[John in DC]

As a community, I believe that we will all benefit from having a definitive pre-purchase inspection checklist. Sellers and buyers (and keepers) alike can refer to such a list to assess the current "state of health" of their cars and use that assessment to determine value and/or the remediation steps required to return their cars to their original glory.

After reading the entirety of the archives here (yes, I reviewed all 2500+ posts), I have gleened the following insofar as pre-purchase items are concerned.

Coupe CC/GT Pre-Purchase Inspection List
Prepared by John in DC / August 12, 2007

General Information
- Confirm that the gas line recall issue has been addressed. http://www.internetautoguide.com/auto-recalls/67-int/2003/maserati/coupe/base/index.html
- Contact dealer with the VIN number to attempt to get service records on the car.
- Check CarFax to see owner history (be careful--some information may be incorrect).

Engine
- Surging at idle, rough idle--leaking manifold gaskets, faulty fuel pressure reg., leak in air cleaner assembly, air temp sensor, etc.
- Gasoline smell from engine compartment--check for leaking fuel lines, leaking injectors.
- Check engine oil--see if it is at least somewhat clean and proper level.
- If high mileage, have pressure and leak down tests performed to assure valves and piston rings are sealing correctly.
- Check engine light illuminated? If so, have the dealer provide you with a readout of engine fault codes.

DriveLine
- For CambioCorsa cars, confirm that latest software updates have been applied to the transmission.
- For GT cars, check smooth operation of 2nd gear. Some owners have reported that 1-2 shifts and 3-2 shifts are difficult when the transmission is cold.
- Have a dealer or Indy check the condition / life remaining in the clutch surface. This should become part of price negotiations if you decide to buy the car.
- Has the F1 pump been changed? When? Check service records to confirm.
- When was the last time the F1 transmission pump relay was replaced? Be sure to replace it yearly as cheap insurance against F1 pump failure modes.
- For early model year Coupes, determine whether it has single tang or dual tang clutch. Some singles were upgraded to duals by the dealer. Check service records to confirm.

Suspension/Wheels
- Wobble in steering when accelerating or decelerating--can be unbalanced tires, warped rotors, bent wheels, loose suspension parts.
- During test drive, jam on the brakes fast and hard. Feel for any wobble in the steering wheel which could be indicative of worn bushings and/or warped brake rotors.
- Check brake pads on all four corners. Confirm there is ample pad surface left.
- Measure rotor thickness and confirm that there is ample material left. (Need some specs to be supplied here)
- Check tire wear--gives a great indication of front suspension problems (assumes SOME tire wear).
- If the car has been lowered (easier on Skyhook cars), check to confirm that a proper alignment was performed afterwards. Obtain alignment specs if possible.
- Check for visible signs of wheel damage. Possible out-of-round conditions due to hitting pot holes or similar causes of damage.

Exterior
- Paint condition. Check for rock chips, door dings, and scrapes on the front chin/spoiler area.
- Check for overspray of paint on any gaskets or rubber contact points in hood or trunk area (will show if has been re-painted)
- Check for even the tiniest point of rust ANYWHERE on the car and under the car. You should not find any rust on the body ANYWHERE. However, the exhaust is prone to rusting. Normal.
- Rock chips on front of car--two edged sword. Ugly and expensive to repair but actually indicates more highway mileage, which in my book is a GOOD thing mechanically.
- Be sure to check under car and look at exhaust system from engine all the way back to tail-pipes for rust-contact on body, etc.
- Check to see if the gas cap opens properly. Some owners reported sticky gas caps.
- Check rubber window gaskets.

Interior
- With windows down, find a stretch of bumpy road and confirm that there are no rattling noises coming from the door panel area (possible window retractor problem).
- Check for condition of all leather, leather trim, headliner, and carpet.
- Confirm proper (read: non-sticky) operation of emergency brake.

Electrical
- Confirm window "dip" when opening door. Could indicate sensor issue or that window needs to be recalibrated.
- Operate windows, steering wheel, and seat positions--especially seat base up and down travel. Right side mirror should tilt down when reverse is selected.
- Check radio and CD player (bring some CD's to confirm proper operation).
- If car has navigation, confirm that latest Nav disks are supplied with the car.
- Check operation of all lights. Headlights, turn signals, brake lights, driving lights, reverse lights, interior lights.
- Check air conditioning and heating. Cycle through all controlls to confirm proper operation.


While the Coupe is still relatively young model, there will inevitable be additions to be made as time progresses. In this regard, my wish is that this become a living document - - one to be updated as the cars age and as new challenges & concerns are discovered.

To that end, I invite all members here to add any comments regarding additions and/or edits that should be made to the list.

Rgds...

- John in DC

 

[Steeldream]

Coupe CC/GT Pre-Purchase Inspection List
Prepared by John in DC / August 12, 2007

DriveLine
- For CambioCorsa cars, confirm that latest software updates have been applied to the transmission.Rgds...

- John in DC

John, great job. I'd just add that there's a "campaign" for the CC transmission - it's either 95 or 98 IIRC - that most shops no longer do unless requested. There were a lot of complaints about negative effects on perfromance/driveability associated with this software upgrade and apparently it's non reversible.

