Now that is pushing it too far - a 15k granturismo
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Contigo
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I've budgeted £4k for the car to be put back to a Wedding car standard.In a Maserati? Where do you want me to start....!?
RSM Masser
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I know someone who lives in Four Marks - not spoken in years, but if the seller has wiry ginger hair and a set of hampsteads like grave stones - RUN!
His missus was a bit of a sort in her younger days!
Ewan
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He told me he bought it a year and half ago and gas had serviced in that time. Nor has it been to a Maserati main dealer or specialist, so there are error messages that haven’t been properly investigated/cleared, as the cars not been plugged in to the appropriate diagnostic software.
So, here’s the rub. It’s a high mileage car, with a high number of owners, with missing history, currently run on (effectively) a zero budget by someone that has no interest in lavishing any love on it. This is the very sort of car that ends up costing someone a fortune, leaving them to moan about the brand.
When buying a Maser, buy the best example you can afford. And if you can only afford the cheapest one ever offered, be VERY wary!
It’s cheap for several very obvious reasons.
So, here’s the rub. It’s a high mileage car, with a high number of owners, with missing history, currently run on (effectively) a zero budget by someone that has no interest in lavishing any love on it. This is the very sort of car that ends up costing someone a fortune, leaving them to moan about the brand.
When buying a Maser, buy the best example you can afford. And if you can only afford the cheapest one ever offered, be VERY wary!
It’s cheap for several very obvious reasons.
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Contigo
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Yes when keying on there is a "computer not programmed" fault because some sort of ECU has been changed and not properly coded. I can go into what is needed. It's a car for someone who likes a project (me!) but to be honest at £15k it's a massive risk. I'd pay 12k and take the risk but not a chance at £15k.
CatmanV2
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That's a node alignment. I wonder if it's actually been tried and failed? Tend to agree, Phil.....
C
safrane
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Have to agree that although it reads as a steal by the time you fix up those faults and get a decent service done it approaches similar prices to cars with a history and no 'known' faults.
The 4.2 is a real bargain just like the 4200 was/is when compared to the MCs and Strads. If you drive it as a GT (which is what it is) it performs perfect to the role.
I have driven one with the red leather and although initially wary of it found it rather nice in real life and it contrasted well with the silver (another colour I was hesitant to like but on reflection came to a different opinion.
I Hqve seen a number of sub 30k cars advertised in the £20s and as I said a real steal.
The 4.2 is a real bargain just like the 4200 was/is when compared to the MCs and Strads. If you drive it as a GT (which is what it is) it performs perfect to the role.
I have driven one with the red leather and although initially wary of it found it rather nice in real life and it contrasted well with the silver (another colour I was hesitant to like but on reflection came to a different opinion.
I Hqve seen a number of sub 30k cars advertised in the £20s and as I said a real steal.
Oneball
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I bought the most expensive/best one and it’s not worked out well, I reckon it’d have costed £10k so far to sort by a dealer. If I had bought a cheap car that needed work I’d be happier.
Having said that there’s two at Shiltech that may seem a lot more money but probably aren’t all things considered and will have a full history when you come to sell.
GeoffCapes
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To be fair, you did buy a 3200. And as much as they are gorgeous looking cars, you could buy an absolutely mint one (which I think you did) and still have issues like you have.
Unfortunately they are 20+ year old cars now, and Maserati were still getting to grips with 'reliability' when the 3200 came out.
This is why the 4200 is seen as the safer bet.
I won't go into the 3200 vs 4200 debate, there are numerous other threads which have already done that.
This is a classic case in point but for slightly different reasons...
This GT has neglect written all over it from the reports. One obvious factor is the age of the cars...
I would urge the prospective purchaser of a 3200 to be very careful...The same applies to a 4200 buy, although you have to accept they are probably easier to sort, and perhaps easier to spot the issues if you do due diligence, but nevertheless can be extortionately expensive to recommission... Age is a cotributing factor too I believe.
The truth is always that however good the car appears to be, with solid history, yada yada...they can still bite you on the ar5e. A 3200 will be a labour of love to sort as parts are a pain..But you should know Maserati dont give a d4mn after @10 years and wont even hold NOS. Its not a secret....but in some ways, the brand is branded. And has only itself to blame !?
edit- pipped at the post, again !
Oneball
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Yes, I know, don’t run with scissors!
What I was trying to say was there’s an argument for buying the cheapest and there’s an argument for buying the most expensive. Both of which can turn out badly. You need to do your due diligence which I didn’t.
The big problem, I think, with this GranTurismo will be when you come to sell it on due to the lack of history.
I think either prospect relies on having done the legwork to cover the eventualities..
A cheap car could be riddled with issues the end to which there is no sight...
As for selling on the GT...You have to decide why you want it...
A cheap Maserati..?
There probably is no such thing unless you one of a string of previous owners who appear to have ignored resale value ( as you should in these "interesting" times ! ) and dodged service, repair or fixing the inevitable problems as they arise...
You got to luv 'em !
A cheap car could be riddled with issues the end to which there is no sight...
As for selling on the GT...You have to decide why you want it...
A cheap Maserati..?
There probably is no such thing unless you one of a string of previous owners who appear to have ignored resale value ( as you should in these "interesting" times ! ) and dodged service, repair or fixing the inevitable problems as they arise...
You got to luv 'em !
GeoffCapes
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If you flip that on it's head, if you bought a cheap 3200 you could have had twice the troubles. Sometimes you just get unlucky.
My GTS was looked after impeccably and wanted for nothing, the guy who bought it had problems with it the day after he drove home.
Sometimes you just can't legislate for that kind of luck.
If you are not prepared to get an unexpected wallet bashing out of the blue, then Maserati isn't the car for you. Especially a 3200.
No-one likes having to spend out a small fortune on their car, but sometimes it just happens.
My 4200 for example, was a high mileage one, with loads of history and money spent on it.
It still took me to the cleaners over my ownership. I probably spent 70% of the purchase price in just over a year. Didn't put me off buying another Maserati though.
You win some, you lose some.
Having bought a car with provenance however, the future prospects for a car that has had to have been laboured over remains intact..
Same thing...but as always, prices may have dropped..
Prices seeemed to have bombed since I bought mine. IfI had waited, I might have saved @ £4-5K I reckon...
Contigo
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Yes it will be one of the Body Computers being changed (second hand unit from another car) and it would need a proxi alignment doing to change the encrypted id. All done via a main dealer......
The same is an issue when changing the NIT e.g putting a HW8 NIT into a HW7 car. The give away is a flashing odometer reading.
Ian3200
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that's Sports & MaseratiAn SM event.... I miss out on all the fun....
jasst
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I think the same can be said for a lot of other makes, its not just a Maserati thing, Audi, BMW, Mercedes can all hit you very hard in the wallet particularly the top of the range models, ****, I cracked a liner on my old Focus ST, would have cost nearly as much as the car was worth to fix it.