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Looking to buy a 2012 S. What to check?

11K views 88 replies 14 participants last post by  12 cylinders 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi there,

I'm considering buying a 2012 QP S that has 60K on it (37.5K Miles) and I need to know what things are an absolute must to check for on these cars. It's a 1 owner car and the dealer says they have the service history so I want to know what services should have been done and what I need to be looking for in the records. I still do plan on finding someone with experience to do a PPI if everything looks good to me and the dealer meets my price. I just want to know things I can look at for myself. I'm familiar with cars in general, but I know these have their own unique things about them that I'm not familiar with. I've already went through pages and pages of threads on here, but most of them seem to be about older years, and from my understanding, a lot of issues that some of the older cars had were rectified by time 2011-2012 came around, so I'm interested in things specific to the last years.
 
#2 ·
Check to see if you think the electrics/computer are working. Telltale sign is if the clock is giving the wrong time. Are the parking sensors working? Any warning lights. It seems the main processor goes awry and is about £2000 to fix. I have decided not to replace mine due to cost but it is a bit frustrating that the clock doesnt work and every now and then a small electrical malfunction occurs... little things like loss of parking sensor operation (it comes back), mirrors not unfolding etc
Beautiful car though!

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk
 
#3 ·
Thanks for the reply. I think I'm going to go take it for a drive tomorrow and see how I like it. I've never driven one before, I've just always liked how they looked and sounded.
 
#4 ·
So with my 2011 S with 40,000 miles it needed... engine mounts, valve cover gaskets, belts, oil change, and the big thing was the a/c compressor pulley had a wobble which was a worn shaft not the bearing. Check your service history to see if any of those things have been done. Also brakes/rotors may be ready for replacement at that mileage and TPMS sensor batteries (in the wheels) might be at the end of life if still original.
 
#5 ·
Thank you 2fromtheCouve and keith.willey1 in a few hours I will go check what's what, I know they are going to try to fight me on the price but they can keep it at the 48,800 Cdn (36,500 USD) that they are asking for it. I'm not paying more than 43K (32K USD), which I think is still a couple thousand too much, but it's the only 2012 for sale in the country so I don't have too much leverage. The PPI will have to pretty much be perfect for me to take it at that price.
 
#6 ·
FliGuy, please do not get your hopes up. You will be lucky if they budge $800 on the price. It is a pretty rare car as you mention and it is also pretty sought after. If you want to save $5k, one option is to go with a low mileage 2011. Some 2013s (QP6) are actually cheaper also. Good luck in your efforts.
 
#7 ·
I have a 2010 Q S with 71k on it now. Absolutely love the car, still after all this time. I purchased mine around the same miles that you are. At 37.5k the dealer states oil change, air filter, spark plugs. Spark plugs are NGK and the dealer wants $46 per, same models on Amazon for 10 for $160. I would look at the oil, and ask if the dealer did the last schedules main. 1 owner I’d say you’re in good shape. Some people by cars like this and simply can’t afford the maintenance. Check the break pads, rotors. Look for any oil or leeks at the rear diff, under the engine. Are the window motors tired? Check the trunk lid shocks, does it open all the way? Check the front end on a life and wiggle each tire left to right to see if there is any play. Changing tire rods is a nightmare. Must purchase assemble for 3k. Check the tire pressure sensors. These are just my suggestions from my own experience.
 
#8 ·
Even rarer that a 2012 S, is someone willing to buy a used Maserati that is out of warranty. Dealers have a very hard time selling these cars so the price drops and drops unless they can sit on it for 8 months or more waiting for that one guy. They might not know how rare it is or care, so compare the price to older ones and dont be afraid to lowball. There's nothing like paying $25 grand for a car that should be worth at least $65 grand.
 
#9 ·
They came down 2K, but it's not enough. Then he said he can't do anything else, I said okay thank you, I understand and went to get up, and then he says, I can bring an offer of 44,500 to my boss. He went back and forth about how it's the only 2012 for sale, the others are 2011 with more miles and blah, blah, blah. I told him I understand that which is why I was offering 3k more than what the 2011 up the street is going for. So I told him you know what, I'll come up to 44K if I do the PPI and I'm happy with it, he says "Wow, not $500 more at the 44,500?" I told him no, 44K is already more than I think it's worth and I don't need the car. I told him the check is waiting at the bank for you guys whenever you get tired of looking at the car since it's already been there for 7 months because it's priced too high. I told him no hard feelings or anything, if you can't make the deal you can't make the deal, but you have my number if you're able to make the deal work. He said okay I'll let you know and I left. 44K cdn is about 33K USD. So now we wait, lol. Thank you all for your advice and thoughts. It LOOKS to be in excellent condition, motor runs smoothly, everything seems to be working in the car, no sticky buttons or anything. If he tells me they can do the 44K, I'll go take it for a drive and then set up the PPI. I'll keep you posted.
 
#11 ·
So after complete radio silence for over a week from the dealer, I hit them up today and they said they'd do $44,500 cdn (33,250 USD). 1 owner local car. I'm just convincing myself that I really want it, and then I'm going to setup a PPI for tomorrow. The Carfax looks clean.
 
