GT 4.2 vs 4.7

GeoffCapes

GeoffCapes

Member
Messages
14,000
I know this has probably been done time and time again, but I can't find a thread.

What are the main differences between the two, other than engine size of course?
In real world driving would you notice the 500cc's less driving a 4.2 over a 4.7?

I ask as the prices of 4.2's are now falling below 30k, and good 4.7's are another 10k+
Is there enough in the 4.7 to justify spending the extra money.

Discuss.
 
Maser Sod

Maser Sod

Member
Messages
1,965
FWIW, I'd personally be happy with a 4.2 and an extra 10K in my pocket for ICE upgrade, holidays, etc.
 
Andyk

Andyk

Member
Messages
61,165
Maser Sod said:
FWIW, I'd personally be happy with a 4.2 and an extra 10K in my pocket for ICE upgrade, holidays, etc.
Click to expand...

Everyone wants the 4.7 and 10k is a lot and I think looking at what's for sale that's what you need.....35k for a 4.2 and 45k for a 4.7..........plus you can get 420 / 440 bhp with a re-map so not far off the 4.7...5k out of that 10k would cover a couple of nice upgrades.
 
safrane

safrane

Member
Messages
16,884
As I posted on an earlier thread; this is exactly the same price difference 4200 and GSs were when I was looking for Maser #2.

I believed then and still do that the 10 difference was far more then the benefit you got over a 4200 esp as the latter face lift cars looed so goo and drove almost the same.

However the market is the market and driven by the buyer; at tbe moment the 33% extra is what it will cost you but I doubt you qould feel the same in pleasure over the two...But come sale you hope the 10k is still there for you.
 
rossyl

rossyl

Member
Messages
3,312
Doesn't the 4.7 sound amazing, but the 4.2 does not? I think it might be possible to attempt to replicate the exhaust, but you'd be looking at £5K for that??
 
safrane

safrane

Member
Messages
16,884
My first close up session with a 4.2 GT was with one fitted with Larini boxes and X pipe...it was as good as if not better than a standard 4.7.

And it is an Auto box so no cluch to break your bank balance...all things to consider.
 
M

Mr.Cambio

Member
Messages
7,096
Geoff...don't do bad to yourself..A 4.2 GT is slower than a 4200. The GT is a very heavy car.
If you save 10k, you'll have part of them for a remap and exhaust and rims etc etc etc...
After the following video, i think you can decide..

[video=youtube;bnaMSSXBwwY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bnaMSSXBwwY[/video]
 
Fangio63

Fangio63

Member
Messages
614
I was very happy with my 4.2.... and with Larini's on it would be just perfect... My was un-molested so far as any upgrades were concerned - and I left it that way... Had I been minded the only real world upgrade I might have done would have been the brakes..

When I moved on to the 4.7 - I was looking for a newer car - with less miles and the gap was about £20k.... I couldn't justify anywhere near that on performance alone....

I did find the Sport 460bhp with the mc software auto noticeably better - in all respects.... but to be honest I think the other factors - age, new interior, manufacturers warranty were where most of the money went..

I bought the auto because:
a, I'm lazy
b, wife wouldn't like driving the MC shift
c.might spend a lot of time in traffic
d, cost of new clutches.

I'm driving on the paddles pretty much all of the time, wife hasn't been near it, and i've not hit much traffic..... with hindsight I think I might enjoy the MC shift more... if only for the better balance and more involved feel..

But to be honest - the 4.2 remains an excellent place to start....
 
conaero

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,632
In Le Mans accross country, Stevo was following me in his 4.2 and i was surprised to see him stuck to my rear bumper so dont be led to beleive they are slow.
 
drewf

drewf

Member
Messages
7,159
Conaero said:
In Le Mans accross country, Stevo was following me in his 4.2 and i was surprised to see him stuck to my rear bumper so dont be led to beleive they are slow.
Click to expand...

As I've been discussing elsewhere with another Maser owner - it's as much about the driver as the car. In the real world, they are ALL plenty fast enough!
 
