Paulm
New Member
- Messages
- 372
Well guys and Gals,
3200's seem to be a hot topic when it comes down to purchasing one of these old ladies, so I thought it was about time we all bashed our heads together and come up with a good long list of things that an everyday person could refer to when going to have a look over one !
Bare in mind you might have to get your hands dirty and ask the owner if you can do certain things, if they are genuine sellers they will agree to your demands.....You are the buyer and have the money they so desperately want !
So here goes:
Health and Safety warnings first !!!
1. For your health please veiw with caution.......... any Maserati 3200GT…… as it can seriously damage your health
Why did I buy that....... it's costing me £1000's !
2. Safety please read the post and print... it may save your life.
Engine and Gearbox
1. Hoses: these perish and split...can be costly if your engine can't breath or no lubrication, so check them all. This means get on your hands and knees and check everyone!
2. Cam covers: check for leaks, as they do leak over time, don't take anyone's paperwork as gospel. Check them as they can leak and oil contaminates can drip onto the exhausts, we all know what happens next !
3. Seals: prop shafts are the main culprit here, rear ones on the universal joints, get underneath and have a good look at these.
Check all seals for any leakage, as this will tend to point to knacked / worn parts.
4. Exhausts: We could spend a lot of time on this one but simply put....check all hangers and brackets, a good exhaust will have everything there in full view so get under and look !
5. Engine bay: A good clean bay shows that the owner has spent time cleaning and has obviously either done 1 of 2 things.....1 he loves her or 2, done it to flog IT. The former is easy to spot......look at the fine detail of the brackets, nuts and bolts. The JOE blogs seller with give it a quick wash and spit !
6. Electrics: Check all wiring, the older the car....the older the wiring harness wrap is going to be, goes without saying. Check it !
7. Dip Stick: Get it out and have a good look at the oil.....black and thick....make your own mind up with that one ! Clear and runny, either a recent change or well looked after.
8. Filters: Look at all filters if you can, this will give you indication of the more recent activity, ref....servicing.
9. Air Boxes: May seem petty, there is 4 screws holding these together, check they are all there. Broken boxes can cost a few hard earned pennies.
10. Fluids: Water and brake, check them to see if levels are correct.
11. Ask: This is a good one, ask the seller what fluids are in the car…Oil/Coolant/Brake/Transmission etc….anyone should know the answer, who has looked after her !
12. Front Cross Member: This is a common thing to be damaged by kerbs. Get under the front and have a look to see if the plastic cover is damaged, if it is the 9/10 the cross member has had a smack. This piece is easy to replace but it supports the oil cooler/condenser and radiator. It's not a cheap part to replace, if it goes you could be looking at replacing not only the member !!!
Suspension and Brakes oh and Steering
1. Tyres: a) Check for wear to start with, uneven wear = incorrect alignment.
b) Make sure there are no odd tyres, just thrown on for the sale !
c) Sizes....check they are the right sizes all round.
2. Discs: Run your finger on the inside and outside of the disc.....this will give you an indication of wear. Take a mirror with you
and have a look at the inner side of the discs ! Old disc are costly to replace, well can be.
3. Brake Duct: These are on the front discs, may seem stupid but they have 2 functions....1 to help clean the disc and 2 to cool the blighters down. If they're missing or need replacing, they can cost a few pennies !
4. Brake pipes: Get under car and have a good look at all the pipes, they do corrode, despite what you may think. A burst brake pipe on heavy braking.....well enough said. CHECK these !!!!
5. Steering Rack Gaiters: Check these as they dodo split....MOT failure
6. Ball Joint Gaiters: Again check these are in place and intact.
7. Ball Joints: Yes these do go, check everyone over.
8. Steering rack cover: Easy to see under car, check if it is there, as this one thing that should always be there, as it protects the steering rack and also acts as a heat shield.
9. Shocks: the top ally spacer is prone to corrode, now it's a pain but check the very top of all legs, you don't want a leg to fall off while your driving do you !
