1984 Ferrari 308: Problems We'll Never Fix

I am still asking the same question...
 
Would you Edmunds editors think that the car is still worth it if the repair cost comes out of YOUR OWN pocket?
 
Harsh? Maybe. When it comes to money I am always harsh...

How much is the turn signal lens?

Maybe you all can find some orange Saran Wrap for the right front turn signal lens.
 
Driving around SoCal without a horn may mean the inevitable will happen sooner than later courtesy of fellow motorists/idiots.
 
Scott, you should start giving out some bottles of Haterade to the 308's detractors.
 
http://www.warpedtoys.com/images/product_images/haterade.gif

I vote to have the horn replaced by one of those squeeze "aaah-ooooga" type horns that we'll bolt to the driver mirror.
 
Or we should mount a large speaker inside the front of the car, and have a recording of Tom Selleck screaming "Higggggins!!!"

Good ones, James! How about a horn that loudly plays the Magnum, P.I. theme song!

I think that a lot of the apparent 'hate' is due to the fact that when there's a problem with the Ferrari, it seems that Edmunds just treats it like it's a regular car on the LT fleet. i.e you take it into the shop, do not seem to do any research on what could have happened, and blindly cut a check to and for whatever the mechanics tell you. This may work with a car that is under warranty where the costs are not out of your own pocket per se, even though that is still of little help to the reader (your experiences are meant to educate us, not make us think that you get ripped off everywhere you go eg the Honda dealer with the Fit).
But a 'real' owner of a used 308 would almost likely be an enthusiast and hobbyist who will get down and dirty and understand the workings of his car so that he does not get taken by the local garage. Edmunds only partially plays this part by buying the old, used Ferrari, but then the apparent indifference as to the cause and effect of the problems seems to be leaving many readers wanting, and thus the 'hate'.

Why do you have to make so much sense, Huss? It's Friday!

I'd strongly consider getting that horn fixed. It can mean the difference between life and death if you get into the blind spot of a large SUV and he rolls over you because you weren't able to honk him back into his own lane.

You need a horn. Remember there are old people out there that have to be herded.

Who proofreads the EIC's blog entries? Then we wouldn't be seeing whole in place of hole.

just a thought. being that its a ferrari, i would think that it would hold some sort of value to the people that drive it, more so than just any new tester car.
people who own them seek the perfection in them, a 308 is no exception.
if a light busts, they fix it. if the horn breaks, they fix it. scratch it, and it gets buffed out. keep it as new and cherry as possible. but the real difference is, the 308 being tested isnt owned by one, heartful enthusiast who cares about his car as much as he does his own family. it's being tested by many journalists. the connection between ONE man and ONE machine isnt there, so it's not a big deal.
 
the only real issue here is actually a safety issue, which would be the horn. i would have to agree that it's needed for that idiot driver that doesnt look before he commits in some illegal act because he is in a hurry.

i'm not a hater, but, i never get some things with very expensive exocitics. all the repairs.
 
maninatance thats required frequenatly. almost compelelty un-depenable. when your car costs big bucks, i'd expect quality. but sometimes it appears you pay more for the name, then anything else.
 
so you drive an old ferrari, and old beat up, worn out car, that only the few handle full of car geeks can like, while the rest of the world beats you in their honda civic

do what you must do and get a horn that plays the "Dukes of Hazzard" theme! Priceless opportunity!

Wow that side turn signal lens looks like something that costs $5 at Home Depot. It looks so basic.

I've never used my horn (come to think of it, I don't even know what it sounds like), but I would certainly get it fixed if I knew it were broke. It's not a complicated system and should be a very cheap fix ($5 horn, $2 of wire, and 10 minutes of time).

esterka on the ferrari, it will require ferrai wire (kind of like monster cables)
 
and ferrai parts. that cost at least 10-20x what the should. so that 5 dollar horn will be at least 100 dollars, but then add the 3x age mark up and its 300 dollars,

At least it'll be easy to replace the bulb if it burns out.

Well, this is just more proof that Ferraris were never meant for mere mortals to own, or at least not mere mortals without deep pockets.
 
