What is the most “reliable” Classic Ferrari?

General consensus (from all I've ever heard, anyway): many feel the 328 is the closest thing Ferrari made to a Toyota, reliability-wise. Never owned one, though, but lots to read through over in the 328 section for more info and owner experiences.

 

IMO and from experience "reliability" is determined by maintenance history and attention to maintenance both proactively and reactively. Meaning a properly-maintained car from a proactive standpoint coupled with an ownership history of addressing things immediately versus deferring will be more "reliable". But this also equates to cost and that is determined by the model.

I have owned my 1995 355 GTS since 2010 and am the 2nd owner. The previous owner was a fanatic about maintenance and I have been as well. So the car has been quite reliable - but I have spent quite a bit on maintenance and the few things that have gone wrong unexpectedly were corrected immediately.

So if you couple maintenance cost with "known" issues and general design with regard to ease of maintenance I would agree with @audi_328 that of the cars you listed a 328 is the sweet spot. The people I know that own them love them and tout the reliability and cost of ownership.

Good luck - Do lots of research on here - there is NOT a better source of actual information than FChat - Cheers

 

I don't have personal experience here so take this with a huge grain of salt.

I know the 355 well, they are pretty reliable if you keep up with them. I have heard from many owners that the 550 is almost bullet proof. Not sure if that classifies in your mind as "classic" some it does and some it doesn't.

 

By most accounts the 308 and 328 will give you fewer problems than other classic models and are the easiest to own. I agree with Shorn355's advice about the importance of maintenance history on reliability. Get a good one that's been treated right and you'll be rewarded.

 

You should consider a 550.

 

328, hands down.

I had this and a 308 QV. The 328 is perhaps Ferrari’s best sorted car, with numerous improvements over the 308. Electrics are much better, ignition uses the improved Microplex, brakes are better, 3.2 liter engine is robust, power windows actually go up and down, etc. Best of all, the cars are simple: There was ABS in MY1989, but otherwise it’s a wonderfully pure car.

Unless you have budget for an F40, I don’t think there’s a contest. The 328 and the two Porsche 911s I’ve owned were all daily driver-ready.

There were good Ferraris after the 328, but they all had one or more serious weak spots.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

The 550 is not the most beautiful Ferrari. He wants a classic which to me the 308 is hard to beat. The 308 has grown on me a lot. It would be between the 308 and 355 but if you want reliability the 360/430 would be your best bet.

 

Hard to make a declaration about something as subjective as design. I think Maranello's may be the most beautiful aside from 275 GTB, for example. That said, I don't really care to influence others' opinions because that really doesn't affect the swoon-worthy effect a Maranello gives me.

OP wants a reliable, classic, gated car. A 550 is certainly a top contender given the criteria. It's an evolution of the front engine quad-cam V12 Pinifarina GTB 2+0 layout that made Ferrari iconic. Devoid of screens and carbon fiber. Throttle cable. Leather. In my opinion, OP should consider the 550 as it may be overlooked in the context of 'classic' status, which I feel it has migrated into quietly. It feels markedly different than any subsequent V12 from Ferrari. Yet, they are extremely robust, reliable, usable, and serviceable.

 

550 is actually quite a handsome car IMHO, and I agree the 308 is hard to beat. But in retrospect there were so many refinements during the 308-328 evolution that the latter really is better.

I considered an F430, but they do have their share of potentially expensive issues. Headers, frequent F1 clutches, complex e-diff, unobtainable replacement headlights, sticky plastic interior bits, battery tender addiction, etc. They are good cars, but clearly more cost than a 328. And manual-equipped cars sell for a steep premium as the market dislikes Ferrari’s earlier F1 gearboxes.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

For "classic" Ferraris that won't break the bank, a 328 is hard to beat. I can personally attest to this, as a poor boy who has owned one for 20 years now.