#13 ·
Took the car for a drive today. It was smooth, tight, everything seemed perfect. I sent it to get a pre purchase inspection, if everything checks out, I guess I've just signed my life away! We'll see how this plays out tomorrow.
 
#14 ·
So this is the list of things found wrong with the car from the inspection:

-Front rotors need replacing, rear rotors are at the bare safety requirements
-Expansion Tank is cracking
-All of the lower mesh inserts for the grill are rusted and the center one is loose (I saw this the dealer said they'd paint them)
-Steering wheel vibration and pulls to the left at highway speeds
-L/F and R/F wheels slightly bent on the inner barrels
-Power Steering pump area was damp, they said they would have needed more time to investigate and see what's causing it
-L/R and R/F outer door trims starting to form rust inside (under the rubber trim that goes around the window, I saw this too)
-Small dent in front door
-60K kms Service recommended

Grand Total - $6500

I told myself if the inspection came back with problems I'd just walk away, but a little part of me is wondering if I should see what the dealer selling the car will say? If they agree to fix everything should I still go ahead? I don't even know if I could trust that they would do it. Everyone chime in, I'd love to hear the opinions.
 
#16 ·
So the brakes probably have normal wear and are towards the end of there life but if its not a daily driver and there is friction material you can see... you can probably go another couple years (assuming not a daily driver) and plan for a brake job later.

Expansion tank is about $60 from scuderiacarparts.com

Lower mesh is just detail stuff. Not sure about the rust stuff. I Wouldn't be too concerned about the power steering pump being damp personally.

Most concerning to me is the vibration, pulling to the left, and slightly bent wheels ?!? This is something that should be fixed right away. Some of the other stuff can wait. Maybe...

Does that quote include new front wheels?

If I were that dealer I would take $4 grand off the price and say goodbye to it instead of it sitting on the lot watching the value drop.
 
#18 ·
Can you elaborate on the rust issue - I am not familiar with that....?

I agree with 08SRX, if you want the last- and best - of the Quattroporte-5 series, the final year will have all of the updates and refinements. I have a 2013 QP-5 which many say shouldn't exist, because 2013 was the introductory year for the next generation QP. Maserati must have had a some left over 2012 cars, and sold them as 2013, my car's title, emissions sticker, etc....all show it as a 2013 model.
 
#21 ·
No, the place that did the inspection isn't a body shop, so they didn't put a quote on it, just noted it as additional items they noticed. There is a spot that looks like that on one of the other windows too. I do have a friend that owns a body shop, but he probably wouldn't be able to give me a good estimate without seeing the car. Rust is like cancer and can be really hard to get rid of once it starts. I won't be daily driving the car, nor will it see winter so I'd be more comfortable with the car being as trouble free as possible. It's a used car so I don't expect it to be perfect, but I also don't expect to spend 44.5K (33K USD) and have to then spend another couple grand within a few months. I'll see what they say tomorrow, I feel like I should abandon it, but it's such a beautiful car. I put the link to the listing below.

https://wwwa.autotrader.ca/a/maserati/quattroporte/toronto/ontario/5_37518012_on20070924093533494/?showcpo=ShowCpo&ncse=no&ursrc=hl&orup=2_2_2&pc=L5N%207N6&sprx=-1
 
#22 ·
I think what is most concerning here is not the dings, brakes or suspension per se. It is the fact that the previous owner did not keep up the car as they should have. It sounds like they skipped service intervals, which would have addressed some of the mechanical issues.
 
#23 ·
Yes that is another concern, I'm going to see if the dealer has any proof of service. It has 61,700 kms on it, about 37,500 Miles, so there should have been at least 7 oil changes in my estimation? Is there anything else that should have been serviced in this time besides oil changes and air filters?
 
#25 ·
I would run away from a dealership that would dare sell a car with dead brakes like that. That is a serious safety issue that is easy for them to address, they should have fixed the brakes at the very least before putting the 'For Sale' sign on the vehicle. What kind of a car dealer is this?
 
#26 ·
So the only thing they said they’d do is change the front rotors, and when I asked them for the service history, they said they don’t have any. Previously I had asked if there were service records and he told me yes. It’s all too inconsistent so I’m going to leave it alone. It’s a shame because overall the car looks fantastic, but I’m not willing to bet or gamble against the price of fixing any issues. Thank you all for your comments, opinions and recommendations!
 
#27 ·
FliGuy....my car is the same colors as the one your looking at, Grigio Granito Metallic with Cuoio interior - a stunning combination. The left rear door of my car also has small "rust bubble" under the rubber trim, I will look closer at it tomorrow and try to determine exactly what it is and report back. The 20" inch 7-spoke wheels are very prone to bending, I've had 2 Quattroportes with those wheels and in both cases the front-inner wheels were bent, very common problem. If you really love the car keep pressing the dealership. Regarding the car would pull to the left at highway speeds, if there are no suspension rattles or "clunks" then maybe just an alignment is needed. Please keep us posted...
 
