The Maserati 3200 GT Review - The £15,000 Aston Martin Alternative?
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- Опубликовано: 17 окт 2024
- Today I'm driving an often overlooked vehicle, the Maserati 3200 GT. Released in 1999, the Maserati competed with both Jaguar and Aston Martin in the high end Grand Tourer marketplace.
Nowadays, prices for these cars start as low as £10,000 - but they have a reputation for being expensive to run. Could they possibly be worth it? Let's find out.
This is another car lent to me by Total Headturners of Essex
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#Maserati #3200GT #Review
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How refreshing to have someone review a 3200 in a positive light, thank you. We’ve sold more of them than anywhere in the U.K. in the last 10 years. Same as any car, buy a good one, it’ll be a pleasure, buy a bad one, it’ll be a pain. The car in the review is a very early example, build quality improved greatly through the years and 01/02 cars are significantly better. Throttle bodies and potentiometers that caused all the issues have excellent aftermarket upgrades now so this issue can be negated too. They’re a fantastic car with a huge following, flawed, yes, but aren’t all cars to some point? Just don’t buy one without a pre-purchase inspection.
Richard, my one was a bit rough and was very cheap, as you say the throttle body and pedal pot are now non contact and were fitted by me. I did the cam belt and changed the rad, air con condenser, oil cooler and intercoolers because they were damaged and corroded. The rad is a bit delicate and prone to damage. Overall the car is robust and strong, mine is fairly early as a 2000 W car and the only thing I have yet to fix is the aircon pipe which chafed over the bell housing and is pretty inaccessible at the moment. Basically it is a fairly simple car with late 90's electronics which are not overly complex (they don't tell you much either diagnostically. It is not beyond a very experience home mechanic to keep running, the parts are a bit expensive and the suspension arms are a point of concern and a pain to change and set the camber and castor but not impossible. An inspection would be wise with hindsight but money will always fix the problem eventually.......... if you love it enough....
I almost bought a nice 430 Quattroporte -92 in about 1998, been in a garage for some years, I was fascinated with those models (Qp, Shamal etc) but I'm glad I did not, because even at that time a regular yearly service costed ca 1200£, so...fast, but a brutal money pit.
Yeah, those tailights are awesome, uniqueness....a lost art in the auto industry 🤔
If the car makes you feel special then it’s a winner. Doesn’t matter how flawed they are
It's a cool car. A friend of mine almost bought one one time. However if it's always broken, it's hard to make you feel special. It makes you(me) feel more stupid. However it's certainly more cool and desireable than any maserati today. Unfortunately they don't make and good cars any more.
I always like the Rear lights on this Maserati 👌🏽👌🏽
Indeed, those boomerang lights stand out.
Better than thd Honda civic light clusters that the next one had!
The first step from Ferrari was to change these instead of conventional ones for the 4200. A stitch in the heart of the last true Maserati. That´s why the done it.
@@playtimehulot7383 I could be wrong, but I remember hearing at the time that the American buyers didn't like the boomerang lights which was why they were changed. Was a big shame, killed the looks of it.
Yep. Sadly they changed them later.
I have a manual 3200 gt, I have had it for four years, service it myself and have loved every minute... It was so good my brother bought a Gransport, very different cars, very different price point. Ironically we had more trouble with the Gransport when the F1 pump and relay became unreliable. We looked at Porsche but the interior was not as practical and they are way more expensive.
In your ownership with the 3200 what went wrong?
I've always loved these for the boomerang rear lights
I have owned a manual 3200 GT Assetto Corsa since 2005 and done over 100,000 miles in it. The running costs have been astronomical and the reliability has been rather poor, in fact during my ownership I have bills totalling over £50,000. Things have improved however as there are now fixes for the main reliability issue (throttle and pedal sensors) and more pattern parts are now available. I used to use a specialist but recently started using a very good garage near me, they performed a full service recently for a third of the price of a specialist and found a problem with a split turbo hose. I just had mine resprayed, had the wheels refurbed, the dash top re-trimed, and a new pedal potentiometer and refurbished throttle body installed and I have fallen back in love with it. The car is a glorious Rossi Mondial.red.
