[Shane]

Hello all,

I have located a 1986 GTS that is in my area and the color combo I want. See below description....he is asking 39.9K.....any input on the details of the belt change...costing etc. I am trying to come up with an offer...


Thanks guys...


Shane

1986 Ferrari 328 GTS Colors: Rosso Corsa / Tan. Delivered new by: San Diego Ferrari Dealer, Symbolic Motors of La Jolla 7/86. Miles: 28785. Owners: 2- California. Current meticulous owner of 18 years. Service History: Factory coupons through 15,000 miles, 1992. Later services performed by qualified local Independent Ferrari shops. Major service 6,000 miles ago. New owner should consider cam belt change. Valve adjust not necessary. Paint and Body: Factory original paint. No dents, scratches or blemishes. Garage kept. No sun damage. Perfect clear glass, no marks anywhere on the entire car. Interior: As factory, no redye work, very clean. One small wear mark on drivers side bolster, easily touched up if it bothers you. No dash marks or console marks. Everything works. Accessories: All books, all tools, factory trouble light. Comes with 2 sets of keys and service records. Overall: Investment grade

[tazandjan]

Shane- Sounds perfect and needing a major is actually a strong point to me. You can have your own mechanic do the work and you will know it was done to your satisfaction, including checking valve clearances. I much prefer the concave wheels on the early 328s to the convex wheels with ABS.

[Shane]

Thanks Terry,

He says he has dropped the price from 44K to 39K and does not want to drop further. I want to offer him a fair price as the car seems sound...I will have a PPI done before I go any further....

Any down sides of the early 328's as opposed to the later ones with ABS? None have power sterring I believe....

[Barry]

Sounds good Shane. Have you a link to the advert so we can have a look?

[Shane]

Stand by Barry....

[tazandjan]

Shane- I have never owned a 328, but did have a 308 GTS for three years and they do not need power steering. Because of the layout, relatively little weight is on the front tires, and the cars are easy to steer even at very low speeds, even with relatively wide tires. My fronts were 205/55 16s. The 348 did not have power steering, either, and weighed quite a bit more than a 328 and the steering is still very manageable. Completely different from the steering on my old Daytona, which was heavy at low speeds, but the car weighed quite a bit more.

For what sounds like a very nice car, $39K seems very reasonable. If I were him, I would have had the major done and asked $50K if the car is in as good shape as he says.

PPI her and here is hoping you end up with a new car soon at a very reasonable cost. Good 328s are pretty much finished depreciating, so you should just have maintenance costs about which to worry, and they are not bad on a 328. No engine-out belt changes makes a big difference.

[Shane]

Many thanks gents,

I have read all I can I think....any ball parks on what the service will cost? Even if it was not due I would be leaning towrads one anyway to have a starting point for my ownership. I plan to ask in a reduction in the price to compensate me for the due service....

He says the car is very clean.....this owner has had it for the past 18 years...dry engine top and bottom...no leaks and good air con etc.

[Shane]

Photos Here. https://picasaweb.google.com/groberts52

[Saint Bastage]

39.9 seems high but I don't follow 328's. I would have guessed at 35K. Is it a special 328? Are 328's now fetching more than 348's? What is "investment grade"? Do you plan on driving it or maintaining the "investment" status? I'll deffer to the others here.

[tazandjan]

Shane- Looks very nice and clean. Good luck. The $5K he lowered the price is probably a good estimate of a major service where you live, including a four wheel alignment.

[Shane]

I am new so I dont know much but I am guseeing all that was fluff to boost the car....does not seem to be anything sepcial just an early 328...

[Barry]

Looks lovely. Are the alloys the orginal wheel, resprayed?

Terry would a major service incl. belts really cost $5K there? On the GT4 here a belt service I'd be hoping for less than €1K with a specialist and a little more with a dealer.

[tazandjan]

Barry- That may be a little high, but I am assuming he lives in California and labor rates tend to be much higher than in the UK. I was including major items like all belts, water pump rebuild, cams degreed (not necessary if the last one was done by the same mechanic and properly marked), valve adjustment, alignment, etc, plus all the other 30K checks.

