I'm looking for true, no BS honesty here. When does owning, driving, paying the proverbial "ticket" of ownership just get to be too much for folks>? I'm not a wealthy guy. I am almost at the end of my rope with fixing my Mondial. I don't hate my car, I actually enjoy driving it, fixing what I can, then having a qualified indie fix the many things I cannot do myself. But I can't get more than a few hundred miles down the road with fixing something, and it's usually substantial (at least to my wallet). So, I'm asking in earnest, when is it enough? I'm almost at the juncture of having no "fun" car/s, focusing on my family, and saving my dollars instead of flushing them down the drain. Is it time? I can't justify owning this car right now in my life, I think that's the biggest issue. No one NEEDS a Ferrari. I look at it longingly, and love it, but really, what am I doing? It seems so minute and dumb to be this into something. Sorry, it's a vent, but my level of frustration is high. The stack of receipts in the last 6 years is just asinine, and I've only owned her since fall of 2014. What to do.
I hear that, but...You could buy a brand new reliable car and watch it depreciate 35%+ a year or invest money into the Ferrari that is slowly beginning to appreciate or hold steady at the very least.
Hi Ken, I'm so sorry to hear this. My experiences have been completely 180 degrees. If I may ask you what specific problems have you run into that grounded the car? Let me be transparent with my show stopper issues too. 1) Bad fuse box, replaced 1K 2) Bad fuel pump, replaced both 1.5 K 3) leaking water pump 1K 4) bad alternator 500 5) rewire from fusebox to central unit, due to previous owners jury rigging the audio, security system. 1K I've had other issues no doubt, but none were issues that prevented the car from driving. For example, say replace trunk lifter or antenna What problems have you found that seem to consistently cause the car to get stuck on side of the road? Cheers
You really need to find a good Indie!! Those prices are crazy! For example: When I first bought my 308, I was blowing fuses like crazy. I bought a "Birdman Fuse Box" and installed it myself.....I havent blown a fuse in 7 years and it all cost me $150 if I remember correctly.
Paul, you are a different sort of owner. Many people would not have put up with your five issues you had. To the OP, you are the only one who can decide when enough is enough. Your situation is unique to you, with your own budget and finances to consider. I can say that a Ferrari is not, cannot, and will not be trouble free reliable car of any nature. It will bite. You have to decide how much of a bite you can endure. People will liken a Ferrari to a supermodel girlfriend and have fun at it, totally ignoring the fact that 99.9% of us here do not marry super model girlfriends for a reason. So you have to decide.
Paul has a good indie. Those prices are pretty reasonable if he does not want to do the work himself. That 348T water pump changed out at $1,000 is a very good price. I would not have done it for that amount.
You just have to be lucky, i had mine for 20 years. Apart from belts which i did myself, a coil, 2 front shocks, new discs and pads, a water pump done due to its age but still working, an ac recharge plus drier, a new exhaust box, oil, air, fuel filters. 1 set plugs, 1 x rotor arm, a few tyres, 1 new rim due to a porus beading, 3 or 4 batteries. Resprayed door sills as they trap water and rust. 1 clutch plus flywheel as microcracked. Cost me next to nothing as i did all the work except the clutch and paint and the ac charge. Saved a lot of money by not having yearly services- over 20 years it would have cost well in excess of car value.
I shopped around and a brand new fuse box (Scuderia Rempante upgraded too), I thought I got a good deal for 1K brand new/upgraded. 2 brand new fuel pumps, drain tank, install for 1.5K I thought was pretty reasonably priced. I thought $500 for a brand new alternator installed was a good deal? As for the rewire - that I know was well worth it - I saw the birds-nest and crimped/ruined wires. Got a brand new front wire system (that's just $600 for the part) I wish I could get a brand new upgraded fuse box for $150 - guess that's the perks of a 308 fusebox? Just a note I bought my car for only 27K so it had known issues that I sorted. Cheers
Thanks Mitch! Yeah - I went into this eyes wide open! I mean any car that nearly 3 decades old, let alone a low production exotic will not be a Toyota! But I do sympathize with the OP, but just curious what is causing the repeated break downs. After I sorted the major things I listed (none of which I argue are equivalent to a engine coffee table sort of problem) - my car has been trouble free. So I want to know what are the chronic issues that is leaving the OP stranded only after a couple hundred miles all the time.
A bit of oil is pooling on the headers head shield. Burning off badly. Which, ok, great, a leak. BUT. I just had the major done. Then into the shop again last week. And now this? There's no reason she should be leaking at all. And I'm tired of fixing things
Probably not the car for you. You have to enjoy fixing things to own a Ferrari. I had a head start by owning several Fiats. On your oil leak, pretty sure I've had the same problem. It's probably leaking from the valve cover at the "O" ring seals. You can't just install new "O" rings, and gaskets on the Ferrari V8, and not expect leaks. You have to put a dab of silicon (I like Ultra Black) right at the valve cover/head/"O" ring juncture, or it will leak there. The average auto repair shop will probably not know this. A simple test you can do is to cut an old towel into 4 long strips about 4" wide. Dress the strips under the head, around the valve cover where the "O" ring lives, and tie it off at the top. Run the car for some time, then check the strips for oil. If oil is accumulating there, you need to pull the valve covers, clean up the gaskets and "O" rings, and put the dab of silicon at the juncture before you re-assemble it. Ferrari motors do not have to leak.
