buying a 3200- what should i look for

beau

Member
Messages
1,391
im sure its been asked before, if anyone has a link to a good thead then please post it.

otherwise:

im looking to buy a 3200 gt manual, what should i look out for?

the cambelt was last done 5 years/25,000 miles ago, so i believe it is due replacement, is it likely to get me home and to a garage to be done ok?

anything else i should be looking for? keep reading about engine faults/limp mode, anything i can check?
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Welcome Beau

The 3200 is a complex machine and does suffer from alot if common faults.

They are relatively inexpensive to purchase but very expensive to maintain.

The car you describe appears to fall into the usual trap of the current owner cutting corners on something as basic as the cambelt that should be done every 3 years regardless of mileage.

You have to wonder where else the corners have been cut and as to any perspective buyer you should get a full independant inspection done.

Apart from all the usuall tyres, brakes, exhaust etc you have to pay attention to the following:

Clutch: check for signs of slipping in 2nd and 3rd under full acceleration. Also the bearings have a habit of breaking so if the pedal is excessively heavy this can point to an imminent failure.

Endfloat: probably the most concerning item. Due to the nature of the pull clutch and poor quality or wrongly fitted enfloat bearing, this can wear causing the crank to slop forwards and backwards when the clutch is depressed. This needs to be measured at a dealer by using a run out gauge. Indicators of this problem being present is low oil pressure when hot and a falling needle when the clutch is depressed. This can only be remedied by either engine strip down and rebuild or a new engine.

Oil pressure gauge: as above or also the senders fail regularly.

Drive by wire throttle. The achilles heal of the 3200. The throttle body fails causing check engine light and going into limp mode. Also the throttle pedal pots fail to. This can be remedied by upgrading to the modified contactless system.

Active suspension: The 3200 has shocks with a small motor mounted ontop that firms and slackens each shock as its loaded. The motors break or the shocks seize causing an ERROR light. These can be upgraded/repaired using alloy parts instead of the rubbish nylon parts.

Rust: they suffer in the rear arches from stoned chipping away the paint. Also check the door bottoms, leading edge of the bonnet, boot lower edge and below the rear lights.

Service: this must be complete. It's so important to replace the oil as the turbos shred it. Most owners change their oil twice a year.

Interior: check for wear to the seat bolsters, dash top coming unstuck, and the steering wheel lifting.

I am sure I missed a few items but those are the major ones. So post the advert of the car in question and we can advise you further or we may have knowledge of said car.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
Hi Beau and a big welcome to the forum...The 3200 is a great machine but do your research as if you get a bad one you will probably never come back to the marque...Matt has covered most above............What ever you buy I would def get it looked over by a specialist first if you can as a £250 inspection could save you 1000's later and put your mind at rest that you are getting a good one.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Remembered some more.

Radiators: they crack round the base of the coolant pipe flanges, usually after the cambelt has been changed. This is due to the mechanic taking the short cut and pulling the rad out of the way rather than removing the radiator.

Tyres: chech for wear on the front inner edges, a sign that the geo needs doing.

Rear lights: very expensive items make sure there are no dead LED's.

Scuttle panel below the front windscreens are brittle and break.

Electrical: check everything especially the wiper motor for juddering and the aircon clicks in and works.

Turbos: surprising good and should last over 75k miles without issue. Some plumbing issues which are a nightmare to trace.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
Buy a 4200.

Okay maybe a little unfair but in comparison suffer from not as many faults/problems.
The engine is much less problematic, with no turbo's, no rubber cambelts, no throttle body problems, no crank end float problems.
Downsides no boomerang rear lights, and the cambiocorsa gearbox can have problems/high wear clutch, but once driven you would want nothing else!
Cheers.
 

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,038
Pretty car...Love the colour combination and the wheel colour......Get it inspected it the owner will let you...If not I would probably walk away......It seems a very well priced car...
 

Parisien

Moderator
Messages
34,927
Matt....why not make this a sticky thread......will link up Maseratilife's guide too


P
 

Paulm

New Member
Messages
372
Greeting Beau,
As Matt has gone through most of the points with regard to 3200's, there are 1 or 2 little niggles I have found....
Stripped mine down and now replacing all the "cheese" nuts and bolts Maserati cheaply put on the car with stainless steel ones !
One major thing to look out for is:- dive under front and have a good look at the front cross member and plastic sheild !!!!
3200's sit low and 9 times out of 10 you'll clip a kerb when parking !! I've seen loads where the plastic has broken and the cross member has been caught. This leads to the intercoolers being dislodged, to replace the plastic and x-member is £350+ and in some cases, the oil intercooler gets damaged your looking at another £300+ bill.
Check all hoses, as these do (as I have found out) perrish !!!
Exhaust is another area: have a good look...if it's got a stainless your in luck !!!! stock items are p1ss poor.
Sub-frames: have a good check as I've seen a fair bit of rust on one !!!
Bearings: don't tend to go, always good to spin free wheels and see if there's any play !
Boot: Get underneath have a look for rust... in the wheel well 3200 have been known to leak, and water sits in the spare wheel well un noticed....I can prove this, BTW think I've found my culprit (rubber seal not fitted correctly, n/s just below rear window, where electrics come through)
Air - Air coolers: Check for cracks in the plastics, especially the lower N/S, if at any stage these have been off car chances are the plastic may be cracked, due to the nut/bracket corrosion.Coolers aren't cheap £330+ each.
Clutch gaurd: underneath front drivers floor, protects clutch cylinder, nice stainless protector.....I've seen one where this was missing ! can give problems if not there !
Apart from the above can't think of any other silly things....
As everyone says get an Indy inspection done, aswell as having a good look over it......get it wrong and your 3200 will become a very very expensive piece of metal !!!!!!!

