I just love it !

N

Nemcova

New Member
Messages
95
Hi guys, I'm still a new guy with my 2007 QP Sport GT, having great fun and loving it. Clearly for the obvious reasons of the car itself, but also the whole Maserati experience so far has been great.
This forum is stuffed with genuine enthusiasts, friendly and all willing to help. This is not the same in all forums I can tell you !
I've had great service from ADG where I bought the car, pre and post sale, friendly, knowledgable and sensibly priced work from Vic at Migliore, and even the main dealer at Graypaul Solihull delivering some top notch service on a few basic tyre and maintenance items to get the car right up to spec.
If my experience so far is anything to go by then I'm really happy that I made the move from Porsche to Maserati. Having driven my Maser QP for even a short time I can't imagine wanting any other marque.
So, sorry to be a bit gooey about it all, but just wanted to say thanks to everyone that has helped to make it all such a great start for me. - Cheers.
 
Andyk

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,370
Great to hear you are enjoying Maserati ownership and having great service from the network......Enjoy.
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,687
Nem, no need to apologise, it sounds like your feelings are the same as ours.....safety in numbers!
 
zagatoes30

zagatoes30

Member
Messages
21,070
I used to think it was only Alfa that had the balance of characterful cars & helpful owners that made car ownership great but Maserati and SM has made me think again.

This is as good a car forum as any I have been on before.
 
Rwc13

Rwc13

Member
Messages
1,668
I stress, this is just my personal opinion :)

Lookswise, I wasn't convinced by the first photos I saw. I wasn't even that convinced when I first saw one in the flesh. But it grew on me each time I saw it until I ended up wanting one. It has continued to grow on me since. Now, when I have left it somewhere, and I come back to it, I think it looks stunning. It makes me smile in the same way that every Maserati I have owned has. To me, it looks special and beautiful like a Maserati should.

Drivingwise, on my first drive I thought it was good. Not brilliant, but good. But it was a diesel sports saloon, which I've never had before, so I don't think I had anything to properly compare it with. However, I bought it because, by then I really liked the looks, I was in the market for that kind of car, and I thought it was good enough to drive. And the idea of being able to drive a Maserati everyday really appealed.

Subsequently, I have found it to be significantly better than good. In fact I consider it a real joy to drive. It's bloody quick, comfortable, has great steering, and composure. And for a diesel, (ignoring the controvery over how) it makes a terrific noise. Whether on a motorway or a country road, it is a great place to be and a great car to drive.

One thing I have noticed is that kids love it, point at it, shout at it, just as much as they have done in any other Maserati I've owned. And for most of them I don't think that it's a badge thing. They are excited by the way it looks. And if it can excite kids, who possibly have less of our natural bias, that's good enough for me.

In terms of the mixed reviews in various magazines, I guess I have the benefit of not feeling obliged to compare it to anything. I'm assessing the car from the perspective of how it drives and how it makes me feel. Not whether it's better than another similar niche car in one respect or another. And on that basis, I can report that I think it drives brilliantly and it makes me feel great.

And I think that's the point, if you spend all your time analysing all the different aspects of a car's performance and comparing them to its competitors, you miss out on just experiencing the car as a whole, the sum of its parts. IMO, that's why car reviewers experience of cars are often so different to what we experience as owners. They are obliged to dissect and contrast every aspect of a cars comparative performance so that they can write and justify their review, and by the time they have done that they have lost the ability to objectively assess the car as a whole. For us, the individual aspects of a car's performance blend into one overall experience, and it's that that we judge and determines whether we love a car or not.

In terms of MPG, on the motorway in efficiency setting I was getting north of 40 mpg, around town mostly in Sport mode more like 28 mpg, so overall about 35mpg. That met my real world expectation of the diesel.

I reluctantly handed the keys of my Diesel Ghibli back to the dealer yesterday. It will very shortly be replaced by a S. That's how highly I think of this car as a total ownership and driving experience. And it is no reflection on the diesel, but the temptation of having a 400+ bhp ferrari designed petrol engine in this car was just too great to resist.
 
