Kevan in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT gearbox noise?

"Dear Enrico,

I have a 6-speed manual 3200GT (02 plate). Can you let me know if it is normal to hear the gearbox chattering at idle speed and when under load for the first few seconds at slow speeds. The gear change is smooth (little notchy 1st to 2nd when cold) when warmed up.

Thanks,

Kevan."

Reply from Andrea:

"Hi Kevan,

Yes, a little noise is normal. As the mileage increases it will become more prevalent.

Andrea."

Tom in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT external temperature readout:

"Enrico,

Wondering if you could help. I have heard that an "E" can be shown on the external temperature readout on a 3200GT when the ignition is turned on and that this can indicate a minor error.

Do you know what type of error it might be?

Regards and thanks,

Tom."

Reply from Enrico:

"Hi Tom,

The WARNING "E" letter displayed for a few seconds (when starting the engine and before the external temperature is displayed) indicates a malfunction in the ventilation and heating unit. You should contact your nearest Maserati dealer as soon as possible to remove the failure.

Enrico."

Barrie in the UK writes:

RE: Buying a 3200GT:

"Hello,

It is my dream to own a Maserati 3200GT. However I only have £22,000 to spend. Will I get a reasonable model for this amount?

I don’t want to buy the car and have big problems I cannot afford to fix what should I look for specifically when buying and what are the most common faults?

Is the automatic or manual the better model, in terms of maintenance and reliability? And finally how often does the vehicle have to be serviced and how much wills this cost me?

Thanks very much for your time great website.

Barrie."

Reply from Enrico:

"Hi Barrie,

Thank you for your email.

Simple answer is the later the car the better. Early cars suffered from poor braking, this was rectified on the later models - 2000 and on.

There is a company who have produced info that you can download from their site that gives a broad outline of what to look out for when buying any used car plus brief details of specific points on the 3200GT. Thay are at www.usedcarexpert.co.uk/ Simply type in Maserati 3200GT. It costs around £8 and is worth it for the recall information alone.

For around £22K you should get a half decent car. There's a red 2002 3200 GTA Assetto Corsa for sale on the Maserati Club website at £27,500 ono. Go to www.maseraticlub.co.uk and click on the 'Cars For Sale' button at the top of the page. Don't know the car but it looks OK.

With any car check that it has a FULL, and I mean FULL, uninterrupted Maserati service history. These cars should only be looked at by experts and that is where the high maintenance cost come from. There is only one non-official Maserati expert that I could recommend and that is Bill McGrath Maserati, near Luton in Hertfordshire. Expect to pay between £60 to £110 plus VAT per hour for labour.

Below you will find the recommended service schedule bfor a 3200GT.

As far as Manual or Auotmatic is concerned it is purely a matter of personal taste. Personally, I would go for the manual box!

I'm going to write a page on the 3200GT quite soon.

Regards,

Enrico."

JK in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT sooty tailpipes:

"Enrico,

Your site is just what we (Maserati owners) need and thanks.

J.K. here from Yorkshire. I have a 2001 3200 GT auto with 35,000 miles which I love and it has had plenty of attention since I bought it last October, cam belt service, new back boxes in stainless a replacement Magnetti Marelli throttle body and only this week the recall work.

While the car was in at the recall I asked the dealer to look at the sooty tailpipe problem. The performance is also affected but only when you put your foot down, up to 4000 revs the car is fine but above this speed you can see black smoke in the mirror along with a reluctance to rev up to its limit. The dealer said the diagnostic check didn't show anything out of place yet the problem still exists. The tailpipes don't soot up if I don't drive hard.

Anybody got any Ideas?

Thanks JK."

Rob in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT - promblem holding revs when idling:

"Hi Enrico, I have just purchased a 1999 3200GT coupe, it has done just under 22,000 miles and seems to run well.

Before I got it it was serviced new cam belts fitted and head gasket replaced due to a faulty water pump, which was also replaced and I think 4 of the valves were repaced also.

