DC area: Maserati Biturbo with 11k miles...$1200

NMNA, I know there's someone out there stockpiling these to try to make a complete running car somehow....

http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/mld/cto/5107639461.html

Are these really that bad?

Yes

From what I understand, this may be the highest mileage biturbo in existence.

Such a handsome looking car. I'm not crazy enough to attempt a project with one, even if I did an engine swap, there's still got to be tons of other expensive things to go wrong.

I wonder if the shell could just be grafted to a chassis that is good.....someone needs to buy one and just take measurements and then the hive can figure out what chassis to graft it onto ;)

I had one of these once. I gave it back to the salvage yard I bought it from. It's still there. Owner thinks he's gonna do something with it.

That shift knob though. Hand carved??

irish44j wrote: I wonder if the shell could just be grafted to a chassis that is good.....someone needs to buy one and just take measurements and then the hive can figure out what chassis to graft it onto ;)

Sounds like a job for Andy Nelson.

So what actually makes these cars so horrible? I can't fathom something so intrinsically bad that even grm has given up on them.

I'd avoid anything that old with that little miles. It basically sat it's whole life.

It makes you want to forget all the horror stories and buy it haha

In reply to yupididit: It's probably waiting for parts.

Dusterbd13 wrote: So what actually makes these cars so horrible? I can't fathom something so intrinsically bad that even grm has given up on them.

You could have 7 driving examples and still only make it to work 3 days out of the week......you'd probably see at least 2 fire trucks as well in that timespan.

here's a few quotes from Hemmings from a maserati guy - these are from someone who likes them...

bought an '87 Spyder a while back for $11,000, and the owner gave me $39,000 in receipts

"Some of the early cars had belt-tensioner issues," Duval warns. "Make sure that belt is where it's supposed to be, or you may as well throw the engine away." The differentials in earlier cars were a weak point.

The cast plenum over the carburetor (on early cars) is prone to cracking if it's torqued down too tightly, and the cover can contribute to cooking seals.

Two small screens, covering a couple of small oiling holes used to lubricate the top end of the engine, are easily clogged. The finned, cast-aluminum oil pan on all Biturbo variants is very low to the ground and is prone to crushing. The cam box covers also tend to leak. Be careful about cooling down the turbos, particularly in the oil-cooled '84s and '85s

"It's tough to do a valve job; you need to use shims, the starter is in the V of the engine near the firewall, and you can't get to it without removing the intake manifold," he says. Judicious maintenance will pay dividends. "The cams are run off a belt," says Duval. "I change 'em every 6,000 miles.

Handling can be "twitchy ... you have to be brave to drive 'em fast, and use a lot of throttle steer. The handbrake is considered merely adequate, and then only when in top shape.

The rear subframe is also prone to cracking on the early cars, according to our expert--a problem that seems to have gone away with later models. It's recommended that wheel bearings be repacked once a year or so, as they are generally considered to be a weak point.

The steering rack can be an issue; beyond the usual cracked boots and leaking oil, fluids leaking onto the steering column collapse could spell trouble.

they've got Mickey Mouse drains inside the doors." Beyond rust issues, the windscreen tends to delaminate (the only cure: buy a new one), and the door stoppers require lubrication (they work properly when not squeaking) or else they will break.

Nearly all sources we checked with admitted that the fuse box is an issue

Early cars were also known to have weak clutches; a later factory replacement clutch will take care of any issues.

"and the factory ring and pinion just wasn't strong enough."

In reply to oldtin:

All those horrible reasons not to own one, and somehow the 6k mile cam belt service interval is what really stuck out to me.

Wow. No wonder you guys say they suck.

And yet I still think i want one. ..

That list is scarier than I was expecting. A lot more going on there than just "rewire the car and convert to FI and it's good to go".

6k cam belt? That's Ducati territory and a Duc only takes about a 1/2 hour. Bet that is no where near as fast on a biturbo. Imagine a car that needs belts 2xs as often as modern cars oil change intervals.

That list essentially says "they look kind of cool, otherwise everything else is a weak point"

Did they have a testing program? Was the testing program one mule that managed to complete a tank of gas?

Mike wrote: Did they have a testing program? Was the testing program one mule that managed to complete a tank of gas?

They actually used two mules. One pulled a coupe, the other pulled a convertible. One was killed when the convertible he was pulling caught fire the other was eventually turned into cheap dog food.

I actually DROVE one once!

It was a highly modified car (for drivability, not outright speed) that actually worked. I shudder to think of how much $$ the owner had spent to make the car even semi-reliable.

It was pleasant, but it didn't knock my socks off, or make me want to run out and buy one. If it's your dream to own one--- good for you......but realize that even if you actually get one running regularly--- it may not be all that special to drive. Of course, just the fact that you have a running Bi-Turbo is pretty special.

Wow, I've never driven one...and I've owned two.

chandlerGTi wrote: Wow, I've never driven one...and I've owned two.

That's quite a statement!