Picked up an 08 GranTurismo
08-26-2014, 01:55 PM
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
Picked up an 08 GranTurismo
I picked up a 2008 Maserati GranTurismo recently. Like any good Maserati it is in the shop right now getting fixed. More on that in a sec...
Anyways, this is my third Maserati, so I'm already aware of all the drama of Italian cars. And I'm also aware that it looks like a Buick because of the quarter panel vents, but damn is it a sexy Buick ripoff. I'm also aware that I have the measly 4.2L engine and not the big boy 4.8L found in the 09 GranTurismo S and up; I am comfortable with my small, inadequate package. And yes, I could not afford a GranTurismo MC (someday).
I switch cars at a sickeningly and perhaps alarming rate. I should probably be institutionalized now because I clearly have a problem. I found this particular one for a great deal and couldn't pass it up (story of my life). I got rid of my other Maseratis because I wasn't completely pleased with their color, and while they had low wear on the F1 clutch, I was not looking forward to a $7000 clutch job in the future (so then down the road I decided to buy an F355...wtf?).
I wasn't particularly cross shopping any other cars, I just happened to browse online one day and found it for sale (another story of my life). It was a slow day at work so I ninja-vanished without anyone noticing and headed to the Ferrari dealer. Surprisingly it was still for sale. Cars in my area of this caliber do not last long at all, I can't count how many times I've seen something online and it gets snatched up within a day or even hours. I've seen cars sell at dealerships before they were even posted online - literally just traded it then sold the next day.
Upon getting into the car I immediately noticed the entire headliner was sagging, so I made sure this would be fixed if I bought the car. Car had 47k mileage so I was prepared for some minor niggles here and there. Some of the rubber was experiencing very early stages of the typical "sticky interior". Those goddamn Italians STILL haven't figure that out yet?! Everything else was in great shape, bolsters had very minor wear on the driver seat. No alarming leaks, warning lights, or strange noises. Test drive went without drama so I took her home. When I took delivery the dealer offered to fill it up with gas. They were showing a repeat customer a new gray F12, so I got to drool and follow that thing to the gas station. Also got to check out an Alfa Romeo 8c. I never really liked that car, but getting to see it in person and sit in it really made me change my view; that car is quite nice. The interior was very high quality and smelled like a Ferrari interior. Getting off topic here but an 8c is really cool in summary
So on to my review now.
Looks - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I'm sure people find it ugly. Not really sure how to review looks but obviously I'm a fan of the car since I bought it. Front end looks mean and agressive. Rear end is more subtle and not as in your face, you probably wouldn't even think it was a special car if you were sitting behind it at a light. So some might consider the rear end "boring" and I can't argue with that. The MCs definitely spice it up in that area. My car has measly 19" rims which doesn't bother me since that is something easily remedied. I really don't have any plans on new rims actually, these ones are fine for now. Rear could use a slight drop though, maybe some spacers all around too. Oh and some tint for sure.
Interior - At 47000 miles - headliner aside - it's in decent condition. It has lost some of that Maserati leather smell, but still is pleasant. I like the red stiching throughout. Seats are comfortable for me, but I haven't driven it on a long drive yet. Previous owner clearly was good about keeping it clean, rear seats are practicly brand new. Adults can fit in the rear without much issue as long as they are within their BMI I'd imagine if you are 6' or taller you probably wouldn't enjoy the rear seats you monster.
Electronics - Audio system sounds great, even for a Bose. Has good bass from the sub, I actually don't even have the bass all the way up. Audio interface leaves much to be desired, nothing surprising coming from Italians, but it is far better than the previous models (and apparently quite better in the Ghiblis). Since it isn't touch screen it can be cumbersome and confusing. But at least it just works. Has an aux input (thank god) and apparently it should be able to read USB drives. I'm sure in the future I will run into some weird electric issues but I'm prepared for that. In my last Maserati the windows would randomly roll all the way down if you opened the door, of course this would only happen when it was raining. Car must be plugged in every day or you will run into a flat battery, good job Italy, good job...
