"Enrico,

I have been looking for a Maserati (my choice: Biturbo S, Biturbo Si, 222.4V, Maserati Quattroporte V8) for one and a half years now, all over Europe (especially France, Italy and Belgium).

First of all just a phone contact or a mail contact to see if the car had a service record, how it was used, works to do on it, etc. Didn't want to travel around 1,000 km for a dustbin.

After this first selection (80% of the cars were without any service history or without a basic guarantee (ex: engine doesn't start but this is nothing) and I am not talking about a Maserati service history, but general servicing), it was time to see and drive the car.

Of the 20% left, around 90% of the owners were liars. Indeed, they were supposed to have mint cars and that was not the case.

For example: the light of the Koni suspension system was red on a Quattroporte (owner said: "But it's okay, just change the bulb !!").

Strange noise at the back of a Biturbo Si (owner said: "This is nothing, it will only cost around 75 euros !!").

Strange noise from the engine (clac-clacl-a-clac): (owner said: "The engine has always had that amazing sound !!"). After taking a look through the service book, the timing chains had never been changed (car had covered 95,000 km).

To summerize, I didn't find what I was looking for: A Maserati with a full service history, in great condition, without any problems. The only two cars I found in that condition were sold in less than two weeks.

My conclusion is: with this survey I can tell than 90% of the Biturbos in this area are not reliable due to a lack of maintenance or a lack of knowledge. And, that is a great shame !!

Regards,

Un Appassionato."

Hi,

Sorry to hear about this.

I always think that buying a Maserati from a Maserati Club member is always a good way. Have you tried the Maserati Club France ? There maybe someone looking to change to a different model, and may be selling their present car.

Most club owners tend to look after their cars much better than the average owner. There are some exceptions of couse, but in general, not that many.

Also have you tried contacting a reputable Maserati workshop like Gargage du Trident in Paris or Candini in Modena to see if one of their customers has expressed an interest in selling their Maserati ?

If you would like, I can post your request on my site, and hope for the best.

Send me an email stating exactly the type of Maserati you are looking for, and I'll post it along with your experiences, which hopefully should deter any untruthful sellers.

Saluti,

Enrico."

So if there is anyone out there with a good left-hand drive Biturbo S, Biturbo Si, 222.4V or Maserati Quattroporte V8, with average mileage, a full service history (preferably from a Maserati expert), and in tiptop condition, email me at enricomaserati@btinternet.com and I'll pass the details on to him.