Buy Immediately!
Written: Feb 20 '04
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Pros: Cheap to buy. Cooler than ANYTHING else on the road that is not a Ferrari.
Cons: As a seller, cheap to buy. And when you do, you wish you hadn't.
The Bottom Line: You'd be a Ferrari owner.
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| penp's Full Review: 1973 Ferrari Dino 308 GT/4 |
This unsung hero of the Ferrari line (the WHOLE Ferrari line, not just the 8-cylinder cars) is an absolutely incredible car. The conservative (when compared to a Dino 246 or the 308 GTB) styling begat bad reviews when first released. BUT, look at the damn thing; it has aged very well. Who cares what a bunch of car snobs wrote in 1974? Beauty is obviously a personal, subjective thing, but it is by most views, a sleek, sexy design. And time and time again I've heard or read about GTB owners claiming they like the GT4 driving experience better. Even the 20-year-old road tests said the GT4 was more balanced and handled better. On a personal level, I much preferred the design to the other cheaper cars. The GTB is too disco-poser-boy flashy, the Mondial IS a truly dull Ferrari design. I live in LA, so a bit of understatedness is a good thing for me. Mine was black as well to add to the subtlety. But there's nothing subtle about the driving experience; it is awesome. And all for about twenty grand!! Thankfully, the GTBs are now a cheap as GT4s, so the posers will buy them and run them into the ground. Because of the price, you have to make sure it has been owned by a proper sports car enthusiast who has serviced it properly. Also, watch out for cars that have not been driven for a few years; ultra-low mileage is NOT a good thing in these cars (seals dry out, ect.). Also, my car had 94,000 miles on it and it ran like a locomotive. They are very robust engines - just take care of them. And for God's sake, do the cam belt service at the needed intervals. The big added plus of a GT4 for me was the rear mini seat. I'm a single dad with 2 young kids, so those little seats added a tremendous degree of versatility to the car and helped to justify its ownership (I am just coming off a 3 year lease on a Honda S-2000 - I only put 9,000 miles on it! The 2-seat thing made it next to useless (but an AMAZING car). The GT4 almost HAS to increase in value at some point since the new Ferraris have become untouchable to only the most extravagantly wealthy. FYI, the 456, now 612 (?) is the "new" GT4 as it is only model with the rear 2 seats (but a more classic front engine instead of the GT4's mid-engine). Speaking of mid engine, I have also heard that many owners of the classic 12-cylinder cars own GT4s so that they have a Ferrari they can DRIVE. I think this model will gain additional popularity among hard-core Ferrari owners for that reason. So buy soon, prices may actually go up. As for buying, look for a solid seller that seems like a good person; you need to buy an honest car from an honest person. And have a mechanic do a diagnostic test. This costs about $300 for an 8-cylinder car and for a car whose engine costs about as much to rebuild as the car itself, it is a good investment (make sure a leakdown test is included). You can find listings of shops in Forza magazine. Go by the shop and check it out. If they are listed in Forza, they are probably a reputable place, but a drop-by will tell you if the shop is in your league or not. Some shops cater to very wealthy people and charge more; others are more down-to-earth. But treat your prospective mechanic like the Soup guy on Seinfeld: you need him more than he needs you is the prevailing attitude. It is not the normal service industry relationship. And they will be wary of GT$ buyers because of the assumption that you're on a tight budget. Buy some books, don't come off like an amateur, and don’t tell them what's wrong with your car! And respect their time: too much free advice mongering will annoy them; kick tires with you pals, not him - he's working! Note of caution: the last year 1979 (78 too?) had catalytic converters which sapped about 35 horsepower from the motor! Interestingly, the magazine road tests that I've seen for this model were very positive and unfortunately did not mention the comparative difference. But hell, people spend a bunch of money to add 30 hp to a car, so I'd stick with the earlier cars (and the cats cost a LOT of money if they ever need to be replaced). Driving the car: shifting needs to be very deliberate; it does not snick-snick like an Acura or a BMW. It's different, but it's cool and you'll get used to it. They can be hard to drive in town and park if you have larger tires, so they are not as versatile as Porsche 911. But if they were easy to drive then everyone would have one. Remember, hard is what makes it special! Happy driving! PS: I moved over (not up!) (Ok, up!) to a 12-cylinder, a 1970 365GT 2 + 2.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 19500.00
Condition: Used
Model Year: 1974
Model and Options: 5 speed
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penp
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Reviews written: 1
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