Maserati Sales

You forgot to add small penis to your above statement.
Your right about them not wanting to hear opinions, I tried also and you would think maybe they would listen a little bit to someone who just bought one of their cars, But no. No stick option on the Grandsport or the special 90th anniversary Spyder and is starting to look like they may continue that trend with the next generation Spyders and Coups. BMW lost me as a potential customer on the new M5 due to that and would not buy a new Maserati if they wont give me a stick

 

Interesting about the dentist. I am a dentist, actually orthodontist and certainly am aware of Maserati. I just traded my 745Li for a Maserati Q-porte. Had to wait a while to get it, too. My dealer tells me he is sold out for about 18 months. The point is, I wanted a sedan that I could drive during the week and still have the performance experience. I use the ferrari on the weekends but not during the week. The Q-porte is a wonderful sedan. It has luxury, beauty and performance. IMO, it beats out the BMW and MB in all categories. The BMW had great performance but was kind of dead, not much fun. In addition, the rarity of the Maserati is a big hit. When everyone else is pulling up in the same sedan, the Q-porte stands out. Yes, there will be a hit at resale but heck we don't buy these cars for their financial security. Come on, we are all insane for spending so much money on cars but it is for the enjoyment of life that we do it. I appreciate the relationship of ferrari to maserati. It makes me feel like I am still using a ferrari during the week. Just my two cents.

 

You know, for years I toyed with the idea of buying a Mondial and just driving the thing everyday. My reasoning was that for the 30 - 50K I would save on what I was driving daily, i.e. 500Sl, 500CL, 745i, I could well handle the maintenace issues with the Mondial. However, my rationale side always took over. I actually ordered a Maserati after seeing them in europe in 3200GT form, but when car came in it leased out for $400 a month more than my 500SL, so I passed. Well last winter I came across an 2002 Coupe Cambio with 3000 miles, bought it for 40% off of MSRP and have drivien it every day, in every weather since and I love it. Best thing I ever did....I finally get my four seater "Ferrari" without timing belts to change. Plus the Ferraris don't seem to mind sharing garage space with it!!!!!

Also, have had NO issues with it!

 

The QP competes in the market on it's merits, not volume. Let's just say BMW will build 25,000 M5s, Jag will build 25k XJRs and so on...Maserati on the other hand will build maybe 5,000 QPs. I think there are enough people who will seek out a Maserati dealership, with or without a less "threatening" brand partnership. Anyone who would not buy this car based on the fact it is being sold at a Ferrari store probably wasn't a buyer in the first place.

 

DOH! lol - how could i have forgotten that?

as for pricing comparisons, remember that the USD decline has been a real PITA for these guys. i seriously doubt that maserati was hedged anywhere near like how bmw and benz and those guys were hedged. so some of the perceived "higher" price might simply be unhedged USD/Euro exchange. just a theory.

doody.

 

I think if Maserati is chased from the US market, at this point, it'll be due to reliability concerns. Even if the current cars are solid, the past history makes Jaguar look like Mercedes used to. Agree that offering free maintenance will help correct this.

Q-Porte and Gransport are fine examples of evolution, I think. Perhaps very slightly overpriced as BMW should be deemed prime competitor in all-around performance driving experience in a coupe/sedan. Agree a stick shift option would be ideal.

Think selling them through Ferrari stores is a good thing (and USP) as, while the two brands serve different purposes (and should. A modern Bora'd likely cannibalize 360/430 in a currently crowded segment), they do so with an emphasis on a sport driving experience. FWIW, when I was a kid, Ferraris (and Dinos) were sold at the local M-B dealership.

 

Maser has a huge problem looming for QP: NO loaner program on a 115K car. If they plan on MB/Jag/BMW conquest, they need one, and the waiting a week for a service slot for a couple techs, plus glacial parts delivery and software glitches will be a instant turn off for many new to the miracle of Italian cars. Ferraris are rarely the primary driver, but a QP will be.

I am holding back for this reason, and the trunk is too small for a family of four. I hope I'm wrong. The coupe and spyder but heads with the 997/XKR/645, and they need better backup in this segment too.

Image isn't enough...ask Maybach, and buyers are fickle, ask BMW.

 

Apologies for the typo....."If I recall his name correctly."

 

What I mean by "flawed" is that it had distinct shortcomings....cambio-gearbox, less than sure footing at times, and perhaps a few others of which I'm unaware.....not real "flaws" per se

Ferrari corrected as many of the 3200's shortcomings as it could within a certain timeframe, and the result was the somewhat incomplete 4200.

Read the reviews of the Gransport and you'll see what I mean. Of course the QP is Ferrari from ground up, and says so from top to bottom.


Forza,


Cavallini

 

No loaner? That is a problem, just as large as the repair process. Perhaps that's why they don't plan to sell in MB/BMW numbers. Hopefully the mechanical glitches will be minimal. It's definitely at the top of my list when the time comes for that sort of car.


Forza,



Cavallini

 

My bet is they will adopt a DSG system at some point. I am with you. I think I would grab one now, but when traffic is whacky I want a clutch I have control over OR a torque converter. I don't want to worry about smoking an F-1 clutch.

The QP is a stunner. And the price is right considering the numbers made. But the fewer of ANYTHING you manufacture, the buggier. No getting around it.


It will stay around, and I can't wait for Alfa to come back.

 

What are the lease payments now on a new or used coupe?

 

I disagree that Maserati should be sold at its own dealership at this time (and even in a few years) for obvious reasons on costs and # of cars they actually sell. Now, they have what, 4 models? (actually 2 models with 4 iterations.) It is not cost effective to run a dealership selling at the volume they are now.

