New 3200GT Owner - Hello All!
Discussion
Errr, yeah, sorry.
Alex, I apologise for making a sarky comment. I'm afraid that I had never heard of Selenia Oil before you mentioned it.
However, a quick google search reveals that:
www.desirabury.co.uk/latest.asp?area=7
So perhaps a Fiat or Alfa dealer might be able to help? Or your Maserati dealer for that matter.
Alex, I apologise for making a sarky comment. I'm afraid that I had never heard of Selenia Oil before you mentioned it.
However, a quick google search reveals that:
quote:
Fiat and Alfa Romeo engines are designed to run on Selenia oil. The synthetic base oil was developed to enhance the characteristics of the engine and enhance its performance whilst affording maximum protection.
Selenia oil improves fuel consumption by up to 2%, improves both cold starting and catalytic efficiency whilst maintaining maximum stability at high temperatures.
www.desirabury.co.uk/latest.asp?area=7
So perhaps a Fiat or Alfa dealer might be able to help? Or your Maserati dealer for that matter.
Second Jon's suggestions. Couldn't find any suppliers with Google, other than it is also recommended for Alfa's. If it's 5W40 you could almost certainly use the Shell fully synthetic (from service stations) that is recommended by Ferrari. Alternatively, and I have done this, go to an Halfords clone (I use Discount Auto Parts in Cambridge) and give them the details of the oil you are looking for and they will be able to sell you an alternative with the same specifications.
I'm sure all this recommended oil stuff has more to do with marketing than engineering.
Congratulations on your 3200GT Alex. Let us know how you get on; I'm genuinely interested.
Cheers
Kevin
I'm sure all this recommended oil stuff has more to do with marketing than engineering.
Congratulations on your 3200GT Alex. Let us know how you get on; I'm genuinely interested.
Cheers
Kevin
Thanks everyone. I'd also searched with Google and came up with the same results. I'm sure my dealer won't charge me too much as other parts/services are vey cheap!
I'll probably use the closest match I can get but I've heard that its not a good idea to mix oil of different rating and this is just for topping up on my way to Northern Italy this week
.
I've had the 3200 for about 6 weeks and I'm happy so far although the trip through Germany will give me a chance to see how good it really is. I've had several TVRs in the past which deliver power in a much different way. The 3200 (manual) has a hair trigger which makes it difficult (at first) to get the take-off right but is a lot of fun.
I do very little driving in the UK now so all my fun is concentrated into several trips to Spain and Italy during the year - much more fun. My TVRs varied from great to crap but always felt a little fragile at very high speeds - I'm hoping the 3200 will give me the confidence to really use it.
I'm bound to get itchy feet next year so, if it lives up to my expectation, a 4200 might be required - although I'm tempted by a Ferrari 456 or 550 and that Bentley GT looks interesting...
I'll probably use the closest match I can get but I've heard that its not a good idea to mix oil of different rating and this is just for topping up on my way to Northern Italy this week
. I've had the 3200 for about 6 weeks and I'm happy so far although the trip through Germany will give me a chance to see how good it really is. I've had several TVRs in the past which deliver power in a much different way. The 3200 (manual) has a hair trigger which makes it difficult (at first) to get the take-off right but is a lot of fun.
I do very little driving in the UK now so all my fun is concentrated into several trips to Spain and Italy during the year - much more fun. My TVRs varied from great to crap but always felt a little fragile at very high speeds - I'm hoping the 3200 will give me the confidence to really use it.
I'm bound to get itchy feet next year so, if it lives up to my expectation, a 4200 might be required - although I'm tempted by a Ferrari 456 or 550 and that Bentley GT looks interesting...
Not sure this helps, but DTR sportscars are a barchetta specialist in Mortlake. They also deal in Alfas, so they might be worth a call.
020 8878 6078 or www.dtrsports.com
020 8878 6078 or www.dtrsports.com
Just back from Italy - Great Fun!
Sorry this is a bit long so I've had to split it.
I'll post some pictures soon, but it's a standard 3200GT black (currently covered in dead things) with a light tan interior and 18" wheels (brake dust black).
Driving impressions...
First the not so good...
The gear shift is slow and if you're not careful 4th to 5th will result in a crunch as you're left foot assumes you're left hand must have finished by now - can't do much about that.
High speed corners (120+ mph) induce more body roll than I'm used to. This isn't a problem unless you need to correct which can make the car feel a little unstable. I used the Sport suspension setting most of the time although I'm not convinced it's working as I couldn't tell the difference! Hopefully it isn't working and maybe this handling issue will disapear when it's fixed. If not some suspension/roll bar changes might be required.
The brakes don't have much inital bite which is a pain when you want to scrub off just a few mph when approaching slighly slower traffic. Unfortunately there is very little engine braking so you can't just lift off.
