[rshs]

I've posted on this board before and have been very grateful for the help I've received. So naturally, I'm back. I own a 2005 Cambiocorsa (CC) and have had it for under two years. In that time I've had three clutches. The first were replaced by the dealer because they were, according to the dealer, defective. I just got the word that I will soon need my third clutch -- but this due to wear. The car has a grand total of about 4,200 miles. Granted, I live at the top of a steep hill, but the maintenance guy told me I can expect to change the clutch as often as every year (at a cost of about $5,000) depending upon driving conditions. This feels like more than a temperamental machine to me -- this feels like defective design. And my hunch is backed up, I think, by the fact that the CC is no longer made. The maintenance fellow said "people got tired of changing out the clutch all the time."
The transmission is integral to the functioning of the car; a bad transmission can be dangerous. With all of the new clutches and the foreboding prospect of a new clutch yearly, I'm thinking this particular Maserati qualifies under the lemon law in California for replacement or refund. Have I simply been conned? Or actually, illegally swindled? Or is everyone out there happily handing over their plastic for a new clutch every time they turn around -- and don't think there's anything wrong with that?
Your help will be most appreciated.

 

[M!]

wow.
i am sure it does not hurt to visit some lemon law lawyers.

 

[RickBullotta]

Is there any way to turn Lemon into Lemoncello? Sure sounds like some fundamental flaw with the car, to me. Unless you live at the top of a 25,000 foot peak, and back your car up the driveway each day, this shouldn't happen, at least not at your cost!

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

The CC hasn't been discontinued. The QP is still offered with the DuoSelect which is essentially the same gearbox. (and no coupes are being built right now)

 

[demoe]

Un-B Leivable!

regardless of what kind of car it is, any car should be judged on what a reasonable person would expect. I would go as far as to Put up my Pink Slip of my Spyder to say that if you got a Pool of 100 people, close to 100 of them would agree 3 clutches in 4200 miles is unacceptable and you got a major issue with your car.

You got the entire orchard.

Please keep the board informed of what happens

 

[dchao]

Is there any way to turn Lemon into Lemoncello? Sure sounds like some fundamental flaw with the car, to me. Unless you live at the top of a 25,000 foot peak, and back your car up the driveway each day, this shouldn't happen, at least not at your cost!

There is an easy way to solve this, turn your car around (head in first) when going up your driveway

 

[MikeA]

This makes no sense, and is unacceptable.
There are only two reasons for such fast clutch wear:
1. A major defect in your particular car
2. You go up steep inclines in reverse. It turns out the clutch on all F1 style tranmissions never fully engages in reverse. As a result, if you back up a steep incline, with the clutch slipping continuously while the weight of the car is fighting progress, you will wear the clutch out quickly. If you have been doing this, you should definitely be smelling clutch burn when you do it.

The CC hasn't been discontinued, and in my mind remains the tranmission of choice for Masers. I had 31K miles on my first clutch when I replaced it and it still had 30-40% life remaining. I replaced it because the tranmission had to be pulled to replace the F1 pump. I drive aggressively, always in sport mode, and downshift all the time as well.

Best of luck in sorting this out.
Mike

 

[gmgrodne]

I think everyone would agree 3 clutches in 4200 miles "just ain't right". I also have always wondered about the design of a clutch that can't handle the car backing up a slight incline.

If you are considering Lemon Law, pursue that avenue quickly. Each state has its own coverage terms, with some limiting the Lemon Law to only the first 18 months of ownership, some longer. Don't know what limits are in California law.

Good luck.

 

[bundas]

burnt

rshs, are you backing up the drive, weak link. i had no idea backing up was a problem, until reading these postings. really a gross design mistake. i feel for you. we all have owned at least one lemon, mine was dodge dart, 1966. all the best for a speedy end to your nightmare. i am on my second clutch, 17000 miles. first was not car but employee problem.

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

Your argument of 100 people deciding what isn't right doesn't apply very well to cars. Ask 100 people if normal service costs on a Ferrari are acceptable, and 95 will say no. Ask anyone used to $20 jiffy lube oil changes if a $300-400 synthetic oil change is acceptable and they'll tell you you're crazy.

Its all about context, and unfortunately, we don't know the context of rshs car problems, so at this point we're all just guessing or being smart asses. Don't get me wrong, I think rshs should be taken care of, and get whatever the issue is figured out and rectified. I just don't think we should jump to a lemon debate with so many possible non-defect explanations. Especially when he says straight away he lives on the top of a steep hill.. Probably lots of starts and stops on a hill, probably slow going up to his house, and just like reverse, if you creep to much in first it doesn't fully lock up. Plus I've never seen a house on a steep hill in a flat neighborhood.

- Mark

 

[demoe]

Mark

I typically agree with you and find you posts helpful and information but wonder if they are piping in huge amounts of Italian exhaust fumes into your dealership.

Pretty much all of us and most people in general know typical maitenance costs for a Ferrari or even a Maserati is loads more than a typical car, perhaps that is why more MBZ, BMWs, Jags, Lexus are sold.