I enjoy fixing, just not mechanically inclined enough to accomplish a lot. I will try out this test. In the meantime, the frustration stems from having it repaired at a very reputable shop, with a very smart tech, who's been doing strictly Ferrari for 20+ years, and I trust them. It is likely a "is what it is" type of scenario, meaning, I own an old car, and old cars break, and I get that, but I just want to enjoy it, so when you spend the time and the money thinking you've fixed it, and it breaks again, it's just annoying and time consuming at that point, and the joy ceases.
Hi Ken, Sorry to hear about this. I had a similar thing happen. Turned out to be just a missing gasket on my oil cap. Any idea where the oil could be coming from? Cheers
Thanks Paul. I hate *****ing. Especially here. Just boils over (no pun I think @spicedriver probably nailed the leak. Though I'm not sure reinstall action of gaskets wasn't done properly. I just had an issue with oil leaking into the crankcase from the motor mount threads. Which explained why oil was down. That is at least solved. Here is a picture. Pointing to the pooling. Sorry. Old iPhone Image Unavailable, Please Login
It sounds to me like you have probably done many things that needed doing, and some preventative things to boot, so you may be on the cusp of enjoying the car with minimal further problems. I would take a deep breath, fix up the remaining issues, and then see if you can enjoy the car for a while. If indeed you are in a one thing leads to another situation, the car may well be used up and is a rolling restoration. That type of car needs to be in the hands of a serious hobbiest who has the time and resources to sort most things themselves on a regular basis. At a basic level, the car should at least on occasion make you smile, while driving or just looking it over. Otherwise your time and dollars are not getting you much value.
Actually, my leak was on the other side of the motor. You can see where I've got the silicon oozing out. Not pretty, but it works. Of course it could also be leaking out of both ends. Not really a big job, you just need some new valve cover gaskets, a tube of Ultra Black silicone, and some Acetone to clean her up before you apply the silicone. Mine used to leak right onto the exhaust manifold. I would pull up to a stoplight, and there would be a plume of oil smoke coming out of the engine cover. How embarrassing ! Image Unavailable, Please Login
I had it from a torn gasket on my power steering fluid...another place to check (oh, wait, he doesn't have ps on a 3.2) Fluid leaks onto the manifold can come from other sources, which is the point.
What is the parts/labour warranty on your major service? If you just had it done your shop should sort it out for zero dollars, right? Ferrari's are the kind of car that "own you" as opposed to the other way around. My Dad sold off all of his collector cars in his mid 60's. He just cared more about other things. Personally, I'd rather sleep in my car than sell it. I'd sell if there was an serious family emergency that required it (after everything else had gone first), but nothing short of that. I bought my car in the mid 20's and I'm putting that much into restoring it mechanically. Everything from rust removal to powder coatin to fuse box to tires to hoses to a standard major - and more. But to me it's worth it. To others I probably seem nuts. I'm cool with that.
Ken hang in there. I agree wholeheartedly with others here. Try to isolate the leak, If it was something that should have been dealt with during your major, I'm sure your reputable mechanic will resolve it. At least try that first. Btw, what were the specific problems that had the car leave you stranded? That helps give us context on how bad the car is. Like if you said the transmission went out, the suspension crapped out, the engine needed to be replaced, etc...then I *really* sympathize. But I expected things like fuel pumps, old fuse boxes, water pumps, and alternators to go bad on a long neglected car. Heck these are things (not the fuse box) that I had to replace on my Acura.
Say what? I thought Mondials were well-engineered bullet-proof GT cars which provided endless joy to their owners while making them rich at the same time. When it gets to the point where you don't want to drive the car for fear of a repair bill, sell it. If you can. Then go out and buy a German car (which includes a Gallardo now that Audi provides the key bits)
...a trolling we will go a trolling we will go, hi ho a merry o a trolling we will go. Let me give you context boys. He bought a Mondial 8 from a government auction sight unseen. (Yeah great idea right there) Had lots of problems.(oh really!? You don't say?!) Gave 15K to his mechanic and got ripped off (mechanic didn't sort out the car, by all accounts seemed to make it worse) Gave up and sold it for a bargain basement price Guy he sold it too flipped it for 50% more shortly afterwards Bitterness ensues...now he spends time in these forums bashing the car like a jilted ex boyfriend stalking his former gal... Exhibit A of a person that shouldnt be a Mondial owner, bought a 'cheap' janky Mondial, made it worse, sold it cheap to a guy that properly sorted it and sold for 50% more...complains about his old Mondial Textbook case of what NOT TO DO!!!
Thanks Paul. Well. First I was popping fuses. Did all the procedures to troubleshoot. Wasn't the fuel pump, after all. Had to flatbed to the shop. That's where they found the oil issue on the motor mount thread etc in to the crankcase. Fixed that. Then replaced the fuse with a larger fuse. Which to me may of not been good? But she was running well and strong again. Oil and fluid checks before all drives ensure I won't go low again. But now leaking gaskets, I know it's a "simple fix" but I'd love to just get 3-4 months of driving without having to sort things. That's why I had an expensive major. So there's my frustration. Might seem minuscule. But like I mentioned, I'm not wealthy, but enjoy vintage cars and GTs. But sometimes I'm like, "Damn, I could be having this much fun in an Elise or an M3, or, if I stretched, an F Type..." But then I wouldn't have the FCar. And deep down I really do love her
Now, that would explain the bitterness. He bought an exotic car with no knowledge of what it needed, then had a bad mechanic and then gave up way too soon. Cars are mechanical objects. If you are not handy, a good, honest mechanic is essential. There is nothing that can't be fixed once you figure out what is wrong. Not sure why Russ even bought the Mondial in the first place, but if he truly liked it, it is a shame his bad experiences have so clouded his judgment. Regards, Jerry