The problem I am having is that the engine stops sometimes when I drop the revs pulling up to a junction or stopping behind traffic etc.

Do you have any idea what might be causing this?

Thanks.

Best regards,

Rob."

Jani in Slovenia writes:

RE: 3200GT Skyhook suspension:

"Hello,

I am planning to buy a second hand Maserati coupe 4200 GT MY 03.

Unfortunately I had a chance only to test drive a Coupe with normal suspension but have been told that Skyhook suspension is far more comfortable when driving on bumpy roads. So please does anyone have any experience with Skyhook. Is it worth considering this optional feature?

Many thanks and have a nice day,

Jani."

Reply from Malcolm:

"Hi Enrico,

My 4200 Spyder CC is fitted with the Skyhook system which I think most are with Cambiocorsa gearbox option. Actually I must confess I didn’t realise Skyhook was an optional extra; the references I have seem to imply it is standard in the Spyder.

Jani is looking at a GT which I take to be the 6 speed conventional manual, but some non maser sales shops don’t always describe the models correctly.

The Skyhook is a significant evolution beyond the 4 buttons on the Ghibli ….which I loved.

The Skyhook constantly monitors the suspension travel at an unbelievable response rate. In the “ordinary” and auto Gearbox settings a comfortable but solid feeling ride is provided without any concern for performance being sacrificed enabling a confident and comfortable drive on all surfaces I have met so far. However in the sport mode the skyhook really comes into it’s own and tightens up the ride without the wheels bouncing off the surface and tramping, etc thus complimenting the partial release of the traction control system giving even further confidence in the cars abilities.

If it is an option I wouldn’t want a car without it! It must also be a consideration for future resale desirability & values?

I love the Skyhook and I am a big fan of the CC so called flappy paddle gear shift it requires an open mind approach and a few miles to adjust to but it is in my opinion a great way to drive and seems to be much quicker to change.

I would recommend anyone to test drive both versions if they can and find the system tat works for them.

Hope that helps.

Regards,

Malcolm."

James in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT windscreen:

"Hello,

I am trying to find a company that can supply and fit a new windscreen at a sensible price for a 2000 X reg 3200 GT coupe.

Thankyou for your help if you can.

Regards,

James."

Jason in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT Rear diff and factory recall:

"Hi guys I have a 3200GT on a T plate…..

I have a knock coming from the diff when you take up drive, anyone know of a common fault? Going to whip it out soon where should I go to get the parts required?? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Del."

PS: Does the 3200 warning on the forum still apply to a car this old?"

Reply from Enrico:

"Hi Del,

The recall should apply to all 3200GTs. My advice is to contact your nearest Maserati garage and make an appointment. As is often the case with Maseratis, once the original owner has sold the car, the manufacturer can lose track of the car. They often need the help of the DVLA to trace all the cars.

I'm sure that with around 1500 or so 3200s on the road, most dealers will be snowed under with the extra work, so be patient. The work needed takes around 5 hours so be prepared to be without the car for a couple of days.

For used parts, try Bill McGrath Maserati, Auto Shield, Eurospares and Dave Askew. You'll find the contact information in the other 'Can You Help' pages.

You can also try the LINKS page on the Maserati Club website at www.maseraticlub.co.uk

Regards, Enrico."

Jason in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT Check Engine warning light:

"Just got a second hand Maserati 3200GT only driven it a week.

Beautiful car however today I was cruising and I got a "check engine" message come up on the dash. I also noticed that the oil pressure was going over the top of the gauge. Today was the first time I have taken it out in the day and given it was a Saturday I did a lot of crawling in first. I have read the manual and it simply said this message is an engine alert of some sort.

Should I take it directly to the service station for someone to take a look at? Is the oil ok if it is at those high pressure levels?

Thanks,

Jason."

Reply from Andy:

"Hi,

Oil pressure readings are normal.

If you have persistent check engine light coming on, you must take it to a dealer to have a diagnostic check.

Andy."

