my new purchase

[Kegsti66]

[KevJTD]

Does it speak English ?

It did come with a checklist for the Thema, which is allin Italian so not a lot of use to me!
Didn't help that I only got a quick chance to try it, not that it looks a quick process, but the ECU for the ABS isn't under the back seat as suggested. Can only be behind the dash or on the central tunnel, I've had the rest of the car apart!

[KevJTD]

Another new arrival...a track day or two planned then we'll see. Like the look of the 197 with the flared rear arches and front wing vents, has the look of a race car for the road!
Actually drives very nice, not harsh at all despite the lowered suspension, has a 6 speed gearbox and brembo 4 pot brakes as standard, nice grippy seats, and a revvy 197bhp engine of course! Slightly tempered by the lardy weight compared to the earlier versions, this car actually showed 1522kg in the brake rollers with me sat in and half a tank of fuel, that's still around 1400kg so hardly a lightweight car lie the 172/182 cars which is why these are actually a tad slower.
But I love the looks of it so we'll see.
Booked in for a track day at Cadwell at the end of the month so I'll see how it compares to Rob in his stripped out 182.

[rsfruitbat]

Looks good Kev
Enjoy. You will have earned it

Rsfruitbat

[KevJTD]

Been out for a little ride around the local area this afternoon, it's like a grown up 145! Drives great, decent amount of go but the gearbox and brakes for me are the highlight, aside from the pin sharp handling.

Local big draw a handful of miles from my door is the East Kirkby Aviation Centre, home of "Just Jane" the Lancaster bomber that still does taxi runs and has featured in many a TV show including Guy Martin recently.

A pair of flying machines!

[LooLooSud33Spider]

Very nice Kev. I’m thinking we should arrange a forum trackday this year

[KevJTD]

Well, over the last few months I've had another change of cars.
The Clio was a great little car, fantastic around track and great on the road too, quick and relatively frugal all things considered.
But as ever temptation got the better of me and I succumbed to a temptation that I've had for years, since they were brand new in fact but since last summer I seriously started considering them and even tried one last year and another a month or two ago before finding my ideal specification. Or as near to it as possible wanting a manual gearbox with not high miles and a non gaudy interior but most importantly in good condition and well maintained.

I got pretty much every box ticked on this car, ok the interior colour wouldn't be my first choice but I can live with it.
The car though has been very well looked after, latterly by Mike at the Maserati shed who has sorted it out nicely for the previous fastidious owner. Even the AC had a thorough going over so works perfectly with the climate control!

Nowhere near as frugal as the Clio but such a special car to own.

[alfadave]

Hope your research uncovered that the V8 had problems with thrust washers/end float?

[KevJTD]

Hope your research uncovered that the V8 had problems with thrust washers/end float?

It did, and that's a long since solved problem according to the guys who work on these cars rather than repeat internet doom.

[alfadave]

I was told this by a mechanic at Autoshield, Manchester, Maserati specialists a few years back.

Of course it relates to cars which are over 20 years old now, which may still have the weak thrust washers.

[junior]

Blimey that's a leap from a Sud. I hope you have a lot of fun with it. Good luck.

[Kegsti66]

Glad you are pleased Kev, I know you had been looking for some time.
It does look extra special in silver i think.
Fantastic looking car, I remember being at an AutoItalia show and a lady in one, won the concourse. It was a nice gun metal metallic with ox blood red interior, it was, however, barely six months old
Enjoy.

[Veesix75]

That is truly wonderful, often fancied one myself. The shape suits silvers and metallic grays.

What colour are the seats ? I was always fixed on black leather, black carpets, black roof lining etc nothing else, however I’ve gone full circle and the Giulietta is white with red leather, I’ve had red with ivory leather ( I know sounds wrong but it was stunning) I’ve now got black with an off white leather……again sounds wrong but it isn’t.

I’m hoping that Maserati has either deep red or a wonderful tan, the latter like a classic Ferrari.

However, blue, black or gray will look good with silver………pics please.

On the stuff that goes wrong, we have to remember that only people with a fault post, the ten thousand that didn’t blow up don’t put up a post saying “had no issues with my Maser…….”

[KevJTD]

It has the Ox blood deep red leather which as I say wasn't my first choice but the rest of the car was right, including the last 4 years being maintained by Mike at the Maserati shed. People who saw the Wheeler dealers show a few years ago when Mike Brewer took his throttle body to be redone with a potentiometer rather than have admiring glances the original carbon track, that was Mike doing that repair at his place. He also told me many things about the 3200, and the issues with the FPT engine in the 4200 (the one people call a Ferrari engine, including Ferrari owners), and expelled the myth of the thrust washer issue which affected a few cars in the early days but he hasn't seen an issue for many a year, good enough for me.

I don't have many pics Tim and it's up at the unit just now, I'll ake some more next time I'm in it.
For anyone contemplating one I'd say go for it. They are rediculously cheap for what they are, the pull of the twin turbo V8 is fantastic, more than enough power from as little as 2,000RPM but really fires forward as the revs build, makes a nice noise too. I tried an Auto but I really don't like them in any car, but I think that it suits the GT nature more than a manual, but I wanted the 6 speed manual so I'm more than happy with my purchase.
That everything works and it is such a pleasure to drive is a real bonus, it's even great on the twisty stuff so not just a GT cruising machine, I was surprised by it's size when I researched dimensions as I wondered if it would go down my drive OK, the outgoing Clio sport 197 is actaully 20mm wider than the Maser believe it or not!

The added bonus is that everyone appreciates the car and admire it rather than if it was a red Ferrari seeing you as a poser!

[Veesix75]

That’s perfect in my book, silver with ox blood, very classy.

[alfadave]

Autoshield have been in business since 1985, so probably have strong memories of the thrust washer issue when it first became evident, hence their advice to me.

Glad to hear that your car is clear of this Kev.