RE: PH buying guide: Maserati 3200 GT
Discussion
Gene Vincent said:
"Shall we take the Aston tonight, darling?" = Going to a local pub for a bit of grub
"Shall we take the Maserati tonight, darling?" = Going somewhere swish to attend a bit of a do.
Just my opinion.
I'd love to be in the position to say either!"Shall we take the Maserati tonight, darling?" = Going somewhere swish to attend a bit of a do.
Just my opinion.
Somehow "Shall we take the TVR tonight, darling?" isn't the same!
I never thought I'd have that moment, but the other night we had no food in the house, it was a sunny evening, just after pay day...!
Pub in the New Forest? Yes, that sounds nice dear. Shall we take the Lotus? Ooh, that'd be nice...
Still, would be better with "Maserati" replacing it...
Pub in the New Forest? Yes, that sounds nice dear. Shall we take the Lotus? Ooh, that'd be nice...
Still, would be better with "Maserati" replacing it...
comparing the 3200 to an FTO is an utter sin.
I do like the 3200 design wise, and I do like the boomerang lights, a very unique touch, however, I think the rear lights on the 4200 actually suit the car more. The same with the removal of the bonnet vents, I think the car looks more beautiful without, although each to their own. The 3200 is beautiful, but I do prefer the 4200 even sytle wise. And the Spyder even further.
A Gransport Spyder would be a dream. In Rosso Mondial preferably!
I do like the 3200 design wise, and I do like the boomerang lights, a very unique touch, however, I think the rear lights on the 4200 actually suit the car more. The same with the removal of the bonnet vents, I think the car looks more beautiful without, although each to their own. The 3200 is beautiful, but I do prefer the 4200 even sytle wise. And the Spyder even further.
A Gransport Spyder would be a dream. In Rosso Mondial preferably!
The FTO is a 'notch-back' the 3200 is a 'fastback'...
Anyway, the reason the 3200 is seen as a turning point for Maserati is because of the design, just prior to the 3200 had not been that beautiful and angular, but the 3200 can trace its design cues right back to the Ferrari 250GTO/275GTB, long nose, flared lights and a fastback with a little Kamm lip to give it definition.
It sounds easy, but it isn't, make it too wide and it loses something, get the proportion of the length of the bonnet to the cabin wrong and again it loses something and again it becomes a pastiche.
The FTO is too stubby and its ill-proportions give it away as an imposter. if you can mistake an FTO for a 3200 then you have to accept that you don't have a 'good eye' for design, nothing wrong with that, just reality.
That is why some people see the original DB7 as a thing of beauty, it was clumsily finished and a thing of the 80's but the shape and proportion has never been equalled by its later brothers.
The 3200 is a thing of beauty, the proportions and the use of compound curves that conform to classical ratios is what makes it such a beauty to the eye.
Sit in the drivers seat and look in a wing mirror and view the curvature of its rear hips, they are as feminine and beautiful as the curves of a womans hips, humans (women) conform to classical compound curves it is why cars that appear beautiful are seen that way because we humans (men) are designed to find these curves in our sexual partners, it is why owning cars like this, despite their reputation, are bought and tolerated by some and not others.
A Porsche makes sense, but the 3200 are the Gina Lollabrgida and Sophia Loren of the motoring experience, neither of those beauties even knows what a Hoover is, let alone what it's for, but who the hell cares, when you can just stand in wonder at curves so beautiful they lift your heart... I'd rather pay a few quid for a 'woman who does'... so I'll have the 3200 and a BMW Convertible... after all a topless woman who does is rather an appealing alternative occasionally.
Anyway, the reason the 3200 is seen as a turning point for Maserati is because of the design, just prior to the 3200 had not been that beautiful and angular, but the 3200 can trace its design cues right back to the Ferrari 250GTO/275GTB, long nose, flared lights and a fastback with a little Kamm lip to give it definition.
It sounds easy, but it isn't, make it too wide and it loses something, get the proportion of the length of the bonnet to the cabin wrong and again it loses something and again it becomes a pastiche.
The FTO is too stubby and its ill-proportions give it away as an imposter. if you can mistake an FTO for a 3200 then you have to accept that you don't have a 'good eye' for design, nothing wrong with that, just reality.