But as a vehicle which I have heard been marketed a "daily driver" Ferrari, and the likely possibility that someone who can afford to buy a 6 figure vehicle may live in the hills, would Maserati the company sell any cars if prospective buyers were told they may need a clutch every 1400 miles @$5000 ?(sorry for that run on sentence) . If this is the norm, then I would not want to be employed by Maserati USA as I'd be job searching pretty quick.

 

[Glenn Wallace]

The warranty does not cover normal wear. This sounds like abnormal wear to me.

Good luck.

 

[rshs]

Thank you all for your quick and gentlemanly (or womanly) replies. It's not often you come across a board on any subject with a such a high percentage of sober, helpful individuals who avoid all cross-talk, bickering and flaming. I will keep everyone apprised of what's happening.

 

[Glenn Wallace]

sober

I resent that implication!

 

[BeeYouZeeZee]

womanly

I resent that implication!

 

[Frankie P]

What symptoms is the car suffering?

I question whether the software algorithm designed to, "predict," clutch wear is artificially increasing its reading due to the environment in which the car is being driven. Are you experiencing any specific symptoms or transmission failure which leads you back to the dealer? Is the premature clutch wear objectively confirmed upon replacement? Candidly, the dealers LOVE replacing clutches and will do so at little more than a whim. I too went over 30k miles on the original clutch, and replaced it prophylactically, not having suffered any transmission problems prior to the service. Good Luck.

 

[maserati of minneapolis]

demoe, it might have actually been the TR-6 I was running in here for a couple of hours last night.. the british exhaust seems to be more toxic...

Obviously he is having excessive wear. There's no question about that. The question is the cause, and without knowing that, labelling it a lemon is far fetched, and detrimental.

 

[BeeYouZeeZee]

This is so far out of the norm that I would agree that there's a problem. As a daily driver that would equate to about 9 clutches per year at a conservative cost of $40000 (we know this doesn't happen). Two defective clutches in a row and now the need for a third tells me the diagnosis of defective clutches was wrong and they should now look for something else defective that's causing the wear. Be careful about calling the car a lemon. That term has serious implications. Manufacturers are allowed to have component failure and of course, fix them in a reasonable amount of time. I think you need a new shop to look at the problem and fix it.

 

[Motorpsycho]

Gotta go with "bad design"

I have been having a similar problem with My Mini Cooper S. It has 29,000 miles and I am on my 3rd clutch and second flywheel (I've gotten over 100,000 miles on the clutches of my previous vehicles, so it isn't operator error). So far the dealer has replaced them under warranty, but my warranty just expired and replacement costs on a Mini are $2500-3,000 !!! The manufacturer won't admit to a design flaw, just keeps replacing the parts. I'm planning on selling before the new one fails. Too late for the lemon law where I live.

We had considered upgrading to a used Maser Coupe, but I'm hearing these clutch stories way too often here. If it were a higher production volume car, the few complaints showing up here could be dismissed as an "acceptable failure ratio". But they don't make/sell that many CC/F1 equipped cars, right?

I'm still considering a GT with a manual, but I'm leary all the same.

I'd say see a lawyer about the Lemon Law and if Maseratti can find the real problem and fix it in the mean time drop the case, if not consider a class action, from what I read here you will have lots of company.

No offense to the loyalists or dealers, but throwing money over and over at the same problem doesn't mean you are wealthy, it just means you don't learn.

 

[Steve]

I have been having a similar problem with My Mini Cooper S. It has 29,000 miles and I am on my 3rd clutch and second flywheel (I've gotten over 100,000 miles on the clutches of my previous vehicles, so it isn't operator error). So far the dealer has replaced them under warranty, but my warranty just expired and replacement costs on a Mini are $2500-3,000 !!! The manufacturer won't admit to a design flaw, just keeps replacing the parts. I'm planning on selling before the new one fails. Too late for the lemon law where I live.

We had considered upgrading to a used Maser Coupe, but I'm hearing these clutch stories way too often here. If it were a higher production volume car, the few complaints showing up here could be dismissed as an "acceptable failure ratio". But they don't make/sell that many CC/F1 equipped cars, right?

I'm still considering a GT with a manual, but I'm leary all the same.

I'd say see a lawyer about the Lemon Law and if Maseratti can find the real problem and fix it in the mean time drop the case, if not consider a class action, from what I read here you will have lots of company.

No offense to the loyalists or dealers, but throwing money over and over at the same problem doesn't mean you are wealthy, it just means you don't learn.

We've got enough lawyers running roughshod over American society. This clutch situation is unfortunate, but a class action law suit? Give me a break. I'm biased, because I work in business and actually produce something of value for a living. So you'll have to pardon my loathing of attorneys who create nothing other than headaches and redistribute other people's assets for a living. The car industry is already enough of a target of greedy trial lawyers.....we really don't need a Maserati clutch suit.

There.....I feel better now. Pardon my diatribe.