Hey guys, still thinking about picking up a low mileage (10k) Maserati Coupe for a daily driver and that V8 sound! Thoughts? Anyone use this as a daily?
My advice is much different. Get the CC transmission and an aftermarket exhaust. I love the cambiocorsa transmission and think the car sounds awesome with an aftermarket exhaust. The stock exhaust is far to quiet. Tubi sounds fine but Larini makes a great system for the Maser.
Yes, I had a '03 Maserati Coupe CC and it was the worst shifting car I've ever had. Also 2 weeks after my purchase I installed a Tubi exhaust. As a DD car, I would HIGHLY not recommend putting a Tubi exhaust. It has too much resonance from inside the car and will drive you mad.
It should be noted that the majority of CC trans issues were in the '02 & '03 model years. After several updates and software changes, the '04 and newer cars were much more reliable and shifter better.
Travis, et al --would you please give me some more insight into the '04 CC? My wife is heavily considering such an example and I don't want to bring on a major headache. I steered clear of the F1 tranny when purchasing our F355 but am flexing on the CC. Thanks.
I have the 2004 cc and tubi. The tubi on its own is not that loud. In fact, the cars without tubi are very quiet. Very quiet. like the mercedes quiet. Resonance develops when you remove the center resonator, the cats, or install a cheap muffler. You will have to drive the CC to determine if it is the right for you. Also need time to get a feel for the transmission. I can shift very smoothly if I want. To the point where you wouldnt notice the shift if it werent for the change in exhaust tone. I would recommend you always drive in sport mode as the shifts are much faster and smoother. If you drive in a lot of stop and go traffic 2-10 mph, gridlock, the car will not be as enjoyable as you will notice the negative issues with the cc.
I had an 04 Maser coupe. Every option but skyhook. That was an absolutely fabulous car! I loved it. My only complaint... I dont have it anymore. Serioulsy, it is the perfect daily exotic. i really can't think of a better car. It was a great exotic daily. i bought mine with 4k and sold it with 11k. the Cambio transmission is the way to go. I personally didn't like the 6 speed, and i prefer manuals to SMG, PDK, Twin Clutch, F1 cars any day of the week except on this car. However just tonight, I found an 06 MC Victory for sale. I have been looking for one forever... It is a stunning car. The 355 is now for sale...
I have a 2003 spyder cambiocorsa. I put the tubi in it the first week as the standard exhaust was so quiet, it was impossible to hear that wonderful V8 (the best part of the car). The tubi is a bit loud but I like it. I bought my car new. Aside from the first 2 months of sorting out bugs, the car has been perfectly reliable. I like the F-1 box but it is an acquired taste. I don't mind it after the dealer put in the 2004 software updates and a new clutch under warranty. That was a major improvement. Before that, it was pretty bad. Now, it's biggest flaws are that it's slow to engage the clutch at take off, jerky-ness at slow speeds, and don't even bother using Auto mode as you will get seasick from the bawky gear changes. I've never driven a 6 speed so I can't make a comparison. I like the Maser. As "exotics" go, it's fun and easy to drive, to get in and out of, to park, it never has issues with speed bumps, mine has be really realiable and never leaks fluids, the AC works great, and people still ask me about it all time, and the interior is hard to beat for the money. It's a great GT. I would say the only other negative is depreciation if you care about that sort of thing.
I had an 05 CC coupe. Got rid of it because of the CC transmission. Spirited driving was great. Around town it was like riding with some one that was learning to drive a stick. Long clunky shifts. Thats the only thing I didn't like about the car.
I daily drive my 05 CC coupe in the summer, I always use sport mode because it makes the car a lot more predictable on shifts and leaving a light, also I added the Drive by Wire module from Formula dynamics which takes out the jerky starts that is the common complaint in stop and go traffic I run Quicksilver sport pipes on the car and am adding Fabspeed cat deletes and a GS resonator delete later this week. I have had the car for three summers now and it has been fantastic to drive!
Thank you GregD, technom3, bdelp, vvvmd, the head, and Blue4ref2. Your insights are very much appreciated!
Also, I just want to add, that the cambio does take some getting used to. YOU must adapt. This is NOT an automatic transmission. If you think it is going to drive like one, you will be sadly disappointed. However, during your ownership, you will learn to slightly lift off the throttle during part throttle shifts as you would if you were driving a manual transmission car. I always drove in sport, like someone else mentioned, this helps get rid of the herky jerky starts and stops. Also, in this car I learned to let traffic get slightly ahead of me in "traffic" because when in stop and go it will be jerky unless you give the car enough room to "commit" to fully engaging first gear and driving in first until you stop. If you are like many people in the west coast and insist on being burried up someones ass in stop and go thinking you are going to get somewhere quicker, this is NOT the car for you. You will complain about the tranny. Don't get it. It is an automated manual. The car is just opperating the clutch pedal for you, you still need to operate the gas pedal as if it was a manual to achieve smooth shifts. If you adapt this thinking, you will be pleased with the transmission. Anymore questions let me know, PS The A/C was good enough here in 115* phoenix in a black on black coupe with no tint.
+1... Exactly how I describe the car to my friends. Upshifts are helped, though, if you let off the gas, as technom3 suggested. They won't come faster but they will be much less clunky. Sport mode helps tighten them up. Even letting off the gas and in sport mode they're slightly clunky and pretty slow, but part of the reason you buy a car like this is its quirks, and this is one of them.
