Spoon stirring

As long as you're happy. Muchos cojones but the definition of a good deal is one where both parties walk away feeling satisfied

C

Quick take it to WBAC for a profit while you can

Tallman said:

I think we should all applaud Mr Spoons, he’s doing a very honourable thing, sacrificing himself to keep some unsuspecting punter from buying a lemon

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Not just that, but to be serious for a moment, also potentially saving a Maserati from a rusty death, by buying a (chancy) bargain and working on it.

Good luck. Looking forward to the updates.

Mr Spoon said:

I wouldn't expect anything less. Dealers and specialists feed off of resale value anxiety.

I could write a list like that now and I'm not a specialist or a mechanic.

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There is something in this. But not always. I've had specialist inspections that just look like a dealer's wishful-thinking trumped-up invoice, and I have also had ones that say 'well, there is this to be aware of, but here's why I wouldn't worry about it'.

Scaf said:

Come on Mr Spoon play nicely.
Most on here have had a great deal of experience of these cars and how they can catch people out.
The advice you are getting is free and designed to be helpful and is sound.
If you are going in “eyes wide open” many will applaud your “8alls” in the same way we caution you now.

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I think he has played very nicely considering all the doom we have poured on his new purchase. I know we have been well-intentioned, but nobody likes to be given an overwhelming amount of advice that adds up to 'you fool, you fool, you fool!!!'. He has listened politely to all the comments; challenged some and accepted others. Now he has made his choice and has a bit of work to do.

Good luck to you and keep us posted!

I agree with Mark. Well done Spoons for getting what you wanted out of the deal.

I know everyone will get behind you in supporting your efforts to bring your beauty back up to scratch.

Hopefully you get the car to a standard you are happy with at the lowest cost/time/frustration and swearing possible.

Soprano Stu may have to parts you need and is a forum sponsor based in Manchester.

Good luck

I respect you for making your decision and look forward to following your thread on getting her up to scratch.
When I bought my first Maserati MY 02 4200 it was the cheapest in the Country and many said don't touch it on several forums.
Had 4 years of pleasure and still sold it without much hassle.
The second one I found on here was a MY 04 that had engine issues and was condemned by a well known specialist in Kent.
I bought that car over the phone and took it to New Zealand in 2014 and it's still going good today.
You have access to garage facilities have time and energy so I look forward to seeing you get her right.
Still think you are brave but we know fortune favours the brave.
Bon Chance.

I'm sure I come into the stupid bracket too.
I did survive buying a Ferrari 456 V12 as my first experience with the brand buying that unseen.
Sometimes you just have to follow your gut feeling.

Nice one. Sounds like you got what you were after in the end, a very cheap GT that you can fettle.

MarkMas said:

I think he has played very nicely considering all the doom we have poured on his new purchase. I know we have been well-intentioned, but nobody likes to be given an overwhelming amount of advice that adds up to 'you fool, you fool, you fool!!!'. He has listened politely to all the comments; challenged some and accepted others. Now he has made his choice and has a bit of work to do.

Good luck to you and keep us posted!

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I have no issues with the OP and offered measured advise myself early in the thread, but must admit, I found his replies inconsistent at times.

Saying he has not even seen a GT before purchasing blind, and asking for forum advise, posting videos for us to comment on, would encourage detailed advice, which he got in spoons lol. - all good. That's what we're here for.

But then as the thread went on, devaluing forum or internet advise as if he knew better as he's been there and done that..

Then little digs at people - like MrTallman end up not so tall etc.. (actually that was in Rabs thread, but was relating to this one)
And with @Bebs, suggesting that he that he may have been taken advantage of, after buying his GT, after his very detailed very helpful replies etc...

Anyway, I'll stop waffling, but can see how some of spoons replies could have been seen as a bit impolite.

@Mr Spoon I appreciate your honesty and detail, you didn't have to put your financial arrangements on the post, but it will make your build thread that much better to see how you get on within your budget. And as Mark said, we'll done for loving a previously unloved Mas

Just caught up again.

