Depreciation Station: Maserati GranTurismo

How would you like a GT car from Maserati that looks like a million bucks, offers room for four adults, and doesn’t resem-ble anything else on the market? Meet the Maserati GranTurismo. It’s one of today’s stand-out values. While new ones carry an MSRP north of $132,000, you can buy an early example–nearly the same car–for less than half that figure.

True, many exotics depreciate, but at varying times the GranTurismo has been discounted by its maker. This has pushed down the prices on the used ones more than usual. End result? You can get an even bigger deal than you’d expect.

The GranTurismo came state-side for the 2008 model year, replacing the simply named Coupé. The GranTurismo also added some serious style to the Maserati floor: distinctive Maserati oval grille, big hips and three ports punctuating each front fender. Underpinnings were shared with the four-door Maserati Quattro-porte as well as the two-seat Ferrari 599. The GranTurismo’s 4.2-liter V8 makes 400 horsepower, enough to propel the 2-ton coupe to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds.

The GranTurismo’s curvy shape is deceptively practical. As noted by Hugh Bate, president of Char-iots of Palm Beach, the GranTurismo has more interior room than many of its contemporaries. As a result, he continues, the GranTurismo has an actually usable rear seat. Most cars in this class just don’t offer such a feature, including the Porsche 911. The GranTurismo is also an exotic that you don’t see every day, even in places where exotics are known to congregate.

The GranTurismo line didn’t remain stagnant over the years, either. A convertible showed up for 2010, and Maserati periodically added more power and sport to the model line. Look closely and you’ll notice that the later cars were available with more aggressive aero add-ons, while the current model features a 4.7-liter V8 that produces 454 horsepower. An optional semi-automatic gearbox also became available, although Bate says that the standard ZF automatic suits the car very, very well.

Despite the upgrades, don’t discount the early cars. “Out of the box, it was a good car,” says Bate. “So that’s the value buy.”

Care and Feeding

A lot of Maseratis have passed through Chariots of Palm Beach, and their inventory tends to contain a few GranTurismos at any one time. Company owner Huge Bate shared some practical information with us:

The GranTurismo’s V8 engine has proved to be reliable. Don’t have a local Maserati shop or dealer? A Ferrari mechanic will be very familiar with it.

Too much sun exposure can cause some of the plastic interior parts to get sticky. “Ferraris do exactly the same thing,” Bate adds.

Like other gadget-laden exotics, the GranTurismo isn’t immune to minor electrical issues, in this case it’s usually things like the power windows.

A 2011-and-up car should still offer some warranty and already have depreciated nicely. Check the date of delivery, too, as it’s possible that a 2011 GranTurismo wasn’t sold until 2012, extending coverage even further.

Mercedes-Benz, BMW and others have used that ZF transmission. It’s a known (and tough) unit. While the later cars make more power, don’t discount an early example. “There really is no big difference,” Bate says.

If you buy one now in the $50,000 or $60,000 range–not unusual for an early example–it shouldn’t depreciate much further. The biggest trick right now, however, is finding low mileage 2008-’09 cars.

SOURCE
Chariots of Palm Beach
(561) 640-1090
chariotsofpb.com

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