I have looked at quite a few of them lately and I owned my first 308 GTVSI in 1999. First consideration is that their prices are falling fast. Second, most of the owners do not keep them up as they need to be so you are going to do the work they did not. Third, Ferrari has gone more modular recently and the work is actually easier to do than the earlier models. Fourth they have just worked out many of the issues with quality and I personally think that they were having a real problem with that at the factory. The newer cars are built better but nothing they build has the tenacity of any PORSCHE.

PonyBoy

 

Interesting thread. Here's my experience with my '99 360 F1 Modena:

Current mileage is just over 41,000; it has been completely trouble free and reliable it's entire life but also properly maintained. It runs/drives like new and looks almost new. It's been driven approximately 4000 miles/year, and I truly believe the ones that are properly maintained and driven are the trouble-free ones. Those that think a Ferrari is worn out at 30K miles are sadly mistaken and very misinformed (I think they're listening to too many unfounded stories, usually from people that have never even owned a Ferrari). I'm not saying they are cheap to maintain, but my 360 has been every bit as reliable and trouble free as my 993 Carrera S. Conventional wisdom would say my car, at 41k miles, is a "high mileage" car......I strongly disagree. When it gets to 100,000 miles, then it will be "high mileage".

I think the myth of these cars being worn out at such low mileage may be because there are so many with low mileage out there. Remember, the typical Ferrari owner has multiple vehicles, probably spends a great deal of time working and being sufficiently successful to be able to afford one, and therefore doesn't get the time to drive them often. Putting 4000 miles/year on my 360 has been a challenge some years. Believe me, I'd love to drive it much more often, but between work, family and also trying to put some miles on the other toys (Porsche and Alfa) it isn't driven daily.

I've owned other Ferraris in the past 20 years and I've put LOTS of miles on them. I believe my '86 328 had something like 85,000 miles (most of which I put on) when I sold and it ran like a top. These cars can easily reach 100,000 miles and well beyond with proper maintenance and without any engine problems.

Cheers.

 

Good point and it sounds like you do have years of experience as a Ferrari owner.

It use to be very rare to see a Ferrari with over 20K on the odometer but the reason for that was simple because it just took a pull of a wire to make the odometer stop.

I grew up in the Bay Area and between Ferrari of San Francisco, Ferrari of Los Gatos and Ferrari of Walnut Creek you were pretty well screwed.

You do not need to be a rocket scientist to look at a Ferrari (lets say a 308 or 400 series with 15k to 20K on the clock) being torn down in a shop and see 3/8 to 3/4 inch of hard road grease built up on the frame to realize how many miles are actually on it.

Not to mention the frame structure itself. The early cars look like they were built in a high school welding class.

Lets face it the 348, 456 are a POS. The interior shrinks, the plastic is crap and sticky and the only guy that really looks good in one would be Vern Troyer.

I do like the 308, 328, 308GT4 for their very unique style. Love the 12 cylinder for the power but would rather shoot myself in the head instead of getting stuck in traffic in one and for those of you that care your wife could not drive it unless she was built like China or Stallone.

The newer models are better because they need to be but I still have hear negitives about the 430's and you will pay for what you get.

Are there options?...sure depending on what you want to spend. Do you want a great car for less money, then you have many options. From the Galardo (Audi) to the Corvette,,, which by the way would be the Ferrari of El Cajon.

Ferrari is a life style but maybe not everyone's life style. I still love the car but I still love the Countach...and probably too many women I should not have loved either but I guess we all need to figure that out on our own.

Ponyboy

 

No offense but would you mind posting pics of the 360 with 100k on it. Specially pics of the odometer and list ANY non warranty issues the car had.

Ferrari of Dallas told me that a 360 motor is good for 50-60K miles then you will most likely need engine out rebuild. 40-45 hrs of labor.

 

Nonsense.

 

I second that.. where do people come up with this?

I'd like to know the name of the moron in Dallas who told you this.

 

Yeah really, an $85k Modena with 35k on the odo? That's fantasy, or a really dumb buyer.

