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Thread: Possibly the coolest thing for me

  1. #1
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    Possibly the coolest thing for me

    ok, i need to get this out. i thought i may just hold my cards until i find out if it happens or not, but i can't keep it in.

    so here's the deal. i have found a deal on a 2002 Maserati Cambiocorsa Coupe, and the kicker is, i can--with a little bit of financial stretching--afford it. not begging, borrowing, and stealing, but just a few cut backs here and there.

    it also means selling the Mini. that one kinda hurts. while i would really really love a Maser, I do love that mini and the culture that surrounds it.

    but here is the real kicker. the fact that I can afford it means nothing if the boss says no. (the boss for you young guys is the wife.) but she is actually supportive of it, and is joining me in coming up with ways to get it. the only real issues, are the initial money up front until i can sell the mini, and figuring out if i can afford the maintenance on it. the nearest authorized dealer is 2 hours away, and im not too into driving that far for an oil change.

    anyway, i am curious to hear all of your comments.

    for reference, the car is here
    Honor. Courage. Commitment. Etcetera.

  2. #2
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    Too late, I purchased it before you could. Sorry.

    Haha, on a serious note, that would be awesome. A Maserati... that's one good looking and luxury car. I don't know too much about maintenance, so I can't really help there. All I can say is Maserati > Mini, and listen to your heart man. If you want the Maser, get it. The Mini is a nice car, but it can't really be compared to a Maserati.
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  3. #3
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    Definitely. Do. It.

    If not, you don't belong here at UCP. Plus, the opportunity to own something like this may NEVER come up again.

  4. #4
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    Absolutly gorgeous, I can see why your wife likes it.

    Do all of these come with the 4.2 V8?

    I hope it works out for you. You could do all routine maintenance your self. And only drive 2 hrs for complicated stuff. Don't these come with a six-speed also? I would think all that power would be much more enjoyable with a manual.

  5. #5
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    Take it quickly before the Boss changes her mind. You know how they are.

  6. #6
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    i really hate to say that the responses thus far have been predictable, but they have been. which is fine. i need some ego bolstering. im going to call on it tomorrow, unfortunately, its a few hours away, and saturday is already booked. but with luck i will be able to get down there next week. or maybe sunday.
    Honor. Courage. Commitment. Etcetera.

  7. #7
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    I'd keep the Mini. The Mas probably has significantly higher running cost(pure speculation). The Mini is plenty of fun, right? You can afford it and living the way you live right now(I'm assuming that you're living comfortably in the middle class).

    Honestly, I think the Mini should just as fun, even if it's not as fast. It's fairly quick, it's nimble, it has a manual(yours is a manual, isn't it?) and you don't have to worry about driving to hours for an oil change(why can't you chang it yourself, btw?).

    That's just me.
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  8. #8
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    Well seeing as everyone else is being all keen and ultra-supportive, I thought I'd be a misery guts and try and argue the other side of the case.

    Firstly, pushing your budget to the absolute limit on ANY used car purchase opens the road to potential heartache if something goes "bang" inside. It's arguable that pushing your budget to the limit on a used Maserati is the road to guaranteed heartache! You should always be leaving yourself at least a couple thousand $'s breathing space on your budget IMO, for peace of mind if nothing else.

    Secondly, I'm guessing that insurance, running costs and servicing and maintenance will be pretty jaw-slackeningly expensive. I imagine that just general routine servicing costs at a Maserati dealer will be WAAAAY more than you would expect for your average car, and being an Italian thoroughbread the servicing intervals are likely to be more regular than any 'normal' car. Maserati's aren't exactly reknowned for reliability, and if/when something does go wrong the cost of repairs will most likely be fairly eye-watering. Best bet would be to check a US based Maserati forum and find out what the average servicing and maintenance costs are.

    Thirdly, although the Maserati Coupe (or any Maserati for that matter) is certainly a 'cool' car, and good looking, from what I've read it isn't actually that good. With the earlier models like the one you're looking at the 'Skyhook' damping system left a lot to be desired in terms of body control. Fairly smooth riding, but tons of body roll and pretty unpredictable/scary when driven near the limit. Also the early Cambiocorsa gear shifts were notoriously hopeless, something they didn't really fix until the Quattroporte and Gransport models a few years later. It does have a sensational engine by all accounts, and is pretty darned quick in a straight line, but I wonder if it's actually any more fun in the twisties than your Mini?

    With my 'voice of reason' hat on I'd wonder if maybe something like a BMW M3 Coupe isn't a more sensible option. You could probably get a decent example for a few grand less than the Maser, it'll be more reliable, and is without doubt a MUCH 'better' car. Might not have the 'coolness' or beauty of the Maser but it'll be a damn sight more fun to drive, and even more practical I imagine.

    Or if you're determined to blow your hard-earned on something exotic and eye-catching, I'm sure you could find an early-ish Porsche 996 Carrera 2 for something around your budget. Not exactly cheap, but certainly cheaper to run and maintain than a Maserati, and also a much 'better' all round car from behind the wheel, which is where it really counts.
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  9. #9
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    As you only live life once I too would make the same decision. Life really is too short to have regrets therefore I believe you are making a good decision. Since you are married, you must (and already have) consult your better half. Most importantly its such a beautiful color, hell I'm excited for you to get it.

  10. #10
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    jack, i appreciate your views, and are valid points, and i will be going to some forums to investigate.

    as for the M3, that would be the ideal car for me, but for one major exception. I have a BMW curse. it sounds silly i know, but its true. every BMW i have driven is now totalled, with most of them causing injuries. I will not even ride in a BMW now because I feel it may be the end of my life. and thats not just 1 or 2, its 3 cars and a bike.

    then theres the issue of the porsche. i also think that it could be good, but i have a strong dislike for them. its not so much the cars, as it is the people that own porsches. i have never met a porsche owner that i liked, and that is important to me.

    and about blowing my money, that may be the case. but i can afford the car initially pretty easily. its just the long term stuff that im kinda shakey about. but thats where the research comes in.

    thanks for playing counterpoint though
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by cmcpokey View Post

    as for the M3, that would be the ideal car for me, but for one major exception. I have a BMW curse. it sounds silly i know, but its true. every BMW i have driven is now totalled, with most of them causing injuries. I will not even ride in a BMW now because I feel it may be the end of my life.
    You drive a freakin Mini!

    Get the Maser, anyone who convinces you otherwise is a senseless Mini bigot.....yeah.

  12. #12
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    Buy either this or the Porsche 911. The Porsche you could work on yourself.

    OR you could sell the Mini and buy a cheap beater as a daily driver to add some $ to the Maserati fund.

    edit- I don't know... the price seems way to good to be true... Italian sports cars usually inflate in value.
    I'm dropping out to create a company that starts with motorcycles, then cars, and forty years later signs a legendary Brazilian driver who has a public and expensive feud with his French teammate.

  13. #13
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    Man, an opportunity to own a Maser. Just to have a Trident badge in your garage. That would be real cool, something most all car guys dream of. You only live once, and the biggest risk is not taking one.

  14. #14
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    i wouldn't do it, especially if it's a stretch.
    but then i dpn't like maserati's so maybe you'd find it worthwhile
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  15. #15
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    You have to look at the costs down the road. It might seem like a good deal now but think about if something goes wrong and the car would be in the shop for a couple of weeks. Would you be alright with a rental in that time?
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