Considering a 10 year old + Maserati

[Mr_Buller]

Seriously considering a Maserati sometime around Christmas/New Year.

Looking at a low mileage 2007 onwards Quattroporte or a newer Ghibli - although I really want the Ferrari built V8. Budget about £20k.

Rough plan is to buy one with 12 months MOT and then if I can't live with it move it on after 6 months for minimal loss. Is this realistic?

What am I realistically looking at in terms of an interim service costs or if I keep it annual service.

Have had a lot of people warn me off with the usual talk of Italian cars disintegrating every time you drive over 10 miles or breaking down and costing as much as the car to put right with parts only available through dealers. Is this right? Will I likely have problems on a car with less than 30,000 miles on the clock?

Any other tips or advice?

 

[Andyk]

A big welcome to the forum.....

20k will get you an brilliant Quattroporte. Prices are on there **** at the moment and never a better time to buy. The Ghibli is also good value but more of an everyday drive and not quite as special.....As you say that Ferrari engine is a draw. You just need to go in with your eyes open....Find a car you like and get it inspected by a specialist especially the sub frame and listen for variators rattle as both are not cheap to put right. I believe cars after 2010 didn't have the variators issue but again someone can confirm that is the case.....The issue is if you buy parts from Maserati they just stupid money. There are plenty of specialists out there that can keep servicing costs down but they will still not be cheap to run. Lots will say budget 2k a year and you will not be far off but I'm sure an owner will be along to confirm. The QP is a brilliant car and has two sides to it..The one that does the executive car and the other you can hustle down your favourite roads. I have driven a number on road and track and they never cease to amaze me on how versatile they are. For a big car they shouldn't handle so well. Buy a good one and you will not stop smiling....get a lemon and you will probably not come back to the marque.......Pick of the range for me in your price range would be a QP Sport GTS 4.2 or a face lift 4.7 S but for me the 4.2 is the prettier car as I never liked the face lift front grill pe but that 4.7 is a peach. The Sport GT 4.2 is also worth a look and will be cheaper to buy.

 

[midlifecrisis]

Welcome to the forum, my advice is research, research and research. Look at plenty of QP's that are for sale and those that aren't for sale. Compare and contrast. £20k should get you a decent car or one that is cheap but needs attention. Well they all need attention. Don't be put off by high mileage, the engine is more than capable to do 200k. Regular maintenanc eis a must but check the sub-frames. They rot from the inside out a la Austin.

 

[Devonboy]

Go for a QP V GTS - some good examples on sale at the mo - you won’t regret it! Get a sorted one and keep on top of maintenance and get it checked over and you will be fine

 

[dickygrace]

Go for a QP V GTS - some good examples on sale at the mo - you won’t regret it! Get a sorted one and keep on top of maintenance and get it checked over and you will be fine

£20k budget....

 

[dickygrace]

Welcome to the forum, I’d advise against it, what’s the reason for selling after 6 months?

 

[MarkMas]

....Rough plan is to buy one with 12 months MOT and then if I can't live with it move it on after 6 months for minimal loss. Is this realistic?....

You should be able to buy a robust QP or Ghibli for that money, but even if you have a thorough inspection an old QP could need something big fixed or replaced, and parts are expensive, so in that first six months there is a low but real risk that you might need to spend anything from zero to several grand. So you would need a good warranty or to be in a position to pay a biggish repair bill if you have to.

This is true of any old car - I had an old Audi A8 that cost me £4,000 in my first year of ownership.

 

[zagatoes30]

There have been some great QP V for sale recently well within budget, as above research and buy a cherished car and you won't be selling after 6 months.

 

[MarkMas]

Re-reading the thread title....

If it is a 10 year old + Maserati, then you will be able to get the 10-year-old into a QP or a Ghibli, but it might be a squeeze in the back of a 4200. Under no circumstances should you let the 10-year-old drive it though.

If it is a question of getting a 10 year old OR a Maserati, go for the Maserati. Much cheaper and less trouble.

