1st time buyer

mick dipple · May 26, 2002

hi there ,my name is mick and will be a first time ferrari buyer.my prefrence is the 308 gt4. for $31000, which should be in awsom shape. my wife & i plan to trade our 1991 jaguar xjs with 40000 miles on for a new weekend driver .I will proberly still only drive about 3500 miles per year.Am i right in thinking that the 308gt/4 would be in better shape & more reliable than a 1982-3 308gts\i for the same money p.s. my wife christi thinks my next choice of car will be a maintance nightmare . Look forward to any feedback,thanks mick..

Magoo · May 27, 2002

Buying 308 GT4

Mick, Before you buy the car have a professional Ferrari tech. check the car out for you. It may cost you a few hundred bucks but it is well worth it. There are many areas that are not obvious to the average car buyer. A Ferrari is a beautiful thing and a work of art, but they are high maintenance vehicles. It is great if you can do some of the maintenance and repairs yourself. I gotta tell you that you are paying all the money for that car and a few bucks more. It should be flawless. I don't get your comparison to the later 82-83 GTSi cars unless you are referring to carb. versus fuel injection. Anyway, you are paying all the money for the car so be sure it is a solid car. Magoo. P.S. I think you could get the car for less if you offered less. This guy, Dealer, whoever has to know that they are asking above what that car would go for.

mick dipple · May 29, 2002

1st

Hi magoo,thanks for the feedback.My refrence to the 308gts & 308gtsi was this,for around $30000 the gt/4 should be a much more supeior car in overall condition, do you agree. I have photos of gt/4 people have sent me that are for sale from around low $20000 and they relley look average at best.One example i got was from hemmings motor news may 2002 ,79gt/4,18000 miles,photos look flawless,$32500.I have also seen photos of a 1975 gt/4,68000 miles,$30000 that looked beautifull. Im not saying that thoes cars are inexspensive,but the cheaper ones relley did not look like they were cared for.Look forward to your response,Mick.

Magoo · May 29, 2002

308 GT4

Mick, I have a very low mileage 79 308 GTS. I love it. and would not trade it for a early FI car. The carbs., with no computers, sensors or other engine electronics and also the styling is why I bought the car. I agree I wouldn't want a early FI car but the style is up to you.

mick dipple · May 30, 2002

Magoo,I will defentley have a ferrari tec check out the car. can you answer the question about weather a gt4 at $30000 would be a more solid car than a 82 gts or gtsi for the same money. .By the way i just love the 308gtb,yes sir............But my wife absolutley hates that shape,so were getting a gt/4.Did you check out hemmings motor news,what part of the country are you from.I was on here a few nights ago and came across atopic where this ladey had photos of changing her oil with a vac pump,changing her clutch and such but i can not seam to find the right place to find her again,can you give me directions as i am so usless on the computer than you mick.

Andrew · May 30, 2002

vacum pump

Mick,
I know exactly what site you are talking about and when I track it down I'll post it on here. However, I do not think the method they suggest in that tutorial is a wise method. I would change the oil the old fashioned way and drain it instead of using a vacum.

Andrew · May 30, 2002

Here are the links you are looking for.
http://www.expensivecar.com/EasyOilChange.htm

and
http://www.expensivecar.com/ofsm.htm

mick dipple · May 31, 2002

Enzo,thankyou for the do it your self web site.Magoo are you going to be at seabring racetrack august 3rd-4th for the ferrari day,perhaps we could get together,Mick

Magoo · Jun 1, 2002

308 GT4

Mick, The $30,000 is all the money for that car. But if you care for it more than the GTS-B styling then the GT4 will be your choice. It is hard for me to make a choice for you. As I said before the 79 carb GTS was my choice over all of them and I would pick a carb car any day over the early FI cars. If I had a second choice it would be the carb. GTB. As for Sebring, I will be out of town during that time. Good luck in your choices. Maybe we can get together some other time. Best Regards, Magoo

'75 308 GT4 (Peter) · Jun 2, 2002

I agree about the vacuuming method being insufficiant for any kind of vehicle.

I know for a fact it would be completely useless for the 308, as the oil-pan has built into it, baffles (which keep the oil from sloshing around in the sump), these baffles would limit the extent of reach for the vacuum hose. As well, the sludge usually gets trapped on the opposite side of the sump from the dip-stick tube. The best way to clean out the sludge is to drop the pan... requires some effort and other components to be removed.