Wierd problem of the oil pressure gauge/warning light fluctuating (causing several TVR type heart sinking moments). Oil level fine though and eventually seems to correct itself!
continued...
Sorry this is a bit long so I've had to split it.
I'll post some pictures soon, but it's a standard 3200GT black (currently covered in dead things) with a light tan interior and 18" wheels (brake dust black).
Driving impressions...
First the not so good...
The gear shift is slow and if you're not careful 4th to 5th will result in a crunch as you're left foot assumes you're left hand must have finished by now - can't do much about that.
High speed corners (120+ mph) induce more body roll than I'm used to. This isn't a problem unless you need to correct which can make the car feel a little unstable. I used the Sport suspension setting most of the time although I'm not convinced it's working as I couldn't tell the difference! Hopefully it isn't working and maybe this handling issue will disapear when it's fixed. If not some suspension/roll bar changes might be required.
The brakes don't have much inital bite which is a pain when you want to scrub off just a few mph when approaching slighly slower traffic. Unfortunately there is very little engine braking so you can't just lift off.
Wierd problem of the oil pressure gauge/warning light fluctuating (causing several TVR type heart sinking moments). Oil level fine though and eventually seems to correct itself!
continued...
Now the good...
Fast. I think my previous TVR Griff 500s might be slightly quicker if driven very hard but the 3200GT can be driven almost as quick whilst listening to the news and chatting to your passenger! I only had to really concentrate when enjoying a demanding 50 mile section of dual carriageway with slow (100 mph) tight bends and short fast (150+ mph) straights about 3am
.
Handling (bearing in mind the above) was generally very good. It copes well with all surfaces, feels comfortable and only made me sweat once or twice (the same trip in a Griff has almost given me a heart attack on several occasions).
Brakes actually work very well when really required with no noticeable fade when continually accelerating to 150 mph and braking to 80 mph on the autobahns.
Everything worked perfectly. It carried two people (one trip with four adults) and all our luggage (girl = lots) for over 2000 miles in amazing comfort at high speed - the temperature gauge gets to it's normal level within 15 mins and then DOES NOT move!
Fuel consumption isn't great (not too bad either) - about 4 miles per litre - but the 90 litre tank means 300+ mile range without frantic searching for fuel.
continued...
Fast. I think my previous TVR Griff 500s might be slightly quicker if driven very hard but the 3200GT can be driven almost as quick whilst listening to the news and chatting to your passenger! I only had to really concentrate when enjoying a demanding 50 mile section of dual carriageway with slow (100 mph) tight bends and short fast (150+ mph) straights about 3am
. Handling (bearing in mind the above) was generally very good. It copes well with all surfaces, feels comfortable and only made me sweat once or twice (the same trip in a Griff has almost given me a heart attack on several occasions).
Brakes actually work very well when really required with no noticeable fade when continually accelerating to 150 mph and braking to 80 mph on the autobahns.
Everything worked perfectly. It carried two people (one trip with four adults) and all our luggage (girl = lots) for over 2000 miles in amazing comfort at high speed - the temperature gauge gets to it's normal level within 15 mins and then DOES NOT move!
Fuel consumption isn't great (not too bad either) - about 4 miles per litre - but the 90 litre tank means 300+ mile range without frantic searching for fuel.
continued...
I was also amazed at how much attention it got. I purposely picked a subtle colour and yet the car got much more attention than my loud (colours and exhaust) TVRs. A couple of other cars wanted to race (porsche 996 and new merc 500 coupe) and I played a bit (whilst chatting with girlfriend) but I don't think there'd be anything in it - it'd be down to drivers and mood.
Obviously the 3200GT isn't really a sports car in the 996TT/360/550 category but for those of use who do like to go fast, need comfort (space, suspension and noise), don't have enough space for too many cars (London), want character (not porsche) and don't want to sell everything (I love my bikes too much and really want that flat in Barcelona) to get a Ferrari (yet) it's a very good choice.
So over all it's a big
to Maserati and I'd advise anyone who's thinking about buying one to go ahead - I bought a recent (1 year old) car to avoid the initial £20K drop but still get a 2 year Masearti warranty and fixed price servicing.
Thanks to all those that showed an interest.
Obviously the 3200GT isn't really a sports car in the 996TT/360/550 category but for those of use who do like to go fast, need comfort (space, suspension and noise), don't have enough space for too many cars (London), want character (not porsche) and don't want to sell everything (I love my bikes too much and really want that flat in Barcelona) to get a Ferrari (yet) it's a very good choice.
