it's always needing something fixed, and holding the rust at bay is a constant battle on the steel bodied cars.
He has spent a fortune keeping on top of things- there is no such thing as a cheap Ferrari to maintain, from what I've seen. It makes my 911 maintenance seem cheap.
Noisy, tiring, and it'll feel pretty agricultural after the Porsche, but it's really good fun to drive.
They depreciate pretty badly when they have higher mileages (normal for most other cars). The chap I know with the 308 has no plans to sell his, for this very reason.
If you're in it for the long term, and can commit financially, than I can see the appeal. Just don't expect it to be cheap, or get your money back.
He has spent a fortune keeping on top of things- there is no such thing as a cheap Ferrari to maintain, from what I've seen. It makes my 911 maintenance seem cheap.
Noisy, tiring, and it'll feel pretty agricultural after the Porsche, but it's really good fun to drive.
They depreciate pretty badly when they have higher mileages (normal for most other cars). The chap I know with the 308 has no plans to sell his, for this very reason.
If you're in it for the long term, and can commit financially, than I can see the appeal. Just don't expect it to be cheap, or get your money back.
This is a long chat!!!! It will depend on your useage, If its a occasional weekend car, or an essential part of your daily commute?
308's and 328's will not hemorage money, they are strong, solid and reliable, 328's are galvanised so rust is less of an issue than a 308, but they also brake better, so much faster and with the improved torque drive much easier, they are a very sorted and satisfying car to drive. which over the past 8 years have been pretty depreciation proof.
where I do not deal with 996's but I have been told that they depreciate like hell and have several oil seal problems - I think you need to investigate this yourself. As far as Ferrari's go, buy the best low milage car you can with excellent service history. These cars will do high mileages but they drop at 65k miles and again at 80k miles so try to buy a car if you are going to use it with mileage in mind to protect your return, if you buy a high mileage car, make sure you have it inspected by an expert to seeif wearing items have been replaced, high mileage cars will be cheaper but you need to buy well. Lastly what do you want from the car, 328s have no power steering and give great driver pleasure, however they're not great fun in heavy traffic..whereas the Porsche should be a doddle..
Feel free to email me from my profile if I can help further, I wrote a very basic buying guide on 308/328 Ferrari's on Ebay a while ago, its still there...;)
308's and 328's will not hemorage money, they are strong, solid and reliable, 328's are galvanised so rust is less of an issue than a 308, but they also brake better, so much faster and with the improved torque drive much easier, they are a very sorted and satisfying car to drive. which over the past 8 years have been pretty depreciation proof.
where I do not deal with 996's but I have been told that they depreciate like hell and have several oil seal problems - I think you need to investigate this yourself. As far as Ferrari's go, buy the best low milage car you can with excellent service history. These cars will do high mileages but they drop at 65k miles and again at 80k miles so try to buy a car if you are going to use it with mileage in mind to protect your return, if you buy a high mileage car, make sure you have it inspected by an expert to seeif wearing items have been replaced, high mileage cars will be cheaper but you need to buy well. Lastly what do you want from the car, 328s have no power steering and give great driver pleasure, however they're not great fun in heavy traffic..whereas the Porsche should be a doddle..
Feel free to email me from my profile if I can help further, I wrote a very basic buying guide on 308/328 Ferrari's on Ebay a while ago, its still there...;)
So. 996s are 328s chalk and cheese really. One is a well sorted, eminently useable GT and the other is a Ferrari.
No really - as a weekend toy, no choice, it'd be the 328. Actually I'd buy (I did buy) a 308, but then I love the throwback to the 246 and Daytona in the switchgear.
But the chap who posted earlier about the 308 was dead right. 328s rust too, in the same places as 308s and these cars can be a moneypit. My 308 always felt "brittle". Parts prices?....Expansion tank rusted? None in the country sir. Broken wiper stalk, one in the country - £2500...
But really, the 996 is more of a BMW and the 997 probably more so...and if you want a vintage 911 feel, buy a good impact bumper car or even better, a pre impact bumper car.
