What to think about if you want to buy a second hand Cambiocorsa spyder ??? PPI inspection points ???? Any particulars.......such as year models to avoid etc. Thanks in advance, //B//
Check out www.************.com where there is lots of information on Spyders and the Cambio Corsa transmission. Also conisder getting a "GT" version with a stick shift. They are harder to find, at least in North America. Each transmission has their proponents. I suggest you try both if you can. Personally, I don't care for the CC but many people like it. Generally, later models are thought to be better, as for most cars, , e.g., improvements in CC programming, glass rear window, and some chassis stiffening to reduce cowl shake (although it remains noticeable on rough roads). The 2005-6 models have larger front grills which might be more esthetically pleasing for some. Gran Sport models are generally more desirable and costly. The Spyder should be considered a GT car, not a "full on" sports car. Jon
Buy the newest car you can afford. I wouldn't buy a 2002 or 2003. As mentioned, try out both transmission types. I LOVED the F1 transmission in my [now sold] 2004 Coupe.
I have a 2002 F1 spider. It's fantastic. I've had it since new. The dealers will tell you the 2002's were the fastest of the bunch. I think they look the best too. Mine has 19K miles now and to be frank, hasn't given me any trouble since the first couple of months I've owned it. The dealer replaced the clutch at 7K miles and upgraded the F1 software and hydraulic pump to 2003 specs which improved the smoothness significantly. For all the complaining of the Maserati F1, it was slightly faster shifting and smoother than a comparable 360 at the time. However, my F430 F1 is a huge leap ahead in speed, accuracy, and sportiness. But then, the F430 is a sports car and the Maser is a GT. I gave my Maserati to the dealer a while back and told them to fix anything it needed. They gave back to me with an oil change and a front wheel alignment. They are Maserati's so if something big blows, look out for your pocketbook or just send it to the recycler. But, at the prices they are now, they must be the best bang for the buck of any modern Italian car on the road today. The motor is fantastic. The interior first rate and wear better than Ferrari. The A/C is excellent and they don't overheat. If it has a weak spot it's the radio. I consider that a non-issue. Never use the "Auto" function. It's really horrible. The shift points are all wrong as they attempted to try to make it seem like a slushbox. It wears out the clutch quickly too. Just use the paddleshifters. Oh, and the standard exhaust is way too quiet. Budget a Tubi for your purchase. Maybe I've been lucky but I can't see another car I would replace it with for the price I would get in selling it. Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I'm not a a big fan of the Ferrari & Maserati paddle shifting trannies except at the track where I drool with envy when it's time to down shift and brake from 150+ and drop down to 40MPH. But I never understood why there was so much criticism of the Maserati version and Ferrari just got a pass on any of these issues? I know the Maseratis were driven in different circumstances than the 360 was but still. Bob S.
My advice is to have it inspected by a dealer, they'll know what issues to look for. That and look for one with a service history at a dealer or at least with receipts for the work done. Deferred maintanance could add up to expensive repairs down the road. If you get the feeling that the car was neglected, run! There are plenty out there that have been cared for, enjoyed, and resonably priced and the owner just wants to move on to something else. One other thing... Watch out for the tops. I've heard that a lot of these cars had issues with the tops either getting stuck up or down. It's could cost thousands to get it fixed.
Might it be the fact that a $4k clutch job every 15k miles is not as big of an issue when you're dropping $200k+ on a car as opposed to a car that you're dropping $100k for (I'm talking new prices)? Even worse when your $25,000 car (used Maserati 4200 series in today's prices) needs a $4k clutch and your car is still worth $25,000 afterwards. Or might it be that people expect the Ferrari to be expensive to maintain off the bat? Not to mention that the clutch replacement is cheaper than the belt change every three years? Just a guess. For the record, I don't own a Maserati because it makes any kind of financial sense!