Performance - The 4.2L engine is not bad in this area. I recently got a reckless driving ticket so I need something slowish anyways. You can tell it is a 4000lb car though, but it handles pretty well in sport mode. In non-sport mode it makes it feel bigger, if that makes any sense. Makes great noises, the sport button doesn't make the car louder like in the 09 GT S+, but for a stock exhaust it's not bad at all. I am the type of person that mods the exhaust right away so an xpipe will be coming very soon. When not in sport mode the auto tranny is very conservative, the car will feel very slow. Sport button cures all. While the car has paddle shifters, the ZF tranny can be kinda sloppy. I definitely prefer the old F1 transmission. Pretty easy but expensive to add another 40 or so HP - tune, cats.
Other thoughts:
I guess the big question is how long I will keep this one. I really have no idea. I like it so far, and even though it is slow, it's still a car that has a lot of class and character compared to a BMW or Porsche. Whether or not I would recommend one depends on your ownership history. If someone was a first time Italian car buyer I wouldn't recommend one without a warranty, you will just be too upset. I recently had a friend venture into Italian car ownership only to sell his 360 a few months later because of one clutch sensor failure. I had already warned him the car WILL leave you stranded at one point, but some people just can't hang If you've already owned Italians you probably aren't even reading this and already am hooked just like me and have had a few already.
Although I have a subtle if not boringish old-person color (which I find suits the GT very well), it still gets the typical random attention. I can say this about Maseratis - they attract women. Of all the cool cars I've owned, only the Maseratis got frequent attention from the opposite sex. No, I don't use my material possessions to pick up women nor do I desire any attention, it just happens. The F355 is a cock magnet. I've never once had a woman compliment my F355 and one even thought it was a mustang. If I was gay I would have all the penis I could handle. So if you're some insecure douche looking to cruise and pick up chicks, sure, get a Maserati.
Would a BMW M3/M5, 991, C63 be a logical option? Yes, but compared to this car they really are boring. They wouldn't break down or have as many problems, but the character of the Maserati makes it all better. It's hard to explain unless you've had one.
Anyways, this is my third Maserati, so I'm already aware of all the drama of Italian cars. And I'm also aware that it looks like a Buick because of the quarter panel vents, but damn is it a sexy Buick ripoff. I'm also aware that I have the measly 4.2L engine and not the big boy 4.8L found in the 09 GranTurismo S and up; I am comfortable with my small, inadequate package. And yes, I could not afford a GranTurismo MC (someday).
I switch cars at a sickeningly and perhaps alarming rate. I should probably be institutionalized now because I clearly have a problem. I found this particular one for a great deal and couldn't pass it up (story of my life). I got rid of my other Maseratis because I wasn't completely pleased with their color, and while they had low wear on the F1 clutch, I was not looking forward to a $7000 clutch job in the future (so then down the road I decided to buy an F355...wtf?).
I wasn't particularly cross shopping any other cars, I just happened to browse online one day and found it for sale (another story of my life). It was a slow day at work so I ninja-vanished without anyone noticing and headed to the Ferrari dealer. Surprisingly it was still for sale. Cars in my area of this caliber do not last long at all, I can't count how many times I've seen something online and it gets snatched up within a day or even hours. I've seen cars sell at dealerships before they were even posted online - literally just traded it then sold the next day.
Upon getting into the car I immediately noticed the entire headliner was sagging, so I made sure this would be fixed if I bought the car. Car had 47k mileage so I was prepared for some minor niggles here and there. Some of the rubber was experiencing very early stages of the typical "sticky interior". Those goddamn Italians STILL haven't figure that out yet?! Everything else was in great shape, bolsters had very minor wear on the driver seat. No alarming leaks, warning lights, or strange noises. Test drive went without drama so I took her home. When I took delivery the dealer offered to fill it up with gas. They were showing a repeat customer a new gray F12, so I got to drool and follow that thing to the gas station. Also got to check out an Alfa Romeo 8c. I never really liked that car, but getting to see it in person and sit in it really made me change my view; that car is quite nice. The interior was very high quality and smelled like a Ferrari interior. Getting off topic here but an 8c is really cool in summary
So on to my review now.
