Cat D 2008 QP Sport GTS - would you buy and impact on value?

[Alan Surrey]

Alan - consider my eyes opened, although not necessarily put off - just maybe of a cat d car!!!

All responses have been appreciated. I still feel that Maserati ownership is a itch that needs to be scratched, I just need to wait for the right car.

Very much looking forward to your next post.

 

[Harvey_Tim]

Very much looking forward to your next post.

Presumably the one where I present my new purchase ?

 

[gb-gta]

I think the 5k/year is a very unlucky scenario. Mines been 2-2.5k. Of course you could buy one needing loads of immediate things, but if it’s checked and it has a good history showing regular maintenance, I think they are pretty solid reliability wise.

Not cheap to run of course and there’s the parts issues, but I think everyone who’s even considering one has a good idea about that!

I think with cat D it’s firstly what was the cause of it, potentially could be something quite minor, then it’s just buy cheap, sell cheap. If the seller has had it for years, been looking after it, had his family in it etc it’s unlikely it’s a cut and shut banana shaped mess that drives like a pig. If he’s had it 4 months then that’s a red flag.

 

[philw696]

Presumably the one where I present my new purchase ?

That's always nice to do especially when you have been itching for awhile and you're asking the right questions and you've found the forum.
Which ever car you decide on get someone with the knowledge to look at it with you before the deal is done.

 

[jebroni]

if the car needed a new wing that’s £1500 without paint or labour so on our older cars this could soon be regarded as a total loss. As everyone has said make sure you read the report ( I would ring them ) & get it cheap.

 

[MarkMas]

I think the 5k/year is a very unlucky scenario. Mines been 2-2.5k. Of course you could buy one needing loads of immediate things, but if it’s checked and it has a good history showing regular maintenance, I think they are pretty solid reliability wise.

I agree that £2-3k a year is more likely, but the point is that you have to be able to survive a couple of £5-6k years (financially and emotionality), if that does unfortunately happen, because if you can't, you risk being stuck with a broken and unsellable car.

 

[Harvey_Tim]

I think with cat D it’s firstly what was the cause of it, potentially could be something quite minor, then it’s just buy cheap, sell cheap. If the seller has had it for years, been looking after it, had his family in it etc it’s unlikely it’s a cut and shut banana shaped mess that drives like a pig. If he’s had it 4 months then that’s a red flag.

I think I have already decided to walk away. However just for the thread, the HPI shows the cat d occurred in 2014 and was ”accident damage”. The current owner bought the car in 2016 and has done 11k miles in that time using it as 2nd car for weekends and family outings he has now purchased a Ferrari FF which has taken over these duties - hence selling the QP V. He says that when he bought it he was told it had had a minor bump and needed a OSF wing replaced which was done with genuine Maserati parts however he says that he did not know that it had a cat d flag as he never checked when he bought it. So the assumption is it was the wing repairs that caused the cat d but I have no way of knowing this for sure. The seller seems like a straight bloke and has been very communicative and has sent full walk around videos etc. but had I known from the start that the car was cat d then I would not even have contacted him in the first place - so I probably should stick to that ethos!

I appreciate all the comments so far, a lot of it i confirms what in my head I already know but they have also been quite eye opening regarding the true cost of ownership as although I am aware of servicing and parts costs etc. the thought of a 5k bill occurring at any point in time is somewhat frightening!

 

[Tallman]

There is also quite a difference between a 75k early car and a 20k late facelift of course. So far in the 2.5 years I’ve had mine (2012 Sport GT S), doing about 2.5k miles a year, I’ve had to shell out the princely sum of £800 for maintenance and repairs. I’ll count myself lucky but I’m under no illusions that this will last - disclaimer - it’s a garaged low mileage car in a hot climate.

 

[gb-gta]

I’m sure you’ll find something you are happy with in the end. Just stick £200/month into a running costs account and forget about it and you’ll be unlucky to be far out on average over time.

I still think they are cheap exotic motoring, especially what people pay to lease boring cars just to be ‘safe’, always under warranty, god forbid need the stress of an MOT!

To be clear, this is not financial advice!

 

[Harvey_Tim]

I’m sure you’ll find something you are happy with in the end. Just stick £200/month into a running costs account and forget about it and you’ll be unlucky to be far out on average over time.

I still think they are cheap exotic motoring, especially what people pay to lease boring cars just to be ‘safe’, always under warranty, god forbid need the stress of an MOT!

To be clear, this is not financial advice!

Sounds sensible advice to me

 

[Gazcw]

As it happens the QP V Sport GTS (cat d) I am looking at has had the mufflers replaced with a bespoke stainless straight pipe system although the original (black tipped) mufflers are included in the sale.

The mufflers should have valves. No need to take them off as they are straight through when valves are open. That is a strange mod. Did it get a smack up the back too?