M

Michael

Member
Messages
340
drewf said:
As I've been discussing elsewhere with another Maser owner - it's as much about the driver as the car. In the real world, they are ALL plenty fast enough!
Click to expand...

I have a 4.2 and am v please with it. The nice thing about a £35k 4.2 is that with a 100k on the clock it is worth £20k assuming you can show a new buyer the service history etc - so if you but one with say 35k on the clock today the downside is say £15k ish for doing 60k plus mile - this means you can really use it. So there is a nice economic/use the car every day argument.

Drove my car from Ascot to Milton Keynes yesterday, M25 = traffic cameras and M1 = traffic cameras. Droveo to Southampton last week M3 = speed cameras! I live in a part of the world where you simply can't drive fast, so based on the financials and the speed cameras I went 4.2.

Only thing I don't like are the brakes - they work ok but just don't give me huge confidence. Would love someone to tell me a fair price fix for this - my car has 23k on the clock so don't need discs just yet - I wonder if there is a simple brake pad upgrade that will make a difference?
 
StuartW

StuartW

Member
Messages
9,320
Going by Geoff's original question 'Is there enough in the 4.7 to justify spending the extra money' I would say yes there is.

The experience of the two cars is very different but for me, it is purely down to budget. The 4.2 is an excellent car and when launched, surely one of the best all round Maserati's of many a year, if not any year. The 4.7 improved on it and that's why I waited a year to get the extra cash together and went for a 4.7 over a 4.2. If I couldn't have raised the extra money than I would have jumped at the chance of a good 4.2, I'm sure with no regrets.

I would buy what you can afford and you will be happy with either
 
Fangio63

Fangio63

Member
Messages
614
Michael said:
Only thing I don't like are the brakes - they work ok but just don't give me huge confidence. Would love someone to tell me a fair price fix for this - my car has 23k on the clock so don't need discs just yet - I wonder if there is a simple brake pad upgrade that will make a difference?
Click to expand...

Google Formula Dynamics... I think they offer a selection of upgrade kits, have a feeling some of them keep the logo'd callipers too... pricey... but still cheaper than OEM

hers a link... http://www.formuladynamics.com
 
B

bigbob

Member
Messages
8,972
Lots of threads on here explaining the difference but only you can tell what suits you best with a drive. FWIW all GranTurismos are slow and you can easily buy something faster for less. However, we are not here for that and the noise, feel, smell and image all work for us.

Anyway, bear in mind that a lot of the price difference 4.2 to 4.7 is age as the GTS came out nearly a year after the GT and the GTS Auto another nine months after that. It's hard to do a like for like comparison on age/miles as Maserati priced the 4.2 and 4.7 too close together so sales of the 4.2 practically stopped when the 4.7 came out. Therefore the percentage price difference is likely to prevail when you sell just as much as when you buy.

Also mods are poor value, reducing your resale market size and being worth very little if you take them off. Show me a tunnel in my 4.7 in sport mode and I'm happy!
 
Colossus

Colossus

Junior Member
Messages
46
In my opinion there is a world of difference and as bigbob says above, the price difference is often misleading as not a direct comparison.

In real world driving the 4.2 is a bit sluggish, it lacks torque for such a big heavy car. The auto cannot be completely over-ridden which is actually more frustrating than it sounds as it will often kick down a couple of gears even for a simple motorway overtake, with accompanying screams from engine and wife! When pushed it can be made to go quickly and is certainly not a slow car but you need to rev the nuts off it to access that performance, which is not how most people drive on a day to day basis. Then there is the exhaust, which put simply is nothing like as good as the 4.7 which has one of the best sounding exhausts of any car ever.

When the 4.7 came out, it addressed the shortcomings of the 4.2 with more torque, an auto gearbox that could be left in a true manual mode at all times if desired and gave us THAT exhaust. Because of the torque it feels so much more responsive in ordinary driving whilst still being civilised and easy to drive when you want it to be.As a result of this and the fact that the price difference new was not that much, the sales of the 4.2 virtually dried up.

If budget simply does not allow for a 4.7 then the 4.2 is a very nice car to own, but if it can be stretched then the 4.7 is the better car.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.