Please can i seek some advice from Coupe and GranSport owners please. I have been slowly researching and building a case (to myself) that I would like a Coupe or GranSport. The car will be used for no more than 5000 miles per annum and with the intention to keep for a while and of course to be well looked after. I have swayed between which is a more sensible and a potential safer acquisition from a maintenance perspective. Any suggestions or pointers to help me decide would be most welcome. The car will be used at weekends and not tracked. I currently have a leased Alfa 4C and although great I don't intend to purchase it but the Italian car bug has caught me. It is perhaps the 4c that initially pushed me towards the GranSport. I am aware that whatever the purchase there will be some technical replacements/ rolling maintenance required for both options (for example clutch). I am in no rush as I will only change in early 2018. FYI...I live in Maryland USA.
Just got my Coupe GT's paint corrected. 3 step paint correction later and it looks immaculate!!! The 15yr old paint continues to shine bright like new. Next is having it ceramic coated in the coming weeks. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Last week I joined the club and traded my very nice and good Alfa GT 3.2 V6 with the second best sounding engine of all times, for a '06 Gransport with the best sounding engine of all times. Still discovering the car with everything it has to offer to all the senses, it is closest to a living thing of all the cars I own(ed). Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
The Maserati is in quite a different league I'd say! Sent from my iPhone using FerrariChat.com mobile app
I love the sound of my 1980's Alfa GTV6 Busso 2.5 V6 motor as good as my Maserati 4.2 V8. Both sound wonderful with a proper exhaust !!
I think I am possibly in agreement.. maybe. The 5 valve Ferrari engine is the F355 and 360 is pretty good. Busso though, I need a Busso and owning a GT before (and like yours in black) I'm tempted for a V6 Busso GT. I did see this yesterday on the road. I was later by his side and we chatted through open windows. Giulia Veloce is a lovely sounding 4-pot and bloomin quick. Image Unavailable, Please Login I think I like these again now Yeah, but go on Youtube and find a few Busso sound clips.
Congratulations Bert. The GS is really a great car and great value at the moment. I'd love to add one to the garage, but my Busso is not going anywhere
Image Unavailable, Please Login I bought the 3.2 GT 2.5 years ago, it was in a perfect state under a cover in a locked parking cellar. When the cover was removed and owner started the car it was sold. Such a great sound. Later I modified the GT with Speedline Alessio 3 piece wheels, Bilstein hight adjustable "Fahrwerk, Nurburgring tested" and Novitec exhaust, but before trading in the GT I removed all the "upgrades" and it turned out the GT in it's original form was at it's best. The original exhaust is not as loud but the sound quality is better than all aftermarket and it turns heads. Same for the Maser, I had been watching endless Youtube Vids of coupés and Gransports with upgraded exhausts, but the original Italian tune is the best especially on the Gransport, with normal and sport mode it is perfect for every occasion.
4200 M138 production numbers: Coupè Cambiocorsa: 5371 Coupè Manual GT: 1078 Spyder Cambiocorsa: 3134 Spyder Manual GT: 574 Spyder 90th Ann.: 181 GranSport Coupè: 2432 GranSport Spyder: 472 GranSport MC Victory: 181 Image Unavailable, Please Login
I am hearing a lot of stories about 4200's with well over 100,000 miles. Even a few with almost 200,000 miles. Although it is true the 6 speed GT manuals have a lot less issue with the gearboxes, CC's and GranSports seem to keep going a good long time also. The motors are great, and if properly maintained seem to last forever. These cars are the current market bargain right now. I plan on picking up a second low mile Spyder GT soon. I already put the full Larini X pipe and rear exhaust on my first Spyder GT along with FD springs wich lowered and made a much better spring rate(a must do item), but kept everything else stock.
This is a 3200GTA with 274.xxx km, they can do that just like a 911 can. www.samvandalen.com/auto/maserati-3200-gta Image Unavailable, Please Login Here is a 4200GT with about 240.xxx km for sale, original Dutch delivered car with all the maintenance records available totalling 20k Euro. It is probably still a good car but the surroundings and the language, CAPITOLS and !!! in de advertising is not very convincing. https://link.marktplaats.nl/m1219719366 Image Unavailable, Please Login
One very nice thing about the 4200's right now is that they seem to be parting out a boat load of them. You can get used parts in good condition for a very good price. I counted 20 M138 4200 motors on Ebay alone. Today's bargain is tomorrows collector car. The perfect 4200 in my opinion is a early 4200 Spyder GT 6 speed manual (one of 574 made) with low miles and a Tubi or Larina exhaust and FD springs/sway bars. The 2002 cars even have a machined gas cap, not the cheap plastic one. I see 2 or 3 for sale every month in N.A. along with 20 or more CC's.
How about a 4200 Coupe race car. They ran several of these in IMSA back around 15 years ago along with in Europe. Not a Trofeo car.
What's the difference between the GS and "standard" versions? Wikipedia lists a different exhaust, and modifications to both the engine and the transmission control system. Having recently moved to Los Angeles, and needing a car to get around (but not a DD, more an occasional driver), and seeing how inexpensive these have become, I'm starting to get curious... It seems that they are pretty bulletproof if maintained properly, and the issues are few and well documented. Owners seem generally to be really happy with their cars. I see that GranSports command a pretty respectable premium over the standard models, but don't seem to be much rarer. Any owners care to talk about living with a Coupé/Spyder over time? Fun? Reliable? Easy to work on (for those that dare)?
They are fun and pretty reliable. The most reliable are the 6 speed manuals without a doubt. The GS does shift better than the early cars in my opinion but it is still a Cambiocorsa. The top motors do go out on the Spyders and they do have alarm issues from time to time. Motors are very reliable and overall the cars have good build quality. Sticky buttons are on every car. For the GS you have a nice sound from the factory. For the earlier models you will have to get an aftermarket exhaust. I think they all ride to soft, especially the early cars. Aftermarket springs will fix that.
Differences between the standard car and the GS are minor but seem to amount to more than the sum of the parts. The engine is rated at 400 hp rather than 390. Exhaust is different and sounds amazing. Wheels are nice and the chrome mesh grille sets the car off well. The interior is improved a bit. The steering wheel and some of the interior trim has a lot of carbon fiber pieces, which seem to be well integrated. For instance, on the top half of the steering wheel, the rim is carbon fiber and there is a narrow aluminum section to show you the dead-ahead position. One thing that is unusual with the car and its engine is that it has a combined water-pump / oil-pump. If one fails or is leaking, you'll need to replace both. As for the cambiocorsa / 6-speed manual clutch pedal choice, it seems like this is a bit like the fuel-injection / carbs debate. If you understand the technology and how to get the best out of it, you'll probably like it. I see that the production numbers are posted above, so while over 10,000 were produced of the standard model in all configurations, just over 3,000 were made of the GS Coupe / Spyder and the MC Victory.
Kind of sad to see this 19,000 mile Gransport Spyder being parted out by a member on Maserati Life. They only made 472 Gransport Spyders and not many were red. I am sure someday we will look back and everyone will say it was a crying shame that it could not be saved. I wonder if the entire front is bent, but still a shame!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login