Which one? 308 Carb, 308i or 308 QV?

Easiest quickest answer. Late 84 or 85 QV.

Done.

 

Tommy is 100% correct!

 

At this age, all the cars on the market will have their idiosyncrasies. For a daily driver, I'd say get the best sorted car you can possibly find within your budget. A superb £30K 308i is going to be way better to live with than a mediocre £30K 308 carb.

Received wisdom is carb or QV. But if you want to think for yourself, go drive all three basic options (carb, i, QV) and make your own mind up. You'll find the power differences really mean nothing in the real world.

 

I agree.

 

I bought my 1980 308i because it had the best feeling in the steering rack and sounded the best at high rpms. It also had the smoothest gearbox of ANY Ferrari I've driven. Best interior and paint too AND best of all it was 4k cheaper than the next lesser condition QV I drove. I've driven several faster modern cars and to me I couldn't tell the difference from one 308 variant to the other.

It's started, idled and run perfectly for 6 years now with only a new set of plugs,wires,extenders and a fan relay for repairs.

 

2nd the motion.

 

There is not enough performance difference between them--------------- find a well maintained one and drive it. Personally I fell in love with the 308 back in 82 and that is what I have and do to health issues I will have to sell. nero/tan

 

I would say late QV due to better rust proofing I believe - esp if in the UK. i think they are easier to keep running smoothly than carb 308, also I prefer the QV interior - seat patterns / dash layout / door panels etc.

Then again I suppose i am biased - have had my 85 Qv for 10 years now

 

I guess I'll have to stick up for the carb crew...

I've had my '78 for about 17 years and put about 50k miles on it. It has been great to me and I don't baby it. Also, the sound of the carbs at WOT near redline is pure music.

 

+1 For Hank and the Carbureted Cars.

Once set-up and properly maintained, they're very reliable. And fun. And they sound great!

 

Who among us has owned all three? That's the voice I would be listening to.

By the way, I love my 85 QV...

 

Weber car set up with properly adjusted stock ignition. Classic.

 

I think everyone's covered the basics here. If it's going to be a daily driver, as mine nearly is, the advice I was given was to stick with the injected cars, and of those to go for QV's (as much for resale as anything), preferably from '84 onward to get rust-proofing or late '84 onward to get the improved alternative/waterpump belt setup. Maintenance should be both easier and cheaper than a 355.

 

All preference. I wanted a carb car since I have no carbs in the garage and Ferrari won't be making any more. They are all great cars.

 

Go carb! And in the UK we have the added benefit of the air intake scoop being right next to your ear. Fabulous sound.

 

Speaking from my own experience (and watching as folks now struggle with ancient injection and aging Dinoplex units), I think my cars are pretty hassle free...

Carburator is a French word means "don't mess with it"..

 

Just to confuse you And this is just my opinion with a basis of staying at a Holiday Inn and a half empty glass of Woodford Reserve...

Best induction sound...carb car.

Best interior....injected 81-85

Least likely to rust....late 84 or 85

hp numbers.....euro > US, 76-77 > 83-85 > 78-82

Most likely to be spanked in a drag race with Granny`s Camry.....all

Best paint scheme, with body color vents and black A/B pillars, GTS...78-83 US & all euros

Appearance wise Best bumpers, rear valence, and front spoiler....euros

Safety wise best bumpers....US

Cheaper to rebuild engine.....2 valve....76-82

More expensive to rebuild engine.....4 valve....83-85

More likely to need heads rebuilt.....2 valve.....76-82....then again all likely will in the near future if you plan on driving them. 30 year old cars...

Heaviest clutch pedal ....76-79

Lightest clutch pedal. ....80-85

Best daily driver.....80-85

Most likely to need service to make reliable....all

Most likely to be reliable after needed service performed....all

Best handling....GTB

Best fun in the sun....GTS

Best wheels....16 inch > TRX / 14 inch

Least expensive to purchase.....80-82 GTB

Most expensive to purchase.....euro glass 76 GTB

Most fun to own.....all

To sum up my $ 3.08 worth, these cars are more art than performance. Decide which interior you like best, which paint scheme....body color vents vs black.....black AB pillars or body color, bumpers US or euros, B or S, paint and interior color, then buy the best condition most loved example you can find. 2V Carb cars have that induction roar....but associated carb and ignition issues and the sodium valves and the later ones are down on power with the emissions. 2Vi cars are usually a little less expensive, have the better interior, better earlier paint scheme, but also have the sodium valves and are down on power like the late carb cars. QV cars are more sorted with a little hotter 4V engines, later ones had rust prevention, nice interiors, but the lesser paint scheme on the GTS.

 

Many well intentioned answers above are unaware of the difference between Euro and US cars. US 84-85 have additional environmental parts which affect reliability but not performance. Also, US owners tend to be identified cars by model year whereas Euro cars are not.

Bottom line for overall performance/reliability of an injected car would be a Euro car produced from 1982-1985 308 car which provides the QV without the unnecessary injection parts. The US equivalent car is a 1983.

For a carb car, the most desirable for future appreciation is the rarer fiberglass/vitreous 308 cars from the first 1/2 year of production. However, there is a performance advantage of the later carb cars produced from 1978-early 1980.

Note that many will argue that as one becomes accustomed to the higher performance of current cars, it becomes difficult to feel the 20-30 hp difference in the range of 308 from 1975-1985. The lowest power was in first injected 2V cars

Take your time to assess condition of numerous cars...as it's the prime factor in your ultimate satifaction. JohnM has some great notes - clutch etc - but be aware his years are for US cars. Many changes were made a year or more earlier to Euro cars. GL

 

BRAVISSIMO!

 

How is the paint the different?

 

After doing a lot of research and seeing some 308s my main concern was getting one after they started zinc plating the steel. I don't have my books handy so I can't remember what the first year for zinc plating is.

 

Agree. Well stated and brings many issues to bear...

I have an 83QV and really could give a rats arse about rust issues. It doesn't see rain and is parked in my garage and driven on sunny weekend days.

IF I were using it for a DD though I would go 85 QV. Ease of use and youngest of all the 308s. As I get older I feel more for my cars that are getting older. They just take longer to get up in the AM and need more maintenance. Like me!

 

Yours doesn't have rust, when you are shopping for one you will see plenty of rust.

 

Speaking US GTS models....I think most euros are like early US GTS

82 and prior had body colored radiator vents and black A/B pillars and around the quarter windows following the body line aft the top.

I think 83 had the black A/B pillars but with black radiator vents.

84 and 85 had black radiator vents and body colored A/B pillars.

To me the black pillars make the top flow better into the design....especially since that aft body line remains in the QV. And the body colored vents look cleaner as well. I like that old school blacked out greenhouse and clean fender look.

Rust wise, they eventually all will on that seam along the bottom of the door skin, but the late QV should be awhile longer. I replaced the bottom 6" on my Cali-Seattle based 82 doors during my recent body overhaul.