In the market for a Maserati

[Contigo]

3200 for soul and last of the biturbo proper Maserati engines, 4200 or GS for safe option and then a GTS MC Shift for pure beauty and the sound!

 

[Needamaser]

You mean there is life North of the Watford Gap?

Sorry but you did ask for that...........

As we say in the north when talking about the South...."there's life Jim, but not as we know it!"

 

[MarkMas]

From what I've seen on the likes of autotrader, pistonheads, ebay, the 100k mile QP GTS stands out at 15.5K. I'm seriously considering this one due to the price and condition of car but at the same time I'm wondering if it's the right car for my needs and whether it's too big!

I'm keen for something fast and agile but as I drive an SQ5, I'm wondering if the QP GTS might disappoint due to it's size and being a bit slower. I also drive an Audi A6 which is pretty much the same size and weight of the QP, so I am familiar with driving a bigger heavier car.

The QP does seem big, especially if you also like coupes (which I do not), but it shrinks to sensible-seeming proportions once you drive it a bit. When I first had it, there were all sorts of gaps that I just assumed it would not go through. Now, after a few months, I find it to be much slimmer and more agile than I imagined.

And the GTS is pretty quick. Although on your budget you might consider a 2009 facelift 4.2, which is quick enough for me!

If you had a QP daily driver (which I do) you could clearly do without the A6.

 

[Nemcova]

I am new to the Maserati group and took a lot of advice on this forum and spoke to people to help me narrow down my choice. My research was the 3200 is iconic but a brittle car (born out by people who saw mine and said it'll be nowt but trouble and recited tales of woe from people who it turned out owned a 3200 back in their day). Enough to put me off. To balance that, the message was to buy a good 'un that was well sorted and had loads of money ploughed into it. But feedback was they don't like to be stood outside and can still be brittle. And parts are getting increasingly difficult to source.

Then moved my thinking to a 4200 or a GS. Close debate. But in the end I settled four a beautiful Gran Sport Limited Edition (LE) with 26k miles fully inspected by one of the best Indy (Autoshield Maserati), serviced and new clutch and a totally clean bill of health purchased from Richard Grace who I'd certainly recommend a phone call to explore your thoughts and validate with his experience any comments on this or other posts. Also recommend talking to Marios at Autoshield - I found him very helpful to give me a perspective on Gran Tourism ownership, 4200 and GranSport and also 3200.

Having a Porsche 996 Turbo with manual gearbox I was swayed by the GranTurismo's lovely voluptuous curves but quickly discovered that (a) prices last September were tumbling and my budget (low/mid £30's) would buy me a high miler 4.2 car with auto box which was not what I wanted and that after a Turbo it was driving a two ton car that would just not have the urge of a Turbo (but then not even a Ferrari 360 or 430 has the oooomph of a 911 Turbo). I discovered that the one to go for if I wanted a GT would be an S car (4.7 litre) and ideally with MC paddle shift robotised manual box. I am not keen on traditional torque converter auto box high performance cars (that's why I eliminated Merck SL55 AMG and Jag XKR from my starting list). Budget for an MC was well above mine at that point.

The QP doesn't do anything for me sadly. Its probably a good car but a 4-door grand tourer doesn't float my boat. I've no research on the QP.

So it fell between a 4200 and a GS. The GS is considerably more than a 4200, but I put my extra budget money into a GS with the Limited Edition Pack because the feedback is that it can be driven daily, is very well specified being an LE car and will withstand being outside all year round (probably applies to 4200 as well) but it met my other parameter for purchase - it is unlikely to lose me money over my few years of ownership with its much smaller numbers and rising around 10-15% per annum in value. This was a purchase parameter for the Porsche Turbo - now into my fifth year of ownership and has more than doubled in value.

I personally can recommend a Gran Sport. Not sure about a £25k GS. As a novice to this brand I'd say a good budget for a well-sorted GS is low £30's that can withstand an independent inspection and not throw up any major spend areas. Its a lovely car once I got used to the Paddle Gear Shift and has none of that delay with a torque converter fluid clutch (that I have in my daily car the Mercedes E220 CDI - but its hardly a performance car!).

I'm biased as I have a Gran Sport. But I thought I'd share with you my thought journey if it helps.

I recommend a call to Richard Grace and Marios at Autoshield to get a more expert perspective. I also recommend a mail to Aldous Voice (aka "Voicey") who I know from my interest to buy a Ferrari 360 3 years ago and who also gave me invaluable help and guidance on Maserati the brand (v Ferrari) and the range oaf cars within the brand. He is a member on this forum and a personal message to him is going to give another input to help you in your decision-making.

