Thinking of getting a Maserati 3200 GT... opinions?

[Sharkie]

if it was built by Fiat/Ferrari expect many bits to wander off and do their own thing ..... ie stop working ....

love the sound and the look, but I would not be able to live with the ongoing (and expensive) maintenance required ... keep the Polo as a daily driver and get this as a weekend car ...

OR .... for about the same money you can get into a 2000/2001 911 Carrera .... German engineering and reliability with slightly less sexy looks ...

[Mr Messy]

Great car!
I haven't driven the 3200GT but I have had a go in the Gransport on two occaisions.

The 3200 has gorgeous hockeystick tail lights and a twin-turbo motor. Later cars have much simpler (boring!) taillights but the arguably better 4.2 flat-plane Ferrari V8. Gearbox is in the back too for better weight distribution... It's basically a precursor to the F575M and new California.

The later car's six cog Cambiocorsa gearbox (Basically the Ferrari F1 paddle system) is light years ahead of the four speed manual as seen in the 3200GT. Unfortunately the Auto was a popular option - five of eight 3200s for sale on carpoint.com.au right now are slushers.

Check out the ferrari chat forums about the 3200.
There's an interesting thread there about it. Gist of it is that the car is pretty good reliability-wise whien compared to other exotics:

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103407&highlight=3200gt

Couple of owner's opinions here. Bear in mind the site is a lemon-magnet for whingers. Not many people seem to go on there to say nice things about their cars.

http://www.carsurvey.org/reviews/maserati/3200_gt/r50568/comments/

Happy hunting!

[Blitzen]

In my opinion, one of the sexiset cars out there. They sound absolutley horn, but I (and probably me only!!) would go for an M3 over this.
There is alot of good advice there. If you can afford it, hook in. I would be scared about repair costs in the long term, but then again, it would be my weekend cruiser.
Do you know if these have Variable Servicing of Fixed Servicing intervals?

[Golf Houso]

I have to go with both sharkie and Blitzen on this one, either a E46 M3 slammed on BBS LM's or a carrera of any kind.

Those are the first gen tip trans for those Maseratis and they are riddled with problems, and are impossible to reverse park carefully because of how much power goes through the trans.

They look great, but if you get one don't be surprised if 3 months of your income a year is spent on the thing, and you won't be able to pick up much with the car if its always in the shop

[dvr]

Be sure it's not this one:

http://video.google.com.au/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&hl=en-GB&rlz=1T4GGIC_en-GBAU229AU229&q=maserati+falls+off+forklift&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=d2LzSpWvNc-fkQWDhLClAw&sa=X&oi=video_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CBQQqwQwAw#

[AusScare]

I wouldn't look past an S3.

but I (and probably me only!!) would go for an M3 over this.

I have to go with both sharkie and Blitzen on this one, either a E46 M3 slammed on BBS LM's or a carrera of any kind.

I was going to say e46 M3 as well. I love those cars so much.

A couple of options in your price range too.

Or keep it VAG.

[Tim]

Whilst S3s or E46 M3s are nice cars in their own right neither of those cars are head turners in the same way that a Maserati is.

[gareth_oau]

god you gotta hate it.

your heart AND head says buy it!!!!!

then everyone's else's head comes up with all these perfectly good reasons why you shouldn't.

The car looks sensational, as long as you know up front its gunna cost you a second mortgage, then go for it!!!

[Mr Messy]

god you gotta hate it.
The car looks sensational, as long as you know up front its gunna cost you a second mortgage, then go for it!!!

Do it!
And live in your garage with the Mazzer. Who needs houses anyway!

[gti]

Oh Polo GTI yes buy a Maserati! If I had the money I would be buying one too. Every time I see one I just look at them in awe and think wow damn lucky owner I want one too!
Congrats on finishing your degree.

[RedVR6]

I agree, one of the sexiest cars, with a matching exhaust note. Depreciation's is a biatch Almost $200k new, $60k represents awesome value, as long as it doesn't continue to depreciate quickly.

I think it's one of those things where if you consider it rationally, you'd never do it.
I hope you don't read the replies to your thread, and just go out and get one!

[awestonvp]

I've driven one - damn gorgeous! Keep in mind it's a GT more than a sports car so feels more smooth and rapid than fast, but everything about it, (interior, suspension, engine etc) brings on the drools!

[SoVeReIgN]

Get a couple of quotes on services/parts, keep some cash in a rainy day fund for broken parts and get friendly with your 'local' maserati mech..

Then go for it.. I can only imagine the girls you could pull without effort driving that thing.

[Treza360]

Rhys mate. Do not do it unless you are now on absolutely crazy money.

Don't know if you came to the dyno day a year or so ago but there was a guy who had just picked up a brand new R8 literally 20 minutes before he showed up.
He traded in his 3200GT for it. He told me that in the last year of ownership he'd spent nearly 50k on the damn thing to keep it running.

They're from an era before the Italians picked up their game and even now they'll still hardly the most reputable up there.

That's why I always laugh at the ads where people win $1 million on power ball and then go and buy a big boat and/or a Ferrari. The initial outlay is relatively cheap actually! It's the running the car and keeping it in good condition that WILL cripple you if you don't have the means to keep the maintenance and servicing up.

Cheers,
Trent

[AusScare]

The initial outlay is relatively cheap actually! It's the running the car and keeping it in good condition that WILL cripple you if you don't have the means to keep the maintenance and servicing up.

Sounds like a big vr6.