Posts: 46
Since: 13/2/2009
Status: offline
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Hi - I thought I'd just throw up a post on daily running my 4200 manual and what it's been like - and hopefully how it will fare as it adds on the miles.
So the car is a late 2003, 3 owner acquired in april with just over 20,000 miles on the clock. Unfortunately bought with my heart not my head because I wanted it. There were a few faults on the car as purchased but I believed and checked the full dealer service history.
What that doesn't tell you is what the owner was and was not prepared to pay for so you can't always blame the dealer.
The car came to me with some paintwork which had been attended to - no big deal I always have dents and chips done. The brakes were shocking - with the handbrake seeming away on leave and occasionally a reluctancy to engage reverse. A few items of trim looked shabby. But it had just had a main dealer service and a new clutch.....
Being me I had an inspection done after purchasing the car and it came up with pretty much what I already knew so nothing major to claim under warranty.
The car has now done just over 28,000 miles and we have had the following 'experiences' together.
The air filter had not (ever?) been changed so I replaced it with a BMC performance unit and meanwhile greased and cleaned all the underwheel cover bolts. Cost of new filter £60.
The rear disc were completely shot and the handbrake shoes had parted company with the linings. New discs courtesy of Eurospares, Pads from Ferodo and I had the shoes relined by a local company which was recommended by Mintex. Total cost was about £450 but I expect them to last for at least 3 years.
The fronts were better but scored. Measurements showed they could be skimmed and so £80 later with some more Ferodo pads for £40 they are now excellent. I don't expect them to last for much more than another year.
Interestingly on peeling off the anti-squeal pad on the Brembo pads there stamped into the metal was ...Ferodo.
I was then brave enough to drive a longish distance and we went to SpaItalia in June where I promptly lost all gears. The car was recoever back to the Maseratio dealer in Brussels who saw that the linkages had popped off - probably worn - paid for an emergency repair ( Tie wraps clean and lube ) - Labour at a main dealer for just 65 Euros an hour !!!
Back in the UK I booked the car into DK Engineering who replaced the ends of the linkage (and gave me the rest just in case) with the result being a perfectly engaging linkage. The dealer also agreed to pay for the cost of the work.
I have changed the rear anti-roll bar bushes and one drop-link (around £20) and also the under-bonnet sound proofing which was tatty (£30), Front Badge (£8) and stuck on two side emblems (£10).
A stone chip was attended to by autoglass - but I'm sure that he put a little too much weight on the roof as he was trying to lean in with the resultant slight dent. I will get this attended to by my dentfix man as soon as I've picked up a couple more.
The tyres are just about finished but I have a full new set (£700) waiting to go on when it will get a full suspension geometry set up at the same time.
The car is quite content now and returns around 20 mpg. Lets see what goes wrong now that I've tempted fate.....
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