10. Springs: All springs go after time.....Check everyone of them, a broken spring through corrosion is quite common.
11. Sub frames: yes these cars are on sub frames, so they are an important part of the car. Check all brackets as these do corrode, it's not the brackets more of the bolts !!! corroded bolts do shear off and you don't want your car looking like an 80's lancia do you !
12. Wishbones: 3200's were bad, give these a good check.....replace if worn with the 4200's, they will last 3X longer and are of a better quality.
13. Wheel Bearings: Jack it up and see how the wheel spins then rock it top to bottom. These do go and pennies out of the piggy bank won't pay for one!
14. Brake Pads: You can see these if you use a mirror. Ask when they were last changed and which type of pads have been used.
Bodywork
1. Wheel Arches: These are the first areas that these tend to go, little work is required to inspect these.
2. Panels: Give all panels a good looking over, try and get a bright day. This will enable you to look down the beautiful lines and see if there is and dents or repair work been carried out. A good repair shop will have carried out work, so if you see anything wrong shout about it.
3. Boot: If you open the boot and it smells musty, oh dear there has been a leak somewhere. Little difficult this one, as it may require you to ask owner if you can remove some of the interior. You can also get underneath and have a look at the boot panel from that side. Rotten boots are quite easy to fix, but it's more of your money.
4. Boot: Rust….look at the battery area, this is where they go. Also give the boot itself a good look over, as they do tend to have bubbling appearing on the inner bottom.
5. Bumpers: Check to see if they are lined up correctly, if not bumpers been off for one of 2 things, first accident, then it's a case of what accident or to be repainted, then it's a case of how long ago and why.
6. Front Windscreen: Check for chips scratches, as these do cost an arm and a legs.
7. Windscreen Protection Plate: plastic and it does break easy, check the 6 screw points, as this where they go first. Make sure it fits the windscreen.
8. Wheel Arch Guards: The rears tend to crack and break near the hot exhausts, so check them.
9. Petrol Flap: An annoying thing if the cable is not working, so check it works, the button is in the glove box. Also check the flap for any rust.
10. Bonnet: Rust does appear under here usually at the inner front.
11. Headlight: These are expensive to replace. Have a good look at the lens, scratches and chips are common, but easily rectified. The main thing with these is the actual lugs that attach to the body. They do break and badly repaired can be easily hidden from the average person. Suggest you familiarise yourself with the “fixing†positions. You can also try to move the light by hand, if it moves there is either a fixing broken or something is loose. Cheap repairers will try and hide this from you ! You have been warned.
Internal1. Dash: Cracks have been noted on some. There are plenty of second hand ones around, so not too bad on the wallet.
2. Door Seals: Have a good look at both of these. Make sure the rubber is in one piece. As you can get noise and water ingress if not fitted right or incomplete.
3. Carpets: Should be as clean as possible and all intact.
4. In Car Entertainment: Ask what has been carried out. If the standard unit is not present enquire who/when etc… changed it.
5. Switches: Check everyone of these one by one, helps if you have someone to carry this out with you.
6. Interior Panels: Check they are all intact and that there are no obvious gaps, they should look as if they have just come out of the factory. When outer panels have been repaired, the internal ones can be removed to aid repair.
7. Seats: This is down to you personally. A good car will have a good driver seat. Rears are long lasting. So it's down to you.
8. Dash lights: become familiar with the warning light on the dash. Recommend printing out a copy of the dash lights and take this with you. If any appear or don't go out, then it's time to either walk away or discuss this further. This is time to really think what to do. You can either call back with a recommended Independent or walk away. The choice is yours.
Paperwork
Now for the easiest bit, at this stage the seller should have offered you a few cups of coffe or tea...sit down and read everything that is on offer. If you find lots of bad points from the above little pointers then, is the paperwork genuine ? This is where common sense should prevail. Check check and check again !!!
Things to take
1. Torch
2. Mirror
3. Overalls
4. Gloves
5. Screwdrivers
6. Goggles
Note, there are not many excellent 3200's out there, so be very carefull.
Disclaimer: All of the above is intended to aid you with purchasing, it's only a guide put together by people who have had experience in these crazy cars !!!! Please add anything missed out.
