With the lure of affordable Italian luxury and storming performance Maserati's 3200 GT has seduced many a PH buyer. But if you find the Maserati's charms irresistible then please keep your eyes open - a less than perfect example could spell financial ruin.
Introduced in 1998, the potent 3200 GT packs a twin-turbo 3.2-litre V8 engine pumping out 370hp. The six-speed manual is good for 174mph flat out, with 0-62mph beaten in just 5.1 seconds - whilst the Automatica four-speed auto is a tad slower. Maserati also produced an Assetto Corsa model with limited to a production run of 250, which enjoyed a lower, firmer suspension with intelligent electronic damping, plus various other tweaks to make it the best 3200 GT from a keen driver's perspective.
With a total of 4,795 3200 GTs of all types sold worldwide the model was a big financial success for Maserati and few cars have a more welcoming interior than the 3200 GT: there's plush Connolly leather all over the place and wonderful design touches, plus there's a reasonable amount of room in the back - unlike other rivals
All three versions of the 3200 - GT, Automatica and Assetto Corsa - come with the same stiff suspension featuring double wishbones front and rear with Bilstein dampers, coil springs and an anti-roll bar. The throttle response is immediate - with some owners describing it as being like 'a hair trigger'. Make sure you can live with this before committing to buying a GT.
The 3200 GT cost well over £60,000 when new but you can now pick the cheapest cars up for well under £10,000. But don't expect running and maintenance costs to be proportional. The 3200 GT is still a luxury sports car in every respect - with garage bills to match. Even a good one will require you to shell out at least £3,000 a year to keep it in the style to which it has been accustomed. A bad one could ruin you.
Featuring both a timing belt and a timing chain, the belts need changing every three years or 31,000 miles, while the chain at the back will need replacing at 68,000 miles. This is a specialist, time-consuming job. And the 3200 GT can throw up other unexpected repair bills at any time, with perhaps the most scary necessitating a complete engine rebuild - at a cost of at least £7,000.
As a result it's well worth paying a specialist for a pre-purchase inspection - which should cost around inspection for £300. And it's not just the engine itself that can cause issues, there are a number of well-reported, if less serious, foibles which will need to be attended to promptly. Thankfully most 3200 GT transmissions have proved reliable.
- Electrics can be troublesome, though more often than not it will be a blown fuse rather than something more expensive - but make sure everything works
- The leather stretches and bunches up on the dash and the steering wheel - it can be recovered but second-hand replacements can be found for less
- Corrosion is limited, although it can sometimes occur around the bottom of the rear lights, in front of the rear wheel arch and almost anywhere on the exhaust silencers
- Check the radio works - it's no longer available if it needs replacing
- Inspect the spare wheel well for damp as the boot seals wear and need replacing every 10 years or so
- Those trademark 'boomerang' lights are hard to replace - good second-hand units fetch as much as £1,000
- The oil pressure must sit at 5 bar at idle, if it isn't it points to huge potential problems and a possible engine rebuild
- Erratic idling, difficult starting or stalling is a clear sign the throttle body is failing and a new part from Maserati is £1,800 - but a modified throttle body that is more resistant to failure costs just £550
- Check the ignition light goes out as soon as the engine is running. If it doesn't, the Lambda sensors are the most likely culprits
- The 3200 GT transmissions are robust, but clutches on manuals can wear quickly (expect 25,000 miles on average) so check it's shifting as it should
- Look for cracks around the exit of the lower pipe from the aluminium radiator and check the levels of all fluids, including the gearbox and differential
- Starter motors can fail - a new one is around £200 from Maserati
- Check the power-steering pipe for wear as the AC pipe rubs against it in the engine bay - repositioning it requires unbolting the engine for access
- Front lower ball joints are a weak spot and need replacing around the 20,000-mile mark; it's costly as the ball-joints are integral with the lower aluminium wishbone
- At the back, an adjustable tie-rod often fails around the 20,000-mile point
- The suspension requires 3200 GT specific bushes which do perish over time. If there's any wander or uneven wear have the geometry checked.
- If the ABS pump fails they're almost impossible to find. Brake pipes corrode, so check them for leaks
- The standard brakes are strong and durable, but original replacements from Maserati are very expensive. But quality aftermarket discs and pads are available for a lot less
- If there's a dragging feeling at around 70mph from the rear brakes the electronic sensors for the ASR have failed - expect to pay around £1,500 to fix the problem
MASERATI 3200 GT
Engine: 3,217cc twin-turbo V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual/ 4-speed auto
Power (hp): 370hp@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 362lb ft@4,500rpm
MPG: N/A
CO2: 370g/km
Price new: N/A
Price now: £9,995 to £19,995