Thinking of a 3200 GT
Discussion
Hi All,
Been looking at various cars over last few months trying to decide what is next step after selling my 996 turbo.
Suddenly had a notion maybe for a Maserati 3200.
So just wondered if anyone could give me some pointers of what to look out for , or maybe someone knows of a good clean example for sale at the moment that might be worth a look ?
Appreciate any help or advice that anyone can give
Cheers
Been looking at various cars over last few months trying to decide what is next step after selling my 996 turbo.
Suddenly had a notion maybe for a Maserati 3200.
So just wondered if anyone could give me some pointers of what to look out for , or maybe someone knows of a good clean example for sale at the moment that might be worth a look ?
Appreciate any help or advice that anyone can give
Cheers
Besides the usual 2nd hand car stuff, the two main things to look out for are the electrics and crank end float.
Electrics - unfortunately these are consumables. By that I mean they will break and need replaced.
Suspension problems are caused by failure of the plastic gears in the actuators. Derived from an 80's Corvette - really - you can't use the $100 Chevy bits as Ferrari added an extra wire. There are 4 on the car, and they'll break every 6-7 years. £800 each from Ferrari.
Throttle Body - a 3200GT only part. Fail after around 10 years - if you buy a car that hasn't had a new TB, budget for around £2500.
ABS Control Unit. Again, 3200GT only part. Can't be rebuilt, although some firms advertise. Don't ask me how I know! Again, budget for at least £2k.
They're just the big ones. I'm sure others can add in....
Crank End Float. It's thought a lot of manuals suffer / will suffer from this. It can only be detected in the depths of a major service, and if not caught can mean a new engine / scrap car.
Finally, the service schedule demands not just a belt service at 65,000 miles, but also a chain replacement. It's an engine out job, and would cost around £2k - £3k depending on where you take it. You'll see (relatively speaking) a lot of 3200GT's coming up for sale quite cheaply with mid 60k miles on the clock....
Cutting a long story short, whilst there are several £10k or less 3200GT's out there, it may not be a saving if just one of the above things fails. A bad 3200GT will cost you potentially a bunch more than the purchase price. Buy a right one, and you've got a great piece of a cool marque.
I do know of a really good manual 3200 in Scotland that isn't currently for sale but is open to offers should someone be interested. It's had all the above bits fixed, and can be vouched for by Scotland's independent Maserati specialists. Email me if I haven't put you off!
Electrics - unfortunately these are consumables. By that I mean they will break and need replaced.
Suspension problems are caused by failure of the plastic gears in the actuators. Derived from an 80's Corvette - really - you can't use the $100 Chevy bits as Ferrari added an extra wire. There are 4 on the car, and they'll break every 6-7 years. £800 each from Ferrari.
Throttle Body - a 3200GT only part. Fail after around 10 years - if you buy a car that hasn't had a new TB, budget for around £2500.
ABS Control Unit. Again, 3200GT only part. Can't be rebuilt, although some firms advertise. Don't ask me how I know! Again, budget for at least £2k.
They're just the big ones. I'm sure others can add in....
Crank End Float. It's thought a lot of manuals suffer / will suffer from this. It can only be detected in the depths of a major service, and if not caught can mean a new engine / scrap car.
Finally, the service schedule demands not just a belt service at 65,000 miles, but also a chain replacement. It's an engine out job, and would cost around £2k - £3k depending on where you take it. You'll see (relatively speaking) a lot of 3200GT's coming up for sale quite cheaply with mid 60k miles on the clock....
Cutting a long story short, whilst there are several £10k or less 3200GT's out there, it may not be a saving if just one of the above things fails. A bad 3200GT will cost you potentially a bunch more than the purchase price. Buy a right one, and you've got a great piece of a cool marque.
I do know of a really good manual 3200 in Scotland that isn't currently for sale but is open to offers should someone be interested. It's had all the above bits fixed, and can be vouched for by Scotland's independent Maserati specialists. Email me if I haven't put you off!
Or you could get a proper one like mine which I've had for 10+ years without an issue. Even sold my DB9 in preference to parting with the 32.
