Discussion
Hi all,
Tomorrow I'm test driving a 3200GT for the first time. I love the look of the car and it seems incredibly practical for what we need. And the sound ...mmmmmmmm!
Anyway my current beast is a BMW Z3MCoupe (still under warranty) which as some of you may be aware is cracking drive and has robust build quality.
Beacause of this I have concerns about reliability and build quality of the 3200 and was hoping for a few pointers as to things to look out for.
Thanks for your help,
Tomorrow I'm test driving a 3200GT for the first time. I love the look of the car and it seems incredibly practical for what we need. And the sound ...mmmmmmmm!
Anyway my current beast is a BMW Z3MCoupe (still under warranty) which as some of you may be aware is cracking drive and has robust build quality.
Beacause of this I have concerns about reliability and build quality of the 3200 and was hoping for a few pointers as to things to look out for.
Thanks for your help,
The build quality on mine seems good so far one or two creaks from the leather interior. The metal work is a lot more solid than the german cars I have owned.
The car is very quirky and seems to throw spurious faults now and again. (two check engine lights in 6 months both cheap to fix).
General running costs are high bank on £1 per mile for maintenance.
A totally different experience to a BM
Once you have driven it you won't want to give it back.
It must have a full main dealer/specialist service history
Check that it drives straight and the steering wheel is in line. A 4 wheel align costs around £400. The previous owner of mine kerbed it (only slightly)but managed to knock it out of line. I didn't notice it when I bought it so have ended up with the bill.
I also had to have a new condenser on the aircon which cost £900.
A slight leak on a rocker top gasket set me back a further £250.
Having to sell mine soon (2nd baby on the way)and really don't want to get rid.
Brilliant drive and always attracts the right attention. Got collared twice this week by people asking questions and admiring. Half an hour each!
>> Edited by s70jps on Friday 17th February 11:44
The car is very quirky and seems to throw spurious faults now and again. (two check engine lights in 6 months both cheap to fix).
General running costs are high bank on £1 per mile for maintenance.
A totally different experience to a BM
Once you have driven it you won't want to give it back.
It must have a full main dealer/specialist service history
Check that it drives straight and the steering wheel is in line. A 4 wheel align costs around £400. The previous owner of mine kerbed it (only slightly)but managed to knock it out of line. I didn't notice it when I bought it so have ended up with the bill.
I also had to have a new condenser on the aircon which cost £900.
A slight leak on a rocker top gasket set me back a further £250.
Having to sell mine soon (2nd baby on the way)and really don't want to get rid.
Brilliant drive and always attracts the right attention. Got collared twice this week by people asking questions and admiring. Half an hour each!
>> Edited by s70jps on Friday 17th February 11:44
dasherdiablo1 said:
Beacause of this I have concerns about reliability and build quality of the 3200 and was hoping for a few pointers as to things to look out for.
In 18000 miles in 18 months mine let me down once becuase the aircon compressor blew up. As this a bosch unit fitted to a lot of mercs / bm's etc I don't I could blame Maserati for this! OVerall they are no worse / better than any other performance car. The reason they are expensive to run is that wear and tear items tha would cost a few pounds on say a 911, will cost nearer a grand on a MAserati. Thats just the way it is really!
MAin things to look out for s/h would be these :
1. FFMSH / or FSH with recognised independent.
2. Warranty
3. no smoke on start up (standard check on a t/charged motor)
4. sports exhaust - make sure fitted with aftermarket SS item - or factor it into your costs. A cos it sounds good and B cos the standard item corrodes badly and will need replacing sooner or later.
5. Check for bubbles of rust around the rear screen where the rubber joins the body. Very unlikely, but some cars that have not been looked after have suffered.
6. Check all the electrics work.
7. Make sure no warning lights on the dash on startup..
8. Check for accident damage - easy car to spin in the wet if you're not used to this kind of thing.
9. Check the state of the interior - damaged trim can be exensive to fix...
10. Check the tyres - front particularly for uneven wear - if worn on inside / outside edges tracking needs sorting.
11. Check if it has a sapcesaver wheel or not. (was an option).
12. Check the can of tyre foam is in date!
13. Check for the MAserati toolkit.
14. Check for the RED KEY. If it's not available then don't buy the car seems to be the general advice. It's some kind of security thing but no idea what it does etc - seems like a normal key o me!
