Guy
Member
- Messages
- 2,186
I have now owned my 2011 QP GTS for 16 months and covered a very enjoyable 18,000 miles (I know, one is only supposed to do 3k per annum in a Maserati). I bought the car from JCT600 with only 14,500 miles driven during its first 4 years. Having read hundreds of posts on this forum and benefitted from the experience of so many enthusiasts, I though it might be of interest to share my experiences and perhaps encourage more to do the same.
Apart from my early driving years, when I owned British cars (Ford, MG, Dutton!), French (4x 205GTi, R5 Turbo 2) and Swedish (3x Saab turbo), I have resolutely stuck with the Germans (10x Porsche, mostly air cooled, Audi S/RS, Mercedes AMG, BMW M3/5/6) so buying the Maserati was my first experience with an Italian. I am sure I was scarred by my 1980s memories of friends' rusting Alfasuds or a colleague's Fiat 131 that had holes in the doors before its first MoT!
From the moment I saw the QP V in 2004, I wanted to own one but it took me over 10 years to feel brave enough and make it a reality and now I only wish I had done so earlier. I have never taken Top Gear advice too seriously but I always smile when I watch the QP vs Rapide vs Panamera test (about 20 times on YouTube before I bought one!) and their unanimous passion for the Maserati, which overcame any logical argument, to declare it the winner. Now I know why and regularly find myself saying 'but it's not a Maserati' when discussing any other marque! To my eyes, it is the most beautiful saloon on the road, has the most charismatic engine, makes the finest sound and is as comfortable being hassled along B roads as cruising the motorways. It also generates more unsolicited enthusiasm and positive comment from everyone from ‘petrol heads' to laymen in petrol stations. My current main concern is how it can ever be replaced and how I can find ways to use it less to be able to keep it longer. I really want it to be a ‘keeper'!
So, here are my observations so far.
Based on my recent cars, it's performance may not quite keep up with the latest M/RS/AMG but in reality it really is quite fast enough as long as one remembers to use the upper reaches of the rev counter. A combination of the tall gearing and peak torque at higher revs means one cannot be lazy as in an RS6 or 5.5 biturbo AMG when driving it in manual mode (for me 99% of the time). This is more than offset by the glorious noise and any shortfall on the straights can be made up in the corners....
The handling is incredible for a car of this weight and size. It feels more like my old E46 M3 or 2012 C63 than a 7 series or S class of similar size. There is none of the inherent understeer so common in German high performance saloons. One good explanation may be that it was always designed to have a front mid-mounted V8, not a 2 litre diesel in the nose.
It rides much better than a 10 year old RS6 but certainly not as comfortable as an E63 AMG (thanks to air suspension?) but overall quite acceptable.
Running costs have been fine; it costs less to insure than our 2015 335d touring (I can't work that out!). I average 19/20 mpg (low teens if driven enthusiastically, 24mpg whilst cruising autoroutes at 135kph such as on the trip to the Spa GP last summer). New set of Michelin Pilot Supersports (£1000) every 10k. After the first year or so signs are very encouraging, the QP build quality seems quite robust with no major issues to date. That did not stop me from insisting on a two-year warranty when I bought the car and so far this has covered replacement lambda sensors (all 4 at £800 plus fitting) as well as the replacement of a faulty front parking sensor (over £300 labour) and a door mirror motor. I am still getting an occasional warning light that relates to the Catalytic converters (hence lambda replacement) so the warranty could prove truly invaluable if they need replacing (£4200!). Replacing all four Pirellis with Michelins (£1000) has significantly improved grip, especially in the wet and Dick Lovett Maserati recently completed a 12,500 mile service (£990), reporting imminent need for brake pads (front 90% worn, rear 70%), which I replaced with EBC Redstuff at 20% of the OEM price! They work superbly and leave far less brake dust. My experience with DL has been exemplary, Richard Hatton & Charles Pestridge in the service department recognising that not all of their customers run F40s or MC12s with unlimited budgets! They really are customer centric. I was given a workshop tour like no other (2x Laferrari, 250 California, 599 GTO, Stradale, etc) and the used car selection upstairs is incredible (Carrera GT, 993 RS Clubsport -1 of only 6 RHD, MC12, F40, Bristols, E30 M3,...) so worth allowing extra time for a wander.
Minor gripes (nothing important enough to offset the upside) include; terrible Bose Sat Nav/Infotainment, which is years behind Merc/BMW (thank goodness for Waze on my iPhone); inability to pair my iPhone 6 to the Bluetooth; soft paint that has driven me to a slightly OCD regime of dual buckets with grit guards, snow foam, numerous polishes and waxes, supersoft towels (chamois leathers all thrown away!) etc…
In summary, I would highly recommend the QPV as an ownership proposition and as long as one buys carefully it needn't be high risk as it might appear initially. I bought from an MD but would have been very happy to do so from a specialist such as Richard Grace who helped encourage me – thanks and as you can tell, no regrets! As I mentioned earlier, what else can replace such beauty and charisma, certainly not the new breed of Maseratis (I had a Ghibli on loan for a week but that's another story)? Perhaps this could ultimately lead to rising values (DL recently sold a QPV like mine but with only 10k miles for £60k)? Maybe a 4 seat Stradale if I convince myself I don't need 4 doors!