The ones to avoid are evident even from the ads, a well cared for car is no more troublesome than a Ferrari or Lambo from the same era.
Cam chains are 64k replacement but £1200 engine IN jobs these days. Mine on average costs me £500 pa for services etc.
Manuals have suffered from crank end float due to the pressure the cluth exerts on it. Doesn't affect auto's.
A £10k car is a a £10k car for a reason, it may a desperate seller or something entirely more sinister?
If it doesn't have the red key walk away.
If you get one they are not to be taken lightly, damp surface, traction off, heavy right foot will equal facing the wrong way!
The ones to avoid are evident even from the ads, a well cared for car is no more troublesome than a Ferrari or Lambo from the same era.
Cam chains are 64k replacement but £1200 engine IN jobs these days. Mine on average costs me £500 pa for services etc.
Manuals have suffered from crank end float due to the pressure the cluth exerts on it. Doesn't affect auto's.
A £10k car is a a £10k car for a reason, it may a desperate seller or something entirely more sinister?
If it doesn't have the red key walk away.
If you get one they are not to be taken lightly, damp surface, traction off, heavy right foot will equal facing the wrong way!
I can see a polarising of 3200 values in the near future, with good cars being worth up to £20K and poor cars around £5K with a complete nest of vipers swarming around in the middle. Problem is the trade will never recognise the value of a good example should you come to sell. If you love the boomerang lights and an uneven power delivery then good luck, otherwise buy a 4200 for far fewer sleepless nights.
Or consider the Gransport model (2005-2008). The general concensus is that all the previous issues have been sorted by the time of the Gransport model. Lower ride height, quicker steering, a couple more BHP (400), quicker gear change, generally more driver focussed, and very exclusive. Prices start at approx £21K.
I have had mine for over a year with very few issues
Loads of info @ www.sportsmaserati.co.uk
I have had mine for over a year with very few issues
Loads of info @ www.sportsmaserati.co.uk
cccscotland said:
Besides the usual 2nd hand car stuff, the two main things to look out for are the electrics and crank end float.
Electrics - unfortunately these are consumables. By that I mean they will break and need replaced.
Suspension problems are caused by failure of the plastic gears in the actuators. Derived from an 80's Corvette - really - you can't use the $100 Chevy bits as Ferrari added an extra wire. There are 4 on the car, and they'll break every 6-7 years. £800 each from Ferrari.
Throttle Body - a 3200GT only part. Fail after around 10 years - if you buy a car that hasn't had a new TB, budget for around £2500.
ABS Control Unit. Again, 3200GT only part. Can't be rebuilt, although some firms advertise. Don't ask me how I know! Again, budget for at least £2k.
They're just the big ones. I'm sure others can add in....
Crank End Float. It's thought a lot of manuals suffer / will suffer from this. It can only be detected in the depths of a major service, and if not caught can mean a new engine / scrap car.
Finally, the service schedule demands not just a belt service at 65,000 miles, but also a chain replacement. It's an engine out job, and would cost around £2k - £3k depending on where you take it. You'll see (relatively speaking) a lot of 3200GT's coming up for sale quite cheaply with mid 60k miles on the clock....
Cutting a long story short, whilst there are several £10k or less 3200GT's out there, it may not be a saving if just one of the above things fails. A bad 3200GT will cost you potentially a bunch more than the purchase price. Buy a right one, and you've got a great piece of a cool marque.
I do know of a really good manual 3200 in Scotland that isn't currently for sale but is open to offers should someone be interested. It's had all the above bits fixed, and can be vouched for by Scotland's independent Maserati specialists. Email me if I haven't put you off!
I had mine for five years, and the only one of the above list of scares that it suffered from was a failed throttle body, which came in at around £1600 to renew. Electrics - unfortunately these are consumables. By that I mean they will break and need replaced.
Suspension problems are caused by failure of the plastic gears in the actuators. Derived from an 80's Corvette - really - you can't use the $100 Chevy bits as Ferrari added an extra wire. There are 4 on the car, and they'll break every 6-7 years. £800 each from Ferrari.
