Living with GT on a daily basis - couple of questions for a newbie!

[Limey]

Hey Guys,

We will soon be the proud owners of a GranTurismo and I wanted to know your experience with speed bumps and inclines?

Does the car handle these well and what's the best to handle those pesky square bumps that do not run the width of the road (like **** islands). I normally take it slow with our current car (Alfa Brera) and try to get one side up over the bump.

The GT looks lower than what we are used to, but not ridiculously low..

Thanks!

 

[Wowbagger]

My car has the MC handling pack so it is a bit lower than standard, I have never had a problem with speed bumps but I do go over them very slowly, ramps can be a bit more of a problem but I have never had any major issues with them either.

 

[Andyk]

A big warm welcome the the forum....The GT shouldn't be an issue as it rides high to be honest....Don't forget to post some pictures of you GT as we would love to see it.

 

[Morebeans]

Hey Guys,

We will soon be the proud owners of a GranTurismo and I wanted to know your experience with speed bumps and inclines?

Does the car handle these well and what's the best to handle those pesky square bumps that do not run the width of the road (like **** islands). I normally take it slow with our current car (Alfa Brera) and try to get one side up over the bump.

The GT looks lower than what we are used to, but not ridiculously low..

Thanks!

As with Wowbagger I have the same set up. Apart from going very slowly over sleeping policemen, you also need to be careful coming off a steep sloped driveway and on to a main road with a sharp camber, as you can often catch the front splitter.

 

[Duetto]

My GranTurismo is actually better over speed bumps than my wife's Brera, so you needn't worry.

 

[Limey]

Thanks for the replies, sounds like it shouldn't be too much of a concern. We are normally careful with our cars and speed bumps but when viewing the car yesterday I thought it was sitting lower than what we are used to.

Will definitely post some pictures when we take delivery.

Can't wait, a life long dream ....

 

[hoyin]

Depends what GT you have! I have the MC Shift with sports handling pack so my car is a bit lower plus it has a front carbon splitter so it is even lower. The square speed bumps that are narrower in width than the car are a nightmare. The mid section of the car often scrapes on this.

With a steeper speed bump I usually zig zag across it. Otherwise the front sometimes scrapes.

I find my Granturismo worse than my Noble!! Which is a bit ridiculous and I don't know why it is. I need to park them side by side and see which is really lower but I can't believe the GTS is lower.

 

[Classico]

Used to own a Brera and from my experiences, can definitely say the GT is lower and needs more attention on steep driveways and speed humps.

Like others, I tend to turn the wheels hard left or right getting over bumps/slopes to minimize scratching the front spoiler.

 

[Andyk]

That's really odd as the one thing the GT always looks like it needs is to be lower. The wheels are too far under the arches and the gap between wheel and arch is far too big. The GTS with the MC set up is better but the standard car and certainly the 4.2 needs to be lower.....

 

[Classico]

That's really odd as the one thing the GT always looks like it needs is to be lower. The wheels are too far under the arches and the gap between wheel and arch is far too big. The GTS with the MC set up is better but the standard car and certainly the 4.2 needs to be lower.....

Sorry Andy.

Couldn't disagree with you more.

The GT is so low on my driveway I had to have the number plate fixed higher as it was scraping and in danger of shearing off.

Never had that problem with the Brera.

Shudder thinking what the lowered MC would be like.

 

[Andyk]

Interesting.....Certainly looks are deceiving then, as I always think they need to be slightly lower and some spacers on the four corners.............

 

[Felonious Crud]

Andy, I'm inclined to agree. I'm still tempted to get some FD springs and drop mine by 1" at the back and 0.5" at the front (which I *think* is Strad height) plus stick some spacers on to push the wheels out just a touch. This is a car with big rear arches! Regarding ride height the only issue I've had is with the numberplate, which serves as a good early-warning of impending scrapes.

 

[Fangio63]

Sorry Andy.

Couldn't disagree with you more.

The GT is so low on my driveway I had to have the number plate fixed higher as it was scraping and in danger of shearing off.

Never had that problem with the Brera.

Shudder thinking what the lowered MC would be like.

Front end over hang is the issue... and the sharp inclines the problem... speed humps are invariably ok .. but a down hill drive onto a camber in the road and theres a snag on the number plate..

Also beware of rapid incline changes as it's a long wheelbase.. and theres a risk of grounding..

 

[Andyk]

Right, so not so much the ride height but the length of the thing..Get it now.

 

[Felonious Crud]

They are bloody great barges but God I love mine . And who care if the numberplate falls off from time to time. They look better without.

 

[Fangio63]

It's the big "speed tables" on a sloping road ..that cause me a problem .... and generally I get a scraped plate coming off rather than going on... though I tend to approach on and off slopes obliquely if i can .. a daily issue when I drop the wife at work....

oddly it gets the Mito too...

 

[Ebenezer]

Front end over hang is the issue... and the sharp inclines the problem... speed humps are invariably ok .. but a down hill drive onto a camber in the road and theres a snag on the number plate..

Also beware of rapid incline changes as it's a long wheelbase.. and theres a risk of grounding..

Was that the nasty noise I heard when you were leaving after dropping me at home after the meet at Ace?....

 

[Fangio63]

Was that the nasty noise I heard when you were leaving after dropping me at home after the meet at Ace?....

yep... just my front plate rubbing the tarmac..

FWIW... I had removed the front number plate bracket and stuck the plate directly onto the nose / splitter... and it's about 1/2 inch lower than the bottom of the splitter..

That way, it's always the first thing to hit, and acts as an early warning .. If I lose anything it'll just be the plate, without damage to anything important..

The other night it was just a scrape on the bottom of the plate... not even enough to loosen it or damage anything .. so no dramas.. just a little noise..

 

[Limey]

Our car will be a 4.2 with skyhook and 20' wheels so sounds like it shouldn't be too much of an issue but we need to watch out for inclines and overhang at the front. She has the optional comfort pack with front parking sensors so that should help with the overhang piece.

Great to see so many people either stepped up from Alfa to Maserati or have both and we are following the same trend
Will be sorry to see the Brera Spider go but time to move on..

 

[Classico]

Great to see so many people either stepped up from Alfa to Maserati or have both and we are following the same trend
Will be sorry to see the Brera Spider go but time to move on..

As a Maserati dealer once told me "An Alfa driver progressing to Maserati ownership is a natural step and one I see all the time"

Congrats on your purchase.

For the sheer Wow factor, Maser ownership IMO is several steps up the ladder.