One day we may have an idiots guide to buying one of these !
3200's seem to be a hot topic when it comes down to purchasing one of these old ladies, so I thought it was about time we all bashed our heads together and come up with a good long list of things that an everyday person could refer to when going to have a look over one !
Bare in mind you might have to get your hands dirty and ask the owner if you can do certain things, if they are genuine sellers they will agree to your demands.....You are the buyer and have the money they so desperately want !
So here goes:
Health and Safety warnings first !!!
1. For your health please veiw with caution.......... any Maserati 3200GT…… as it can seriously damage your health
Why did I buy that....... it's costing me £1000's !2. Safety please read the post and print... it may save your life.
Engine and Gearbox
1. Hoses: these perish and split...can be costly if your engine can't breath or no lubrication, so check them all. This means get on your hands and knees and check everyone!
2. Cam covers: check for leaks, as they do leak over time, don't take anyone's paperwork as gospel. Check them as they can leak and oil contaminates can drip onto the exhausts, we all know what happens next !
3. Seals: prop shafts are the main culprit here, rear ones on the universal joints, get underneath and have a good look at these.
Check all seals for any leakage, as this will tend to point to knacked / worn parts.
4. Exhausts: We could spend a lot of time on this one but simply put....check all hangers and brackets, a good exhaust will have everything there in full view so get under and look !
5. Engine bay: A good clean bay shows that the owner has spent time cleaning and has obviously either done 1 of 2 things.....1 he loves her or 2, done it to flog IT. The former is easy to spot......look at the fine detail of the brackets, nuts and bolts. The JOE blogs seller with give it a quick wash and spit !
6. Electrics: Check all wiring, the older the car....the older the wiring harness wrap is going to be, goes without saying. Check it !
7. Dip Stick: Get it out and have a good look at the oil.....black and thick....make your own mind up with that one ! Clear and runny, either a recent change or well looked after.
8. Filters: Look at all filters if you can, this will give you indication of the more recent activity, ref....servicing.
9. Air Boxes: May seem petty, there is 4 screws holding these together, check they are all there. Broken boxes can cost a few hard earned pennies.
10. Fluids: Water and brake, check them to see if levels are correct.
11. Ask: This is a good one, ask the seller what fluids are in the car…Oil/Coolant/Brake/Transmission etc….anyone should know the answer, who has looked after her !
12. Front Cross Member: This is a common thing to be damaged by kerbs. Get under the front and have a look to see if the plastic cover is damaged, if it is the 9/10 the cross member has had a smack. This piece is easy to replace but it supports the oil cooler/condenser and radiator. It's not a cheap part to replace, if it goes you could be looking at replacing not only the member !!!
Suspension and Brakes oh and Steering
1. Tyres: a) Check for wear to start with, uneven wear = incorrect alignment.
b) Make sure there are no odd tyres, just thrown on for the sale !
c) Sizes....check they are the right sizes all round.
2. Discs: Run your finger on the inside and outside of the disc.....this will give you an indication of wear. Take a mirror with you
and have a look at the inner side of the discs ! Old disc are costly to replace, well can be.
3. Brake Duct: These are on the front discs, may seem stupid but they have 2 functions....1 to help clean the disc and 2 to cool the blighters down. If they're missing or need replacing, they can cost a few pennies !
4. Brake pipes: Get under car and have a good look at all the pipes, they do corrode, despite what you may think. A burst brake pipe on heavy braking.....well enough said. CHECK these !!!!
5. Steering Rack Gaiters: Check these as they dodo split....MOT failure
6. Ball Joint Gaiters: Again check these are in place and intact.
7. Ball Joints: Yes these do go, check everyone over.
8. Steering rack cover: Easy to see under car, check if it is there, as this one thing that should always be there, as it protects the steering rack and also acts as a heat shield.
9. Shocks: the top ally spacer is prone to corrode, now it's a pain but check the very top of all legs, you don't want a leg to fall off while your driving do you !