Throttle Body - a 3200GT only part. Fail after around 10 years - if you buy a car that hasn't had a new TB, budget for around £2500.
ABS Control Unit. Again, 3200GT only part. Can't be rebuilt, although some firms advertise. Don't ask me how I know! Again, budget for at least £2k.
They're just the big ones. I'm sure others can add in....
Crank End Float. It's thought a lot of manuals suffer / will suffer from this. It can only be detected in the depths of a major service, and if not caught can mean a new engine / scrap car.
Finally, the service schedule demands not just a belt service at 65,000 miles, but also a chain replacement. It's an engine out job, and would cost around £2k - £3k depending on where you take it. You'll see (relatively speaking) a lot of 3200GT's coming up for sale quite cheaply with mid 60k miles on the clock....
Cutting a long story short, whilst there are several £10k or less 3200GT's out there, it may not be a saving if just one of the above things fails. A bad 3200GT will cost you potentially a bunch more than the purchase price. Buy a right one, and you've got a great piece of a cool marque.
I do know of a really good manual 3200 in Scotland that isn't currently for sale but is open to offers should someone be interested. It's had all the above bits fixed, and can be vouched for by Scotland's independent Maserati specialists. Email me if I haven't put you off!
Thanks for all your replies.
Must admit that some of the talk does scare me. Last thing I want is to end up with humongous bills, it just spoils the whole ownership thing. I understand running costs are part and parcel of anything mechanical, but when you start getting up into the 2K to 3K areas then the smile starts to wane!
Anyway, I am narrowing down the short list and have not totally knocked the 3200 off that list just yet.
Again thanks for your time in responding.
Must admit that some of the talk does scare me. Last thing I want is to end up with humongous bills, it just spoils the whole ownership thing. I understand running costs are part and parcel of anything mechanical, but when you start getting up into the 2K to 3K areas then the smile starts to wane!
Anyway, I am narrowing down the short list and have not totally knocked the 3200 off that list just yet.
Again thanks for your time in responding.
willmac there are plenty of scare stories regarding the 3200 but mostly from those who have never owned one. I have had mine for 5 years use it as a daily driver and she has never missed a beat (now with 75,000+ miles). The more you drive these cars the better they are in my opinion. There is also a fantastic support network regarding parts which can really make a difference and some great indy's out there (check out sport maserati and maserati forum sites). You need to budget £2500 a year for servicing and parts but this is not too crazy for a 10 year old car. I don't agree with cccscotland's estimates regarding parts pricing. I recently had my throttle body upgraded with a contactless version (which cures all issues) for £350. Shocks can be expensive but can be refurbed at a fraction of the cost. Crank endfloat normally occurs in manual cars but anyway I would recommend an automatic (manuals in my opinion car be hairy due to the power delivery when those turbo's kick in). Engines are pretty bomb proof but yes there are Italian electrical gremlins which are mostly rectified with a battery re-set. The 3200 is the best car I have ever owned and is still an event to drive every day. They are also absolutely beautiful and in my opinion a bargin right now. Just make sure you have an inspection done by an experienced indy before you buy (and avoid garage queens).
cccscotland said:
Besides the usual 2nd hand car stuff, the two main things to look out for are the electrics and crank end float.
Electrics - unfortunately these are consumables. By that I mean they will break and need replaced.
Suspension problems are caused by failure of the plastic gears in the actuators. Derived from an 80's Corvette - really - you can't use the $100 Chevy bits as Ferrari added an extra wire. There are 4 on the car, and they'll break every 6-7 years. £800 each from Ferrari.
Throttle Body - a 3200GT only part. Fail after around 10 years - if you buy a car that hasn't had a new TB, budget for around £2500.
ABS Control Unit. Again, 3200GT only part. Can't be rebuilt, although some firms advertise. Don't ask me how I know! Again, budget for at least £2k.
They're just the big ones. I'm sure others can add in....