From experience having a fairly new one and driving 60000 miles it was expensive. Belts every 25000, rear tyres every 8000, clutch at 25.000 (manual) radiators 2, throttle body 1 , rear suspension bushes 1 which made a substantial improvement on rear tyre life. Then at 72000 miles new timing chain and expensive job. Make sure this has been done if its mileage is around 70K. As a drivers car, excellent and long distance lovely. Took me and my three boys on a camping holiday to the 04 German GP. Cost at 13 months old 37500 , sold at 4 years old at 72000 miles 17500. Plus eml was on again !
You mentioned that belts were every 25,000 miles and timing chain every 72,000 miles. 🤔🤔🤔
@@minatormyth Belt drives one cam chain drive the other cam on each head www.eurospares.co.uk/parts/maserati/3200-gt-gta-assetto-corsa/engine/timing-41453
I loved the look of the 3200 when it came out... and those rear lights! The interior was a sight to behold too. If I had 20 grand....
I owned a 90's Ghibli for 5 years about a decade ago, awesome car, only problem in that time was a broken pin in a door handle. They are very reliable if serviced well. Those who mock them never owned them. Manual 3200GT would be lovely in the garage.
The Manual has an issue due to the thrust bearing in the crank and they all finished up having major wear issues and required rebuilt engines
@@MrMightyytau And the manuals have very tight pedal spacing, not too dissimilar to the manual DB7s. Like with the DB7, I think the auto outsold the manual in period for good reason. For quite a few owners, these were used daily and had a Ferrari for weekends. And unlike Ferrari, you don't see the manuals selling for way more money, or even any more money. Both fetch similar money. I'd be surprised if that changes given the end-float issues and the real possibilty that rebuilding won't be an option.
Oh man I remember these! Sick car, one of my favorites of that very late 90's early 2000's era!
Great video as always Jay! And yes, would totally have one of these over the equivelant Jag of the era. Jaguar to me unless their really older stuff, I've just never seen that wow or super cool factor about them, no doubt an XKR looks lovely with a great engine noise, but I'd walk past it in a car park and not give it a second look. But a 3200 GT I would stop and stare! always loved them in the deep blue paint, cream interior, manual and with the boomerang lights would be my dream spec :)
You have the proper one with the boomerang lights. Love these.
The 3200 GT has always been one of my favourites!
Great review. thanks JayEmm ! i have an auto 3200GT and love everything about it ! the overall driving experience is worth every penny of high running cost . i also have a 911 ( 996.2 ) but i enjoy the 3200gt much more. A fair and honest review with great video and awesome engine sound !!
Always had a bit of a soft spot for these. They still look great. They kind of remind me of the Fiat coupe 20v Turbo in a strange way. I liked them too
True - now that you mention it.
Brilliant video James, I really want a Maserati but the reliability and service costs scare the hell out of me !
Nice review.. I think perhaps that auto box somewhat masked the on/off nature of the delivery! Try a 4200.. engine is miles better.
I've had one since 2002, first an automatic and since 2004 a manual. I only drive it in the spring / summer months. It's done 48000 miles and still drives brilliantly. I love it.
Always fancied these they are quite beautiful and quirky, however with the market here in Australia, they're valued about the as the GransSports and that is a much newer and more refined car for money.
Boomerang lights, awesome....was in a sky blue one mid 2000’s....loved it.
I remember seeing and hearing one of these driving past me many moons ago and thinking wow wtf! I think they’re just gorgeous. Especially the 3200’s boomerang taillights. The interior is a work of art ! I just wish I had the bottle to buy one ♥️
My dad has 4200, don't think he's driven it for years but it's a beautiful thing
Next time I go to England to visit my daughter (should this damn pandemic ever end) I would love to buy one of these cars and get it shipped back to Canada. It's got to be rare here and if I sold it after a couple years I might be able to make a profit.
Great review, confirmed my beliefs in this car. I think it is underrated as a future classic. Thanks Mark
Only just starting watching your channel love the honesty and variety of cars tested rather than just buying the most expensive thing every two months like some u tubers do
Keep them coming Jay
James: says Coupe properly
Me: sends respect!
