I am considering a used Quattroporte and I was hoping for advice.

1) What is the best "used" year to buy?
2) What about the automatic transmission that was released in 2007? I've heard the earlier manual transmission is clunky at best, so I'm trying to avoid that. Any impressions about the automatic?
3) What should I expect on annual maintenance costs?
4) Any "gotchas" or major mechanical issues should be aware of?
5) Are there any pricey service (10k miles, 15k miles) that I need to make sure are done?

Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it.

 

I am wondering the same.

 

Hi, this forum is kinda "dead", checkout maseratilife.com

I'm not an expert just an owner, here is my opinion:

1) 07+ if you are worried about clutches. They have automatic trannies. 04-06 has the "duo-select" clutches, they are extremely fun to drive.

2) It's not clunky at best. I love them and they make the driving experience much more fun. When you get used to it, they are great to drive and operate. I have never driven an automatic QP, but I imagine it is lifeless and boring?

3) About 1000 bucks, give or take a few hundred.

4) Yes, the Italians are not know for their electronic skills. Expect various nuances in the electrical systems, though nothing catastrophic. I have had weird things happen that are very minor, but slightly annoying. They also magically fix themselves randomly.....

5) A new clutch will run about 6000+ total. Not sure of other major repair costs. I did have to pay $400 to replace a headlight bulb.

 

1) What is the best "used" year to buy? If you want DuoSelect (paddle shifters) 2006 is your best. I just bought a Sport GT for this exact reason.
2) What about the automatic transmission that was released in 2007? I've heard the earlier manual transmission is clunky at best, so I'm trying to avoid that. Any impressions about the automatic? I prefer the Duoselect i.e. manual transmission as it is true to the form of the automobile. Apparently, US drivers prefer luxury cars to be automatic!
3) What should I expect on annual maintenance costs? $2,500 or more.
4) Any "gotchas" or major mechanical issues should be aware of? Well, depends what you normally drive. You'll go through a set of tires every 10K to 15K miles or so and probably oil and maybe a clutch depending on driving.
5) Are there any pricey service (10k miles, 15k miles) that I need to make sure are done? Yes, I think its right around those numbers.

This is not a practical car for everyone but drivers. Its an Italian Maserati; a four door sports car. If you want to play it safe, get a CLS Mercedes or a BMW M5. Both are cheaper and will do about the same thing.

 

I just bought a 2008 QP Executive GT last month. Automatic. So far, loving it. They did make improvements to the navigation system in 2009, which would have been nice; but 09's were going for a lot more money.

 

the transmisson does need getting used too

 

I have a 2007 sport GT. I love the car. The service is pricey but I do my own routine maintenence. I really like the Transmission but it take some getting used to. It is a great cruising car and one of the best looking cars on the road.

 

For 2007, both the Automatica and Duoselect was available. I believe this was the only year both transmissions were offered.

The Automatic transmission available in 2007 and beyond is a ZF-sourced transmission and feels just like the automatic in any quality sports sedan.

From what I understsand, the 2007 Duoselect has some updates on the software side from previous years. The Duoselect very much has the "F1" feel. May not be appropriate for all, but some people would have nothing else.

I think a best-practice for buying a used Maserati (or any other exotic, for that matter) is to buy one with some factory warranty left so that if there are any issues upon purchase, you can still bring it to the dealer to have it all taken care of at no cost to yourself. While many Ferrari/Maserati dealerships have gotten away from the practice of offering a 3rd party PPI, they will certainly fix anything on your Maserati no matter where you bought it.

Hope this helps! If you end up choosing a Maserati, you will LOVE it. Mine has been a joy to drive and has been virtually worry-free. You just have pay attention to maintenance, but that should be a no-brainer for any true car enthusiast.

On a side note, I'm currently selling my '07 QP if you're interested. It's listed over in the Autos for Sale forum: https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...-sport-gt.html