That is why some people see the original DB7 as a thing of beauty, it was clumsily finished and a thing of the 80's but the shape and proportion has never been equalled by its later brothers.
The 3200 is a thing of beauty, the proportions and the use of compound curves that conform to classical ratios is what makes it such a beauty to the eye.
Sit in the drivers seat and look in a wing mirror and view the curvature of its rear hips, they are as feminine and beautiful as the curves of a womans hips, humans (women) conform to classical compound curves it is why cars that appear beautiful are seen that way because we humans (men) are designed to find these curves in our sexual partners, it is why owning cars like this, despite their reputation, are bought and tolerated by some and not others.
A Porsche makes sense, but the 3200 are the Gina Lollabrgida and Sophia Loren of the motoring experience, neither of those beauties even knows what a Hoover is, let alone what it's for, but who the hell cares, when you can just stand in wonder at curves so beautiful they lift your heart... I'd rather pay a few quid for a 'woman who does'... so I'll have the 3200 and a BMW Convertible... after all a topless woman who does is rather an appealing alternative occasionally.
The 3200 is a pretty car but a nightmare to own. I had mine in 2005 with only 2900 miles on the clock, it was as new but didn't behave that way.
In the first week blew a turbo.
The tracking had to be constantly adjusted as it loved to eat the inside of it's tyres.
The rear wheel arches started to rust on the inner lip within 2 months.
Turbo blew again in the third month.
The keys would drop out of the ignition while I was driving, but the engine would continue to run.
The base of the electric seat decided move back while the seat back moved forward on it's own while on the motorway.
The electrics would only work intermitantly whenever a passenger got in with wet feet.
The exhaust rotted through at the join on the back box.
I got rid after 9 months and only 6000 miles.
You have to really love the 3200 to want to own one. I couldn't wait to see the back of mine and was glad to get back to Porsche.
In the first week blew a turbo.
The tracking had to be constantly adjusted as it loved to eat the inside of it's tyres.
The rear wheel arches started to rust on the inner lip within 2 months.
Turbo blew again in the third month.
The keys would drop out of the ignition while I was driving, but the engine would continue to run.
The base of the electric seat decided move back while the seat back moved forward on it's own while on the motorway.
The electrics would only work intermitantly whenever a passenger got in with wet feet.
The exhaust rotted through at the join on the back box.
I got rid after 9 months and only 6000 miles.
You have to really love the 3200 to want to own one. I couldn't wait to see the back of mine and was glad to get back to Porsche.
SophiesDad said:
The 3200 is a pretty car but a nightmare to own. I had mine in 2005 with only 2900 miles on the clock, it was as new but didn't behave that way.
In the first week blew a turbo.
The tracking had to be constantly adjusted as it loved to eat the inside of it's tyres.
The rear wheel arches started to rust on the inner lip within 2 months.
Turbo blew again in the third month.
The keys would drop out of the ignition while I was driving, but the engine would continue to run.
The base of the electric seat decided move back while the seat back moved forward on it's own while on the motorway.
The electrics would only work intermitantly whenever a passenger got in with wet feet.
The exhaust rotted through at the join on the back box.
I got rid after 9 months and only 6000 miles.
You have to really love the 3200 to want to own one. I couldn't wait to see the back of mine and was glad to get back to Porsche.
Sounds like you had a pup? - perhaps not helped by it covering such a low mileage (400-800 pa depending on what year it was)....they do suffer from not being driven. Most of those issues don't sound like particularly common 3200 faults, especially not faulty turbos which are pretty robust. I've put approx 40k+ miles on two 3200s, and aside from replacing a throttle body on each, costs have been pretty much routine maintenance and servicing. Can understand why you were keen to see the back of yours though!In the first week blew a turbo.
The tracking had to be constantly adjusted as it loved to eat the inside of it's tyres.
The rear wheel arches started to rust on the inner lip within 2 months.
Turbo blew again in the third month.
The keys would drop out of the ignition while I was driving, but the engine would continue to run.
The base of the electric seat decided move back while the seat back moved forward on it's own while on the motorway.