BennyD

BennyD

Sea Urchin Pate
Messages
15,008
Your summary almost exactly reflects what I wrote after my first drive; a great car to drive, respectable performance from a pretty decent engine and a very nice place to be. Please let us know how you get on with the S, warts and all!
 
Phil H

Phil H

Member
Messages
4,199
Rwc13 said:
I stress, this is just my personal opinion :)

In terms of the mixed reviews in various magazines, I guess I have the benefit of not feeling obliged to compare it to anything. I'm assessing the car from the perspective of how it drives and how it makes me feel. Not whether it's better than another similar niche car in one respect or another. And on that basis, I can report that I think it drives brilliantly and it makes me feel great.

And I think that's the point, if you spend all your time analysing all the different aspects of a car's performance and comparing them to its competitors, you miss out on just experiencing the car as a whole, the sum of its parts. IMO, that's why car reviewers experience of cars are often so different to what we experience as owners. They are obliged to dissect and contrast every aspect of a cars comparative performance so that they can write and justify their review, and by the time they have done that they have lost the ability to objectively assess the car as a whole. For us, the individual aspects of a car's performance blend into one overall experience, and it's that that we judge and determines whether we love a car or not.
Click to expand...

Well said.

PH
 
B

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,973
Rwc13 said:
I stress, this is just my personal opinion :)

Lookswise, I wasn't convinced by the first photos I saw. I wasn't even that convinced when I first saw one in the flesh. But it grew on me each time I saw it until I ended up wanting one. It has continued to grow on me since. Now, when I have left it somewhere, and I come back to it, I think it looks stunning. It makes me smile in the same way that every Maserati I have owned has. To me, it looks special and beautiful like a Maserati should.

Drivingwise, on my first drive I thought it was good. Not brilliant, but good. But it was a diesel sports saloon, which I've never had before, so I don't think I had anything to properly compare it with. However, I bought it because, by then I really liked the looks, I was in the market for that kind of car, and I thought it was good enough to drive. And the idea of being able to drive a Maserati everyday really appealed.

Subsequently, I have found it to be significantly better than good. In fact I consider it a real joy to drive. It's bloody quick, comfortable, has great steering, and composure. And for a diesel, (ignoring the controvery over how) it makes a terrific noise. Whether on a motorway or a country road, it is a great place to be and a great car to drive.

One thing I have noticed is that kids love it, point at it, shout at it, just as much as they have done in any other Maserati I've owned. And for most of them I don't think that it's a badge thing. They are excited by the way it looks. And if it can excite kids, who possibly have less of our natural bias, that's good enough for me.

In terms of the mixed reviews in various magazines, I guess I have the benefit of not feeling obliged to compare it to anything. I'm assessing the car from the perspective of how it drives and how it makes me feel. Not whether it's better than another similar niche car in one respect or another. And on that basis, I can report that I think it drives brilliantly and it makes me feel great.

And I think that's the point, if you spend all your time analysing all the different aspects of a car's performance and comparing them to its competitors, you miss out on just experiencing the car as a whole, the sum of its parts. IMO, that's why car reviewers experience of cars are often so different to what we experience as owners. They are obliged to dissect and contrast every aspect of a cars comparative performance so that they can write and justify their review, and by the time they have done that they have lost the ability to objectively assess the car as a whole. For us, the individual aspects of a car's performance blend into one overall experience, and it's that that we judge and determines whether we love a car or not.

In terms of MPG, on the motorway in efficiency setting I was getting north of 40 mpg, around town mostly in Sport mode more like 28 mpg, so overall about 35mpg. That met my real world expectation of the diesel.

I reluctantly handed the keys of my Diesel Ghibli back to the dealer yesterday. It will very shortly be replaced by a S. That's how highly I think of this car as a total ownership and driving experience. And it is no reflection on the diesel, but the temptation of having a 400+ bhp ferrari designed petrol engine in this car was just too great to resist.
Click to expand...

Having had 5 days with a QP S (410PS engine) I was very impressed with the engine/gearbox combo. A bit too much turbo lag low down but epic mid range and wonderfully smooth gear changes when driven moderately. Great sounds too - sounds a gun going off at redline changes! Hope you enjoy it.
 
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