Footnote: I have just sold the Porsche 993 I bought in 2001 to make garage room (need a bigger Carcoon now though!) and fund a Range Rover for everyday use. That should help keep the QP's annual mileage to something sensible.
Apart from my early driving years, when I owned British cars (Ford, MG, Dutton!), French (4x 205GTi, R5 Turbo 2) and Swedish (3x Saab turbo), I have resolutely stuck with the Germans (10x Porsche, mostly air cooled, Audi S/RS, Mercedes AMG, BMW M3/5/6) so buying the Maserati was my first experience with an Italian. I am sure I was scarred by my 1980s memories of friends' rusting Alfasuds or a colleague's Fiat 131 that had holes in the doors before its first MoT!
From the moment I saw the QP V in 2004, I wanted to own one but it took me over 10 years to feel brave enough and make it a reality and now I only wish I had done so earlier. I have never taken Top Gear advice too seriously but I always smile when I watch the QP vs Rapide vs Panamera test (about 20 times on YouTube before I bought one!) and their unanimous passion for the Maserati, which overcame any logical argument, to declare it the winner. Now I know why and regularly find myself saying 'but it's not a Maserati' when discussing any other marque! To my eyes, it is the most beautiful saloon on the road, has the most charismatic engine, makes the finest sound and is as comfortable being hassled along B roads as cruising the motorways. It also generates more unsolicited enthusiasm and positive comment from everyone from ‘petrol heads' to laymen in petrol stations. My current main concern is how it can ever be replaced and how I can find ways to use it less to be able to keep it longer. I really want it to be a ‘keeper'!
So, here are my observations so far.
Based on my recent cars, it's performance may not quite keep up with the latest M/RS/AMG but in reality it really is quite fast enough as long as one remembers to use the upper reaches of the rev counter. A combination of the tall gearing and peak torque at higher revs means one cannot be lazy as in an RS6 or 5.5 biturbo AMG when driving it in manual mode (for me 99% of the time). This is more than offset by the glorious noise and any shortfall on the straights can be made up in the corners....
The handling is incredible for a car of this weight and size. It feels more like my old E46 M3 or 2012 C63 than a 7 series or S class of similar size. There is none of the inherent understeer so common in German high performance saloons. One good explanation may be that it was always designed to have a front mid-mounted V8, not a 2 litre diesel in the nose.
It rides much better than a 10 year old RS6 but certainly not as comfortable as an E63 AMG (thanks to air suspension?) but overall quite acceptable.
Running costs have been fine; it costs less to insure than our 2015 335d touring (I can't work that out!). I average 19/20 mpg (low teens if driven enthusiastically, 24mpg whilst cruising autoroutes at 135kph such as on the trip to the Spa GP last summer). New set of Michelin Pilot Supersports (£1000) every 10k. After the first year or so signs are very encouraging, the QP build quality seems quite robust with no major issues to date. That did not stop me from insisting on a two-year warranty when I bought the car and so far this has covered replacement lambda sensors (all 4 at £800 plus fitting) as well as the replacement of a faulty front parking sensor (over £300 labour) and a door mirror motor. I am still getting an occasional warning light that relates to the Catalytic converters (hence lambda replacement) so the warranty could prove truly invaluable if they need replacing (£4200!). Replacing all four Pirellis with Michelins (£1000) has significantly improved grip, especially in the wet and Dick Lovett Maserati recently completed a 12,500 mile service (£990), reporting imminent need for brake pads (front 90% worn, rear 70%), which I replaced with EBC Redstuff at 20% of the OEM price! They work superbly and leave far less brake dust. My experience with DL has been exemplary, Richard Hatton & Charles Pestridge in the service department recognising that not all of their customers run F40s or MC12s with unlimited budgets! They really are customer centric. I was given a workshop tour like no other (2x Laferrari, 250 California, 599 GTO, Stradale, etc) and the used car selection upstairs is incredible (Carrera GT, 993 RS Clubsport -1 of only 6 RHD, MC12, F40, Bristols, E30 M3,...) so worth allowing extra time for a wander.
Minor gripes (nothing important enough to offset the upside) include; terrible Bose Sat Nav/Infotainment, which is years behind Merc/BMW (thank goodness for Waze on my iPhone); inability to pair my iPhone 6 to the Bluetooth; soft paint that has driven me to a slightly OCD regime of dual buckets with grit guards, snow foam, numerous polishes and waxes, supersoft towels (chamois leathers all thrown away!) etc…
In summary, I would highly recommend the QPV as an ownership proposition and as long as one buys carefully it needn't be high risk as it might appear initially. I bought from an MD but would have been very happy to do so from a specialist such as Richard Grace who helped encourage me – thanks and as you can tell, no regrets! As I mentioned earlier, what else can replace such beauty and charisma, certainly not the new breed of Maseratis (I had a Ghibli on loan for a week but that's another story)? Perhaps this could ultimately lead to rising values (DL recently sold a QPV like mine but with only 10k miles for £60k)? Maybe a 4 seat Stradale if I convince myself I don't need 4 doors!
Footnote: I have just sold the Porsche 993 I bought in 2001 to make garage room (need a bigger Carcoon now though!) and fund a Range Rover for everyday use. That should help keep the QP's annual mileage to something sensible.
