outrun
Member
- Messages
- 5,017
As many of you know, I have just become the owner of a 2nd Gransport. At this stage, I really have no clue what i'm going to do with the 2nd one however, I have some ideas. I thought I may share these, as well as the true costs of bringing the new one up to top condition so that other owners and prospective owners can get a real idea of what these things cost to look after.
To start with, here is a quick picture. I'll get a nicer one when I have more time and it's not raining!
About the cars....
The Silver One.
2005/55 plate grigio touring with full black leather. Registered in Nov05 so it has the cheaper tax. 57,200 miles so far and although it's not an LE, it has many of the options including full leather with leather headlining, xenon lights, auto dimming mirrors, park sensors. It's very well known on the forum as it was declared CatD in 2009 and bought by one of the forum founders, LozCB. The damage was pathetic really and the reason why it was an insurance right off was because the owner had an insurance policy that paid a fixed amount in the event of an accident. In ordinary circumstance, there is no way it would have been written off. I have full documentary evidence of the damage and repair which was performed to a very high standard and not massively expensive considering the marque.
I bought it in part because I could read about 15,000 posts from Loz on the damage and repair as well as on the general maintenance of the car. I also bought it because Loz had not left it at all standard and so it now has a full Larini exhaust, custom fitted AP brakes including floating discs on the front with mega calipers and 6 pots rears using the standard GS discs. It's also got carbon Ferodo pads all round and some nice extra carbon bits including door sills.
I've added some more with a bit of engine tweaking, a BMC filter, more carbon bits a full refurb of the alloys in gloss black including new gloss black centres and maserati valve covers wearing new Vredestein Sessantas all round. I've got some spacers from Ecarca to put on and then it's time to look at the standard stereo and get that sorted out.
When I bought it, I sent it to Scotland's only Maserati specialist, Phil Kyle of PK Supercars and Phil set about it making it perfect mechanically. We had a few wee things to resolve such as a broken interior handle, rattling headliner and stuck bonnet release as well as full service including racing brake fluid etc. The bill for all of this was £3300 which is larger than most can expect and really just reflected my wish to bring it to 100% condition.
The clutch had been done at Dick Lovett's before I bought it and the last reading was still only 23%. Yes, they can collapse but she did 52,000 miles on the first one which is really not too bad at all. I don't think that clutch prices and failures should put anyone off personally.
It's very aggressive compared to the other car with crazy loud exhausts, brakes that stop the car in about 3ft from any speed and as a result of the engine tweaks, it's very fast with some serious engine braking, a bit like a superbike.
The Blue Car.
Also a 2005/55 plate, this time registered in Oct 05 so almost the same age. 60,800 miles to date and mine for a week!! She's very different in appearance, more classy I think in Blu Nettuno with Cuoio Sella leather with Blu dash, carpet, steering wheel etc. Also not an LE but well specced with full leather inc headliner, heated memory seats, Auditorium 200, Cruise and parking sensors. Between the two cars, I think I might have every option!!
So, I bought it from another forum member and he bought it also from the forum so again, it's a well known car. The service history is good and shows that it's been well looked after mechanically. The trouble is that it's a London car so the issues to resolve are mainly cosmetic. It's also due a service but doesn't feel like it at all.
I've planned a programme of light restoration which has already begun. Here are the costs to date and what I expect:-
Wheel restoration £250.
(Regular silver, although the wheels were originally grigio. They were changed before my ownership and I decided that I like the classic silver. I did look at ball burnishing but the cost, combined with new centre caps, made it cost prohibitive in my eyes.)
Badges, emblems and one new centre cap £93.34 inc delivery from Eurospares.
(The nose badge is looking the worse for wear and I'm adding the high level shields as the car didn't have them specced. I like them and they're only £15 odd each. I also need one new wheel centre as the red trident has come away in part).
Service £600
(It's booked in to Phil Kyle for next week and he'll change all fluids etc etc. I hope not to find anything else to repair but we'll see!)
Paint £650
Again, it's a London car so we have a couple of parking dings and repairs to the nose, driver's door and side skirt and rear bumper. These can be done as smart repairs for less but i've chosen the proper painting route instead. Booked for the first week of August.
Correction detail and leather care £600
Once ready, i'll send the car for a proper paint correction detail as well as a bit of TLC to the interior which just needs a clean and feed and a detail of the engine bay.
So, when I add that to the cost of the car, I expect to come out the other side with an absolute minter for less than I would have paid at a reputable dealer.
Again, the car had a recent clutch, this time at H R Owen and so that expenditure is some way away. It's also got new brakes all round with standard discs rear and the Formula Dynamics versions on the front. They fell nice and much more usable every day than the APs which are brutal and better on fast twisty roads in the sunshine!
Finally, what are my plans. Well, at first I thought I would strip the Larinis and APs etc etc off the silver car and fit then to the blue one, returning the silver car to standard. I'd then sell the silver one and recover some cash and make my man economics appear to work for me.
Now, i'm not so sure. I like both as they are for very different reasons. The blue one is so much more usable every day and the silver one is an event to drive and great for special runs and weekend shows.
Can I keep both? Maybe. Should I, dunno! I did want a QP5 as I have small kids and could use that at the weekends more readily.
