Long-Term Road Tests
1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
June 18, 2008
After a heated bidding war on Ebay, our Ferrari 308 finally sold for an even $30,000. Alex from Texas was the lucky winner, but as excited as he was about the purchase, he was smart enough to know that a 1,000 mile road trip in June wasn't the best way to enjoy the Ferrari's charms.
He sent a truck to pick it up today and we were sad to see it go. Although not everyone on staff fell in love with the Magnum-mobile, it won over more than a few doubters during its year of service in the long-term fleet. We'll have a full wrap up later, but for now, this is your last look at our 308 in California.
Ed Hellwig, Senior Editor @ 53,986 miles
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (23)
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig June 18, 2008, 2:59 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
June 3, 2008
Our 1984 Ferrari 308 GTS Quattrovalvole is now up for auction on Ebay. We've enjoyed it for a year now and loved (almost) every minute of it. Don't miss your chance to own a clean example of an iconic car.
- Permalink | Comments (32)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig June 3, 2008, 4:10 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
May 30, 2008
After months of performing full-body prostrations in front of their desks, the gods of the long-term fleet finally relented last night and gave me the keys to our soon-to-be-sold Ferrari. First impression: Magnum P.I. was riding low. An Integra coupe towered over me when I pulled alongside it, as did a 997 911 Turbo...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (7)
-
- Posted by: SadButTrue May 30, 2008, 12:05 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
May 12, 2008
It's already a known fact that I love driving our 308. Yeah, it's not the most comfortable way to travel, and parallel parking with the manual steering takes more time and muscle than I'm used to. But to me, this is driving distilled to its essence. Hell, I was even moved to write a little poetry about it in one of my posts: http://66.160.188.111/.eea5723.
On a less romantic topic, I felt it was time for a fuel mileage update:
-- Best tank to date: 19.82
-- Worst tank to date: 8.95
-- Lifetime average: 13.9 mpg.
EPA's numbers for a 1985 308 (same car as our '84) -- revised using their more accurate, current methodology -- stand at 9 city / 15 highway / 11 combined. So we're beating their combined figure by almost 3 mpg!
John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 53, 828 miles.
- Permalink | Comments (5)
-
- Posted by: John DiPietro May 12, 2008, 10:15 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
May 5, 2008
I won't soon forget last night's drive in our Ferrari 308 GTSi. I was in a good mood, the 308 had a full tank of gas (I'd made sure of it the day before, twisting and turning the pump every which way to ensure a complete fill), and the night was refreshingly cool. We went for a drive up the coast.
Traffic was light, but the Ferrari got noticed anyway, mainly by an aggressive guy in a 997 911. Obviously, I'd have had no chance of keeping up if he laid into the throttle, but he hung around, no doubt enjoying the car's body lines and the happy sounds it makes following a properly executed heel-and-toe downshift. And that gets at one of things I like about this car: Smooth shifts are all your doing. You're not relying on fancy electronics to help you out.
Later, after the 911 had gone, I let the engine rev to its 7,800-rpm redline before shifting up. I know this isn't a quick car by today's standards, but there's still a definite sense of speed. And the sounds, of course, are one of a kind. The powerband is special, too. There aren't many engines left on production cars that peak like this -- the V8 feels something like the inline six in our E46 M3 but takes a more meandering path.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches May 5, 2008, 4:04 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
May 1, 2008
And were you to buy our 1984 Ferrari 308, you, too, would know the pleasure of staring at it through a window while eating pizza. Just by association, this not especially well-cared-for, base Mini Cooper looks like something I might want to drive.
I've been driving the Ferrari around town this week and learned something about myself in the process. Obviously, you don't buy a 25-year-old car if reliable transportation is the goal. But probably the biggest reason I haven't warmed more to the 308 is that I'm always in too much of a hurry. I never allow enough time to get places. And this means I become impatient with the Ferrari when I have to squat down to unlock its doors or muscle its steering in a tight parking lot. If I ever want to own an old car, a serious change in attitude and lifestyle will be necessary.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches May 1, 2008, 1:34 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
April 30, 2008
In six weeks our 12-month test of a 24 year old Ferrari 308 will be over. And that means only one thing: Our 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole is for sale.
If you remember we paid $28,000 for it and have laid out $5,000 in repairs and mechanical upgrades. If you want to buy it, email me at Insideline.editor@edmunds.com...
Continue reading...