Like I said earlier, I don't think there is a problem buying a high mileage Ferrari but you guys have to be realistic on the price. Paying over 65k for a car with that much mileage on it is just being ignorant on the market value for cars in that mileage range. I don't care "how well maintained" you think your car is.

 

More Internet misinformation and absolutely absurd!!

 

+1

Inaccurate info can be so misleading...

 

Guys,

I find your one word responses arrogant and ignorant.

If you have something to share then share it. Obviously you are trying to let us know that you possess some knoweldge we are unaware of and I think as a group we are are very inteligent accomplished people trying to learn from others with our same interests.

I have owned Ferraris and several Porsches, several successful business's, lot's of airplanes, have been an accomplished pro athelete for several years while running a business, have a wonderful wife and family that has not beat me with a golf club recently and I still have half of my life ahead of me.

We are all between what we know today and what we will know tomorrow and I think that is any smart person's thought process.

Personally I am just trying to get 100 posts so I can sell my Zone one wheel off my C4S (very nice) with Michillen tires.

So tell us your story and let the fur fly.

Ponyboy

 

only thing holding modena prices are the hords of dealers who've bought them up for cheap at auctions and are trying to monopolize the market to keep prices high. for god's sake you can get a gallardo in the 80s now and I'm sorry it's a newer and MUCH faster car.

 

I will admit, not well versed in F-cars. But what is the average compression ratio in a f-car motor? Have an incredibly tough time believing some of these numbers. I know guys that are running significantly high horsepower(200-300hp) Mk1/2 Rabbits on pretty much stock internals, and they daily-driving these things, without failures.

How can a car that is engineered like a F-car, and built with high horsepower, last so little time when the engine is stock? Are they built out of cheese?

I would incredibly angry if I spent the kind of money it would take to buy a new F-car put 45k miles on it, and have to have it rebuilt. Are these things not race cars? Are they not designed to be driven hard?

 

My apologies. I certainly didn't intend to offend you with my one word reply. My one word response wasn't meant to be arrogant, rather made from a position of first-hand knowledge......not ignorance. Prior to my one word post of "Nonsense" I posted a 3 paragraph/300 word response, which you obviously read. When people with no actual knowledge or experience other than what they read on the internet re-post statements such as *I'd never buy a Ferrari with more than 3k miles*, or *Ferraris have short engine life*, or *360 engines are only good for 40-50k miles then they need a rebuild*, it doesn't deserve anything more than a one word reply. The ignorance is in believeing internet BS over input from actual owners.

Ponyboy, you sound like an intelligent successful person. You know as well as I that no matter how many knowledgable experts or people with real ownership experience post a reply, there will still be those that believe and perpetuate the "nonsense" they read or hear. I'm not going to be able to convince them, nor will I spend too much time attempting to do so.....so you may see more one-word responses from me in the future when I read more of this "nonsense".

Cheers.

 

Ponyboy, the responses are abrupt and direct because the comments made are so ridiculous they do not need to be justified..

Does any adult here believe that the engine on a modern ferrari only lasts 50k miles? wouldn't there be thousands of class action lawsuits over something like this? It's proposterous, that is why you are not seeing detailed long explanations..

There are many high mileage modena's out there.. the reason there are far more high mileage corvettes is simple.. corvettes cost 50k.. modenas when new cost over 200k (add the above sticker price most sold for).. the people that buy these cars usually have at least another car and work for a living.. they do not have the time to put that many miles gallavanting about in the ferrari.. Let me tell you I try to focus on my businesses and still try to drive the ferrari 3-4 times a week and I still will only put 4-6k miles a year on her.. It's hard to make time for it..

Also the modena is less suited as a daily driver than say a TT 997 porsche.. it's just a bit more difficult to use day to day.. (lower ride height.. more rigid)

There are a million reasons why you do not see many high mileage modena's and none of them have to do with engine failures.. You can use this argument to cover all exotic cars, does lamborghini, aston martin, pagani, mclaren, lotus all make cars with engines that blow at 50k miles? beause I do not see many 50k mile examples of those cars up for sale..

rubbish

 

I am also looking at a 27,000 mile 99 360. Thank you for the comments from the people WHO ACTUALLY OWN them. You are a great resource.