Newbie looking for a Granturismo - S or Sport?

DLax69

Member
Messages
4,179
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.
Dearer here, as well (sob)...literally bought two 4200s for less than a single GT S...
 

Troll

Junior Member
Messages
64
Welcome Trev,

Thought I would reply as I was in a similar boat to you last year, I had been looking for a GTS for about 5 months and like you I wanted a "bright" rarer colour, too many black/grey/white ones around (I have a thing about rare standout colour cars) with a light interior.

I almost got a Red one but it sold pretty quickly after a price drop, then I was lucky and found a Blu Mediterraneo on a Facebook group, went to see it and omg the sound was enough, colour was amazing and it was the MC shift. I didn't let the thought of a clutch replacement cost one day dampen the deal, tbh I don't do a lot of miles in any car these days .. saying that I have signed up to take the Maz to the south of France next year :)

I prefer the pre-face lift look (no smiley mouth here) ! although the later seats do look nicer, but as said already have a look, drive a few and do lots of research and don't just jump in. There's a lot of cars that are out there that have been for sale for a lot of months !!

Good luck in your hunt, maybe put your location as someone near by may offer to show you around their GTS.

Troll
 

DLax69

Member
Messages
4,179
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...!
 

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,696
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 with you. I have always bought on condition, mileage, owners and ££ over colour.
 

Guy

Member
Messages
1,999
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.
 

c4sman

Member
Messages
1,243
I would definitely say to the OP please drive an
MCShift and a MC Autoshift before punting for one. Back in 2012 I was looking for my first GT. I’d heard bad things about the MCShift (clutch, jerky changes etc.) so wanted an Autoshift. Marenello in Egham was kind enough to let me out back to back in cars with each gearbox and I immediately fell in love with the MCShift car although I still really liked the Autoshift. Bought an 2010 MCShift S soon afterwards and really enjoyed the more sporty drive (always driven in manual sport mode), however it did stress me out very occasionally when stuck in stop start traffic going uphill on a hot day when it can start to struggle. More recently after a Maserati break I bought a 2019 MC Autoshift Sport. Why? Because I wanted the newest I could get to pile miles on and look after to my standards , but also I wanted the full auto as the car is used more for brain disconnected cruising with tha family in style with a great noise now and again when I fancy it, rather than super-fast shifts over 5000rpm blasting. It’s more of the car I want now more of the time than my MCShift would be. A few years back however the MCShift ticked more boxes for me than the auto as I wanted more of a sporty drive.
It really is personal choice and how YOU will REALLY use and enjoy the car, which is not necessarily the same as anyone else.
 

TrevS

New Member
Messages
10
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.
 

Gazcw

Member
Messages
7,696
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.
I am in Guilsborough on the other side of the M1. If you need anything give me a shout.
 

JMS

Member
Messages
262
I’m about an hour up the road from Rugby in south Derbyshire with a 2013 MC shift (quite rare) in Rosso Trionfale- give me a shout if you’re up this way and I’ll happily show you around the car (not for sale).

I much prefer the newer seats. There will be some moneypits around at £30k so worth stretching if you can. Buyers market at the moment so don’t be afraid of starting negotiations £5k under asking price.

Big ticket items to check are:
Clutch wear (£4k) - can be measured electronically
Subframe (£2kish for full refurb) - don’t be misled by corroded chassis plates, these are £15 parts
Brake disc lipping (£1k per axle)
Cam cover gaskets (£600ish) - need doing every 4 years or so.

For ref I paid just under £40k last May (28k miles, 50% clutch wear) having seen a couple of rough £30k cars.
Seller only came down £750 which covered cam cover gaskets and waxoyling the subframe at Shiltech

James
44732938-945C-4716-B87C-3BED8A4C9054.jpeg
 

Bladerunner

Member
Messages
435
Completely unbiased of course but, MC Shift, MC Shift, MC Shift...!

Owned a 2009 MC Shift for 4 years up until last September, and moved to a late 2013 MC Shift -not so rare @JMS :p.
Made the change for peace of mind on a newer car, upgraded seats and the facelift bumper.
For me, being 6’1 the seats are much more supportive and comfier - overall I prefer the look of the updates (as do others from a resale PoV)

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’.

Can’t comment on the Auto by comparison as when I did my research I only wanted the MC Shift but as has been said get a read on the clutch if going this route, watch out for the usual things already mentioned...a thorough PPI is money well spent.
 
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Sam McGoo

Member
Messages
1,745
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

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/


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’.

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!
 

Bladerunner

Member
Messages
435
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!

Interesting @Sam McGoo - exactly the same as what I’m experiencing but great you think it gets noisier over time, I’ll have to get crunching some miles!
Also good advice on the double shifting...I’ll give that a more intentional try :cool:
 
Messages
1,117
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.

I think the faceluft GTS auto box car would be a good choice. Clutch life always worries ne when I hit stop/start traffic on motorways etc. And it is rarely £4k to change the clutch.

Sods law is that it coincides either side of a big service or with other work. Then you get the call "the flywheel is goosed, you'll need a new flywheel also"

And brake discs and pads are down and need changing soon.

At least with auto no worries about clutch and its generally very reliable (it might ve german ZF going off memory).
 

JMS

Member
Messages
262
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)

MC shift GTS with handling pack 58k miles
 

TrevS

New Member
Messages
10
Thanks James, for some reason alerts were going to my junk mail but I'm still lurking and looking. BTW your car looks awesome, very jealous. I also saw the car you mentioned, it's been on Auto trader or Pistonheads for a little while. I still haven't 100% made my mind up on a GT yet but maybe if the right car comes along. Thanks again everyone for the useful replies and info. Certainly seems like a good community and some really useful advice on what to look out for when purchasing a GT.

Trev
 

Sam McGoo

Member
Messages
1,745
Don't think it's got the handling pack as it looks too high at the rear.
Think the MC sport line it refers to is the carbon kit.
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)

MC shift GTS with handling pack 58k miles
 

JMS

Member
Messages
262
You’re probably correct- it just looks very similar to one I looked at, where the owner didn’t know his spec.
C173BC51-D4A7-4EEF-84FD-3F1045195293.jpeg