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://blogs.edmunds.com/.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.

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.

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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.

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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. Serious offers only please.

Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 53,501 miles

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. They always put me in a good mood.

Such is with the Ferrari 308. It just makes people happy. Every single guy (at least one a day) who shouts out "Yo Magnum" or "Thomas Magnum, private eye" sees himself as urbane and witty. People smile, give the thumbs up, and ask about the car They tell me I look good in it. They shout that it's a classic and they love it. It just makes people happy. And I love driving it. I've gotten used to its quirks, and mostly I just appreciate the sounds of the needle climbing the tach and the metallic snick of the gearshift running through the gates.

Now, in the interest of factual journalism: The radio is not presently getting any reception, and one of the speakers is not functioning, so any old tapes lose either a vocal track or the drums. Damn. I'm forced to listen to the sonorous baritone of the mighty V8. I can actually feel my ears curling into a satisfactory grin. Editor Oldham has offered to investigate through the car's Medusa hair of electrics. We'll letcha know.

Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor, @ 53,451 miles

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. And it worked. I LOVE my sheepskin covered desk chair! Problem is, I now find it hard to concentrate. So cozy, I just want to take a nap.

Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor

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. Aside from the Wrangler, whose top removal requires a degree in mechanical engineering, the Ferrari is the only top-down car in the Edmunds fleet, so I appreciate not only its fun and handling and speed and fantastic engine note, but the real feeling of freedom that only a removable roof can offer. I actually prefer it to a full-blown convertible, because in a convertible, anything that's not securely fastened down will blow right out the back.

And the best part: Removing and attaching the roof is shockingly easy. It takes all of 30 seconds and anyone can do it. The roof is basically like a very lightweight table leaf. Two quick latches in back and a couple locating pins in the front, and it pulls out and slides behind the seats. Putting it back on just involves matching the two front pins with the corresponding holes and relatching in back. Easy as pie.

Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor @ 53,344 miles

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

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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.

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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. Despite the fact that "Clubber," or as I call her, "Princess," weighs more than 1,300 pounds, the Ferrari's tight suspension was up to the task. Princess really took to the car, and enjoyed feeling the wind in her fur as the Ferrari hugged the corners.

Anyway, as my little April Fools prank this morning, Princess and I greeted Mike at his door at about 6 a.m. Boy was his face red! See, apparently Mike's a little afraid of bears. And Princess can smell fear. Bless her little heart, Princess rose right up to her full 6 feet, and wrapped those big old arms around Mike in a comforting hug. At least I thought it was a hug. I mean, I'm a copy editor, not a vet.

Once the paramedics were able to stop the hemorrhaging and dress Mike's wounds and abrasions, we all had a good belly laugh. Once I'm out of lock-up, I can't wait to drive the Ferrari again.

Doug Lloyd, Senior Copy Editor and Inmate #54723A @ 54,325 miles