So over all it's a big
to Maserati and I'd advise anyone who's thinking about buying one to go ahead - I bought a recent (1 year old) car to avoid the initial £20K drop but still get a 2 year Masearti warranty and fixed price servicing. Thanks to all those that showed an interest.
Great synopsis Alex, sounds like great fun. I too had a Griff 500 so know about the heart attack thing!
I'm virtually decided now that I'm going to change my 348GTS for one after the summer. I like the idea of the comfort factor but will really miss having the roof off.
Is the autobox supposed to be better than the manual?
I'm virtually decided now that I'm going to change my 348GTS for one after the summer. I like the idea of the comfort factor but will really miss having the roof off.
Is the autobox supposed to be better than the manual?
Hi Craig
I know what you mean about the roof - that was one of my main concerns. However, I now don't worry quite so much about leaving the car and I always wanted a proper soft top when I had a Griff. Anyway, given 18 months the new Maserati Spyder and Merc. SL500 will be a lot cheaper!
I drove several 3200GT Autos and Manuals before deciding to go for the Manual. Basically the Auto smooths out the power delivery and makes city driving easier but at the cost of performance and driver satisfaction. I found (and occasionaly still do) that standing starts can be difficult (easier with the A/C off) but mostly it's a case of learning to use the clutch and throttle properly. I think modern cars often allow us to get away with sloppy gear changes that drivers of early sports cars couldn't. I was used to simultaneously bringing the clutch up whilst accelerating. This is wrong - I've now learnt to set the throttle (depending on how fast I want to accelerate) and then let the clutch fully engage before applying more throttle. I'm also used to a sudden rush of power from bikes and prefer to feel involved in the driving experience. I only regret the choice when stuck in jams. The compromise is the new cambriocorsa change which I quite enjoyed.
I know what you mean about the roof - that was one of my main concerns. However, I now don't worry quite so much about leaving the car and I always wanted a proper soft top when I had a Griff. Anyway, given 18 months the new Maserati Spyder and Merc. SL500 will be a lot cheaper!
I drove several 3200GT Autos and Manuals before deciding to go for the Manual. Basically the Auto smooths out the power delivery and makes city driving easier but at the cost of performance and driver satisfaction. I found (and occasionaly still do) that standing starts can be difficult (easier with the A/C off) but mostly it's a case of learning to use the clutch and throttle properly. I think modern cars often allow us to get away with sloppy gear changes that drivers of early sports cars couldn't. I was used to simultaneously bringing the clutch up whilst accelerating. This is wrong - I've now learnt to set the throttle (depending on how fast I want to accelerate) and then let the clutch fully engage before applying more throttle. I'm also used to a sudden rush of power from bikes and prefer to feel involved in the driving experience. I only regret the choice when stuck in jams. The compromise is the new cambriocorsa change which I quite enjoyed.
Hi Alex,
For some reason hadn't seen that you'd posted until tonight. Thanks for all that info; sounds like you had a great trip. One part that really surprised me was your tank range- 300 miles! I assume you were mainly cruising?
Know what you mean about the auto smoothing it out but at the expense of robbing some of the experience. Having said that, being honest, I thought the gearchange on the manual I tried to be rather 'gritty' and I didn't like it very much at all. Perhaps I've just got lazy
Thanks again Alex. Glad you had a good time and that your car didn't let you down. Having read your posts I'm beginning to have 'stirrings' again and one of these days I'm going to give in. Saw Funkyboogaloo's Maser last weekend too and there's just something so damn charismatic about them.
Cheers
Kevin
For some reason hadn't seen that you'd posted until tonight. Thanks for all that info; sounds like you had a great trip. One part that really surprised me was your tank range- 300 miles! I assume you were mainly cruising?
Know what you mean about the auto smoothing it out but at the expense of robbing some of the experience. Having said that, being honest, I thought the gearchange on the manual I tried to be rather 'gritty' and I didn't like it very much at all. Perhaps I've just got lazy
Thanks again Alex. Glad you had a good time and that your car didn't let you down. Having read your posts I'm beginning to have 'stirrings' again and one of these days I'm going to give in. Saw Funkyboogaloo's Maser last weekend too and there's just something so damn charismatic about them.
Cheers
Kevin
Thanks Kevin
I suppose I was cruising - between 120 and 130 mph through Germany with bursts upto 150. But the fuel consumption didn't seem to vary much. I was consistently getting 320 miles between fill ups with 15 litres in reserve!
I agree about the Maserati gearbox - must be their weakest attribute.
Cheers
Alex
I suppose I was cruising - between 120 and 130 mph through Germany with bursts upto 150. But the fuel consumption didn't seem to vary much. I was consistently getting 320 miles between fill ups with 15 litres in reserve!
I agree about the Maserati gearbox - must be their weakest attribute.
Cheers
Alex
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