Hello all I recently saw an ad for a 81' Mondial 8 #36213 in the NWFCA news letter. The same car is also offered at cars.com which was seen by a friend of mine who called me and was asking qustions about the Mondial's. I was hoping some of you Mondial owners could give me some pro's and con's on these vehicle's. And if anyone knows something about this particular vehicle it would be great. It seam's to be very reasonably priced. I have told him to have a PPI done at FOS first if he's really that interested, and told him all I could about Ferrari ownership.(which is quite limited) With help from you I can have a sit-down talk with him and inform him as much as possible. And who knows? Possibley add another Ferrari bretheren to our ranks. Thanks in advance for any help. Kurt There is nothing like a Ferrari, there never has been and never will be!
Con's first. They're slow. Like 0-60 in 9.5 seconds slow. The wiring components fail unless you've upgraded them, fuse box, some switches, etc... Pro's Cheap way to get into Ferraris Very usable More comfortable for longer trips than a 308 Pretty easy to work on Parts are available See this for more. http://velocetoday.com/cars/cars_71.php
Fuse box is a MAJOR problem (just replaced mine this weekend, cured many problems). VERY nice for long trips as you can use the "back seats" as luggage space. Drove mine from LA to Raleigh NC and enjoyed almost every mile with the exception of a weeks unintended stay in Grants, NM (another story). Nice car, slow but nice. 1982 Mondial Paul
In my opinion, the Mondial of the 80's is a more enjoyable car to drive than a Pinifarina designed 308; I've had both. The cab-forward design is fantastic. If your friend wants power, recommend a Corvette. If he/she wants a car that's fun in a corner, bares the Cavallino Rampante, and will carry four people albeit smaller folks in the rear, recommend the Mondial. I loved mine. Having said this, I am buying a '81 308 GTSi. I simply love the look of it more than the Mondial 8. It's all what matters to your friend. Ask me about a Mondial 500 and I'll have a much different opinion.....
But it is mentioned in the most important book on the series. The owner's manual. Image Unavailable, Please Login
a re-post I have a Mondial 8. Key points for all Ferrari and Mondials in particular: 1) Pre purchase mechanical inspection. DO NOT BUY WITHOUT ONE. Contact the seller and ask if any bid can be contingent on PPI. If not, walk. You must realize that ALL Ferraris have their parts dipped in platinum. I paid for my Mondial twice. Once to buy it and that amount again in parts and service. Consider: Clutch job: $3,000. Major Tune up: $4,000 every five years. Get the picture? 2) Do homework on prices 3) Budget at least 5k for repairs and work just for a "good one"(if you don't end up needing it, fine) 4) Depending on your budget, better to get a needs nothing no stories Mondial 8 for 18,000, than a 3.2 for 30,000 that needs 20,000 worth of work. Better to spend money up front for a good one than to have to fix up. The first way is cheaper. Trust me on that one. Now, quick summary of the models 1) Mondial 8 1980-82 First run of the car. A 2 valve engine. Black bumpers, weakest engine..BUT...can get a nearly perfect one for 20k or less (NEVER pay more than around 20 for ANY Mondial 8), and one that needs work for 15. NOT SLOW. Just less fast than almost any other Ferrari. It has all the right sounds, looks (imho) and feel like what it is..a Ferrari. Same engine as the 308 2) Mondial QV. 1983-85 All that applies to the 8, applies here, except add 2-5 to price and more horsepower and better console layout. Same engine as the 308qv 3) Mondial 3.2 1986-1988 In my opinion, if you can afford it, this is THE best value in Ferraris, not to mention Mondials. Beautiful color coded bumpers, nice 3.2 engine, non-metric tires and wheels after 86. ABS, on later models. Same engine as the 328 (tied for best Ferrari value) 4) Mondial t 1989-92(?) All same applies as 3.2, but with a 3.4 engine, different engine configuration. Adds power steering and really nice and modern interior. Mostly cabs...coupes VERY rare. Most costly in purchase and upkeep....but soooo nice. Same engine as the 348. Lastly, note: On these boards, you will find people declaring that certain Ferraris are "slow" "junk" not to be bought, etc etc. Ignore them. A Ferrari is a Ferrari...it is only a question of what YOU want and what you can afford. End of story.
Sam: It is slow (remember, I do have one). But the flip side is that it is a very fun car to drive. Cheers, Erik
I say again. If you want straight-line speed for under 20K, buy a Corvette, Camaro or even a Mustang. If you want a car that will bring a smile to your face every time, buy a 80's model Mondial. They, along with the GT4s, are the most underrated and underappreciated Ferrari. The cab-forward design is fantastic and a blast to drive. I really get tired of the beating the Mondi's receive from some. Love them for what they are, not for what they are not.