Good Luck......3200's are much nicer than them 4200's :p
 
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Parisien

Moderator
Messages
34,927
Fightin' talk there Paul..............;).....are you familiar with the Queensberry rules.......;)


P
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Greeting Beau,
Boot: Get underneath have a look for rust... in the wheel well 3200 have been known to leak, and water sits in the spare wheel well un noticed....I can prove this, BTW think I've found my culprit (rubber seal not fitted correctly, n/s just below rear window, where electrics come through)

The spare wheel well can fill up with water, a quick fix is to put an 8mm hole in the lowest point.....oh and the boot well is plastic, so it does not rust but the rest of Paul's quotes are valid...oh and don't forget the all important red key...and check it works and has not just been painted, I have seen it done!

The one you are looking at looks ok, the drivers seat is in a right old state, so I would look for a new seat and then fit your leather over the top then get it re colonised.

From the wording, I feel that the guy has had enough of shelling out on it, and thus why is selling it.
 

NickP

Member
Messages
1,623
I disagree with the red key being needed, I have had mine 5 years without one, I can get one reprogrammed and have had new keys made.... its scaremongering! You do not need a red key and its not £2k to get one should you lose all your keys..... There are solutions to all the problems listed.

If the car does not have a full main dealer history don't be put off, mine doesn't but its a well sorted and cared for car. I have stacks of paperwork to prove this but I don't have a full complement of stamps even though its been serviced every year and had the belts done etc... The best thing you can do is to get an inspection, if this uncovers things then it may well help as a bargaining tool and if it is a pile of rubbish you can walk away.

You can expect to spend around £1.5k / £2k per year keeping a 3200 on the road more if you go to a main stealer.
 

Paulm

New Member
Messages
372
Agree with you on that one Nick.....scaremongering !!!!!!

Queensberry rules????
now why would I know about them......never had a fight in my life !!!!
1.To be a fair stand-up slagging match in a 24-foot ring, or as near that size as practicable.
2.No wrestling but hugging (clinching)is allowed.
3.The rounds to be of three minutes duration, and one minute's time between rounds.
4.If either man falls through weakness or otherwise, he must get up unassisted, 10 seconds to be allowed him to do so, the other man meanwhile to return to his corner, and when the fallen man is on his legs the round is to be resumed and continued until the three minutes have expired. If one man fails to come to the scratch in the 10 seconds allowed, it shall be in the power of the referee to give his award in favour of the other man.
5.A man hanging on the ropes in a helpless state (after admitting the 3200 is a better car), with his toes off the ground, shall be considered down.
6.No seconds or any other person to be allowed in the ring during the rounds (so no bringing your mates!!!).
7.Should the contest be stopped by any unavoidable interference, the referee to name the time and place as soon as possible for finishing the contest; so that the match must be won and lost, unless the backers of both men agree to draw the stakes.
8.The mouths to be fair-sized of the best quality and new (that put you out :p).
9.Should a mouth burst, or come off, it must be replaced to the referee's satisfaction.
10.A man on one knee is considered down and if struck is entitled to the stakes.
11.That no shoes or boots with spikes or sprigs be allowed.So that means - no wearing Nike running shoes!!!no running away from this one then :p
12.The contest in all other respects to be governed by revised Maserati Prize Ring Rules.

So there you have it Frank....

Long live the 3200's :)
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Fair enough about the red key, back in the day when I had one, 5 years ago now, there was no other way round the red key issue. Its good to see there is now.
 

rotorheadcase

Junior Member
Messages
415
Hey Nick,

Could you send me a bit more info on how you got a new key reprogrammed with just a black key? I have a Red key but there is no transponder in the key fob and I have only one black key.

Regards and thanks,

Neil
 

Paul L

Sponsor
Messages
471
Hi Beau,

The 3200 is a car that still turns heads, Good looking and the lights do make it look the bizz..........

All the guys have said so much about owning one and they are all right, beware a bargain! You can save a few grand on purchasing and then kiss that saving good bye in one garage visit!

But look around, go along to some of the meets and have a ride in a few, they are great way of getting to know the car all thats goes with the ownership.

I am now into my forth year of ownership and she (3200) has cost me loads and i do mean loads!!! but i love it (fool and money soon parted) she still makes me laugh and yes there so few of them.

Try to buy the best, but be aware the age of the cars out there now need to be stamped fully just to have a fighting chance of not burning your pocket,

Good luck with your search

Paul L
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,593
Oh and another thing. The cars were heavily revised in 2001 including an OBD ECU interface so anyone can read and reset the engine codes.

These are regarded the best 3200's to buy.