I always loved the 1st gen with the boomerang tail lights as you say. There's something very peculiar to it.
Loving the content James, between yourself and Harry's Garage my RUclips car needs are pretty much covered 👍
Thankyou. I do enjoy a bit of Harry too
I completely agree regarding the interior, they are a lovely space to spend some time.
Really like the look of these, would suit a lovely dark blue!
If you loved the car with that 4-speed auto, I can't imagine your excitement in case you drive the manual. I took advantage of the bad reputation youtubers and journalists give to 4200 CC, and went for a '04 model, cheaper than 3200, newer and with n/a Ferrari (kinda) engine. Of course, it would be nice if they had kept the rear lights.
Always liked these but I went the other way and got an XKR. Definitely have the Maserati over the DB7!
Did the same. I do like a DB7 but at this price point it’d be a dog of a car.
Sparky only at the same price point. Otherwise Aston for sure!
I went for an XKR coupe too, I think they had hit rock bottom price wise when I got mine, coming from a Z3M coupe I needed a GT to do some miles in comfort, it ticked all the boxes, but especially price and local specialist support compared to other cars I considered, like the 3200. I still see it on the road occasionally, still looks good, and the new owner fitted an exhaust so it sounds good too 👍
XKR convertible No1
Maserati Gransport No2
Aston Martin DB7 No3
I do like these. Was on the list a few years back but went for a 4.2 XKR. One reason being there’s a good Jag independent mechanic near me. Cars like these need the right people to keep them tip top.
Wonderful vid! I've had my 2001 manual in Australia for 6 years. Absolutely love the car and was great to hear JayEmm notice what I always have - it looks so much better in the metal!
Yes!!! Finally a Maserati! Would love if you could review the Ghibli (biturbo coupe not the new sedan) or the QP Evoluzione. The reputation these cars get is thoroughly unfair, they are VERY maintenance sensitive, if you skip and scrimp on maintenance yes it will come back to bite you, but if you take care of them they are reliable and an absolute joy to drive!
Great video. I really love these. They look epic and such a classy car.
Friend had this car. A lot of fun, great sound. Kept breaking down.
I had an 18month old one many moons ago in dark blue with crema. A very special interior and a very good looking car. BUT it stranded me 3 times with electrical failure requireing recovery on the back of a truck, had terrible throttle mapping which gave you around 80% throttle in the first 10mm of application and then very little after. There were issues with the crankshaft thrust bearings on the manual cars and I basically got fed up with it very quickly. I dare say theses issues may have been sorted out by now but I would be distincly nervous about owning one.
Aftermarket throttle bodies are miles better, and end float is a thing of the past in the main.
I had one, a manual at that and I loved it. For all the comments re the front lights, they were filtered down to FIAT models such as the Punto and not used the other way around. I also believe the rear led lights had to be changed for the US market? The clutch was heavy but what a car!
Correct re:rear lights. They didn't meet US federal regulation which is why they were changed on the 4200 as Maserati wanted to sell stateside (I don't believe the 3200 was sold on the domestic market there). It's a shame as the 3200 was by far the prettier of the two.
Mike, you're right, the 3200 GT came out a few years before the Punto, and Giugiaro then used the same design language (to better effect, in my opinion) on the Fiat car. Unlike the snobs that object to the 996 sharing headlight units with 986, I wouldn't find the Fiat connection objectionable even if the Punto had come first. I was just never convinced about the front end of the Maserati. I'm sure your manual car was awesome and I suspect in some ways probably sweeter than the 4200.
James i would love to see a review of the Aston martin vantage db7 would that be something you would consider to review in the future?
I remember these when they first came out. I sat in one in a car show and thought the interior was gorgeous. I was offered a test drive but foolishly didn't take them up on it. Still think they look classy now and would love to try one out.
Thank James , just bought one :)
Christopher how’s it going so far? Horrid or amazing?
@@migueldefigueiredo8622 yeah fantastic, only thing that doesn’t work is the aircon 😀
@@christopherandre3892 not be a PITA but can I ask which year is it? (or how big was the service history book?)
