Tell Me Why You "Didn't" buy a Maserati.....

What are the primary reasons that any of you here who looked at these cars decided NOT TO PURCHASE one. Undetermined resale depreciation, image issues, price/value perspective, driving experience, appearances....etc.....etc......in the end why did you shy away from Maserati ownership ?

I would appreciate any and all answers that are product related. Thank you in advance.

I've searched here a bit....but wanted something more concise in one thread.

 

Are you talking Maseratis in general or the newer models only?

Cheers

 

I was referring to the 3200GT....the new car that comes in coupe and spider form.

 

I recently talked to a salesman that sells new F-cars. He told me the new Maserati are a very hard sell. He said that the dealer would rather not even carry the car. He said if the dealer didn't order a certain # of
M-cars that they would not get there allocation of F-cars.

 

I think (at least in the US) you mean a 4200. That said I did buy one. It's my daily driver. It's a great car that has been trouble free. There are several problems. There are a lot of cars in this space and there's no room for mistakes. The early spyders had cowl shake. The quattroporte won't have a full automatic for a year. The risidual value is very low.
The car biz is very tough. Last quater GM made $15. per car. Ford lost $ on every car they sold in the US. Maser is now competing with BMW,MB, Audi, Lexus, Bentley, etc,etc. As my friend Bob said: "It's a hard rain that's gonna fall..."

 

Correct....the 4200......my mistake.

No question that the entire market is saturated with product too......good and bad.

People are very fickle towards "down time" in the shop or niggling quality/design issues as well....making what are good cars....sometimes quite the opposite.

I love the Maser's looks.......absolutely different and strikingly beautiful, especially with the new 18" wheels.....but the rave reviews about performance, combined with somewhat slower sales figures and depreciation made me wonder.

Maybe my question should instead be, why would you not buy one.......even if you couldn't, or weren't in the market at all ?

 

i did not buy a quattroporte because they haven't released them yet

seriously though, i would have seriously considered it if it were out (vs. the S55).

doody.

 

IMO,they are just not "Exotic looking" enough. Actually,a little "Plain",or "Conservative". Sure,a "pretty" car. But,I suppose that Ferrari doesn't want it to look TOO exotic,to compete with their cars. But,looks too similar to alot of other things out there,now. (Qvale Mangusta, A "chubby" Jaguar XK8,or Aston DB7,) Nothing "radically" new and exciting. Naturally,that is my opinion. But,it seems like quite a few people must agree if they're staying away from them,too. Look at the previous Maseratis-The Merak,the Bora,the Ghibli. Now THOSE were "Exotic looking" cars. Mechanically,I believe that Ferrari builds the engines,so,in that regard,would consider one...maybe after I turned 50,or 60,that is! (Or,for the Mrs.)

 

Because they look like an overgrown Miata.

 

Weird that in the US they arent doing great cuz here in Europe they are !

 

Apparently, the engines aren't related to the Ferrari units but rather an entirely bespoke design. Having said that, I think they are the best thing about the car (from my brief experience of driving an '03 4200 Manual Coupe V8) - lots of torque, wonderful to listen to and to look at.

The interior is also pretty impressive - lots of soft, pleated Italian leather.

The let-downs I felt were the steering and brakes - both of them too over-assisted, with the result that I felt far less 'connected' to the car than I did to my 993 Carrera 4.

I think Red makes a good point too about the comparisons with earlier Maseratis. In the '70s, Maseratis were every bit as 'special' as Ferraris & Lambos. But now, they are effectively a sub-brand (albeit a very good one) of Ferrari SPA. Do you want a Rolex or a Tudor...?

Personally, I'd spend the money on a '95 456 GT. Pricier to run, but lower depreciation (maybe) than a newer Maser.

John

 

The 360 replacement will use the same block with different cams, heads and a flat plane crankshaft.

The engine is foundried in the Ferrari plant, assembled in the Ferrari engine building.

What, in your mind, is missing that would make it a Ferrari engine?

 

I liked the idea of the Ferrari engine at Maserati prices, but quite a few mixed reviews for the convertible regarding the cowl shake, and the fear of brutal depreciation. The rumour that our local dealer gave up the franchise because of the Maserati quota didn't help any.

Styling was a concern, as is the weight - 3,800lbs for the spyder is tough to make nimble.

 

I DIDN'T buy a 1970 Maserati Ghibli coupe back about 1985 that I found sitting neglected in a parking lot beside a beat up warehouse building. The windshield was busted, one cylinder head was off the engine, the hood was barely attached, the engine was in totally UNKNOWN condition, the wire wheels were rusty, etc. I tracked down the owner and he wanted $7500. Of course I could kick myself today for not buying it, but back then, that really seemed like alot of money for a totally delapidated piece of junk with 4 flat tires. Don't know whatever happened to it.

 

The engine in the quattroporte is actually one of the most advanced I have ever seen in a car. I liked the 4 door a lot when I saw it at Peable Beach. The others are just too small for my fitting.
Ferrari of Central Florida tells me they are selling a bunch of them. Never-the-less, my next sedan will be the Maybach.

aehaas

 

Very interesting respones so far and I thank each of you for them.