 

[Gazcw]

I think I have already decided to walk away. However just for the thread, the HPI shows the cat d occurred in 2014 and was ”accident damage”. The current owner bought the car in 2016 and has done 11k miles in that time using it as 2nd car for weekends and family (he has 2 daughters) outings such as down to Goodwood FOS etc. he has now purchased a Ferrari FF which has taken over these duties - hence selling the QP V. He says that when he bought it he was told it had had a minor bump and needed a OSF wing replaced which was done with genuine Maserati parts however he says that he did not know that it had a cat d flag as he never checked when he bought it. So the assumption is it was the wing repairs that caused the cat d but I have no way of knowing this for sure. The seller seems like a straight bloke and has been very communicative and has sent full walk around videos etc. but had I known from the start that the car was cat d then I would not even have contacted him in the first place - so I probably should stick to that ethos!

I appreciate all the comments so far, a lot of it i confirms what in my head I already know but they have also been quite eye opening regarding the true cost of ownership as although I am aware of servicing and parts costs etc. the thought of a 5k bill occurring at any point in time is somewhat frightening!

A wing replacement in 2014 would not have written off a gts I don't think especially if it was only cat d repair. I imagine there is more to the story.

 

[Harvey_Tim]

The mufflers should have valves. No need to take them off as they are straight through when valves are open. That is a strange mod. Did it get a smack up the back too?

This is a prefacelift (2008) 4.2 sport gts, did these have valved exhausts or was that just the later 4.7 models?

 

[Gazcw]

This is a prefacelift (2008) 4.2 sport gts, did these have valved exhausts or was that just the later 4.7 models?

Ah. Probably not from memory. I will get my coat......

 

[4door Italian car]

So time has come and I have listed the QPV for sale via FR car sales.

well looked after

2009 blue with cream seats.

had service and works done by Shiltech 3 months ago folder full of receipts and the same car that HSG automotive owned on YouTube, original owner also an ex F1 ceo who had the car for 10 years.

anyone interested please let me know.
thanks

 

[Harvey_Tim]

So time has come and I have listed the QPV for sale via FR car sales.

well looked after

2009 blue with cream seats.

had service and works done by Shiltech 3 months ago folder full of receipts and the same car that HSG automotive owned on YouTube, original owner also an ex F1 ceo who had the car for 10 years.

anyone interested please let me know.
thanks

Lovely looking car, but a bit out of my price range, thanks though.

 

[stikey]

Well i have 3 cat s and n vito vans all just a year old when brought one went through a flood paid 6.5k for it spend 4 k on it and still running ok 75000 miles done so far and could sell it tomorrow for 9-10k easy the other brought repaired drives fine owes me 12k and ive done 30000 miles in it and could sell it easy for 9 -10 k and the 3rd cost me 7k and £350 quid to repair which i sold for £12500 2 years later
i have had loads over the years had an abarth 595 comp 6 months old kept it two years and sold it for 70 %more than i paid for it just need to know what your buying if you buy wrong it will bite you on the a .s
as for straight retail cars that a joke i know of a brand new defender cost 90k at a main dealer hit to f..k on a transporter went out the door as a new car to a customer a few week ago all so 2 others brand new delivered over the years from 2 other main dealers i bet 20% the second hand car s of forecourts have had paint done at some point
pay the money take your chance

 

[jebroni]

This is a prefacelift (2008) 4.2 sport gts, did these have valved exhausts or was that just the later 4.7 models?

I’ve got the same car & yes valved exhausts

 

[philw696]

Well i have 3 cat s and n vito vans all just a year old when brought one went through a flood paid 6.5k for it spend 4 k on it and still running ok 75000 miles done so far and could sell it tomorrow for 9-10k easy the other brought repaired drives fine owes me 12k and ive done 30000 miles in it and could sell it easy for 9 -10 k and the 3rd cost me 7k and £350 quid to repair which i sold for £12500 2 years later
i have had loads over the years had an abarth 595 comp 6 months old kept it two years and sold it for 70 %more than i paid for it just need to know what your buying if you buy wrong it will bite you on the a .s
as for straight retail cars that a joke i know of a brand new defender cost 90k at a main dealer hit to f..k on a transporter went out the door as a new car to a customer a few week ago all so 2 others brand new delivered over the years from 2 other main dealers i bet 20% the second hand car s of forecourts have had paintView attachment 116674 done at some point
pay the money take your chance

Having worked allover Europe for a major manufacturer I've seen my fair shair of damaged new cars repaired on site.
They all do it but usually repaired to a very high standard.

 

[Harvey_Tim]

I’ve got the same car & yes valved exhausts

Odd because the straight pipe mod was only done in the last couple of years well after the cat d so it wasn’t hit up the back and he is including the original exhausts in the sale and as far as I can tell (from the picture of them) they are not valved - maybe they just were not loud enough?.

Are you implying it may not be a sport gts?. How do I validate that it is a prefacelift 2008 sport gts - it definetely has the yellow bilstein suspension, seems a bit lower, has black chrome, the original exhausts were black tipped, has front red Brembo brake calipers and the interior is carbon with leather and alancantra. Are there any other tell tale signs to validate it is a sport gts?