1985 Ferrari 308 GTS QV

‘It was in such fantastic condition and had a great history,’ reflects owner Rod on why he bought what was and is probably one of Ferrari’s prettiest cars ever. And, going some way to dispel the idea of Ferrari temperamentality, he adds; ‘when we brought it out of storage, it fired up immediately. And the air conditioning works! In fact everything - including all the switches - still worked - rare for a Ferrari’.

We at the Market can also vouch for how well the diminutive 308 drives - the crisp V8 firing up at the first time of asking and pulling well in all gears - from cold - without any of the histrionics one might expect from the multi-cylinder ultra-exotics.

Rod has many years experience in the high performance and classic car world (his Aston Martin Virage Volante is also for sale on The Market). He is a discerning buyer who looks closely at condition and the whole-life history of the cars he acquires and is more than willing for any prospective bidders to come and view the car where it has been stored – constantly on charge in a temperature-controlled, dehumidified facility.

Wearing Ferrari’s famous colour; Rosso Corsa, the 308’s paintwork retains a very deep shine, generally free of scratches, scuff and stone chips. It is complemented beautifully by the almost perfect black of the slats, louvres and black bumpers (the latter have not faded to grey). Those engine cover slats sit perfectly (parallel) in place and show no signs of corrosion beneath the black powder coating; similarly the louvres behind the door windows. The metal (and filler cap) behind these is also clean and free of corrosion. Neither show any signs of disolouration, nor ripples indicating corrosion bubbling underneath. On both sides, the panels look sharp. Similarly, the louvres and slats in the nose are even and symmetrical. The headlights too pop up smartly, standing straight, their bases properly lined up with the contours of the bodywork.

The 308 has several features which would give away any misalignments in the bodywork - most notably that black inset belt-line and the deep ducts that run from door to rear haunch. On both sides, these move in a smooth continuous line and the car remains completely symmetrical side to side. Similarly, both luggage compartment and engine cover lids line up perfectly and the targa roof panel fits snugly into place. Its rubber seals are straight and in excellent condition, showing no splitting or signs of perishing, and the door seals look equally good.

The very deep chin spoiler shows no signs of being scraped or scratched (sometimes that lowest front panel can look a little wonky, but this one is straight). Its narrow rubber edge looks good too. Moving a little higher, the steel grill and prancing horse badge are also straight and in good order. Indeed, the badges and decals all around the car - yes, including those little ones on the wing mirrors - are all present and correct. What little chrome there is remains bright, with no signs of pitting or discolouration.

On opening the door, your initial impression is of a very smart interior; no frayed edges, no warped panels. The seat leather retains its original lustre (yes, black again), and the segmented seat panel contours are well defined and the seats as a whole retain their shape.

Understandably, there is a little wear to the outside seat bolster and cushion of the driver’s seat - probably thrown into prominence by the almost spotless state of the rest of the cabin. Carpets are in good order and the metal beneath them looks firm and rust-free. The carpeted sections of the lower doors look, if anything, even better, with the plastic edges to the pockets retaining a firm, smart edge. Door furniture in general looks very robust - not always the case in Ferrari’s of this (or any) era. Looking around the metal and underneath doors, you’ll see that the paint finishes matches the high quality of the outside. Nooks, crannies and screw heads all look clean and very presentable.

There is a slight stain to the side of the transmission tunnel on the passenger side, however, the plastic sections to the cover look straight and haven’t warped over time. Otherwise, the colour of the plastic and leather of the cockpit is excellent, showing no cracks or signs of fading. All the instruments work (no mean thing - especially since it’s sometimes hard to find out what some of them actually do!). The steering wheel leather is looking good; it has not been scratched or spoiled by finger nails or rings, and similarly, the gear knob is in good condition.

As a bonus, the 308 retains its original tool kit, which is in good shape.

This Ferrari looks to be very sound underneath. The underside bears the obvious weathering of almost 50,000 miles driven, but everything looks to be intact and very servicable. The black weather-proof paint on the undersills has peeled a little here and there. But there are no signs of corrosion getting hold of the underbelly of the car. It’s probably safe to safe to say it’s been a fair weather motor.

