Advice and help!

THE FOODIE

New Member
Messages
7
Seriously thinking about buying a Maserati, 3200 or 4200. I've been told the cars are unreliable. Would really appreciate any advice. Having owned a 4.5 Cerbera and 500 Griffith both of which were really awful when it came to reliability.
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
Well i can only speak from my experiences since buying my 2002 4200cc in August.
I broke all the rules and i know im not the only one after speaking with other members at the Ace Cafe last weekend.
I bought the first one i looked at and have done nearly 5,000 miles and fuel has been the biggest cost.
Being a mechanic i knew straight away she was healthy but i have learnt a lot from this forum and the vast knowledge the guys on hear have and they are all so approachable so just ask.
Don't listen to anything Top Gear in particular J Clarkeson say about these fantastic cars but speak with owners and enthusiasts.
History and proof of care and maintenance is important as these are Super Cars and you can have Super Bills.
The niggles i have had have been squeaks and blown fuses but hey she is italian and not german.
Kind regards,
Phil.
 

dem maser

Moderator
Messages
34,221
Phil is right.....
I have had little bit of trouble with my 3200 nothing serious but electrical faults that these cars are known for...i can tell you getting a 3200 you must get the throttle changed from the start as this will give you problems in future....as they went on theu omprpved 4200, GS, GT comes down to how much you have to spend....

I owned 2 alfas while people told me they unreliable o never had any trouble and to this day my GTV V6 was the best car ive had.....
 

THE FOODIE

New Member
Messages
7
Many thanks Phil. Do they need cambelt changes like Ferrari's which I think is every 3000 miles and if so how often?
 

THE FOODIE

New Member
Messages
7
This is going to sound really sad - what changes to throttle and why? My budget is pretty small, around 17K,
If I wanted the car inspected who is there?
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
The 4200 is actually a Ferrari engine but on good old timing chains and no turbos just good old mechanical moving parts.
My baby is approaching 95,000 miles but does not look it.
Check out Robert Aerospace for a independents view on high miler Maserati v8's.
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
I would say 17k is a fair budget to play with as these cars are exceptional value for money and underated.
I paid £10,250 for mine because of higher miles but the last service with discs and pads allround cost the seller £4,600.
 

dem maser

Moderator
Messages
34,221
17k is a big budget...youll get the best at that.....mcgraths and meridien send out inspectors so enquire how much they cost....

the throttle does brake down on these...i had problems with mine and the minute it got changed its been trouble free motoring.....
 

rotorheadcase

Junior Member
Messages
415
You say you're after a 3200 or a 4200. They are very different cars to drive in my opinion and your personal preference will play a big part in what car you buy. Don't discount the 3200 because of reliability fears. As others have said, apart from the throttle body they are pretty good cars and if you take your time and get the best available you will not be disappointed. The torque hit when the turbos spool up is completely intoxicating and for me the styling of the 3200 is absolutely spot on.

Regards,

Neil
 

Phil H

Member
Messages
4,107
Seriously thinking about buying a Maserati, 3200 or 4200. I've been told the cars are unreliable. Would really appreciate any advice. Having owned a 4.5 Cerbera and 500 Griffith both of which were really awful when it came to reliability.

It depends how you define reliability. A friend of mine bought a superb M5 six months ago and is now changing it for an X5, the reason being that the M5 is next to useless in this weather; trying to negotiate a gradient on his road has proved a nightmare so he's given up. From a mechanical standpont, there is no guarantee of reliability with any make or model, the only difference being the cost of repair if something does go wrong.

As for Maseratis; I've just sold my 3200 after nearly four years of ownership, and when the time comes to buy again I will not hesitate to buy either a 3200 or 4200, although a Gran Turismo is a nice thought. Look for a service history, get an independent inspection before committing, and be very wary of buying from anyone who's only owned the car for a short while but is selling 'due to a change in circumstances'. Search the forums for tips and recommendations, and take your time to find the right car (either a 3200 or 4200) for you. £17k gives you a fair bit of choice, and for that money you are buying into a very exclusive marque which few get to experience. If I was buying with that sort of budget I would go for the very best 3200 I could find and keep a few quid in reserve.

PH
 

dickygrace

www.richardgracecars.co.uk
Messages
7,309
Having owned a 3200, 4200, Gransport and Quattroporte I'd say that with £17k to buy an early 4200 for about £16k and leave yourself a grand in reserve. The late 4200's are better(04 onwards) but it'd be a push to get one for your budget. The only major difference is that the gearbox isn't quite as good and it's not possible to update the software as it is on the later cars. You can tell by the wheels when u look at them. There's a beautiful one owner car for sale at Randles Suzuki near Stoke. I'd have a Ppi on it and take the leap. Been thinking of buying it myself but gonna hold out for a Gransport. The car would come with a proper 12 month warranty and I assume it will have a good service history. Don't worry about costs other than fuel, it'll depreciate very little and shouldn't break down on you.
 

2b1ask1

Special case
Messages
20,220
Much as I love the looks of the 3200 especially the Boomerang lights, I was delighted to find I could 'stretch' my budget to a 4200 Cambiocorsa; the Ferrari engine was donated as a test bed before being uprated into the 430. In the 4200 it is in a very basic form and is so strong there are very few failures or breakdowns. Apart from clutch issues nagging my decission it was very clear cut for me.

I was fortunate enough to know of my car as it was the MD's car of one of my main associates. When he took early retirement it was surplus to requirements. I basically got it for the trade in price he was offered!

The only hindesight I would add is that I should have asked more questions about specifics like the clutch, software and recall updates and suspension bushes etc. All things an independent inspection would enlighten. Fortunately I can pick up the phone and ask these questions as he is a friend.
 

Parisien

Moderator
Messages
34,927
Lots of sound advice there.......................but the main one being......get an indie inspection done regardless of whose selling the car and regardless of the cost to buy of the car.


Theres a link to a check list on another forum for nearly everything to check out which I think applies mostly to 4200s, which I will put up shortly.

Look at plenty, take plenty of test drives, get your eye and ear in for looks and sounds.

Try to stick to your budget, but as always a well sorted full SH/thick sheaf of bills one, beats one without everytime hence paying a bit more at buying time!!!

Keep a fund for wear and tear items as they are now of a certain age, plus a tyre/clutch/brake fund ( though all these costs have and will reduced in the near future esp if we get confirmation of better value discs and clutch relining options!!!!)

Let us know how the search goes and good luck again!


P
 

Easyplan66

New Member
Messages
3,358
Seriously thinking about buying a Maserati, 3200 or 4200. I've been told the cars are unreliable. Would really appreciate any advice. Having owned a 4.5 Cerbera and 500 Griffith both of which were really awful when it came to reliability.

Foodie, I bought my 2004 4200 cambriocorsa in July with 45k miles for £17.5k. I was initally looking for a 3200 but decided to step up to a 4200 as it seemed a bit less risky having had no experience at all with such cars. I would say much the same as everyone else look for a good history with all the expensive items having been done or if not know what needs doing and factor in the cost. As long as you do that you should not bechit with a large bill within 6 months. These cars are very solid as long as they have been looked after. Once you have your list you can start looking with confidence and of course if you need any technical advice come back to the forum and you won't be let down. On a final note I was a little worried at first but once a drove the car the descidion was made, it is truly the best car I had ever had.
 

philw696

Member
Messages
25,114
Im with you there Andrew my first Maserati is the best car i have owned and i have had a few and will be having more.
There is something special about Maserati.
Phil.