Both the 4,244cc and 4,691cc V8 engines used in the GranTurismo range are regarded as very reliable by owners and the specialists who look after them. Many of those who buy a GranTurismo cite the noise as one of the biggest lures, but ease of use is a welcome bonus as well after the 4200's reputation as quite labour intensive.
Carbon, carbon everywhere!
You are unlikely to suffer from the oil leaks that afflicted the 4200, but it's still worth checking around the front covers of the engine to be on the safe side. New gaskets are only around £30 each, but labour will be the big cost as it's half a day to sort all of these seals.
Early cars suffered faulty cam variators, which are £300 for replacements, but this shouldn't be a problem on any car now as Maserati was quick to solve this and fix any cars that experienced the problem.
Service intervals are 12,000 or two years, but best to factor in an annual inspection and a budget of £1,500 per year for maintenance. A major service is required every four years, but some owners skip it and simply opt for a standard check-up. This means a car with a full history may not have had these important maintenance halts, so look through the service record very carefully.
Keeping the battery charged is important, as small electrical drains can cause headaches with minor electrical faults. A trickle charger is the best bet, but don't try to jump start a GranTurismo as the electrical spike can knock out the ECU.
Given the car uses a large capacity V8, fuel is a cost to bear in mind. Owners report average consumption of 20mpg, dropping to 15mpg when using the car to its full potential. In congested city traffic, that can fall further into single digits.
If you are going to use the GranTurismo in town, the six-speed ZF automatic gearbox may be the better choice than the MC Shift automated manual. The clutch in the MC Shift gearbox can take a pounding when used in slow-moving traffic, but it can happily cover 30,000 miles when driven with some understanding of the 'box. A new clutch for the MC transmission is £1,100 plus fitting.
The upside of the MC gearbox is it gives the driver more control over changes via the paddle shifters. All GranTurismo models have a Sport mode that sharpens up the throttle response and quickens gearchanges. The Sport setting also opens up a valve in the exhaust to give a louder, crisper note. The solenoid that operates the valve can stick shut so the car is permanently in its more muted state. A replacement costs £250 plus fitting, but many owners take the opportunity to fit a freer flowing rear exhaust section from the likes of Larini, with prices from £1,200 for rear silencers plus a cross-pipe and up to £6,500 for a full stainless steel system.
The MC Shift gearbox is a transaxle unit and moves the weight balance towards the rear of the car, whereas the auto transmission is attached to the engine and provides a 50:50 front to rear weight distribution.
PHer's view:
"THE NOISE. Jeez. I'm lucky to be privy to quite a few supercars and super GTs and still believe that the Maserati is one of the best sounding cars in the industry. While it's not especially fast with 450hp, it doesn't matter when you put it into Sport/Race and whack it down a couple of gears."
Wayne Garrison