There is a problem that 3200 eat crank shafts, so need to get checked before purchase👍
....most sonorous of units.... CLASS. Always loved Maserati's
I had 2 and loved them deeply
The biturbo sound… damn I love it
Fantastic cars these, the boomerang rear lights were something sadly dropped in the 4200 which I believe was due to US regulations - Maserati couldn't sell the 3200GT stateside as it didn't meet certain federal laws, one of those being the rear lights.
The historical comments regarding throttle response were probably due to the fact that this was an early version fly-by-wire system whereas the majority of cars were still running throttle cable.
Always wanted one of these but wanted a convertible version which wasn't launched on that body style, only the 4200 which didn't look as pretty in my opinion.
Made the mistake of buying one about 10 years ago when the prices had bottomed out, back then, there really wasn’t any fix for the rubbish throttle body design, (resistive film with metal ‘fingers’ that wore them away resulting in limp mode and engine management light, reading the fault codes was a pain too as it used a Ferrari pre-OBD system on them, luckily I stumbled upon a guy from the Netherlands, (I think) who had developed his own diagnostic system which worked very well, that saved me thousands as the only other option was a main dealer! WHEN it worked however, it was a fantastic car, effortless power but very twitchy handling. Sadly mine spent most of its time being repaired to enjoy it properly so lost a lot of love for it and ended up trading it in for a Range Rover. Every now and then I’ll search for them and think, maybe I should give one another try, but then snap back in to reality that I spend more in pounds than I’d driven in miles in it. On the whole though, beautiful sounding driveway ornament at least 😆
Actually, mine was identical to that one, had to do a reg check to see if it was my old one!
Mark Sheridan late cars were miles better. This is a very early example.
Drove the convertible f about 8 yrs ago, it was great. Sadly, it's got a bad rep f quality, but so did 80-90's Ferraris, it is still beautiful, quirky cars.
definitely non-standard pipes, and firmer springs/dampers....early fly-by-wire throttle can be sketchy. The Engine Is A gem - 1st cousin to Shamal V8, last of Maserati-only biturbo engines.
Loved my Assetto Corsa 3200, exclusive, good looking, classy, great steering and also savage in it's power delivery at times.
The only issue with buying a cheap older exotic is that the price of spare parts is still full retail plus some. People sell them for a reason. It would be cheaper to be a sugar daddy in Monaco.
I regret not having repatriated my left hand drive 3200 GT I owned in Japan. Once the Grand Tourismo came out second hand values of the original Maserati engine powered cars surged. The 3200 GT is the last Maserati twin turbo powered car.
Hi Jay,
Great video as usual! I just bought a ‘98 996 Carrera 2 for £15k and I’d argue it’s the best modern classic coupe at that price point. If you’d like to drive it please let me know.
Keep it up!
I test drove the 3200 GT when it came out, and I can distinctly remember the Dealer making me so aware of the fly-by-wire throttle that I was almost too scared to put my foot down!
I think it's time for a reappraisal of this car, and as you say it is more 'Maserati' than anything else that followed in the line-up, losing its distinctive 'boomerang' tail lights in the 4200 GT because then Ferrari boss, Luca di Montezemelo, thought them too 'Japanesee'.
I think it was a pretty good first stab at bringing the Maserati marque back, and I have always hankered after the Assetto Corsa special edition in Maserati red.
TheEarlofK I always thought the boomerang lights were changed due to the USA market at the time...
I'm not sure about that, but di Montezemelo definitely didn't like them and what he said went; personally, I thought they gave some character to the car and the rear of the 4200 GT is bland in comparison.
LED lights were illegal in the USA so they had to be changed to incandescent bulbs to get approvals there. The boomerangs couldn't accommodate traditional bulbs.
@@patrickmcgrath56 Such a shame because it was the only thing on this car that worked properly.
9:38 Potential owners of this car shouldn't worry too much about headroom unless they've also got several inches of plume on the top of their head spiking into the headliner.
