The title of this blog post is somewhat misleading. Mostly because it's so one-sided. Because I LOVE this car. It's gorgeous and classically styled, it sounds absolutely fantastic, it turns heads, it corners flat. It's just such a pleasure to drive, and it makes me want to drive.
This weekend really finally felt like summer despite being mid-March, the kind of weather that reminds me why I love living in So Cal. It was absolutely beautiful, and I spent Saturday driving up the Pacific Coast Highway to have lunch with a buddy and then just to DRIVE.
It was an extremely windy and blustery day, so the PCH was mercilessly free of other cars. I tried to walk on the beach but was turned back by the cold and powerful wind. I'm happy to report that CHP presence was happily at a minimum as well.
So I drove it all the way up past County Line, enjoying the graceful curves of the road and the sound of the wind and the V8, stopping at a few beaches just to look out at the angry, choppy waves and the kite surfers. (Have I mentioned that I love this car? It rained for about 5 minutes this weekend, so I even hand-washed it on Monday.)
Now the bad things, of which there are few. I'm a big guy. 6'1, about 205 pounds. And there is simply no way for me to get in and out of this car with the slightest bit of grace. If I'm in my garage so the door doesn't open fully, I get leg cramps bending my leg around to get out of it. Sometimes it involves bracing my upper body with the side of the car. A side part of that is that the pedals are so far offset to the right and I have size 13 feet, so sometimes I can actually feel the steering column when I'm turning the wheel to park.
As I mentioned in a previous blog post, this car always seems to attract attention. This is often positive, because people love to ask about it (and of course I sometimes tell them it's mine), and occasionally negative. You are also pretty much a cop magnet, because you're driving a RED FERRARI with an incredibly loud engine. They all want to pull you over.
And yes, without fail, every single time I drive this car, at least ONCE A DAY someone calls me "Magnum." This is despite my lack of Hawaiian shirt, Tigers baseball cap, curly disco hair or, thankfully, mustache. Doesn't seem to matter. Seriously. Once a day at least.
But it's a small price to pay.
Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor, @ 52,380 miles
genius163 says:
01:12 PM, 03/18/08
Next time, keep going until you pass Mugu Rock. You missed the best curves.
funkymunky says:
01:31 PM, 03/18/08
Actually, we turned around just past the navy base. I misspoke.
ahightower says:
01:44 PM, 03/18/08
Sounds like someone "gets it". And glad to know it's now reliable enough (or you're brave enough) to just go for a long drive without worrying about being stranded.
funkymunky says:
01:51 PM, 03/18/08
It likes me. I like it. I never have any problems with it. No overheating, no nothin.' I rev it high and tear through turns. That's what it's designed for.
dougtheeng says:
02:12 PM, 03/18/08
You should be proud to be compared to Magnum.
SubyTrojan says:
02:39 PM, 03/18/08
Cool photo, Doug! Scott and Kurt better watch out! j/k
louiswei says:
04:24 PM, 03/18/08
I guess this is a question to Inside Line editors...
Have you guys thinking about taking the 308 to the track? Maybe the M3 as well? I know there are a few track days coming up.
gossard267 says:
06:46 PM, 03/18/08
I'm curious what kind of feedback, if any, you get from other Ferrari owners regarding your car. Obviously the average rube on the street thinks it's great, but how does it stack up in the eyes of those who might be at least a bit more educated on the brand?
aps2 says:
08:26 PM, 03/18/08
Doug,
Don't forget, this is a slow, old, tatty unreliable car that has the shift pattern displayed incorrectly on the shift knob...
huyracing says:
09:35 PM, 03/18/08
its still a cool car, no matter what people think. many people don't have actual passion for the cars they drive, its just a status symbol to them. those people would probably look down on this car, but their opinion isn't worth much. true enthusiasts love cars no matter what brand, age, and price.
daytona_500 says:
09:44 PM, 03/18/08
I'd like to see a formal comparison between the Ferrari and the M3 sometime. They're both the same price and have the same purpose so I think it would be more meaningful than Ferrari vs. Kia...
louiswei says:
09:49 PM, 03/18/08
"but their opinion isn't worth much"
Last I checked, their opinions (and money) are just about as good as yours and mine.
billymay says:
10:03 PM, 03/18/08
Wow, I actually can't gripe this time. Thank you for posting real driving impressions -- I was getting used to Magnum jokes and people explaining that they would have take the Ferrari that it might have broken. Driving an open-topped Ferrari in SoCal is one of life's automotive pleasures. Whatever you paid for the last service, it's always worth it when you rev the engine on a great coastal or mountain road out here.
You're right about those pedals and the doors -- it helps to be short and thin to drive one of these cars. They look incredibly cool because they're short cars, but that's no illusion: they ARE short cars. If anyone reading is considering buying one, you do need to sit in the car before getting too excited. Much beyond 6'0" and things get a bit too snug.
I don't get 'Magnum' comments in my black 328, but the car does attract a lot of attention. I really have no desire for a red one -- love what I've got!
308guy says:
07:12 AM, 03/19/08
"It likes me. I like it. I never have any problems with it. No overheating, no nothin.' I rev it high and tear through turns. That's what it's designed for."
Nicely said! Finally an editor at Edmunds that gets what this car was designed for.
BTW... unless you are Kimi or Schuey or Ruebens or some other experienced driver with more than average skill almost any M3 from an E36 on will run circles around a 308 GTS on a track...
And I disagree daytona 500. A M3 vs 308 is like apples vs oranges. Different cars different purposes entirely. Go drive them and you will understand.
umsneeze says:
01:05 PM, 03/19/08
I'll speak for myself (not necessarily other Ferrari fans) and say that the 308 does not have the performance of the newer cars (Ferrari or otherwise). What it does have is a direct connection to Enzo Ferrari, being one of the last models he directly had a hand in producing. It has a very mechanical feel to it, and you can feel the road very clearly through the steering wheel, seat, pedals, gearshift. I think it's also reasonable financially speaking. It's not cheap to maintain, but consider that repairing the hydraulic pump for an F1 transmission in the a Ferrari 360/430 can cost $15,000. I don't need a special computer to work on the 308.
As far as the comparison to an M3: M3 and BMW's are meant to be used as high performance daily transportation. I doubt this was ever planned during 308 development. I consider the BMW's to be like your normal dinner. The Ferrari is the big piece of chocolate cake you enjoy once a week with your meal.
huyracing says:
12:46 PM, 03/20/08
louiswei, opinions of the ill-informed/ closed-minded are not worth much to anyone. people will gladly take your money, but not stupid opinions.