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David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/9/20 9:09 p.m.

In reply to AngryCorvair :

You're welcome and, yes, top billing over here.

I admit, I didn't read the entire thread. Are you looking for an open car or a closed one? 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/9/20 9:15 p.m.

Regarding the GT4, and I know that you said that you don't want one. I recently interviewed Bruce at Fantasy Junction about that model for a buyer guide, and he pretty much sold me on one. His old car, in fact, was on Bring a Trailer at the time. I even like the two-tone brown. 

The clincher was the in-car:

 

Mazdax605
Mazdax605 UberDork
1/9/20 9:16 p.m.

My friend in Austin TX has a friend with a 308 who he helped with installing a Honda V6 in a couple of years ago. That'd be the best one in my opinion. I'm weird though. 

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/9/20 9:21 p.m.

Fantasy Junction has a steel-bodied, carbed 308 GTB for sale, too, in fact. Webers sound so good. 

Tom_Spangler
Tom_Spangler GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
1/9/20 9:43 p.m.
alfadriver said:

In reply to AngryCorvair :

Just remember the Detroit Tigers cap when you drive it.  A Hawain shirt would be a nice touch.

We would have also accepted Christie Brinkley.

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse PowerDork
1/10/20 6:50 a.m.

Any idea where to buy one, though?  All the ones online seem to be sold by dealers, at predictably, um, _optimistic_ prices.  

Asking for a friend...

dean1484
dean1484 GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/10/20 7:24 a.m.

I would be looking at a manual 456M if I was looking for a Ferrari at the moment. 
 

Ok I have been looking at them lately and even though I have wanted a 458 since they first came out I keep coming back to the 456M. It is in a price range that is affordable. It is a V12 with a gated manual. Kind of seats 4 people and I think it is one of the best looking Ferrari's especially if like me you remember the front engin rear drive cars as Ferrari's. Miami vice trained a whole generation in to thinking that Ferrari's were all mid engines cars. 

Knurled.
Knurled. GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/10/20 7:25 a.m.

In reply to Ian F :

So what you are saying is, they have appreciated since the mid-00s.

 

Next you'll be telling me you can't find $5000 911SCs anymore, either.

Carl Heideman
Carl Heideman
1/10/20 7:25 a.m.

We service a couple of 308s and one 328 at Eclectic and while they're a 80's icons, I think a Lotus Espirit is a better car from the era (many people consider me an idiot, though).  And an Elise is a way better car for less money.  The Ferraris have more upmarket value potential (although there may be a bubble for these), but also are quite a bit more $ to keep serviced.  By the way, in saying the Espirit is a better car, I'm not saying it's a great car.

Knurled.
Knurled. GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/10/20 7:32 a.m.

In reply to Carl Heideman :

Same friend who played with 308s preferred Esprits, actually recommended a Turbo a couple years ago to another friend as a budget 80s supercar.  I don't know how cheap it was, but he paid for it with a credit card so it sure wasn't $50k!

 

308s sound better, but the Esprit is probably better at car-ing.  Friend did a sight unseen 1300mi fly and drive and came back alive

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
1/10/20 7:38 a.m.

In reply to Knurled. :

Well duh... if you were intending sarcasm, then it missed the mark by a few yards.

When Ferrari stopped offering manual transmissions, all existing manual cars stabilized in value and started increasing. 308's were dragged up with them, despite the faults. 

My favorite Ferrari is the 550, but I missed that boat by a few years.  When I first noticed them about 10 years ago, a decent one could be had for $60K or so (back when 308's were still cheap).  Today, I've seen them with asking prices around $160K.  

The 328 fixed a number of the 308 warts while retaining most of the styling.  I still don't want one.

LanEvo
LanEvo GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/10/20 8:02 a.m.

The best deal on a mid-engine V8 Ferrari these days is the 348.

It's unloved by the Ferrari jerks, but it's actually a pretty solid platform. Same platform and longitudinally mounted V8 as the f355 ... but with 4-valve heads (the 5-valve heads in the f355 were very troublesome). While it's hard to find an f355 with gated shifter, all 348s had them.

There were some handling quirks, but those can be easily sorted by swapping in a few (relatively inexpensive) parts from the f355 plus an alignment by someone who knows what they're doing.

With a modified 348 you're basically getting an f355 with more reliable drivetrain, more desirable shifter, and badass (to my eyes) side-strakes for literally half the price.

 

wearymicrobe
wearymicrobe UberDork
1/10/20 9:56 a.m.
dean1484 said:

I would be looking at a manual 456M if I was looking for a Ferrari at the moment. 
 

Ok I have been looking at them lately and even though I have wanted a 458 since they first came out I keep coming back to the 456M. It is in a price range that is affordable. It is a V12 with a gated manual. Kind of seats 4 people and I think it is one of the best looking Ferrari's especially if like me you remember the front engin rear drive cars as Ferrari's. Miami vice trained a whole generation in to thinking that Ferrari's were all mid engines cars. 

