Considering a 10 year old + Maserati

[Mr_Buller]

Seriously considering a Maserati sometime around Christmas/New Year.

Looking at a low mileage 2007 onwards Quattroporte or a newer Ghibli - although I really want the Ferrari built V8. Budget about £20k.

Rough plan is to buy one with 12 months MOT and then if I can't live with it move it on after 6 months for minimal loss. Is this realistic?

What am I realistically looking at in terms of an interim service costs or if I keep it annual service.

Have had a lot of people warn me off with the usual talk of Italian cars disintegrating every time you drive over 10 miles or breaking down and costing as much as the car to put right with parts only available through dealers. Is this right? Will I likely have problems on a car with less than 30,000 miles on the clock?

Any other tips or advice?

[Davo456gt]

I suspect, same as other Italian exotics - F and L cars:

- buy the best you can afford
- make sure it has a recent service history
- usage is more important than a garage queen - the low mileage thing is a myth - they work better the more you drive them
- internet searching may become a new hobby - how to buy equivalent parts or fix what you have is cheaper than dealer prices, and not all that difficult a lot of the time

main thing is enjoy it! whether that be staring at it in the garage, cleaning it or driving it (which is what its meant for!).

hope this helps

[jet_noise]

Maseratilife and Sportsmaserati are useful information sources.
I've a QP itch that won't go away too

Variator rattle and subframe rust are less or more expensive issues.

[jakesmith]

They are much more reliable than the rumors you have heard suggest but parts are expensive.
Main points of weakness on the GT / QP are suspension bushes which are significant cost to do and will likely be due on a 10+ year old cars, and the variator issue - do check it has been done.
Brakes are expensive
In terms of basic services it's in the £500-£1000 region depending on minor / major but I'd consider it unlikely to just need the fluids changed on such an old car, in fact mine every service was £1k-£2k as there was always an additional job to do.
If you're considering getting out in a short period of time buy from a reputable place where you'll have some backup if there's an issue like Nuvola or similar.

[P5BNij]

Shiltech in Loughborough are worth a look too. They currently have an earlier duo-select QPV in which looks nicely optioned, not a ZF which you say you're after but it might be worth a look, at least it will give you an idea of what to expect. They may be able to find you a nice later one anyway.

[jakesmith]

P5BNij said:

Shiltech in Loughborough are worth a look too. They currently have an earlier duo-select QPV in which looks nicely optioned, not a ZF which you say you're after but it might be worth a look, at least it will give you an idea of what to expect. They may be able to find you a nice later one anyway.

They did my variatior work. I had it done preemptively for £1500 rather than after the problem developed which is more like £3500

[P5BNij]

jakesmith said:

P5BNij said:

Shiltech in Loughborough are worth a look too. They currently have an earlier duo-select QPV in which looks nicely optioned, not a ZF which you say you're after but it might be worth a look, at least it will give you an idea of what to expect. They may be able to find you a nice later one anyway.

They did my variatior work. I had it done preemptively for £1500 rather than after the problem developed which is more like £3500

I forget which engine number is the cut off point for it now (I have it jotted down somewhere), but was it just the duo-select cars or did it cross over into the ZF cars?

[coolg]

One issue that will only become greater over time is the availability of parts.

I think they provide supplies as provided by EU law but once outside that period they appear to just stop.

Older than the cars you are looking at but for the 1990's ghibils and 3200 clutches and release bearings can be available one month and then not the next.
Cam chains, lights body panels etc are all in short supply.

I rang Meridian Modena for a pair of steering bellows - none left. Oil filters - none left...

You can find alternatives, but they dont have the value or popularity of Ferrari and Lamborghini, it is something to bear in mind. I don't know how many original QPv's were built but they aren't sitting on 1000's of spare wing mirrors

[jakesmith]

P5BNij said:

jakesmith said:

P5BNij said:

Shiltech in Loughborough are worth a look too. They currently have an earlier duo-select QPV in which looks nicely optioned, not a ZF which you say you're after but it might be worth a look, at least it will give you an idea of what to expect. They may be able to find you a nice later one anyway.

They did my variatior work. I had it done preemptively for £1500 rather than after the problem developed which is more like £3500

I forget which engine number is the cut off point for it now (I have it jotted down somewhere), but was it just the duo-select cars or did it cross over into the ZF cars?

It was well into 2009, even some of the GT 4.7s are affected, it's all on Google

[ninepoint2]

https://www.scuderiacarparts.com/

https://www.eurospares.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI45...

both above are good for parts, also ebay, HR Owen often sell new parts for even less than the above

I bought a 12 year old GT last year and love it, added a Larini x pipe and it sounds fantastic...it's a great car

Edited by ninepoint2 on Monday 12th October 23:19

[jakesmith]

Nice, miss mine, I also had the Larini X-pipe. Friend of a friend had the Larini boxes too.
I was walking through South Kensington yesterday & thought this was the natural home of the Maserati GT - it's easily the most exotic car you can buy for £20k and it's just as stunning to look at & listen to as much more expensive cars, but a lot more understated than the supercars.

[P5BNij]

ninepoint2 said:

https://www.scuderiacarparts.com/

https://www.eurospares.co.uk/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI45...

both above are good for parts, also ebay, HR Owen often sell new parts for even less than the above

I bought a 12 year old GT last year and love it, added a Larini x pipe and it sounds fantastic...it's a great car

Edited by ninepoint2 on Monday 12th October 23:19

Still a great looking car, and the more I look at it the more I can trace echoes of the Bora and Merak in the wing line and the shape of the side windows. Just lovely. I remember the first time I saw a GT in the flesh, I came out of our local Sainsburys smack bang into a brand new dark blue one parked facing towards me, the huge great snout and the way the light caught the shape of the body were fantastic, a real eyeful.

[hyphen]

Adopting a child and buying a car are too very different decisions OP.

And why specifically do you want a 10 year old. Bit odd.

[andy43]

hyphen said:

Adopting a child and buying a car are too very different decisions OP.

And why specifically do you want a 10 year old. Bit odd.

Another problem on older cars is the subframes rust. But with that exhaust you can't hear the tinworm...