GT not the next step?

[halbe01]

Evening all,

I had an interesting test drive yesterday. I'd been thinking I'd like to upgrade my 4200 and see if I can find something which improves on some of the inherent flaws i feel it has (namely lack of low-end torque, imperfect CC gearbox and suspension which is both rough over bumpy roads and not really that sure of itself when driving fast). Don't get me wrong, I love the 4200, which is why though I keep threatening to go drive a new M3 I've so far not done so (because I fear it'll be better at all three of those factors, though I'm certain it won't be as cool, or sound as good, or look anywhere near as pretty).

Anyway, so I thought I'd try a GT and found one which looked perfect for sale at ADG. I went for an auto box to get away from the clunky-round-town CC box and a 4.7 because otherwise it might feel slower than my 4200. I realised quit quickly what I suspect many of you here already knew, which is that the 4200 and the GT are very different cars. I knew the GT was so much bigger of course, but thought they'd be more similar in driving than they were. The GT is much more a slightly sportier looking QP than it is a newer 4200 or GS in my opinion. It was too sane, too quiet, and nowhere near exciting enough. Wen I got back in my car to drive home I found I was able to revel in all the little idiosyncrasies which had led me to look elsewhere. S I'm back in love with the 4200 again which is nice, and now I'm not looking at a GT any longer.

I suspect if I were to try an MC shift I might find it a little more 4200-like - anyone able to comment on that?

So then I'm thinking maybe I should stick with what I have but with possibly maybe just a little upgrade - perhaps to a GS. Everything I read in reviews of the GS when it was launched says its leaps and bounds better than the 4200 - though what conversation I've been able to find on the forums only talks about the obvious differences - the spoilers, the seats, the internal switchgear etc. So my question, and the point of this thread, is whether there is much difference in reality between the 4200 and the GS in terms of handling, torque, suspension (both when pooling around town on poor quality roads, and when really pressing on over some nice B roads) and how the CC gearbox works.

Anyone got any insight to share?

Cheers,
Ben.

PS The chaps at ADG said trade value on my 2005 4200 in perfect condition with new rear tyres and a clutch done just 4k ago was £10-£11k. It's got 41k on the clock. I assume he was merely starting negotiation early as that seems really rather low given I paid £23k less than 2 years and 6,000 miles ago (of course that wasn't a trade price and I bought it from Nuvola - whom I know aren't the cheapest).

 

[mjheathcote]

On paper, between your 05 4200 and the GS the only difference with regard to the suspension is that the GS is wound down lower on the same springs, and of course has 19" wheels instead of 18".
With the PX value, that would mean to 'upgrade' to a late GS you would need to find £20k....totally insane! a GS the same age as yours, a minimum of £10k...bonkers!
You have done some nice mods to yours already with the exhaust and DBM module, maybe spend a few £ on FD springs and it would be better than a stock GS on the handling. Performance with your exhaust it will already be equal or better than the stock GS.
It's then up to you if you want the GS 'look'...

 

[Brendan]

People always think the grass is greener

 

[Parisien]

Hi Ben........you're keeping me out of my bed giving my opinion on this conundrum.....


Yup.....two different cars completely..........not truly supposed to be compared IMHO!

Loz...is the ongoing expert in the day to day comparison of having lived with both 4200/GS for a couple of years.

GT appeals to a "new/won over" group of very well off supercar buyers who don't want a Ferrari, but would stilll like lots of performance and all the rest that comes with owning a Maserati.

Most of us on here are living with 4-9 year old cars and truly appreciate them for what they are ......is there anything else to compare them too for the money etc....not really....except moding your car to a degree to squeeze extra speed, handling and braking out of it.....ie sort it out even further.

£10-11K as a trade in is a huge hit....only option to sell it privately.....



P

 

[Andyk]

Ben, it really is no good putting a GT or GT S up against a 4200 GS as they are totally different cars...The GT was never a replacement for a 4200/GS ....The GT is just massive and will never be hustled along your fav road like you can your 4200..........

On the QP...I drove a 4.2 GT and a 4.2 QP and found the QP a more sporty ride.....Not sure how the 4.7 GT and QP feel against each other......

