Ferrari cliche #1: Gated shifters are hard to use.
The reality: Hogwash. The 308's shifter engages gears more positively than many modern cars. Slop-free. And I dig the clack-clack sound. It requires a deliberate action, though, and gearchanges are never lightning-fast.
Ferrari cliche #2: Italian ergonomics are a nightmare.
The reality: Yes. The "Hey, Luigi!" long-arms / short-legs driving position doesn't work if that physique also includes a long torso, else your hairdo becomes a hairdon't and the steering wheel blocks half the gauges.
The locations of all secondary controls (and most of the primary ones) are horrifically poor, no doubt. And the logic of their operation--push the switch "up" to lower the window?--can be flat-out confounding.
Here's the thing, though. Much of the switchgear is a joy to operate. The turn signal, a/c switch, and many of the ancillary rockers have an uncommonly satisfying mechanical feel. No slop, short travel, and a positive, moderately high-effort.
Ferrari cliche #3: It's a Ferrari. That means it's fast.
The reality: Erm… no.
Ferrari cliche #4: It's a Ferrari. That means it's sporting.
The reality: In its day, sure. That was a long time ago. Today, the brakes' initial bite is as though the pads were replaced with plywood, and there's a Sicily-sized dead spot in the steering. Plus, it's got the chassis stiffness of lasagna.
At speed, the slow, heavy steering comes into its own and the stability at 90+ mph is great. The engine makes good Italian noises and churns away with surprising smoothness. It's short-geared--80 mph is 4100 rpm in top gear. Still, it's not the kind of car that incites jackassery.
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
SubyTrojan says:
10:57 AM, 06/28/07
Great entry, Jason!
7driver says:
10:49 PM, 06/28/07
Yes, definitely a great blog entry! Thank you very much. I was starting to get tired of reading about key fobs, old cassette tapes and TV detectives.
scott65 says:
11:09 PM, 06/28/07
Great entry. This is the pros and cons of owning an old exotic I was looking forward to hear, not just fluff pieces about how the car looks or what people say in parking lots.
desmolicious says:
01:43 PM, 06/29/07
I wonder if it's wear an' tear that causes the big dead spot in the steering? Only way to tell is either 1/ try a much lower mileage model or b/ ask other owners or iii/ dig up old magazine tests from the era.
billymay says:
07:34 PM, 07/ 3/07
You might check your steering rack - mine doesn't have much play at all.
And yes, the gated shifter is perfect. Now when I drive manual gearboxes without one I miss the authoritative feel of Ferrari's design.
fast911ray says:
02:08 PM, 07/18/07
I have to say that after owning three Ferraris, I'd never make that mistake again. Of the three, our 1993 308GTSIQV was the worst of the lot. Anemic motor, cheap mechanicals like stamped steel suspension wishbones, off the shelf cast iron calipers, Fiat switch gear and probably the most unreliable car I've ever owned..and I've owned more than seventy.
The tale of woe began when my late wife Carole surprised me with a low milage 308 on my 50th birthday, 08 august 1990. I had been a Ferrari devotee and fanatic since 15 and the 308 was the classic example of " be careful of what you wish for, you just might get it".
I suppose that for those who do not drive their Ferraris with gusto and do not more than a few hundred miles a year, the incredable unreliability will not be an issue. That however was not our situation...we consistently logged at least 12,000 miles yearly on the GTSI..most of them plagued with problems.
Heading a list of just a few of the car's failings are: woefully inadequate A/C, awful brakes..a norm for Ferrari.., flimsy switchgear, inferior cooling system, poorly designed and executed heating system.
At the time Carole and I owned Motodelta European Automobile Service in Chicago, Illinois and serviced several Ferraris. Those cars hardly ever ventured from their storage places, collecting fewer than 1,000 miles annualy.
They too had ridiculous service problems at low mileages..one 308 with clutch failure at 9,000 miles, another 3.2 motor car with a connecting rod punched thru the block at exactly 10,000 miles, and yet another with cracked frame between it's right side rear lower wishbone's mounting points..and still another 85 308 with it's oil pressure well below minimium inspite of having a mere 27,000 miles on the clock...a malady ours suffered from at very nearly the same mileage.
The oil pressure problems stemmed from main/connecting rod bearing wear, something that is unacceptable in modern engines until well into triple digit mileage, but not unusual in Ferrari motors.
The 3.2 rod failure was probably due to the same condition, requiring a replacement motor due to a destroyed engine block.
I could go on for hours recounting the times I'd be stuck in Montreal for several days because something failed. Events like these are commonplace with 348's, 355's..every model bearing the Cavallino Rampante. It;s often been said , "Enzo Ferrari was a conman", and based on my experience with several dozen of the cars wearing his name, I'd be forced to agree.. its true.
After labouring five long years under the yoke of Ferrari ownership we finally made the right move..into Porsches. The ensuing 16 years have been relaxing and uneventful, with more than 260,000 miles passing under our various Porsches wheels with nothing more than 15,000 mile oil, and 40,000 mile plug changes being required. It's good to be home.
yinzer1 says:
12:35 AM, 07/19/07
fast911ray what a great reply!
What are your favorite 911 years? I currently own a s2000 but i WILL own a 911 some day.
fast911ray says:
08:13 AM, 07/19/07
Yinzer..
I think the most satisfying recent cars have to be the type 993 series, powered by the last of the 3.6 litre aircooled motors. So, any example of this version produced between late 1994 and early 1998 will be good..with a slight advantage going to the 'Varioram' equipped models which began arriving in late 1995.