Eight years in a GranTurismo

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,952
My car is eight year old at the weekend and after 54000 miles it has been well.....brilliant.

Now the bad news, it’s let me down twice. Firstly at two months old it would not start as the battery was flat but a CTEK has fixed that. Why don’t they include them in the sale? No problems since and I’m still on the factory battery. Secondly, a couple of years later the driver’s seat spliced some wires when being moved forwards/backwards leading to a Christmas tree dashboard - you would think the Italians would understand spaghetti better and use more tape but hey ho. Anyway that’s it....great cars.

I’m not bothered about the row over which engine and gearbox combi are best but the 4.7 Auto has worked well for me. With relatively few gears, no turbos and a long wheelbase these cars are easy to drive fast or slow and in sport manual they do a reasonable job of being hustled for a heavy, big GT.

Costs have not been silly. I’ve had an a/c compressor, springs, front bush kit, ARB bushes/drop links, brakes incl EPB, TPMS sensors, one rear back box and about four of those stupidly cheap chromed plastic seat tilt mechanisms. Some of this on the two year extended warranty, some since. The only niggle is a creak/squeak from the NSF which is not always there but when it is if I pull up on the wheel arch I can replicate the noise. Car drives beautifully but I’m happy to take tips on fixing this.

I’ve had a run of a 3200, 4200 and then the GranTurismo all because the back seats are school run friendly. That’s now coming to an end to I’m starting to think of less accommodating replacements but no rush. Let’s hope Maserati manage to keep the GranTurismo’s DNA in the new car(s) as over the last two decades they really have made the best GTs on the planet. If you are a newbie then go and try one and buy!
 

Wattie

Member
Messages
8,640
8 years, I envy you.
I wish I’d never sold mine.
Don’t think I’ll ever get over it.
 

mjheathcote

Centenary Club
Messages
9,033
I agree, the whole series has been a great GT, with rear seats that you can genuinely use, a deciding factor with a young family especially.
 

Wattie

Member
Messages
8,640
This is weird it’s like being reintroduced to a long lost friend. What a coincidence. Can u pm me dicky
 

makeshiftUK

Member
Messages
1,089
My car is eight year old at the weekend and after 54000 miles it has been well.....brilliant.

Now the bad news, it’s let me down twice. Firstly at two months old it would not start as the battery was flat but a CTEK has fixed that. Why don’t they include them in the sale? No problems since and I’m still on the factory battery. Secondly, a couple of years later the driver’s seat spliced some wires when being moved forwards/backwards leading to a Christmas tree dashboard - you would think the Italians would understand spaghetti better and use more tape but hey ho. Anyway that’s it....great cars.

I’m not bothered about the row over which engine and gearbox combi are best but the 4.7 Auto has worked well for me. With relatively few gears, no turbos and a long wheelbase these cars are easy to drive fast or slow and in sport manual they do a reasonable job of being hustled for a heavy, big GT.

Costs have not been silly. I’ve had an a/c compressor, springs, front bush kit, ARB bushes/drop links, brakes incl EPB, TPMS sensors, one rear back box and about four of those stupidly cheap chromed plastic seat tilt mechanisms. Some of this on the two year extended warranty, some since. The only niggle is a creak/squeak from the NSF which is not always there but when it is if I pull up on the wheel arch I can replicate the noise. Car drives beautifully but I’m happy to take tips on fixing this.

I’ve had a run of a 3200, 4200 and then the GranTurismo all because the back seats are school run friendly. That’s now coming to an end to I’m starting to think of less accommodating replacements but no rush. Let’s hope Maserati manage to keep the GranTurismo’s DNA in the new car(s) as over the last two decades they really have made the best GTs on the planet. If you are a newbie then go and try one and buy!
And what an awesome car to do the school run in... I bet your kid(s) receive admiring glances from their friends (and their parents!).
 

Ryandoc

Member
Messages
1,839
Great post and I’m fully on board.

4.5 years for me now she’s on 56k. No intentions of parting company yet. And agreed the usable rear seats are a massive plus point I quite often have the wife and boys in for a drive out no issues whatsoever.

Truly a great car
 

Wattie

Member
Messages
8,640
Buy it back!

#FINDAWAY
I am having a d&m with the mrs.she says the Merc is all we ever need, it’s an incredible car. She’s right, it’s amazing and actually very quick- not that you can use it here at 60km
She says get the other one too.
I’m saying we don’t need two, we ditch the merc, she doesn’t like that.
By the way she loved the mc.sexy in sexy.
I cannot justify paying Mc money here in oz for a plaything. I wish I could. I’ve school fees to think of and a 5 year old is more important. So she says what else would you buy that rocks your boat? Merc V8? sad story there isn’t anything that floats my boat that’s special.
So she says what about new Massers.
They Don’t excite me. Ghibli? I’d rather have the V8’s.
I slipped up really badly leaving the Uk without owning one. That said prices here are coming down. I reckon if I hold out for a year or two I’ll pick up an incredible car, it’ll be years old but so will I
 

DaveT

Member
Messages
2,830
I am having a d&m with the mrs.she says the Merc is all we ever need, it’s an incredible car. She’s right, it’s amazing and actually very quick- not that you can use it here at 60km
She says get the other one too.
I’m saying we don’t need two, we ditch the merc, she doesn’t like that.
By the way she loved the mc.sexy in sexy.
I cannot justify paying Mc money here in oz for a plaything. I wish I could. I’ve school fees to think of and a 5 year old is more important. So she says what else would you buy that rocks your boat? Merc V8? sad story there isn’t anything that floats my boat that’s special.
So she says what about new Massers.
They Don’t excite me. Ghibli? I’d rather have the V8’s.
I slipped up really badly leaving the Uk without owning one. That said prices here are coming down. I reckon if I hold out for a year or two I’ll pick up an incredible car, it’ll be years old but so will I
Reckon we need a new thread on "GrexiT" Get Watties GT to leave the EU (well, the UK)before we go on 31 Oct. #WattiesGToutnow!