RE: Maserati 3200 GT | The Brave Pill
Discussion
I have one of these ( a red Assetto Corsa version) and have owned it for 15 years, it was at 10,000 miles and due its first service when I bought it from Meridian Modena. The car is now at 110,000 miles and has been driven all over central Europe, I would love to say that all of the rumors of unreliability and cost are untrue but my experience is that they are totally correct, I paid £35,000 for the car in 2005 and have spent, and have receipts for, almost £45,000 including a new full engine @ 56,000 miles. I still have it and still use it occasionally. It is going in for a respray next week and I fully expect to keep it for another 15 years (finances permitting). I made the mistake of getting rid of my Alfa 156 GTA ( the best car I have ever owned) to pay a tax bill and I'm not making the mistake of getting rid of this one.
Chris_S_27 said:
I have one of these ( a red Assetto Corsa version) and have owned it for 15 years, it was at 10,000 miles and due its first service when I bought it from Meridian Modena. The car is now at 110,000 miles and has been driven all over central Europe, I would love to say that all of the rumors of unreliability and cost are untrue but my experience is that they are totally correct, I paid £35,000 for the car in 2005 and have spent, and have receipts for, almost £45,000 including a new full engine @ 56,000 miles. I still have it and still use it occasionally. It is going in for a respray next week and I fully expect to keep it for another 15 years (finances permitting). I made the mistake of getting rid of my Alfa 156 GTA ( the best car I have ever owned) to pay a tax bill and I'm not making the mistake of getting rid of this one.
Top man, you have my full respect for this. In many ways an average of £3000 a year is not that terrible if you go in eyes open and plan for this. I'm guessing the expenditure was not evenly phased over the 15 years though... couldn't agree more. Serious respect.
I had a 4200GT for three years. Loved the engine and soundtrack, hated the awful gearbox (and the CC auto shift on those was a lot better than the 3200 auto).
£10k is brave money for a privately-sold leggy 3200 which has done few miles since 2017..
I had a 4200GT for three years. Loved the engine and soundtrack, hated the awful gearbox (and the CC auto shift on those was a lot better than the 3200 auto).
£10k is brave money for a privately-sold leggy 3200 which has done few miles since 2017..
I was offered one of these in the trade and I remember a very fat A4 ring binder accompanied the service books which was stuffed full of invoices. Most were £2k+ and it seemed like a monthly occurrence that something needed doing and cost was thousands.
The biggest single payment invoice in that stack was for £14k. Work for the gearbox and engine.
The thing was, it didn't seem like a well looked after car - it was certainly used, and the invoices were reassuring (despite the costs involved!) but it didn't wear its miles well. It was sitting on 72k miles.
In the end I passed on it. I did drive it and it was ok. Fast but a bit inert handling.
The biggest single payment invoice in that stack was for £14k. Work for the gearbox and engine.
The thing was, it didn't seem like a well looked after car - it was certainly used, and the invoices were reassuring (despite the costs involved!) but it didn't wear its miles well. It was sitting on 72k miles.
In the end I passed on it. I did drive it and it was ok. Fast but a bit inert handling.
Ten years ago, I almost bought a Quattroporte IV, everything about it was sublime, but then the thought of eight cylinders, four camshafts, two turbos and thirty-two valves each with a mind of its own persuaded me to put the brave pill back in the medicine cupboard and buy a Mazda instead. I often regret it, but then I take out my wallet and look at its contents (ie not completely empty) and I feel somewhat better, especially reading some of these tales of monumental bills.
Anything like this has a big bill potential:
1) There is more to go wrong.
2) There are few cheap skills out there to do cheap fixes as the cars are rare.
3) There are no third party cheap commodity parts available, everything is OEM.
Its a champagne car, not lemonade.
If you have the time, space and skills and do not do a lot of miles, these can be very practical. On the other hand, like all modern cars, they do need used regularly.
There are more things to go wrong that do on Range Rovers for example, but most workshops know their way around them and there are lots of parts sources as they are not as rare, so they are cheaper to keep going.
1) There is more to go wrong.
2) There are few cheap skills out there to do cheap fixes as the cars are rare.
3) There are no third party cheap commodity parts available, everything is OEM.
Its a champagne car, not lemonade.
If you have the time, space and skills and do not do a lot of miles, these can be very practical. On the other hand, like all modern cars, they do need used regularly.
There are more things to go wrong that do on Range Rovers for example, but most workshops know their way around them and there are lots of parts sources as they are not as rare, so they are cheaper to keep going.
In 2000 I wanted one of these so badly after I read the first copy of EVO magazine with a silver car on its front page.
I drove both the manual and auto and both Versions were snatchy on take-off. I was in love with the exterior and interior and loved the boomerang lights.
I run several 70’s and 80’s Laverda motorbikes so was prepared for potential dodgy electrics and visits to the dealer.
But in the end I just couldn’t do it so went off and bought a 2000 E39 M5. This was a brilliant car in sky blue, rear wheel drive and six speed manual. It’s only big cost was the usual Vanos failure costing £1000 to put right, so no regrets!
Wanted to try and buy another 3200/4200 at the £20,000 mark but like others saw the list of bills as being too much.
I’m useless with as a garage mechanic but if you were handy with spanners, a electrical test meter and a few quid, I dare say you would be bagging an interesting car.
I still have a heavy heart when I read or see this car!
I drove both the manual and auto and both Versions were snatchy on take-off. I was in love with the exterior and interior and loved the boomerang lights.
I run several 70’s and 80’s Laverda motorbikes so was prepared for potential dodgy electrics and visits to the dealer.
