[mps1156]

Hey everyone,

I'm new to this site and I'm thinking of purchasing a used Spyder, but really need some input from you. I've read that the 2004 model year is the first year that any significant changes were made, but I also like some of the exterior changes in the 2005. I have several questions:

1. What can I expect to pay for a 2004 or 2005 low mileage (under 10K) Spyder with F1, Skyhook, Xenons, heated seats, Nav, vintage package, powered hi-fi, etc? Is the 2005 Anniversary addition worth looking at? Any REAL noticeable differences between the '04, '05, Ann., etc?

2. What options are "must haves"? I realize this is somewhat subjective, but I think you know where I'm coming from.

3. So many colors to choose from, but I'm gravitating towards the blues and darker grays. Any suggestions of what looks sharp on exterior along with interior colors? The custom dashboard looks like a "must".

4. Any significant problems with these cars or recalls and what can I expect to pay for a typical oil change, brakes, clutch, etc?

5. Do I buy through a Maserati dealer or any other dealer that has one (and take in the shorts) or use a reputable wholesale guy who buys high-end exotics at auction? I came across a gentleman at G.E.A.R.S. in Atlanta who seems to be pretty honest and in business for over 15 yrs. Any thoughts and/or people that you would recommend?

Thanks in advance for your time!

Mark

 

[Alex]

Hello sir!


your best friend on this site will be the search function. This is the best way to get answers with the most feedback and the quickest!

 

[mps1156]

Thanks Alex. I've spent the past couple hours searching and have some ideas/answers, but still appreciate anyone's thoughts.

 

[paulc]

I think mid $50s is fair

The hard part is finding a car with very low miles that an owner is willing to part with for that kind of money. Buying from a dealer you will surely have a hard time. I just purchased an 04 CC Coupe with Skyhook, leather headliner, special order leather dash and upper doors, with Vintage pkg. I paid in the mid $50's, the biggest motivator was that the car had only 3900 miles on the odo. You might have better luck spending an extra $10-$15k and get a GranSport. I wanted to do that but I had a hard time convincing my wife that it was worth the $$$ for the same power. Good luck.

PC

 

[RickBullotta]

1. 45-65K

2. Skyhook, Xenons

3. Blues, deep grays and charcoal

4. Good as far as recalls, expensive brake jobs, $250 oil change (but not that frequently), $3500 clutch job every 15K-30K miles, $1200 in tires every 10K-15K miles. Figure an additional $2000 service every 24 months.

5. I bought mine pre-owned through the dealer and have been treated very well. It all depends on the dealer, of course, but I would personally *prefer* to buy through a dealer for such a small-volume vehicle.

 

[mps1156]

Thanks guys - much appreciated! Now I need to convince the wife...

 

[M!]

the 90th anniversary spyder is basically a gransport spyder, with the addition of a cf tonneau cover.

 

[mps1156]

Does it make sense to purchase a convertible in the winter months (I'm in Chicago) and hope for a better deal, or is this vehicle resilient to seasons, being produced in small quantities, exotic, driven year-round in temperate climates, etc? Some of the asking prices still seem a little high, despite the supply/demand of the vehicles and many of the dealers don't seem to negotiate very much, return calls promptly, follow up with questions, etc. I'm really annoyed with the process and not sure if it's worth the hassles.

 

[Cretio]

Mark, which dealerships have you tried? LM, Continental and Lake Forest? I'm heading up to LFSC this saturday to check out a 04 coupe CC. They are hosting a special event this from 7/19-7/21 - Auston Martin Roadster Ride and Drive.

I just did a quick search on LFSC's inventory but they don't seen to have any spyders. Last saturday I was at the LM O'hare for their 03 coupe 6M and saw a 04 blue spyder in the display room. It looks really sharp. It's got everything I'm looking for, except the soft top.
http://www.luxurymotors.com/inv/search/inventory_detail.aspx?vehicle_id=8676

Good luck with your search, and for me too.

 

[mps1156]

I live in Elmhurst and work in Oak Brook so I went to Continental last week and test drove an '02 Spyder. Good condition/mileage for the age, but at $55K asking price AND the fact that they sold this car once before (recent trade in), I thought they were out of their mind. As for LM, I was there last year looking at Range Rovers and felt like I walked into the Middle East! I've heard mixed reviews about how they operate and recently met a couple guys that used to work for them (they confirmed some of the rumors on the street). They opened a similar, but MUCH smaller store than LM in Addision called Lucky Motors and seem to be OK, but they haven't been too responsive with my search. As for Lake Forest, I haven't seen anything that matches my requirements. It would be nice to find one locally, considering what you're getting into and if it's out of warranty or close to it.

 

[Cretio]

I totally agree Continental is a bit over priced on their inventories. They got an '04 blue coupe with 22k mileage for 60k. A perfect fit for me on the exterior/interior plus vintage package. I didn't bother calling their sales guys for its sub par mileage and slightly high price.

I'm looking for an '04 and hopefully to get at least 6mo left on the manufacture warranty and get an extended warranty for peace of mind.

A couple of month ago, this guy offered me 55k for his '05 GS with 22k mileage on it. I'm still kicking myself for passing the deal. Neighbor, I live in Lisle and work in Downtown. The commute is crippling my maser quest.

Between '04 and '05, the most noticeable on the exterior is that '05 has bigger front grill and sportier rear bumper. I can't tell much interior but most of them are similar but vary in options.

-eric

 

[Cretio]

As for LM, I was there last year looking at Range Rovers and felt like I walked into the Middle East! I've heard mixed reviews about how they operate and recently met a couple guys that used to work for them (they confirmed some of the rumors on the street). They opened a similar, but MUCH smaller store than LM in Addision called Lucky Motors and seem to be OK, but they haven't been too responsive with my search.

Were you at LM DG? I was there a couple of weeks ago and test drove '03 SL500 and '04 645i, then went to LM O'hare for '03 XKR and '03 Coupe last weekend. Long story short on the test drives, maser coupe out beats the rest in every way IMHO. After the test drives, my gf gave me a "GO" for the maser.

What kind of rumors are on the street for LM and confirmed by the Lucky Motor guys? hope you don't mind me asking.

I did a search and found Lucky Motors' inventory. They don't seem to have any masers.

 

[mps1156]

I visited Luxury Motors ("LM") in O'Hare - a huge industrial building with every imaginable car. Quite impressive, but I got mixed reviews from people on the street. Some people swear by them and others say to stand clear. The guys at Lucky Motors naturally said to stay away, as the owner used to be a buyer for LM for many years. Conversely, I spoke with a buyer at a suburban Honda dealer today (good friend of an associate of mine) and he had nothing but positive things to say about the LM guys. I think if you know someone in the business that "knows someone", you might get the straight dope.

 

[Cretio]

I visited both Lake Forest (LFSC.com) and Continental (ContinentalAutoSports.com) over the weekend. The suggestion is to stay away LM, especially vehicles under warrantee.

Other than that, I had a chance to speak with a service manager at LFSC, he was very helpful and kindly offered to assist my research in preowned Coupe. Besides PPI if the vehicle in the local market, he'll help in pulling services records with a VIN number. I guess all authorised Maserati service centers (MNA?) have a centralized database for service records?