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Maserati Biturbo?

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Bret

Bret

Yoda
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Hey folks,

Ok, I've never been one for Italian stuff - but this little charmer seems interesting. But I've read that they can be expensive & a bit of a pain to work on and maintain.

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Anyone have any thoughts on this Italian red head? I know where one can be found for about $3K.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif
Cheers,
Bret
 
If the body is good, and the interior is good, and you want to have some fun.... Buy it! Yes, they'll have the same problems as both italian cars (wiring and rust), and the same problems as mid eighties chryslers (varied and vast)... If'n the 3k one runs good (and I mean take it for a 2 hour test drive... and notice every noise, every leak, and every switch that don't work). Then by all means buy it! They make alot of power, and are heavier than they look, but fun to drive.

If the parts scene is anything like my Alfa (most italian cars use similar parts), then your golden on all but a few parts, and those few ones are the expensive ones that you'll need - if you have my luck). But, I'm biased in that I've never owned a Turbo car... and this one has 2! If high mileage, the turbos might need rebuilding. One thing car owners usually do is turn off the car as soon as they arrive where they were going... Not a good thing in a Turbo car... You need to let the car idle a few minutes, letting the turbo(s) spool down, so the turbo bearings/shafts last a good long time.

I'd prefer a Biturbo convertible, but fun could be had in a coupe too.
 
FYI the car in question is a 1984 (1st year in USA). Not saying I’m interested but here's what Road & Track had to say about it at the time.

"The Biturbo zips to 60 mph in 6.8 seconds and reaches 100 mph in only 21.4 seconds, covering the quarter mile in 15.3 seconds at 91 mph in the process. ... [It] will actually run with a Ferrari 308 Quattrovalvole up to about 90 mph. Above 100, the Maserati's bluff shape attenuates its acceleration considerably, finally arresting it at 125 mph."
 Car and Driver, April 1984

I find it kind of funny that they compared it to Magnum’s 308. How 80's is that? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Some more interesting facts about the 84 I’ve found googling:
* Duel screws are cooled by an “Oil intercooler”. But a short two years later a water intercooler was adopted.
* Only year that the biturbo had manual everything. Steering, transmission
* 2.5L V6 SOHC engine. Cast block 3-valves per/cylinder produced about 185HP @ 5500RPMs & 208lb-ft toqure @ 3,000RPMs.
* At 2700 lbs the car could go from 0 to 60 in a tick or two under 7 seconds. Later biturbos had significantly numbers closer to 6 seconds.
* 5-speed manual.

All that and you can haul around three of your closest friends. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbsup.gif
 
Well, I'd be really surprised to see those numbers out of a worn out 22 year old car (my alfa is a 1984), but maybe if the engine was new... and the transmission, and the... nevermind. Buy the thing, have fun with it, and did you know that one of the last Classic Motorsports magazines I recieved had an article about just this car? Also, on Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson bought one, just to drop a garbage dumpster on it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif
 
One word - DON'T!
Just cut a hole in the trunk & pour $100 bills into it.
It'll be cheaper (& faster).Then sell it for $500.

- Doug
 
one with a blown motor + Ford 302 V8 might be some cheap fun ...
 
[ QUOTE ]
Well, I'd be really surprised to see those numbers out of a worn out 22 year old car (my alfa is a 1984), but maybe if the engine was new... and the transmission, and the... nevermind.

[/ QUOTE ]
Minor point - But couldn’t the same statement be true of just about any older vehicle? Besides I was merely pointing out some of the significant specs & anomalies for that model year (1984) that might make it kind’a atypical.

[ QUOTE ]
Buy the thing, have fun with it, and did you know that one of the last Classic Motorsports magazines I recieved had an article about just this car? Also, on Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson bought one, just to drop a garbage dumpster on it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

[/ QUOTE ]
Again I don’t think it’ll be on my shopping list but I will be viewing another vehicle in the same collection and will make sure to take a peak at it while I’m there.

So what issue of Classic Motorsports did that article run in? I’m pretty sure I have them all and would be interested in seeing what they have to say about it.
 
Never mind Kenny I found it. The Biturbo is in the May 2006 issue 120 of Classic Motorsports.

