Considering buying a QP Duoselect

[Mr K]

Hello all,

I've registered recently and have some questions, so time to introduce myself.

I live in Suffolk, UK, and have had various Alfas including a black Alfasud which I've owned for 25 years! There seem to be quite a few members with an interest in both marques. My claim to fame is I've met Catman a couple of times

Anyway, I've been bitten by the Maserati bug after hearing the glorious exhaust note of a V8 QP.

There's one going though an auction, an 07 Sport GT Duoselect - 45k miles, good/full service history, and the condition report is showing 3 faults. The battery is flat and almost certainly needs replacement. In addition, they're saying the gearbox is faulty, as is the steering. I can imagine a weak battery may cause issues with changing gear - any experience of battery-related shifting issues? If it makes a difference the dash says ICE (and 17 degrees C) - presumably there's an ice setting for gentle take-offs and it's been put in that mode inadvertently.

Steering fault - it's conventional hydraulic I believe - so presumably if the engine is running it won't be affected by low voltage. Or could it be?

In addition, some digging with the last service agent revealed that it needed new front suspension and lower damper bushes. Could they explain the "steering fault"? Can't see it, but thought I'd ask.

Cheers,

Mark

 

[dickygrace]

You'd be a very brave man to risk that. Could be anything and without a diagnostic and a ramp, you'll have made the purchase before you find out. Plenty of good duo selects about without risking that one.

 

[outrun]

Seconded. Why buy one with issues when there are plenty without around. Unless it's very very cheap, walk.

 

[Contigo]

Agreed auctions are a risk and any buyers fee will negate the savings.

Get a specialist to check one over for you as it will save you headaches in the long run. History is important too, get one that has been pampered and with an owner who has been meticulous!

 

[CatmanV2]

Hello all,

I've registered recently and have some questions, so time to introduce myself.

I live in Suffolk, UK, and have had various Alfas including a black Alfasud which I've owned for 25 years! There seem to be quite a few members with an interest in both marques. My claim to fame is I've met Catman a couple of times

Er welcome! Echoing what the rest of said about buying that specific car. Eyes open!

So when have we met? And *how* do you know, I mean the car history is a bit obvious, but that means you must have seen the cars. Genuinely curious

C

 

[Mr K]

Er welcome! Echoing what the rest of said about buying that specific car. Eyes open!

So when have we met? And *how* do you know, I mean the car history is a bit obvious, but that means you must have seen the cars. Genuinely curious

C

alt.autos.alfa-romeo (markk), pub in Clerkenwell, National Alfa day about 15 years ago, IIRC.

I wouldn't buy it at auction - I expect it not to sell, then I can negotiate with the vendor, have it inspected, etc. If the vendor doesn't play ball, I'll leave it. It's been through at least 2 auctions and been moved to a fresh location. I saw it at one - no-one dared place a bid. The battery was flat and it had associated issues ("System Not Programmed") and it appeared to run out of fuel. These innocuous issues could mask much more expensive ones, so I'm being pretty cautious about it.

How did I find out details about its condition? The auction site listed all the services it had had and by whom. I phoned the most recent up and they were very helpful. I even found out how much clutch it had left a bit over a year ago!

If the gearbox fault could be explained by a weak battery it may be worth more effort, otherwise I'll leave it. Hence the questions about how a weak battery manifests itself.

Mark

 

[CatmanV2]

alt.autos.alfa-romeo (markk), pub in Clerkenwell, National Alfa day about 15 years ago, IIRC.

I wouldn't buy it at auction - I expect it not to sell, then I can negotiate with the vendor, have it inspected, etc. If the vendor doesn't play ball, I'll leave it. It's been through at least 2 auctions and been moved to a fresh location. I saw it at one - no-one dared place a bid. The battery was flat and it had associated issues ("System Not Programmed") and it appeared to run out of fuel. These innocuous issues could mask much more expensive ones, so I'm being pretty cautious about it.

How did I find out details about its condition? The auction site listed all the services it had had and by whom. I phoned the most recent up and they were very helpful. I even found out how much clutch it had left a bit over a year ago!

If the gearbox fault could be explained by a weak battery it may be worth more effort, otherwise I'll leave it. Hence the questions about how a weak battery manifests itself.

Mark

My word. I am sorry to say that I don't recall. It's my age you see

You seem to be taking a sensible approach. Flat batteries do all sorts of weird stuff to these cars so it *might* be an easy fix, but....

Best of luck!

C

 

[Andyk]

A big warm welcome to the forum Mark....This could be a bargain or a nightmare...Wouldn't touch it unless you can get a full inspection by an specialist. Great cars the QP by the way and once bitten you will not turn back.

