Newbie looking at Gransport - anyone know anything about this car?

[Simonfryan]

Evening everyone.

I'm currently considering a Grand Sport. I've previously owned several Porsches (Boxsters and a Cayman) and was looking at trading up to an early 997, until this caught my eye and am now seriously considering a GS instead. In particular this seems like a bargain:

http://www.platinumautos.co.uk/used-cars/maserati-gransport-v8-2dr-auto-high-wycombe-201310059137712

I'm not too worried about high mileage cars, this will be a third car for me and I expect to only do around 5k a year in it, I've spoken to a helpful chap at Emblem and have got a good idea of what to expect in maintenance costs, and I'm not overly concerned about ease of resale or depreciation.

I think I've seen other posts on this forum about this car, but does anyone know anything about it? Also, in order to work out whether it's worth the trip from Cardiff to look at the car, has anyone else viewed it? I'd be keen to know if it's as good as it looks in the pics.

Any comments, advice etc would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Felonious Crud]

Welcome to the best Maserati forum in the world, Simon. I'm almost completely ignorant on anything to do with Gransports (other than loving them, I know little) but someone informed will be along soon.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

 

[safrane]

Apart from the fact it silver.

 

[CatmanV2]

Nothing wrong with silver!

Simon, welcome. I suspect there will be some GS owners along soon with detailed comments, but given that the GS is a 4200 with extra, it looks like a good start to me

C

 

[Simonfryan]

Thanks for the speedy replies guys..

I really need something with rear seats for my 2 year old daughter, hence looking at a 911, however I've always longed for a Ferrari and a Maserati seems like the next best thing - so the GT really appeals to me. The interior seems a bit more sporty than the 4200 and I understand that the handling and CC gearbox is better too. Not sure what you guys think?

I think the car in question has been up for sale for a while. The dealer isn't sure whether it's on its first or second clutch. Really hoping it's as good in the flesh as it looks in the pics.

I'm generally a fan of silver as it tends to hide a lot of imperfections and is easy to keep clean - from the comments I take it silver isn't generally well regarded?

 

[Simonfryan]

Sorry - meant 'GS' in that last post not 'GT'!

 

[outrun]

Silver rocks mate. The others are just jealous.

That car has been around for a while but that's not the biggest consideration. For me, it's all about history, history, history. Seek out the best you can afford and make sure that it's been well looked after. A car that's not can easily swallow several thousand putting right which is, of course, a false economy. Have any car you are looking at checked by a specialist. The £200 or so they will charge is money well spent. You'll get the low down on things like clutch wear, brake wear and little jobs that can add up. The engines are pretty strong provided they have had regular fluid changes but the general wear items tend to cost a little so need checking.

I've had several 911s, by the way,and wouldn't have a 997 in any shape except turbo or gt3. The engines are total mince and if you call any 911 specialist mechanic, they will tell you of several that they've seen with expired engines. They have an inherent fault with valve linings which causes them to go pop. My specialist in Glasgow currently has 3 cars looking for new engines! Be careful! Turbos and GTs are different with better production standards and no fault to worry about. Caymans (or is it Caymen?) have a similar issue, particularly the early ones. Some of the Porsche dealers will mention boroscope pics in their adverts, this is because they are inspecting deep in the engine to check before they stock them. Run away!

 

[Chrisbassett]

I have silver (Grigio touring in Maserati speak) and as you say, easy to clean. But even with a professional detailing (cleaning, waxing, polishing over 2 days) there isn't much depth to the paint, so I understand how a darker colour can be more satisfying. I also worried my Spyder might look too much like an SLK in this colour, but it definitely doesn't, and doesn't sound like one either!
: )

 

[CatmanV2]

4200 / GS can certainly take a 2 year old. The GS certainly looks more sporty, although Ive not got any real complaints about mine
C

 

[Simonfryan]

Silver rocks mate. The others are just jealous.

That car has been around for a while but that's not the biggest consideration. For me, it's all about history, history, history. Seek out the best you can afford and make sure that it's been well looked after. A car that's not can easily swallow several thousand putting right which is, of course, a false economy. Have any car you are looking at checked by a specialist. The £200 or so they will charge is money well spent. You'll get the low down on things like clutch wear, brake wear and little jobs that can add up. The engines are pretty strong provided they have had regular fluid changes but the general wear items tend to cost a little so need checking.

I've had several 911s, by the way,and wouldn't have a 997 in any shape except turbo or gt3. The engines are total mince and if you call any 911 specialist mechanic, they will tell you of several that they've seen with expired engines. They have an inherent fault with valve linings which causes them to go pop. My specialist in Glasgow currently has 3 cars looking for new engines! Be careful! Turbos and GTs are different with better production standards and no fault to worry about. Caymans (or is it Caymen?) have a similar issue, particularly the early ones. Some of the Porsche dealers will mention boroscope pics in their adverts, this is because they are inspecting deep in the engine to check before they stock them. Run away!

Thanks Outrun.

Yeah I'm well aware of the Porsche IMS bearing issues and scored bores on the right bank. There are a couple of warning signs to look for and have been treading carefully! I've found a good 997 S that's within budget and checks out well, other than needing a new clutch shortly, but the GS just seems to be a bit more exotic (and much less common!).

Are there any major gremlins with the Maserati engines that I should be aware of? I've heard that oil pumps can fail, causing major failure, but the Maserati engine seems fairly bulletproof from everything I've heard and read so far.

 

[outrun]

Engines are rock solid and should only need proper maintenance to keep going for many many miles. Clutches are expensive, around 2k or so and usually more as you will end up doing other things at the same visit. I don't think that the service schedules are over the top and my experience is comparable to Porsche ownership. The difference is that the GS is special and will let you know every time you drive it. No Porsche south of 50k comes to close to that.