Life isn't a 0-60 race. If you want a fast car for the money walk away from the Mondial and buy a used Corvette today. If you want a Ferrari, buy the Mondial
Quiz Question: What sports car can seat the whole family, sounds like a Ferrari, drives like a Ferrari, looks like a Ferrari, has a mid-engine, puts a big smile on your face, makes errands fun, has some trunk space, and you can take it on a long weekend with luggage? And won't break the bank.... A Mondial! If you want a Ferrari, there is no substitute! You gotta get a Ferrari, and a Mondial is the Ferrari that you can actually use as a car too. Birdman
I won't argue that the Mondial is not the quickest car, 0-60. Simply put, it's not; it's not even close. But I had my '84 Mondial QV (Euro spec) up at Watkins Glen last week with FCA, and let me tell you, it handled well and was very fast through the curves. It IS a Ferrari when it comes to handling, no question. But it does lack the HP of higher powered newer versions. I could hold my own on the twisties, but on the straights, the Challenge cars and turbo Porsches and Z06 Corvettes just blew by me like I was standing still. That said, did I have fun? Absolutely. Is it driving a sports car on the track? Absolutely. Is it the fastest car out there? Absolutely not. Did I have as much fun as anyone else out there? Absolutely. Plus, I didn't have a single breakdown, unlike the Challenge cars and Radicals and race fitted cars, all of which seemed to require constant work and many of which missed sessions because of it. Mine, I just gassed it up, checked the tire pressures, and went out and drove the heck out of it. Best part? I drove her home, unlike the guys with the Challenge cars who paid through the nose to have their cars brought up there, serviced professionally, and trailered home. And when I stop for gas or pull into a parking lot, I get plenty of "hey, cool car" comments and people asking about it. Be realistic about what you want out of a car. If you are looking for a good looking car, that runs great, is fun to drive, is reasonably priced and is a Ferrari, consider the Mondi or a 308 or 328. If you're looking for a super-quick, stoplight racer for 0-60, look elsewhere. p.s. Be prepared to be put down by the Ferrari "purests" who will make fun of your car. Since I don't care what other people think, I just enjoy my car and laugh at their ignorance. I bought a car that does what I wanted. But that's me -- I enjoy "vintage" driving, on the street and on the track. If I wanted a hot new race car, I'd have bought the new Corvette C6 or a recent Z06 and blown all their doors off for a fraction of the cost of a new Ferrari.
In my experience this are often "real Ferrari purists" which drive Toyota's themselves and only dream about "to own a Ferrari once in the future". Before the Mondial I owned a 208gt4 and the responses even were worse. Just laugh about them and enjoy my Mondial for 200% !!
Forza magazine has covered the Mondial series a few times. You might try to locate number 60 (April 2005) which compares the Mondial and 328, number 42 (November 2002) which has a buyers guide for the Mondial coupes and number 19 (October 1999) which has a buyers guide for the cabriolets. The latter two issues have sample price info and short lists of the pros and cons of the various models and can be a good starting point for gathering information. When we started looking for a car, I wasn't even considering a Mondial. As time passed, and it came time to make a decision, our Mondial t coupe was the only choice. While certainly not the perfect car, for us it has certainly been the perfect Ferrari. While another prancing horse may well join the stable one day, the Mondial shows all the signs of remaining our favorite. Regards, John
I think the good Doctor and I are on the same wave-length. As I stated previously: "If you want straight-line speed for under 20K, buy a Corvette, Camaro or even a Mustang."
In the past I've read that the 2V injected 308's had a reputation for burning oil excessively due to a bad batch of rings for a period of time. I assume that the Mondial 8 also had this problem in some cases. True?
That is correct except that it is not a really big problem to begin with. Even some of the replacement engines that Ferrari put in them had the same problem. Some cars were fine. One trick is to check behind the tag. If it's a little "too dirty" or whatever behind it, it's probably one of those cars (this is because few people remove the tag when they wash their car so the oily exhaust has a chance to settle back there). If you have one or get one just forget it and add oil when needed. It won't be a problem otherwise. It was the same with the Mondials as well - same engine.
very informative, thanks. the first ferrari i ever drove was a 85' mondial coupe. i noticed some corrossion on the muffler shield and in the lower door pannels. is corrosion on 20+ year old ferraris in the midwest the norm? thanks
Thanks for all your posts. I'll have him read them all and anymore posts on Mondials too. With all your help and a bit of soul searching I'd sure he will be able to make a well informed and thought out decision. Kurt There is nothing like a Ferrari, there never has been and never will be!