But if you have the Fcar itch, find the best 308/328 you can for your money, have it inspected by a specialist and ideally someone who can measure paint depth - filler can (and does) hide a multitude of sins....Make no mistake, buy right in today's buyers market and I cannot see why the car should not hold its money or even appreciate.
Oh and they are soooo much better looking than a 996/997 :-)
No really - as a weekend toy, no choice, it'd be the 328. Actually I'd buy (I did buy) a 308, but then I love the throwback to the 246 and Daytona in the switchgear.
But the chap who posted earlier about the 308 was dead right. 328s rust too, in the same places as 308s and these cars can be a moneypit. My 308 always felt "brittle". Parts prices?....Expansion tank rusted? None in the country sir. Broken wiper stalk, one in the country - £2500...
But really, the 996 is more of a BMW and the 997 probably more so...and if you want a vintage 911 feel, buy a good impact bumper car or even better, a pre impact bumper car.
But if you have the Fcar itch, find the best 308/328 you can for your money, have it inspected by a specialist and ideally someone who can measure paint depth - filler can (and does) hide a multitude of sins....Make no mistake, buy right in today's buyers market and I cannot see why the car should not hold its money or even appreciate.
Oh and they are soooo much better looking than a 996/997 :-)
thanks to everyone who has posted so far - very much appreciated
I have been sorting my garage out so I can finally put a car in there - shelves on the wall with my junk in now!!! I expect I will drive no more than 5k miles per year at very best.
I quite like the idea of going back to non power steering - maybe enjoy "proper driving" again?
I've also never driven a Ferrari before - what do all of the dials/sliders in the centre console on a 308 control?
Finally - any thoughts on a 348? The only thing that puts me off is the black lines over the rear lights - they should be round!!!!!
I have been sorting my garage out so I can finally put a car in there - shelves on the wall with my junk in now!!! I expect I will drive no more than 5k miles per year at very best.
I quite like the idea of going back to non power steering - maybe enjoy "proper driving" again?
I've also never driven a Ferrari before - what do all of the dials/sliders in the centre console on a 308 control?
Finally - any thoughts on a 348? The only thing that puts me off is the black lines over the rear lights - they should be round!!!!!
No they shouldn't! You have 328s and 355s if you want round 
(do you know how evil those rear lights look at night? 
)
The 348 is the baby Testarossa. You either like the styling or not. I love it which is why i never considered a 355. I did consider a 308 or a 328 for the beautiful curves, but in the end went for the extra power of the 348 (my second).
A few shots of mine
and the previous one:
Not a bad looking back end if I say so myself!
(do you know how evil those rear lights look at night? )The 348 is the baby Testarossa. You either like the styling or not. I love it which is why i never considered a 355. I did consider a 308 or a 328 for the beautiful curves, but in the end went for the extra power of the 348 (my second).
A few shots of mine
and the previous one:
Not a bad looking back end if I say so myself!
big hair said:
Finally - any thoughts on a 348? The only thing that puts me off is the black lines over the rear lights - they should be round!!!!!
A night they look awesome.....http://www.fgear.tv/gallery/video/videos/ferrarivi...
As to running costs, yes, against a 911 the servicing will probably be +50%, except for every three years or 20-30k miles depending on how worried you are, £1500 for a full service inc. the engine out cam belt change (though you can get the engine bay smartened up whilst it's out!).
Driving? You really know you're driving a raw sports car with a 348. Bit like a go kart on steroids!
Performance. A modern 996 Carrera might, might just have the edge (but not so you'd notice), in the real world ... the 348 will feel a hell of a lot more faster though
Driving? You really know you're driving a raw sports car with a 348. Bit like a go kart on steroids!
Performance. A modern 996 Carrera might, might just have the edge (but not so you'd notice), in the real world ... the 348 will feel a hell of a lot more faster though
Wiper stalks may be a problem - but how on earth did you break one? Expansion tanks are back in stock now at Maranello costing only £120. (Non commercial plug) I have 3 328's in stock, you'd be welcome to come and try one to see if you like it! no problem - but please choose a dry day!!! Their are loads of postings and passionate views on 308/328 and 348's. I suggest you do some research on the pistonheads forum. Nice position to be in choosing a weekend car, take and your time and be prepared to walk away from cars that don't meet you expectations.