Search the back threads here for more details.
MAin thing to remember is that if you do buy one treat it properly - it's an exotic beast - so warm up the engine before giving it the johnny large potatoes, run the engine for a minute or so once you've finished your journey to let the turbos spin down. Always check the oil - another good question to ask about oil consumption. Some drink a lite per 1000 miles, others drink next to nothing. Neither seems to be a problem - you just need ot be aware how often you need to top it up - you don't want it to run dry!
It's all common sense stuff really...
From my experience the ones that drink the oil generally aren't burning it but rather have a small leak at the rear of the rocker cover/s, very common on these cars. You can't really get round the back to have a look, there to much engine in the way. The easiest indicator is to take the car for a spin and have a look on the leading edge of the rear spoiler below the bumper. If it has spots of oil, this is the likely cause. Its not a major problem and will quite happily run without getting any worse for ages, just keep an eye on the oil levels and get it fixed at the next cambelt service.
It took me 12 viewings of different cars to find the colour combination and condition I was after. Having found what I was after, 5 years later I still have no plans to change it.
As the saying goes:- Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
Italian car version:- Buy in haste, disillusioned, frustrated, gutted and stoney broke at leisure.
get the right one and you'll not regret it, they really are great cars and the attention they recieve even now still surprises me.
It took me 12 viewings of different cars to find the colour combination and condition I was after. Having found what I was after, 5 years later I still have no plans to change it.
As the saying goes:- Marry in haste, repent at leisure.
Italian car version:- Buy in haste, disillusioned, frustrated, gutted and stoney broke at leisure.
get the right one and you'll not regret it, they really are great cars and the attention they recieve even now still surprises me.
Ok you guys have scared me now.
The price issues of reparative works seems ridiculous. I love my cars very much and have never neglected one in my life. I'd sooner sell it that not give it the tlc it needs. However if it comes to the difference between 2 holidays a year in the Maldives & drive a 911 or own a maserati and holiday in Majorca then I'm sorry but it looks like I'll either stick with the M or go down the 911 route!
Thanks for your help, and I'll still go to the dealers tomorrow but it's gonna have to be damn good to separate me with my cash now....or maybe an extended warranty would keep things sensible?
The price issues of reparative works seems ridiculous. I love my cars very much and have never neglected one in my life. I'd sooner sell it that not give it the tlc it needs. However if it comes to the difference between 2 holidays a year in the Maldives & drive a 911 or own a maserati and holiday in Majorca then I'm sorry but it looks like I'll either stick with the M or go down the 911 route!
Thanks for your help, and I'll still go to the dealers tomorrow but it's gonna have to be damn good to separate me with my cash now....or maybe an extended warranty would keep things sensible?
Get a warranty and you won't go too far wrong.
Don't expect it to be porsche cheap to run, and do find a good independent to look after it (get a recommendation on here - or search the previous threads). and it will be as economical as it'll get.
See the various profiles of the owners here to get a realistic idea of what they cost to run.
Don't expect it to be porsche cheap to run, and do find a good independent to look after it (get a recommendation on here - or search the previous threads). and it will be as economical as it'll get.
See the various profiles of the owners here to get a realistic idea of what they cost to run.
Hay, didn't mean to scare you off, all I was saying is, no they are not as economical as german cars to run. They are Italian exotica after all. Mr Tony was right, get a decent warranty and you won't go far wrong. If your after something which has little or no soul then go german, they too are great cars in a clinical way, but I think you might well change your mind after your test drive. 3200's are about character and styling, yes it comes at a price but the character and styling is exactly what made you consider it in the first place.
With regard to finding the right one, all I was alluding too was regardless of wether I was buying a Mondeo or a Italian exotica I wouldn't nescessarily buy the first one I saw. At least not until I have compared it to others.
Again sorry if it came over as scary, it wasn't meant too.
PS where in the UK are you?
>> Edited by 3200gt on Friday 17th February 13:58
>> Edited by 3200gt on Friday 17th February 13:59
With regard to finding the right one, all I was alluding too was regardless of wether I was buying a Mondeo or a Italian exotica I wouldn't nescessarily buy the first one I saw. At least not until I have compared it to others.
Again sorry if it came over as scary, it wasn't meant too.