#47 ·
Did you ever take a look at the bubble under the rubber trim? I'm still talking to them to see if I can get a few more thousand off to offset some of these minor little things I'd want to fix.
 
#29 ·
FliGuy....I can understand your feelings, when the inconsistencies start adding up - you have to follow your gut feeling. During my search for a QP I looked at a 2010 QP-Sport-GTS, in Grigio Granito / Black & Carbon Fiber, it had 42k miles on it, and was a 1-owner car. It ran and drove great, the interior was great, but the exterior had cosmetic issues, lots of paint chips and scratches, 2 wheels were scuffed, rear bumper dented, and it would need new brakes soon, etc. The dealer wanted $29,500 for the car. It was just too rough looking for me, so I had to pass. A few weeks later the dealer called and told me they fixed the rear bumper and the wheels, so we made the 3 hour drive back to look at it again. It did look better, I asked the salesman if there was some room on the price, and he was reluctant to say. I did like the car but the road rash on the rear doors and rocker panels was still too much for me - I just couldn't stand to look at it every time I walked up to the car. So we left again. Over the next few weeks the price kept dropping, eventually it was down to $24,900 which seemed reasonable...but by that time I'd already purchased a QP. Eventually the dealer stopped listing a price and simply said "call for price". If I'd known things would have turned out that way I might have just waited and watched...you just never know.
 
#30 ·
I haven’t completely let go of the thought, maybe if they wanted to drop the price and/or offer a warranty for a couple of years it would be a bit more appealing. Overall the car looks like it’s in great shape and drove well except for on the highway. I talked to my friend that has a body shop and he told me the rust could be fixed under the window mouldings, but it would then need all new window mouldings and you can never guarantee the rust staying away. They seem to be really rare here. I never see them on the road, and rarely see them on sale. Now I’m kind of obsessed with it lol. My biggest issue outside of what I KNOW is wrong, is the unknown because there’s no history of maintenance.
 
#31 ·
Does the car pull hard to the left while driving on the highway, or does it gently drift over to the left? How are the tires? If the dealer was going to replace the brake rotors, that is quite an expense, Pads aren't too bad - consider looking at Formula Dynamics website for prices on brake pads. If the tires are decent, and the dealer would fix the alignment issue, and replace the brake rotors...and the car doesn't have the sticky interior bits or other issues....and it's in stunning colors....well....hmm...
 
#32 ·
Tires are decent. They have 5mm in the rear and 6mm in the fronts, that would bring me through the year. The pulling to the left is probably alignment. I didn’t notice anything in the interior besides little cracks in the wood on the steering wheel, everything else seemed perfect. My biggest issue is the lack of service history, worst case scenario if the car was never serviced, it might be a ticking time bomb, I’m not sure. Also the rust forming under the window mouldings on 2 of the doors might be a problem, I didn’t look how much for a new set of window mouldings all the way around. Rear rotors are at the bare minimum for passing safety so those would probably have to be done next year the latest depending on how much I drive spring through Fall. Maybe if they fix the rotors and offer a 2 year warranty that covers the motor and power train I’d take the risk. They want 4K for the 2 year warranty, I’m not paying it.
 
#34 ·
So I’m thinking if they will do the front brakes, and the 60k service and maybe work some kind of deal on a 2 year warranty if it’ll be worth it? What the worst think that would happen to a car with 60k kms (37,500 miles), that’s never been serviced, or maybe serviced once or twice? I’m trying to decide if I should
Let it go completely, or try to make a deal that works to my benefit. The lack of service history is the biggest unknown, everything else I can equate a cost.
 
#36 ·
So I’️m thinking if they will do the front brakes, and the 60k service and maybe work some kind of deal on a 2 year warranty if it’️ll be worth it? What the worst think that would happen to a car with 60k kms (37,500 miles), that’️s never been serviced, or maybe serviced once or twice? I’️m trying to decide if I should
Let it go completely, or try to make a deal that works to my benefit. The lack of service history is the biggest unknown, everything else I can equate a cost.
Personally - I would leave it...Plenty of S’s around - so it this cheap or unique enough to take the plunge? Took me 8 months to find my GTS and getting the to my standards has still been expensive- despite a full Maserati service history and low miles (20,000)
 
#35 ·
FliGuy: Have you considered importing a US Spec unit? Obviously they're much more numerous here and you probably have a better chance of finding one that hasn't been so neglected and with a complete service history.

At the worst case, you at least have "done the behavior" and practiced vetting a QP5 and done the negotiating thing with a dealer. Perhaps you can find a private party sale with all the service history and records. They are always less expensive than purchasing from a dealer.

Good luck in your search!

BTW those rust bubbles are a total red flag as far as taking away the pure beauty of a stunning design. The dealer really dropped the ball on that and other items listed that your PPI found. He should have fixed that and the brake/wheel issues and done at least an oil change which he could then show the invoice/receipts for the work done to a prospective buyer.

Oh, and BTW 2 - I clicked on the ad link and just what is a "Pininfarina Edition"??? They are all Pininfarina designs lol....
Pretty sophomoric ad spin; as if folks looking for a Maserati would bite on that one.
Another questionable dealer tactic?!?
 
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