Crank End Float. It's thought a lot of manuals suffer / will suffer from this. It can only be detected in the depths of a major service, and if not caught can mean a new engine / scrap car.
Finally, the service schedule demands not just a belt service at 65,000 miles, but also a chain replacement. It's an engine out job, and would cost around £2k - £3k depending on where you take it. You'll see (relatively speaking) a lot of 3200GT's coming up for sale quite cheaply with mid 60k miles on the clock....
Cutting a long story short, whilst there are several £10k or less 3200GT's out there, it may not be a saving if just one of the above things fails. A bad 3200GT will cost you potentially a bunch more than the purchase price. Buy a right one, and you've got a great piece of a cool marque.
I do know of a really good manual 3200 in Scotland that isn't currently for sale but is open to offers should someone be interested. It's had all the above bits fixed, and can be vouched for by Scotland's independent Maserati specialists. Email me if I haven't put you off!
Some of that is mildly accurate, but the majority is really over-egged and/or plain wrong! Just a few examples of the inaccuracies....crankshaft endfloat is really quite rare, it can be measured in a matter of about 30 seconds by a specialists once the car is on a ramp (the depths of a major service - what ARE you on about?!), a throttlebody refurb is £400, and chains can be done in situ. Electrics are fine unless you buy a lemon. I could go on, but I won't. Obviously your 3200 is a car club one (essentially a hire car!), hence more likely to be problematic.Electrics - unfortunately these are consumables. By that I mean they will break and need replaced.
Suspension problems are caused by failure of the plastic gears in the actuators. Derived from an 80's Corvette - really - you can't use the $100 Chevy bits as Ferrari added an extra wire. There are 4 on the car, and they'll break every 6-7 years. £800 each from Ferrari.
Throttle Body - a 3200GT only part. Fail after around 10 years - if you buy a car that hasn't had a new TB, budget for around £2500.
ABS Control Unit. Again, 3200GT only part. Can't be rebuilt, although some firms advertise. Don't ask me how I know! Again, budget for at least £2k.
They're just the big ones. I'm sure others can add in....
Crank End Float. It's thought a lot of manuals suffer / will suffer from this. It can only be detected in the depths of a major service, and if not caught can mean a new engine / scrap car.
Finally, the service schedule demands not just a belt service at 65,000 miles, but also a chain replacement. It's an engine out job, and would cost around £2k - £3k depending on where you take it. You'll see (relatively speaking) a lot of 3200GT's coming up for sale quite cheaply with mid 60k miles on the clock....
Cutting a long story short, whilst there are several £10k or less 3200GT's out there, it may not be a saving if just one of the above things fails. A bad 3200GT will cost you potentially a bunch more than the purchase price. Buy a right one, and you've got a great piece of a cool marque.
I do know of a really good manual 3200 in Scotland that isn't currently for sale but is open to offers should someone be interested. It's had all the above bits fixed, and can be vouched for by Scotland's independent Maserati specialists. Email me if I haven't put you off!
You're right in saying 'buy a right one, and you've got a great piece of a cool marque' though.
Edited by johnnyBv8 on Sunday 4th September 08:18
Just browsing these in classifieds and noticed one for sale at £8k
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3154572.htm
Good grief, I had no idea they were getting this cheap (I am not connected to seller at all). The description is sparse but, taken at face value, that's good value?
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3154572.htm
Good grief, I had no idea they were getting this cheap (I am not connected to seller at all). The description is sparse but, taken at face value, that's good value?
Amateurish said:
Just browsing these in classifieds and noticed one for sale at £8k
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3154572.htm
Good grief, I had no idea they were getting this cheap (I am not connected to seller at all). The description is sparse but, taken at face value, that's good value?
I would go with previous comments - cheap ones are cheap for a reason. Buy the very best you can afford and it'll be cheaper in the long run. I would say £12-15k is a decent guide.http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3154572.htm
Good grief, I had no idea they were getting this cheap (I am not connected to seller at all). The description is sparse but, taken at face value, that's good value?
Sam_68 said:
Can anyone expand on the crank endfloat problem?