Things to think about though -- some parts are literally unobtainable now, they are slow by any modern standard, the climate control is terrible, and visibility out of the car is tough when every second vehicle on the road is a SUV. But in its element, away from the traffic on a nice day, it can't be beaten as an experience.

 

I would also say the 328 is your best choice, I can attest to that with my 23 years and going with my 89 GTS

Big G

 

My manual 430, which I have owned since 2015, is classic in driving feel (and way zippier than a 328 or 355) and one of the most reliable cars I have owned, including numerous new and nearly new Mercedes, BMW, etc. Thats a sample of one and not a classic in the way a 3X8 is a classic. But what a car, and it won't feel slow after a F12, in fact, may feel faster.

Mechanics seem to agree the 430 is reliable, particularly as a manual, if you sort the exhaust manifold/header issue, which is straightforward.

 

My manual 430 has been (touch wood) extremely reliable, also since 2015. I fixed the exhaust right after buying it. While maybe not an actual classic yet, it will be one day as the last ever manual mid engine Ferrrari. Can't go wrong with a nice 308/328 or 550 though.

 

When I think of “reliability” I think about whether the car can be counted upon to operate without problems. An old car – any old car – is not a car that should be depended upon like a new one and will have issues that new cars don’t have. If the suspension or steering is loose on a 328, the car has a problem that needs to be addressed but it just means the steering rack or a-arm bushings have worn after 30 years. It is not a “reliability” issue; it is a maintenance issue.

On that basis, I would say that the newer the car the more “reliable” you can expect it to be.

Every model has its weaknesses and over time, aftermarket solutions become available to solve those weaknesses. I own a 308 GTS QV. It has started every time. I have taken it on 200 mile solo trips through the backroads of the Sierra Nevada mountains without concern. But I have addressed the 308s weaknesses. Every car has its issues, even the exalted 328 has fuse circuit board problems, impossible-to-find running lights and aging electric hvac switches. It is maintenance that causes reliability.

 

308/328.
I wrenched everything on my 308. My first Ferrari .

 

True. A neglected old car will be a headache. But the OP asked about a classic car, so a showroom new Portofino, for example, may have a warranty but isn’t the same driving experience.

I’m currently planning to replace all fuel lines on my Porsche 964, as I did on my 328. If you do this kind of maintenance proactively rather than waiting for stuff to fail, there are some classic cars that are well designed and built and can be reliable. While I love old Jaguars, they suffer from questionable build quality and engineering. The 328 is pretty well debugged, so while you do need to worry about some expensive bits it’s overall a great Ferrari.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

I really love what I’m reading on this thread. I’m not interested in any Ferrari newer than the 430 and find myself gravitating to ads and auctions for 308gtbs. Even though 328 is improved mechanically, I definitely like the looks of 308 better.

 

For me, the 308's interior was irresistible.

 

It is appealingly retro - Dino/Daytona-style switchgear. The 328 has some Fiat bits, as does the Testarossa. It’s very much of its (‘80s) era. The decision kind of boils down to your tolerance for some of the earlier systems that are fussier.


Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app

 

Agree regarding the 308 QV. A good example is the Euro car for sale in the classifieds, to me, it is the best model in the 308/328 line you can buy. Rock solid(if maintenance up to date), interior far more attractive than the 328 IMHO. Deep Euro front spoiler, Euro bumpers.
Of the 5 Ferraris I have been blessed to own over the years, the 308QV was the most dependable/low Cost of Ownership.

 

Ferrari 308 328 by far are most reliable classics IMO

Get to know one using this site and others with common tools while in your own garage.

As to which GT4-308-328 to buy, that is persto be debated,

https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/easiest-diy-3x8-to-wrench-on.670015/

 

This is pretty much me lately. The 308GTB has just grown on me a lot. I don’t know why I like the car so much but I just do. I just think I would fit in it well since I’m 6’4.

 

What is unobtainable?

 

Taller people have managed to fit:
https://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/threads/replacement-seats.479450/#post-143768892