Maserati 222SR, any experience of these?
Discussion
Anything from this ear has the potential to hurt you badly make no mistake, none the less if like you me you have the urge to own one of these then I really would suggest the following course of action.
Pick the phone up to Bill McGrath’s and run the details of the car in question past them (Andy Heywood iirc) and quite frankly if it isn’t on their radar then that alone would be putting me off.
Hope this helps a bit and do keep us posted with developments, these cars need loving homes like few others!
Pick the phone up to Bill McGrath’s and run the details of the car in question past them (Andy Heywood iirc) and quite frankly if it isn’t on their radar then that alone would be putting me off.
Hope this helps a bit and do keep us posted with developments, these cars need loving homes like few others!
A good one is fun, a bad one is something that will drive you insane and broke very quickly!
Look out for Rust, electrical faults, shonky repairs, driveline groans / bangs and anything that looks like its cracked or broken as parts can be a bit of a nightmare. There are thousands of people who will slate them, yet haven’t so much as sat behind the wheel of one, dozens who have owned / driven one and had issues and a smaller number who have owned them and had no more problems with them, than a period equivalent Ferrari or Lambo, I've had a couple of BiTurbos ande half a dozen Ghibli's, some had big problems, others like my last Ghibli were almost perfect, with the defects forgiven as soon as it was running properly again
A decent length test drive is a must as they can overheat . . . . which may simply be a small fracture in the radiator (in Ghibli's you see a small amount of steam coming from the offiside top through the grill) or could be something worse, it will also show up whether or not the alternator is working properly, they're mounted low down at the front and at least in the UK don’t last too long, also check if the battery light on the dashboard is on with the key in and then goes out when the car is started, no light sometimes means no charging . . . even if it’s just a broken connection to the gauge (it was fun working that one out, the first time I saw it!)
The motor would need a leak down as well as a compression test, anything abnormal and run away at great speed.
A few URL's to help you along with your research
http://www.maseratighibli.co.uk/
http://www.maseratiforum.co.uk/
http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/
Look out for Rust, electrical faults, shonky repairs, driveline groans / bangs and anything that looks like its cracked or broken as parts can be a bit of a nightmare. There are thousands of people who will slate them, yet haven’t so much as sat behind the wheel of one, dozens who have owned / driven one and had issues and a smaller number who have owned them and had no more problems with them, than a period equivalent Ferrari or Lambo, I've had a couple of BiTurbos ande half a dozen Ghibli's, some had big problems, others like my last Ghibli were almost perfect, with the defects forgiven as soon as it was running properly again
A decent length test drive is a must as they can overheat . . . . which may simply be a small fracture in the radiator (in Ghibli's you see a small amount of steam coming from the offiside top through the grill) or could be something worse, it will also show up whether or not the alternator is working properly, they're mounted low down at the front and at least in the UK don’t last too long, also check if the battery light on the dashboard is on with the key in and then goes out when the car is started, no light sometimes means no charging . . . even if it’s just a broken connection to the gauge (it was fun working that one out, the first time I saw it!)
The motor would need a leak down as well as a compression test, anything abnormal and run away at great speed.
A few URL's to help you along with your research
http://www.maseratighibli.co.uk/
http://www.maseratiforum.co.uk/
http://www.sportsmaserati.co.uk/
Is it a three valve or the 4-AC engine? I know a little (!) bit about these so any specific questions feel free.
Actually, if you service them on schedule and keep an eye on them the engines, especially the three valve are bloody good units.
If three valve it is worth checking at the back corners of the engine for oil as the cam box gaskets tend to blow out due to high oil pressure, they usually make little puffs of smoke if they are gone because the oil drops on the exhausts. Head gaskets can fail and it is a fairly big job but the heads usually survive O.K.
One stupid fail is the starter is in the valley under the inlet manifold and gets a bit hot which makes the connection to the solnoid latching wire fail, easy to repair but a bugger of a job to dig down to.
Watch out for the earlier rear suspension arms failing, they corrode and kink on the top, the later tubular versions were better, the diff is the same as early TVR Chims, there is an adaptor cone used in the Masser which the splines wear on causing drive line shunt, easy repair though.