As for that GT4 price: The days are long gone for $30000+ GT4's. It would have to be a '79 sunroof car with less than 5000mi (documented) and it would have to be IMMACULATE... :wink:

Mick · Jun 2, 2002

>>As for that GT4 price: The days are long gone for $30000+ GT4's. It would have to be a '79 sunroof car with less than 5000mi (documented) and it would have to be IMMACULATE...<<

To me, a perfect GT4 would have to be an European GT4. The European version has very small front and rear bumpers and because of that, it looks much better than the US version. I don't know about GT4 in Canada. I hope they don't have the US style bumpers. See the attachment for comparison.

mick dipple · Jun 3, 2002

From one Mick to another Mick how are you thanks for your input. I to used to like the euro style but have grown to love both."I kid you not"..Peter i apreceaite you telling me that $32500 is all the money for the car i looked at ,but this was a 79, sunroof,18000 miles and the photos looked flawless. Of course i would have to fly and see the car,ect,ect. PLEASE,PLEASE,PLEASE if you guys hear about a beautifull gt/4,well you know who is looking,thankyou Mick.Peter i can not find the photos in the garage of your gt4. Can you walk me through it as i am so slow on the computer thankyou...

Andrew · Jun 3, 2002

ferrari pics

Mick,
Its my fault the pictures of his car are not showing up but it should be fixed shortly. Also, did you figure out how to delete the 'Better than...' line below your post which you had asked about earlier?

'75 308 GT4 (Peter) · Jun 3, 2002

To the first Mick:
Yes, the Canadian GT4's had the US bumpers. I actually like the US bumpers, I find that the Euro ones make the nose of the car look "stubby". But I must admit the rear Euro bumper looks great.

To Mick Dipple:
I have fixed my pictures and they are now there in the "Garage" section, see them in my post: "My 1975 308 GT4".
I still think that's too much money for a GT4. Who and where is this car being sold? (you can email this info privately).

Mick · Jun 3, 2002

mick dipple said:
....Of course i would have to fly and see the car,ect,ect....

Mick, check out this article for tips on buying a used Ferrari.

http://www.ferrariclub.com/faq/308_buy.html

mick dipple · Jun 4, 2002

Hi Enzo, no i did not find out how to erase the better than line.. And to peter i will e-mail you the info about the car, thankyou guys,Mick.P.S. Peter,nice looking ferrari . a gentlemen sent me some photos of a 308gt/4 the same exterior colour with cream interior. Looked fairly nice,he wants $23000,needs proper tires,the owner recomends cam belt change and car has no smog or emmisions 12000 miles only.and it has had a respray with overspray,Mick

Andrew · Jun 4, 2002

mick dipple said:
Hi Enzo, no i did not find out how to erase the better than line..

I took care of it for you

'75 308 GT4 (Peter) · Jun 4, 2002

Mick Dipple:
I got your email, I'll reply to it later. This car you just described I feel is too much $ as well! Why? If you'll have a dealer or an independant shop do the cam-belt change, that's a four-figure cost (don't know how much exactly).

GT4 (and other 308's as well) emissions equipment are unobtainium and if they are avaliable, it too will be expensive to get. That's assuming where you are, they do emissions testing, or if you're lucky, the car would be old enough to qualify as "Vintage" and you wouldn't need to.

Whatever the case, the cambelts and emissions parts missing are good reasons to knock a bit off that price.

mick dipple · Jun 4, 2002

Peter your thoughts are as mine on the $23000 gt/4. Ive heard that the 30000 mile service would run between $3ooo-$4500 depending on a few things.I have also read that a car with the age of a gt/4 with less than 30000 miles should have the cam belts changed as a precaution, unless the owner can show proof that he or she has taken care of that problem,thankyou Mick.. P.S. THANKS ENZO your a wizzard.

'75 308 GT4 (Peter) · Jun 9, 2002

Yes, the cambelts should've been changed at least imediately before the sale, or within a couple of years before this sale. Any longer and walk away! (or at least buy the car, less the cost of the 30K service and don't start it/drive it until after).

1st time buyer

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