[McNab]

It looks as if US and EU GranSports have been reaching their happy owners for quite a while, but I heard today that not a single customer car has been delivered in the UK yet. Serves us right for having the steering wheel on the wrong side I suppose !

I'm expecting to wait another month, or maybe six weeks. Has anyone from UK had better news?

:?

 

[SJP63]

I was at Meridien this week and saw a Black GS with light cream leather interior option being prepared for delivery. Sytners have a demo car advertised for sale so I guess there are cars starting to hit the streets.

 

[thebimbo]

sfsdfsd sd ds ds ds

 

[gggs]

I was supposed to have January build/Feb delivery and the dealer suggested 1 March (new registration period here) - but then (after the January build had gone!) told me they won't have a car until April. So I'm expecting April having paid a deposit last May. This does nibble away at the original enthusiasm, but presumably that will fade as soon as I actually get it?

I've noticed in other threads general moans about lack of information on options, even colours etc. It is amazing that you can't see decent official pictures - why produce a glossy brochure photographing only one car?

My universal experience of buying high-end cars in the UK is that the dealers play heavily on your own excitement and knowledge of the cars, i.e. that you really want it, and really don't seem to care/know much about what's going on. I'm getting used to it, but when you're spending that much money etc etc...

 

[McNab]

gggs, very disappointing, and I wonder if your dealer had more orders than mine? Unlikely if you paid your deposit in May. Perhaps I've been given an optimistic forecast - just have to wait and see. Sold my 996 Turbo, so I could do with something quicker than my wife's car fairly soon!

Agreed about the lack of info. My dealer had been given far too few details re colours and options, and it took us quite a long time to work out an acceptable spec. The end result was a bit of a compromise, but now that I've seen the photos posted here I'm quite happy!

thebimbo, OK, I don't want to bring Maserati or this excellent website into disrepute (or depress the members), but that's me in my avatar...

 

[McNab]

gggs,

Although I have no idea how many GranSports are coming to the UK, there will be a very limited number produced with RHD, and I think part of our problem is due to the Registration Mark change in March and its effect on depreciation.

Five dealers are advertising their demonstrators for sale, one is already sold, and there will be three or four more we don't know about. Probable reason? They understandably want to dispose of the cars before the new 'registration year' hits values in March.

This means up to ten new demonstrators will have to come out of Jan/Feb production, for registration with the 05 mark, and these cars will take precedence over customer cars. Hence our difficulty - or am I full of hot air?

:?:

 

[gggs]

Maybe, plausible. The dealer was supposed to have a demonstrator in September but it turned out to be November. The "oh sorry we don't have a car for 1 March after all" (after I let go January) was said to be because of (re-)allocation of cars by Maserati. Since the blame was being placed on them I tried emailing the MD of FMUK (Massimo Fedeli), but emails bounced (as did emails of PR people I found quoted on the web), and I can never get round to writing proper letters these days. One reason I started looking outside of Porsche in the first place (I have two) was a feeling that they take their customers for granted. It wouldn't surprise me if the dealers are coming before the customers, but is that really how to "resurrect the fortunes of Maserati"? They have £10k of my money ($20k for any US readers) and I still want the car, but it's certainly irritating. The 996 has to go by the end of March and as the wife takes the Cayenne Turbo I'll be slumming it (relatively speaking) in one of the other cars.

 

[thebimbo]

fkll llljkkljklkll

 

[saemus]

gransport delivery in uk

expecting delivery of my gransport in 2 weeks,have been told by my dealer the car has left the factory so fingers crossed should receive it soon

 

[scott]

Ask your dealer what ship your car gets on. Ferrari handles the shipping for Masrarti and they do not use car carrier vessels rather they box them up and ship as cargo. Once you find out what ship it's on you can go to their web site and track it's voyage. I did this and it was fun seeing all the ports my car visited on it's way here

 

[thebimbo]

s flskf lsd flsdj fl

 

[scott]

opps, Forgot that there is now a tunnel to the UK. I do know that it is Ferrari that handles the shipping of Maserati's so maybe a Ferrari guy could answer this. I did notice that there are shipping routes from the port of LA SPEZIA where they come out of, to the UK.

 

[McNab]

Certainly used to be by truck. They accidentally dropped a Ferrari of mine off the top deck some years ago. They were quite surprised when I turned down their offer to repair it 'as new'. Had to wait four months for another...

Disappointing and short-sighted if F/M UK are ignoring customers. This is the old 'dealers responsibility' syndrome - Porsche grew out of it, and couldn't be more helpful now.

 

[gggs]

Well I asked the dealer (by email) if there could be more precision on delivery - answer "Maserati computer says April". I also asked about the "rumour that no UK customer has had a car yet, only dealers". Answer? "If you order a car today you'll have the car in July".

????

BTW, like Tesco (another story) I think Porsche have become complacent on customer service...fantastic cars, though.

 

[McNab]

July? That's six months! The only consolation is that with April delivery you'll have the 05 plate, and therefore a better resale value. If mine comes through mid-February I think I'll ask them not to register it until 1st March - can't see any objection, because I've paid for everything except the extras.

Early Feb? I couldn't resist the temptation!

This whole problem of age-identifier plates is lunatic - more trouble than it's worth. Do they have them in the USA or Europe? Surely not.

 

[thebimbo]

sdfsfsdfdsfsfsdfdsf

 

[gggs]

I was wondering in what sense "...July" is an answer to the question "have any UK customers had a car yet?"

 

[thebimbo]

sf dsfd sdfsdffdsf

 

[McNab]

gggs, your dealer said "July if you order one now" and that's not too bad because he's probably playing safe (and promoting exclusivity).
I'm still hoping for Feb.

thebimbo, I can't think of any Scottish phrases which rhyme with Maserati, but here's a recipe which will help gggs and I shorten the delay !

"I went on a diet, swore off drinking and heavy eating, and in 14 days I lost two weeks..."

 

[gggs]

Dealer now advertising three demonstrators for sale.

Back to the original question - any UK customers had their car yet?