Maserati as we all know makes exotic cars. They’ve won a few F1 championships over the years and they have made some truly great cars. However, as it stands they make the fastest depreciating cars in the USA. In fact, the Quattroporte luxury sedan model is the fastest depreciating car in America right now. That’s a 6 figure car that will lose almost 50% of its value in five years. That is insane!
Before we explain why you should buy a used Maserati, let us explain why they are becoming so cheap.
First of all, it’s the way dealers sell new Maserati’s. Go to any Maserati dealer and you will see offers for “cheap lease” deals, etc. This is quite odd for a company that was once on par with Ferrari. Most people will lease a Maserati then for a few years put some miles on it and then return it back to the dealer or lease company. These cars have little to no warranty left, they are starting to get a few problems here and there, and in most cases, the mileage is a bit high. Nobody wants a high-mileage old Maserati due to maintenance concerns. therefore, dealers price them low to attract customers.
Secondly, is the maintenance and reliability of Maserati cars. There has always been a stigma that Italian cars are not reliable at all and in most cases, it is true. Maserati has never made any truly reliable cars and the parts for them have always been expensive. Nobody wants to be left with a car that will cause them loads and loads of trouble. Hence why they depreciate as on the used market, they are perceived as unreliable.
Then there are the cars themselves. They’re nowhere near as good as they used to be. A lot of the current Maserati cars have been in production for ages and they’re not very sporty or luxurious. Sure they are stylish and they sound good, but ultimately there are better choices out there. Because of that, dealers price them low again to make the cars seem more appealing.
Why You Should Buy a Used Maserati?
A used Maserati is said by most people as a “no go zone.” Actually, this is not entirely true. You can actually find some great condition cars with decent spec and mileage for a low price. You could get a good 2016 car for just over $28,000. That’s a Maserati for Camry money!
A Maserati Quattroporte has class, style, and a historic badge with a lot of pedigree. It has Italian leather, a spicy exhaust, and a very comfortable ride. It is sure to get looks and it certainly fits in within the posh areas of town. A Camry has none of those things. Ok, maybe a nice exhaust note on the V6 models, but that’s it. You could argue back and say that the Camry is far more reliable (which it is) and has just as much leather and technology, but what’s more impressive? A Camry or a Maserati?
A Maserati is a luxury brand. It’s a cherishable item. A Camry is just a workhorse that’ll probably get crushed at the end of its life. You see many Camry’s every day, but how many Maserati cars do you see? Hardly any, which bumps up the exclusivity. Ok, they may be rare for a reason but they are also rare because they are expensive. But then again, they soon become affordable when you take in those lease deals.
Furthermore, Maserati was voted many years ago as the sexiest sounding car company. As in their exhaust notes are the sexiest, not the name. Now, we don’t know how true that is, but we will admit that their cars do sound amazing. The Quattroporte 4.2 (which happens to be one of the cheapest Maserati’s you can buy) sounds better than most new supercars. Even the Ghibli V6 sounds pretty good too. A Maserati may just be the best-sounding car at a low price.
Maserati’s Are For Petrolheads
If you buy a Maserati, there is a chance you like cars. Even the more normal stuff like the Levante and Ghibli are tamed towards the petrolhead. The brand as mentioned earlier has a lot of pedigree, therefore, they have a lot of fans and passion worldwide. Furthermore, the 3.8 V8 they use is completely identical to the one Ferrari used in their California T models. That is pretty cool then.
Driving-wise, Maserati’s are sportier than your average luxury sedan. They’re not on Porsche level but they certainly don’t lack the drama. The noise is superb, the ride is usually firm but comfortable and the performance is reasonable. They’re not track-cars at all, even the Gran Turismo MC Stradale which can be specced with a roll-cage. These cars are more poser type cars or GT’s.
The perfect Maserati for petrol-heads on the used market is the coupe models. The 3200, the 4200, and the Gran Turismo. These cars are all relatively cheap nowadays and they are made for driving pleasure. These cars are Grand Tourers, so don’t expect supercar performance from them. They sound insane, they have nice materials inside and they also look really stylish too. Shame the interior is a mess with its outdated technology and buttons everywhere.
They are classy cars. The whole design, outlook, and badge. Say Maserati to anyone, and they won’t respond “oh that’s the really overrated unreliable brand who makes posh Chryslers.” They’ll mostly be intrigued and interested and then they’ll either go on to praise you and your car or completely make a fool out of you and your car.
Look Rich On a Budget
Now I disagree with this whole “look rich” nonsense, but unfortunately, many people want to look “rich” on a budget. Well, since I have to cater to everyone, used Maserati cars are great if you want to look rich on a budget. You can buy yourself an exotic Maserati for the price of a budget economy car.
Here you get more power, more cylinders, more leather, and more luxury. However, the most important thing for anyone who wants to look “rich” is clout. What is clout? Well, it is essentially the show-off “look at me” factor. Maserati’s sure have a lot of clout regardless of the model. It’s what the rich people drive, celebrities own them. Owning a Maserati will make you look successful and like “you’ve made it” even if the car itself costs the same as a Mitsubishi Mirage.
Of course, the disadvantage of this is that the car itself maybe $20,000 or so, but don’t expect the repairs, maintenance, and parts to be the same price as a normal $20,000 car. Those things are going to cost the same as what the car was new, and in most cases, it is close or even over 6-figures. Looking after a Maserati isn’t cheap and everything is costly. Gas, taxes, repairs, servicing maintenance, parts, etc.
However, if you can afford all of that or you have some plan, then go for it. What’s stopping you? End of the day, we can all agree these cars are far too cheap on the used market and also far too tempting. A V8 sedan developed with Ferrari management for less than $10,000? Beyond tempting that is!
Featured image credits via: wikipedia.org