What's the fix/cost if it is detected... I assume engine out and new thrust washers/main bearings?
If you're lucky, yes. If you're unlucky and it's not detected quickly, you may need to replace the crank and crank case. Last I looked crank alone was between £4k and £5k.What's the fix/cost if it is detected... I assume engine out and new thrust washers/main bearings?
Head definitely says 4200/Gransport.
Heart says I'd never be happy with something that looks great from the front, but could be mistaken for an M-reg Honda Prelude from behind.
Heart is also telling me manual gearbox, 'cos I like blipping my own throttle on the down changes, thank you very much.
Heart says I'd never be happy with something that looks great from the front, but could be mistaken for an M-reg Honda Prelude from behind.
Heart is also telling me manual gearbox, 'cos I like blipping my own throttle on the down changes, thank you very much.
Get yourself on Sports Maserati forum, some very knowledgeable people on there.
http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/forum.php
http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/forum.php
Sam_68 said:
Head definitely says 4200/Gransport.
Heart says I'd never be happy with something that looks great from the front, but could be mistaken for an M-reg Honda Prelude from behind.
Heart is also telling me manual gearbox, 'cos I like blipping my own throttle on the down changes, thank you very much.
How often do you look at your car from behind when you are stirring the pedals? Heart says I'd never be happy with something that looks great from the front, but could be mistaken for an M-reg Honda Prelude from behind.
Heart is also telling me manual gearbox, 'cos I like blipping my own throttle on the down changes, thank you very much.
And the 4200 really doesn't look like a Prelude from behind. When did a Prelude ever have hips?
Manual 4200s are available.
doodlebug said:
How often do you look at your car from behind when you are stirring the pedals?
Personally? Every time I walk out of my front door to get in it. OK, that's not when I'm actually driving it, but my memory isn't that short.doodlebug said:
And the 4200 really doesn't look like a Prelude from behind.
Sorry; too close for comfort for me... I know it's a fairly trivial aesthetic issue, but the 3200's boomerang lights are just such a nice detail and sit so well with the rest of the car's styling, whereas the 4200's rear lights are just so Japanese.
I'm kind of fighting a battle against buying a middle-aged coupe, anyway, so If I'm gonna do it, it'll have to be something I can live with on artistic grounds.
doodlebug said:
Manual 4200s are available.
Yes, I appreciate that... I was thinking more in terms of the 3200. Again, head says automatic gearbox, 'cos everyone says it better suits the car and it precludes the crankshaft end float problem, but heart is very firmly saying that I wouldn't be happy with a 4-speed automatic when I could have had a 6-speed manual and done my own driving. I'm stuck behind a DSG gearbox for the daily grind, and as much as it's a marvel of technical wizardry, it's not something I actually enjoy.
When I got my 4200 i did think about a 3200 for all the reasons mentioned above, boomerang lights etc etc but in the end I decided that I could live with the trade off of the less attractive rear end for a better resolved car. Whilst the 3200 and 4200 may look similar, they are very different cars with the 4200 benefitting from much more Ferrari input and tech. I had my 4200 for two years and used it as my daily driver with no issues at all, infact it was one of the most reliable cars I have ever owned and I loved the fact that it brought a smile every time I got into it. I even warmed to the rear end styling which with a mesh grill and facelifted bumper look much better than the early cars. My car was also a manual which meant that it avoided the F1 pump issues.
I am sure that a well sorted 3200 would be a great car to own and run but think you should also test drive a 4200, preferably a Gransport if the budget stretches, and compare the two. I think you will find the 4200 to be a much more modern car in the way it feels and drives. Most of all though only buy cars that have actually been used regularly, as has been said above, garage queens are the ones which tend to have most issues. Best of luck.
I am sure that a well sorted 3200 would be a great car to own and run but think you should also test drive a 4200, preferably a Gransport if the budget stretches, and compare the two. I think you will find the 4200 to be a much more modern car in the way it feels and drives. Most of all though only buy cars that have actually been used regularly, as has been said above, garage queens are the ones which tend to have most issues. Best of luck.
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