April 28, 2008
A few weeks ago, I misplaced my beloved Quicksilver sunglasses, probably the nicest pair I have ever owned. A couple days later, my beloved neighbor Susan lent me the above pair of DKNY shades. And they ROCK. They have a slight red/pink tint that give the world a look of perennial sunset. Things are sharper, as with all good shades, but a tiny bit redder. And because I love them so much, Susan let me keep 'em...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (14)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd April 28, 2008, 3:34 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
April 24, 2008
Since it's Earth Month, I figure I should share a "recycling" story. When we bought our 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole it came with these snazzy sheepskin seat covers. But the covers were then promptly ejected from the car and lived in our supply closet for many moons until Managing Editor Donna DeRosa and I decided to make good use of them. We put them on our desk chairs to make sitting at our desks a little cozier...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (12)
-
- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla April 24, 2008, 4:59 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
April 14, 2008
The above photo illustrates the only way to drive a 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi: top down. It is so much a part of the whole Ferrari Southern California mystique, and in my mind, the only way to go. And practically speaking, I'm 6'1, so my head rubs against the roof and it feels a bit claustrophobic with the top on.
But so much a part of West Los Angeles driving is about the sun, the wind, the smell of the ocean...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (8)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd April 14, 2008, 11:19 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
April 7, 2008
Yesterday, I met up with a friend of mine who owns a 1983 Porsche 911SC. We headed into the Sierras on one of my favored Central California roads to drive a classic Ferrari and Porsche on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.
It sure beat mowing the lawn.
Some basic comparison specs, brief driving impressions and more pictures follow after the jump.
Brent Romans, Senior Automotive Editor @ 52,997 miles
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (18)
-
- Posted by: Brent Romans April 7, 2008, 9:45 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
April 3, 2008
What's it like living with a Ferrari 308? I got the full experience yesterday in just 60 minutes.
3:45 p.m.: I've gone to my garage to get something. There's the Ferrari. It looks fantastic in a way that no new, $30,000 car ever could. "Drive me," it whispers. Well, I guess I could shirk out on doing work and run an errand or two...
3:50 p.m.: I've grabbed the keys. Just a quick check of the car before I go. Hmm. There's puddle of fluid under the engine that wasn't there yesterday. Oh, and look, there's a fresh drip, too. Fantastic! I whisper a curse at the Ferrari.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (12)
-
- Posted by: Brent Romans April 3, 2008, 11:54 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
April 1, 2008
Last night I had a little fun with our long-term 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi, at the expense of Vehicle Testing Coordinator Mike Schmidt. You see, I'm kind of a big fella, and pretty furry, so Mike likes to call me "bear."
Well, the joke's on him. Last night I had the keys to our Ferrari, so I broke into the zoo and stole a large grizzly. And let me tell you, the scratches were WORTH IT! The Ferrari was fantastic...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (17)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd April 1, 2008, 11:00 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
March 31, 2008
Our Ferrari 308 made its longest one-way trip yet last week since we've owned it: 250 miles of freeway driving. It made it just fine. I emailed Scott Oldham after arrival and he wrote back, "Told you. Runs like a Camry."
The actual driving experience, however, was all Ferrari 308. And this isn't necessarily a good thing.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (12)
-
- Posted by: Brent Romans March 31, 2008, 11:41 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
March 24, 2008
As my colleague Doug has relayed to y'all, our 308 is running fantastic. It fires up with a single key twist, the power delivery is smooth and linear and with temps in the mid-80s I ran the A/C (when I wasn't driving al fresco with the top off) with no threat of the engine overheating. It's well sorted, in the zone, running clean.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (12)
-
- Posted by: John DiPietro March 24, 2008, 4:02 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
March 18, 2008
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.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (16)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd March 18, 2008, 12:38 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
March 10, 2008
Eeny, meeny, miny moe...
Another tough day in sunny So Cal. Should I take the 1984 Ferrari 308 or the 2008 Nissan GT-R? As much as I love our Ferrari, on most days that black GT-R supplied to us by www.jspecconnect.com would be my choice...
Continue reading...
March 3, 2008
I used to live in Venice Beach. I have a T-shirt with an image of Miles Davis on it, and for some reason, the shirt always attracted the oddballs. The nut jobs would always engage me in conversation when I wore that shirt. Not any other shirt...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (16)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd March 3, 2008, 4:00 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
February 22, 2008
So, I have to admit, I've never driven our long-term Ferrari 308. And I haven't really had much of an inclination to do so. 1) I live 250 miles away from the office; 2) I keep long-term cars for two weeks; 3) If it breaks down, it's going to be one expensive tow back to FX Performance; and 4) I look nothing like Tom Selleck.
But others on staff have been bugging me to drive it. And a friend of mine owns a 1984 Porsche 911SC, so it'd be fun to have a real Against All Odds.
