late 3200 or early 4200

[urbanmaser]

Late 3200 or early 4200........This must be a conundrum for a first time Maserati buyer looking to spend no more than say £15,000 on a car.

I went in a 3200 about 10 years ago in Paris and I have to say I never forgot the experience.....it was fantastic. When those turbos kicked in I thought my brains were being sucked down to me feet.....real raw performance. Combine that with those fabulous bommerang lights and I have to say that I think I would be tempted to buy a late 3200 with full Maserati service history in preference to a high mileage early 4200.

I know that the 3200 has a rather suspect reputation for reliability but many of these gremlins were supposed to have been ironed out in the last of these cars. A 4200 whilst in general is a more reliable car, also had gremlins in the early first cars.

So what is it a well sorted 2001 3200 or an early 4200, remebering that the 3200's are becoming hard to find a really nice one and are definately becoming more collectable.

I think this thread could become a useful source of information to a first time buyer with a limited budget. It has to be stressed though that either car is classified as a supercar and would thus attract supercar running costs.Neither car can be serviced by your local friendly corner street garage and must be looked after by at the very least a competent specialist.

 

[Emtee]

I thought long and hard about this when in the process of getting mine. I had my heart set on the 3200 (oh those boomerangs), however the deciding factor had to be that it was to be my daily drive. Because of this it had to be the 4200.

 

[Andy3200manual]

When I was looking in 2008 I wanted a 3200 but looked at 4200 also. The main reason I went for 3200 was that for the budget, the 42s were tired and actually both were really rusty! So better to get the better condition or lower mileage car I think

 

[Graham]

5 years of a 3200 as daily transport without any major issues. No problems!

Would worry more if not used regularly.

 

[Emtee]

Fair point Andy, I should have said that it wasn't an equal budgetary comparison.

Maybe I got spooked by the 'potential' 3200 issues (can't afford the downtime), but there again Graham proves that there are good ones to be had if you look hard and long enough and do your homework.

5 years on though I would not buy a 3200 unless it came from either here or across the way.

 

[lozcb]

Hi Graham welcome , you forgot to mention mate , that your car was a really astute buy by you , if you have seen this car guys its Mint , and if i remember correctly a really late car when most of the foibles were eradicted lucky man



regards loz

 

[bill]

Although I could not afford the 42 at the time, I would still choose the 32. Yes, those lighs, the twin turbos and that g force when you put your foot down are all factors. There have been a few problems with them but help and solutions are always available in the forums. Parts are available (just!) and there seem to be alternatives creaping about. it also helps that I can do most of the looking after myself!
If I was buying now, I would be very weary of cars that have been stood around. In my experience these cars need to be used. I have had mine for 6 years now, I use it almost on a daily basis and it might not be perfect to some eyes but I cannot imagine life with out it!

Ps mine is a 2000 model

 

[urbanmaser]

If it is of any comfort I asked HR Owen about the parts issue for 3200's and they told me that Maserati have no immediate plans to stop making them, although their general policy is not to support cars older than 10 years. So for the immediate future parts should not be a problem and no doubt the specialist companies will be stock piling them for the day they do finally stop supporting. With a little bit of work most parts for the biturbos are still available from specialists. Of course there are donor cars too.

 

[rs48635]

my biased opinion - get a 3200!!
But seriously if you don't already have a strong opinion already, then it's all down to condition and provenance. The 3200 and 4200 look the same to most people but are quite different in character. Go drive some before you ever part with money.

Had similar dilemma when looking to buy a 911 for my wife. There are 5 or 6 models all the same shape. Followed basic advice form 911virgin.com and started the newest one you I could afford. That is another story for a much longer thread........

 

[rs48635]

Not sure I really added much above ^^^^^

Think the 3200 --> 4200 is similar to Porsche 911 moving from air cooled (993) to water cooled engines (996). It is going form old-skool to new and modern enough to drive all the time.

The 3200 is the sum total of all that turbo dvelopment expertise, and the rebirth of proper Maserati Style. So is it "best of the worst" ? (no offence to biturbos - but they did look like a ford cortina!)

The 4200 is the proper beginning of the modern era, new engine and drive-train (transaxle), modern build process resulting in a return to true maserati country as "king of the Grand Tourers" with the GranTurismo and QP V. Does this mean 4200 is in retrspect the "worst of the best"?