Time will tell! The wife thinks I'm mad but shes over it already. If you're going to do the time, you might as well do the crime.....
To start with, here is a quick picture. I'll get a nicer one when I have more time and it's not raining!
About the cars....
The Silver One.
2005/55 plate grigio touring with full black leather. Registered in Nov05 so it has the cheaper tax. 57,200 miles so far and although it's not an LE, it has many of the options including full leather with leather headlining, xenon lights, auto dimming mirrors, park sensors. It's very well known on the forum as it was declared CatD in 2009 and bought by one of the forum founders, LozCB. The damage was pathetic really and the reason why it was an insurance right off was because the owner had an insurance policy that paid a fixed amount in the event of an accident. In ordinary circumstance, there is no way it would have been written off. I have full documentary evidence of the damage and repair which was performed to a very high standard and not massively expensive considering the marque.
I bought it in part because I could read about 15,000 posts from Loz on the damage and repair as well as on the general maintenance of the car. I also bought it because Loz had not left it at all standard and so it now has a full Larini exhaust, custom fitted AP brakes including floating discs on the front with mega calipers and 6 pots rears using the standard GS discs. It's also got carbon Ferodo pads all round and some nice extra carbon bits including door sills.
I've added some more with a bit of engine tweaking, a BMC filter, more carbon bits a full refurb of the alloys in gloss black including new gloss black centres and maserati valve covers wearing new Vredestein Sessantas all round. I've got some spacers from Ecarca to put on and then it's time to look at the standard stereo and get that sorted out.
When I bought it, I sent it to Scotland's only Maserati specialist, Phil Kyle of PK Supercars and Phil set about it making it perfect mechanically. We had a few wee things to resolve such as a broken interior handle, rattling headliner and stuck bonnet release as well as full service including racing brake fluid etc. The bill for all of this was £3300 which is larger than most can expect and really just reflected my wish to bring it to 100% condition.
The clutch had been done at Dick Lovett's before I bought it and the last reading was still only 23%. Yes, they can collapse but she did 52,000 miles on the first one which is really not too bad at all. I don't think that clutch prices and failures should put anyone off personally.
It's very aggressive compared to the other car with crazy loud exhausts, brakes that stop the car in about 3ft from any speed and as a result of the engine tweaks, it's very fast with some serious engine braking, a bit like a superbike.
The Blue Car.
Also a 2005/55 plate, this time registered in Oct 05 so almost the same age. 60,800 miles to date and mine for a week!! She's very different in appearance, more classy I think in Blu Nettuno with Cuoio Sella leather with Blu dash, carpet, steering wheel etc. Also not an LE but well specced with full leather inc headliner, heated memory seats, Auditorium 200, Cruise and parking sensors. Between the two cars, I think I might have every option!!
So, I bought it from another forum member and he bought it also from the forum so again, it's a well known car. The service history is good and shows that it's been well looked after mechanically. The trouble is that it's a London car so the issues to resolve are mainly cosmetic. It's also due a service but doesn't feel like it at all.
I've planned a programme of light restoration which has already begun. Here are the costs to date and what I expect:-
Wheel restoration £250.
(Regular silver, although the wheels were originally grigio. They were changed before my ownership and I decided that I like the classic silver. I did look at ball burnishing but the cost, combined with new centre caps, made it cost prohibitive in my eyes.)
Badges, emblems and one new centre cap £93.34 inc delivery from Eurospares.
(The nose badge is looking the worse for wear and I'm adding the high level shields as the car didn't have them specced. I like them and they're only £15 odd each. I also need one new wheel centre as the red trident has come away in part).
Service £600
(It's booked in to Phil Kyle for next week and he'll change all fluids etc etc. I hope not to find anything else to repair but we'll see!)
Paint £650
Again, it's a London car so we have a couple of parking dings and repairs to the nose, driver's door and side skirt and rear bumper. These can be done as smart repairs for less but i've chosen the proper painting route instead. Booked for the first week of August.
Correction detail and leather care £600
Once ready, i'll send the car for a proper paint correction detail as well as a bit of TLC to the interior which just needs a clean and feed and a detail of the engine bay.
So, when I add that to the cost of the car, I expect to come out the other side with an absolute minter for less than I would have paid at a reputable dealer.
Again, the car had a recent clutch, this time at H R Owen and so that expenditure is some way away. It's also got new brakes all round with standard discs rear and the Formula Dynamics versions on the front. They fell nice and much more usable every day than the APs which are brutal and better on fast twisty roads in the sunshine!
Finally, what are my plans. Well, at first I thought I would strip the Larinis and APs etc etc off the silver car and fit then to the blue one, returning the silver car to standard. I'd then sell the silver one and recover some cash and make my man economics appear to work for me.
Now, i'm not so sure. I like both as they are for very different reasons. The blue one is so much more usable every day and the silver one is an event to drive and great for special runs and weekend shows.
Can I keep both? Maybe. Should I, dunno! I did want a QP5 as I have small kids and could use that at the weekends more readily.
Time will tell! The wife thinks I'm mad but shes over it already. If you're going to do the time, you might as well do the crime.....