Steve in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT passenger air-bag warning light:

"Hi Enrico,

After switching off the passenger side air bag for a ride with my son during the weekend, two lights were on, the air bag warning light (the red one) and the air bag deactivited warning light (the yellow one). After the ride I switch back on the passenger side air bag, but the red light is still on.

Any idea with that? Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Ken."

Steve in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT reversing light fuse:

"Hi Enrico,

Do you have any idea where the fuse for the reversing lights may be. Both of my reversing lights have stopped working, I have checked the bulbs and both are OK.

Regards,

Steve."

Reply from Enrico:

"Hi Steve,

Here you will find the information from the driver's handbook regarding access to the fuseboxes.

Glynn in the UK writes:

RE: 3200GT engine mounts:

"Hello Enrico,

I have taken on the job of changing engine & gearbox mounts on a year 2000 3200 GT. I haven't taken on a lot of private jobs and would like to be as clued up as possible.

I am a competent mechanic and have previously been at McLaren cars for 2 years, so think I am well capable of doing the job.

Not having worked on this car before, I was hoping you may be able to advise if there are any particular pitfalls or problems I may come across!!

Any diagrams would be greatly appreciated.

Thankyou for your time in advance.

Glynn."

Allen in the UK writes:

RE: Radio 3200GT:

"Hi,

I am getting very poor radio reception AM & FM and I believe this is caused by a bad aerial connection because sometimes when going over a bump the reception suddenly improves.

Do you have any information on the wiring right-hand drive.

Thanks in advance.

Allen."

Mudasar in the UK writes:

RE: Damaged 3200GT:

"Enrico,

I am thinking of buying a 3200GT or GTA and was wondering what you would recommend. I have been driving a Porsche Boxster around for the past two years and have been looking around for something a little different, and the Maserati 3200 seems to fit the description of what I am looking for in my next car. I was thinking of spending around £25k.

I have been doing my research and it sounds like the 3200 has loads of problems and faults. Is this the case? And what are your typical running costs, for servicing, MOTs etc.

what would you recommend?

Mudasar."

Miguel in Spain writes:

RE: Damaged 3200GT:

"Hi,

I´m trying to buy a Maserati 3200 GT 1999, but the problem is that the car is damaged, have a collision. The collision is in the front and affect to the sides of the car, maybe to the cooler have problems with the fenders also , right and left.

If you can tell me, please. Is this is very important and dificult to repair, for to forget the idea about.

The asking price is 25,000 euros, the car is in Germany, I live in Spain.

If I buy the car I think is better to repair in Spain, what do you think ??

Thanks for take your time in my letter and I give you my congratulations about your web, is marvellous.

Regards,

Miguel."

Reply from Enrico:

"Hi Miguel,

EURO 29,000 is too much money for a 3200GT in need of repair. Without seeing the car, photos would help, it's impossible to accertain exactly what damage has been done to the bodyshell and if the car needs to go on a jig.

Have you seen the car? If not, why are you even thinking of buying it?

Regards,

Enrico."

Naunton in the UK writes:

RE: gearbox problem:

"Dear Enrico,

2001 Maserati GTA 3200 (30,000 miles).

Bought the car just before Christmas 2004 and although I am loving the experience, like everyone else I am suffering the perils of Italian sportscar ownership when it comes to servicing and maintenance!

I wanted to share my most recent experience with your readers and wondered if anyone has experienced anything similar. The symptoms are that the drive chain / gearbox does not fully disengage when you are coming to a stop; being an automatic this is rather important. The brakes drag against the engine the revs drop off below 1,000 rpm and the engine then stalls, the only way you can stop it stalling is to slip it into neutral before you stop. Putting the car back into gear again involves balancing the revs and then slipping the car into Drive, this can cause a nasty whiplash particularly on a hill! When the car is on the open road there are no ill effects, she pulls fine and switches gear with no problem. Any ideas?

I would dearly love to find a reliable independent Maserati specialist (London area) who I could use for ongoing maintenance, as the main dealers really do have us over a barrel. Any advice?

Thanks,

Naunton."