Initially, it was a little scary buying the car as I always heard that people of “modest” means shouldn’t buy cars like this (referring to the maintenance and repairs as they’re usually too expensive for mere mortals to afford). But when it comes to the 308 or 328, it’s likely the best vintage Ferrari you can own. They’re fairly stable and reliable, and they don’t require much of anything unusual. I was certainly in a position where I could easily afford the regular maintenance like oil changes and what not, and the “major service” that’s needed every five years. What I wasn’t prepared for was any sort of catastrophic engine failure. But that’s what happened.

I was headed Northbound 101 and had just passed over Golden Gate Bridge approaching the Robin Williams Tunnel, when my engine suddenly cut out. I was able to make it safely over to the shoulder where I came to a stop. I tried starting the car again but was only able to do that (and keep it running) while the gas was pressed. Additionally, there was a really nasty rattling coming from the engine. This wasn’t good. I had it towed to a nearby Ferrari mechanic and my wife came to rescue me. Three days later I found out the car had suffered from bore scoring and a piston ring had failed (this was the source of the rattling sound). This pretty much warranted a complete rebuild of the engine, the cost of which would be North of $30,000. This is what they mean when they say “mere mortals”.

That’s not something I can do, at least not immediately. Sure, I could spread it out over two or three credit cards, take out a loan, or sell some of my stock. But credit cards are a bad idea, stock is earmarked for retirement or life-threatening emergencies, and a loan just isn’t something I want to do as it could hamper my ability to handle any unexpected life emergencies during the life of that loan. However, this car is my dream. It represents to me the things it will never represent to anyone else, and it’s special. For me, very special. It’s like a family member, and you don’t walk away from family members because they’re going through a hard time. So I’m not selling it. For now, the car will be returned to my home and will sit in my garage until I can figure out how to get it fixed. The good news is, I have a number of ideas and strategies that should see this car back on the road within two to two and half years, maybe less if I’m really lucky and diligent.

I suspect the issue is most likely rooted in the fact the car sat untouched in a garage from 1989 to 2014. Leaving a car neglected and untouched for that amount of time is never a good thing. The person who bought it in 2014 spent a lot of time and money getting it on the road, but the engine itself was never actually rebuilt. It seems logical there was likely some hidden damage caused by time. That owner also only covered 1,957 miles during the seven and a half years he owned the car, so it was unlikely he would have encountered anything unusual with such little drive time. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t very good for the car either.

Should mere mortals buy a Ferrari? Well, only the mere mortals who want one can answer that question. For me, personally, it wasn’t about just owning any “Ferrari” — I wasn’t looking for a status symbol or some vulgar display of wealth. I wanted the classic wedge-shaped car that captured my heart, mind, and soul 35 years before I could even fathom owning one. It’s about the connection between man and machine. This is the one car that I had always wanted, the one dream I honestly thought I could never fulfill, and I’ll be damned if I’m ever giving it up! If your passion is that strong, then you’ll know what to do should the occasion arise. I enjoyed it to its fullest extent during the time it was running, and I drove it every opportunity I had, covering 8,661 miles during that time (remember, it was in the shop getting painted for 10 months). That’s more miles than most Ferrari owners put on their car during its lifetime. And I will definitely be putting more miles on it in the years to come… albeit with a small gap in between.