It is the most absurd idea to have FIAT/Ferrari will link up with VAG/VW or GM/Saab to sell Maserati's.

Most Ferrari owners must have come from MB BMW Audi or Porsche (unless they were born so lucky to own only Ferrari's). So why is the logic that Maserati owners did never own one of those?

People like to move up. When you are in a S class or 7, you wanna go further? The gap is huge going from those to something like Bentley or RR to really get any more luxurious.

For me, I have own all of the above and finally got myself a QP, and I am a dentist. The QP is about workmanship, attention to detail, handcrafted quality that the german counterparts are lacking.

Maserati really wanted the niche for people who wants something BEYOND MB, BMW, Audi and Lexus. They said about Personalization, Conceige service, etc etc. Driving a Maserati supposedly says you have a distinct desire for the finest and exclusivity and taste.

They will have to work hard to please the owners who have pre-established expectations in customer service from owning the other marques.

Now my quibbles again:
1) No loaner car (as the other mentioned.) - their recall on the door lock supposedly take 7 hours according to the mechanics, but no loaner car? at least the dealer should lend me their demo Coupe or spyder for that.
2) No thank you letter or welcome package. - may be i m asking for too much, but even when i got my audi 4 years ago they sent me a hard cover book on the history of audi,video, etc etc. talk about establishing a brand relationship. even MINI owners get something in the mail. only if Maserati send you a welcome package detailing the history, welcoming you to the family, and inviting you to step up the family tree into Ferrari's.

 

My point wasn't that dentist are unaware of the QP, but that most non-enthusiast were. From what I have read Maserati does plan to increase production of all of its models... especially the QP within the next 5 years to a volume of 25k cars a year...most of which they hope to sell in the USA. And, Porsche has got by for years selling only one model, the 911, and they only sell three models now, the 911, Boxster and their Hot Pepper SUV. So why couldn't Maserati?

 

How long have you owned your car? I think it took a couple of months but then I received a big envelope post marked right out of Modena. Had a nice welcome kit including a Maserati leather embossed card holder

 

scott, my car is now 1 month old. still nothing. =(
may be xmas gift?....

 

I know it was closer to two months before I got mine. So don't worry I am sure you will get it. Was surprised that it was not sent out from Maserati headquarters in NJ which would have been cheaper for them but added a lot of class having the cool stamps and postmarks right from Modena. As for being welcomed into the family I felt that right away when I talked to my salesman about the Q-Port and he told me if I was interested in one he would get me one without the long wait. Have you started getting all those different survey crap yet? I am up to three different ones. The first two promised to make donations to a charity if I filled out and then JD Powers sent me a crisp $5 bill, Better than the $1 I got for previous cars.

 

25k maseratis a year! i think if maserati wants to increase sales, they should spread brand awareness. a maserati need to be in a movie, a big movie and be seen several times and have the name "maserati" said several times in the movie. its a shame they dont sell well now, their beautiful cars.

 

I think a lot of Maserati's problems stem from the fact their product line focuses a lot on GT 2+2 type cars.. Historically speaking this breed of car are never popular sellers with the exception of the SL Mercedes.. Look at the resale value for 456's, or 412's or even older Ferrari's like the 250GTE.. Also other car manufacturers who tried to penetrate the high end GT market like BMW with its 8-series 10 yrs ago, or Porsche's 928 series have failed or no longer in that market segment..

Maserati needs to build a bread and butter type sports car.. A true two seater, maybe something mid-engine that has that exotic "wow" factor.. Let the media advertise it through their magazines... I mean, look at the reception the new 430 is getting, it's plastered all over car magazines this month, and look at how strong 360's are still selling for..

 

wow....that is a lot of armchair quarterbacking....
I went out and bought one of them 02 Maser coupes after they depreciated to the $50s, and I am enjoying the 400 hp beast, as a daily driver.
Theorize about the brand identity and naysay all you want. Something as trivial as returning a dvd tonight could turn into a 10 mile drive once the kids are asleep. It is that much fun. More torque, more usability, and even more exclusivity than most Ferraris (except my old one, of course).

 

The roll out of Maser in the US was a disaster. The main problem was that the cars were priced $20k too high. At $70k, the coupe and spyder would have been an attractive buy. At $90k, furgitaboutit.

Needless to say, resale values tanked because all you had to do was ask and the dealer would sell you a car at cost. It was typical Italian arrogance. Market research? We don't need no stinkin market research.

At least one head rolled over this screw up, which cost everybody: Ferrari, FNA, and the dealers, a lot of money.

The other problem is that Maser was not ready for prime time. The US is one of the toughest retail markets in the world. Lexus has absolutely spoiled us. If yer're gonna run with the big dogs, you had better be prepared to lift yer leg high!

I just hope that Maser/FNA is ready to step up to the plate to support the QP. They had better not rest on their order book. There will be teething problems with this car. Maser is still a very small volume mfg that can't afford to do a lot of pre-production testing. So when the problems come up, they better be on them like a duck on a June bug.

Dale

 

absolutely agree. i think customer service at this level should be 'truly outstanding' from every aspect of the buying experience, service experience, and aftersales. if they expect buyers to bend over and not even getting simple thing as a courtesy car, that is pure bullshiit. the guy who sold me the car should volunteer to lend me his car if they want customers to say be happy with the brand.

 

Hmmm...I had a porter drive 1.5 hrs in rush hour traffic to deliver my car and pick up the loaner and drive back the same distance. And this dealership, Maserati of San Franicsco did not even sell me the car, they just serviced it. So far, so good, no?
Did you have a bad experience when you bought your Maserati?