PS where in the UK are you?
>> Edited by 3200gt on Friday 17th February 13:58
>> Edited by 3200gt on Friday 17th February 13:59
3200GT I was writing mine at the time you wrote yours so I didn't see your comments!
I am very near to St.Albans where there is a Maranello centre; it's only 3 miles from my house!
At least I will be going with an open mind tomorrow so my decision will be based on my head and heart working together!
I'll let you know what I think once I've given her a spin.
Also a quicky; I've already sat in the car and head height is fine in the drivers seat, but felt cramped in the passanger side. I'm 6' tall on the dot has anyone else noticed this? (and yes I had the seat all the way down)
I am very near to St.Albans where there is a Maranello centre; it's only 3 miles from my house!
At least I will be going with an open mind tomorrow so my decision will be based on my head and heart working together!
I'll let you know what I think once I've given her a spin.
Also a quicky; I've already sat in the car and head height is fine in the drivers seat, but felt cramped in the passanger side. I'm 6' tall on the dot has anyone else noticed this? (and yes I had the seat all the way down)
dasherdiablo1 said:
Ok you guys have scared me now.
The price issues of reparative works seems ridiculous. I love my cars very much and have never neglected one in my life. I'd sooner sell it that not give it the tlc it needs. However if it comes to the difference between 2 holidays a year in the Maldives & drive a 911 or own a maserati and holiday in Majorca then I'm sorry but it looks like I'll either stick with the M or go down the 911 route!
Thanks for your help, and I'll still go to the dealers tomorrow but it's gonna have to be damn good to separate me with my cash now....or maybe an extended warranty would keep things sensible?
Rich's (Mr Tony) advice is bang on the money. I may get slaughtered for this but my advice is to go for a 911. As Rich pointed out getting parts on these things is not only a nightmare but costs a bloody fortune. I couldn't actually buy an exhaust when my back box rotted through as they were on a three month back order!!
If you must buy one then buy the very latest one you can and buy it from a proper Maserati dealer. Dont just be bothered about the boomerang lights either as the guy I know who has the very latest 4200GT swears his latest one is the best ever (and he's had 3 now)
At the time I bought mine it was a heart over head purchase against a 911. The 911 was by miles the better car but I had craved the Maser for years. Bottom line is that if I'd bought the porker I'd still have it.
Never sat in the passenger side and the missus is only 5ft 2in in stilletoe's 
:
I would assme that they are equal hgt on both sides though. I know for sure the seat hgt and rails are the same. Just put black front seats in mine for ease of maintenence, keeping the crema ones for sunday bests.
: I would assme that they are equal hgt on both sides though. I know for sure the seat hgt and rails are the same. Just put black front seats in mine for ease of maintenence, keeping the crema ones for sunday bests.
[quote=flasher) At the time I bought mine it was a heart over head purchase against a 911.
Exactly the point I am trying to make. 911's and 3200's are both great cars but for different reasons. You pays your money, you takes your choice. No two cars are alike and the same applies to people.
Exactly the point I am trying to make. 911's and 3200's are both great cars but for different reasons. You pays your money, you takes your choice. No two cars are alike and the same applies to people.
dasherdiablo1 said:
Hi all,
Tomorrow I'm test driving a 3200GT for the first time. I love the look of the car and it seems incredibly practical for what we need. And the sound ...mmmmmmmm!
Anyway my current beast is a BMW Z3MCoupe (still under warranty) which as some of you may be aware is cracking drive and has robust build quality.
Beacause of this I have concerns about reliability and build quality of the 3200 and was hoping for a few pointers as to things to look out for.
Thanks for your help,
Doesn't the term VANOS cause you BMW guys to break out into a cold sweat?
Don't mind flasher moaning about massers - he's bitter about his as it did turn out to be a total lemon 
(with good cause I might add but thats another story and hopefully unlikely to happen to anyone else).
He makes avalid point about trying a 4200 as the second iteration of what is the same car (different engine obviously) it's a more refined, less hooligan drive and given the more simplistic engine set up (albeit more powerful and N/A) it's cheaper to maintain apparrently. To my mind though the turbo rush and the boomerangs mean that I would prefer the 3200 over anything but a gransport. (Though I love the QP to bits - maybe in a year or two when I need a 'sensible' car...)