While I too get shivers running down my spine whenever I hear the sound of a Ferrari running through the gears, I also get the same feeling when hearing a 2-wheeled crotch rocket running through the gears. My guess is the sport bike will be far more reliable, although road rash (or worse) is often a constant companion.
 
So you take your choice: repeated visits to the Ferrari doctor, or to your own doctor...
 
Finally, someone put in a vote for Edmunds picking up a used NSX. Sounds like a good idea to me, and I think it would be very interesting in comparing the cost of ownership of that vehicle (and fun factor too) with that of the Ferrari.

NSX!

altimadude00, that's a Ferrari bulb. So if it's normally $1, this particular bulb will cost $300.

Billt - That's not including labor. I'd estimate this to be a 2.25 hour project, totally somewhere around $450. Including parts, that brings the total to around $750. Of course that particular bulb must be made in an Italian glasshouse, so expect 6 weeks.

Definition - Heap: A car whose parts are allowed to stay broken through lack of owner interest...

So how much would Ferrari actually charge for a replacement turn signal cover?
Or Are the pieces of broken plastic still __inside__ the existing cover?
 
And not having a horn is flirting with disaster in S. Calif., home of the world's most aggressive drivers.

rsholland: The NSX, 300ZX, Supra Turbo, Corvette, Mitsu 3000GT and whatever else will all be cheaper to run than a Ferrari.
 
From your comment, I'd guess you haven't owned a Ferrari, or driven one. Most of us who own them bought good cars (for a lot more than $25K) and really don't have them in the shop all that often. Mine was in once this past year -- oil/gear oil/coolant flush and brake fluid was due for change. I also had new tires put on ($550/four).
 
In some ways, this l-t test reminds me of the Top Gear special where the hosts each went out and bought a '70s supercar (Ferrari, Lambo, Maserati) for $10K and had a series of disasters during their drive. You can almost hear the Camry owner watching the show and saying, 'ah, yep, told you the Toyota was the best car.'

I'll second the NSX idea.

I vote the third for the NSX. That was a fantastic car when it was introduced in 1991 here. Finally, a super car that had solid reliability and a sophisticated purity that only a F1 driver could have tuned into it. Honda will definitely have a job trying to ever make the next NSX the passionate car the previous one was.

billymay (or Scott), does the 308 use Maserati air horns? My old Alfa did, and I thought they were fairly common on higher end Italian cars.

billymay
 
"From your comment, I'd guess you haven't owned a Ferrari, or driven one."
 
Being a "mere mortal," you are correct—but I have owned some high-revving sport bikes. Much cheaper. Much more reliable (and no lingering road rash to speak of); and as much, if not more fun.

Nuttin' compares to riding a current superbike. There's no such thing as fast compared to these things. Acceleration is like hitting the light speed button on the Millenium Falcon.

Another thought. Edmunds is setting really poor legal judgements with their recent postings. They show photos of cars speedos at 140mph on public roads. They show bust out turn signals and mention broken horns. These things are required by law to be operative for a car to be street legal.
It also demonstrates a certain laissez faire attitude that really is unprofessional.
Hey, why not shoot up a street sign (another crime) and all it a day? Oh, you guys already did that...

Anyone remember my last post about the Ferrari, where I invited guesses on when the Ferrari would have a problem next? I predicted 2 months, but it turned out be something like 2 days!!
 
A broken turn signal isnt the Ferrari's fault, but the horn sure is. Even though most people dont use the horn regularly, its important to have one that works.

" Honda will definitely have a job trying to ever make the next NSX the passionate car the previous one was."
 
I agree and disagree.
 
Why I agree: The replacements concept has certainly steered away from the original New Sportscar eXperimental (NSX) formula as its a FR/SH-AWD setup. On that note I dont think of the new car as a direct replacement for the NSX. Its too bad Shigeru Uehara (chief engineer of the original NSX/S2000) wont be around to develop the new car as his last project was the S2000 CR. =(
 
Why I disagree: Given that the new JDM Civic Type R sedan is popping off lap times within a second of the NSX Type-S @ Tskuba it makes me think. If Honda can produce an economy based car with only a normally aspirated 225hp 2.0L that can nip at the ankles of one of the best handling sports cars ever produced then how far will/can they raise the new cars performance levels?
 
