[gmansantamonica]

After browsing ebay and about every other online classified listing in the world, I found an 04 Cambio Coupe that was perfect. I flew out to Dallas last week and purchase by early B-Day present, a mint condition '04 in Alfredi Grigio with bordeaux interior and every option in the world and only 7k miles. I decided to drive the car back to socal with a High Def video camera specially mounted inside to the windshield. I did a time lapse of the entire trip by taking 1 frame every 2 seconds. The end result is amazing. But within (5) hours of getting acquainted with my new sweetheart, the car not my passenger, I got nailed in TX for doing 91mph in a 70 zone. I always talk my way out of tickets, but not this time and even volunteered to pay the ticket via $$$ right on the spot. The cop was taken aback and said 'We don't do law like that in Texas!" Oh sh#@#, he thought I was trying to bribe him. He was right. It was worth a try, but he gave me the ticket at the song of $220. But I know I made this jack asses day when he said, "Maserati? never pulled over one of these before. Is it fast?" I simply grinned then went on my way.

After driving the car for 1500 miles, and being an owner of a E46 M3. I'd sum it up like this:

1. An M3 is a 3 series on steroids; looks tough and drives the way it looks.
2. A Maserati is a supermodel coked out of her head; gorgeous, high strung and unpredictable.

In driving comparison, the M3 feels almost boring now. Don't get me wrong it is a great car; quick, quiet, civilized, etc...But the Maserati is special, sure it is a lot louder inside and rougher feeling than the M3, but it has passion and personality whereas the German car feels slightly heavy and docile. I don't care about the slight advantage the M3 may have in a stoplight drag race because the bottom line is--it isn't a Mas-er-ati! Anybody who has ever rolled these magical syllables off their tongue knows exactly what I'm saying.

 

[CCPotenza]

Spot Fine

About 25 years ago my roommate & I were heading to our group ski house in Vermont on a Friday night. We got pulled over in a small town. After the cop explained the options, we tried to explore any other ways to handle the paperwork. He said NO. We tried again, wondering if there wasn't some more expedient way. After hesitating, he finally said, "Well.....there's the Spot Fine." (This, of course, was before the days of the dashmounted video cameras and wireless mikes all the police cars have now).

"Spot Fine? How does that work?"

Cop says, "You give me $10, I take care of it for you."

All we have are a couple of $20s, cop has no change put points at a bar on the corner, says we can get change there. I go in, walk to the end of the bar and ask the bartender if he can break my twenty.

Bartender says, "What, ...... the cop get ya?" He pulls 2 tens out of the register, takes a red crayon and puts a mark on one of them and says "Here, give him this one. Bet I'll see it again tonight, real soon"

 

[CCPotenza]

In driving comparison, the M3 feels almost boring now. Don't get me wrong it is a great car; quick, quiet, civilized, etc...But the Maserati is special, sure it is a lot louder inside and rougher feeling than the M3, but it has passion and personality whereas the German car feels slightly heavy and docile. I don't care about the slight advantage the M3 may have in a stoplight drag race because the bottom line is--it isn't a Mas-er-ati! Anybody who has ever rolled these magical syllables off their tongue knows exactly what I'm saying.

Had my new Coupe CC for about 5 weeks now. Although it does not have the horsepower, torque, braking, traction, stability or technical sophistication of my 911 Turbo, it is certainly a blast to drive. I actually think it's more fun and you are correct in your comment about it having "passion"

What's really interesting is that I get alot of "wow" comments from guys in the locker room and men's grill at my country club. Again, this car has passion but it would get left in the dust by the Turbo by the second apex and never see it again. Yet it seems that most people think the Maserati is a step up from the Porsche 911TT.

Interesting. I hadn't expected this but there is apparently a perception out there on the part of some people.

 

[RQ]

Congrats and nice color combo! Enjoy and post some pics...

 

[STARDOC]

I can't imagine going back to my M3 again. Once you go to a V8, you just can't go back to a buz saw sounding I6. Also not sure about that 0-60 advantage. I had a few races with my friend's SMG M3 and not once did could he beat the Maser., at any speed.
Congrats.

 

[thebimbo]

boldly go where no man has gone???

 

[squid]

Had my new Coupe CC for about 5 weeks now. Although it does not have the horsepower, torque, braking, traction, stability or technical sophistication of my 911 Turbo, it is certainly a blast to drive. I actually think it's more fun and you are correct in your comment about it having "passion"

What's really interesting is that I get alot of "wow" comments from guys in the locker room and men's grill at my country club. Again, this car has passion but it would get left in the dust by the Turbo by the second apex and never see it again. Yet it seems that most people think the Maserati is a step up from the Porsche 911TT.

Interesting. I hadn't expected this but there is apparently a perception out there on the part of some people.

People don't know how fast a 911 TT really is, in the average brain "a Porsche" is a little slower than "a Ferrari".

I still say my GT is quicker around a windey mountain road than the M5 it replaced.

 

[PJH]

After browsing ebay and about every other online classified listing in the world, I found an 04 Cambio Coupe that was perfect. I flew out to Dallas last week and purchase by early B-Day present, a mint condition '04 in Alfredi Grigio with bordeaux interior and every option in the world and only 7k miles. I decided to drive the car back to socal with a High Def video camera specially mounted inside to the windshield. I did a time lapse of the entire trip by taking 1 frame every 2 seconds. The end result is amazing. But within (5) hours of getting acquainted with my new sweetheart, the car not my passenger, I got nailed in TX for doing 91mph in a 70 zone. I always talk my way out of tickets, but not this time and even volunteered to pay the ticket via $$$ right on the spot. The cop was taken aback and said 'We don't do law like that in Texas!" Oh sh#@#, he thought I was trying to bribe him. He was right. It was worth a try, but he gave me the ticket at the song of $220. But I know I made this jack asses day when he said, "Maserati? never pulled over one of these before. Is it fast?" I simply grinned then went on my way.

After driving the car for 1500 miles, and being an owner of a E46 M3. I'd sum it up like this:

1. An M3 is a 3 series on steroids; looks tough and drives the way it looks.
2. A Maserati is a supermodel coked out of her head; gorgeous, high strung and unpredictable.

In driving comparison, the M3 feels almost boring now. Don't get me wrong it is a great car; quick, quiet, civilized, etc...But the Maserati is special, sure it is a lot louder inside and rougher feeling than the M3, but it has passion and personality whereas the German car feels slightly heavy and docile. I don't care about the slight advantage the M3 may have in a stoplight drag race because the bottom line is--it isn't a Mas-er-ati! Anybody who has ever rolled these magical syllables off their tongue knows exactly what I'm saying.

This is a bit off topic, A year ago I bought a 02 Spyder, now I have 17K miles, and the guy who works on my Alfa will not touch my Maser. You're from socal, where do you recommend I take my car for service.

PJ