Looks - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I'm sure people find it ugly. Not really sure how to review looks but obviously I'm a fan of the car since I bought it. Front end looks mean and agressive. Rear end is more subtle and not as in your face, you probably wouldn't even think it was a special car if you were sitting behind it at a light. So some might consider the rear end "boring" and I can't argue with that. The MCs definitely spice it up in that area. My car has measly 19" rims which doesn't bother me since that is something easily remedied. I really don't have any plans on new rims actually, these ones are fine for now. Rear could use a slight drop though, maybe some spacers all around too. Oh and some tint for sure.
Interior - At 47000 miles - headliner aside - it's in decent condition. It has lost some of that Maserati leather smell, but still is pleasant. I like the red stiching throughout. Seats are comfortable for me, but I haven't driven it on a long drive yet. Previous owner clearly was good about keeping it clean, rear seats are practicly brand new. Adults can fit in the rear without much issue as long as they are within their BMI
I'd imagine if you are 6' or taller you probably wouldn't enjoy the rear seats you monster.Electronics - Audio system sounds great, even for a Bose. Has good bass from the sub, I actually don't even have the bass all the way up. Audio interface leaves much to be desired, nothing surprising coming from Italians, but it is far better than the previous models (and apparently quite better in the Ghiblis). Since it isn't touch screen it can be cumbersome and confusing. But at least it just works. Has an aux input (thank god) and apparently it should be able to read USB drives. I'm sure in the future I will run into some weird electric issues but I'm prepared for that. In my last Maserati the windows would randomly roll all the way down if you opened the door, of course this would only happen when it was raining. Car must be plugged in every day or you will run into a flat battery, good job Italy, good job...
Performance - The 4.2L engine is not bad in this area. I recently got a reckless driving ticket so I need something slowish anyways. You can tell it is a 4000lb car though, but it handles pretty well in sport mode. In non-sport mode it makes it feel bigger, if that makes any sense. Makes great noises, the sport button doesn't make the car louder like in the 09 GT S+, but for a stock exhaust it's not bad at all. I am the type of person that mods the exhaust right away so an xpipe will be coming very soon. When not in sport mode the auto tranny is very conservative, the car will feel very slow. Sport button cures all. While the car has paddle shifters, the ZF tranny can be kinda sloppy. I definitely prefer the old F1 transmission. Pretty easy but expensive to add another 40 or so HP - tune, cats.
Other thoughts:
I guess the big question is how long I will keep this one. I really have no idea. I like it so far, and even though it is slow, it's still a car that has a lot of class and character compared to a BMW or Porsche. Whether or not I would recommend one depends on your ownership history. If someone was a first time Italian car buyer I wouldn't recommend one without a warranty, you will just be too upset. I recently had a friend venture into Italian car ownership only to sell his 360 a few months later because of one clutch sensor failure. I had already warned him the car WILL leave you stranded at one point, but some people just can't hang
If you've already owned Italians you probably aren't even reading this and already am hooked just like me and have had a few already.Although I have a subtle if not boringish old-person color (which I find suits the GT very well), it still gets the typical random attention. I can say this about Maseratis - they attract women. Of all the cool cars I've owned, only the Maseratis got frequent attention from the opposite sex. No, I don't use my material possessions to pick up women nor do I desire any attention, it just happens. The F355 is a cock magnet. I've never once had a woman compliment my F355 and one even thought it was a mustang. If I was gay I would have all the penis I could handle. So if you're some insecure douche looking to cruise and pick up chicks, sure, get a Maserati.
Would a BMW M3/M5, 991, C63 be a logical option? Yes, but compared to this car they really are boring. They wouldn't break down or have as many problems, but the character of the Maserati makes it all better. It's hard to explain unless you've had one.
08-26-2014, 02:54 PM
#2
The only real Maserati is an MC12, anyone who thinks otherwise is a moron. 
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08-27-2014, 05:05 AM
#8
08-27-2014, 06:28 AM
#9
I think it's a great looking, classy car. My dad has a CL600 that I consider to be somewhat similar - big, heavy, silver and not too sporty (though it has way more power). It's just a great car to drive all the time and "you get it" after you've driven it. 
08-27-2014, 06:33 AM
#10
Neat.