So yesterday I was ready to take the keys. But then our master car wrangler, Mike, pointed out one important detail: It was supposed to rain.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (30)
-
- Posted by: Brent Romans February 22, 2008, 3:21 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
February 21, 2008
After snaking the Ferrari 308 from Caroline over the weekend, the first place I headed was the Rock Store in Malibu. It was packed on Sunday, with so many rows of bikes lining the street I had barely had room to park the Ferrari. Saw a Ducati Desmosedici RR, a couple hundred Harley’s and Jay Leno. The Ferrari ran perfectly the whole day, so good, in fact, that I took it for another drive on Monday.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (7)
-
- Posted by: Ed Hellwig February 21, 2008, 11:01 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
February 14, 2008
Quick recap: A rock put a big hole in our Ferrari's right front turn signal lens. It worked but looked a bit trailer trashy. This was right after the Ferrari cost us a wad of cash for an ignition system rebuild so we were feeling cheap and said we weren't going to fix it. Nor were we going to repair the horn that had become inoperable...
Continue reading...
February 11, 2008
For the last couple weeks I have had some lower-back issues that have kept me out of our long-term Ferrari 308, which is akin to getting into a kayak or bathtub. This weekend, bright with So Cal sunshine, I was feeling good enough to drive it again, and my love continues to grow. I'm over the whole, "Oh my god. I'm driving a Ferrari!!!" Now I just appreciate it as a spectacular car...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (11)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd February 11, 2008, 5:47 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
January 28, 2008
Which would you pick?
After time spent behind the wheel of this red 2008 Pontiac G8 GT I know which one I'd choose. But which would you drive home? Stupid question? Not really. A 2008 Pontiac G8 GT will soon be joining our long-term fleet, which means this tough choice will become a daily event around here...
Continue reading...
January 22, 2008
This weekend I spent an hour making our 1984 Ferrari 308 not broken. And I did it for two reasons:
1) You, the Inside Line reader, guilted me into it. You said we were falling into the trap of deferred maintenace and you were right.
2) I became sick and tired of my fellow Inside Line staff members laying into the car for small, easily fixed imperfections like a loose gear shift knob...
Continue reading...
January 18, 2008
Yes, I can admit it. I. Don't. Get. It. I really don't understand the appeal of our 1984 Ferrari 308. Is it like how label fiends lust after $200 jeans -- just for the label or just to say they own $200 jeans? And, yes, I admit that "Driving a Ferrari" was on my list of to-dos before I die. But when you're given a laundry list of how you're supposed to DRIVE a car that should tell you right there that something's not right. Here's what I was told.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (31)
-
- Posted by: Caroline Pardilla January 18, 2008, 11:30 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
January 14, 2008
I have really taken a shine to our long-term 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi. Shocking, I know. But the important part is, I'm no longer intimidated by it. Yes, it's a cop magnet...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (23)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd January 14, 2008, 12:53 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
January 11, 2008
First of all, all you people posting in the Ferrari blog have got to lighten up. All the "No, you don't get it, let me enlighten you" talk is a little much, don't ya think?
So I've been reluctant to take the Ferrari home. What, with all the unexpected, inconvenient, and expensive trips to the shop, and all. Even so, I've been reading with interest all my colleagues' fawning "they-don't-make-'em-like-they-used-to" praise and wanted to experience all the rolling, red, masterpiece had to offer.
I asked Signore Schmidt if he thought it was healthy enough for my mostly-freeway trip home and he said it was.
After his well-rehearsed "Always [fill in the blank], but Never..." brief, I rolled out. There are many details of my drive that helped my come to the realization that they, indeed, don't build them like they used to, but that's because if they did, Ferrari would have gone broke. This car is awful by today's standards.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (18)
-
- Posted by: Chris Walton January 11, 2008, 1:21 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
January 10, 2008
As I have aged, I have learned to enjoy the full aspect of certain acts. Not just the act itself, but the anticipation, the excitement, the build-up: As I'm towel-drying my hair in the morning, ready to head into the office, and thinking, "There's a freakin' Ferrari parked in my garage." And then the last couple seconds, as the garage opens and I get that first glimpse of that magnificent red beast, and then my eyes fall upon the form.
And I soak in that low, menacing sports car shape, the four individual round taillights. And then I bend my tall body into the low cabin and for a second, anticipate the sound of the engine...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (23)
-
- Posted by: Doug Lyoyd January 10, 2008, 12:18 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
January 7, 2008
This blog post is dedicated to the dissenters -- those of you who feel compelled to continue with the never-ending cost/benefit analysis of our long-term Ferrari 308.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (56)
-
- Posted by: Dark Helmet January 7, 2008, 11:19 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
January 4, 2008
I've been reading your comments on the Ferrari's more recent blog entries. And I've got to tell ya, you guys are harsh. Where's the love gone? So what if the car has had a few problems. If you didn't think a 1984 Ferrari 308 would need some fixing after being driven daily by 20 idiot automotive journalists, chances are good you went to school on the short bus...