 

[Mr K]

Notice the avatar? Well, I bought it, and it turned out to be a bargain! And a stonkingly good car with very little wrong with it.

It's a long story, but I had a good feeling about this car when I first saw and heard it, so I kept digging for information on it.

The gearbox "fault" turned out to be that it "wouldn't go into reverse" when I enquired of the auction compalny by phone. I spoke to a specialist - probably a broken T bar - not a big deal. Possibly air in the system, again not a big deal. So it was down to that and suspension bushes, which I already knew probably needed replacing (steering was fine, just a bit of play at the wheels they said). So, as I had Friday off anyway I thought I'd go to the auction. When its turn came up it started straight away, sounded very quiet. I asked about reverse gear and the driver said it was fine, you just have to lift the T bar before pulling it back. So the gearbox fault was non-existant! Someone had failed to RTFM. The car was in fantastic order - no signs of accident damage, excellent painwork for a 7 year old car (a few tiny scratches), newish tyres, brake discs and pads, manuals in the glove box and FSH. Clearly well looked after. So I decided to bid, and amazingly the other bidders stopped below my max, so I put my hand up. It was below the reserve, so they had to call the vendor ("we want any car"). They accepted!

I'd driven down to Wimbledon from Ipswich rather than catch the train to make sure I wasn't bidding for my transport home. So I drove home and got the train down on Saturday. When the time came to start the car, it wouldn't sart. After a few tries thdash said "oil pressure sensor fault - take to main dealer". Oh no I thought. 100 miles from home, I've bought a duff car, what shall I do. Leave it there, get the train home and call them to put it through the auction again...

 

[Andyk]

Oh dear.......Surely now you have it it's worth getting a dealer to look at her first and then decide...As you say she is in great condition and if an easy fix it would be a shame just to give up on her...

 

[Contigo]

Well done but you left us on a cliffhanger when it wouldn't start!

 

[dickygrace]

Sorry, I don't understand this and I swear I've not been drinking today

The OP has said it's broken, won't start, the avatar is in the auction room and AndyK congratulates him and says Brilliant news....are you just winding him up or have I missed something?

 

[Mr K]

Well done but you left us on a cliffhanger when it wouldn't start!

Dinner was served, had to go, sorry

Anyway, it wouldn't start, despite it starting and running fine the day before. Could it just be out of fuel? Funny how one's worst fears cloud one's thinking. There was a Shell station 150m away so I borrowed a petrol can and went off. Ten minutes later after puttng in 5 litres I tried starting it again. After a few turns the glorious Ferrari sound that got me hooked was back! No errors or warning lights. Another £93 of fuel and ~125 miles of trouble-free motoring later and it's on the drive. There's not much wrong with it as far as I can tell. Suspension bushes need doing - I knew aboiut that. The main owner's manual is missing - I have the wallet with the various other manuals & service history. Looks like my 3rd and most adventurous car auction purchase has paid off

The auctioneers did a pretty poor job. They:

Claimed incorrectly that it had no MoT - it actually runs until November.
Put so little fuel in it that it ran out in front of the rostrum the first time I saw it.
Claimed it had a gearbox fault when it didn't.
Let the battery run flat.
Photographed it with transient errors on the dash.
Listed 0 keys at the first auction location, and only 1 at the second. It actually came with both.

The battery seems fine - they must have either re-charged or replaced it.

Anyone know where I can get an owner's manual for a sensible price? I found a PDF download for an american auto model, which covers everything apart from the Duoselect gearbox, but would like to get my hands on the correct manual for a 2007 QP.

 

[Contigo]

Lol dinner ready!

Well done on the Purchase, looks lovely!

 

[dickygrace]

Fair play to you, done your research and fingers crossed it may well pay off, looks like me and all the others who dismissed the idea were wrong. Well done and all the best with it.

 

[Andyk]

That is good news...Well worth you persevering.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Well done, Mr. K! Fingers crossed she stays sweet for you. As you're only in Ipswich I would strongly suggest swinging by Lancaster Colchester and getting them to give it a good once-over - plug in the diagnostics wotsit and so on. You also have Grimaldi in Halstead, kind of on your doorstep and a well regarded mender of Italian cars.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[Pau1]

Well done Mr K. Hope you love the car.

 

[drewf]

Anyone know where I can get an owner's manual for a sensible price? I found a PDF download for an american auto model, which covers everything apart from the Duoselect gearbox, but would like to get my hands on the correct manual for a 2007 QP.

I can scan the correct pages from my manual next week for you if you can't find one.

 

[zagatoes30]

Braver than me but if works out sounds like you have a bargain.

Be prepared for it to get under your skin, Maseratis are worse than Alfas for that