Ferrari 308 GTB
# F106AB25637

"Anyone who has the slightest chance to have a Ferrari in his life and passes it up is a fool!" That is what every red blooded car enthusiast will tell you down at the pub, but then they never drive a Ferrari do they? The Ferrari myth... Is it all hype or real magic? I bought my 308 gtb in California (see Mercedes 230 SL story). The Gran Turismo Berlinetta with is dart like lines is a classic shape of great beauty. Initially driving this piece of automotive sculpture was a disappointment. If you are used to modern sports cars this 1979 veteran isn't that fast and lacks about 100hp to be considered a really fast car. After this initial disappointment I began to appreciate the easy handling of the GTB. Now that I familiarized myself with the car I can predict it's responses and anticipate its limits instead of just feeling them. The magic of driving this Ferrari comes from the small subtle things. I now know instinctively just how much or little to compensate for the car's habit of tramlining slightly when squeezed down from 160km/h to 60km/h for a tight bend. I know precisely how to assist the little chrome gearlever trough the dogleg into fourth from third : quickly but not hastily, avoiding a click from the slower than the rest fourth gear synchromesh. I have learned to steer the car with a absolute minimum of steering wheel movement, using the throttle always ; I know automatically which deflections would fix themselves (the steering of a Ferrari is alive!) and which need early correction ; and I'm learning every time I drive my fly giallo Ferrari.

What are the two questions most people ask a Ferrari owner? How fast will she go and how much does it cost? Is Ferrari ownership expensive? I'll try to give an answer to this question by keeping track of all the expenditure on my entry level Ferrari 308 gtb.

date

mileage

object

parts

labor

total

15/11/95

47500

new battery installed (Bosch)

3400

diy

3400

23/11/95

new Hella halogen headlights installed

14957

diy

14957

06/12/95

major service (oil, filters, etc)

2000

diy

2000

10/01/96

48000

new seal kits carburetors installed

1500

diy

1500

10/02/96

48500

new clutch assembly, flywheel corrected

22000

20000

42000

15/03/96

49800

valves adjusted, oil seals engine replaced

8572

diy

8572

23/04/96

50200

5 new Michelin tires

36845

36845

24/04/96

mot import check

4050

26/04/96

general check over and tune up by specialist

8000

30/08/96

53500

oil service

2000

diy

2000

Update! I have sold my first Ferrari to make room for a 365BB! Unfortunately the deal with the boxer fell through so I bought a 328 GTB. The 308 is now residing in Finland and I hope to drive my Ferrari up there sometime... Which is best: the 308 or the 328? Ta a look at the Ferrari 308 vs 328 page and make up your own mind.