All the suspension components look to be in very good order. Suspension arms and struts and their attendant bolts appear solid and free to move, while dampers are leak-fee. Springs look fine. The characteristic five-spoke alloys themselves are in fine fettle - with clean yellow centres - and the (correct) Michelin tyres are almost new. The exhaust too looks solid and is firmly mounted, and the general undertray dent and corrosion free.

The somewhat cramped engine bay is clean and servicable, with ancillary components looking to be in good health - no surface corrosion - and the oil filter grime-free. The state of the wiring and hoses - all supple and clean - suggest there have been no overheating problems or serious leaks. The underside of the engine lid would say the same.

The soft cover to the small rear luggage compartment fits nicely and is tear-free, while up front, the spare wheel compartment is clean and tidy, and the spare itself in good condition. The radiator and fans are good and there is no sign of damage repair to the front of the car (or anywhere else).

We took the 308 for a 10 mile test around the vendor’s home and were pleasantly surprised to find an absolutely solid car which had not rattles or general loose-ness. All the functions worked very well and the engine gave no cause for any alarm. And no reason to doubt the owner’s claim that everything works well. Even the electric mirrors performed upon instruction. Feel free to contact the seller and arrange an appointment for yourself. Our summary was that this is one of the most usable, smartest (and, dare we say it, least troublesome) 308’s available today. It certainly appears immediately ready for another summer on the road.

Lower mileage ‘summer’ classics can sometimes mean a ‘store and forget policy’ on the part of its owners. This has certainly not been the case with this Ferrari, with constant and vigilant care throughout the vehicle’s life.

A meticulously stamped service record shows regular and thorough servicing by Ferrari main dealers and blue-chip specialists. It includes several timely cam belt replacements. What is even more illuminating and reassuring is some of the reports on the invoices (from such folk as Meridian Ferrari and Mike and Graham Reeder – ex-Ferrari racers) that back up the service book stamps. Often, notes accompany the bills, explaining the work done - nice. Very nice.

Rod himself has carried on the tradition of careful stewardship. He was advised last year that the car’s tyres, while not worn, were rather old - hence the set of virtually new Michelins it now wears. There was also a significant brake service completed in 2016, all to ensure that this car has always remained ready and on-the-button.

In short; it don’t get no better. Here we have a stupidly pretty, enjoyably quick, open-topped Ferrari in one of the model’s best colour combinations. It is in beautiful condition with a ‘no questions’ history. Blimey; you can even go and see where it has lived for the last nine years - and talk to its conscientious, well-informed owner. If you are looking for an excellent, real-world 308 GTS (to use, or to simply admire) this is it. The four-valve GTS models go for between £49,000 and £59,000, but the reserve, as always, is set significantly lower. Expect to bid up towards the higher figure - this one is nice. Highly recommended.

Viewing is always encouraged, and this particular car is located with its owner in Hampsghire; to arrange an appointment please use the ‘Contact Seller’ button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.

If needed, please remember we have a network of trusted suppliers we work with regularly and can recommend: Classic & Sportscar Finance for purchase-financing, Footman James for classic car insurance Thames Valley Car Storage for storing your car and AnyVan for transporting it.

BORING, but IMPORTANT: Please note that whilst we at The Market always aim to offer the most descriptive and transparent auction listings available, we cannot claim they are perfect analyses of any of the vehicles for sale. We offer far greater opportunity for bidders to view, or arrange inspections for each vehicle thoroughly prior to bidding than traditional auctions, and we never stop encouraging bidders to take advantage of this. We do take a good look at the vehicles delivered to our premises for sale, but this only results in our unbiased personal observations, not those of a qualified inspector or other professional, or the result of a long test drive.

Additionally, please note that most of the videos on our site have been recorded using simple cameras which often result in 'average' sound quality; in particular, engines and exhausts notes can sound a little different to how they are in reality.

Please note that this is sold as seen and that, as is normal for used goods bought at auction, the Sale of Goods Act 1979 does not apply. See our FAQs for more info, and feel free to inspect any vehicle as much as you wish.