Caveat emptor. Buyer beware. Rebuilt Title. Now, with that out of the way, let's dig into what could be a bargain on an attractive Italian roadster. In this case, it happens to be a $12,900 Maserati Spyder GT, which pairs a Graziano Transmissioni 6-speed manual transaxle with the vaunted Ferrari F 136 R V8.
Weighing in at around 3,800lb, the Spyder never feigns a desire to be a sports car. But, with two seats as opposed to the Coupe's four, as well as with nine fewer inches of wheelbase, the Spyder compromises on its grand touring mission. A weekend car in every sense, the Spyder is the perfect form for high-RPM tunnel runs with the top down.
Year: 2002
Model: Maserati
Engine: 4.2L V8
Transmission: 6-speed manual
Mileage: 13,740
Price: Auction - $12,900 BIN
Location: Denton, TX
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 2002 Maserati Spyder GT
2002 Maserati Spyder in excellent condition. This is an actual six speed manual car, not the Cambiocorsa that constantly requires clutch replacement. The six speed manual is VERY rare, one of 572 ever built, and probably one of fifty built in 2002. The motor runs excellent, the transmission shifts excellent. The car is very powerful and yes it's a Ferrari designed and built engine sitting under those Maserati valve covers. It's basically a mix between the 360 and 430 motors, with different camshafts that boost the torque.
This car has a optional Sport Suspension package that is two electronic valve settings (selected by a button on the center console) plus adjustable threaded coilover shocks that allow you to manually raise or lower the ride height.
There are some sticky buttons and the ashtray is sticky. The NAV cover has been replaced with a cut sheet of ABS. I think StickyNoMore in FL has some replacement covers in stock. This is typical with ALL Maserati's and Ferrari's of this era. There is a crack in the inside of the windshield at the top of the glass. It's hidden by the tint. I paid extra for ebay to let you zoom into the photos and get as much detail as possible.
Lot # 10371851 Details
VIN: ZAMBB18A920005931
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Est. Retail Value: $26,455 USD
Ownership Doc Type: MO SALVAGE CERTIFICATE OF TITLEMAY CHANGE UPON TRANSFER OR REGISTRATION
Odometer: 33,404 Actual
Primary Damage: BURN - ENGINE
Auction Verification: Vehicle can be Driven
Special Note: MOSTLY SMOKE DAMAGE
This car does have a reconditioned title from before my ownership. Autocheck shows there were NO ACCIDENTS, and NO AIRBAGS DEPLOYED or damage found on record. The car was retitled by an insurance company in 2011 after a fir in the engine bay.
The report lists that car was still driveable even after the fire, and that the damage was mostly just smoke. So it apparently wasn't too bad (this happened before my ownership) and I would have never guessed it was fire damage had I not found the information using google. Pictures of the engine bay are included, it's immaculate. I
f you look VERY closely there is evidence of some repaint on the passenger side front fender. There is also a dent, like a big hail dent on the bottom of the passenger side a-pillar. But the car is a SHOW WINNER (wife says we're keeping the trophy).
The power tops of these can be very finicky, this one has been converted to a manual top. The pump has been drained of fluid and the main hydraulic rams disconnected. No parts are actually missing (maybe a small clip or two). It takes about 45 seconds to manually raise/lower. The process is documented in the service manual. I'll go over the steps with the buyer and/or send a video of the process.
The tires are NEW. The top is in great shape, the back window is a little cloudy though. The driver's seat has some fading, but is not ripped or torn.
This car gets tons of looks, thumbs up and compliments. It recently won first place in the Maserati class of the Italian Car Festival in Grapevine, TX. Very fun to drive, the only reason we are selling is that we are out of space in our garages and space on our collector car insurance policy. The car can be viewed in person, contact me through Ebay and we can arrange a time/place.
Buyer is responsible for shipping (or local pickup). I highly recommend Angels Moving Autos as they have shipped several cars for me in the past. I would estimate the typical cost to be $800-$1250 depending on location/enclosed/open carrier.
This is up for auction again because the first buyer changed his mind without even seeing the car. I will remind any buyers that the deposit is non-refundable. Ebay charges me listing and final value fees so it costs me when you change you mind. While the car was bought for my wife, I also have a Texas auto dealer license. If the buyer is in Texas the state requires I charge the required fees/taxes (6% sales tax)
The seller explains that the rebuilt title owes to an engine bay fire, noting that the passenger side fender display evidence of a repaint. The engine bay photos show what appears to be an immaculate engine bay, and with further inspection, potential buyers could determine whether the damage was repaired properly or not. The seller notes that the power top has been converted to manual operation - a disappointment, but not a deal-breaker.
These cars are both very reliable and very expensive to repair. So, we recommend a PPI, but if the results are positive, we wouldn't anticipate many issues. Issues that do arise? Those may end up on the expensive side. Still, we are happy to share such a rare combination of low miles, a manual transmission, and a nicely-optioned (Skyhook suspension plus the red interior) Spyder.
-Graham