You don't say what price point you are looking at or which variant 911 you would compare it to - which would be interesting to know if you don't mind saying...
>> Edited by mr_tony on Friday 17th February 16:08
- he's bitter about his as it did turn out to be a total lemon (with good cause I might add but thats another story and hopefully unlikely to happen to anyone else). He makes avalid point about trying a 4200 as the second iteration of what is the same car (different engine obviously) it's a more refined, less hooligan drive and given the more simplistic engine set up (albeit more powerful and N/A) it's cheaper to maintain apparrently. To my mind though the turbo rush and the boomerangs mean that I would prefer the 3200 over anything but a gransport. (Though I love the QP to bits - maybe in a year or two when I need a 'sensible' car...)
You don't say what price point you are looking at or which variant 911 you would compare it to - which would be interesting to know if you don't mind saying...
>> Edited by mr_tony on Friday 17th February 16:08
My budget is a maximum of 30k. The one I'm seeing tomorrow is £28,995 so obviously got Mas warranty. Going by what I've read on here if I do like it I will try and knock a fair wedge off...thus leaving me some pocket money for future servicing!
If a 911 it would be about 2000 Coupe with EW probably a C2....manual of course!
If a 911 it would be about 2000 Coupe with EW probably a C2....manual of course!
whats the age / spec like.
Asuming it's a low mileage last f line car - somewhere around 20k miles and an 02 plate.
They'll have bought it for around about 19-20k (actual cost to them - may ahve paid more if it was a trade but that would be soaked up by the profit on the motor bought..). Then they are flogging it for 29. Now having said that theres no way of knowing what the cost to them of getting the car into a saleable shape was.
Main thing to get would be an extended warranty to cover the car for the time you expect to own it.
Be aware also though that an aftermarket warranty thats not bad could be had from an independent for around about 1200-1500 quid a year.
Asuming it's a low mileage last f line car - somewhere around 20k miles and an 02 plate.
They'll have bought it for around about 19-20k (actual cost to them - may ahve paid more if it was a trade but that would be soaked up by the profit on the motor bought..). Then they are flogging it for 29. Now having said that theres no way of knowing what the cost to them of getting the car into a saleable shape was.
Main thing to get would be an extended warranty to cover the car for the time you expect to own it.
Be aware also though that an aftermarket warranty thats not bad could be had from an independent for around about 1200-1500 quid a year.
Still healthy!
I liked the car as a 4 seater, but found it a little lively on the suspension....it felt very soft and I thought it felt like a car that would be hard to drive at the limit. Also the steering felt very light adding to the 'nervous' feel of the car. And that throttle is just strange!
But it was still a great feeling car, and in experienced hands it would be extremely capable. So I am still interested. However the dealership offered me silly money for my car. And I think for an X-reg car with 29k miles the price of 29 grand is well over the top. I think nearer £24-25k would be realistic, especially as even though it was a MAIN dealer the warranty was not a Maserati one!
I liked the car as a 4 seater, but found it a little lively on the suspension....it felt very soft and I thought it felt like a car that would be hard to drive at the limit. Also the steering felt very light adding to the 'nervous' feel of the car. And that throttle is just strange!
But it was still a great feeling car, and in experienced hands it would be extremely capable. So I am still interested. However the dealership offered me silly money for my car. And I think for an X-reg car with 29k miles the price of 29 grand is well over the top. I think nearer £24-25k would be realistic, especially as even though it was a MAIN dealer the warranty was not a Maserati one!
They are definately cars which you become accoustomed too, but after a couple of hours drive you'll get their "quirks" to work for you not against you. Once you get to that stage everything else you drive will feel odd! Mind you take a test drive in another if you can it may just be that particular car.
22k - 24k would be a good "private" price, good for the seller that is, but x reg, 29k miles from a Maserati dealer I would expect to pay 24k -25k, so yes 29k does seem a little high but you should be able to get a healthy chunk off of that if you can fund the whole amount cash and sell yours privately.
22k - 24k would be a good "private" price, good for the seller that is, but x reg, 29k miles from a Maserati dealer I would expect to pay 24k -25k, so yes 29k does seem a little high but you should be able to get a healthy chunk off of that if you can fund the whole amount cash and sell yours privately.
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