Opinions on this car please- Granturismo

[StreetDragster]

Hi All,

I'm considering Maserati ownership, Gran Turismo.

What is the collective opinion on this car-

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maserati-Granturismo-4-...

My concerns are that
1) Its due overdue a service, and the last service was a 4 year gap instead of the usual 2 year.
2) It seems pretty pricy to me, I know its in a good colour and the chap insists its immaculate, but its getting into the realms of facelift cars, potential for cash loss when I part with it, presumably after the car market bubble has burst as normal for me.
3) Its had its variator's done, but the owner doesn't seem forth coming on the details of any other maintenance it has, I'm speculating that aside from stamps in the book that is all it has, worrying on a 13 year old car which is bound to have some suspension bush issues by now.
4) Private seller, so no come back at all.

What are your thoughts?

I'm looking for a MC-shift Gran Turismo

Thanks

[StreetDragster]

Thanks for the advice all.

I've had a snotty email back from the seller, i'll not be buying this car.

I'll check out the forum

Thanks again

[StreetDragster]

ANOpax said:

You can do so much Better

For £5k more, you get a dealer sold car which is 5 years younger and has the face lifted interior as well as only 17,000miles.

Sold unfortunately

[StreetDragster]

Cheburator mk2 said:

I am also in the market for a GTS MC Shift and have been keeping tabs on the market. Looks like a nice car....

BUT...

It's stupidly overpriced by about £7k for a "private" sale.

Firstly, the missed service - 4yrs is an awfully long time for old oil to sit in the sump of a car, which gets driven infrequently. Also, Maserati is more of an upmarket brand - rightly or wrongly service history does matter - you aren't buying a washing machine BMW. If you are asking questions about it yourself, think what your potential buyer down the line would do.

Secondly, it's due a service. From my research, service at a good indy doesnt' come cheap. At the asking price, this is not factored at all.

Thirdly, as another poster alluded to - if it walks like a duck and squaks like a duck, then it probably it's a duck. Selling another high end car alongside the Maserati, poor advert with rubbish photos and eBay as a venue screams a cowboy dealer who is one when buying and a private seller when selling.

Fourthly, AutoTrader has a similar 2008 low mileage GTS MC Shift with a dealer for £27k. Dealer looks well suspect, but there at least you have some sort of comeback.

Fifth - join Sportsmaserati.com - one of the nicest and most supportive bunch of enthusiasts I have seen. I have Porsches and BMWs, and the Maserati guys have been super supportive. By the way, a forum member there sold a 2013 GT Sport with reasonable miles for £30k! Admittedly, a trader bought the car for stock within an hour of the advert going live, but yet again it illustrates how ludicrously ovepriced this 2008 car is. Last but not least - I posted in the Newbies section and was offered a nice car by another member, which has been serviced by several of the forum sponsors. Can you get better than this - easily verifiable service history and good provenance? £26k for a 2010 GTS MC Shift with 40k miles, which I am planning to see/drive maybe buy...

Thanks very much for that

I've been called a time waster this morning, I should be buying a car from a dealer and not wasting his time because apparently if I'm asking questions like this I could get all the answers and still not be happy. I ask proper, well structured, specific & relevant questions I get it thrown back at me. He can go jump, maybe I'll reply with "wots the best prize for cash m8"

[StreetDragster]

Austin_Metro said:

Street dragster,

Keep going .... a 61 plate just went past me in the car park. Sounded magnificent!

I've driven one around the roads of Carlisle, and it was fabulous to drive. Not fast, not particularly good handling, but a pure occasion to drive, and the sound when on sport was awesome.

I'm working from home now and not doing any miles really any more, so its much more of an option now.
I could do with a bike rack for it though, which is both sacrilege, and probably not available.

[StreetDragster]

Have joined the Maserati forum this morning and posted in the newbie section, will take it from there.

Cheers all

Matt

[StreetDragster]

BlackR8 said:

What is you budget for one? I would consider stretching for a facelift if your budget allows.

The facelifts (post 2013+) benefit from an exterior and interior refresh (really nice seats, updated front, nice carbon fibre options etc), and you can get the MC Auto-Shift which I believe is the best of both worlds (no clutch wear to worry about and behaves like an MC-Shift with fast paddle changes and downshift blips).

That is pretty much where I've got to on the Maserati forum, the auto is probably the actual gearbox for me. I think I'm in the lower end of the thirties so a facelift model is a stretch, but possible, hopefully.

Thanks