3200 buying dilemma - advice please!
Discussion
I am back on to looking at 3200 GT's albeit with a lower budget (c.£18k), this means looking at higher mileage/older cars, and a couple of points have been regularly flagged.
There are lots of Autos around, my instinct tells me I need a manual, but £2k clutch replacements every few years don't appeal massively, and what about this crankshaft wear issue? Weak thrust washers causing premature wear and a flurry of c.60k full rebuilds. I don't really fancy a full engine rebuild, the 68k cam chain service is something I will probably have to face as most of the cars in my budget have over 50k on them.
Would I be wiser to buy an auto, I have also heard they are "easier" to drive??
I won't be doing track days, mainly commuting (briskly) through the countryside and occasional motorway hauls.
All advice welcomed, I shall try and drive both this week, but suspect I will like both, so is the auto a wise precaution when buying an older 3200 or should I just do it "properly"???!!
There are lots of Autos around, my instinct tells me I need a manual, but £2k clutch replacements every few years don't appeal massively, and what about this crankshaft wear issue? Weak thrust washers causing premature wear and a flurry of c.60k full rebuilds. I don't really fancy a full engine rebuild, the 68k cam chain service is something I will probably have to face as most of the cars in my budget have over 50k on them.
Would I be wiser to buy an auto, I have also heard they are "easier" to drive??
I won't be doing track days, mainly commuting (briskly) through the countryside and occasional motorway hauls.
All advice welcomed, I shall try and drive both this week, but suspect I will like both, so is the auto a wise precaution when buying an older 3200 or should I just do it "properly"???!!
For what it's worth mine is an early 99 manual - I've owned it since January and drive it hard 60 odd miles most days in all weathers. It hasn't missed a beat although I'm having new back boxes fitted next week. I bought it at 22 k miles, and it's now on abot 32k.I got the belts changed when I bought the car, so that together with a warranty should be a must if you're buying from a dealer. Past invoices indicate the clutch was changed at 19k but I couldn't say if that's normal - it could be just from heavy town driving??
At the end of the day it's a high maintenance Italian full stop so you have to expect big bills somewhere along the line, but then again what else can you get with the same looks and performance for 18k??
Good Luck.
At the end of the day it's a high maintenance Italian full stop so you have to expect big bills somewhere along the line, but then again what else can you get with the same looks and performance for 18k??
Good Luck.
Craig at Gray Paul Nottingham recommended I get an auto as they are easier to drive. However I ended up with a manual!! Miles and smiles better as you have full control over the engine note!! After a few outings you get use to the fly by wire throttle and now I do not even think about it.
Bought it 4 months ago and is an 01 with 77K miles on the clock. I paid 19K for it.I have just had had a new clutch which I got done independantly for 1600.00ish. Clutches are good for around 25K miles, dependant on driving style, but looking through my paperwork the last clutch lasted nearly 50K miles!!! The previous owner must have been `driving Miss Daisey` round in it!!
I went for a higher miler / latest model year I could find. The thinking was if its done some miles it must be a well sorted car and the later the model year the better the build. That was the theory anyway.
I`ve done about 3K miles and apart from the clutch thing and the odd engine check light its been no problem. I use it as a daily driver wind, rain or shine and its left outside every night.
I absolutely love it
Bought it 4 months ago and is an 01 with 77K miles on the clock. I paid 19K for it.I have just had had a new clutch which I got done independantly for 1600.00ish. Clutches are good for around 25K miles, dependant on driving style, but looking through my paperwork the last clutch lasted nearly 50K miles!!! The previous owner must have been `driving Miss Daisey` round in it!!
I went for a higher miler / latest model year I could find. The thinking was if its done some miles it must be a well sorted car and the later the model year the better the build. That was the theory anyway.
I`ve done about 3K miles and apart from the clutch thing and the odd engine check light its been no problem. I use it as a daily driver wind, rain or shine and its left outside every night.
I absolutely love it
I forgot to mention I actually bought mine off `ebay` so had no warranty. The warranty / no warranty is a big debate but all I would say is get a car with a full history and check it!! Most reputable dealers / independants can cross check records and it should be easy to trace a proper car. I took a skilled mechanic with me to inspect the car - cost me 80 quid, but is piece of mind .If you were to buy privately and have the cash (no trade in) then you are in a strong position. Look around / wait for the right car / seller and I reckon you could pick a higher mile 3200 up for 16K.
There are loads of good threads on here to help you but also worth visit is www.maseratiforum.co.uk
There are loads of good threads on here to help you but also worth visit is www.maseratiforum.co.uk
Thanks, well I bowed out of the red one on ebay that sold for £13,800 last night, no way I could get to Manchester to look at it, but with a rebuilt engine it sounded pretty fair value to me!!! Just couldn't take the risk.
