[chris7469]

I just dropped my car off at the NJ FM dealer for the 6,000 mile service.

I spoke with a service tech about all the clutch "issues"...

Today he was replacing a clutch on a 02 Spyder that had 40,000 miles on it.

He has been replacing clutches on the cambio coupes somewhere in the 20,000 ++ to 30,000 ++ plus mileage range. Depending on how aggressive you drive and if you track the car.

He told me more than once, sport vs normal does not effect clutch wear at all. In sport mode the clutch is " moved closer " to the shifting point, making the shifts quicker.

According to him, its time to replace your clutch the first time you notice it slipping, ie you hit 3,000 - 4,000 rpms and goto shift and the tach jumps to 5,000 -6,000....

After reading some clutch stories, I was worried I would need a new one every year or so. Apparently, that is not the case.... I am relieved.

Oh yeah, got a free key chain and a free cup of coffee for my $364.00 service... Ha ha... Plus a BMW 325 as a loaner.....

CM

 

[MVP]

I got 7 key chains, no coffee though maybe I should change dealers

I had great luck with my clutch also, still original at 14k miles. Hope your luck continues!

 

[BrianS]

I was told that mine was 40% worn at 4500 miles. Guess that averages it out.

 

[kbrookings]

clutch life

26500 miles on my 2005 QP and original clutch (and everything else) is working great.

 

[Steeldream]

43,500 service just done & tech says 67% service life left. At that rate should get 150K? That's about the same as the Porsche.

Had to buy my key chain.

 

[Steeldream]

Okay, so here I am 4 weeks later (and the car's been in the shop for a week and a half with top problems) and the new Service guy calls me and tells me the clutch is 86% worn and needs to be replaced.

I point out to him that 4 weeks ago @ 43,000 miles you told me there was 67% service life left.

After hemming & hawing he goes back to the previous service bill and says the prior tech read the numbers wrong, the clutch was actually 67% worn.

I question why 3 weeks and less than 1000 miles of driving would cause an additional 20% wear. No good answer.

So he's recommending replacing the clutch and flywheel @ $6,500 which seems a bit steep from what I've read here.

He's also crying about fixing the top under warranty because there was "debris" in the mechanism. C'mon there's a headliner and the top stores under a cover how are you going to get "debris" in the mechanism.

I've got a bad feeling am I being paranoid?

BTW this is a 2002 model with the single tang. Anyone have any luck at getting Maserati to do the replacement with dual tang under warranty?

 

[haha]

please share the name of the dealership. am moving to the bay area soon and would appreciate very much.

 

[haha]

I got 7 key chains, no coffee though maybe I should change dealers

I had great luck with my clutch also, still original at 14k miles. Hope your luck continues!

how about no key chains, no loaner, smoke came out of the exhaust and paid almost $500. you guys are lucky.

 

[Steeldream]

FM of Silicon Valley.

They're a "new" dealership. Jujst opened in this location in September. There used to be a Ferrari dealership in Los Gatos but they went bankrupt a few yeaqrs ago. There's also one in Mill Valley but that's on the other side of the Golden Gate about an hour away.

FMSV is part owned by a chip company CEO who's a car guy. He's got his Enzo and an F-50 signed by Schumacher on the display floor alomng with a 53 Barchetta originally owned by King Leopold of Belgium. (He also has an MC-12 in the back and a AMG 65 for a daily driver). the other half is owned by the guy that owns FM of Beverly Hills (and Orange County too IIRC).

My experience with them has been sketchy. The first time I went in, in October, I met with a guy named Vincent who was the "Service Manager" - oddly his card only said Vincent - no last name, and he didn't seem to know very much about Maseratis. When I called a couple of weeks later to schedule the maintenance appointment and asked for "Vincent" he was no longer there - not a great surprise.

Henry, the Manager of the Parts Department scheduled the service and was very helpful. Plus points. The 43,500 service was pricey but thorough and I was pretty well satisfied.

Now with the Top problem I've been handed off to Zane who apparently is the new Service Manager. On the positive side he did call me at home at 7 PM which suggests he's working to clear up the service backlog.

On the negative side I didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling about what he was telling me regarding the price and need for replacing the clutch.

I don't mind paying to keep the car in shape but I really resent paying double for things of questionable need.

 

[haha]

...the other half is owned by the guy that owns FM of Beverly Hills ...

that explains your dissatisfaction. FMBH managed to screw up every single time I took my car there. I don't go there anymore, even though they are 4 miles from where I live.

thanks for the info.

 

[Steeldream]

yep, now I am POed. A quick check with the dealer in Mill Valley gets a quote of $3,500-3,600 parts and labor.

Just spoke with the General Manager and described what's going on. May be looking at the long haul to FMSF in the future.

 

[haha]

May be looking at the long haul to FMSF in the future.

40 miles isn't so bad... ...

 

[Steeldream]

If I have to face the traffic through the Sunset and Western Addition i WILL need a new clutch.

 

[BrianS]

Steeldream, did the $3500-$3600 price quote at FMSF include the flywheel, or just the clutch and related parts.

 

[Steeldream]

I asked for flywheel parts and labor "ballpark".

 

[demoe]

Steeldream

consider yourself lucky, I never, ever received a return phone call from Vince at SVFM, ..whether it was trying to make an appt for my 18.5k service, clutch replacement, or questions about the existance of an extended warranty program. The time I was able to speak to him, I had left 3 unreturned phone messages over a span of 1 week, when I spoke to him, (I called him), he saiid "oh, didn't you leave me a message? I've been busy".

He also quoted me $1800 to lower my car. He had no idea that it could be done. I have heard other dealers charge between $700-$1300, and any after-market shop can do it for $200-$500.

Anyways, Gino at San Fran FM is really great, he knows what he is doing....they replaced my worn clutch and the cost was $3600, parts and labor. FWIW< this is on the high side States wide, I have read other parts of the county, Arizona for instance, charge around $2300.

 

[topcarbon]

I have a stupid question. I am going to blame it on being a trident beginner. Are these clutch problems only on the Cambio or is it also on the manual tranny.

 

[MVP]

I have a stupid question. I am going to blame it on being a trident beginner. Are these clutch problems only on the Cambio or is it also on the manual tranny.

Both.

 

[topcarbon]

So, what is the life span of the clutch. Of course, a lot depends on how you drive, and where you drive. Lets say half freeway and half city and with no track days. I know that it is hard to determine but averages are acceptable. I have a hard time swallowing the fact that clutches need replacing at 6000-12000 miles. Please advise.

 

[Steeldream]

Mine lasted 44,000 miles. My gripe isn't that it needs replacing, rather that they told me 3 weeks ago it was fine then the new Service Manager arrives and all of a sudden it's 85% worn.