The electrics would only work intermitantly whenever a passenger got in with wet feet.
The exhaust rotted through at the join on the back box.
I got rid after 9 months and only 6000 miles.
You have to really love the 3200 to want to own one. I couldn't wait to see the back of mine and was glad to get back to Porsche.
Edited by johnnyBv8 on Wednesday 8th August 18:00
Sounds like you had a pup? - perhaps not helped by it covering such a low mileage (400-800 pa depending on what year it was)....they do suffer from not being driven. Most of those issues don't sound like particularly common 3200 faults, especially not faulty turbos which are pretty robust. I've put approx 40k+ miles on two 3200s, and aside from replacing a throttle body on each, costs have been pretty much routine maintenance and servicing. Can understand why you were keen to see the back of yours though!
Edited by johnnyBv8 on Wednesday 8th August 18:00
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It's a shame, because after reading all of your posts it seems that I did indeed have a pup. It's testament to the fact you should let condition and maintenance history overrule low mileage. As you rightly say they do suffer from not being driven.
After talking to other owners at the time, it does seem that the 3200 ownership should be generally stress free.
Thought I’d throw my opinion into the mix, for what it’s worth.
On paper this car is almost unmissable at this price. It’s absolutely beautiful and subtly sophisticated inside and out, in a way that more recent Maseratis are not, and it has all the go you could ever want.
But I think you’d have to have a great sense of love and commitment for it in order to justify coughing up on the maintenance costs required to keep it in top shape.
And I for one would find this a bit of a stretch, for the simple reason that a car of this calibre really shouldn’t have a turbo. Absolutely kills it for me. The engine just feels like it’s had all the character engineered out of it in the quest for an extra second off the 0-60 time. Very disappointing.
Which of course makes the 4200 seem like the way to go… though I must admit they’re still above my willingness-to-pay threshold so I haven’t driven one So that’s one more request for a buyer’s guide please
On paper this car is almost unmissable at this price. It’s absolutely beautiful and subtly sophisticated inside and out, in a way that more recent Maseratis are not, and it has all the go you could ever want.
But I think you’d have to have a great sense of love and commitment for it in order to justify coughing up on the maintenance costs required to keep it in top shape.
And I for one would find this a bit of a stretch, for the simple reason that a car of this calibre really shouldn’t have a turbo. Absolutely kills it for me. The engine just feels like it’s had all the character engineered out of it in the quest for an extra second off the 0-60 time. Very disappointing.
Which of course makes the 4200 seem like the way to go… though I must admit they’re still above my willingness-to-pay threshold so I haven’t driven one So that’s one more request for a buyer’s guide please
POORCARDEALER said:
The 4200 is worth the little money they cost for the engine alone, and it is very easily mapped to 450 bhp... I have owned a lot of exotic stuff but this engine is right up there. Epic.
A remap can take a NA engine from 390 to 450? surely it would need a fair bit more than a map to gain 60bhp? what companies are offering this map?BRMMA said:
POORCARDEALER said:
The 4200 is worth the little money they cost for the engine alone, and it is very easily mapped to 450 bhp... I have owned a lot of exotic stuff but this engine is right up there. Epic.
A remap can take a NA engine from 390 to 450? surely it would need a fair bit more than a map to gain 60bhp? what companies are offering this map?POORCARDEALER said:
The engine is a down tuned Ferrari 430 lump.........DMS do the map, costs about a grand.
I've not got an intel on the 42 remap, but a couple of guys on sportsmaserati.co.uk compared a chipped 4.7 GT-S to a non-chipped and were thoroughly underwhelmed by the difference.Be interested to hear more about this one though, especially if it applies to the GS (which I'm assuming it does, as they're fundamentally the same car).
Pork said:
POORCARDEALER said:
The engine is a down tuned Ferrari 430 lump.........DMS do the map, costs about a grand.
I've not got an intel on the 42 remap, but a couple of guys on sportsmaserati.co.uk compared a chipped 4.7 GT-S to a non-chipped and were thoroughly underwhelmed by the difference.Be interested to hear more about this one though, especially if it applies to the GS (which I'm assuming it does, as they're fundamentally the same car).
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