 

[Hawk13]

Seriously considering a Maserati sometime around Christmas/New Year.

Looking at a low mileage 2007 onwards Quattroporte or a newer Ghibli - although I really want the Ferrari built V8. Budget about £20k.

Rough plan is to buy one with 12 months MOT and then if I can't live with it move it on after 6 months for minimal loss. Is this realistic?

What am I realistically looking at in terms of an interim service costs or if I keep it annual service.

Have had a lot of people warn me off with the usual talk of Italian cars disintegrating every time you drive over 10 miles or breaking down and costing as much as the car to put right with parts only available through dealers. Is this right? Will I likely have problems on a car with less than 30,000 miles on the clock?

Any other tips or advice?

You are taking a risk with any 10 year old car and if a Maserati does need work, it CAN be expensive. Have it inspected and look for a car with a good history.

If you have any doubts on keeping it, get these out of the way before you buy .... there is absolutely no guarantee you will get your money back or only lose a little. What is it that concerns you? Plenty of happy owners and realists on here.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Welcome to the forum, I’d advise against it, what’s the reason for selling after 6 months?

You'd advise against the forum? It's wise advice in many ways, but most people find that out for themselves after, say, 5 or even 10 minutes.

Welcome, Mr Buller! May your search be fruitful and your eventual purchase inspiring and utterly enjoyable. Good luck.

 

[Devonboy]

Ah yes....good point! Oh well an S then!

 

[Motorsport3]

Road test rewind: Maserati Quattroporte | Autocar

This was a super-saloon we so wanted to love – and we did, despite its many flaws

www.autocar.co.uk

You may have read the article. I think QPVs are the bargain of the decade but that is only because they are illiquid. You won't have a problem getting a very good example with your budget (or less) but you may have a problem getting your money back and swiftly. It is largely out of fashion.

 

[Ewan]

I ran a series of 4 different QP V cars as my dailys for just over a decade with no particular issues. Your budget will get you an excellent 4.2 version (best overall is the GTS), or a good 4.7 S (but not 4.7 GTS).
A later Ghibli will arguably be even safer mechanically, but doesn’t look as good, has a less characterful engine and the interior quality is lower. It’s also likely to suffer some depreciation, whereas the 4.2 QP V has been virtually flat in terms of values for the last few years.
So, in conclusion, in your position, I’d simply buy the best QP V I could find.

 

[Andyk]

£20k budget....

Think he may mean a 4.2 Sport GTS maybe Dicky not a 4.7...…..

And would agree with Dicky....If you buy one I would make it a keeper or at least a few years....Shifting after 6 months could be panful.

 

[Andyk]

Ah yes....good point! Oh well an S then!

4.2 Sport GTS though which is also a great car and best of the 4.2.

 

[Wattie]

V8.
Personally, I think buying one of these on a budget is foolish.
Throw in the potential of a 6 month time window (if you don’t like it) and the fact that anything at this price point is old and temperamental.

Forget it.

Buy something else and scratch the itch through

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www.sixt.co.uk

 

[Nikko]

You should be able to buy a robust QP or Ghibli for that money, but even if you have a thorough inspection an old QP could need something big fixed or replaced, and parts are expensive, so in that first six months there is a low but real risk that you might need to spend anything from zero to several grand. So you would need a good warranty or to be in a position to pay a biggish repair bill if you have to.

This is true of any old car - I had an old Audi A8 that cost me £4,000 in my first year of ownership.

True. My current Alfa 159 cost me 4K last year.

 

[daverichardson]

I recently got rid of my 2007 QP via WBAC. They (QP's) are difficult to move on and mine was in decent nick
They are old and dated now compared to almost any modern car
But
The driving experience is second to none.
Servicing was around £2000 pa (from a great local indie) without big items so you need a war chest
I like light interiors as I think the darker shade can be oppressive in such a big car - personal choice
Good luck

 

[Gooner]

I can’t advise you on buying one, but you might enjoy this if you haven’t watched it already. Harry driving a QP5 and raving about it.

Almost tempted me away from my Spyder.