Got a chance to drive the manual when they were new. Loved the noise and the ride. The only thing that was obviously wrong with it was the power steering squealed at full lock (which I thought was a bit sus for a car that cost quite a bit of money)
Be aware of the manual gearbox. The crankshaft thrust bearing isn`t up to the job and can wear to excess, the telltale sign is low oil pressure. By the time this is usually picked up the crankshaft webs could have have ground themselves into the engine block thereby scrapping it. I know this as my brother has a manual 3200 and the repair cost him £10k
2:06 That's funny. Being a Swede I couldn't imagine a car without heated seats. Not even the cheapest hatchbacks from the 80s didn't have heated seats here.
Here In the UK, heated seats in the 3200 were an option.
Love you content James!
Awesome car believe me. I have one and drive it every day to work. Running costs are not bad. Amazing car. Fast, reliable and still has the looks.
if you want to mend one of those just check the wheeler dealers did one up ! it might help doing some wrenching yourselfs
still want one !
Friend of mine had a terrible experience with one of these a lot of eye wateringly expensive failures including an engine - lost an absolute fortune on ownership period and was relieved to p/X it to a Porsche dealer for a Cayman.
Owned a gorgeous blue one of these for a good few years when I lived just outside Toulouse and worked in Paris. It was frequently used as a 'commute' when I'd been too absent minded to book my flights far enough in advance to get a decent deal. It was absolutely astounding in every respect. It was drooled over in motorway services and waved at on the road.
Yes!! The throttle body issue is very real but not a nightmare to have sorted (and not excessively expensive).
Proper GT car fuel tank and unthinkably comfortable on long journeys.
Just thought that a few words from someone that has actually owned one, and used it extensively as a daily-driver for years, might be a bit more useful than the usual tribe of dreamer half-wits that seem to think that they are somehow entitled to opinions on sh*t that they know absolutely f*ck-all about.
YaY! So pretty! glorious v8 notes!
Having a nice blast down the a414 there I see ya 👌
I love these, same with the '4200 GT' Coupe. But I honestly prefer the older one because of the Maserati V8, and also the taillights.
Way$ available, though...I'd own both.
Ugh, those headlights look like they came from a Fiat Grande Punto! But I always loved the iconic boomerang tail lights. Shame they were deleted on the 4200 GT. I vaguely remember reading they weren't to the tastes of American customers at the time. And is the automatic gearbox in this car a better choice, in retrospect, than the Cambiocorsa that followed?
Lovely car. Always liked the 3200... Not the one with Honda Civic lights 😂
i just love the look (and sound) of Maseratis. I currently have a late 981 Boxster and love it, but was so nearly swayed by a Ghibli S. Have i made a mistake as i dont really want a track car but a proper Grand Tourer?
Careful here JayEmm. From a former 4200 GT owner of 5 years. Rear Taillights aside the 4200 is same same money. Camchain driven and totally reliable bar usual exotic light oil weaps and clutch wear Cambiocorsa terrible robotic manual automatic. Worst thing is the re sale is only Maser perverts. You’d think a 18-25k clean spyder normal usual mileage under 30,000 sell well. No. Not as a small dealer. Maybe ok as an independent specialist. The car tho. Good. Slightly too light front end. Total bargain. Just never sell it and make sure it’s a 4200
The manual is a totally different car. I've driven both, the slushy auto is no fun to drive. Ok if you want a lazy cruiser but doesn't suit the car imo. The manual is fantastic, a bit lairy with the angry throttle response (doesn't really affect the auto) but really gives it a wild Italian character the auto doesn't have.
Always liked these and the 4200
The sound of the engine is very strange here, its an automatic sound pf course and its as if you're giving it a bit of gas then taking your foot off, repeatedly. Its quite an annoying sound. Is that the binary throttle response you mentioned?
John Sacrimoni ("Jonny Sack") will be up in heaven smiling about this review.
Believe it or not, that 4 speed auto was made in Australia, and was a similar unit to that fitted to the Ford Falcon
I liked this car the first time I read about it, when it came out. I like the rear lights. And it is not a minus that Kate Beckinsale road one in Underworld:-D I really like the looks of Bec..., ehm, the 3200, I mean:-D
This car has had a lot of bad press ever since it was launched. It's good to watch a much more balanced and positive review of it.
In 2014 Wheeler Dealers bought one of these for £7,300 and then sold it (fixed) for £12,300. Sounds like they've appreciated at bit since then.