Trade in for you car is a hard one....You can get a good 4200 face lift witharound 50k on the clock for 16/17k so if you work backwards the dealer, I would say, needs a k or so for someone who may want to PX against it, maybe 2k profit, 1k or so for a warrenty.....You soon gut from 11/12k to 16/17k asking price..........There are some out there over 20k but they don't seem to be shifting......

 

[halbe01]

Thanks for the comments guys. Indeed the grass is always greener! And until you drive a car it's easy to see it as a panacea to every niggle you have on a car you do drive. So it was a little revelation for me on the GTS - it's clearly a lovely car and I'd like to have one at some stage, but after an actual drive it's easy to see how it's not a replacement for the 4200.

Still hoping someone will come along with decent real-world driving experience of both the 4200 and GS (Loz?) - though of course the easy solution there is for me to go drive one and that's definately on my list when I can find a free morning. Those initial reviews made it sound considerably better than the 4200.

Upgrading the 4200 further was something I'd not really considered - I could put a performance chip, even louder exhaust (yeah baby!) and new springs on it of course. The springs idea I'd not really thought about at all - will have to research it. Maybe I can put some "better" suspension on it - so smoother and better handling. I know of course that's the usual trade-off, but I'm assuming that given technology changes, and a decent budget, there are upgrades I can do which will improve both over the stock system I have at the moment. FD website here I come...! Anyone already done this and can comment?

It's a real shame I couldn't make Llandow this time round - I was planning to ask if anyone was up for some drive-sharing - i.e. drive each others cars around the track. I know I wouldn't mind anyone taking mine for a spin as long as they weren't going all-out, and to test a car to see what it's like in comparison you don't need to take it to the limit just a nice smooth fastish lap or 3. That would certainly be a quick and easy way to compare a number of cars. Next time maybe!

 

[Felonious Crud]

Hi Ben. The GTS Auto and MC are very different propositions. I bought the MC because the sound made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I knew that I had to beg, borrow, steal and sell the children into slavery* to buy one. The auto was a great car but too like my old Jag XFR to be worth the cost. Round town the MC in manual works well and for the most part isn't jerky at all - you just have to time the gear changes well. In auto mode it's pretty crappy everywhere. In fact on my first test drive the dealer had it in auto and I was hugely disappointed. Give it the full berries with the fluids all warned up when the MC box is doing it's stuff the crack as it snaps through the gears is addictive. On the downside it is a big car - same footprint as a Range Rover, so not quite a back-lane hustler. At least, not in this country where our back lanes are riddled with pot-holes, kerbs and (at the moment) dear carcasses.

* the slave-trader gave them back - he couldn't get then to do any work round the house either!

 

[Elliott653]

In a way, I'm disappointed with the size of the GT. It is so much larger than the 4200/GS family that for me, as a Londoner, I just cannot really consider getting one when they come within my price range. They are huge in comparison and look out of place in the city, in my opinion.

I used my 4200 as a daily London driver for over two years and it coped pretty well with whatever the city could throw at it. But, I realised that I was doing it no favours and so now it's primarily used at weekends. Drivng a car the size of a GT in London every day would be a right pain.

So, it looks like when I move the 4200 on, that will be the end of my love affair with Maserati. Unless I buy what I wanted in the very first place before I got somehow diverted into 4200 ownership. That is a Ghibli.

 

[Parisien]

In economic reality terms the jump from 4200/GS to GT/GTS is huge.....not just trading up.....but effectively tripling your outlay especially for the 4200......so what else can you consider in the price range/bang for buck/kudos?


P

 

[MAF260]

I'm also having the same thoughts, but think I may have arrived at a different solution. I thought I wanted a GTS instead of anything else, but they just don't fit my ideals. I drove a couple, very nice and all that but didn't give me the big grin factor I had when I owned my 3200 and it's not a nimble car for weekend fun IMO.
Perhaps I shouldn't admit it on here, but I test drove a V8 Vantage last week. Wow! What an incredible machine and so reminiscent in many ways of the 3200 rush. It's a proper sports car in my view, which is what I want from a weekend toy. Now all I need to do is save some more pennies as my research tells me the car I should go for costs more than I had budgeted!