It is very interesting that in Europe the vehicle has received a better response in the marketplace than in NA. This another reason I wonder about "declined purchase" reasoning as well.

At the end of the day however, I want to propose something, namely that the pairing of Maserati franchises with F-Car stores may be their undoing over here. I've been thinking about this at some length..........

Imagine the sales reps.....they'd rather sell a Ferrari than a Maserati I imagine. It's an easier sell......the path of least resistance.....and more money too. I am convinced that this is a great design and a fantastic vehicle, having seen and driven one for the first time last month. Maybe stand alone stores, or stores paired with anything other than F-car franchises would make it a more successful marque, because the employees responsible for the success of the franchise would be more focused on Maserati than F-cars ?

Please keep the responses coming if anyone reading here feels so inclined. It's much appreciated.

 

Kds,

Not much expert opinion on my part, but I have slightly different theory. I was slightly in the market for one after/during my Carrera 4 Cabrio and before my Turbo. I say slightly in the market because I was thinking of trading in the Cabrio for the Maserati. Also because the reason I bought the Turbo was because my Cabrio was wrecked and I bought it the same day my car was crashed. It was my daily driver. I needed an immediate same day replacement.

I never went ahead with the trade in because I heard a lot of stories about poor top fit and also cowl shake. I think it is a very pretty design, but I can't stand creaking and leaking in convertibles. Even the Porsche had its problems with the top. I abandoned the convertible idea altogether. I was conveniently at the Porsche dealer and I was sold on the Turbo after a test drive. There was simply no comparison between the Maserati and the Turbo. These are of course personal preferences. I can live without the exotica element in my daily driver. I'll leave that for my elusive vintage car.

A friend of mine bought a used Ferrari for the same reason you mentioned. It was just an easier sell and the car was at a dealership. A mint 355 just caught his attention a lot more than the Maserati. He was also concerned with depreciation. Albeit unavoidable, I am told it is dismal in the Maseratis (unwarranted in my opinion) and my friend had heard similar stories. Lastly their reputation of not being able to go around the block without something miserably failing. Maserati really scarred their reputation in the 80s. It'll take some time to overcome that as newer generations see them for what they currently are with no stigmas attached. Then salespeople will be able to sell the cars on Maserati's merits, not as a bargain Ferrari (which I don't agree to, by the way).

Definitely underappreciated. Its so cool to see the Trident back on the road! I must admit that after watching Underworld I contemplated a Maserati again. No it had nothing to do with Kate Beckinsale (sp?) running around with a skin tight rubber/leather outfit.

Cheers

 

I bought an 03 Coupe, and I think the car is pretty amazing. No it does not handle as well as my 360, but its close once you get used to it. The F1 works alot better in this car than in the 360, and pput on a set of straught pipes and the car roars. It has luxury, power, and it rides like a dream. I guess I see things alot different than some of you, I could care less about what the car is going to be worth, if I did there would not be many cars to buy that would not loose value. What matters to me is that I get a kick out of driving it, and I do.

Not sure what dealer told you such a story, but my dealer sells quite a few of these cars 3 or 4 for every Ferrari. I get plenty of nice car, and thumbs up when I drive my coupe, I'd say show my another Italian GT car that can do what this car can do at this price.

 

Stickanddice.....

So you remember the Chrsylerati Lebaron with a Maserati badge from the early 80's too !!!

Carnut....

No dealer told me anything actually. I was thinking out loud and hypothesizing.

 

They're still a bit out of my league for a daily driver, although I'm waiting for the (very likely) heavy depreciation to bring them down to me soon.

Maserati has a horrible image problem to overcome. Maserati here doesn't evoke the classics of the 60s and early 70s, it evokes the horrible BiTurbo and the Maserati TC by Chrysler.

Poor quality, bad resale and poor styling == junk car, and that stigma remains. Couple that with the fact that the new Maserati doesn't really POP, and it's just a hard sell.

 

The new ones aren't exotic-looking enough for me. If I could close my eyes until I got behind the wheel, maybe it would be different.

 

I briefly considered one before I bought my 456. The styling of the Maserati just didn't grab me the way the 456 does. Depreciation is another factor, although not as significant as that the emotional appeal just wasn't there.

 

Thanks again to everyone who took the time to post their comments.
I apporeciate the feedback very much.

 

One more, if it's not too late. '02 Mas coupe, 2500 miles, absolutely no problems. Love the look, interior and exterior, and with a tubi we get a fantastic sound. Not a tight lean sports car, but a GT car. Fine strong engine. For better or worse, the car attracts as much attention as my 575 or my now traded in 360. At the used prices I see, I think the car is a great bargain, very underrated, and with a solid warranty. We bought it for my wife, but I drive it a lot.

I have no experience with the cabrio version.

 

Mitch,

With regards the engines, I was referring to the design differences rather than the manufacture.

I understood that (at least so far) the Maserati & Ferrari V8s were basically different units, and not sharing many if any common major components.

Personally (and I'll have to take cover at this point) I much prefer the sound of the Maser to the Ferrari - so saying it was different to the Ferrari was certainly not to imply any criticism.

Regards, John