I still think you are mad but wish you the best of luck and have my fingers crossed you don't get burned.

Mr Spoon said:

I've highlighted two comments above which, given its the written word, will be perceived how the reader reads them and not always how the write intended.

Please do feel free to highlight my inconsistencies.

It is irrelevant whether I have ever even heard of a Maserati before I purchased one. I haven't actually asked for any advice, I've just posted information. I will always make my own decision, because quite frankly, I know what's best for me with my money. And when you read that comment, several different readers will read that from nicey nice to passive aggressive. The joy of the written word.

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Oh, I absolutely agree. I hate the written word. Half of the arguments I have with my missus come from a text/whatsapp message when she takes it the wrong way ......The other half, when she's had a glass of wine . I must learn not to say to her at the time.."Had a glass of wine have you?"

Think we all have to be a bit mad to have a Maserati!

I believe that most of us feel this way already, however, just to be sure.
Spoons has done us a massive favour here and one that rarely happens.
By us, I include all the non-members who also read this forum and that
collectively amount to many times the views and replies we create.
He's been very open and honest about this transaction, from start to finish and deserves
nothing but respect and every support from us all.
Clearly he has a lot of experience with performance cars and whilst admitting he was a
novice with Maseratis, he was able to use his knowledge to negotiate an excellent
deal with the boys from Kilwinning.
His thread has illustrated perfectly, the hole that you can easily dig for yourself with a car
like this. Some of us at least, would still be stuck in that hole, if we'd bought sight unseen
and been unlucky. Spoons however, has demonstrated what a decent amount of general
expertise can do for you. Allied with friends who are experts and in whom you trust.
Many if not most of the 'handbags' that I've witnessed in roughly three years on this forum
have been due to misunderstanding what others have written. Its very easy to forget at times,
that the unseen elements of communication amount to 70% or 80% when relying on the
written or spoken word.
I suspect that Spoons dealt with the guys at West Coast in a professional and respectful manner
and they responded to this. With the result that both parties found something in the deal to
be okay with. In all my years of negotiating with some very belligerent union officials for example,
success always involved both sides walking away satisfied. Even if they couldn't be happy about it.
(publicly)
I waffle too much and I apologise for it. FWIW, I've developed tremendous respect for Spoons in a short
period of time and I'd be proud to call him a friend. Despite the fact that we may never meet.
I know one other thing to be true also. He'll be a tremendous asset to this forum, it's collective knowledge
and it's support for the many new Maserati owners to follow in his footsteps.
As Safrane (sincere apologies! without names in sigs, I keep forgetting) said above. We do all have to be
a bit mad to have a Maserati. But people like us and the cars we drive. Add colour to life. And that's why
so many people love to see and hear a Maserati. They sing like divas, but with the body of a supermodel.
Does life get much better than that?

safrane said:

Think we all have to be a bit mad to have a Maserati!

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I told him that when we met! - From memory I don't think he disagreed, but I could be wrong.

May be of help.

Ooofff. Just spent the last half an hour or so reading this thread.

It's a VERY brave decision Mr Spoons has made keeping the car. Especially with those sub frames! But each to their own and all that.

I do fear though that my record of chucking 6 grand at my 4200 in 9 months my be obliterated by this GT.

Clearly an emotional purchase, where at the end of the day his heart ruled his head.

A wise man once told me, "with women and motors you always should let your head rule your heart. Unless you have very deep pockets".

Let Mr Spoon do what he wants... I would have never bought a Maser if I had found this place prior to purchase

My car was a right dog upon purchase and sometimes I wish I waited and bought a 4200GT in better condition. But that Argentine Blue car with a huge puddle of PAS fluid, engine and transmission oil under it plus an obviously leaky heater matrix was crying to me for a caring home. It is 6 years later and only nearly £20k in the hole.

Welcome to the forum @Mr Spoon enjoy your Maserati project car journey.