Quite a bit to be honest. The 355 is the model where they started adding in the driver comforts such as power steering, leccie seats and such like.
The 55 is the slightly faster car top end with an extra 40 bhp or so, and it has an extra 1000 revs to play with which would be nice for the ears. The performance is very marginal in real world driving though, and how often would you need to exceed 170mph?
The 348 will always have that raw go-kart feel to it which is what a lot of people love.
A good late 348, i.e GTS/GTB/Spider will still cost c£10k less than a 355 in equal condition, although you may find the gap closer as some of the GT prices are high reflecting the low volume produced. I would not think you will find one of these at "bargain prices" - £28k - £34k as a rough guide.
There are however the later "earlier" cars which still had the 2.7 ignition and relocated battery, just not the 20 extra bhp that the latest cars had. These are the ones that were showing very good value for money ... but even these are now firming up very strongly price wise.
The 55 is the slightly faster car top end with an extra 40 bhp or so, and it has an extra 1000 revs to play with which would be nice for the ears. The performance is very marginal in real world driving though, and how often would you need to exceed 170mph?
The 348 will always have that raw go-kart feel to it which is what a lot of people love.
A good late 348, i.e GTS/GTB/Spider will still cost c£10k less than a 355 in equal condition, although you may find the gap closer as some of the GT prices are high reflecting the low volume produced. I would not think you will find one of these at "bargain prices" - £28k - £34k as a rough guide.
There are however the later "earlier" cars which still had the 2.7 ignition and relocated battery, just not the 20 extra bhp that the latest cars had. These are the ones that were showing very good value for money ... but even these are now firming up very strongly price wise.
Edited by burriana on Monday 30th June 18:14
Personally the best (usable) 348's you could get into from £26 - £30k (low mileage late cars), £32 - 36k is comfortable 355 territory these days, 348's are great drives - agreed! but servicing is more than the 328. Design is a personal choice, they are all Ferrari's!!! and share the same passion.
For a sense of occasion and fun, it has to be a Ferrari. It's one of those cars that you will regret not owning later in life.
The 308 and 328 are beautiful cars. If I had the garage space I'd get either one like a shot. In fact, I was originally going to get a 328 but ended up getting a 348 as it looked more modern.
I suggest you go to Ferrarichat, club scuderia and ferrarilife.com for more information and owners opinions on the various Ferrari models.
Costs will be high on any Ferrari. The 348 will probably cost more to maintain than the 308/328, but it depends on what needs to be done.
Here's Nigel's recent thread on the cost of owning his 328. http://www.clubscuderia.com/forum/showthread.php?t...
If you have decided upon a Ferrari, then you should drive the models that you are interested in.
Remember also that the these Ferrari's are quite old now. Oldest 348's are nearly 19 years old. I've spent the last 3 years spending ££££'s updating, improving and modifying mine. It's now in teh best condition than it has been for years and probably beter than new performance wise.
You can also do a lot of things to the 348 to enhance it's performance and more importantly it has probably the best online support facility of all Ferrari models and the owners always help each out.
Here's my 348. http://www.clubscuderia.com/forum/showthread.php?t...
The 308 and 328 are beautiful cars. If I had the garage space I'd get either one like a shot. In fact, I was originally going to get a 328 but ended up getting a 348 as it looked more modern.
I suggest you go to Ferrarichat, club scuderia and ferrarilife.com for more information and owners opinions on the various Ferrari models.
Costs will be high on any Ferrari. The 348 will probably cost more to maintain than the 308/328, but it depends on what needs to be done.
Here's Nigel's recent thread on the cost of owning his 328. http://www.clubscuderia.com/forum/showthread.php?t...
If you have decided upon a Ferrari, then you should drive the models that you are interested in.
Remember also that the these Ferrari's are quite old now. Oldest 348's are nearly 19 years old. I've spent the last 3 years spending ££££'s updating, improving and modifying mine. It's now in teh best condition than it has been for years and probably beter than new performance wise.