But in the end I just couldn’t do it so went off and bought a 2000 E39 M5. This was a brilliant car in sky blue, rear wheel drive and six speed manual. It’s only big cost was the usual Vanos failure costing £1000 to put right, so no regrets!
Wanted to try and buy another 3200/4200 at the £20,000 mark but like others saw the list of bills as being too much.
I’m useless with as a garage mechanic but if you were handy with spanners, a electrical test meter and a few quid, I dare say you would be bagging an interesting car.
I still have a heavy heart when I read or see this car!
Love the look of the older ones but not sure I could. However I did run a 4200 Spyder for 3 years. Absolutely no issues using it to work, Le Mans, Angouleme etc. So it got some pretty stiff use over both short or long trips
Total cost was tyres, Avons were great and cost effective, a couple of services at £750 a go, 1 coil pack and plug and that was it.
It had a Larini fitted and sounded fantastic, not a sports car but was a pretty good gt. Had the clutch bite point adjusted by someone who knew what he was doing and always ran it in sports mode and event the gearbox was great (of its era)
Overall a great package and much better value than a F car at current values. I bough my 355 at £31k, at which it was much more fun. When I sold it at £75k, the Mazzer was way better value.
Mechanically, very strong. The only issue that really worried me was the electric roof. There was lots to go wrong there! But never did For me.
Top advice - use these cars regularly!!!!!!!! It WILL save you money in the long run.
Total cost was tyres, Avons were great and cost effective, a couple of services at £750 a go, 1 coil pack and plug and that was it.
It had a Larini fitted and sounded fantastic, not a sports car but was a pretty good gt. Had the clutch bite point adjusted by someone who knew what he was doing and always ran it in sports mode and event the gearbox was great (of its era)
Overall a great package and much better value than a F car at current values. I bough my 355 at £31k, at which it was much more fun. When I sold it at £75k, the Mazzer was way better value.
Mechanically, very strong. The only issue that really worried me was the electric roof. There was lots to go wrong there! But never did For me.
Top advice - use these cars regularly!!!!!!!! It WILL save you money in the long run.
rxe said:
What is the split between parts and labour when it comes to running these? I’m perfectly capable with spanners (cambelt change on a Busso V6 - no problem), so could probably do the work. It’s quite an old car, so computer lock in should be minimal. Last I looked, the parts prices were horrific
Actually not that bad to work on, but parts are getting scarce.Mechanically it is pretty straightforward
Chris_S_27 said:
I have one of these ( a red Assetto Corsa version) and have owned it for 15 years, it was at 10,000 miles and due its first service when I bought it from Meridian Modena. The car is now at 110,000 miles and has been driven all over central Europe, I would love to say that all of the rumors of unreliability and cost are untrue but my experience is that they are totally correct, I paid £35,000 for the car in 2005 and have spent, and have receipts for, almost £45,000 including a new full engine @ 56,000 miles. I still have it and still use it occasionally. It is going in for a respray next week and I fully expect to keep it for another 15 years (finances permitting). I made the mistake of getting rid of my Alfa 156 GTA ( the best car I have ever owned) to pay a tax bill and I'm not making the mistake of getting rid of this one.
Wow, 45k just on repairs and servicing, how much was the engine replacement? Guess that was 10k of the bill, although over 15 years without the new engine probably 2k a year? That's not bad for a rare fast car that won't have a large after market choice of parts.How did the engine sound and performance compare with the Busso?
Managed to keep the bills down on my Gtv v6 thanks to the community tips as quite a few owners. Companies adapting Mocal oil coolers to fit, fixing cables when error code showed fault throttle body etc.
Don't try to calculate fuel costs. i did it yesterday for 100k miles :-O
Good luck for the next 15 years
Brave, expensive?? Had mine 6 years and its an amazing car...!!! Thrilling, exciting and rare, plus the V8 sound to die for! Despite ridicule other than a sensor going mine been a diamond for reliability, obviously not german but buy a good one thats had all the KNOWN faults done with regular service history and you'll enjoy a classic supercar at its Italian best!!
I bought one new from Graypaul in 2000 when they were still in Loughborough.
Lovely car ... in the dry ... as fast as my brother's 355.
Malheuresement ...I was driving it home one damp day and, as the engine came on boost the traction control didn't notice and I wrote it off ... it was only 5 weeks old ...
Lovely car ... in the dry ... as fast as my brother's 355.
Malheuresement ...I was driving it home one damp day and, as the engine came on boost the traction control didn't notice and I wrote it off ... it was only 5 weeks old ...
just passing by said:
couldn't agree more. Serious respect.
I had a 4200GT for three years. Loved the engine and soundtrack, hated the awful gearbox (and the CC auto shift on those was a lot better than the 3200 auto).
£10k is brave money for a privately-sold leggy 3200 which has done few miles since 2017..
Looks like the slush box really sucks the life out the performance when you look how fast a modern day auto like the M140i is ( similar weight )I had a 4200GT for three years. Loved the engine and soundtrack, hated the awful gearbox (and the CC auto shift on those was a lot better than the 3200 auto).
£10k is brave money for a privately-sold leggy 3200 which has done few miles since 2017..
I'm reminded of the Ducati Factory parody 
could so easily apply to Maserati
https://youtu.be/jR7ENFjqfb4
I'm with others, crap proportions, horrendous reliability and nothing dates like a late 90s interior. You need to be a complete masochist to consider one, TheAngryDog off here needs to get himself one to replace his M5!
could so easily apply to Maseratihttps://youtu.be/jR7ENFjqfb4
I'm with others, crap proportions, horrendous reliability and nothing dates like a late 90s interior. You need to be a complete masochist to consider one, TheAngryDog off here needs to get himself one to replace his M5!
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