There’s always cheap bad ones about. Wheeler Dealers spent considerably more on that one than they let on.
I've heard that the manual clutch wears the crankshaft thrust washer-then the engine? Not sure which model but seems to suggest auto is best bet. Not sure, failing memory.
This Maserati has the most beautiful car interior i have ever seen, up until that year
A very characterful but flawed diamond. The build quality is somewhat off the mark especially on the early cars but the engine is a glorious power plant as long as it’s taken care of and the quad cams are tuned correctly (timing). I’ve seen this very motor pulling easily 450 hp and more on the engine test stand at the factory. They had to detune it as it was more powerful than the Ferrari 355 of the same period... Ferrari was new on the helm of Maserati (1998) at the launch of this car and they didn’t love the car at all. Luca Di Montezemolo hated the boomerang taillights so off they went with the arrival of the Maserati Coupe (4200). A sorted example can be fun to drive but make sure you have a top notch Maserati Dealer in your neighbourhood otherwise you will hate the beast. I prefer the 4200 because it’s a more accomplished car and the normally aspirated V8 sounds epic Oh, I saw Sterling Moss driving the 3200 for a launch video. He drifted that thing around the corners with ease, great!
It would be great if you could drive the 4200 soon after and give us your thoughts of one versus the other
Hah, I just realized that this has the same radio as the GranSports had. Imagine buying one in 2006 and receiving with it a head unit from the late 1990s. I want to bet that the speaker system is the same between them as well. Of course, most will tell you that the engine note is better than anything you could listen to from the speakers.
I look at these on eBay far too often, very nearly pulled the trigger on one last year, but bought an S5 instead.
I've not been a fan of many Maserati's, often their styling really isn't to my tastes but the back of this one is wonderful. The front's a tad awkward looking but too much, I think the datedness might be helping it a bit.
Let's see what Maserati will do with the MCXX. But I fear the design could be disapointing.
Fabulous car, that automatic transmission is a real pain though, just saying
Drive an auto for a month and then drive a manual, and you might not be so keen. Also the manuals are particularly prone to developing end-float, which can be unable to be repaired due to shortage of parts.
The biggest problem with the 3200 and 4200 is the existence of jaguar.
Manual box aside, I can't honestly think of a reason to go Massa and not jaguar.🇬🇧🇬🇧
Had five of these now and the 3200 is a great car when running very well but a pain in the arse when the drive by wire system plays up. I now have a GranTurismo which is just a much easier car to live with!
Considering how rare they were/are i am amazed? You must love them.
My Granddad had one of these back in the early 2000s. Until the brakes failed, and it met the back of a truck, at speed.
Those vents look the same as on my Alfa 156. Complete with the same chrome finish chipping away.
The main issue with these is running costs, they are expensive to maintain, so people cut corners, which makes them even more expensive to run by the time you get your hands on one.
Lovely car.
Had my 3200GT for 5 years now, and I don't recognise the references to high maintenance costs. My car has only covered 36k miles and has good history.
I bought it from an elderly gentleman who had had it for 13 years.
The 3200GT is like many caparable performance cars. They need servicing by people who understand them. The same could be said of the people who drive them!
Find an excellent independent specialist to look after your car, and enjoy.
A future classic if not already,I wish I was rich
I've done over 20k miles in 2 3200 GTs and 30k miles in a 4200 GT. The parts prices are ridiculous, hate to say but the manuals in both are second to the auto/cc. The 3200 Auto is my choice, such character and more reliable than the CC in the 4200. The price now is comparable to a late 00s XK or XKR not it's contemporary XK/XKR. The DB7 is defo the worst choice, awful cars. Don't forget the 996 is also a rival.
automatic transmission came from the same era Ford Falcon
I’d pay the extra 5k and go for a maserati granturismo
jamie morris personal preference, the granturismo does absolutely nothing for me, it’s a meh car.
3200 you can get in a manual biturbo V8. What can be better?
Yes thanks but if you watch Wheeler Dealers the throttle position sensors' (both throttle and pedal) were knackered £££ i think the cambiocorsa 4200 is better and faster imo