The 456M will cost I am not kidding 30-40% of the buy in price over the next 5 years in maintaince. They are horrendous there is a reason they are cheap. 

Serious answer. Spend the money on a carb'd early car if you want to do your own maintaince and get some return on investment. If not seriously look at a 348 much better car all around usable and style wise not terribly off. 

volvoclearinghouse
volvoclearinghouse PowerDork
1/10/20 10:04 a.m.

In reply to wearymicrobe :

Plus, they look, at first glance, like a Camry Solara.  

Also, the 348 was the last real "Enzo Ferrari", so there's some cache to it.  

NickD
NickD PowerDork
1/10/20 10:12 a.m.

The best Ferrari 308 is clearly an imported 208T. What's better than a 3-liter V8? A turbocharged 2-liter V8!

Fueled by Caffeine
Fueled by Caffeine MegaDork
1/10/20 10:44 a.m.

In GRM fashion.. I will recommend a car you didn't ask about..

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2008-Aston-Martin-Vantage-Vantage/303429674566?hash=item46a5d16646:g:ZJ8AAOSwRsddYwkA

high 20's low 30's buys you british thunder.. 

iansane
iansane GRM+ Memberand New Reader
1/10/20 10:56 a.m.
LanEvo said:

The best deal on a mid-engine V8 Ferrari these days is the 348.

 

It's unloved by the Ferrari jerks, but it's actually a pretty solid platform. Same platform and longitudinally mounted V8 as the f355 ... but with 4-valve heads (the 5-valve heads in the f355 were very troublesome). While it's hard to find an f355 with gated shifter, all 348s had them.

There were some handling quirks, but those can be easily sorted by swapping in a few (relatively inexpensive) parts from the f355 plus an alignment by someone who knows what they're doing.

With a modified 348 you're basically getting an f355 with more reliable drivetrain, more desirable shifter, and badass (to my eyes) side-strakes for literally half the price.

I have a friends f355 on my lift right now getting a little bit of love from an accident last year. It's an early car., gated shifter and dual ecu setup but man is it fun. I think I just grew up a bit later but the 355 looks SO much better to me than a 348 and even most 308 versions. The engine-out services are a bit daunting though...

nderwater
nderwater UltimaDork
1/10/20 11:04 a.m.
AngryCorvair said:

don't even give *one* E36 M3 about originality.  my car, my rules.  eventually.

In that case, I would be looking to see which 308 variant is easiest to update to look like a 288 GTO devil

LanEvo
LanEvo GRM+ Memberand Dork
1/10/20 11:28 a.m.
Knurled. said:

In reply to Carl Heideman :

Same friend who played with 308s preferred Esprits, actually recommended a Turbo a couple years ago to another friend as a budget 80s supercar.  I don't know how cheap it was, but he paid for it with a credit card so it sure wasn't $50k!

I got to drive a Lotus Esprit S4S around Tremblant. There's no way a 308/328 is going to get near one it in terms of handing, steering feel, braking, and acceleration.

Come to think of it, a series 2 Esprit is probably better to drive and own than any V8 Ferrari up to (and maybe even including) the 360 Modena. The Ferraris will always have an edge in terms of engine noise: they sound incredible.

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/10/20 2:06 p.m.
nderwater said:
AngryCorvair said:

don't even give *one* E36 M3 about originality.  my car, my rules.  eventually.

In that case, I would be looking to see which 308 variant is easiest to update to look like a 288 GTO devil

i'm gonna need a moment alone...

alfadriver
alfadriver MegaDork
1/10/20 2:07 p.m.
AngryCorvair said:
nderwater said:
AngryCorvair said:

don't even give *one* E36 M3 about originality.  my car, my rules.  eventually.

In that case, I would be looking to see which 308 variant is easiest to update to look like a 288 GTO devil

i'm gonna need a moment alone...

If you one to do that, I'll help you twin turbo it.

ShawnG
ShawnG UltimaDork
1/10/20 2:09 p.m.

The best one is the best one you can afford to buy and operate.

Some Ferrari is a lot more fun than no Ferrari.

 

Fueled by Caffeine
Fueled by Caffeine MegaDork
1/10/20 2:16 p.m.
AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/10/20 2:22 p.m.
Gingerbeardman said:

An abused one that's been stripped of it's driveline, so you can do an LS4/F40 swap and piss off the Forza crowd. devil

i'd start with a $50k driver and sell off the powertrain and rolling stock to make room for the aluminum 5.3LS and F40 and 17" BBS meshes.

AngryCorvair
AngryCorvair GRM+ Memberand MegaDork
1/10/20 2:23 p.m.

In reply to alfadriver :

you're on speed dial!

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