Interestingly enough it also list their thoughts on the Porsche 928 as well that I'd asked about in my other post over in the Pub (see thread; Decisions decisions Ugg!). The CM article mentions that their sister publication “Grassroots Motorsports” has a buyers guide for the Biturbo. I’ll have to check that out too I guess before I visit the collection.
 
They like to eat money. Great when new, just not too well engineered for longevity. An Alfa GTV-6 would be a better car if you want to drive instead of wrench. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
There was an article comparing the Biturbo with my trusty BMW 325e in 1984 ... the author (whoever it was) preferred the slower 'e. I know that it's not too fast, but I used to well at autocrosses with it, and I love driving it (it also has been extremely reliable for a 21 year old car). It's currently at the paint shop, and may come back on Friday, so I'm quite excited to see the results!

At any rate, while the biturbo is rarer, a similar 'performer' of the period (though admittedly slower) is a 3 series BMW. The 325i's are considerably quicker, though they are introduced in '87? or '88 ... However, my e exceeds 30 mpg on the highway (EPA rated 21/27). I've gotten, on a few rare occasions, 35 mpg.

Also, the dashboard, which is hopelessly cracked, is even available new from the dealer for $575 ... though parts are notoriously expensive for BMW's, they're not awful bad.
 
My knowledge of these cars is that they are expensive to keep up --- like a lot of Italian cars. They typically have problems with the turbos and the engine(head gaskets). I'm sure owners groups could tell you what to look for before you buy and a Pre-Purchase Inspection is a must.
 
There was a twin to that car for sale not to far from me this past fall. It was right down the street from my friends garage (he wrenches on all sorts of classic sportscars). He went down to look at the car, then came to his senses, even though it was in decent shape.

[ QUOTE ]
One thing car owners usually do is turn off the car as soon as they arrive where they were going... Not a good thing in a Turbo car... You need to let the car idle a few minutes, letting the turbo(s) spool down, so the turbo bearings/shafts last a good long time.


[/ QUOTE ]

That can be easily remedied with a turbo timer. Most of the kids with the rice rockets with the big turbos run them. Shut off the ignition, get out and walk away. The motor will turn itself off when the set time period has elapsed. Some cars with good design don't need the cool down period. My Subaru does not according to both Subaru and the "experts" online, but I'm paranoid so I usually let it cool off a bit anyway. My friends Supra really needs the cool off period, so he got a timer.
 
Still, I really like those weird little cars!
 
Yes the coolant timer is a pretty common remedy. In fact we use that little trick to help cool our x-ray tubes. We discovered that rarely did the customers of our systems allow the tube to cool the factory recommended period of time at shutdown. But at $80k a pop, needless to say some folks got a little PO'd! That's when we installed the timer for the cooling system to run off of the UPS batteries for a couple extra minutes.
 
RUN, RUN, AWAY!! They are a pain in the arse to work on and as already written...$$$$ and more $$$$! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonono.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nonono.gif
 
Think boat - hehehehe (hole in the water where you throw money)

I say $3K is a good price if it runs good.... Get 3K worth of fun out of it... then let her go to the next guy... for whatever $.

But I sometimes feel that way... Other times, I'd say run away too. Did you see the engine pic in that CM issue? That's alot of crap on top of the engine... I think I have a Toyota engine pic around here somewhere that is pretty close - without the turbo plumbing. But whatever again...

Fun is fun, it's not an investment car yet.
 
Its an attractive car, and at $3K is fully depreciated...

If its healthy and you think you can keep it that way it make an interesting acquisition- thlugh you'd probably get more use, more cheaply from other cars, but that's true of many classics....
 
Ok confession time; The bad news is the Redhead in question hasn’t been ran with any kind of regularity and the seller isn’t really saying anything other than “it’s for sale”. However the good news is that it’s been in a sitting in the San Diego Auto Museum’s warehouse. Still trying to schedule a viewing of another car they have for sale but I still plan on having a look at this vehicle while I’m there as well.
 
Definitely read the article in Classic Motorsports - it should give you pause, or at least let you go into this with your eyes open. Roat & Track did a "Used Car Classic" item on the Ferrari 308 series a few years ago, in which they described a dodgy 308 as "an unparalleled opportunity for personal bankrupcy." I think that applies here as well. There are no bargain exotics - a rough one will cost you far more than paying top dollar for an excellent one.
 
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