On paper the 4200 is probably a "better car" than a 3200, which has more foibles. Much easier to find a bad 3200, than a good 4200.

 

[dem maser]

is it better to drive the car everyday then leave it in garage and bring it out on weekends, i only drive on weekends could be reason i have problems let me know as ill love to drive it everyday

 

[Emtee]

For what it's worth Dem I drive mine every day. I even drive it at weekends when I don't necessarily have any reason other than to pop to the shop. I take the long route for about half an hour and get back to Mrs Tee with her usual knowing grin, which basically means "You been out for a run in your toy? When will you grow up" I answer with my knowing grin, which means "never"

I'm putting 15-18K on it a year and it costs me a fortune and I panic with every vibration through the pedal or change in engine tune, but god it's fun!

Cheers, Emtee.

 

[alfamaserman]

For what it's worth Dem I drive mine every day. I even drive it at weekends when I don't necessarily have any reason other than to pop to the shop. I take the long route for about half an hour and get back to Mrs Tee with her usual knowing grin, which basically means "You been out for a run in your toy? When will you grow up" I answer with my knowing grin, which means "never"

I'm putting 15-18K on it a year and it costs me a fortune and I panic with every vibration through the pedal or change in engine tune, but god it's fun!

Cheers, Emtee.

Well done Miles for using your car 'a lot' - it certainly wins you some brownie points back after admitting you actually owned an Espace!
See you and others tomorrow.
John [Rutland branch]

 

[marios kriticos]

I personally had both and i have to say that 4200 is a better car
a/ when you drive a 4200 you are in control where a 3200 your are always on edge when you drive fast
b/ a 4200 you forget when it needs work where a 3200 there is always something going wrong
c/ I get asked this question every day and what ever you say to people you find out that the majority of them have already decided what they going to buy anyway .
So good luck they are both good cars and they are Maserati

 

[Emtee]

Ouch John, New I shouldn't have let that one out. Unfortunately the increasing scale of my Offspring had to dictate things for a while. It was at least sandwiched between a Cloverleaf and a 4200.

Right I'm away to fleece myself with birch twigs in a feeble attempt to atone for my sins.

See you on the morrow.

Cheers, Emtee.

 

[urbanmaser]

Marios I guess its what presses your buttons........those boomerang lights and aggressive turbo kick or the reliabilty afforded by the 4200 and the Honda lights

 

[alfamaserman]

Marios I guess its what presses your buttons........those boomerang lights and aggressive turbo kick or the reliabilty afforded by the 4200 and the Honda lights

Ok everybody don't jump on me, but being a 3200 owner and not knowing much [yet!] about 4200s can someone tell me who supplies the rear lights for the latter. I've heard them variously described as 'Nissan' , 'Cortina' and now 'Honda'. Is there some parts-bin trickery going on or are we just taking the p*ss?

I really must try a 4200 so I can make my own comparisons. One thing I do prefer though is the smoother nose cone without the join that's on the 3200.

 

[lozcb]

We are taking the pee John , they are unique to Maserati but have a striking resemblance to the honda prelude rear lights , worst is the Prelude came out first which means the designers at Maserati thought they were a good idea eek probably a Giugaro senior moment but he's allowed that ,i get them too so i can sympathize its the only thing in my eyes that lets the car down


regards loz

 

[urbanmaser]

Errrrrrr if Cameron Diaz had a zit does that mean you would throw the rest of her out??????? I'd say that for every negative you can mention about the 4200 there are ten positives to compensate

 

[conaero]

John, I had both a 3200 and a GS, to be honest, the 4200 did not float my boat, probably because the GS. The 3200 is the last of a breed of Maserati, and a great car at that. Yes it does go wrong a lot, but it is a very for filling car, and those lights, hum, well there is no contest and that single thing swayed me from the 4200....madness I know, but the are that iconic.

Hopefully you will be a Maserati man for many years to come, so you have time to try the 42 and GS later. I am already at that GS stage and the next step to a GTS is a massive one.

So the moral of the story is, you drive a Maserati, you don't need to justify it, its a Maserati.....enough said!

Matt