Good luck on your journey and let us know what you settle for in the end.

I see that you've no experience of the QP so understand that you can't really comment, but I'd suggest that you drive one and see if you think it drives like a '4-door grand tourer'. - I sold my new Porsche Boxster 3.4S PDK to buy my QP, because basically the Porche drove itself, and despite looking good it was just incredibly boring to live with, plus the roads are flooded with them...yawn!

The QP is an amazing car to drive, Pininfarina looks, the original Ferrari/ Maserati engine, a practical 4-door when you need it, but a proper sports car for the other 95% of the time. Plus, with the exception of this forum, I'm the only person I know with a Maserati - I sort of like that.

Any more fans of the QP here today?

 

[McMase]

The QP does seem big, especially if you also like coupes (which I do not), but it shrinks to sensible-seeming proportions once you drive it a bit. When I first had it, there were all sorts of gaps that I just assumed it would not go through. Now, after a few months, I find it to be much slimmer and more agile than I imagined.

And the GTS is pretty quick. Although on your budget you might consider a 2009 facelift 4.2, which is quick enough for me!

If you had a QP daily driver (which I do) you could clearly do without the A6.

View attachment 43444

Yeah the plan is to offload the A6 and buy a smaller hatchback for the daily driving and using it in the poorer weather. Then the masser for the nicer weather.

 

[McMase]

I see that you've no experience of the QP so understand that you can't really comment, but I'd suggest that you drive one and see if you think it drives like a '4-door grand tourer'. - I sold my new Porsche Boxster 3.4S PDK to buy my QP, because basically the Porche drove itself, and despite looking good it was just incredibly boring to live with, plus the roads are flooded with them...yawn!

The QP is an amazing car to drive, Pininfarina looks, the original Ferrari/ Maserati engine, a practical 4-door when you need it, but a proper sports car for the other 95% of the time. Plus, with the exception of this forum, I'm the only person I know with a Maserati - I sort of like that.

Any more fans of the QP here today?

The QP is what originally drew me to the brand! One of the best looking cars made imo. I just don't know if it's too big for me now. I know audis are renowned for being dull but with the A6 also being practically the same size and weight as the qp and being dull and boring to drive partially due to its size, I wonder if that may translate into a qp in anyway. I guess I'll never know really until I get in the driving seat of these cars! No amount of opinions and advice gonna change that but they are most welcome!

 

[Andyk]

Up to 25k it would have to be QP for me. It shrinks around you for such a big car and it really shouldn't handle as well as it does for its size. Every time I drive one it suprised me and if you get a Sport GTS one you will not regret it. Drive one as it may suprise you.

 

[dickygrace]

For a weekend car, I'd say to go for a coupe, which at sub £25k is a cheap Gransport with high miles, or the pick of facelift 4200's.

 

[mattjevans]

The QP is what originally drew me to the brand! One of the best looking cars made imo. I just don't know if it's too big for me now. I know audis are renowned for being dull but with the A6 also being practically the same size and weight as the qp and being dull and boring to drive partially due to its size, I wonder if that may translate into a qp in anyway. I guess I'll never know really until I get in the driving seat of these cars! No amount of opinions and advice gonna change that but they are most welcome!

I've got an A6 Avant 2.7 as the "workhorse" car. It is as you say basically the same size as my GT (which is on same platform as QP)

You will have to take it on trust when I tell you the driving experience of the audi is NOT similar...

 

[TridentTested]

You will have to take it on trust when I tell you the driving experience is NOT similar...

I've never understood it when people say the QP is equally good at wafting and being a sports car. I've owned some big saloons and the QP is not, under any definition of the word, a car for wafting. The steering is highly communicative, always chatting away, the throttle response is crisp, the engine's music is glorious, the weight distribution is gorgeous, the turn-in has to be experienced to be believed. Even plodding along on a motorway, with the cruise control on, is not relaxing: the car is constantly talking to you.

The difference is you do have four doors, and it can accommodate five people (and almost carry their luggage).

 

[Nemcova]

I've never understood it when people say the QP is equally good at wafting and being a sports car. I've owned some big saloons and the QP is not, under any definition of the word, a car for wafting. The steering is highly communicative, always chatting away, the throttle response is crisp, the engine's music is glorious, the weight distribution is gorgeous, the turn-in has to be experienced to be believed. Even plodding along on a motorway, with the cruise control on, is not relaxing: the car is constantly talking to you.

The difference is you do have four doors, and it can accommodate five people (and almost carry their luggage).

Yes yes to all of the above. - Unbelievable balance and connected driving experience for a 4-door. Great to have an experience-based QP review.