I also want to add that in the last few years, the performance oriented Honda cars have been given a breath of life. The S2000 of course recieved the track worthy CR edition. The current Civic Si has found its roots as the last Civic Si was a pure performance dud. It didnt even have a true DOHC i-VTEC engine! The current JDM Civic Type R is the best FF Type R model to date. It easily beat the snot out of the last Civic based JDM DC5 (RSX) Integra Type R even though the drivetrains are similar. As of now, Im not sure what Honda....errr Acura will bring to the table. I actually think Honda should build their own sports car a true NSX replacement, and Acura should stick to the current FR/SH-AWD concept.
 
Currently if you want a 2008 Honda NSX you need to go to the Audi dealer and order an R8!

Y'know, let's keep a bit of perspective here:
 
First, this is now getting to be a twenty-four-year-old car. Things happen. Connections corrode, parts decay, upkeep is a reality of life. The core of the car is still in great shape, tho.
 
Second, it was bought for a bargain price without the benefit of a thorough inspection, which every person who ever claimed to be a Ferrari authority says is essential. Some things should have been tested and fixed earlier, some things apparently crop up with time. It happens.
 
Third, for the love of humanity, it's a Ferrari. The next thing out of every self-anointed Prancing Horse guru's mouth is that these cars are meant to be driven, preferably fast, preferably for long distances - so do it. One of my standing frustrations is that everyone who writes about this machine treats it like a hybrid of a Faberge egg and a hand grenade and can't bear to run up the odometer. It's not some delicate little gem that's going to explode if it's not back home before sunset. If it's running well right now, please, do something good with it. Go up to Washington on Highway One for a great salmon dinner at a winery. Go out around Lake Tahoe. Plan a run to the jazz festival in New Orleans. Drive the thing like God and Enzo intended. The car as a whole would probably benefit mightily from the exercise, be it the Italian tuneup element or just the chance for the fuel system and electronics to do what they do for a good stretch of time.
 
If you don't, I'd be happy to do it for you.
 
And please fix the light and the horn while you're at it. That's just disrespectful.

Let me add another perspective. I replaced my tailight bulb on my 308. It took a whole $2.00 and 5 minutes of my time wandering through the car parts section at Walmart. The switch on the radiator the turns the electric cooling fans went out. 10 minutes of internet research found it matched one that is a generic European can part. It cost $20 and about 30 minutes of my time to fix. With some research, and a good honest mechanic these cars aren't the nightmare being portrayed. And as far as the wow factor, the driving experience is like nothing else. Maybe a hot hachback is faster, but it's still just a civic/WRX/etc that in 25 years nobody will want to own.

Excellent points umsneeze. But asking Edmunds to invest that kinda time is a bit much. Remember, these are the guys that apparently see a puddle on the seat of their Jeep Wrangler and then decide to sit in it instead of getting a towel.

my post got lost.
 
but you guys do relize that a honda civic si would hang around with this car?
 
edmunds testing put the civic si numbers both new, and after 20k, within a hair if not on the dot of the ferrai's when it was brand new.
 
along the lines of
 
0-60 both in the 6.9 range
1/4 in the 15.1/.2 range.

But how would a 1984 Civic do against a 1984 Ferrari 308?

they didn't buy this car in 1984.
 
thats like saying you brought your best sword to a gun fight.

Why not fix these problems?! I did a very brief search on the Internet and immediately found replacement parts readily available. $87.25 is not exactly out of line for a replacement turn signal cover. I am sure fixing the horn will be no problem as well. Both items are safety related, not to mention required for street legal operation. I wonder how much a ticket for a broken turn signal might be in California?

It really doesn't matter about any of the costs, the alternatives, because in the end this car has a Prancing Horse on a Yellow background. Would I drive it for my daily driver? Nope. Would I own one? Absolutely. So, lighten up all bean counters - this is about the unapproachable idea of Ferrari. You can't get it in any other car. I wanted to type except this or that (Bugatti) but they don't measure up because of the opening entry and the cultural significance of this particular vehicle. If you're not following, go back and read the intro.