i know this sounds like a crazy question, but has anyone ever tried using a ferrari 308 or 328 as a daily driver like we mostly do with our 996s? i've wondered if they are nearly as friendly day to day. i suspect they are WAY more delicate, and would require more maintenance. i just figured some of you guys have given this fantasy a try.

 

An Aston Martin is more reasonable as a DD. Any car is a DD, it all depends on the cash flow you got and what you are willing to put up with comfort wise if money is not a problem!

 

Have you ever driven a 308? Ugh. I have no desire to drive that every day, better off with a 911 from that era.

 

I have talked to a few F owners and no... they tend to break alot I was told. Kinda like an TVR 280i. In fact the one I spoke with was scared to take his 308 from erie to pittsburgh....

AND when I went to the pittsburgh vintage GP.. A few f cars were broken down and they were 308's.. One I remember was spewing collent everywhere

 

They drive like trucks.. but they sound nice.

 

What I have heard the maintenance on these older versions are $$$

I hardly see these driving around in the Hwy/Streets. Usually at car show events in the neighborhood.

I see more 911 owners driving theirs (as I do).

 

My uncle used to drive a Ferrari Dino. I think it was a 306? It was an early 70's model. This was back in the late 80's. He lived in Los Angeles and it was his DD. Didn't even have door locks. Not so practical, broke a lot and cost a fortune to fix. It's really in a different world from P cars. He drove a 356 cab as his DD before that and it was much more practical!

 

Have you ever tried to actually get into a Ferrari 308 or 328? I'm 6'4" and it's a really tight fit. I could never drive that thing every day. I've heard they had to modify the Magnum PI Ferrari specifically so Tom Selleck could drive it since he's tall.

 

For a DD, I would go for a MB SL or Jag XK. Porsche 911 is probably next on the list, but there is a big gap in comfort between the MB and Jag, and the Porsche.

That said, neither of those cars is much fun to drive.

 

they put a 915 gearbox in there as well...

 

I have enjoyed driving both 328s and a 355 over the years. A Testarossa I drove in the late 1990s was quite memorable. But all of these cars required compromises that you just would not want to endure on a daily basis unless your commute is a few miles on the PCH during non-rush hour.

It is generally accepted that the 360 was the first 'practical' Ferrari that could be driven on a regular basis in terms of both reliability and creature comforts like HVAC.

 

you can't say Porsches aren't as comfortable as any MB. I like it when it's said about pcars that they're "perfectly comfortable without being overstuffed in any way." You can't say that about MB or Jag.

 

I have a good amount of seat time in a 308, a 3.2 with a 915 is a 996 compared to a 308.
Not to mention faster.

 

+1

 

Before the 360 the Ferrari's are really very disappointing, soft top is manual, ride is bone jarring hard and because it has no power steering it's a bitch to park!

I ended up going with the 360 spider which is awesome... until the warranty runs out

Even with the warranty if your headers crack (which is common at the welds) the whole damn engine has to be pulled out, the tranny went twice on mine and costs a fortune to fix (+ lots of the labour is not covered by warranty), not to mention it's real hard to find an indy shop which actually knows what there doing so ya end up always paying the over inflated dealer prices... they got ya over a barrel and they know it...

Don't get me wrong, love Ferrari but with the condition of the roads a F as a dd it's just to high in maintenance costs.

Porsche found a way to engineer the best of both worlds... street and track

Now if only they could make it sound like an Ferrari

Sid.