FR-S/BRZ vs. Maserati Coupe Spyder/Gransport

[Skyhound]

Now I know these seems like a silly comparison since well, it IS a Maserati. The main reason I even dare to pose it is because you can feasibly find a decent Coupe or Gransport for around $25k. Well here are the specs and I'll let the forum decide.

Both Maseratis are powered by 4.2L Ferrari V8's. Both are RWD, with front and rear double-wishbone suspension. The coupe has 385hp while the Gransport has 401hp. OF COURSE, double the HP also means half the MPG at about 11 city/18hwy. MOST of these cars only came with a 6 Speed F1 Style Flappy Paddle gearbox, but there is a MUCH rarer manual version out there.

Which is the better car? The love child between Subaru and Toyota or Ferrari's little cousin?

[mroczeK]

But are they as fun to drive?

[#87]

GL when your 25k masserati needs a 10k service a few months after you buy it with no warranty.

[raul]

3 words for you buddy:

Cost of ownership.

/THREAD

[Turbowned]

If you can actually afford the care and maintenance of a Maserati, then it's up to you what type of car you want to park in the garage. A thirsty semi-exotic that you have to pamper, or an inexpensive sports car that looks like an exotic and can be driven every day? I'm not crazy about the GranSport myself, I think there's a reason they can be had for so cheap. No doubt a nice performer though: 401hp, 333lb/ft, but heavy at 3700lbs...

Meh...

[chulooz]

These comparos kill me everytime. $25k Maserati coupe? where? Its in another league.

[BioRage]

Originally Posted by chulooz

These comparos kill me everytime. $25k Maserati coupe? where? Its in another league.

+1 These comparisons are stupid.

[Skyhound]

Originally Posted by chulooz

These comparos kill me everytime. $25k Maserati coupe? where? Its in another league.

I was hoping to get some actually educated opinions.

Maseratis are notorious for depreciating incredibly fast and it has nothing to do with their reliability; Maserati enthusiasts put 25k at a fair price and I spot three of them for that near me on craigslist. Just a google search on the Coupe's reliability will show you that it is (FOR THE MOST PART) pretty bulletproof. Though when something does go bad, it does cost an arm and a leg. I can also imagine insurance would be fairly high.

For the record, I do own my own Whiteout AT FR-S I'm just lazy to update my profile. I was just curious because I heard a buddy of mine just picked one up and was wondering how the two would compare. So assuming it's a solid Coupe/GS and one could deal with the high insurance, how would the two cars compare?

[dboz]

Seriously??

MASERATI>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>...FR-S/BRZ all day every day.

Gotta wait for the 2008's though. They look much better.

[Turbowned]

Well I'd say the Maserati would get you laid faster but I don't think most girls can tell the difference between the two

[RAYSSPL]

Why are there so many comparison threads that do not make sense? This is far off since majority here have never even owned a Mas in general.

People posting these comparison threads must be really bored out of their mind...

[chamisool]

is this a serious thread?

[xwd]

Definitely an odd comparison. A guy I know had a 2008 and even that one was still around $45K with a decent amount of miles on it. Unless you are planning on buying a 10 year old one, I'm not sure where you are going to find one for $25K.

He sold it the first time it needed to be repaired, which was about 2 months after he bought it...

[Turbowned]

I'm seeing them mostly in the $38-50k range, so yeah I dunno where $25k is coming from either, but still.

It's the question for those holding the money - do you buy an aging exotic/semi-exotic or a new sports car? You could ask the same question of a Lotus Esprit, Ferrari 308, Jaguar XKR, BMW M3, whatever.

On one hand you have a car that was prestigious at one point (though if they're ~10 years old, chances are they're out of style at this point; you'd be better off with the newest thing available than anything 10yrs old), that sports impressive performance, comfort/luxury and quality unsurpassed by a modern $25k car. The downsides are that they generally drink premium fuel with a big fat straw, require expensive parts and high labor rates to keep on the road, consumables are more expensive and more frequently changed, and they make you nervous if someone so much as breathes on them the wrong way.

On the other hand, you have a good-looking, acceptable performer that feels great to drive, has a low consumables and maintenance cost, sips fuel and can be driven 365 days a year.

Personally I'd like one of each. BRZ/FR-S for a daily and something more exotic for a "once-in-a-while" drive. I had my eyes on a 2003 Audi RS 6 for a while... Original MSRP $96,000, offered at $23,500!!! 450bhp (520bhp with just a chip upgrade), 40-valve 4.2L bi-turbo V8, 5spd Tiptronic trans, 8-piston front brakes, 19" wheels with fat Michelin Pilot Sports at all corners, adaptive suspension, leather and Alcantara everywhere...

16mpg, ~$1500 for a timing belt change every 40k miles, $1,500 to replace tires, 9.5qts of Mobil 1 per oil change, 8 brake pads to change just in the front... yeah, when pigs fly