Reply to "Pantera vs. other Italian"

As someone mentioned, you are asking for advice on a DeTomaso forum, so we aren't exactly neutral! But many have faced the same question as you and we have all selected a DeTomaso for some good reasons.

If you plan to LOOK at your car, or perhaps take it out of the garage one Sunday a week for a short cruise then probably any of the cars on your list would do. If you plan do DRIVE your car, then the list becomes a lot shorter.

The other Italians - the Alfas, Ferraris, Lambos etc - how many ads do you see with 100k+ miles on them? I see darn few. People don't drive them every day and there's a reason for that. It is not uncommon to see Porsches (911 flavors) with high mileage, so they are durable. But they are too common a car for my taste.

I know several Panteras with 200k+ miles on the clock. Every year I take at least one trip of 3000-4000 or 5000 kilometers in the Pantera. It is comfortable, reliable, and fun. And if something does go wrong? For the price of a head rebuild on another Italian you can buy a 500 hp crate motor for the Pantera.

It's really the best of both worlds - an unsophisticated but powerful muscle car engine with the chassis and body of an Italian.

Although to really decide, you ought to drive a few examples of each model. Once behind the wheel you may find things that you do or don't like. The brakes in the Maserati Bora take some getting used to, for example. You may or may not like them. A wide-body Pantera handles much differently than a narrow-body Pantera, and you may prefer one or the other.

So have some fun - how often will you get a chance to drive 60's Ferraris and Lambos? Drive them all and then decide.