Maserati 3200 GT: Spotted
A sub £10k Maserati always sounds too good to be true. And it probably is
This business of buying a really interesting old car for the sort of money that wouldn't buy you a new car - say £10k - is all very well, but if you've only got that much to spend on a car are you going to have the wherewithal to be able to pay the running costs an older and more exotic car will doubtless demand? Actually, that's your affair - we don't care. After all, our job is merely to tempt your appetite, and yours is to control it.
However, before you do control it take a look at this Maserati 3200 GT we've found in the classifieds. A good-looking and popular car, the 3200 GT, but this one is of course featured here because of its bargain-basement price tag: £9995. Dare you take the plunge on something so richly furnished and convincingly badged and yet so goddam cheap?
The car in the ad certainly makes a convincing case for itself, and you can't diss a 3200 GT, especially one with the boomerang rear lights. The engine is its heart, though. Under that elegant bonnet the 90-degree 3.2-litre V8 uses two IHI turbochargers with air-to-air intercoolers, and each of the V8's cylinder banks has double overhead camshafts, and each cylinder has four valves, so all the boxes are ticked there then.
Along with Magneti Marelli fuel injection, this engine offers 370hp at 6,250rpm and 376lb ft of torque at 4,500rpm. You can expect performance from this four-speed Automatica version to be in the order of 5.7 seconds 0 to 60mph, and a top speed of 168mph flat out. In other words, that'll do, pig, that'll do.
What won't do, of course, in the real world, is the potential for huge expenditure. For God's sake make sure it's got a full service history and the cambelt's been changed regularly, because even a small thing like the throttle body is a known - and £2000 - weak spot. In fact nearly every part on this magnificent-looking beast will be expensive to replace or repair, so expect it to cost a fortune to run, and just putting fuel in it and servicing it and taxing it will probably cost you more annually than the average third-world budget.
But if you can only afford a £10k car and you bought this one I would think you a man or woman of infinite style. I might even drive you to the bankruptcy hearing.
Mark Pearson
SPECIFICATION - MASERATI 3200GT
Engine: 3,217cc, twin turbo V8
Transmission: four-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 370@6,250rpm
Torque (lb ft): 376@4,500rpm
MPG: 17
CO2: 388g/km
First registered: 1999
Recorded mileage: 76,000miles
Price new: £60,575
Yours for: £9995
All 3200GTs have boomerang rear lights. The later Coupe/4200 which has more conventional lights is a different car, just based on the same shell and interior.
"...make sure it's got a full service history and the cambelt's been changed regularly"
You would be insane to buy one without a full inspection from a specialist who can check for all the known signs of trouble (like "end-float")
"...just putting fuel in it and servicing it and taxing it will probably cost you more annually than the average third-world budget."
The servicing will. Budget £3000 a year for servicing regardless of mileage. Fuel is no different from any similar car. Tax on a 1999 registered car will be the same as any other post 1978 but pre-2001 car with more than a 1.5 litre engine ie £235 a year. The 2001 registered cars had a number of improvements and are reputed to be slightly less unreliable but the tax will be a bit more (£330).
I remember the car had such character/style and the way it went when you put the accelerator down was great(it was an auto). Its sad that they've got a reputation for being ruinous on costs. You've got to have some large kahoonahs to run one, or you're a proper Maser fan who accepts it comes with the character.
If you bought this car (or any 3200) without an Emblem inspection then you would be crazy and could be looking at the same price again to fix all of the issues. Wishbones (which crack) are £1200 per corner if not more.
I've written a buying guide on them over at SportsMaserati,com
I love these cars but buy the best you can and it will look after you, buy a dog and it will bite you very hard.
He got the bits slowly and rebuilt it on a farm where he borrowed some space, when it was nearly ready, a dog chased a rat into the interior and proceeded to go mental, causing a lot of damage.
He got it sorted and back on the road and it threw up yet more faults.
Lovely, but you need to have the right disposition, skills and tolerance, and a few quid to one side.
To me it makes it look dated, the 4200 lights are much better, if not a bit boring.
I also don't see what's wrong with a car looking dated - it's 20 years old, it should look dated.
I have a 3200, and it's an incredible car. It really is very well engineered and feels like a junior supercar - much more special than a 996 for example.
They can be maintained on a reasonable budget, but you need to be able to do work yourself - if you can't spanner, I would not recommend one unless you have deep pockets. I wouldn't recommend it as an everyday car - in the same way as you wouldn't drive a 20 year old Ferrari every day, without large costs.
- 4 brake discs can now be had for less than £400 via the Sports Maserati forum as opposed to £1000 from Maserati. Pads are only £40 or so.
- Electronic throttle bodies can be re-furbed for £400 rather than £1500 from Maserati.
- OBD1 ECU's can be read with freely available windows software and a cheap cable, making Error reading and re-setting free and easy. OBD2 ECU's can be read with standard OBD2 readers
- Cambelts can be changed for around £700 from Mike Roberts Maserati. Needed every 3 years (or 4 years if you really only do 1000 miles per year).
- Starter motors can go bad, but non-maserati motors are freely available for around £80. Maserati charge around £400.
- You'll read stuff about 'end float' ruining engines, but from speaking to numerous specialists its not actually that common and is caused by using incorrect oil, not changing the oil frequently and ragging the engine from cold.
- Lower front wishbones can go bad around 40 - 50k miles, you can now get pattern parts for around £400 rather than £800 from Maserati.
- Clutches last well if treated properly and are about £1500 to replace - no more than 'other' cars.
A really special car, that doesn't cost that much to run if you know what you're doing. You can indeed get a good one for 12k+ . In my opinion it's an absolute bargain.
Rich
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