A Future 3200 GT Owner

[Contigo]

Hello All,

I am based in Newbury and am actively looking for a 3200 GT Manual (it has to be manual doesn't it?) and I would love to learn more about these beautiful motors.

Here's a bit about my previous cars

Audi RS4 B5
Audi RS4 B7 (Glorious V8)
Lotus Elise S1
Mazda RX-8
Mitsibushi EVO 6
Golf R32

I look forward to hearing your views on the 3200 (and 4200 for that matter) and I can imagine that the running costs are not for the feint hearted!

I have just sold the RS4 and it's cost me a fortune to keep on the road for the last 5 years!!!!

Thanks

Phil

 

[philw696]

A warm welcome Phil.
You will get all the info you need from this excellent forum.
Let us know how your search goes i for one have not been disappointed with my 4200cc since August as a daily driver.
Phil.

 

[Parisien]

Welcome to our humble forum Contigo........lots of info on here for you to peruse........plus several 3200 owners too....feel free to ask any questions!

If and when you do decide to buy....always....always ....ALWAYS get an independent inspection done....no ifs......buts....or excuses!

Have a good one....enjoy the forum!


P

 

[Contigo]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

Well I like this forum already!!! Nice warm welcome that.

I have done alot of research on all aspects of the 3200 and probably know quite a bit about them already but I like to learn more and forums like these are really realy valuable.,

I'm no stranger to 1K bills for Brake Discs etc.. and the RS4 will take alot of beating as a daily driver!

I will get an independent inspection done on any car I am interested in as it will be money well spent. Is there any particular specialist that you can recommend or will the usual RAC and AA point inspection suffice? I'd rather spend a bit more and have the car inspected by a specialist who knows all the quirks about the 3200.

The reason I want the 3200 is that is' the saviour of modern maserati and the first of the Ferrari Maranello built masers. I think the 4200 is too refined and built for the American markets where it had to meet all the stringent EU and US rules and regs. I also like Forced induction and NA engines do not really get me excited at all, I love the force of the turbo kick in the back! Feels so much quicker than the linear power delivery of an NA engine.

I hear horror stories about the following and I'd like to know if true,

Early 3200's have a really bad throttle response and later cars are much less jerky.
The auto gerboxes can be pigs and require alot of maintenance
The Skyhook suspension is the one to get as it offers much better handling.
The later cars (from 2000 onwards) were built to a higher standard than the earlier 99 cars?
Buy one with a full Maserati/Ferrari history as it will be worth it's weight in gold
Cambelts need doing every 40K miles?


Thanks in advance to all those who respond!

Phil

 

[ENZ525]

Hello Phil,
A very warm welcome to the forum,
Good luck in your search
Regards,
Enzo.

 

[dem maser]

hi phil, welcome, i own a 3200 AC, auto, yes auto, and i love it....i asked endless questions on manual or auto queries and i decided auto was best for me, i live in london and heard bad things about the manuals suffering from endfloat probs, as for my car being a pig it most definetely is not, and the auto itself requires less maintenance than the manual

cambelt needs doing every 30k or every 3 years but i recommend you change this every 20k just to be sure, mine has full HR owen service history and yes its a must they come with full history, i might know of an AC that could be for sale in the future but it is an auto........

 

[Contigo]

Thanks for the Dem Maser that's useful and I am happy to accept that the auto is nice. I love manual and the Rs4 had a lovely 6 speed box and with 400 horses there is eomthing amazing about having complete control.

Is the auto a flappy paddle or just a standard auto box with kickdown etc? How is it for launches etc?

 

[dem maser]

look i love manuals, i had a GTV V6 and what a feeling using the box, but i felt on the 3200 the engine compliments the auto better and that clutch is a ******* in traffic

its a normal auto no flappy, the launch i feel is better as the gear changes are not jerky and quick......

 

[Andyk]

Hi Phil and welcome to the forum ...... Hope you get loads of info to make you get the right car.......3200 AC would be my advice...if you can find one....

 

[philw696]

The Cambio Corsa gearbox is brilliant in my opion when you understand whats going on.
Clarkeson drove it like a fool and the Stig drove it proper in some of the wettest conditions ever.
Michael Schumacher raved about it check the videos on you tube.
I tend to drive mine carefully on take off unless provoked and drive her when she is rolling.
Again in my opinion parking in tight spaces can be a pain but i love it.
Phil.

 

[GransportFan1]

Welcome Phil, very nice cars you have owned, the RS4's stand out for me.

 

[Contigo]

Oh and I had the pleasure of owning an M6 for a few months and boy was it quick! Quickest thing I've ever had for sure, made the RS4 feel pedestrian even with a remapped 420bhp!

 

[GransportFan1]

The B5 RS4 was one of my faves, especially in Yellow.

 

[Contigo]

Yep B5 was a beat, only sold mine last month, what a lovely motor but at 10yrs old it was fast becoming dated and money was being spent on it at a rate that was hitting my pocket something ad, I honestly think the Maser will be a dream in comparison to the number of Lambda's MAF's and EGT's that it used to eat on a monthly basis!!!!

 

[nigw]

look i love manuals, i had a GTV V6 and what a feeling using the box, but i felt on the 3200 the engine compliments the auto better and that clutch is a ******* in traffic

its a normal auto no flappy, the launch i feel is better as the gear changes are not jerky and quick......

I've never got this.... I live in a city and have never found the clutch hard work in traffic - complete rubbish (unless your clutch is ****** perhaps!).

 

[Andyk]

Oh and I had the pleasure of owning an M6 for a few months and boy was it quick! Quickest thing I've ever had for sure, made the RS4 feel pedestrian even with a remapped 420bhp!

As it would......M6 is a very underated car.......

 

[GransportFan1]

Yep B5 was a beat, only sold mine last month, what a lovely motor but at 10yrs old it was fast becoming dated and money was being spent on it at a rate that was hitting my pocket something ad, I honestly think the Maser will be a dream in comparison to the number of Lambda's MAF's and EGT's that it used to eat on a monthly basis!!!!

what colour was your B5? very good examples are fetching nearly 20k at the moment.

 

[dem maser]

I've never got this.... I live in a city and have never found the clutch hard work in traffic - complete rubbish (unless your clutch is ****** perhaps!).

dont think its fair to call my opinion rubbish, its my opinion......

 

[GransportFan1]

agree dem. Your opinion is yours and you cant really argue against that.

 

[nigw]

dont think its fair to call my opinion rubbish, its my opinion......

Sorry Dem - came out a bit harsh! I just can't see how the clutch is thought to be hard work, but I didnt realise that you were experienced in driving a manual 3200 in traffic.