 

[barbuckle]

Yes good summary.
Other common items you might want to consider:

Suspension:
- rear suspension bushes require renewal every approx 4-5 years (dealers want to replace entire lower suspension arms!)

Interior (cosmetic):
- chrome flaking off air vent surrounds on dashboard

Exterior (cosmetic):
- wheel nuts rusting

 

[RickBullotta]

Other common things to check:

1) Multifunction seat working properly, including memory settings, automatic fore/aft movement, and such.

2) Check in trunk for gasoline smell, which may indicate a leaking fuel tank gasket.

3) In the radio/CD test, be sure to test AM radio reception and the proper function of the CD changer (advance forward/backward between songs and between CDs)

 

[John in DC]

Just checking in.

Anyone have anything to add to the list?

Rgds...

- John in DC

 

[Alex]

what would those add with a sypder?

 

[vungul]

what would those add with a sypder?

Make sure the webs are in tact, with no unsightly tears. You definitely don't want flys getting away unnecessarily.

 

[DeaneG]

what would those add with a sypder?

Just the normal top operation and condition (fading, bird cr*p stains) and wind leaks around the seals.

 

[John in DC]

Checking in again.

Anyone have anything to add to the list?

Rgds...

- John in DC

 

[Peepster]

Checking in again.

Anyone have anything to add to the list?

Nothing to add, just a thanks for what you put together. I used it recently when buying my '04 Spyder.

 

[brumma]

Thanks for compiling the list--it seems very helpful so far. I've got my eye on a couple of GranSport coupes and plan on purchasing one within the next few weeks. Can you tell me how many of the items on the list still pertain to the GranSport? Also feel free to add any additional items that may not be listed. Many thanks in advance!

-Christopher

 

[John in DC]

Checking in again. Here's a few new PPI items I garnered from the recent archives...

• Ensure hand brake works properly - - ie it engages fully with approximately three "clicks" when you pull it. Adjustment easily performed using instructions from Panos.
• Check for headliner rattle, which seems to come from the leather headliner near both rear corners. Usually indicates broken plastic headliner mounting clips.
• Confirm that all functions on cruise control stalk are fully functional (esp the rotating bit).
• For non-CambioCorsa cars, ensure the transmission shifts smoothly up *and* down through the gears. Look for any "binding" - - especially on downshifts.
• Confirm that service bulletin number 200722 has been performed. It involves adjusting the mounting point for the alternator to address a misalignment concern. Depending on the severity it may also require a new belt but simply installing a new belt will only result in the noise returning.

Anyone have anything to add to the list?

Rgds...

- John in DC

 

[Fred]

Look for leaks in the trunk in the bottom of the well - pick up the spare tire if it has one.

 

[John in DC]

Here's another PPI item I garnered from the recent archives...

• Be sure to check that you can open both doors from inside of the car. This will confirm that the door handle cable mechanisms are working properly.

Here's more info on the subject from Paradon:

>>>>>Snipped from Paradon's post>>>>>
The door release is activated by a cable through a plastic eyelet that retains the cable shroud to the door handle. IMHO the plastic eyelet is a weak point in the design and in my case it was what failed.

It looks like it is about $150 to replace the part through Eurospares. I just fabricated a small metal bracket in the shape of the original eyelet and then screwed it in the plastic housing of the handle itself. Seems to work fine if you ever come across the same situation.
<<<<Snipped from Paradon's post<<<<<

Anyone have anything else to add to the list?

Rgds...

- John in DC

 

[Boxer]

Outstanding list and very helpful. Thanks for putting it together.

 

[leadfoot_mf]

can we make this a sticky? thanks for putting this together john

 

[John in DC]

A few more items garnered from the archives...

Problem: While in Neutral, the "N" flash two times then stops flashing. Car doesn't downshift by itself as you slow down as it normally should.
Solution: Brake switch might be bad. This will cause the "N" to flash and the no downshifting while slowing down if your MSP(yellow) light comes on and or your ABS light then its definitely your brake switch sensor as this indicates that there is no brake input to the TCU. For less than $40.00 you can swap the brake switch out w/ a new one.

Problem: Driver seat doesn't move forward automatically when you recline it. It may attempt to move or moves only a tad and then starts going back. However, if you move the seat manually, it moves fine.
Solution: You can simply fix it by manually moving the seat all the way forward to the front stop and all the way back again to the rear stop. This forces the seat software to 're-learn' where the forward-most and back-most positions are. If the self-learn does not work, disconnect the battery for a few minutes and this will reset the seat ECU.

 

[Niteroi]

And make sure there's nothing stuck under the seat, like kids shoes, in my case...

 

[sdscardino]

"throw bearing"

i just bought an 04 Coupe CC last month and it was making a slight squealing noise mostly, but not only, in cold weather - and in low gear shifts. I'm told by most members here that it's no big deal and not to sweat it, that many of these cars have this "throw bearing" issue, and there's a whole thread on this issue alone- that being said the dealer , (which is why i bought from a reputable dealer in the first place) has agreed to repair it 100% at N/C b'c it should have been caught in the pre-inspection. They also gave me the stats on break wear and clutch wear as well as the service records since day 1 when it was bought new - so those are all things worth asking about, hope that's helpful.

 

[Niteroi]

What's the dealer? We want to know about the good ones too!