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Panamera 4s or Granturismo?

mr gill

Well-known member
Joined
21 Feb 2011
Messages
236
I'm thinking about selling my beloved C4S.. I've had her a good few years now and I feel it may be time for a change to more if a GT style car. I have always like the Granturismo, it's one of the most beautiful cars ever made in my opinion, last week I sat in a panamera at the Wolverhampton opc, wow! The interior is just superb and really plush! What are people's thoughts on these 2 cars? Has anyone spent time in either or both?
 
Asking this on a 911 forum is going to be loaded with bias - it will likely steer you in the direction of the Panamera.

You had a 911 for a good few years. A change to an Italian GT car could be the right calling for you. The Granturismo is a beautiful car, Italian V8 with an exhaust note to die for and Pininfarina curves on the body to drool over. And that dominant Trident emblem on the front grille that lets everyone know you are in an Italian V8.

If going for used, I'd recommend the S version with the larger 4.7ltr engine.
The most desirable transmission in many eyes is the MC Shift - a robotised manual paddle shifter (it is NOT an automatic and it is NOT a sequential shift box). There is also a traditional (torque converter) auto box car which is also good.

The most desirable and rarer model is the Stradale. 4.7 ltr, lightened with the use of carbon fibre, ceramic disks, a roaring exhaust note and lots of low-down torque.

Go over to the Maserati forum to get some feedback from owners - you'll be surprised that quite a few on that forum are current or previous Porsche owners.

As you'd guess, I'd point you in the direction of the Granturismo.
But then I love Italian V8's despite comments that run them down and pub room chats of them being brittle and unreliable.

For sure, there is a rarity factor at play when you drive the Trident emblem that pre-dates Ferrari.
 
Some excellent comments there, my thinking about the exclusivity is the same as yours, and the do look superb! Prob looking to get the 4.2, although the 4.7 prices are dropping quite fast lately... not looking to spend anymore than 30k at the moment so that limits me to the 4.2 auto (Hopefully I'll get 20k for my 911 and just have to add 10k)
 
Your budget is your budget. But £30k will buy you a high mileage car and bottom-end of market that could taint your Maserati experience.

Don't know where you are, but PPI is an absolute must on a used Maserati.
They haven't reached Porsche prices that attract potential buyers who can purchase but then struggle to finance the upkeep and maintenance.

There are around 5 good highly recommended specialists dotted around the country who can carry out a thorough PPI.

By the way, no Thomas, Richard or Harold can service and maintain a Maserati.
For a start they require access to SD level 2 or above diagnostics which is very expensive if a specialist is not doing volume. The good Indy specialists have typically SD2 or SD3 - each model requires a certain level. "SD = Systemi diagnosi"

Examine the service book closely for who has carried out the service.
You cannot give this brand to a guy who says, "its been a while since we did a Maser but a car is a car so we can book you in next week mate"
 
Yeah there is a specialist near me, migliore cars in bromsgrove. I disagree 30k will only get a tired high miler, I have been watching prices for a year or so now, 30k will get a mint circa 50k miler in a 4.2
 
Migliore have a good name and the appropriate level of diagnostics.

If you are convinced you can get a mint example for £30k I wish you luck.
By the way 50k miles is high for an Italian V8. Just as Ferrari, try off-loading an Italian V8 with 50k miles and see the interest and then the prices offered.

Seems you've made up your mind - its a Granturismo then.
 
i love the sound of the Maserati GT, still to date my favourite sounding car.

I agree I think £30k will get you a decent 4.2 auto. I would second getting a PPI done on these as maintenance costs can be eye watering if you end up with a lemon. A 4.7 will be upwards of £36k+
 
I have the MC Shift, totally different experience to my 911 which feels far more planted and responsive. The sound it makes is phenomenal, especially on start up and downshifts, always has me smiling from ear to ear. I went for a 58 plate with full dealer service history and only 19,000 on the clock in pristine condition. Has better road presence and I get a lot more positive comments than the 911. The leather interior has a really nice aged look about it, dash is a bit dated.
 
Hi

What a lovely choice to have to make, we are all very lucky on here .

I love Maserati as well and have come close to buying a 3200 on numerous occasions but got scared off by not knowing any indi's and story's of snapped cranks etc..

The Granturismo is gorgeous I have only been a passenger in one once but felt very special.

Good luck if you go ahead and as a matter of interest Chesire are there any good indi's near Nottingham /Leicester for Maserati ?
 
Yes the 4.7 is going to be £36k-£45k with the MC Shift.
It is comparatively rarer than the 4.2. Personally I think the 4.2 will drive like a barge in terms of performance after a C4S. It is big heavy car - almost two tons if I'm not mistaken or close to it (say 1800kg?).

The price difference between 4.2 and 4.7 is due to supply - there are more 4.2's than 4.7. The auto box also means you have a chance of a car in your budget. There is a high preference for the MC Shift (not the MC Auto).

Maintenance can be eye-wateringly expensive - if you get the wrong car. But that applies to Porsche's just as much.

It is rare to see a Maser being a daily driver - the fuel costs (around 16mpg) and the depreciation due to mileage don't work in its favour. So unlike Porsche which are a volume brand compared to a Maserati, they tend ot be low mileage cars - often stored for the winter and driven as week-end cars in the summer. I'd say the avg mileage for a Maserati is around 2-3k miles per annum. Some will be more, a few will be less than 2k per annum. They tend to be a second or third prestige car in the household in addition to a daily driver work-horse from my minglings within the Maserati owners.

There is little that can beat the sound of a V8 growl and the crackles and pops on the over-run. Intoxicating. Head-turner. And in the MC Shift, the down shift blips of the throttle in Sport Mode are superb. That's even before fitting an X-Pipe or H-Pipe.

Best is to have a Porker and an Italian V8 - but then that is high maintenance!
 
Not really bothered about MC shift to be honest, auto will suit me. I did use my 911 as a daily for 2 years, then I decided I need a commuting car aswell. I prob do less than 2k a year now just driving the Porsche weekends.
I'm getting to the point where I want comfort over speed/agility, the x73 suspension is really starting to tire on me!
I've been lurking on sportmaserati for a while now soaking up all the common issues, then I sat in a panamera 4s, it threw a right spanner in the works!
 
Oh and I definitely can't afford to keep the Porsche and buy a granturismo!
 
Greatest sounding car on the planet with a little tweaking - remove and bung the vacuum tubes and the exhaust is permanently in sports mode with open boxes. :D

My Grancabrio is currently for sale on AutoTrader as an FF is calling (or maybe realistically a 612)

Had my car 18 months and the only thing needed was put a new battery on to replace the 6 year old original (and that was quite a faff!) so don't believe the reliability myth.

Children and wife both prefer it to my lowered 996tt and while I love it as well, it a different animal - much more suited to every day driving than the Porsche.

Special discount available for 911UK members to get it off the driveway :thumbs:
 
Nimrod: The answer to your question is yes. I'll PM you details once I'm home.
 
Which model panerama? As i find the early hippo looking one quite off putting from the outside whereas the maser is a stunner. Don't care how the good the cars are, that's enough for me :)
 

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