There's a couple around at the moment, not much difference between trade prices and private sale but I guess the latter has more bargaining scope. I shall view a couple this week. As the money is burning a hole in my bank account I will struggle not to buy the first one I see.....
There's a couple around at the moment, not much difference between trade prices and private sale but I guess the latter has more bargaining scope. I shall view a couple this week. As the money is burning a hole in my bank account I will struggle not to buy the first one I see.....
the.raven said:
Just one other thing - apart from the history and all the checks etc etc - make sure the car you buy has the master RED key!!! If not then be real careful, I hear this scenario is a 4K touch to sort out.
Can't remember the exact cost but I had Maranello work it out for me at the time. The price would include the following.:
1. New locks/keys etc.
2. New ECU (the locking and ignition system are part of the cars brains)
3. New alarm and immobiliser.
3. Massive labour costs.
I think it was somewhere in the region of 4 and 5 K. However you would be ok as long as something major didnt happen that meant the red key was needed to reset the system. I didn't have any outstanding issues but took a 3K hit on the going rate at the time I sold.
By the way I thought the red car was nice and cheap but risky. The air con wasn't working, which might have been expensive and the engine rebuild needed thoroughly checking out to make sure it wasn't a bodge job. Keep looking there are some very good ones out there.
Edited by flasher on Wednesday 1st November 09:00
Thanks Flasher, I went to look at that one the other day, nice car with some recent expenditure on clutch belts etc nice and straight too.
Drove nicely, bit of driveline shunt but a nice light clutch, strange wind noise from the n/side too.
Very tempting at that price with a built in warranty on major bits, but I want to see another as a basis for comparison, the interior was let down in a couple of places but maybe window switches/the damaged switch panel defunct stereo and wrinkled steering wheel etc could be sorted reasonably easily? Or maybe not....air bag wheel of course...
I had my heart set on a blue one too, but the price could swing it for me! Just need a comparison.
Drove nicely, bit of driveline shunt but a nice light clutch, strange wind noise from the n/side too.
Very tempting at that price with a built in warranty on major bits, but I want to see another as a basis for comparison, the interior was let down in a couple of places but maybe window switches/the damaged switch panel defunct stereo and wrinkled steering wheel etc could be sorted reasonably easily? Or maybe not....air bag wheel of course...
I had my heart set on a blue one too, but the price could swing it for me! Just need a comparison.
PR
Just had a quick look at the one Flasher posted, I love em in Silver and my first choice would have been Silver with Blue and manual but no matter. One thing to note here is its a `T` 99 and one of the first to be manufactured. It has just over 51K miles. Now I dont want to be a `doom merchant` but I was informed to avoid `T` plates as they were most likely to be ex-demos and treated as such. Also this car is due belts and rear timing chain at 60K miles. This is an engine out job and could set you back 3K!! I am not saying dont buy it just keep this in mind and use this info to negotiate.
Just had a quick look at the one Flasher posted, I love em in Silver and my first choice would have been Silver with Blue and manual but no matter. One thing to note here is its a `T` 99 and one of the first to be manufactured. It has just over 51K miles. Now I dont want to be a `doom merchant` but I was informed to avoid `T` plates as they were most likely to be ex-demos and treated as such. Also this car is due belts and rear timing chain at 60K miles. This is an engine out job and could set you back 3K!! I am not saying dont buy it just keep this in mind and use this info to negotiate.
Cheers Raven, I've already had a long chat with Emblem who were really helpful and explained why they have a cam belt as well as a chain, and that at 68750 miles (or 60k to be safe as you say) it's £2500 minimum, usually more.
That car has just had belts and clutch, brakes, tyres so some bills have been taken car of but I don't really want to shell out £3k within a year on servicing, as I will keep that sort of sum for unforeseen stuff.
Same reason why the blue one advertised on here is off my list currently, it needs a cam chain imminently, in my mind a 99 car that needs chains is £16-17k of car, not £20k.
Also the noisy fan was really annoying, and I can imagine that's a really tedious thing to fix - dash removal etc.
That car has just had belts and clutch, brakes, tyres so some bills have been taken car of but I don't really want to shell out £3k within a year on servicing, as I will keep that sort of sum for unforeseen stuff.
Same reason why the blue one advertised on here is off my list currently, it needs a cam chain imminently, in my mind a 99 car that needs chains is £16-17k of car, not £20k.
Also the noisy fan was really annoying, and I can imagine that's a really tedious thing to fix - dash removal etc.
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