Potential GranTurismo owner needs advice

N

No Quarter

New Member
Messages
9
Hi, posted this in Newbie section, no answers, so now I'm trying here in the GranTurismo section. If it's all been discussed before and you may have a link, that's also fine. Thanks

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Hi all. I have never owned a Maserati, and today was the first time I drove one. I always knew they were beautiful and sounded good, now I know they drive just as well. I'm a DYI guy never taking my cars to the garage if can be avoided. I currently own a Pantera, Longchamp and CTS-V.

Today I drove a 2008 4.2 GranTurismo. And the dealer gave me a very low price but with no warranty at all. I'm OK with that but would like some input on:
-major issues with this model
-expensive services items
-where to buy parts here in Europe
Is there anywhere you can check history if you have the VIN?

Thanks
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CatmanV2

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,891
Hello No Quarter. Have you changed your username? Just seeing you only have one post, maybe your first was acceidentally modded.

So most of the questions you have are covered in threads all over the place. Some searching will pay dividends but:

AC compressors (go bang, can take the belts with them)
Exhaust manifolds (tendency to crack. Bit of a PITA to fix)
Variators (that's a biggy) check the engine number
Drop links wear out. Not too much in parts, labour is a chunk
Springs seem to break. Sod all to buy, again, quite a lot of labour
Alternators (mine went)
ABS sensors. Built into the bearing. £600 for the part.

None of the service items are horrific but it can add up. It's worth looking at non standard discs and pads.

FWIW a dealer *CANNOT* sell you a car with no warranty. It is not possible in English law for you to relinquish your rights to a reasonable car, nor can the dealer avoid his obligations. Post a link to the car, we may well be aware of it. (Of course I have no idea if you're in the UK!)

Most people buy parts from Meridien (Ross gives a discount for forum members) or Eurospares.

Welcome!

C
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,652
Welcome again I don't know how your post got missed.

Catman has pretty much covered it. Pealing trim I have seen too but on the whole they respond well to a bit of TLC. Yours being an auto won't require the expensive clutches.
 
N

No Quarter

New Member
Messages
9
CatmanV2 said:
Hello No Quarter. Have you changed your username? Just seeing you only have one post, maybe your first was acceidentally modded.

So most of the questions you have are covered in threads all over the place. Some searching will pay dividends but:

AC compressors (go bang, can take the belts with them)
Exhaust manifolds (tendency to crack. Bit of a PITA to fix)
Variators (that's a biggy) check the engine number
Drop links wear out. Not too much in parts, labour is a chunk
Springs seem to break. Sod all to buy, again, quite a lot of labour
Alternators (mine went)
ABS sensors. Built into the bearing. £600 for the part.

None of the service items are horrific but it can add up. It's worth looking at non standard discs and pads.

FWIW a dealer *CANNOT* sell you a car with no warranty. It is not possible in English law for you to relinquish your rights to a reasonable car, nor can the dealer avoid his obligations. Post a link to the car, we may well be aware of it. (Of course I have no idea if you're in the UK!)

Most people buy parts from Meridien (Ross gives a discount for forum members) or Eurospares.

Welcome!

C
Click to expand...
Thanks, many good points:
-What's a variator? What's a drop link?
-In Denmark a dealer can sell w/o normal consumer warranty if I let my Business buy it, then it's business to business, not business to consumer. He will also sell to me as a consumer, but the price is 20% higher, I'd like to take that risk
-If you know the car already?, here's the VIN and link (prepare for a chock when you see Danish prices :-( ) :

ZAMGH45B000035016

http://www.bilbasen.dk/brugt/bil/maserati/granturismo/42-automatic-2d/3261144

By the way, on the test drive it was literally like new, nothing strange
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,891
No Quarter said:
Thanks, many good points:
-What's a variator? What's a drop link?
-In Denmark a dealer can sell w/o normal consumer warranty if I let my Business buy it, then it's business to business, not business to consumer. He will also sell to me as a consumer, but the price is 20% higher, I'd like to take that risk
-If you know the car already?, here's the VIN and link (prepare for a chock when you see Danish prices :-( ) :

ZAMGH45B000035016

http://www.bilbasen.dk/brugt/bil/maserati/granturismo/42-automatic-2d/3261144

By the way, on the test drive it was literally like new, nothing strange
Click to expand...

Variator controls the engine valve timing. Engines with a number less than 148697 *might* have them fail. It's an expensive fix, around £3500. I'd not buy a car with the engine range without making sure I either knew they had been done, or getting a large discount. There will be a rattle at start and possibly a fluttering noise as the car drops to idle from being revved

Drop link is (I think) part 4 here

http://www.eurospares.co.uk/parts/m...-2/suspension-steering/front-suspension-43181

No idea about Danish law. That's quite a saving but bloody ****!

Good luck :)
C
 
iainw

iainw

Member
Messages
3,386
No Quarter said:
Thanks, many good points:
-What's a variator? What's a drop link?
-In Denmark a dealer can sell w/o normal consumer warranty if I let my Business buy it, then it's business to business, not business to consumer. He will also sell to me as a consumer, but the price is 20% higher, I'd like to take that risk
-If you know the car already?, here's the VIN and link (prepare for a chock when you see Danish prices :-( ) :

ZAMGH45B000035016

http://www.bilbasen.dk/brugt/bil/maserati/granturismo/42-automatic-2d/3261144

By the way, on the test drive it was literally like new, nothing strange
Click to expand...

HOLY ****- have I got the conversion correct- 95,000 pounds!!
 
B

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,973
Remember though the Danes are the happiest people in the world and we think Jeremy Corbyn can do this for us.....sorry going off piste.

If it helps the OP, in 6 years of ownership looking at Catmanv2.0's list I have had the a/c compressor and springs go. My engine is too new for variators so cannot comment about that.

PS Iain, you don't buy a Maserati out of wages or are you thinking like a footballer now you have a Cali?
 
iainw

iainw

Member
Messages
3,386
What do you buy cars out of :/
We all have a %age figure in our heads that its worth spending on a car...
And the % / ratio you would spend on a house vs a car etc.

I tell you what - I wouldn't be happy if I had a 500% markup to spend on cars. There can't be many car lovers there!
 
MarkMas

MarkMas

Chief pedant
Messages
8,995
Presumably if you bought one in Germany or USA or somewhere and imported it, the taxes would be +500,000kr?
 
N

No Quarter

New Member
Messages
9
CatmanV2 said:
Variator controls the engine valve timing. Engines with a number less than 148697 *might* have them fail.
Click to expand...
The one I'm looking at is M139P 124770, so before 148697. Has anybody fixed this DIY, can I get a few more details about what it is? I've rebuilt many US V8s, less complex, I know.
 
Keano

Keano

Member
Messages
287
It can be done by an independent for less than £3500 but the trick is finding someone who can machine the parts. I have had mine done and this is what they used,

Variator Capture.jpg

This US bulletin talks to it as well.

Capture Tech Bulletin.jpg
 
CatmanV2

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,891
Keano, who did the machining? My understanding was that it *had* to be done by the Maserati approved place.

C
 
N

No Quarter

New Member
Messages
9
Just as a FYI, my Cadillac CTS-V 2009 has a Corvette engine with supercharger. GM found out there were bearing issues in the supercharger. They issued a WW 10 year warranty on the supercharger. Mine started to rattle, had it replaced at GM at no cost, and got an additional 10 year warranty on the new supercharger. Now that's customer service, Maserati should have done the same on the variators. Just saying.
 
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