Maybe a California 328 owner or Brian Crall can chime in on a more realistic cost. If he lives near Brian, Brian has been known to throw in a chauffeured ride and a bottle of wine to sweeten up the deal.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Shane

Thanks Terry,

He says he has dropped the price from 44K to 39K and does not want to drop further. I want to offer him a fair price as the car seems sound...I will have a PPI done before I go any further....

Any down sides of the early 328's as opposed to the later ones with ABS? None have power sterring I believe....

I have worked on them since new and I hate the ABS system in the 328. They used to go off on me just driving around the parking lot at the dealer. When we got our 328 I purposly looked for a late non ABS car.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Barry

Terry would a major service incl. belts really cost $5K there?

Often more even at independants. A 328 is an old car now and they never just need a by the book service.


Price comparisons between the US and Europe for service work on these cars is totally pointless. Our costs in every way are far higher. For one thing a good mechanic in any of the large metro areas of either coast is going to cost his employer at or near six figures all up. Parts here are higher and facility related overheads are astronomical.

We don't have sweatshops here.

[Brian]

Except for the paint job on the wheels it looks good. All books, tools & work light is there.

Usually cars that have not had owners that care about them will be missing some or all of that stuff.


One thing to look for on an early car (one reason I got a late one). Have a look at the front hood right at the attachment point for the hood strut. Often the hood would get kinked or even cracked there from someone forgetting to push on the button to lower the lid.


Make sure you test the operation of the heater temp, vent controls on the center console. The early ones were troublesome and they are expensive to replace. The door mirrors are a bit of a collectors item as well.

I think the price is fair. If it checks out condition wise get it.

[Shane]

Ok gents.....went to see it and it is over the top clean.....big service was done 6K ago, he is recomending the belts be changed due to calendar time not milage. My potential Ferrari mech says he can swap them for approx 1300 to 1500 USD.
Brian i looked it over well and the body work is sound hood and boot are fine...he knew how to close them and gave me the lesson and same advice.

I started it and it started right up from dead cold and sounded right. Windows are same speed up and down, head lights come up and go down together...ALL lights everywhere worked. Only drawback is a few paint chips and it appears from what I can read the orginal clutch is still installed.......otherwise it is beautiful machine. According to the owner the dealership that sold the car had two cars wheels polished and painted this way....I did not like them in the photos but in person they are fine.

He is not game for another price reduction but I think the car is worth this price after seeing it.... it has been on the market for 6 months and starting price was 48K.....I will likely buy it if the PPI checks out ok.

[Brian]

Originally Posted by Shane

Ok gents.....went to see it and it is over the top clean.....big service was done 6K ago, he is recomending the belts be changed due to calendar time not milage. My potential Ferrari mech says he can swap them for approx 1300 to 1500 USD.
Brian i looked it over well and the body work is sound hood and boot are fine...he knew how to close them and gave me the lesson and same advice.

I started it and it started right up from dead cold and sounded right. Windows are same speed up and down, head lights come up and go down together...ALL lights everywhere worked. Only drawback is a few paint chips and it appears from what I can read the orginal clutch is still installed.......otherwise it is beautiful machine. According to the owner the dealership that sold the car had two cars wheels polished and painted this way....I did not like them in the photos but in person they are fine.

He is not game for another price reduction but I think the car is worth this price after seeing it.... it has been on the market for 6 months and starting price was 48K.....I will likely buy it if the PPI checks out ok.

I didn't mean to write that the wheels do not look good. I meant to say it all looks original except the wheels. I have seen that treatment on a number of cars. Not my thing but if you like it we are both right.

Your mechanic is in a good ballpark on the belts. I hate to have people tell their mechanics what to do, it is not always welcome but I advise against factory tensioner bearings. Get Hill bearings from Ricambi America.

If you get it have fun. It looks like a good car.

[wetpet]

Shane, where can you get it for 1500? i'm seeing minimum 3.5k plus "while you are in there. Remember there is more than just taking the belts off and putting new ones on. when was the last major done? mine is going on seven years.

[Killer58]

Looks like a great car Shane. Only thing I'd add to the above advice pertains to the seller's comment about 'investment'. The only thing you'll be investing in is FUN.