That car may have adjustable suspension, that can be an expensive problem but half the time it is the connectors that have falle apart!
The 222SR is third for me behind the 222 Racing (2.0 litre italian version) and the wicked Shamal which was the best of the BiTurbo era, the Karif was fun as well!
Actually, if you service them on schedule and keep an eye on them the engines, especially the three valve are bloody good units.
If three valve it is worth checking at the back corners of the engine for oil as the cam box gaskets tend to blow out due to high oil pressure, they usually make little puffs of smoke if they are gone because the oil drops on the exhausts. Head gaskets can fail and it is a fairly big job but the heads usually survive O.K.
One stupid fail is the starter is in the valley under the inlet manifold and gets a bit hot which makes the connection to the solnoid latching wire fail, easy to repair but a bugger of a job to dig down to.
Watch out for the earlier rear suspension arms failing, they corrode and kink on the top, the later tubular versions were better, the diff is the same as early TVR Chims, there is an adaptor cone used in the Masser which the splines wear on causing drive line shunt, easy repair though.
That car may have adjustable suspension, that can be an expensive problem but half the time it is the connectors that have falle apart!
The 222SR is third for me behind the 222 Racing (2.0 litre italian version) and the wicked Shamal which was the best of the BiTurbo era, the Karif was fun as well!
Athlon said:
Is it a three valve or the 4-AC engine? I know a little (!) bit about these so any specific questions feel free.
Actually, if you service them on schedule and keep an eye on them the engines, especially the three valve are bloody good units.
If three valve it is worth checking at the back corners of the engine for oil as the cam box gaskets tend to blow out due to high oil pressure, they usually make little puffs of smoke if they are gone because the oil drops on the exhausts. Head gaskets can fail and it is a fairly big job but the heads usually survive O.K.
One stupid fail is the starter is in the valley under the inlet manifold and gets a bit hot which makes the connection to the solnoid latching wire fail, easy to repair but a bugger of a job to dig down to.
Watch out for the earlier rear suspension arms failing, they corrode and kink on the top, the later tubular versions were better, the diff is the same as early TVR Chims, there is an adaptor cone used in the Masser which the splines wear on causing drive line shunt, easy repair though.
That car may have adjustable suspension, that can be an expensive problem but half the time it is the connectors that have falle apart!
The 222SR is third for me behind the 222 Racing (2.0 litre italian version) and the wicked Shamal which was the best of the BiTurbo era, the Karif was fun as well!
All this is great advice. I've sold a load of 2.8 Spyders and the engines have been very reliable in my experience. One thing I would say is that the automatic transmissions, whilst ok on a Spyder, really take away a lot of the driving experience on a coupe.Actually, if you service them on schedule and keep an eye on them the engines, especially the three valve are bloody good units.
If three valve it is worth checking at the back corners of the engine for oil as the cam box gaskets tend to blow out due to high oil pressure, they usually make little puffs of smoke if they are gone because the oil drops on the exhausts. Head gaskets can fail and it is a fairly big job but the heads usually survive O.K.
One stupid fail is the starter is in the valley under the inlet manifold and gets a bit hot which makes the connection to the solnoid latching wire fail, easy to repair but a bugger of a job to dig down to.
Watch out for the earlier rear suspension arms failing, they corrode and kink on the top, the later tubular versions were better, the diff is the same as early TVR Chims, there is an adaptor cone used in the Masser which the splines wear on causing drive line shunt, easy repair though.
That car may have adjustable suspension, that can be an expensive problem but half the time it is the connectors that have falle apart!
The 222SR is third for me behind the 222 Racing (2.0 litre italian version) and the wicked Shamal which was the best of the BiTurbo era, the Karif was fun as well!
I had a modified 2.0 Racing as one of my own cars for a while and it was truly awesome. Very raw driving experience, very fast and sounded great! In fact, now I'm thinking about it again, I wish I hadn't sold it. It suffered total electical failure (rather embarrasingly when collecting a customer from the station - not a good look asking him to push start it!) due to the starter problem mentioned but other than that it was very reliable.
I would definitely look for a Racing over the 222SR if you can find one.
Cheers,
Bryn.
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