 

[ratirati]

I drive a 2002 Maserati Coupe Cambiocorsa for a year and a half now, and I love it. I got a great deal on it from a friend of mine. It had only 20k miles. It's black with tobacco tan all leather interior. When I say all leather, I mean everything except the floor mats. And, he kept it in immaculate condition. It even still has that new leather smell. It drives perfectly.

It was $30k. Since I've had it, the only major repair I've had to do was a complete clutch job. You'll have to do one, sooner or later. As I understand it, the original clutches only last 20k to 30k miles. Mine happened at 22k miles. A complete overhaul cost me $5k. They replaced every wearable part. Might as well, while the mechanic is in there with 11 hours of labor at $125/hr. My Maserati dealer who did the job said the replacement parts are more durable.

The only minor repair was to replace the relay for the switch in the glove box that opens the little door outside to the gas cap. The door latch can get stuck, and it's common that drivers keep pressing the button to try to release it, and that fries the relay. Luckily, there is also a pull cord inside the trunk that manually releases the latch when this happens. I put some white lithium grease on the latch mechanism so this won't happen again.

Other than that, the machine is rock solid, as was said. The top speed is claimed to be 180 m.p.h. But, I've only been brave enough to hit 130 m.p.h. a bunch of times so far on the roads around here. But, I'm sure this beast could cruise on the highway at 100 m.p.h. all day long. You know you're driving something special with that Ferrari made engine.

The Gran Sport is much the same as the Coupe, with a few improvements like an X-pipe section of the exhaust, instead of the resonator boxy thingie that my Coupe has, which essentially acts restrictively like another muffler. Looking to upgrade that with an X-pipe replacement to gain a bump in performance. And possibly a Larini secondary de-cat mod, and a DBW Enhancement Module from Formula Dynamics. They claim the DBWEM, among other performance gains, extends the clutch life.

 

[Andyk]

Hi Simon and a big warm welcome to the forum.....As Outun has said the silver car has been for sale for ages....Not that its an issue as Maserati's are not quick sellers......I would say its worth a look at that money. When it first went up for sale it was up for around 23k so has come down a lot. I would imagine they want rid now so worth a cheeky offer if it passes as inspection. As all will say the clutch % needs to be checked as it will cost 2k for a new one...........The most important thing is history and condition rather than age and miles.....Go have a look as someone needs to buy her at that money...Oh and for the record silver with the grey alloys looks stunning to me as well....

 

[safrane]

Check the cam covers too as they have been known to weep

 

[CatmanV2]

The oil pump 'issue' is not well documented. There have been a few reports, but it's not clear if the engine failed because the pump did, or the oil level was not maintained correctly.

c

 

[Simonfryan]

OK, based on the comments and advice from you guys I'm going to head over to look at the GS this afternoon to get an idea of its general condition (bodywork, interior etc) when seen in the flesh, and to hopefully see the documentation. I'll let you know what I find!

I've also been considering third party warranties for this car. Has anyone got one and can you make any recommendations in terms of providers? I previously looked in to a warranty for the Boxster and Warranty Direct seemed to be the best in terms of comprehensive cover and willingness to pay out (based on reviews I'd read and advice from a Porsche specialist).

Thanks again all.

 

[BennyD]

One thing to watch; it says it has a Larini exhaust in the blurb but shows a picture of the standard back boxes. Ask what part of the system is Larini and if it's the sports cats, it's a bonus. That is a very good start for a great sounding system. Ask to see either the receipts or have a look under the car, preferably while it's on a ramp. If it has Larini cats there should be twin pipes either side where they go under the steering rack. If it has what looks like a squashed section it's likely to be standard as well. Btw, Larini cats cost about £2.5 k so it's a nice thing to have on!

 

[ratirati]

Extended warranties are a waste of money, in my opinion. Just get the car for a great price and fix it as you go. I've found good prices on new and used parts on eBay, and can give you several websites for new parts in the U.S.

Maseratilife.com is another good Forum. Members often sell parts, and soon I'll be getting the X-pipe and some Denso Iridium Power spark plugs. see: http://www.maseratilife.com/forums/

I'm also going to try the res-usable BMC performance air filter.

If it does have the Larini secondary de-cats, I'd grab it. That's something I want for my Coupe. I hear it makes a big difference. Standard back boxes are best. You don't want the sound to be obnoxious, just a nice Ferrari growl.

These cars in good condition have depreciated about as far as they will go, and are undervalued now. Years from now, they'll be junkers and parts cars. But, I'm betting that my first year Coupe will be collectible one day, if I keep it in near mint condition like it is now.

By all means, drive the car first. Work it through all the gears and feel how it shifts. Try it in both manual and Auto mode, and Sport mode. Test ALL the electrics, including the airconditioning. I'm having an issue now where the horn doesn't work, and it's not the fuse, or the relay, or the button on the steering wheel. Next I'll pull the left front wheel and check the connections to the actual horns.

 

[Andyk]

OK, based on the comments and advice from you guys I'm going to head over to look at the GS this afternoon to get an idea of its general condition (bodywork, interior etc) when seen in the flesh, and to hopefully see the documentation. I'll let you know what I find!

I've also been considering third party warranties for this car. Has anyone got one and can you make any recommendations in terms of providers? I previously looked in to a warranty for the Boxster and Warranty Direct seemed to be the best in terms of comprehensive cover and willingness to pay out (based on reviews I'd read and advice from a Porsche specialist).

Thanks again all.

Look forward to hearing how you get on...Been wondering about this car for ages so it will be good for someone to take a look and let us know how she is.

 

[Simonfryan]

Thanks for all the comments today. Just stopped at the services on the way back from seeing and driving the car - will post my thoughts this evening when back...

Cheers