Thinking of buying a Maserati Spyder Cambio Corsa 2002.....

[Caterhamfan]

What should I be looking for and what are the likely problems in ownership? The car has done 48,000kms (30,000 miles) and is at a dealer. Thanks in advance!

[HIS LM]

Maserati product is a very slow burn on PH get yourself over here for more advice

http://www.sportsmaserati.com

[Caterhamfan]

HIS LM said:

Maserati product is a very slow burn on PH get yourself over here for more advice

http://www.sportsmaserati.com

Thanks, I'll do that

[Ray_MV]

I had two Spyders and would recommend the updated car which was MY 2004-on. I found the cambiocorsa better and suspension improved as well as updated electrics inside. Main things to check are brakes, clutch life and the roof mechanism. I needed my clutch replaced after <20k miles and due to the MSP the brakes don't last long (quite expensive to replace). My roof played up a bit as the mechanism gets slightly out of line and then refuses to open/close. Any car you are thinking of; try the roof open/close procedure at least 3-4 times. You cannot beat the sound though, and with the roof down you can't get many more special cars for the money. I had a Larini exhaust which improved the sound ten-fold.

[Hosenbugler]

HIS LM said:

Maserati product is a very slow burn on PH get yourself over here for more advice

http://www.sportsmaserati.com

Thats very handy, I was just about to ask the same question as the O/P . Hope we are not both looking at the same car!

[Caterhamfan]

Hosenbugler said:

Thats very handy, I was just about to ask the same question as the O/P . Hope we are not both looking at the same car!

Fingers crossed! Your profile doesn't say where you are, but I suspect quite a distance from me

[Allandwf]

Keep us posted

[Caterhamfan]

Test drove the car twice, problems with the roof mechanism both times and poor communication from the dealer, so pulled out of the deal

[Robinlarge]

Not sure which one you were looking at but if it s Spyder you need then try this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Maserati-4200-GT-Sp...

I know its on ebay but that doesn't make it untouchable. At the risk of offending the seller I was considering a 4200 he had for sale but needed to see a 4200, a Spyder and a QP to make my mind up - although I didn't realise at the time he had all three for sale - I said that's great when can I come down and look at them - he said if I didn't know which one I wanted then he wasn't prepared to waste time showing me round all three! A bit of an odd comment to make.

All three are still for sale a month later so may be some bargaining in there.

On the plus side the guy knew his stuff on Maserati's - I tried with a couple of glib questions such as 'I hear the gear boxes (CC) can be a problem' I got sent of with a flea in my ear and a 2 pager on why just changing the pump relay solved many gear box issues.

I would have gone and seen them anyway but my good lady wife was more of a mind for fisticuffs on account of his rude (direct) replies!

I bought a 4200 CC elsewhere.

There's lots of helpful advise on the Maserati forums. Brakes, clutches, hood line up, gearbox pumps and suspension joints are the big ones.

[Caterhamfan]

Robinlarge said:

Not sure which one you were looking at but if it s Spyder you need then try this one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-Maserati-4200-GT-Sp...

I know its on ebay but that doesn't make it untouchable. At the risk of offending the seller I was considering a 4200 he had for sale but needed to see a 4200, a Spyder and a QP to make my mind up - although I didn't realise at the time he had all three for sale - I said that's great when can I come down and look at them - he said if I didn't know which one I wanted then he wasn't prepared to waste time showing me round all three! A bit of an odd comment to make.

All three are still for sale a month later so may be some bargaining in there.

On the plus side the guy knew his stuff on Maserati's - I tried with a couple of glib questions such as 'I hear the gear boxes (CC) can be a problem' I got sent of with a flea in my ear and a 2 pager on why just changing the pump relay solved many gear box issues.

I would have gone and seen them anyway but my good lady wife was more of a mind for fisticuffs on account of his rude (direct) replies!

I bought a 4200 CC elsewhere.

There's lots of helpful advise on the Maserati forums. Brakes, clutches, hood line up, gearbox pumps and suspension joints are the big ones.

Yes, it was a Spyder (the clue was in the thread title ).

Thank you for the link but it's too far to travel Even if it was closer, I'm with your good lady wife and wouldn't entertain buying from someone with an attitude like that.

The dealer who had the one I looked at got the local Maserati main dealer to look at the roof. First a blown fuse and then perished bungee cords were diagnosed and a trimmer (eventually) replaced them but, by then, I'd had enough of the dealer's attitude (no communication, no promised updates) and cancelled the deal. I found out later, from someone who supposedly knows about these things, that the bungee cords going means that the car needs a whole new roof so was glad I didn't buy it!