 

[BennyD]

Two of my neighbours lusted after Vantages, bought one each and both sold them on within 5 months. Both said they were fantastic to look at and own but cr4p to drive. Of all the cars my son Ryan has been in, the Vantage is among the very worst he has experienced or driven. Personally, I would much rather have my spyder or a GS than a Vantage as I've never had a Vantage leave me either in a straight line or around the lanes.

 

[bigbob]

You are going through the thought process of many.

I am going to be biased having made the change. I feel that in sport manual I can get anywhere just as quick in the GTS Auto than I did in the 4200 and safer too as it has far superior traction than the 4200 and much less dive under braking. You get the sweet exhaust on the GTS Auto too (above 3000 revs). I also enjoy not having to worry about clutches.

Personally I feel that the 4200 is a very old car now - the visuals are little different to the 3200 to most - but I appreciate that a lot of people will find the GTS too big. What about the V8 Vantage if you do not need the rear seats?

PS £12k trade on yours IMHO before any px over allowance.

 

[bigbob]

Two of my neighbours lusted after Vantages, bought one each and both sold them on within 5 months. Both said they were fantastic to look at and own but cr4p to drive. Of all the cars my son Ryan has been in, the Vantage is among the very worst he has experienced or driven. Personally, I would much rather have my spyder or a GS than a Vantage as I've never had a Vantage leave me either in a straight line or around the lanes.

Never driven a Vantage but the 4200 is a very average drive even with the 05MY mods.

 

[bigbob]

In economic reality terms the jump from 4200/GS to GT/GTS is huge.....not just trading up.....but effectively tripling your outlay especially for the 4200......so what else can you consider in the price range/bang for buck/kudos?


P

Very early 997 911 - great value.

 

[bigbob]

Just realised that the OP is only doing 3000 miles pa. Keep your current car mate, not worth changing for that mileage.

 

[bigbob]

Hi Ben........you're keeping me out of my bed giving my opinion on this conundrum.....


Yup.....two different cars completely..........not truly supposed to be compared IMHO!

Loz...is the ongoing expert in the day to day comparison of having lived with both 4200/GS for a couple of years.

GT appeals to a "new/won over" group of very well off supercar buyers who don't want a Ferrari, but would stilll like lots of performance and all the rest that comes with owning a Maserati.

Most of us on here are living with 4-9 year old cars and truly appreciate them for what they are ......is there anything else to compare them too for the money etc....not really....except moding your car to a degree to squeeze extra speed, handling and braking out of it.....ie sort it out even further.

£10-11K as a trade in is a huge hit....only option to sell it privately.....



P

The problem is that just about everyone on here in 4200/GSs will be getting out of them in the next 1-3 years and lots oe people feel that Maserati do not make a replacement. I feel that the GT/GTS gets a hard time but it is a much bigger car - suits me but not everyone. That's why the V8 Vantage and 997 911 should be on lists.

 

[Parisien]

Very early 997 911 - great value.

Maybe.....but it leaves me cold


P

 

[Parisien]

A lot of people will squeeze every last ounce of ownership/ enjoyment out of the 4200/GS range before......buying a Prius.....


P

 

[BennyD]

Never driven a Vantage but the 4200 is a very average drive even with the 05MY mods.

If the 4200 is an average drive, where does that leave the Vantage then? I certainly wouldn't swap mine for one. BTW, I'll be keeping mine for longer than 1-3 years as well.

 

[rossyl]

The problem is that just about everyone on here in 4200/GSs will be getting out of them in the next 1-3 years and lots oe people feel that Maserati do not make a replacement. I feel that the GT/GTS gets a hard time but it is a much bigger car - suits me but not everyone. That's why the V8 Vantage and 997 911 should be on lists.

Don't Aston's come with a huge "badge fee"? As in you are spending even more than you would, in comparison to a Masser, for an equivalent car just because it says Aston.

As for the Porsche, i find the problem is the badge. I love owning a Maserati. I love that it's rare (for the moment before the 4x4 fill up the London streets).The problem with a Porsche is that there are 3 of them parked on my little road alone. i know the 997 911 is a great car but there are just too many Porsches in London. I know it's got nothing to do with car capability, but i just wouldn't feel the same. My favourite Porsches are the early/mid 90's ones but then I fear for my safety should anything go wrong.

When i come round to selling my 4200 and if I've the money to buy a similar car, i've no idea what i would buy.