You can also do a lot of things to the 348 to enhance it's performance and more importantly it has probably the best online support facility of all Ferrari models and the owners always help each out.
Here's my 348. http://www.clubscuderia.com/forum/showthread.php?t...
Edited by Angelis on Monday 30th June 20:03
Nigel's 328 was as nice a car as you'll ever see. I don't know what he sold it for, but it was a lovely car and whoever bought it got a plum example. Rumour has it he slept with it on stormy nights to ensure it wasn't spooked by the lightning
There's a £22k 348 on ClubScud - 53k miles, gearbox rebuild etc (car may be on PH) seemed conspicuously good vfm to me at £22k, if not a smidge cheaper....
...oh and what appears to be a very nice 36k mile 308 GTS QV that's just sold at around the £19k mark too.
There's a £22k 348 on ClubScud - 53k miles, gearbox rebuild etc (car may be on PH) seemed conspicuously good vfm to me at £22k, if not a smidge cheaper....
...oh and what appears to be a very nice 36k mile 308 GTS QV that's just sold at around the £19k mark too.
rubystone said:
Nigel's 328 was as nice a car as you'll ever see. I don't know what he sold it for, but it was a lovely car and whoever bought it got a plum example. Rumour has it he slept with it on stormy nights to ensure it wasn't spooked by the lightning
There's a £22k 348 on ClubScud - 53k miles, gearbox rebuild etc (car may be on PH) seemed conspicuously good vfm to me at £22k, if not a smidge cheaper....
...oh and what appears to be a very nice 36k mile 308 GTS QV that's just sold at around the £19k mark too.
WalkerSport are the proud vendours of Nigels car..... thanks Rubystone for the plug she is exceptional example!There's a £22k 348 on ClubScud - 53k miles, gearbox rebuild etc (car may be on PH) seemed conspicuously good vfm to me at £22k, if not a smidge cheaper....
...oh and what appears to be a very nice 36k mile 308 GTS QV that's just sold at around the £19k mark too.
I am pretty sure that we were offerred the 348 in question above, which has 10 years missing history and several things that just don't add up, Personally I would not purchase that car. 
I have seen a few late models (late 92) for similar money that seem to be honest.
Edited by walkersport on Monday 30th June 22:15
walkersport said:
Wiper stalks may be a problem - but how on earth did you break one? Expansion tanks are back in stock now at Maranello costing only £120. (Non commercial plug) I have 3 328's in stock, you'd be welcome to come and try one to see if you like it! no problem - but please choose a dry day!!! Their are loads of postings and passionate views on 308/328 and 348's. I suggest you do some research on the pistonheads forum. Nice position to be in choosing a weekend car, take and your time and be prepared to walk away from cars that don't meet you expectations.
Thanks for the offer - I'm not too far from you (outskirts of Chester) so might pop down soon and compare the models you have BTW - I like the body styling of the 348 yes, esp the sides similar to the testarossa. Again maybe I have to see one in the flesh
walkersport said:
WalkerSport are the proud vendours of Nigels car..... thanks Rubystone for the plug she is exceptional example! I am pretty sure that we were offerred the 348 in question above, which has 10 years missing history and several things that just don't add up, Personally I would not purchase that car.
I have seen a few late models (late 92) for similar money that seem to be honest.
My pleasure. Helps that Nigel's a nice guy too. I hope he buys another FCar. I am pretty sure that we were offerred the 348 in question above, which has 10 years missing history and several things that just don't add up, Personally I would not purchase that car. I have seen a few late models (late 92) for similar money that seem to be honest.
Edited by walkersport on Monday 30th June 22:15
Do you have a website?..I guess that might contravene PH rules though unless you advertise on here?
Re the 348 - that is very interesting, no wonder the guy cannot sell it then.
rubystone said:
Do you have a website?..I guess that might contravene PH rules though unless you advertise on
I ahve no affiliation with Tim, so i can post it up. http://www.walkersport.co.uk
Edited by Angelis on Tuesday 1st July 10:12
Edited by Angelis on Tuesday 1st July 10:13
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