Dearer here, as well (sob)...literally bought two 4200s for less than a single GT S...It is unbelievable how much cheaper Granturismo‘s are at your side of the Canal guys!
For a < 60.000 KMS 2008 4.2 we have to pay > 45.000 euro’s, more often 50k.
And keep it UK registered, 6 months since a camera got me in France and I'm still waiting...not!A benefit of Brexit. Go on lobby your MEP too.
I am with you. I have always bought on condition, mileage, owners and ££ over colour.I realize that my opinion may be outside the main, but I have never bought a car because of its color...inside or out. Had a silver F with red interior...baby poo brown 911 over beige (calling it "tan" would be an insult to George Hamilton)...
I suppose if all else were equal and I was selecting from two identical cars, color could be a tiebreaker. But I sincerely wish that I could buy a car from Mr. Grace...!
as keeps being repeated correctly: Go for the best car in a colour combination that is acceptable. You will be driving one of the finest looking cars on the road so whether it is blue, black or red will not be too important once you press the sport button and drive off. Of course Mrs OP may have a different view and could influence the 'permission/forgiveness' score, so it is often worth checking what is 'not' deemed a good colour. I personally prefer the MC Shift but only if it will be driven in manual. It has a lower final drive and closer ratios making it feel more urgent and rewarding when you time your gear changes well (not difficult with experience). Have a chat with Mr Grace on the market. I would let him do the leg work as he refuses to get involved with anything that is 'not right' and his margin is far lower than the main dealers so lots of security for very little cost. If buying privately, a good car can still be in need of 10k in near term costs so an independent inspection by one of the excellent specialists we have (SportsItalia, Emblem, AV, Shiltech etc) is essential. Buy well and you will not look back, except to wonder why you did not buy one earlier. Good luck.I realize that my opinion may be outside the main, but I have never bought a car because of its color...inside or out. Had a silver F with red interior...baby poo brown 911 over beige (calling it "tan" would be an insult to George Hamilton)...
I suppose if all else were equal and I was selecting from two identical cars, color could be a tiebreaker. But I sincerely wish that I could buy a car from Mr. Grace...!
I am in Guilsborough on the other side of the M1. If you need anything give me a shout.Some great replies, thanks everyone for the warm welcome and views on the different options. I'm based in Warwickshire near Rugby so would be great to meet any local owners. As for colour, unfortunately I am very colour sensitive. I'm a designer by trade so the way something looks is important to me but I totally agree that these cars look amazing in most colours but there are a few that stand outs for me. I will definitely keep my options open though. Also, interesting to hear the affection for the MC shift gearbox, I certainly will consider one and like others have said it sounds like it's all about trying each gearbox option and then buying the best possible example to try and mitigate any problems.
Hi all
I’ve been looking at Granturismo’s for a few years and 2023 and I’ve decided that now is the time to start looking more seriously at one. I’m a dad with 2 young kids and want a car to use for the odd trip away and special days out and the space in these seems perfect for my young family.
I’ve been busy doing my research and know all about the potential sub frame and variator issues to look out for so a PPI will be a must for me but I need some advice on what year/model GT I should go for. I am trying to stick to a budget of sub £30k if I can but the man maths keeps me upping this every time I look at the classifieds.
My head says that a 2011 Granturismo S looks like great value and so much car for the money. However, I’ve heard the auto box isn’t fantastically engaging and sound isn’t quite as good as an MC shift so the MC shift sounds like the option I’d go for, but I’m worried about clutch replacement cost. I’m also not a massive fan of seats and prefer the later 2012+ cars but I could definitely live with them.
My heart says I want a 2012+ Granturismo Sport auto. I’ve read that the auto box is much better in these cars, I love the revised interior, bumper and headlights etc, but I’d probably be looking at £7-10k over an S so can I really justify the cost for those upgrades? Having the auto box would give me a bit more peace of mind of not having to worry about clutch replacement too.
So is the S ‘good value’ and how much would a clutch replacement be on an MC shift car? Or would a 2012+ sport a better buy given the slight improvements mentioned? Also were there any other significant updates to the 2012+ sports that would also build a stronger case for it?
Thanks
Trev
The single thing I miss is the rawness and outrageous sound of the pre-facelift MC Shift, it was certainly refined through the following years as even with an X pipe my new one is much ‘quieter’.
Have a read in my thread from a few years back when I changed my '11 S MC-Shift to a '13 Sport MC-Shift will give you an idea on comparisons - https://www.sportsmaserati.com/inde...-it-again-another-granturismo-mc-shift.30386/
Funny you say that the below is from my thread when I made the same change......
Noise;
Now....this is important to me, and part of the reason I've gone MC shift again.....BUT.....the 2013 car is not as good on that front as the 2011 was.
I noticed this on the test drive, but thought it was just because I'd just got out of my 2011 with x-pipe. However, when I went down to collect the 2013 a week later, I had removed the x-pipe so got out of one standard car and straight into another, and it was missing something. It hasn't got that very pronounced Rev 'blip' when changing down gears that the early MC shift has. It almost sounds like the MC Auto. It's also missing some of the pops compared to the earlier car.
I don't know if its a software difference in the cars, or the way the clutch has been set up in my 2013 car, but the 2011 DEFINITELY sounds better!
I'll be fitting the x-pipe asap, and will ask someone in the know about the clutch/ software setup, if it could be something that can be altered.
It does seem to change down gears quicker, due to not taking the time to rev in between, but I'd rather have the noise from the throttle blip.
Changing up the gears and at WOT, it pretty much sounds and behaves the same as the earlier car.
After a few years, I do think its down to a few things. The sound deadening is better in the newer car so its a bit quieter in the car, not so much outside
Also, I think age, miles and using plenty of revs definitely makes a big difference to the rear baffles. I've done about 15k miles in the 3 years I've had this one (now at 33k ish , and its definitely altered in sound. Louder, more burbling and pops and crackles. Much more like the earlier one I had.
There is definitely a software change between the two, reducing the downshift blip a little though. I get round this by double downshifting from 6th to 4th and 4th to 2nd. This brings back the drama in spades!
Some great replies, thanks everyone for the warm welcome and views on the different options. I'm based in Warwickshire near Rugby so would be great to meet any local owners. As for colour, unfortunately I am very colour sensitive. I'm a designer by trade so the way something looks is important to me but I totally agree that these cars look amazing in most colours but there are a few that stand outs for me. I will definitely keep my options open though. Also, interesting to hear the affection for the MC shift gearbox, I certainly will consider one and like others have said it sounds like it's all about trying each gearbox option and then buying the best possible example to try and mitigate any problems.
Not sure if @Trev found a car but this popped up on a Facebook group and looks sensibly priced (depending what maintenance has been completed or is imminent)
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MC shift GTS with handling pack 58k miles