10. Springs: All springs go after time.....Check everyone of them, a broken spring through corrosion is quite common.
11. Sub frames: yes these cars are on sub frames, so they are an important part of the car. Check all brackets as these do corrode, it's not the brackets more of the bolts !!! corroded bolts do shear off and you don't want your car looking like an 80's lancia do you !
12. Wishbones: 3200's were bad, give these a good check.....replace if worn with the 4200's, they will last 3X longer and are of a better quality.
13. Wheel Bearings: Jack it up and see how the wheel spins then rock it top to bottom. These do go and pennies out of the piggy bank won't pay for one!
14. Brake Pads: You can see these if you use a mirror. Ask when they were last changed and which type of pads have been used.
Bodywork
1. Wheel Arches: These are the first areas that these tend to go, little work is required to inspect these.
2. Panels: Give all panels a good looking over, try and get a bright day. This will enable you to look down the beautiful lines and see if there is and dents or repair work been carried out. A good repair shop will have carried out work, so if you see anything wrong shout about it.
3. Boot: If you open the boot and it smells musty, oh dear there has been a leak somewhere. Little difficult this one, as it may require you to ask owner if you can remove some of the interior. You can also get underneath and have a look at the boot panel from that side. Rotten boots are quite easy to fix, but it's more of your money.
4. Boot: Rust….look at the battery area, this is where they go. Also give the boot itself a good look over, as they do tend to have bubbling appearing on the inner bottom.
5. Bumpers: Check to see if they are lined up correctly, if not bumpers been off for one of 2 things, first accident, then it's a case of what accident or to be repainted, then it's a case of how long ago and why.
6. Front Windscreen: Check for chips scratches, as these do cost an arm and a legs.
7. Windscreen Protection Plate: plastic and it does break easy, check the 6 screw points, as this where they go first. Make sure it fits the windscreen.
8. Wheel Arch Guards: The rears tend to crack and break near the hot exhausts, so check them.
9. Petrol Flap: An annoying thing if the cable is not working, so check it works, the button is in the glove box. Also check the flap for any rust.
10. Bonnet: Rust does appear under here usually at the inner front.
11. Headlight: These are expensive to replace. Have a good look at the lens, scratches and chips are common, but easily rectified. The main thing with these is the actual lugs that attach to the body. They do break and badly repaired can be easily hidden from the average person. Suggest you familiarise yourself with the “fixing†positions. You can also try to move the light by hand, if it moves there is either a fixing broken or something is loose. Cheap repairers will try and hide this from you ! You have been warned.
Internal1. Dash: Cracks have been noted on some. There are plenty of second hand ones around, so not too bad on the wallet.
2. Door Seals: Have a good look at both of these. Make sure the rubber is in one piece. As you can get noise and water ingress if not fitted right or incomplete.
3. Carpets: Should be as clean as possible and all intact.
4. In Car Entertainment: Ask what has been carried out. If the standard unit is not present enquire who/when etc… changed it.
5. Switches: Check everyone of these one by one, helps if you have someone to carry this out with you.
6. Interior Panels: Check they are all intact and that there are no obvious gaps, they should look as if they have just come out of the factory. When outer panels have been repaired, the internal ones can be removed to aid repair.
7. Seats: This is down to you personally. A good car will have a good driver seat. Rears are long lasting. So it's down to you.
8. Dash lights: become familiar with the warning light on the dash. Recommend printing out a copy of the dash lights and take this with you. If any appear or don't go out, then it's time to either walk away or discuss this further. This is time to really think what to do. You can either call back with a recommended Independent or walk away. The choice is yours.
Paperwork
Now for the easiest bit, at this stage the seller should have offered you a few cups of coffe or tea...sit down and read everything that is on offer. If you find lots of bad points from the above little pointers then, is the paperwork genuine ? This is where common sense should prevail. Check check and check again !!!
Things to take
1. Torch
2. Mirror
3. Overalls
4. Gloves
5. Screwdrivers
6. Goggles
Note, there are not many excellent 3200's out there, so be very carefull.
Disclaimer: All of the above is intended to aid you with purchasing, it's only a guide put together by people who have had experience in these crazy cars !!!! Please add anything missed out.
One day we may have an idiots guide to buying one of these !
