What would you drive if the £15-£25k QP didn't exist

[Elliott653]

The QP for me is the better drive after driving many QP's and 4200....The QP was a new age Maserati where as the 4200 has it's route back in 1996/7 with 3200....I love both but the QP wins hands down for me at the price you are looking at.........I feels like a much smaller car and handles like a dream...Drive both and see what you think....

Interesting point, Andy. I've only driven one of each. I recently took the QP up to Suffolk which has some terrific, empty roads. R|oads that I became familiar with in the 42. I must admid that the QP really surprised me with its pace and poise. The car felt really planted and was a delight to drive. However, it just doesn't have the urgency of the 42 out of the corners. Nor does it feel anywhere near as nimble. Nor should it as it is a much larger and heavier car with the same power output.

What the QP has that the 42 lacks is inertia. All things are relative. For me, the QP is sluggish in comparison. However, would I go back to a 42 now? Absolutely not. The QP is a far better car to be in.

N.B. I'm no driving God and the family was in the car when I drove up there . So, I did not get even close to the edge with either of these cars.

 

[conaero]

Decapotable...is a tad expensive now.....maybe up to £120K......whereas decent saloons are £5-10K.......


P

Really! Last time I looked, which was maybe 10 years ago, you could have one for £20k.

I saw one on Eastenders of all places, on a French location episode with Janine and her dad. I saw it and thought wow!

Now I am kicking myself.

 

[Woody]

E9x M3 saloon for me...or a C63.

But thankfully, the £15-25k QP DOES exist

 

[TridentTested]

Alfa 166 is the only thing I could think or really but its always been a little odd looking.

I had one for seven years and it was the single most reliable car I've ever owned. Apart from routine servicing the only thing which went wrong in that time was one sidelight bulb. I take what you mean about it looking a little odd, the tail-lights and boot are neatly resolved, I think, but the front was never a happy look. The facelift model being worse.

Where it really falls down is dynamically. You might think a 3.0L stylish Italian saloon might not give much away to a 4.2L stylish Italian saloon but they are chalk and cheese. Front wheel drive oversteer by the bucket load which can quickly become lift-off oversteer - I nearly lost mine on my first weekend of ownership: approaching a roundabout on a curving downhill approach at a speed I was comfortable my previous 156 would have taken in its stride but the 166's back started to come around (good tyres, dry road, correct pressures). Oops.

Spring rates and damper settings were at odds with each other. The car would quickly start to wallow on a succession of dips which could quickly result in it banging its chin off the road. A friend took his 166's steering lines out that way. And it did slightly better economy than the QP, only slightly, which when you think of the performance deficit to the QP was a pretty bad show.

But the main reason you won't buy one is they are a bit long in the tooth now and it is hard to find a cared for example. Which saddens me when I think I let my lovely well cared for one with only 55k on it go for a song.

 

[dem maser]

M3 ahead of a c63 but dont want to get into that argument....tired out still after last year with adam.........

 

[Parisien]

Really! Last time I looked, which was maybe 10 years ago, you could have one for £20k.

I saw one on Eastenders of all places, on a French location episode with Janine and her dad. I saw it and thought wow!

Now I am kicking myself.

View attachment 14920

Yup......you need to keep an eye on auction sites Matt........any sought after car with a limited run.......going through roof

They sold a restoration B24 convertible in USA recently for $800,000!!!!


P

 

[CatmanV2]

Where it really falls down is dynamically.

<snip>

But the main reason you won't buy one is they are a bit long in the tooth now and it is hard to find a cared for example. Which saddens me when I think I let my lovely well cared for one with only 55k on it go for a song.

I had a 2.5 for a few months. Loved the engine, couldn't get on with the car. The driving experience just was not where I wanted it to be. Sold it to my dad who ran it for years, until someone crashed into it parked on his drive, and wrote it off. I had a 2.5 156 instead.

Really are quite rare now, and tough indeed to find a decent one. Wouldn't even trip my radar if I was looking to spend £15k!

C

 

[Parisien]

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2013/01/21/garage-find-lancia-aurelia-sells-for-803000/

Read and weep


P

 

[Parisien]

http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/citroen/ds21/1535240.html

Cheap Citroen convertible any one?

P

 

[Parisien]

Just for Matt.....what about a Traction convertible......


http://www.hemmings.com/classifieds/carsforsale/citroen/traction_avant/1545704.html

P

 

[MAF260]

Really! Last time I looked, which was maybe 10 years ago, you could have one for £20k.

I saw one on Eastenders of all places, on a French location episode with Janine and her dad. I saw it and thought wow!

Now I am kicking myself.

View attachment 14920

Have a quick look at this thread. I doubt many/any are for saving, but what a sight!

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=149612

Here's a taster. Cue heart attack from Benny & general anti-French outrage!

 

[Parisien]

Wow......thats a lot of wrecks in one place..........am sure all of them run of the mill types.....


P

 

[Wattie]

I am trying to decide what car to buy next - I am pretty sure it will have a trident at the front but I am drawn to both the QP and 4200 for different reasons. It will be my first Maserati.

I have between £15 and £25k to spend so I just wondered who drives a QP in that sort of price range.

I am not trying to make any judgements on anyone or their tastes but am curious if the QP didn't exist what else would you drive - I suppose I am asking what is the typical QP driver, I am not bothered about what you do for a living or how old you are etc.. more what else would you drive. Specifically the question is not what other cars are like a QP, I am expecting answers along the lines of - I like a fast, luxury four door so would drive a Cayenne Turbo [ducks down to avoid incoming abuse!]

Ta

Stuart

Oh BTW this is open to both QP drivers and non drivers alike

Agree, the Cayenne Turbo (having had one) takes a lot to beat for all around practicality, performance and handling!

911's well within that money too.
Cheers Wattie

 

[dem maser]

i like the cayenne....prefer an X5 to it in looks but performance the cayenne is better, unless you buy the X5 M.....

 

[dem maser]

Have a quick look at this thread. I doubt many/any are for saving, but what a sight!

http://retrorides.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=149612

Here's a taster. Cue heart attack from Benny & general anti-French outrage!

what a find....

 

[conaero]

That's amazing Maf. If I had a yard large enough, I think that bumbling old French man would be me in a few years time.

 

[Parisien]

...what de ya mean a few years time......


P

 

[Mango]

Wow loads of fantastic responses, thanks.

To sum up things I've learnt:

QP seems to be generally held in more regard than the 4200 - no one said if the QP wasn't available they would have a 42

Everyone on here seems to love a car with character -wasn't expecting to see a Citroen!

A Masser might not be as unreliable as I perceived it might be

I think a QP will do the job nicely - now the fun bit I can go shopping

Thanks again Stuart

 

[dem maser]

Would you consider an AC? A real italian turbo supercar??

 

[CliveP1]

for me the only 4x4 would have to be a defender from Nene Overland and not petrol or if you really had to a Range Rover but not the new Rooney one. (what a joke) not a lover of 4 door saloon cars most look the same (QP not included) but if I could it would be an Aston DB9 or if money no problem a DB5.