Continue reading...
January 3, 2008
Our Ferrari 308 is officially back. This past weekend the Ferrari and I rebonded. I drove the little Italian about 150 miles, with trips ranging from a 90 mile romp through the Malibu hills to a take-out run down to the local pizzaria. And I'm happy to report that those were 150 trouble-free miles...
Continue reading...
December 18, 2007
As you can see from this unevenly lit photo, I love how the 308's cockpit looks with late-afternoon sunlight pouring into it. I spent the post-op weekend with the car and took my longest drive in it to date -- about 80 miles.
The more I drove, the more I relaxed and the more at home I felt in the Ferrari's reclined, knees-up, offset driving position. It's hardly ergonomic by modern standards, but the low cowl and sweeping views are hard to resist. The leather-wrapped grip of the Momo steering wheel has long since ceased to look or feel like real leather (it's slick like plastic), but the shape of the wheel felt just right in my hands.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: Erin Riches December 18, 2007, 4:40 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
December 17, 2007
Our 1984 Ferrari 308 has been discharged from the intensive care unit at FX Performance. Final tally: $2,373.69. Here's how it breaks down.
Antonio and the gang replaced one of the car's two engine modules with a rebuilt one...
Continue reading...
December 6, 2007
I was driving in this morning on PCH, not really thinking about our disabled long-term Ferrari 308. Then I saw this black beauty cruising next to me in morning rush hour. Not sure of the exact year, but it was one of the cleanest 400i models I've ever seen. The paint was flawless, the wheels sparkled and the exhaust note was pure audio pornography...
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (10)
-
- Posted by: Karl Brauer December 6, 2007, 6:56 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
November 30, 2007
As you can see from these photos our 1984 Ferrari 308 is still in sickbay. According to Antonio at FX Performance, our shop of choice, our car's two ignition boxes took a dump. This took a few days to diagnose and now we're waiting for parts. Cha ching...
Continue reading...
November 26, 2007
I need to make a slight adjustment to my post from this morning. When I left my house the car was running as described earlier -- great! But a few blocks from the Edmunds offices I pulled up to a stop light, waited for it to change (with the engine idling fine the whole time) and then tried to pull away when the light turned green. "Vroommmmmmm--clup-clup-clup." My initial thought was a simple lack of throttle (though I've never stalled it before...). So I turn the key, and while the engine spins quickly it...won't...quite...catch. "Come on -- I can still save this and look only mildy stupid in my Ferrari..." runs through my head as the inevitable honks begin and people start driving around me, but the engine won't fire.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (17)
-
- Posted by: Karl Brauer November 26, 2007, 1:45 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
This was my first time in the long-term Ferrari 308 since August, when it was hard to start and lacking in low RPM power. But after some repair/tuning work with our local exotic-car mechanic I'd been hearing tales of fun and frolic in the lively Italian. With a long holiday weekend ahead of me it seemed like the perfect time to re-try our red exotic.
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (3)
-
- Posted by: Karl Brauer November 26, 2007, 8:16 AM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
November 19, 2007
Last week I had a 250 mile day in our 1984 Ferrari 308 and I can tell you the car is running better than ever. The drive was from my Los Angeles home up to Willow Springs International Raceway 125 miles northeast in Lancaster and then back. And here's the best part, my trip up was at sunrise and my trip home was well after dark. Which means I hit no traffic and enjoyed cool temperatures. The Ferrari was happy...
Continue reading...
November 13, 2007
I took the Ferrari for a weekend for the first time (cue "Oh Yeah" song from Ferris Bueller's Day Off) -- "chook, chook, chook-ah-chook-AHHHH!" Yeah, I know it's a 250 GT California Spider in the movie, but let me have my fun here! Anyhoo, I had Sunday and Monday (a holiday for us) slated for Ferrari seat time (I planned to ride my new Harley on Saturday.) It was to be a gearhead's dream weekend!
Continue reading...
- Permalink | Comments (0)
-
- Posted by: John DiPietro November 13, 2007, 3:21 PM
- Categories: 1984 Ferrari 308 GTSi Quattrovalvole
November 5, 2007
It's lonely being exotic. And such is the life of a 23 year old Italian sports car. This is how our 1984 Ferrari 308 spent its weekend. Apparently everyone on staff needed a car that was more comfortable or more reliable or more convenient or more spacious or more practical this weekend...
Continue reading...
October 29, 2007
Any weekend that our long-term Ferrari 308 is available, I grab it. I love to drive it, it sounds great, and I'm really getting to know it.
But all the reasons that it's great are all of the reasons that it's a pain also. I am 6'1, and picked up my friend for a drive up the PCH...
Continue reading...